New Year's Eve!

We celebrated New Years Eve with a bunch of other families at the Horner household.  I think there were even 12 kids!  WOW!  They invited us all over for a shrimp boil.  I have heard of these but never done one. It was so fun and SO GOOD.  I never knew you just dump it on the table and eat it family style.  My type of meal....so fun.  We had  great night....ended about 11 p.m.....this Momma had to work the next day.  Yuck!

Tyler the chef!  YUMMO!

Christmas Morning!

Clayton woke up at his usual time for a non school day (7ish) and came down to find his crane!  Santa had it all setup and waiting for him.  He has been talking about it for months.

He also got him a "bow arrow."

That Santa sure knows how to make a little boy happy.

New hat from Mommy.

A gun too?

Can you tell someone is getting into hunting?  Blake went hunting a lot this year...I think C is starting to get interested.

I really think his "bow arrow" is his favorite thing.  He loves the movie Brave too...and Merida is a really good hunter.

tired tired boy.  He looks sad but he got everything he wanted...he  just needed a little snuggle time on the couch.

It is so fun to experience Christmas through a child's eyes.  I totally know why parents have more fun watching their kids open presents then opening their own.  I love the excitement for Santa and the overall spirit for Christmas Clayton has.  I can't wait to add another child to this mix.  :-)

Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve was at Blake's parents tonight.  It is nice to only have one thing to do today.  Clayton and I....this angle makes me look huge!  Okay I feel huge....just not the most flattering angle.  ha!  He looks so old I think.

Marin and Clayton were being quite the mischievous little darlings tonight.  After making a mess of the Christmas tree...Clayton decided (with my input) they he needed to vacuum up ALL tree needles that they so kindly got all over the floor.  He is really becoming quite the helper!

Before Jammies...Blake and Clayton.  The kids were just so full of energy and excitement tonight...as you can tell.

Marin, Audrey, and Clayton.  Clayton was in charge of making sure Audrey wouldn't fall off the charge...what a good big brother he will be!  This picture just shows their attitudes the whole night.  Marin and Clayton were crazy and Audrey was just taking it all in.

Before presents Denny (my father-in-law) told the kids they had to be quiet to decided who would open presents first.  They were silent for a whole 5 minutes.  Clayton took it so serious in his chair....Marin was dancing around but being quiet....it was so cute.

Uncle Mark got him a remote control four wheeler...he loves it.

Marin and Audrey got him a lead lamp...he loves it too.

Tonight was a great night with Blake's family!  Clayton feel asleep in the car on the way home.  He was WAY to tired to put out cookies for Santa but did instruct me to put the reindeer food outside (which I did). He then put himself to bed.  Tired tired boy....

Brand Christmas!

Today we are celebrating Christmas with my grandparents.  Clayton talked my mom into eating at his little kid table.  To funny...

Us eating brunch...I wish I could go back right now to all the yummy food!  

Next up St. Clair Christmas.  I didn't take any pictures because Clayton didn't get a nap in...which is NEVER a good idea.

Grieder Christmas!

Tonight we had Grieder extended family Christmas!  It was nice to see everyone.  Audrey (14 months) and Nathan (8 months) had a fun time kissing each other.  They are the same size and Audrey was just ALL over him.  He didn't really know what to think.  It will be fun to throw our baby into the mix next year.  Watching them reminds me of how much I miss my sweet Charlotte.

lots of smooches.

the big kids were having fun in the pillows.

Best group pic I could get...so funny.

Every year we do a gift card "steal" exchange.   I am not sure what you call it...but everyone brings a gift card and then when it is your turn you can pick from the middle or steal someone elses.  At the end Clayton and Addie were entertaining us all with these paper bags.  

They would put them on their heads and walk around the circle to find the person of their choice.  It was so cute and they had so much fun!

Look at this face....you can tell the fun they were having.

Great night for the first celebration of Christmas!

FIRST SNOW!

Clayton wanted SO bad to go out and play in the snow.  I got him all bundled up...and he loved it...for 10 minutes anyway.  Poor guy needs Odie to play with outside.  He was having fun tracking Casper's tracks and making snow angels.

Snapped a quick pic of him coming in...he didn't want a pic!  HA!

24 weeks!

(don't you love my belly pic in the work bathroom...I know classy!)

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 24 Weeks

Size of baby: the length of an ear of corn

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 10 lbs (in one month I gained 10 lbs...yep that is how I roll!)  At this point with Charlotte I had gained 11...so I am right on track.  I didn't get abnormally large with her until later around 30 weeks.

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity pants but everything else is regular.

Gender: It's a BOY!!!

Movement: I've been feeling the baby a lot more lately!  

Sleep: I'm sleeping pretty good!  I haven't been getting up much in the middle of the night so that is nice.

What I miss: having lots and lots of energy and being able to exercise normally.  I did Zumba last night and I just can't bounce like I want to.  I am able to modify a lot of things to still feel like it is worth it!

Cravings: SWEETS.  I can finally eat salads again...thank goodness!

Symptoms: Mostly tiredness, especially at night.

Best Moment this week: Really feeling the baby kick a lot!  Blake felt him kick last week.

I had my 24 week appointment last Wednesday.  It was a quick and easy check-up.

His heart beat was 145.  He even kicked the Doppler when Shellie was trying to measure his heart rate.  He is a kicker.  

Everything looks good and I was in out....so far so good!

Happy 30th Bday Aubrey!

Tonight we celebrated Aubrey's 30th Bday over at her Mom's house.  It was such a fun girls night out....talking to friends with no kids to chase after.  I was there WAY past my bedtime...I think til 10:30.  Aubrey turning 30 means....my big 30 is on its way.  I can't believe it.  It is also crazy to think I have known these two girls for 30 years.  We have been friends since birth thanks to our Mom's.  I don't get to hang out with these girls much...but when I do its like no time has passed.  That makes them the best of friends.  Love you girls!

Kristen and I showing off our prego bellies!  I am 23.5 weeks prego and Kirsten is around 22 weeks.  I am  having a boy and she is having another girl.  It is fun to share a pregnancy with such a close friend!  Can't wait for the two little ones to be the best of friends.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I love this time of year...I love my house decorated.  The lights at night are just amazing....in fact I seem to turn on as little lights as possible...so my decorations shine through.  

This is my Charlotte tree.  It has pink ornaments and was in her room last year at the hospital....remember?   My mom got these angel wings for Charlotte.  I love them.  I think I need to get some more pink ornaments maybe some butterflies.  I guess anything that reminds me of her.

Can you tell someone is high on Christmas?  He is just so excited about everything....

our mantel and stockings...Blake's, mine, Clayton's, and Casper's.  Two missing stockings this year...Charlotte's and Odie's. :-(

I love this time of year!  I am just happy I am home to enjoy it.

Charlotte's room...

I can't believe I have never posted pics of the nursery, "Charlotte's room."  I wanted to do a quick post so I would remember what her room was since I have to change it for the new baby boy.

This room really doesn't have many links to Charlotte in my mind other then having a few of her things from the hospital since that was her real home.  It doesn't really make me sad going into it..since she never got to sleep here.  But it does make me sad thinking of packing up all her stuff.

A vintage dress we got in the mail...I don't know who sent it...but I LOVE it....so thank you!

a lamp I made...

the dresser I painted, Blake still needs to put knobs on the top drawer (he needs to get longer screws)....(with a matching twin bed in our basement)

This was in Clayton's nursery. I love this tree from Pottery Barn.  I made the red ruffle crib skirt to girl it up a little...so that will need to be changed.

Just some of her clothes...

Her stockings which were put inside this trunk.  My friend Kelly got me this to put Charlotte's stuff in.  LOVE it.

her hair bow holder...I moved this to my closet.  Nice to have a little remember of her in there.  :-)

Her Illini outfit....Alisha made it for her.

Love this monogram inside her trunk.

Charlotte will always be my special girl.  There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about her and what should have been.  Changing her room doesn't take these memories away...I need to focus on that in the next couple months when I get ready for the new baby. 

Clayton tells me at least once a week that Charlotte is waving at him or smiling at him from heaven.  We are lucky to have her watching over us....especially her new baby brother.

Miss you sweet girl!