Christmas 2010

After living in Muscatine for 6 years now, we spent our very first Christmas here! We normally go home to Nebraska for 2 weeks over the Christmas and New Year's holidays, but we made the decision several months back that since we would have a newborn, that we would not be going anywhere. It was a great Christmas, relaxing and low key, plus super fun to see Emma's excitement! Shane's parents made the trip out to spend Christmas with us, they were here from the 22nd thru the 26th, and Shane's brother, Tanner, joined us on Christmas day and stayed 1 night.

Emma dressed and ready to go to Christmas Eve service.
It had been snowing pretty much all day, and was snowing huge,fluffy snowflakes when we left for church! It was beautiful and definitely made it feel like Christmas!

Emma checking out a present...she pretty much pulled them out and rearranged them several times during the days leading up to Christmas.

Our first Christmas as a family of 4!

Bree all dressed up!

My girls!
This was the best shot I was able to get of them.

Emma and Bree in their Christmas pjs!
Shane and I read the girls the Christmas story from the Bible and then a version of the 'night before Christmas' before bedtime.

After Emma was in bed, Shane and his dad brought Emma's kitchen up from the basement

Bree all ready for Christmas!

Emma checking out what Santa brought her!
My mom brought a JCP Christmas catalog when she came for Bree's birth, and Emma went thru it countless times, looking at all the toys, and always showing us a pink kitchen and telling her that is what she wanted (we had said nothing about a kitchen). So I was so afraid that she would be upset Christmas morning when the kitchen wasn't the one she picked out in the catalog, or that it wasn't pink (I had ordered it back in October).
But she LOVED her kitchen and was actually quite shocked that she had a kitchen sitting in her dining room that was for her! We got her on video coming down the stairs and finding it!
The washer/dryer part of the kitchen is by far her favorite part to play with, and does 'laundry' several times a day!

Needless to say, all she wanted to do was play with her new kitchen, so it took a little coaxing to get her to open her presents!

Emma opening her stocking stuffers!

Bree watching the festivities!

Our Christmas present!!!

Emma checking out her new cradle her daddy made her!
It was quite comical...while Emma was preoccupied, Shane brought it in and just covered it with a blanket, then Emma turned around and just walked right into it, tripping and falling into the cradle...the shock on her face was hilarious, she was like 'where did this come from?' She took the blanket off and was thrilled to see a bed for her dolls, that was white like hers!

Emma opening the bedding I made for her to go with her cradle

She was super excited about the pink pillow and immediately put it in the cradle

Sophie all tucked in

Emma opening her gift from Aunt Heather, Uncle Jon and Nolan...an apron!

She had to iron it before she could wear it!

She looks so darn cute in it!

Check out Emma's feet...for some reason she always stands on her tippy toes

Emma wore a pretty pink dress during the day, but I couldn't get her to take off her pj pants...and then later she had to wear her tutu around her head!

Bree in her 'My 1st Christmas' outfit

The girls with Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Tom

We missed not seeing all of our other family over the holidays, but we really enjoyed being in our home and celebrating Bree's first Christmas! Shane and I don't exchange Christmas gifts, but we received money and several target gift cards for Christmas and decided to spend it on something fun and bought a Wii (the alternative was diapers).

We hope you all had a blessed Christmas too!

Pictures from Bree's first 2 weeks of life!

Bree is now almost 4 weeks old! I can't believe how fast time is going and how much Bree is changing! She isn't nearly as chubby in the checks as she was when she was born and looks more 'petite' like her sister. Her eyes are getting so big and beautiful! And her eyelashes are really getting long! She is such a fun baby and so sweet! She really only fusses when she wants to eat or needs to burp. She does have a fussy time in the evening, right before she goes down for her longest period of sleep, but I would much rather have her fussy at that time, then during the day while Emma is up.
So far adjusting to lack of sleep hasn't been as hard as it was with Emma, since I already run on low sleep! Plus, now that I have had a chance for my body to start to recuperate from giving birth, and don't have the physical toll of carrying around a huge belly and the swelling is gone, I feel pretty good and have more energy!
Emma is adjusting well and really enjoys having a little sister! At first she was pretty rough with her and very grabby, but she has become more gentle and loves to shower Bree with kisses. She talks about Bree a lot, and is a huge help in bringing mommy a burp cloth or something while I am nursing.
Here are some pictures of Bree's first 2 weeks of life!

You can kinda see Bree's bruise under her eye she got during birth

Shane with his girls!

my pretty Bree!

Our friend, Ann, holding Bree. She is the one who sat with Emma during the night so my mom could come to the hospital for Bree's birth

Bree's first bath...she loved it!

See that smile!

Bree with her Nana

Balloon and flowers we received from my Grandma Cena, Grandpa Bud, and Aunt T, Aunt Becky and Aunt Sara and their families

Emma smelling the flowers

Picture proof that I have put Bree down a few times, though I don't like to!

My girls with their beloved Nana

Emma and Bree in their matching "big sister" and "little sister" shirts...the first of many matching outfits!

Me with my girls!

Emma in her new princess pjs from Nana

Me and my Bree-Bree!

Nap time with daddy!

Beautiful Bree!

Me and Bree on my 27th birthday (12/14/10)
We celebrated by going out to eat at Las Lomas for supper!

Papa Carson and Emma filling her piggy bank with Papa's change he cleaned out of his shaving kit

Emma & Bree with their Papa Carson

Me, Emma and Bree with my parents on the day they headed back to Nebraska (12/17/10)

We were so fortunate to have my mom here for 3 weeks and being able to share the special time of welcoming Bree into our family with her. She was a ton of help with Emma and cooking...we so appreciated her! Its hard to swallow the fact that we probably won't get to see her until April. On her last day here, Shane took the day off and we all headed to the Coralville mall for lunch and to do a little shopping. After a couple of hours, we said our 'goodbyes for now' and my mom and dad headed on down the road, while Shane, the girls and I finished up some Christmas shopping. It was really strange and tough to walk back into the house and not have my mom here. We know that God will bless us with time together again...He is always faithful about that!

Next posts to come are of Bree's newborn photo shoot and Christmas...so check back!