Happy Belated Thanksgiving

Wayne and I have never traveled as much as we have this year! I'm late in writing about our Thanksgiving because we left for Santa Fe the Monday after! Wayne has been working so hard so we decided to take a little vacation just the two of us...I'll write about that next :)

Our Thanksgiving weekend was wonderful! It was busy and filled with tons of family time. Wayne's mom, my parents, Carrie and Chris (and Otis), my sister Jennifer and her kids (Robert and Alexandra), and my Grandma were all here to celebrate!

Not only were we celebrating Thanksgiving, we were also celebrating my mom and Alexandra's birthday. Carrie, Nathan, and I baked the cake, and boy did he love helping! Carrie let him lick the beater, and he licked it clean :)

"I think I might have a tummy ache...."

"But I don't care! That was the best thing ever!"

On Thanksgiving day, we watched the parade while we cooked. Everyone came to my house for lunch which I loved!

Wayne carving the yummy turkey I baked.

Me and Wayne

We had so much food, and I was in Heaven! I wish I could take credit for it all, but I had help. I made the turkey, Carrie made mashed potatoes, Helen made a corn and green bean casserole plus brought over the rolls, and my mom made the stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and pies. This is my favorite meal...I wish we could eat like this all the time :)

And here is mom making the gravy.

Time to dig in!

Even Nathan was impressed with our cooking. He and Robert and Alexandra had the best time running around and playing while we cooked (can you tell he's already a little sweaty?) Having Robert and Alexandra at my house was wonderful! I was pretty much off duty until Nathan needed a diaper change :)

The kid table

After we stuffed ourselves, we sang "Happy Birthday" to Mom and Allie.

Nathan decorated the cake with sprinkles! This was a really special birthday for Alexandra because she is officially a teenager...13! I can't believe she's so grown up!

Nathan had to sample his hard work with Papa. He was actually more interested in the frosting than the actual cake. I think there were a few finger marks in the cake before we cut it, but oh well :)

After eating, we laid around a little, Nathan took a nap, the guys watched football, and the girls went to see Helen's new house. The next day, Wayne took care of Nathan while my mom, sisters, and I went to the movies. We saw "The Blind Side" and it was sooooo good! We also took Mom shopping (we helped her pick out the clothes and she paid) :) For her birthday, we all got her a Talbots gift card, and it was so much fun to take her shopping and watch her spend them...plus a little more.

On Saturday, we spent the day at the park and visited Grandma.

Nathan and Alexandra snuggling.

Robert is the one in the blue vest towards the top.

Hang on Nathan!

Mama gave them each a piece of chocolate to sit still for a minute while we took a picture, but one little person couldn't get his opened fast enough :)

"I just want a little bite and then maybe I'll smile."

After the park, we went to Grandma's apartment to visit. Nathan would not sit still for the picture! He found this little porcelain present box of Grandma's that he loved and did not want to put down. Normally, I'd say that was a "hands off" item, but to his surprise, we said he could play with it if he'd sit next to Robert. The whole time I'm thinking, "Please don't break it!"

And then that night, we all went to Mama and Papa's house for dinner, and for my dad and Wayne to watch the Arkansas game. Here's Aunt Jen and Nathan. Nathan is finishing off a popsicle.

"Mama, do you have any cookies in here?"

"I KNOW they're down there somewhere!"

While Dad and Wayne watched the game, Nathan, Alexandra, and Robert played, went on golf cart rides, and then made play-doh with Mama.

Robert worked very hard on all of his sculptures :)

And Nathan loved making snakes!

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend with our families! Carrie even helped me decorate my house for Christmas! In the next couple of days I'll post pictures of our Santa Fe trip and the house. I can't believe it's already Christmas time!

Here is a video of Nathan eating the cake batter:

Nathan and His Cousins

A few weeks ago, Wayne's brother and his family came to visit us. It was an exciting visit because Wayne's mom finally sold her house in Arkansas, and bought one here! Wayne and Stuart helped her move in while Tiffany and I entertained the kids. Nathan was so happy to have his cousins here to play with him, but boy was my house loud! Logan is 4, Landon is 3, and Lexa is 2 (she and Nathan are just a few days apart). Even though we had 4 toddlers and 5 adults at my house, we all got along just fine :)

When Logan, Landon, and Lexa saw the train table, that is ALL they wanted to play with!



The next day while the guys were helping their mom, Tiffany and I packed a picnic and headed to the park to wear them out so they'd take a good nap :)


Landon is on the left and Logan is on the right. Lexa is sitting next to Nathan who is giving his "fake" smile.



But that is a REAL bear hug!

Landon

Nay-Nay

Logan

After the big move, we got cleaned up and headed to Papadeaux's for a celebration (and early Thanksgiving) dinner.

The next morning, Tiffany and I met my playgroup at the Gainsville Zoo. I loved this zoo because it was small and not crowded at all. The kids could walk around without getting lost in the crowd. Nathan and Lauren pretty much held hands the WHOLE time. It was so cute. Nathan kept leading Lauren to different things he wanted her to see and then they'd have their own little conversation :)

Lauren, Landon, and Nathan feeding the goats

And here comes Logan

The Three Musketeers :)

Logan

Landon

Nathan

Lexa

And Mr. Nathan again looking all sweet...I think he might have just thrown a rock and got in trouble ;)

Here are the two love birds again!

We had the best time with Stuart, Tiffany, Logan, Landon, and Lexa! After they left, Nathan kept asking where his cousins were. Playing trains is so much more fun when you have 3 other friends with you!

Guess What?!

Nathan is going to be a big brother! That's right, we're having another baby! I'm 13 weeks along, and everything is going perfectly. Wayne and I are so excited...maybe a little nervous too :) My due date is May 21! Here are some pictures of our new addition:


5 weeks: This is our first sonogram picture!


7 weeks: Can you believe the difference in just two weeks?


12 weeks: This one is of the baby's face...it's a sideways view and there's a hand in front of the baby's face. The head is laying to the right, and it's left hand is raised up to it's cheek which is towards the bottom of the picture...kind of hard to tell unless you're used to looking at a sono picture :)


12 weeks: This is one of the baby taking a nap :) It's head is to the right and it's a profile shot.

Here's one more piece of exciting news...it's a GIRL!!!! When we went for the 12 week sonogram, it was a level 2 sonogram with our perinatologist which is a little more "high tech." At first SHE was in the wrong position to get all of her measurements, and she wouldn't move at all (we didn't know it was a SHE just yet), they pushed on my stomach over and over to try to get her to move. Then I had to cough several times (they said coughing is like an earthquake to the baby). Finally, she woke up and was moving all over the place! She actually measured 3 days ahead of schedule which is good, and she looked completely healthy. At the end of the sonogram, I asked if the doctor could possibly tell the sex. He looked at Wayne and said, "Well, don't run up your Visa bill, but you're going to have to buy all new baby clothes." We both just started laughing! I was so excited! Wayne thought all along it was a girl, but I was sure we were having a boy. When I asked him how sure he was, he said he was 98% sure...that's pretty sure!

I go back again in two more weeks for a regular sonogram and then two weeks after that for another level 2, so we'll be able to double check at both of those appointments. I'll keep you posted!

Nathan's School Pictures

I just got Nathan's "school" pictures back. Although he's not smiling huge and his hair isn't perfectly brushed, I think they are so cute! These are the first pictures he's taken without me there...I can tell he was a big boy and followed directions :)


"I know I'm not smiling, but I AM holding my hands like they said...see my stamp?"


"Do you like my tennis shoes with my button up shirt?"


"Here's a little smile...is Mommy here yet to pick me up?"


Here is Nathan's class picture. The two boys on the left are Collin and Blake. They are the ones Nathan talks about all the time. He tells me they play chase and fall down, and he laughs while he says it :) I think it's so cute that he knows his friends' names and can tell me about them!