Change

It's happening! I've picked out some ideas for the new baby's nursery and as we've made room for all of the new Christmas toys we've started to move things into our spare bedroom for the baby boy. 

Another change in our household is that I can hardly lay our little girl down in her crib any more, as my growing belly gets in the way. So we decided it was time to turn the crib into a toddler bed. 

Earlier that night as we drove to dinner, Kevin looked over at me and asked, "Are you ready for a rough night?" "Sure." I replied, as I envisioned a long and frustrating night of parenting. 

Well, it was all for nothing. We brushed teeth, read books and said our goodnight at about 8:45pm. She fell asleep around 9:00pm and didn't wake up until...get ready for it...9:15am!!! Not once did she try to get out of her bed and play with her tempting new Christmas toys. I'm simply UH-mazed! Now back to the potty-training!

Christmas Morning

I have sweet memories of Addie starting to sit up on her own our first Christmas and last year when she came down the hall whispering "tanta." I can't believe how much has changed each year. This year she can clearly say "Merry Christmas" and she had the sweetest reactions to each gift she opened. She would say things like, "Oh my goodness!"

After much deliberation, Santa chose a new baby doll and some baby furniture. I think he chose right.

Every time we asked her what her baby doll's name was she'd say, "Her name's Baby Broder."

I think she's going to be a sweet big sister.

Bentley enjoyed his new gift from Buddy!

While Kevin and I made breakfast and strategized over how to deep fry our first turkey Addie hoarded just about all of her new toys into her castle tent and read books and played! She had also opened many, many other gifts from family that morning! Wow, she is one lucky and loved little girl! Thank you Grandmas, Grandpas and Aunties!

Christmas Eve

This was the first year since Kevin and I have lived in California that we decided not to go home (Oregon) for Christmas. Although we missed family and friends, it was so nice not to have to pack everything up and stay in our own beds. One thing that made this transition a little easier though, was having my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew here for a couple days including Christmas Eve. We were so grateful for their travels and love them lots!

Reindeer pancakes for breakfast!

Tahoe Joe a little confused on which bed was his. Hee! Hee!

Christmas Eve dinner, our family tradition...Mac and Cheese!

Santa's Secret Adventure

We wanted to try out Santa's Secret Adventure for quite some time now, so when we heard my brother, sister-in-law and nephew were coming into town we thought it would be the perfect opportunity! We also got the Linnet's to come along with us! All these babies were born in the summer of 2009 (Skylar-June, Addie-July, and Marek-August) so it was fun to see them run around together!

At Santa's Secret Adventure we took horse carriage rides around the well lit up and decorated stable grounds, watched the kids ride ponies, drank hot cocoa around the campfire and spent time with Santa and Mrs. Claus. It was quite a festive night!

No matter how hard we tried we never seemed to get a decent picture with Addie and completely forgot to get a family pic.

This one cracked me up!

I am so happy to have gotten this picture at least! Just missing cousin Marek.

Addie and Skylar opening a present from the Linnet's. I think their little fingers were frozen. Thank you so much Linnet's, she loves her dollhouse! Good pick Skylar!

Christmas Delights

Yes, it's December in California! Don't you love the Santa panties?! Too cute. We're working hard on potty training. I think all Mama wants for Christmas is a potty trained 2 1/2 year old!

 

And I had to post this...Addie's favorite saying lately is, "Duess what, Duess what Mama?! We have a special birthday for ya!" Lately that has gone into action. Here she has found a spare bag, put her baby doll, a blanket and a few other random toys inside, then uses her pom poms, and hula skirt for tissue paper. She came running into our bedroom the other morning to tell me she had a present for me! Too sweet. I've also been coming across boxes under the Christmas tree with a variety of toys placed in them. This is such a fun, yet challenging age!

Christmas Cookies

I'd like to tell you a wonderful and blissful story of our first year making Christmas cookies together, but I would be making it up. There wasn't Christmas music playing in the background, there was a football game blaring on the tv. Our happy little girl you see in these pictures didn't stay entirely happy the whole time and got not one, but two time-outs for not listening. Last, I didn't feel great, like I should in my second trimester. My back and feet hurt and I was exhausted, as if I were in my third trimester.

But...we got to wear our matching mama-daughter aprons (thank you Grammy) and we have some yummy Christmas cookies for the next  few days or so!

22 weeks

Although I'm so incredibly grateful to be pregnant, I'm definitely not the type that just loves it. However, I don't think there is anything more amazing and special than feeling the growing babe inside you move. Okay, maybe I can...when you get to share that with the only person who could possibly love that growing baby as much as you do.

We are still working on a name for our baby boy. My votes are Hudson, Gavin, or Parker, Addie's is Baby Brother, and Kevin's ummm...Floyd? It's going to be a while. At least we've decided on the middle and last name!

Hustle and Bustle

It's definitely the Christmas season and we've been busy soaking it all up. Here's some pics of what our holiday season has been filled with thus far!

Addie and Daddy catching the boat parade in downtown Suisun. We also had dinner, rode a train, and checked out the big Suisun City Christmas tree, which she refused to get a picture by. Sad Mama.

The annual boat parade, which ends with Santa who comes up from the last boat to light our city's Christmas tree. Not too bad for our little town.

Kevin has talked about these German Christmas Pyramids for years and finally a couple of years ago, he bought one.

Pretty impressed. Like father, like daughter, I guess.

This year we started the Elf on the Shelf tradition. Addie named our elf "Alk." We'll probably just call him "Al" down the road, but she was set on "Alk," so "Alk" it is! She's enjoying looking for him each morning.

And our advent calendar! I love this and used to do this for Kevin before Addie was here, now I get to see the joy in our little girl's eyes that I didn't exactly see in my husband's. Hee! Hee!

Addie seems to be going through a major no-picture phase. So I'm missing pictures of our night looking at the lights on Candy Cane Lane and a Christmas play we went to. Should I dare take her to sit on Santa's lap for a picture???

Trimming Our Tree!

Opening up our annual Christmas ornaments sent from Auntie Pam.

"A choo-choo rain!"

Helping Daddy vacuum up the pine needles.

Taa-daa!

The 2011 Widmer Family Christmas Tree

We went back to the adorable Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm the morning before we headed back home to California. Although Addie was at the end of her rope and quite testy, it was worth the stop.

Boarding the tractor hayride to find our tree.

Love my Mama.

She found it!