Christmas with our Little Miss

Last year I was writing about how weird it was to do the whole Christmas thing without kiddos.  Now, one year and one kiddo later...it is still weird.  Haha, for some reason, a 3 1/2 month old just doesn't get all jazzed up about opening gifts.  I'm thinking by next year she'll probably like all the boxes more than the presents.  

(Note to self...only get Sadie boxes for Christmas next year, kidding.)

Honestly, maybe we are bad parents, but we really only got Sadie one outfit this year, but she didn't seem to mind because she got spoiled rotten by all her grandparents and aunts and uncles.  She loves things that light up, make noise, and are shiny, and she sure got lots of all those things.  

Logan spoiled me with "The Help" on DVD, some makeup, and a super cute sweater he picked out himself (this is a rarity, people).  Poor Logan got undies and socks, which were much needed, but still...boring.  I got him a copy of our apartment key...boring but needed.  I also took stamps of Sadie's feet into the shape of a heart, and framed it, which he did really like. (thank you pinterest)

Most of all, we have been spoiled by this little girl coming into our family:

She really is our favorite gift.

We found out she was coming a little after New Years last year...I feel like 2011 has been the great baby adventure.  I'm excited to see what 2012 brings!!

 Mommy and Sadie in front of the tree.

She's so excited...not.

 Logan and Mini-Logan

The rest of the day was filled with family, food, and fun.  I seriously am the most blessed girl ever to have such a wonderful life.  Here's to making 2012 as wonderful as 2011 has been!

Sadie meets her BFF (#1)

Autumn had her sweet baby girl on Tuesday!  That means two of the three girl cousin triplets are here!  Brynn (number 3 baby girl is still baking in her tummy) said she imagined Avery coming down "Saturday's Warrior" style...you know, when the spirit stands on the platform and dissolves as they are being born...leaving her baby girl all alone up there.  Don't worry Girly, you'll be down here too in about a month (we're all super excited to meet you)!  I seriously think these three girls must be the best of friends, since they all decided to come into the same family within 5 months of each other.  What lucky little girls to have the opportunity to be best friends and cousins.  I hardly know any of my cousins, but I'm glad that my babies will know theirs.

Anyhoo...Avery is here, and she is precious beyond words. Almost (but not quite) as cute as Sadie was when she was brand new...but I mean, as her mommy, I'm bound to be biased :).  She has the cutest chubby little cheeks, and the brightest eyes; she cries like a kitten, and has long fingers and toes.  She was a breech baby too, so she is always trying to get her feet up by her head since that's how she grew, which I find both adorable and amusing.  And this girl, she already loves her binkie.  She can hold it in a thousand times better than Sadie.  (Maybe Avery will teach Sadie a new trick)

Avery Lyn

It is really fun for me to snuggle on Avery and think back on when Sadie was that tiny.  Even though it wasn't even 4 months ago, I feel like Sadie has been here forever, so it seems like it's been a lot longer.

Also...everyone comments on how tiny my Sadie Lady still is...but now that I've seen her up next to a smaller, newer baby, I feel like my baby has magically gotten ginormous.  How quickly we forget how tiny they are when they come.  I mean, look at this picture...Sadie looks huge next to teensy little Avery!!

I am so grateful Avery is here, safe and sound, and healthy as can be.  I am seriously ecstatic for Sadie to have her friend here!  In only 5 more weeks, we'll have another sweet little spirit in our family, and the triplet cousins will be reunited!  (Dude, how humongous is my baby girl going to look next to the new baby then?!)

To My Sweet 3 Month Old Baby Girl

My Little Sweetums,

I literally call you "Sweetums" so many times a day, you are probably confused at what your name is.  I can't help myself because you really are the sweetest thing in my world.  I am that annoying mother who thinks their child is the most perfect being to grace the planet...except I don't think, I know you actually are.  Don't let it go to your head little one.

This month we had...constipation issues.  Yes, it is true.  Thank goodness for brave Grandma Ilene, who came to your rescue many a time to help you poop with torturous ways like glycerin suppositories.  I'm sorry, your mommy is a chicken still...but Grandma is brave, brave, brave.  I think we are on the up and up on that issue, though.  You are pooping more regularly...please keep it up.  And please don't hate me in the future for posting about your potty habits on the web.  Thank you dear one.

You are seriously the dang cutest thing I have ever laid eyes on.  When you came home from the hospital, I swore you would NEVER be as cute as you were those first few days, and I seriously mourned that you would get bigger and not be as cute.  Oh my, was I ever wrong.  Yes, Sweetums, you were darling then, but you are sooooooo much cuter now than I could have ever imagined.  You smile ALL THE TIME.  Your most favorite things to smile at this month are Christmas Lights, Daddy and me, and other little kids.  You love your cousins, especially Bailey and Avery (my side of the family's Avery, not the one that is coming down from heaven next week).  They are both almost 2 years old, and love to giggle, love, and snuggle on you, and you love smiling at them.  Yesterday while I was reading the mail, you were squealing at the pictures of them on their Christmas cards on the fridge.  I love that you already love other babies and children.  I feel like you still remember all your siblings up in Heaven, and you are excited to have other children in your life more regularly.  Give your parents a few years to get our feet back under us again from having you though, please.  But trust me, I'm excited to meet them too.  I'm sure they are just as awesome as you.

You are usually sleeping through the night now!!  You go down at around 8, wake up at 11 to eat, and then don't wake up again until 7:30 the next morning.  It rocks my world.  I am seriously loving it!  I am so proud of you for sleeping for so long!

You are still a petite little thing.  Haven't gained much weight or length from your 2 month appointment, the doctor told us to keep an eye on that for next month (you have barely cracked 10 pounds, and are 22 inches long).  But you eat lots, and you don't spit up a ton, so I don't know where all this milk is going!  Grow my little one! (But at the same time, not too fast)

You laughed a little at Daddy yesterday.  He was singing Alvin and the Chipmunk's "Christmas Song" to you, and whenever he would sing the words "hula hoop" you would laugh at him.  We basically melted with joy over this.  It was seriously the cutest, most bestest sound I have ever heard in this life.  I look forward to when you giggle more, sweet thing.

You snuggle lots.  You are recognizing other people.  You love watching Baby Einstein videos.  You love having us read books to you.  You go back and forth about liking or detesting your binkie.  You are a full fledged hand sucker...we tried to deter you from that, but you fought us on that, and won the battle.  You are very, very sweet.  Most of all, you are probably the most loved baby I have ever met, and don't you forget it!!  I say this all the time, but seriously, thank you for coming to our family.  I can't even imagine my life without you in it anymore.  I am so stoked I get to be your mommy forever!!

Love,
Your #1 Fan,
Mommy

Sadie and Santa

Our ward Christmas party was this past weekend.  Santa was even kind enough to come down from the North Pole and visit all the children personally (I mean, seriously, how legit is this Santa?!), and braved our hysterical Sadie.

Oh, you don't think she looks hysterical here?  Well, she was, until the second I placed her in his arms, and then she turned into a complete angel baby, and was totally fascinated with his beard.  Don't worry, she continued her little freak out the second I picked her back up.

Oh, I see Sadie, you'd rather be with the magical man with the soft snuggly suit than your own mother?  Well, at least your first Santa picture turned out adorable!

Christmas Lights at Temple Square

 We went up to Temple Square with the whole Spence Family.  Sadie LOVES our Christmas tree at home, and will stare at the lights forever, so we thought she would maybe like to see lots and lots of trees all lit up.  We bundled her up to a ridiculous degree...think Ralphie on "A Christmas Story" that falls over and can't get up because he's wearing so many layers.  But she stayed warm, and seemed to enjoy it a little.  Honestly, she fell asleep through most of it, and woke up for the very end to take a peek, but she really liked the 5 minutes she was awake for!  I think next year she'll get a little more excited about the whole idea.

Our little family.  

Look at her pink fluffy legs...they are only really half that size, she was bundled up LOTS.

 Her sweet eyes taking a peek.

Most adorable thing ever, yes?

This was on our way out into the cold.  We had just woken her up to get her in her snow suit and hat, and she was less than thrilled about it.  Her face just cracks me up here...she looks like one of those cats with the squished up faces!!  Oh my, I am just so in love with my baby!!

Guest Blogger for Adoption

I was asked to be a guest blogger for an adoption blog called "My Angels from Heaven."
I wrote about my experience of growing up knowing I was adopted, reuniting with my birthparents and their families, and how it has affected me as an adult and as a mommy.

If you want to check out my post, you can find it HERE!

Adoption is amazing, people!!

Baby's First Thanksgiving

We celebrated Sadie's first Thanksgiving with Logan's family this year.  Alicia's family had dinner with us, and it was so great spending a whole afternoon with them and their silly kids.
Sadie basically thought the food was totally uneventful, and slept through the whole dinner.  However, she sure does love going to Grandma Deana's because she gets passed around the whole time.  She's a social butterfly and loves to snuggle, smile, and talk to everyone around her.  The food was great, but the company was even better!

We had a game and pie night at Grandma Belnap's later that evening, which was super fun.  As long as I can remember, PIE has been the big to do at Thanksgiving with the Belnaps...not turkey...it's all about the pie, and there are always close to a dozen varieties to choose from.  It was fun to be able to see both sides of our family on that day.  I LOVE OUR FAMILY!!!

As we sat down for dinner, I leaned over to Logan and asked him if last year at Thanksgiving dinner he thought we would be parents by the next year.  We thought maybe we might be pregnant, or still even trying to get pregnant by the next holiday season, but we didn't think that she would already be here!  I am so glad she came when she did, because she is the best thing in our lives.

I am so grateful for my sweet husband and for the wonderful job he has to provide for us.  I am grateful for the opportunities we have had to get us through school almost debt free.  I am grateful for our apartment we live in, for the shelter it provides, and the loving landlords we have upstairs.  I am grateful for our neighborhood and the friendships we have made since living there.  I am grateful that we have a running car that has good gas mileage, and has been so great for our little family.  I am grateful that I have been able to continue teaching dance after having Sadie, my boss is amazing and so supportive of me.  I am so grateful that we have all of our family so close so we can visit them often.  I am grateful that Sadie will grow up knowing her family and being close to her cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.  Most of all, I am grateful that I have the gospel in my life, for the joy and peace it brings, and the knowledge that I can be sealed to my family forever.  I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for the love he has for me, individually.  I know he knows who I am, and that he loves me, and I love him.

We are so incredibly blessed, and I am so grateful for the life I am living, and all of the wonderful things in it.