Happy Holidays!!!

I know it's been forever, but we've been busy around here! We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Needhams. I'm so lucky to have married into such an amazing family. Truly, they rock!!!

Our family, not really sure what our moms were doing here

Mom and me being silly making "the face"

Those that started it all. Aren't they the cutest? I didn't take this pic, but I love it!

Then we celebrated the 3rd anniversary of our engagement by decorating our Christmas tree on December 6th, like we do every year.

the tree

the stockings

the precious pups. don't let them fool you, they are not as angelic as they appear.

We celebrated Christmas in Alabama with my family. We had lunch with my brother and nephew, then we partied with the Trousdales. They are good folks who know how to party!

My brother Bo, my nephew Johnathan, me

the kids, we look ecstatic!

the girls, I'm pregnant. that's my excuse.

My sweet husband got me a new-to-me Cannon Rebel camera!! I took lots of pictures of my cute animals, here is a sample. Aren't they the cutest?

We celebrated the New Year at Matt's parents' house with their family that usually gets together for Christmas. Dinner was postponed a week due to SNOW!

The Matthews family

I hope your holiday season was merry and blessed! Happy 2011!!

Rumble Tumble KICK!

I've been feeling Sweet Pea's little movements consistently every day since about week 16. At first it was just a little tap tap tapping, very subtle. As Sweet Pea grew, the movements became more noticeable. Recently, I've been able to feel the flip flops of full turns. It's been so exciting for me, and I want so much for Matt to be able to feel the baby too. The last week or so I've noticed more distinct movements that feel like kicks and punches! I think we've got a strong little baby in there!

This morning was RARE. Matt has the day off and I am working from home, so we were here together in the morning time. This has not happened in a really long time. Matt leaves really early for work during the week. I've been working every Saturday since the beginning of October, so I get up while he sleeps in on those days. And Matt and Daniel have been going to the gym together super early in the morning on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday for a while now. Matt and I haven't been home together in the morning in forever it seems.

Anywho, Matt and I were enjoying our lazy morning together this morning all snuggled up, tummy to tummy. I was getting REALLY hungry, so I knew Sweet Pea was hungry too. I had just said something about the baby getting hungry when all of a sudden, POW POW!! And then again, POW POW POW!! They were the strongest kicks I've felt so far. I asked Matt if he felt it and he said yes! Then he was frustrated because the baby stopped kicking after that. I'm just glad he got to feel the baby kick him in the stomach like s/he does me! It was thrilling for both of us, and such a nice way to spend the morning.

We're having a....

BABY!! NAH NAH NAH NAH NAH!!! We are still not finding out the sex of the baby. We made it through our mid-pregnancy ultrasound without any spoiler incidents. Sweet Pea looks perfect, other than his/her HEAD is measuring 1.5 weeks ahead!! Thanks for that, Daddy. DH's head was so big he got stuck and my MIL ended up having a C-section, which I REALLY REALLY would like to avoid. But truly, it's in God's hands.

Here is our little Sweet Pea. Yes, we are having an alien. (I like the Olan Mills/Napoleon Dynamite pose Sweet Pea is striking with the little hand up to the chin, head tilt!!)

Sweet Pea's sweet little smile, see it?

Here is a nice forearm block and a couple of knees. Daddy says Sweet Pea will be a black belt!

Sweet Pea was over the portrait session, so s/he put both hands and arms in front of his/her face. :)

For Sweet Pea

Today I started to think about the things I hope for you, our little Sweet Pea.

I hope that you are healthy and happy.

I hope you grow to be a loving, caring and concerned adult (and if it's not too much to ask, a Democrat).

I hope you like to sleep as much as your dad and I do! We are not morning people, and our fear is that you will wake up at 5am every day of the week for your entire childhood.

I hope you enjoy baths as a baby and as you grow. I love and am so relaxed by showers, I hope you are calmed and comforted by it as well.

I hope the breastfeeding and cloth diapering goes well. I want to give you the very best of everything, starting with what you eat and wear.

I hope you grow up loving books and school. Your dad already reads to you in my belly before bed at night.

I hope that you love food of all kinds, like your dad and I do. We try to eat healthy whenever we can. It may cause lots of bumps in life if all you eat is chicken fingers and mac-n-cheese, but we will love you and work through it no matter what!

But most of all, I hope you learn to love God and rely on Him for every good thing in life. No matter what happens in life, HE is the one that will be with you through it all.