A Busy, Busy December

We have had a very busy month with lots of activities and getting together with family and friends for the holidays. It started out with going to lunch with Santa at the Milwaukee Zoo. Aubrey and Max loved all the singing and dancing to the Christmas songs but did not want to sit on Santa's lap. Here was our compromise.









We even tried for Aubrey to sit on Santa's lap when Santa was actually our friend Adam, but she wasn't buying it. This is as close as she got with daddy.





Our Christmas week was pretty hectic as well. We celebrated with lots of family and Aubrey loved opening all the presents. She said "ooh" to everything she opened and was so much fun to watch. From Santa she got a new kitchen and a Dora tent - these are still sitting in our living room because she is playing with them so much.



For New Year's Eve we ate dinner at my parents house where my dad made lobster, crab legs, and steak - all very good. Max and Aubrey were having so much fun so they stayed at my parents house while we went to Paul and Cecily's for a get together. Here is Mya at midnight - she was awake!



In other news, I am now six months pregnant. It has been going by so fast and you definitely don't think about it as much with a toddler running around.



We also had big news on December 30th in that my brother and his wife Kathie had their little boy Lucas Robert Alba weighing 8 lbs 1 oz - we don't have small babies in this family. I will post pictures of him soon, but Erika has one on her blog. We can't wait to meet him!

This past year has gone by amazingly fast but we are looking foward to the next year and getting to meet our new baby. I am already anticipating Aubrey being a big helper. She even got a Dora Big sister doll from Erika to start practicing - she carries it everywhere!



Here are some of my other favorite pictures from December.

Thanksgiving Weekend

So this past week and a half has been very busy for us - there is lots to write about. This post is a little late because I have been staying home with a sick little girl. Aubrey has been running a fever for the past four days, but we think she is finally feeling a little better today and becoming more active.

My parents recently got a brand new van in order to cart all their grandchildren around. They pulled out all the stops and even got the video screens so Max and Aubrey could watch Dora the Explorer (their favorite show) in the car when riding with grandma and grandpa. They absolutly love it. Here they are with their headphones on watching Dora.

On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving I had my 20 week ultrasound. It went very well and the baby is healthy and doing great. We want to be surprised again so we didn't find out the gender, but the doctor did give us a little surprise. By the baby's measurements, I am either having a really big baby or my dates are off. She thinks my dates are off and my new due date could be April 9, two weeks before we were expecting. My parents and Erika and Charlie planned our annual Florida trip in April around my due date of April 22, but now that it may be changed they may be gone. So I have to hold on to the baby for the week that they are gone so they don't miss it. We got a ton of pictures from the ultrasound so I will have to have Dominic scan some of them in so I can post them.

For Thanksgiving this year we went to Sparta to see Dominic's side of the family. We had a fun time and ate a lot. Aubrey eventually warmed up to everyone and loved spending time with her great uncle Tom and aunt Karen. We were busy so I didn't get that many pictures but here are a few.



With Mommy and baby


Eating with Daddy


Hanging with the boys




Derek, Casey, Layla, and Aubrey


Friday we went with Charlie, Erika, and Max to go see Sesame Street Live with Elmo. The kids were mesmerized with all the dancing characters and Aubrey loved seeing Elmo. They danced in the aisle a lot!







Mesmerized by Elmo


Saturday we threw a baby shower for my sister in law who is expecting a boy on December 31. We are so excited for another baby boy in the family. We are awaiting any news his month to say he is here and find out his name. And then on Sunday (we had a packed Thanksgiving weekend) we had Mya's baptism. She looked super cute and did so good in church.

A good picture except for Aubrey's fish lips. (If you haven't noticed, Aubrey knows when the camera is out and always refuses to smile - we have no idea why!)


The expecting new parents with Mya


Sunday night I put up our Christmas decorations with Aubrey's help. She was so sweet and wanted to put up all the breakable ornaments! We can't wait for Christmas with her this year!