Christmas

This year I haven't been in the Christmas spirit at all. Pregnancy has sapped most of the energy that I have for anything, and Christmas was included. The only decorations I put up were the tree and stockings, that was it. I have decided that 3 is the best age for Christmas. Mackenzie was so excited to see Santa and even told him she wanted a beautiful princess. Good thing Bailey had bought her a princess doll just a few days earlier, because Santa didn't know about this request until a few days before Christmas. She also thought that Santa would come to our house again the next day, so I had to explain that he needed time to rest before next Christmas. And in her prayers she thanks God for Santa and her presents. I was worried this year that Bailey's Christmas would seem sort of lame. He really didn't ask for very many things. He is pretty much a video games and sports kid. But he definitely wasn't lacking for gifts this year! We got him a personalized Cardinals jersey which he was very grateful for. He even gave me a hug when he said thank you!! My non Christmas spirit also showed in the lack of pictures. Oops. But here are a few that I did take.



Christmas Eve pictures in matching pj's.

Checking out the tree for the first time.

Opening stockings

Daddy actually gave gifts to the kids, and they loved what he got for them!

Definitely my favorite picture! She is giving him a hug thank you for her present.

Tinkerbell. Do you think she had chocolate for breakfast or what?
Here is a picture of me opening my big present (a pack n play for the baby). Although it wasn't the Dyson vacuum I dreamed of, I really wanted a smaller crib for the first few months, and this will do the job. This will probably the only picture I will be in until the baby is born, so enjoy (even though it is a horrible picture, but you can see the belly).

I need a T-Shirt that says:

I SURVIVED THE STOMACH VIRUS OF 2009!!!

It was rough at times, but after a few days of two kids sick at the same time and then a sick husband, I survived. And the best part is, I didn't get sick. I washed my hands like a crazy person, which I think did the trick. I would be very happy if this kind of sickness didn't come back for a long time. I would say ever again, but I am being realistic.

Totally on a different subject, for some reason tonight my cats are enamored with me. Especially my hands. They keep licking them and nipping them. And at one point today I had both of them in my lap at the same time. Definitely weird since I don't have much of a lap these days. Cats are strange animals.

Complaints

I heard that someone out there (you know who you are) was complaining that they were tired of seeing Mackenzie's markered face on my blog and I needed to add something new. Somehow more than a month has gone by and I've posted nothing. But I do have a reason for that.

I am tired of complaining.

That is all I think about, complaints. Right now, my complaint is a lovely pain in my ribcage. I feel guilty about complaining. It is only the time of year that we should be thinking of all we are thankful for and should be joyful and happy. But I don't feel very thankful or joyful or happy. I should, because in the grand sceme of things I am very blessed and have very few real concerns of life. But it's hard when you feel fat and uncomfortable and know that there is 3 more months of fatness and uncomfortableness.

So since all I think about is complaints, it is also all I would write about. Does anyone really want to hear all of my complaints? And do I really want to go back and read all of my annoying complaints? Not really.

I have never enjoyed being pregnant before, but this time has been harder. Maybe because I am older, or maybe because I have a 3 year old who still wants to be carried around, but I am not enjoying the pain. Good thing at the end of all this I will have a baby to hold and love.

The reason why I lost the Mother of the Year Award

Mackenzie was coloring a picture not even 6 inches away from me, and this is what happens. She told me she was making herself a monster.

Good thing permanent marker isn't really permanent.

Trick or Treat!!

Yet another successful night of trick or treating has come and gone! I love 3 year olds, it seems like they really start to understand why stuff is fun! Mackenzie picked out her own costume this year. We were actually just walking around Target, not intending on buying a costume, when she saw the bumblebee costume and HAD to have it. She did think it would actually make her fly at first, but she became content just to buzz around!

Bailey's costume idea is compliments of Grandmom. Around here, why would there be a normal Chicago Cubs player walking around? Instead, a die hard Cardinal fan got to him first and beat him up. Bailey was especially excited about the fake blood.

This year we again went trick or treating with the kids' cousins, Victoria and Alyssa. 99% of the time they have fun together. The giant Kermit is Uncle Jason. He is the only one of the adults to dress up. My mom used to always dress up with us, but I guess the gene did not get passed on to me.

It's a...........

Baby! Isn't he/she cute? I am a little biased, being the mother and all. So today I had the big 20 week ultrasound. We had decided we weren't going to find out this baby's gender, and I was very firm with that choice. Up until 2 days ago. With the opportunity there, I wanted to cave. I like to be prepared. I like to buy cute little clearance outfits. But it is hard to do when you don't know whether to buy pink butterflies and matching big and little sister outfits, or blue with trucks. But I stuck with our original plan and I have no clue whether the baby is a boy or a girl.

If you ask Mackenzie, she swears it is a girl. And that her name should be Gabriella. Not happening even if she is right. I am a little afraid she is going to be disappointed if the baby is a boy. At least I can say I had nothing to do with it.

Dear Blog,

I am so sorry I have neglected you lately. Just count yourself lucky. You are one of the many things I have been neglecting. I only have one good excuse, and even that one is pretty lame as far as an excuse goes. Being pregnant does not make me the most motivated person. Although lately I have had random bursts of energy, I do feel pretty sluggish. Almost like someone is sucking the life out of me.

Besides the lack of motivation (which is really just a nice way to say I have been a lazy bum), I also haven't been a very nice person lately. So I try to have limited contact with the outside world. Mackenzie's random fevers help me to achieve this since it forces me to stay home. I am also rediculously emotional. I was catching up on my DVR watching, and cried no less than 3 times. Over Dancing With the Stars! Come on, this is not your typical tear jerker show. I am just not myself, and really haven't been in a mood for the world (or my 5 readers) to see.

My life has really been incredibly boring. Making sure children are clean and fed are my main priorities. If those things are done, it has been a productive day. I do realize that I neglected to blog about Mackenzie's 3rd birthday, and have yet to post pictures of our summer vacation. Maybe some day I will have a strange burst of blogging energy and will update those things. Just don't count on it.

It might be different if I didn't read other people's blogs. People who are witty and who live exciting lives. I am dull and I feel like my attempts at humor fail. Maybe I would be a better blogger if I lived someone else's life. But then I might just have to leave my house.

So Blog, I am sorry. Will you forgive me? I know better than to make promises I can't keep, but I won't skip whole months of time again.

Your partner in crime,
Samantha