Baby #3: From a Man on Man to a Zone Defense

We are happy to announce that my lack of socialization, my absence at basketball night, our new huge van payment, my weak showing at walking group, and my lovely acne covered complexion are all for a good cause - I am pregnant!

I am due on May 15th! I am looking forward to not being 8-9 months pregnant in the middle of the Vegas summer. Since I am only 16 weeks along I don't know what we are having yet. And if Matt has his way, we won't know until the baby is born. I am working on him, but he seems to be holding strong. I told him to start making me some offers I can't refuse in exchange for not finding out.

So, now with Baby Hiller on the way, Matt and I will be outnumbered. I am a little scared. I never really liked to play zone defense in basketball. I liked knowing who I was guarding and that I was the one responsible to stay with them. So with three kids, who is responsible for which kid? There will be no more of "I have Claire, you have Miles." We will figure it out - we always do :)

Thanksgiving Recap

We had a short visit with The Poppe's and my Grandma and Grandpa Johnson before heading over to the Hiller's. My Great Aunt Nancy and her daughter Heather were also there from Southern California. I love getting pictures with them and my kids. We also saw my cousin Krystina and her family down from Utah. This is her little boy Sam.




Raking the Fall leaves at the Poppe's = this is our small little pile of leaves, kind of sad compared to what my sister's family rakes up in Utah. But what do we expect? :)



At the Hillers, Matt was in charge of frying the turkey - he did the same rig two years ago, and Phil has all the gadgets to make it happen. Though we provide the stove. It only takes about 30 minutes to cook and then 30 minutes to rest. It definitely tastes good and frees up the oven for other things. And my dad will be happy to hear we did not set fire to anything :)




Hanging out with the boys - Miles was in heaven!

Thankful Thursday on Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! I have to say again how much I value looking for gratitude in my life every day and every week. It makes me start the day differently, in a good way.

This week I am grateful for:

1. Seasonal treats - I just can't resist the peppermint ice cream, flavored cocoa, pumpkin cheesecake, and eggnog milk shakes

2. Kids going to sleep on time and without getting up at all, all night long. We usually have a few false starts with Claire. And Miles fell asleep in my arms while I rocked him this week - he usually doesn't do that. But made me smile and then cry a little. :)

3. Having access to great books, and having/making time to read them. I will read a good book over any other form of entertainment, any day of the week. And I still love my Kindle, one year later.

4. My family - I know it's cliche, but family is home, roots, memories, and love. I hope I am creating that for my kids too.

5. The Power Squad - Las Vegas friends for going on twelve years who helped me stay here long enough to meet Matt. I know I would have left before then if not for their friendship. The only place I have ever lived longer than Las Vegas is my hometown in California, where I haven't lived since I was 18 years old. Thank you ladies :)

Thankful Thursdays

This week, I am thankful for:

1. Making plans - the anticipation of the event is really almost more of the fun than the event itself. It's one of the reasons I like the holidays so much.

2. Finally hearing Miles put two or three words together, and that he is saying more and more words now.

3. Our new van - it is a beaut, and we will have a much easier time packing for road trips now.

4. My job - I am sure I was thankful for this last year too, but I am so appreciative that I get to work 30 hours a week, and have two days at home each work week. It makes a lot more possible for our family.

5. Claire's fashion sense - Hello Kitty shirts, sideways hats, lots of sparkle and bling. It cracks me up! Wait til she sees the sparkle boots I got her for Christmas. I would have normally bought some nice plain black ones, but I knew she'd splurge for the sparkle.

Early Visit with Santa

A fortuitous trip to Bass Pro Shop for some Christmas shopping led us to a quick visit with Santa. Yes, he's already here... and though I wish we would wait until after Thanksgiving to celebrate, I couldn't boycott the opportunity for a cute picture. They have everything decorated really cute and the picture was free. They also do a different free craft for the kids. The kids were definitely not dressed for a holiday visit - note the flip flops and shorts Miles is sporting. But he walked right up to Santa, and HUGGED him! What a difference a year makes!

2011

2010


Claire was very matter of fact with her visit - she asked for a ball. Ok, we can make that happen I think. She just sat there so calm, I think Santa had to actually ask her to leave.

Thankful Thursdays

This week I am thankful for:

1. My house, albeit small. We can afford it, so we don't have to stress out about the payment (although the fact that it is worth half of the original price is worrisome...).

2. Miles singing the theme to Harry Potter as a bedtime song. Yes, I know there are no words, but it is the cutest thing to hear him sing, "duh, duh da duh, da duh duh!!"

3. Morning walks before the kids wake up - it's quiet, I am alone, and have time to think.

4. Friends who are brave and kick cancer's butt

5. General Conference talks - I love reading them when I have time to focus vs when I am chasing kids while watching them on TV

Stink Face McGee

This is Miles' latest mean face - watch out Claire! Better not touch those legos!

Bike Ride, or an Excuse to Wear Some Winter Clothes

I love that we finally have some cool weather - we got to use our cute winter hats for a bike ride around the neighborhood. Sometimes I wish we lived back East where everyone has such fabulous coats, scarves and hats, but then I think about shoveling snow and scraping ice off my car and I am OK to live with winter temps in the 50s.

Thankful Thursdays

I liked doing this last year for the month of November, so here is my first Thankful Thursday of 2011. I was actually really good about keeping my gratitude journal for almost a year solid, and after 4 months of a break, I am journaling again, making myself think of 5 things to be grateful for each day. Today, I am grateful for:

1. Feeling like I put in a productive day at work and crossing a lot of things off my to-do list. Wish that was my personal to-do list, but that's another story...

2. Coming home, and wanting to be there

3. Baby Gabe turning 2 this week - maybe we can't call him Baby Gabe anymore... :)

4. Matt cleaning and vacuuming one of our two messy, messy cars. Sometimes he remembers he used to be a car detailer.

5. Having a friend to go walking with so I keep exercising

Yearly Check-Ups

Our doctor was sick for awhile so we finally just had the kids' annual exams. Miles hasn't gained much weight though he is much taller - here are his two year stats:

Height - 36.5 inches (75-90%)
Weight - 29.8 lbs (50-75%)
Head - 48.5 cm (25-50%)



We asked the doctor about getting him tested for celiac disease - where he can't digest gluten. I am sure there is a more scientific definition that Betty can tell me. Miles has a rash that comes and goes on his skin, he hasn't gained much weight in a year, and he doesn't eat bread very often. If given a sandwich, he will eat out the insides or lick off the jelly and peanut butter. We thought maybe he knows he feels sick when he eats bread. We were given an order to go to the lab and have blood drawn, but I am still sort of traumatized by holding my kids down for shots... drawing blood seems a whole other level.


Claire has had a major growth spurt - my little girl who had to wear adjustable waist pants so we could cinch them in is now wearing a 5T or even a 6x in some clothes. She is in the 95th percentile for both height and weight at 43 inches and 47 pounds. She had to get FIVE shots at this last appointment, and it was the saddest thing ever. She was behind on one shot, and then a new booster was added for another so what should have been three turned into five shots. All the stickers and lollipops in the world didn't help that day. Now for the dentist next week...


Claire loves preschool, asks for homework to do all the time, and has gone from just knowing her letters and their sound to reading sight words and writing her name like she's been doing it for years, all in just a few months. My little school nerd... I love it!

I can't believe I have a four year old and a two year old now - those last two years have flown by!

Finally - Halloween!

We had a great time! We went Trick or Treating in Seven Hills at my aunt and uncle's neighborhood, living the dream... Someday we might have a house like that...

We were gone most of the night and weren't home to give out a single piece of candy. It is really more about the experience, less about the candy. I don't know about other cities, but it seemed like at least 1 in 2, if not 1 in 3 homes gave out candy - the rest were dark. I guess they could have been like us - taking their kids around the neighborhood. That being said, the kids still got a ton of candy, and many houses gave out full sized candy bars.

We are taking some of our candy to a local dentist to get $1 and 1 raffle ticket per pound of candy. The kids are more excited about the few dollars they will get than sad about losing some candy. Matt kept his favorites anyway, so he's set :)

Who wouldn't love having these little cuties come to their door?


Or these...