2012 Christmas Card (plus a small announcement)

That's right, Gwen is going to be a big sister!

I hit the 12 week mark in the beginning of December, so what better way to announce it, than with our Christmas Cards?!  I'm due June 20th, so Gwen and the new baby will be just a few weeks shy of 2.5 years apart, which I think will be a good age difference.   It's so much fun to fantasize about what Gwen will be like as a big sister.  She adores her little cousin, and is obsessed with baby dolls and roll playing with them (feeding them, changing their diapers, holding and rocking them).  Once the baby comes, I have no doubt that Gwen will be the best and most helpful big sister!

As excited as we are, baby growing is serious business.
I have to say that I almost forgot how miserable the first trimester is.  My morning sickness hasn't been as bad as it was with Gwen.  I really only get nauseas when I think about certain foods - tomato sauce for one...or if I let myself get too hungry.  But once I started eating, for the most part it makes me feel better (I've been carrying around almonds and string cheese just about every time I leave the house).  But the exhaustion....oh my god.  I remember being tired with Gwen- I would go into the group fitness studio at work during slow times and lie down on the mats, and every day after work I would pass out on the couch.  But now, chasing a toddler around, it is a million times worse!  Some days I just feel like a zombie going through the motions.  Thank god Gwen is a good little napper (with the exception of about 2 weeks where she pretty much refused to nap, or only teased me with an hour or so, compared to her typical 3-4 hour naps!).  Thankfully I'm starting to get some energy back now.

Anyway, it's all worth it right?  Now, having Gwen, I can say that I would go through the blasted 1st trimester a million times over for her.  Here are a couple of shots of our new little love:

9 weeks 4 days

12 weeks 4 days

Hmmm....girl or boy?  We shall find out in late January, people!!!! :)

Mall Santa

I'm so thankful for all of these wonderful ladies and their kiddos.  

We met most of them in that Mommy and Baby Yoga class we took way back when...  

We formed a playgroup and have been getting together 1-2 times a week for over a year now, and they've been such an awesome support system.  Gwen and I are so lucky to have such awesome people in our lives.

Not sure how Santa felt when he saw us coming, but I'm so happy we did this!

We didn't take any pics with just Gwen and Santa this year.  As a reminder, this is how it went down last year, and to be honest I'm not so sure it would've been any different this year...

Update

We took Gwen to "Zoolights".  One of the local zoos decks out in millions of twinkly lights, and they even had some reindeer to pose for photos with.  We knew Gwen would love it because she's obsessed with the lights in our house and any time we drive by a decorated house we hear "Oooooohhhh PITTY!!".  I seriously wish we got it on video because as soon as we pulled into the parking lot, we were overwhelmed "WOW, WoW, WOOWWW"'s coming from the backseat.

Here we are with our playgroup friends, enjoying the zoo

The other day, Gwen and I made gingerbread cookies and each had one as a snack after dinner (they were delish btw - thanks Betty Crocker!).  Of course she asked for more, to which I replied "wait until daddy comes home, maybe he'll give you one."  Surprisingly she seemed ok with that response and we went on playing.  About 15-20 minutes later, we heard daddy walking up the front porch.  Gwen's eyes widened and she started yelling "DADA DADA DADA" as she heard him turning the key.  As soon as he stepped in the door: "DADA PEEAASE, dada pease...COOKIE?"  After I stopped hysterically laughing, I explained to him why she was asking him for a cookie, and really, who could ever say no to that right?

Within the past month or two, she has really stepped up her vocabulary; asking for things by name, responding to our questions, and repeating pretty much everything that we say.  I'll let you decide if that's a good or bad thing!

Gwen's First Christmas

We're feeling very lucky this year because Gwen has just brought so much happiness to our little family. It was fun to have her so interactive and animated for her first Christmas.  Justin and I reminisced about last year when I was 38 weeks pregnant and how excited we were for Christmas 2011 because our little one would be here (and almost a year old!).  It seemed so far away to us...

...yet, here we are!  My two babes, Christmas morning 2011:

We wrapped all of her presents in tissue paper, so they would be easy for her to unwrap.  Don't let the picture fool you, she tore off a tiny piece of paper and played with it.  The rest of the unwrapping still took some help from us.

Here she is, playing with her first present - an animated Leap Frog book.  It reads the book aloud to her as she turns the pages.  Great in theory, but ends up being a tad annoying for mommy and daddy when she keep opening and closing, opening and closing... heh! Oh well, she'll grow into it.

My Pal Violet was by far her favorite toy.  We programmed it on the computer to say her name (she completely lights up when it does this), and incorporate her favorite songs, color, animal, etc into play.  See that dress draped over the arm of the couch?  Justin picked it out as a surprise - oopsie for not getting a better pic, but it's so cute!

Gwen loves Violet <3

You can't tell here, but it started to snow outside while she was opening presents!

We made sugar cookies with a special "g" for the little lady.  I still can't bring myself to eat it! hah

We headed over to Nana & Papa's house to spend the rest of the day with family - and more presents!  I made Gwen's headband out of scraps from her Christmas stocking.

Santa

As a kid, I always remembered going to my dad's work to see Santa.  So when Justin told me that Santa was coming to his work, I was so excited for Gwen!

Here we all are, waiting for the Big Guy!

There he is, not too sure what to think...

Gwen was the second one called up to sit on Santa's lap, and she did awesome!  She wasn't scared at all (just wanted her present, as you can see in her face).  There were oh so many "oohs and ahhs" while she was up there - obvi! she's so darn cute!

Here she is eating her sock monkey from Santa.

A Silverio's work is never done.  We stopped by Daddy's desk so Gwen could do some filing.

Looking very serious (and teensy) at Daddy's desk

Snuggling with Daddy after a fun time at his work :)

A few days later, we decided to try out the whole "Mall Santa" experience.  This didn't work out quite as well....

It cost $25 for one digital image on a cd, but I had to.

Trees and stuff

We're really getting into the holiday spirit around here.  For a while, I debated if we should get a tree or not.  I was concerned about Gwen swinging from the branches and eating pine needles off the floor.  We ended up getting a really tiny one to put in the corner and block Gwen out with furniture if need be.  I'm really happy that we decided to get one, I can't imagine not having a tree for her first Christmas.  Plus, if we didn't, where would we hang her awesome new ornament??

from the website

Gwen's personalized Baby's 1st Ornament!

First Annual Silverio Gingerbread House!!

 Here's our cute little Silverio Christmas tree!

Trimming the tree

 

Christmas Card Photoshoot

Last month, we visited our good friends Meghan and Casey (and their awesome dog, Diesel) at their new home in Vermont.  We're thrilled that they live so close to us now, having recently moved from Alabama.  We had such a nice visit with them and felt so at home, that we just may invite ourselves back very soon :)

Lucky for us, Megs is such a talented portrait photographer, and she agreed to take our Christmas card photos for us!  We are so beyond thrilled with how they came out!!!  Megs also designed our stunning Christmas cards - see bottom of the post.  All of these photos are courtesy:  Meghan Davis of Davis Creative Services

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Bonus - Here are a few pics of Gwen with Diesel (also taken by Megs) - he's such a love!

playing peek-a-boo with Casey at dinner

Thanks, Megs and Casey for such a fun visit!! :)