Christmas 2011 (Part 1)

Thursday:

Devin took Friday off and came home early on Thursday so that night we changed into pajamas (Devin chose to stay in real clothes. HA!) and loaded into the car to go look at Christmas lights.  I made myself some hot chocolate and am looking forward to letting the kids participate in hot cocoa when they get a little older.  We did this last year as well and it's a simple, but fun tradition that we've started.

Friday:

 I am not really into my kids matching, but the holidays must bring it out in me because I couldn't help, but make them "matching" reindeer shirts.  I loved that Finley's had a hairbow and Jude's had a bowtie.  There is a VERY good chance that all 3 of my kids will be sporting a similar version again next year!

 One of the sweeter pictures of my two kiddos together!

 My sweet family!

During the day on Friday, we finished a few last minute things and then headed to Devin's parents' house around 4.  Finley didn't take a nap so I was worried how she would do.  I knew we had several very full days ahead of us so I wasn't very thrilled that my wonderful sleeper decided not to nap on one of the days we really needed her to.  At the same time, I think she sensed the excitement and it's one of the things I love about children... I love seeing the holidays through their eyes!

It took us over 3 hours from start to finish to open everything... This is just a tiny view of the chaos.

At Devin's parents' house, we exchanged gifts.  Last year, Finley wanted nothing to do with gift opening.  The whole experience was overwhleming to her, but she did much better this year.  Devin and I on the other hand have some learning to do when it comes to balancing gifts for two kids!  I can only imagine next year with three!  I honestly left having no real idea who got us what and there were some gifts that I am not sure if they were for Finley or Jude!  HA!  Even though it was hard to keep everything straight, it was still fun and I'm glad we let the kids open first and then occupied them while the adults opened.

Jude's First John Deere

Finley surprised me and really did well the whole evening despite not having a nap.  Jude couldn't ever get settled for another nap over at Grandma and PaPa's house, but as long as someone was holding him, he didn't seem to mind being overtired.  Thankfully, there were plenty of hands to hold him!

Devin and I both got lots of things we had been wanting and the kids as usual got more than they needed!  We laughed on the way home that we weren't sure where any of the new stuff was going to go and let's just say by the time we finished Christmas on Christmas Day, our house looked nothing short of the latest episode of "Hoarding: Buried Alive".

IT's A.....

{The Background}

Last Thursday, I had our sonographer write down girl or boy and stick it into an envelope.

On Friday, I took this envelope into one of my favorite boutiques and picked out two outfits.... a boy outfit and a girl outfit.  I chose outfits that were basically the same except one was blue and one was pink.  They were by the same designer and cost the same amount.  I asked the salesperson if I could leave my credit card, both outfits, and the envelope with her while I ran another errand.  In the meantime, she could charge my card and wrap the appropriate outfit.  She was excited to help and was actually able to ring up both outfits while I was still there and then take one of them off where I couldn't see which one so I didn't have to leave my card.  The receipt I had to sign didn't have anything other than the price so I couldn't tell which outfit I was buying.  I was so relieved that they were willing to help and that it went so smoothly.  When I came back to pick up my box, they had carefully hidden the other outfit so that I wouldn't happen to see it so it all went perfectly!

For some reason, the wrapped box haunted me much more than the envelope had.  I think because I now had two cute outfits in my head and was dying to know which one was wrapped in the box.

Devin and I decided to open our presents on Christmas Eve morning just as we did last year.  Devin had assumed we were opening THE box with C3's other presents, but I just really wanted to wait until Christmas morning.  As anxious as I was, I kind of wanted it to be opened by itself.  Devin was getting impatient and laughed that if we were still awake at midnight that we were going to open the box!  This was funny because we are NOT night owls and are rarely ever awake at midnight.

However, Saturday night we drove to celebrate Christmas with Devin's extended family.  We pulled into our driveway a little after 10 and as soon as we did, we hear Jude throw up in the backseat.  I think he may be prone to car sickness.  UGH!  So by the time, we cleaned up vomit, unloaded the car, got both kids to bed, repacked for my dad's the next morning, and took a breathe, it was 11:45 p.m.  Devin and I quickly decided that we'd wait until midnight but no longer!

{The Reveal}


The next 15 minutes literally seemed to drag on forever.  I was so nervous that my heart was racing and I was sweating.  I don't know why I was so nervous except that the anticipation had just been building and I just couldn't wait any longer to know who would be joining our family.

I taped the whole thing and it is one of the funniest things ever.  Unfortunately, Devin doesn't share my same desire to document everything on the Internet so he has requested that I not post it.  Too bad because it will always be a perfect documentation of what I was thinking and feeling during the whole process.

Devin was in charge of opening and it took him a minute to break the tape.  Seriously, I think even he was a bit nervous by this point.  We were like two kids on Christmas morning.... trying desperately to open up the last gift to see if it was the one thing we wanted most!

This is what we opened:

When Devin finally got the box open, there was pink tissue paper and he looked at me and smiled.  I didn't understand why.  In my head, I was thinking "Come on... why did you stop?  Keep opening!!!!!"  In his head, he was thinking "Why isn't she smiling?  IT'S A GIRL!"  The thought never crossed my mind that the pink tissue paper meant it was a girl... I was so convinced it was a boy that I just figured that they were keeping the guessing game going by wrapping the cute blue outfit in pink tissue paper!

{The Reaction}

When he finally pulled out the pink gown (even though the outfit is darling, the boy one was even cuter!  It was blue and had a rodeo cowboy and horse on it!), I literally burst into tears!  I just sat there and sobbed.  And then I saw that they had thrown in a pink hair bow and cried even harder!  It was just the perfect addition! :)

It was the best surprise EVER.  I am so excited to have another girl.  For Finley to have a sister.  For Jude to be (possibly) my only boy.  It is exactly how God planned our family and I am completely ecstatic!!!!!!!!!

Even though I know I would have been ecstatic either way, the shock of being completely wrong for four months definitely made the reveal more fun!

{Eating Crow & Telling Others}

I called Beth immediately because I was pretty sure she'd still be awake.  She was and I'm not sure she could even understand me because I was still crying, but she had thought all along it was a girl so I had to let her know that she was right!  She also had hinted that should we decide to open it at midnight that she would be awaiting the news!  While I was talking to her, I went to grab the envelope to check and REALLY make sure that they had wrapped the correct outfit.  When I actually said "It's a girl!" out loud, I realized what I was saying and needed to go affirm it again!

I also texted Whitney because she also had been convinced all along it was a girl and if it hadn't been for her and Beth, I would've already been buying blue.  I wanted to call her, but knew she'd probably be asleep.  We got a chance to talk the next day though and she didn't gloat nearly as much as she could have!  HA!

Devin texted his family as well since it was so late.  We decided to tell everyone else the next morning.  When we told Finley, she didn't take the news too well.  She REALLY wanted another brother and was mad that we were telling her something different.  We have learned not to argue with her because she is 3 and there is really no point.  We simply told her that it was indeed a girl and that we weren't going to argue any longer.  She is already doing much better with the news and I know she'll be just fine.  She told me last night that she wanted to share her chocolate with Jude and her new sister so I am thankful that adjustment at 3 is a relatively quick process!  We were able to tell my family in person since we spent Christmas Day with them and then have been telling friends as we've been able.

{The After "Shock"}

On Monday, I went back to the boutique and bought a couple more things for my little GIRL!  I also ordered a couple of things for her online.  Buying her a few things is helping it sink in...  I did the same exact thing for Jude.  For whatever reason, seeing little outfits helps me envision myself with my baby-to-be and it just leaves me GIDDY!

I'm still shocked and am still finding myself in disbelief that it is really girl.  I was pretty shocked with Jude, but somehow not quite as shocked as I am this time.  I think by the third time around I just expected to be right!

{The Evaluation}

All-in-all, I love how we found out this time.  I'm glad that we opened an actual present and not just an envelope and I like that we had to wait a little while after the ultrasound.  I happen to enjoy anticipation so the extra few days of not knowing only heightened it for me.  I didn't sleep well though because I found myself a little too worked up, but it was worth it in the end!  The best part was when we did find out, it was just me and Devin.  It's a special moment that just the two of us shared and it'll always be one of my favorite Christmas memories!

Merry Christmas! {Our 2011 Christmas Card}

Our card this year was a gate fold card which makes it a bit difficult to post.  It was cut right between me and Devin in this picture so that it would open up to reveal the inside of the card.

Outside:

When folded, the picture of the kids and our message was on the back...

Inside:

Please ignore the typos.  It seems no matter how many times I proof something, I still end up with them. =)

We are so blessed this Christmas and are excited to be celebrating our Savior's birth!