Christmas Family Pictures and more...

4 months old

Here she is! Our 4-month-old (on Dec. 16th) Bundle... Baby Mouse... Mousey... Laureny.

We call her so many things. But the word that sums her up best to me is: Blessing.

We're through the feeding marathons and up-all-night routines. Lauren usually sleeps about 6-7 hours through the night (THANK GOD) and she is falling into a three naps a day schedule. She's cooing and laughing and smiling at everyone she sees. She already has a favorite blankie which she loves to grab and snuggle with. She loves bath-time, looking at books while I read to her and Sadie and watching her big sister jump around. We are starting to see Lauren's sweet, laid back personality.

At her 4 month check-up she weighed 10 lbs. 5 oz. and that put her in the 7% for her weight. What a peanut!

Before we know it, it will be baby food messes and bouncer chair fun!!

Sadie is finally accepting of Lauren, and they seem to really enjoy each other's company! Sadie loves to make Lauren smile and laugh :) Sadie's favorite thing to do with Lauren is help give her a bath!

I am so beyond words thankful to be a mommy to these two girls :)

Six Years Ago & Sadie's 1st Christmas Program

Six years ago, yesterday, I married my best friend, John. It's amazing to me how much we've experienced together in just 6 years.

Since the day we both said, "I do", we have changed addresses 3 times, John has changed his job once and picked up freelance work, I have changed jobs (or taken on more) 3 times, we have made many new friends and deepened our relationship with old friends, we have experienced the joy of bringing two beautiful girls into this world, the high's and low's of parenthood with young children and we walked through the grief of two miscarriages. We have realized and deeply appreciated our strong family and extended family connections.

We have also experienced uncertainty in several areas at different times - and this has pointed us to the hope we have in our Heavenly Father. I am convinced that He is the glue that has held John and I together. I am so thankful that John and I have a real relationship with each other as well as with God.

All these experiences have shaped us and strengthened us, and looking back, I would not change a thing.

:)

Happy 6 Year Anniversary John! I love YOU forever!

Also,

Here is a link to an album I have on Facebook. COPY & PASTE the link in your web search bar to see the pictures of Sadie's First Christmas Program!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=47718&id=571212487

It's a Wonderful Life

Here we are in our living room. It's been a lazy Sunday. It has snowed most of the day, and the wind has been a blowin' too! The sound of football on TV and Sadie playing filled the living room. I snapped all these within an hour. Digital is SO fun and I get carried away very easily! :)

Today, Sadie decorated the Christmas Tree with candy canes. And before she did that, we read the story, 'The Legend of the candy cane'. It's a great book... I highly recommend it! Reading this story and hanging the red & white candy canes will be a tradition in our family from now on! I think the book was a gift from one of my Pre-K family's at MCA. It tells the story of how the candy cane is symbolic of what Jesus came and did for us!

Christmas is so fun this year, as Sadie is starting to understand the real meaning! She sat with us during our church's Christmas program last night. She loved the lights, the music and especially the nativity scene. She got excited as Mary and Joseph walked up on the stage and into stable... then she was very attentive again as baby Jesus "appeared" in Mary's arms. The real baby sheep carried by the shepherds were so cute. Sadie laughed when one of them "baaaaahed" during a quiet moment in the play. Living these moments with Sadie, reminds of the amazing Love we have in Jesus!

We also have fun with the whole 'Santa thing'. We visited Santa at the Elementary School in Stewartville and she commented that, "This Santa is different than the one at the mall". LoL! There is no fooling her. We tell her that he is a pretend character like Mickey Mouse. But, I have often thought wouldn't the idea of a jolly St. Nick going around bring toys to kids would be cool? As a kid I liked to think that he was real... even though I knew he wasn't. However, I don't think it's cool than many kids grow up not knowing the real reason for Christmas...

On another note:

Lauren is nearing 4 months old. I can hardly believe it :) She is cooing and smiling more everyday!

I hope you are all having a happy Christmas Season! We're starting to really get in the mood around here!

Lauren's 3 Month pics (continued)

Here's our Laureny Mouse. Growing and growing! :) I'm so thankful for pictures to freeze these precious expressions.

:)