Happy Birthday Marci!

Marci's 29th Birthday was on Thanksgiving this year, so we celebrated the weekend after. In the morning the girls went and got pedicures! I brought Katelyn along and she loved it! She held so still and loved being out with the girls. She enjoyed picking the decorations she would get on her nails and picked snowflakes for her fingers and christmas lights for her toes-so cute!

Saturday night we got together with some of Marci's closest friends for dinner at Salt Creek. It was a blast and fun to get together with the girls! It's also fun that Marci and I are finally pregnant together and both having boys so close together! Love you Marci! I don't know what I would do without a sister!!! Happy Birthday!

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and everyone was there!! Every family brought their food assignment, so no one was slaving in the kitchen all day-brilliant! Even more brilliant was the idea to buy a Honeybaked ham instead of cooking a turkey!!! We had plenty of time to go and see a movie that afternoon! We took the girls to see Tangled and LOVED it! Disney finally made a movie as good as the classics! And this was the first movie that made Katelyn cry. It was the most tender moment to see her react that way to a sad part in the movie. It also made me realize that my baby is growing up, and can now understand more mature concepts and topics. Such a bittersweet moment.

Happy Birthday Mom and Dad!

This year my mom and dad celebrated their 60th birthdays! We waited until all of us were in town to celebrate and had a wonderful dinner at Sicily's. It was so great to get just the kids and their spouses together, without kids. We were able to enjoy dinner and each other. Each of us came prepared with a letter or with memories to share, and we just sat around and laughed and cried. It was so special to reminisce and honor my parents. I love my mom and dad so much and am in awe with how they successfully raised 5 children with love and support. Thank you guys! You are the best!

Disneyland!

On our first day in CA for Thanksgiving Break we headed to Disneyland. We flew in late the night before, due to a 2 hour flight delay, and went straight to a hotel across the street from Disneyland. We didn't want to deal with driving down in the morning, and it worked out great! My mom picked us up from the airport and we met Byron and Hayley, and Marci and Julio down there. Marci and I were a little concerned about walking around all day, but we managed and it was great. We rented a wheelchair and took turn riding it around the park. The park was packed! I have never in my life seen it this crowded! We were there from 8:30-10:30 and it was a LONG day! The last 2 hours is rained on us, and needless to say we were done and ready to leave by the end of it. We were not prepared for how cold it would be, and so we bought some sweatshirts and hats for the girls. The kids had a blast though, and it was a success. Katelyn is tall enough and almost brave enough to go on all of the roller coasters, and Taylor would gladly go on all of them if she was tall enough. That girl is fearless!

Dear Son

You at only 15 weeks!

It is weird for me to think that I am having a son! I am so excited for your arrival, and so are your dad and sisters. This experience for me has been so surreal and a true blessing.

Before I met your dad I didn't know if I would have anymore children, and what the future had in store for me. But deep down inside I knew that there was something great to come and that my family would someday be complete.

Then I met your dad, and the pieces started to fit together. We were a perfect little family. The girls and I moved to Utah and soon we started looking for a house. One evening your father and I were at the Temple and I was praying about where we should live. The only answer the Lord kept giving me was, "It's time to have another baby." I must admit I wasn't ready for that answer and didn't know if I was ready to have another baby. But the spirit was so strong and I couldn't ignore it. We were also really concerned about getting pregnant since I was having serious health issues and had just had heart surgery. But we had faith and knew that it was time. VERY soon after that we found out that we were pregnant! I have never seen your father so excited! The girls were so excited as well, and I was a bundle of emotions.

I feel so blessed to be able to have you, and pray that I can be the mother that you need in this life. You will help make our family complete and we can't wait to meet you! Every day the girls talk to you through my belly and love to feel you kick inside. It is a beautiful thing to watch them already bond with their brother. You have an amazing father and he will be the perfect example of what kind of man you should be. Make sure you listen to him and stay close to him. I can't believe how much I already love you, and can't wait to finally meet you! I thank Heavenly Father everyday for choosing us to be your parents. I only hope and pray that I can fulfill His expectations of me.

Love,

Your Mother

Attached

Taylor has been overly attached to me lately...and I have a theory. This same thing happened with Katelyn when Taylor's due date was approaching. I think Taylor can sense that the baby is coming soon and is having a hard time with the feeling of "being replaced" as the baby. It breaks my heart to think that she might be afraid or unsure of this new baby, but I know that it is normal. Most of the time I love the extra attention and affection from both of the girls, and am soaking in every precious moment. It gets hard when she has her meltdowns and won't go to anyone else but me, and cries whenever I leave her with anyone. But I try to take it all in stride. Katelyn and Taylor will always be my babies, and I hope they know how much I love them each individually.

Halloween

Here we are in our Halloween costumes

Katelyn wanted to be a witch...and not a cute witch, but a SCARY witch! She loved the face paint...and she was still a cute witch:)

Isn't she the cutest little cowgirl?

Here are the two skeletons. I should have taken a straight on shot of my shirt...it was awesome! I had a baby skeleton on it. When we went to the zoo I got so many comments, looks and laughs.

We had a fun night trick or treating, and Byron and Hayley came up to join us! I made homemade potato soup in bread bowls-YUM! After we got the kids to bed we watched a scary movie with friends. It was a good night!

Me and my witch. I took a picture with Taylor at her program but haven't gotten those pics yet.