Tis the Season

I love the holidays!!! Being a Momma gives this time of year so much more meaning, sure as a child it's cool, and even when you get older and you get super cool presents it doesn't suck, but watching your baby experience all the wonder and joy the holidays bring beats all of it!!!

In my attempt to get a Christmas photo to send out to our family, Kyle and I decided to brave the mall for Kaelen to meet Santa for the first time, now most of you have already heard that it didn't end up so well and Kaelen is not a fan of bearded men. She loves the lights and all the pretty things Christmas has to offer but...so can do without the jolly old man for now.

I totally kick myself in the butt for coming to the rescue on this one!! I would have liked nothing more then to capture my poor baby screaming her head off but the "Momma, hold you" came out and I couldn't resist coming to her rescue...

Thanksgiving was awesome for us! We spent 5 days with the Jones side of the family in AZ. It was too much fun watching Kaelen play with her cousins, learn how to say Uncle Shawn and Chy, fight over toys and get excited to see her grandparents!!! We decided to try the Santa thing one more time just for good measure...

Here's Nana and Kaelen waiting for Santa to pull up on the boat, poor thing has no idea what she's in for...but the lights are pretty

Yep, just what we though, she still hates him...maybe next year...

Fast forward a few weeks and Kyle and I are attending my company Christmas party.

Don't let the dress fool you, there's a baby in there! It's crazy the timing of my pregnancy really, 2 years ago I was 18 weeks and attending this very same party and now we're at 17 weeks and counting the days until we find out what kind a baby we are having.

Kaelen still doesn't fully understand it. If you ask her where Mommy's baby is she points at my tummy but I doubt she realizes that sooner then later there will be this new person stealing her mommy and daddy time. We are doing everything we can to teach her about the sibling she will soon have. We have bought her a stroller and a baby of her own and I have come to terms with that though of leaving one baby with Grandma and Poppa so the other gets our undevided attention. We are so excited about our growing family but I must say that I am a little nervous for Kaelen. I can't imagine what it will be like for her to have to share the 2 people in her world that have been only hers for all this time. She consumes my every thought, my whole world has been her...and Daddy...for 18 months and though, I can't wait to meet #2 and I am already head over hills with love for this baby, I am trying to soak up every minute we have with just us 3!

Here's the big news!!! We are starting to potty train. It's been about 3 days, we've had a couple "misses" but over all Kaelen is blowing our minds with the understanding she has of being a big girl and using the potty!!!

We bought her her own potty about a month ago so she could get used to it and understand what its for but now that she has actually taken an interest in doing it we have found that the big potty is what she preferrs. She spends every morning in the bathroom with Daddy and I and has been curious for sometime so we thought, lets give it a try. Never did we think she would pick it up so fast. I'm not saying we're done or this is going to stick forever but we are making progress and she is doing so well. She knows the difference between Pee and Poop and she'll let you know if she didn't make it time, but if she does, she is totally jazzed!! I must say, Kyle and I are equally excited and totally shower her with praise when she makes it. We have always talked with Kaelen like she was a big girl and I must say I think this is why she is doing so well with this amongst other things!

Good Job, Kaelen Patri! We are so very proud and blessed to have you!