The Day They've Been Waiting For!

Aidan has been especially into Christmas this year. Or should I say, he's been really into Santa this year. He has accepted, without questions or inquires, that on a certain day in December, a large, jolly old fellow, all dressed in red, with a big white beard, is going to come to his house and bring him presents. For a kid that questions EVERYTHING, I was expecting to have to field questions like "who is Santa?" "why does he bring presents?" "Where's the north pole?" ect...but much to my surprise, there was nothing. Not one, single, solitary question about Santa at ALL. I guess he figures if some guy wants to bring him presents, and mom and dad are ok with it, than who is he to look a gift horse in the mouth, so to speak. It's amazing the blind faith that kids have. It's us grown ups that know that if something is too good to be true, than it probably is. But not my three year old! And because of that blanket acceptance of Santa and his enthusiasm for Christmas this year, I have had so much fun writing his letter to Santa with him, going to the mall to visit the big guy in person with him, decorating the tree with him, baking cookies and putting out carrots for the reindeer with him, and watching his face literally light up when he woke up this morning and saw what Santa had brought him. I love you Aidan, and I hope that for years to come you stay unaware and blissfully oblivious, so that every Christmas can be as wonderful as this one was!



On Christmas Eve, the kids place their stockings where they want Santa to leave their presents, and in the morning, this is what they wake up and find. Mom and Dad's presents are wrapped, under the tree.
Our Christmas tree (pretty self explanatory, I know!)


Aidan was very excited about his soccer ball, but was OVERJOYED that Santa actually brought him what he asked for: tracks for his trains. Even got some more magnetic trains AND a few motorized ones...he won't stop playing with them!

Emma, finally a smile with teeth, no eyes closed!!! She loved her Fisher Price piggy bank...she was even in her matching piggy pajamas!

Here Comes Santa Claus, Here Comes Santa Claus...

We braved the mall and took the kids to see Santa. Aidan was so excited I thought he was going to bust out of his skin.


Emma on the other hand, didn't really have any idea what was going on, but enjoyed getting out of the house, people watching, and playing at the mall play area after our visit with the man in red.

Week Two & Three

Here are some pictures of Parker taken at two and three weeks old. Matthew insisted on putting him in his reindeer hat, to be festive of course! It's amazing how fast they change, in just a week no less!

Tis' the Season

As I have gotten older and become a mother, I have learned from first hand experience that the old adage "when it rains it pours" is most definitely true. Since bringing Parker home from the hospital we have been suffering from more than sleep deprivation (although that is starting to make me a bit crazy, too.) Poor Aidan got the stomach flu shortly after Parker got home, and in an effort to give him and the rest of the family from getting it, we exiled him to Grammy Sally's house for a few days. Almost as soon as he came home, the cough started. Emma got it next, and then Matthew got the worst cold he's ever had the entire time I've known him. We finally got everyone to the doctor and on antibiotics, so hopefully the sickness will have left our house in time for Christmas. On the brighter side, Parker is now almost three weeks old, and is doing great (aside from spitting up all over our bed in the middle of the night, and the four diaper changes every five minutes...) He is starting to hold his head up a bit, he is sleeping pretty well, only getting up about twice a night, and eating really well. Aside from all the illness we've had around here the last few weeks, we have so much to be grateful for this holiday season and I couldn't be happier that we are a family of five this Christmas!

Before Parker Arrived...

...here is what we were up to a few days before our family grew from four to five!



Aidan at the park the day after Thanksgiving! He really like playing crochet (I hope I am spelling that right?)



The day after Thanksgiving Aidan also turned three!!!! Here he is with his present....



...and here he is playing with it! We got him a little cash register with money and debit/credit cards and food to check out. He loved it and played with it all day. Now, however, it spends most of it's time in the toy box. How quickly they lose interest :(



Emma has been using the potty sporadically over the last few weeks. I think the fact that Aidan uses the potty has prompted her to want to as well.



Our first Thanksgiving dinner! In years past we have always gone to my in-laws, but this year we celebrated Thanksgiving at home, and cooked ourselves.

Parker David Carpenter

Don't let the smile and happy demeanor fool you, Monday, December 1st started out as one crazy, hectic day....

Sunday night was typical. I didn't sleep much-- I was up multiple times a night to go to the bathroom, and because of my gigantic tummy and constant pelvic pain, I couldn't get comfortable. At around 5:00 am I started to feel crampy and so I gave up trying to sleep. Pretty quickly I realized I was having contractions, but they were only about 7 minutes apart. After about an hour or so I let Matthew know I thought I was in labor. Because I had been dilated to 4 cm for a week or so, we decided to just go to the hospital instead of waiting for the contractions to get 5 minutes apart. We called my mom, showered, got packed and were heading to the hospital by 6:30 am. In the car, however, my contractions came closer and closer together, until they were just two minutes apart. We got to the hopsital at 7:15 am, were sent to triage to make sure I was actually in labor (no one believed me, because I was handling the pain well and they all said if my contractions were two minutes apart I would be screaming.) They checked me, and I was 6 cm. They decided to admit me. By the time I got to my room a half an hour later, I was almost 10 cm and was ready to push. There was no time for an epidural, which I was planning on getting and after some crying, and begging, I accepted that I was going to have an ALL natural, drug free delivery and after 15 minutes of pushing, screaming, and more crying Parker David Carpenter made his grand entrance into the world at 8:03 am.


Later that evening family came to visit us. Here is Aidan holding his baby brother for the first time.


Grammy Sally, Aidan, and Emma in a group hug!


One of Parker's first pictures. He weighed 7lbs. 3 ounces and was 19 inches long. Welcome to the world Parker, we are so happy you are a part of our family!!