December

December was a whirlwind for us...or maybe just me. We started it off with our ward Christmas party. It was so much fun! The activity chairmen did a great job. We had chili and rolls and salad and I couldn't get enough. I think that was the first time since becoming pregnant that I actually had an appetite! There were stations for the kids; one for coloring, and one for decorating sugar cookies. Then Santa came and told a story before the kids got to sit on his lap. Jack was EVERYWHERE! But when isn't he? He had so much frosting on his face and shirt...he had such a great time just running around in all the commotion.

The next day, my older sister and I threw a baby shower for my little sister, Maria. It's always nice to get together with "the girls" and eat good food, but the best part was watching Maria open all the fun baby presents while we "ooooo'd and aaahh'd".

Two nights later we had Britton's family's Christmas party. It was nice to get together with everyone, eat soup, have a gingerbread house-making contest, and just enjoy the spirit of the season.

That weekend was Britton's mission reunion (St. Petersburg, Russia). I think that maybe there has been 1 mission reunion since Britton returned home in 2000, and I'm pretty sure his mission president (and wife) were not able to be there. President and Sister Daetwyler were here in the US (they are from Switzerland), traveling around to visit family for the holidays and were able to make a quick side-trip here to Utah which is why the reunion was put together. Britton had such a great time visiting with old mtc and mission companions, but especially President and Sister Daetwyler. It was such a pleasure to meet them!


The next week was my first doctor's appointment. I was able to hear the heartbeat (which really is an incredible experience no matter how many times you have been through it before) and then we did a quick ultrasound to double check the due date and we were pretty much on target. So sometime around July 11th, we will be welcoming a new wee one into our family. I'm pretty sure it will be after since I went over with Jack, so maybe more like the 15th or 20th.

Britton's sister's due date was for January 6th (or somewhere close to that), but little Noah was anxious to get here and arrived the day of my doctor's appointment. He is just the sweetest baby ever!

The very next day, Britton took his last final and was final-ly done with the semester...it was such a happy day for me :D

Three days after that, I got sick...and it just happened all of a sudden. I remember I started sneezing while I was at the store getting some groceries. It was right after I got a phone call from my younger sister saying she was being induced the next day. I struggled through the next day and was able to stave it off for a day so I could go see my precious new niece in the hospital. Then it came back in full force and didn't leave for a week - that's right, I was sick all through Christmas and everything, but that seems to be my lot in life. If it's not Thanksgiving, then I'm sick for Christmas. But it wasn't all that bad...and I can say that now that I feel great. ;)

Christmas will be a whole new post :D