Last but not Least

Here's just one of my favorite things from 2009:


Probably the best picture we got.



Waving to us! I know these pics can be a little scary (that's cord over on the right). The fluid and cord can distort the images so they aren't as clear as people would like...but you get the idea.



Right hand up by his ear.



Grimacing at us and covering his face up with his foot. He wasn't happy about us moving him around.



We got back from TN late Tuesday night, then I had a 7:30 doctor's appointment Wednesday morning. It started with my 4D Ultrasound. I had talked myself out of getting this done 2 weeks ago...then people kept giving Matt the same Christmas presents that I had bought him. And I wondered - what can I give Matt that no one else can wrap? A picture of our son! Ha! And then 20 years from now I don't want to hear from Mattox, "you did it for MC and not me???" (you second child syndromes out there know what I'm talking about). I thought he looked EXACTLY like Mati Claire. I guess I was expecting something different since the pregnancy is so different. Of course MC didn't look like her pictures to me after she got here, so he may still look different. But for right now, he could be her twin.


Well, he cooperated pretty well I thought but the cord kept getting in the way, so the sonographer wanted me to go ahead and drink my cola for my glucose test...to wake him up a little more. So I never got to eat breakfast (I was supposed to leave after my sonogram - eat breakfast - then come back - drink the cola - get blood drawn).


One hour later they drew my blood. I failed my iron test, so I'm on iron tablets now. Then my glucose was 138. Failing is 140. They said it should have been even higher because I was supposed to eat breakfast. Dr. T said she was between a rock and hard place because I need to be on the gestational diabetes diet but she didn't want me to lose any weight. I did gain 4 pounds this month. So she compromised by not putting me on the strict sugar busters type diet but told me to cut out any "extra" sugar (not necessarily carbs). So obviously my pop tarts, cokes, cake and chocolate are out. Uggghhhhh!!!! Then Mattox has fallen back to the 27th percentile. They estimated that he weighs around 2 and 1/2 pounds! He's just a small baby that keeps the doctors on their toes...watch him come out to be a whopper of 8 pounds!


I can't believe I only have 2 and 1/2 more months til he gets here! 2009 has been a busy year. I turned 30, I went from working full time to part time to PRN to NO time, we hosted the Superbowl party, attended birthday parties, wedding showers, baby showers, hosted an Easter Egg Hunt, hung out at the lake every other summer weekend, exercised, went to New Orleans for our 5 year wedding anniversary, MC turned 2, traveled to Tennessee, had playdates and lunchdates, fixed houses, found out I was pregnant, had morning sickness, doctors appointments, had friends visit from St. Louis, funerals, Mother's Day Out, went to Boston, watched so many movies even at 8 am and midnight, spent spare time at the spa or shopping, survived Christmas, and now we are welcoming 2010 and baby Mattox to the family! What a year and I loved every minute of it!

Christmas 2009 Part 2

I figured I better get this post in before the New Year rings in. Here's a recap of the last week for family:

Christmas morning was wonderful! I had to wake MC up at 8:45! I had a breakfast casserole in the oven and presents were waiting! It was just the 3 of us til about 1:00. Then the Miley's came over to see what Santa brought us. It was nice to have new toys keep her attention for longer than 5 minutes. Then we all headed to the movies to see "Up in the Air." I had to come back to pack for our trip to TN the next morning.

Our trip to TN was good! Traffic is never good, but we got through it. I think MC would move in with Gigi if she could. Kerigan and Kennedy always keep her busy! Dad, Matt, and I somehow managed to go to the movies in Knoxville at 8:00 in the morning to see Avatar in 3D. Great movie! I can't say I've ever had movie theatre popcorn for breakfast before.

We came home late Tuesday night and the Christmas tornado had still hit my house. So I've been trying to unpack, clean up, undecorate, put toys together, and recuperate from Christmas and its already New Years Eve! Where does the time go?

Playing with her new dollhouse; giving baby milk

MC doing gymnastics with Kerigan

Dancing to the Chippette's (sp?) CD "All the Single Ladies"

"Oh White"

Christmas 2009 Part 1

I would seriously consider changing my son's name to Chevy Chase. We were going to give him Chase as a middle name until we felt we should name him after our dads. My point? National Lampoons Christmas Vacation is one of my favorite movies of all time. I still laugh even though I've seen it a hundred times. It gets me in the Christmas spirit every year!

I am feeling guilty about not taking Mati Claire to see Santa this year. Does that make me a terrible mother? I never knew his where-abouts honestly. I feel terrible. Luckily I found the energy to decorate like I normally do and we are putting "reindeer food" out in the yard on Christmas Eve. I haven't bought the "Elf" yet...I thought that was a little over her head...so next year for sure! She doesn't understand the potty yet...so I don't think she'll understand Santa's specifics.

We celebrated Christmas on the Miley side this past Saturday. After all the presents were opened and the tree was somewhat bare, Kendall and MC dragged 2 chairs to where the tree was standing. We found them like this. Talking to each other. Staring at the tree. Kendall was explaining to Mati Claire who "Crusty" the Snowman was and pointing out each color of light. So precious. My camera did not do this picture justice...

Say Cheese!

My niece, Kendall, celebrated her 3rd birthday last week. It's hard to believe she's 3 already. So we had our first adventure at Chuck E. Cheese! wow. I see why parents avoid that place like the plague. We had fun but I was so exhausted by the time we left. Mati Claire took awhile to warm up to the place, never got too close to Chuck himself, but finally managed to enjoy herself. She quickly picked up on how to put the coins in the slot and pulling the tickets out! That was her favorite part. Here are a few pics:

Christmas Tagged

I do have LOTS of pictures to post. But I will post them later. I just thought this tag was cute and I could answer it quickly.

1. Wrapping paper or Gift bags? Wrapping paper. I try to avoid bags at all costs but sometimes its a must. I usually go buy a box to put it in so I can still wrap it.

2. Real or Artificial tree? Artificial (this year). I insisted on real our first Christmas in our new home...then it fell over at 3 am one morning and broke almost every ornament I had. Not to mention the needles that went flying and covered our living room. So my husband now insists on artificial.

3. When do you put up the tree? Around Thanksgiving. My deadline is Dec.1.

4. Do you have a Nativity Scene? No. Although I am in the market of buying a really nice one one day. I want one for the dining room buffet table.

5. Photo card or Traditional? Photo.

6. Clear or Colored Lights? Clear.

7. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night.

8. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Nope.

9. Angel or Star on top of tree? Neither. Giant bow.

10. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped!!!

11. Do you hang mistletoe? No, but I would love to. It would have to be real mistletoe though. And I never come across real mistletoe while shopping. Where can you buy real mistletoe?

12. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Oh my sister ruined it for me when I was around 9 or so. It was Christmas Eve and I was going to sleep like a "good little girl" so Santa would come and even though I was beginning to question the logistics of how Santa worked, I still believed. My sister said, "Carrie, you know Santa doesn't really exist right?" 20 years later with kids....Santa still exists at my house.

I can't blog because I'm in the bathroom!

Got your attention? Someone PLEASE tell me why potty training is so difficult? Why is it SOOOO hard to understand for a 2 year old? We have spent every waking minute in the bathroom. She figured out VERY QUICKLY that if she just goes a little bit, she'll get candy. Well she never "empties" herself so she has to go again 5 minutes later...therefore more candy. 5 minutes later....again. She literally goes every 10 minutes ALL day long. Then yesterday, she began wanting to undress herself with no help. (To clarify, my child is not a climber or a streaker.) Well it takes her (no lie) 15 minutes to undress herself because she can't just pull her pants down....NOOOOO, she has to get COMPLETELY undressed to go potty...hairbow and all. So 15 minutes later, she has either already gone in her pull-up or has since changed her mind (again). I almost took my lunch into the bathroom with me. Seriously, I might lose my mind in a bathroom.

I had my monthly checkup with the doctor this morning aaaannnnndddd I've gained NINE pounds in 1 month. Wow. A total of 14 pounds so far. So she told me I could slow down now and aim for 1 lb a week. Ha! You're telling a pregnant person to slow down at Thanksgiving and Christmas time??? I go back in 3 weeks for my glucose test, then I start going every 2 weeks. ALREADY??? That caught me off guard. All I can say so far is that Mattox has shown me a whole different side to pregnancy and I can only imagine what it will be like when he gets here. Hopefully not a rude awakening but I'm getting that impression.

I mailed Christmas cards yesterday, so if you don't receive yours (I have terrible postal luck) please let me know. I promise I mailed you one! :) Jeanelle Caraway did the pictures and the cards. I am already looking forward to next years' card...what do I do with TWO kids?

Well if I don't blog, like I said, I'm in the bathroom. Just kidding... but things are getting very hectic around here with the holidays so if I don't post I hope everyone has a stressfree and wonderful Christmas. Does Santa take requests for potty training?