Visit with Santa

We took Kale to see Santa. (He is an older man who attends our church). It was a much better experience than going to the mall. No lines and it was free! We just had to bring our own camera. 

Kale did not cry but he would NOT smile. He just sat there and stared at Santa. His shirt says "I Love Santa," even though I am not so sure that's true.  

Santa told me to sit on his lap and maybe Kale would smile--I felt a little funny about doing that....

Liam's Baby Shower

Some sweet girls that I work with threw a baby shower for Liam. Since we really don't need too much since we have lots of "boy stuff" from Kale, they threw a diaper and gift card shower. We got tons of diapers! We won't have to buy any for awhile! 

We had a delicious chocolate cake! 

Of course, someone bought Liam a few books. It would only be appropriate for him to get books since my title is "reading specialist." 

I got this funny bib--it says "spit happens." 

Some the diapers we received at the shower! 

We had an appointment to check on Liam. He is still doing great! We will have one more appointment next week and then that's it! 2 weeks and our baby boy will be here! 

Ready for Christmas!

Even though it's only November 30th, we are ready for Christmas! We have decorated both inside and out. I hope to hit the after Christmas sales to get a few more lights/yard ornaments to decorate with next year. 

Nice Long Weekend

We all enjoyed a nice 5 day weekend. I have been off since Tuesday and Kris took off Wednesday at noon.    We got some chores done around the house, as well as plenty of relaxing! I can honestly say I only left the house once from Wednesday night through Monday morning---and that was to go to church.

In the above picture you can see Kale's latest obsession. He likes to wear his shiny black church shoes everywhere he goes. 

We got the house decorated inside and out for Christmas. 

Kale really wasn't too much help. He mainly walked around with the Santa hat over his eyes and attempted to throw the glass balls that go on the tree. Apparently he thought they were actual balls. He also enjoyed playing with all of the ornaments that resembled cars or had wheels. 

The beginning stages of decoration...

Kale also enjoyed playing on the stairs while we were trying to decorate. 

Kale loves to sit on the floor and have snack time. He actually goes in the cabinet, gets out what he wants to eat, pulls a plastic bowl out of his drawer, plops down on the floor and goes to town eating! 

Although this picture doesn't necessarily show it (considering Kale is crying), he is somewhat of a better eater these days. He will actually eat something besides yogurt and cheese. He will eat anything that has cinnamon on it for breakfast (he has a sweet tooth), and he enjoys fish sticks and chicken nuggets for all his other meals. I don't care though, so long as he is eating. I will feed him chicken nuggets every meal for the rest of his life! 

Kale is (kinda sorta) into watching TV. If we play Barney video clips on youtube.com, he will sit in our laps and watch for awhile. He loves the songs and can sing along/do the motions to the ABC song, Itsy Bitsy Spider, If You're Happy and you Know It, and Old McDonald.

The tree is finally decorated and all of the packages are wrapped! 

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...except for Liam's. I still have to get a stocking hanger for his. 

The table is decorated and ready for Christmas dinner!

The next few weeks promise to pass fast and furiously! Liam is set to arrive in 2 weeks and 5 days (if not before), so I really, really feel the urge to have everything completely wrapped up and ready for Christmas, since I know after the 15th I won't be getting much done. We are thankful to have many visitors who will be staying with us on/around the Christmas holiday. I know we will need the help!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We spent Thanksgiving in Amarillo. I was a little far to travel too far from my doctor. It was just the 3 of us, but we enjoyed a semi-lazy day together with lots and lots of food. 

Kris helped out with Thanksgiving dinner this year since I am about to pop. He made the company potatoes and carved the ham. 

Kale was also a good helper. He assisted by playing with the mixing bowls. 

He also helped by taking out the trash. 

It is the funniest thing, but he can really take out the trash! I tie up the bag and he pretends to tie it as well. Then he will go and make sure the door is unlocked (we have to lock all of our doors these days because he is quite the escape artist). Then, he drags the bag all of the way to the door and puts it on the rug in the garage. It is amazing how observant he is and how much he can do on his own. He really loves being a helper. 

Here is a picture of our delicious meal: fresh green beans with onions and bacon, corn, company potatoes, rolls, ham, and graham cracker pie and brownies for dessert. 

Such a Big Boy

Kris and I have wanted to get Kale a little table of his own for awhile now. I was able to find this solid wood brand new table at a consignment store a few weeks ago. It came with 4 chairs and the only bad part was that Kris had to put it together. 

Kale loves his new table. He really enjoys sitting and coloring or reading. 

He looks so grown up sitting at his little table and coloring with his markers. 

3 Weeks from Thursday

Liam will be here on or before 3 weeks from Thursday. We are so excited! I am beyond ready for him to be here. We had a check-up and ultrasound today. I am doing great and so is Liam. His heart rate is strong--140 BPM. He is also large...already weighing in at 7 lbs. According to ultrasound measurement, his organs are measuring in at 37 weeks 5 days, but according to the doctor, I am only 35 weeks, 5 days pregnant. So what does this mean? I hope it means he will come a little early. I want him to be healthy and well-developed, but as soon as he is, I want him out! December 15th at 8 a.m. will be the big day (unless of course, he opts to make his appearance ahead of schedule). I asked the doctor if he thought we would make it until the 15th. He said that with Liam's size, he wouldn't be surprised if he came a little early. Although, I think the doctor might have known what I wanted to hear....

Top 10 Things I am Thankful For

10. I am thankful for the beautiful house we have to live in...even though it is in Amarillo.
9. I am thankful for Haagen Dazs ice-cream. I don't think I could've gotten through this pregnancy without it. It's the little things, you know!
8. I am thankful that Kris and I both have jobs. (I am really struggling with this one these days. These past 2 weeks have been beyond stressful at work for me...in other words, if stress could cause labor, I would have a baby by now!)
7. I am thankful for the amazing ladies we have found to watch Kale during the day. They love him, treat him fabulously, and do fun little projects with him. It is so comforting to be able to drop him off at a place that he loves. He seriously could care less if I picked him up in the afternoon. He has so much fun there. Some days he actually cries when he has to go home!
6. I am thankful for my dogs. They definitely don't get the love and attention that they used to (pre-children), but they were my first babies. I love that Kale loves them as much as he does.
5. I am thankful for the health of my boys and family.
4. I am thankful for a wonderfully, supportive, extended family. I couldn't ask for parents and family members who love and support me more.
3. I am thankful for Kris. He is an amazing husband who constantly spoils me. I know that he would do anything for me. He is also the best dad a boy could have. I love watching him and Kale play together. Kale loves his "da."
2. I am thankful that God gave me the opportunity to be a mother. I never knew I could love someone as much and as selflessly as I love Kale and Liam. Kale is such a joy, so happy and so smart. God gave us Liam at just the right time. We can't wait to meet him. (I already know he is going to be an active one, judging from the action going on in my belly.)
1. I am thankful that God has seen fit to bless me so immensely, even though I am undeserving.

New Obsessions

Kale currently loves trying on Kris' hats. He knows right where they are and tries them on multiple times a day.

He always wears the hats low over his eyes and then walks around. Kinda dangerous if you ask me, but he thinks it is great fun.

Kale is also into getting his own food. He knows which shelf in the pantry is "his." (The shelf that has his food on it.) He will take whatever he wants off the shelf, then get a plastic bowl from the "his" drawer and empty the food (usually all of whatever is in the container) into the bowl. He is very good at sitting on the floor to eat his snack and cleaning up after himself. He knows what to do if he dribbles milk--he gets a towel, or what to do if he drops something on the floor--he promptly throws it in the trash.

Aunt Missy got this cute shirt and hat for Kale for his birthday. He is finally able to fit in it. On a side note, he is eating somewhat better.

That is water on his pants, I promise!

Kale has discovered jumping. He loves to practice this skill on the furniture in the house.

Belly Pictures

Liam and I at 33 weeks.

34 weeks--I don't know if it's just the angle of the camera or what, but I look remarkably larger in this picture than the previous one!

Gobble Gobble!

I bought this cute shirt for Kale on Etsy.

This is not a great picture of him, but at least you can see the whole shirt.

It is crazy to think that in just a week and a half we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for!

We don't have major plans for Thanksgiving this year. It will just be our little family. We will have the traditional Thanksgiving dinner-you know, the one that takes longer to cook and clean up than it does to eat. I am sure Kris will watch a little football. We do have a few last minute Christmas gifts to finish up, but other than that, we plan to enjoy having a few days off together.

18 Months

We took Kale to get his 18 month pictures this weekend. (I know--we take excessive amounts of pictures of our child.) We have been meaning to take him for several weeks, but he keeps falling and getting all bruised up, so we have put off pictures for awhile. I finally decided if I waited until he didn't have bruises, we would probably never get pictures taken of him again.  

This is one of my favorites!

He looks so somber in this one! I love the way his little legs are crossed.

Kris did a great job making funny noises and entertaining Kale during the photo session. He is great at getting smiles out of him.

I think this elf is the ugliest prop ever, but since we got a CD of all the pictures they took, I decided to post it. Kale was trying to destroy the ugly elf the entire we were at the studio.

By this point in the photo session, you can tell Kale is not feeling the pictures. He is just reclined back in his chair taking it easy.

He was quite excited to stand on the chair. He loves jumping on furniture.

He actually kind of looks like he is in a football stance in this one.

Kale found this duck in the box of props while the photographer was switching out her battery. He was in love with it and keep saying, "duckie, duckie." We obviously didn't buy any of these, but he enjoyed being photographed holding the precious duck.

This is definitely toward the end of the session-you can tell he is getting in trouble. He is very sensitive these days and knows when Kris or I are talking sternly to him.