Christmas Eve and Day

This year was the same as any other around the holidays:  hectic!  We are hoping that this little girl will be the answer to some of our craziness around this time of the year, with a few people coming to visit her next year and not so much running around for us :) 

We started out Christmas Eve with Nick's mom's side of the family around 1:00.  The Hall side knows how to do Christmas.  There is always plenty of food and good cheer to be spread around.  I love Nick's family so very much and we just don't get to see enough of them.  Of course, we were spoiled as always, but E didn't miss out on the action this year; she got a set of keys and teething necklace (both staples when all of the kids were little) from Aunt Melanie and Uncle Kenny, as well as burp cloths from Uncle Milesy and Aunt MaryBeth.  I tell ya, this kid has been awaited for a long time for this family!  The youngest on this side is 19 years old, and the last girl they had was Lindsay, who is now in her 30's.

Christmas Eve night we got to see our bestest friends at church at 6:00 service, and I was so happy my mom and dad could join us.  I knew that I wouldn't get to see Amie until after we got back from Florida, and being away from each other isn't our forte, so I was happy that I got to spend a little time with her and also to kiss my munchkin goodbye for Christmas :)  Love, love, love C Monkey's latest fashion trend... amazing striped leg warmers.  I love those little legs running to me in them! 

After church, we headed up to Nick's dad's side of the family at his Uncle Mark's house.  We always do a White Elephant type thing, which is a hoot.  I ended up doing great this year; a gift card to McDonald's!!  Nick also did well, as he got an Old Man bobblehead from A Christmas Story, one of our fave holiday movies. 

Christmas morning, I slept in until 6:45 (I am a very early Christmas morning riser normally).  N and I exchanged gifts and then headed down to my mom and dad's house.  We got so much stuff, including presents from Santa.  He got E her bedding (pictures to come soon), and a mobile for her crib.  I got plenty of pregnancy clothes, which I need for the upcoming months.  Eliot got a super cute outfit from Nan and Pop (UofL shirt, leggings, and matching bow) which I can't wait to put on her during basketball season next year :)  We got great stuff from Mom and Dad and Caitie and Tyson.  E even got her very first junk box!  A tradition in my family is that my Mom collects stuff all year on clearance and makes us a "junk box" filled with things like socks, belts, and other stuff.  I know it is crazy, but it is always our favorite present!  I hope to pass it on to Eliot one day, too (even if Nan still makes her one).  :)

We headed to my Grandma Mary and Grandpa Bud's for breakfast around 10:00.  After an always awesome breakfast, we opened gifts from everyone, and this year we all chipped in and got my grandparents a flat screen TV.  My grandpa was so excited that he could watch the Nascar races even better :)  He is too funny.  E got more stuff and we got some great things, too!  My grandparents even bought her paint for the nursery, which was extremely thoughtful and much appreciated!  We only stayed until about noon this year because we had to get back home and finish packing for Florida before Christmas dinner at my Grandma Sandie's house.  I got one of the greatest presents as we were leaving.  Amie, Chris, and Camryn were just getting to his mom and dad's (which is about four houses down from my grandparents), and I got to hug Amie and Cammie bye one last time.  I know it sounds crazy, but a week away from those girls can make me homesick quicker than anything else!  As much as I love vacation, I would love it even more if we could all go together, all of the time :)  This made my Christmas very complete :)

N and I headed back home to organize our Christmas goodies and get the rest of our stuff packed.  We did a great job and almost had the house back to normal before we had to leave for my mom's parents's house.  My grandma always makes an amazing meal for Christmas dinner, and we always have prime rib and twice baked potatoes (prime rib being a favorite of N and twice baked potatoes being a favorite of mine).  Then we all exchanged gifts and E wasn't left out of this celebration, either!  My grandma hand-crocheted a blanket for her which had me in tears immediately.  My grandmother has a really hard time seeing and is legally blind.  I know how much work this took her and how much time was invested in this precious blanket for Eliot.  She is the first great-grandchild of their's and I think they are pretty excited :)

We had to leave there and get gas in the Jeep because we were set to leave at 5:30 the next morning for our Lawrence Family Adventure 2011 in Destin.  What an amazing Christmas we had!!!

Halfway There!

It is hard to believe that I am halfway through this pregnancy.  I am starting to show a little more each day, but most people don't believe me when I tell them that I am 20 weeks.  I'm not complaining :)  I need to start taking pictures of this baby belly to look back on, and since N got me a great new camera for Christmas, I am going to take advantage of it. 

I am still feeling great; sleep is beginning to be a bit sporatic, although I know it is just Ellie Ann preparing me for the months ahead.  I am still running 3 miles at a time (with a bathroom break sometime in there) :)... I hope to keep it up for as long as I can, but today was a little tough.  It felt like my belly was stretching at the bottom and felt tight all day.  We shall see how running on the beach goes here in a few days! 

A Night with Friends

I am fortunate enough to have a group of girls from college that I am still close to.  An annual tradition that we have is to have an ornament exchange.  It is a fun time to get together and spend time with each other as the hustle and bustle of school is put on hold for a few weeks.  "Aunt" Jessica got Ellie her first ornament, a precious letter e for the tree.  I also got a beautiful ornament from Krystina.  It was a great night filled with fun and laughter.  We ate (and some of us drank) at the River City Winery.  We better go back next year when I can enjoy some wine with the girlies :) 

Our First Two Christmas Celebrations!

On Saturday, December 10th, the Kane and Lawrence families (along with the Murrells later) got together for what we hope to become our annual Christmas cookie extravaganza/Christmas celebration.  Although Amie and I see each other almost every day, the weeks leading up to the holidays are crazy busy for both of us, and we are usually too busy to just enjoy time together.  Since the IU/UK (Go Hoosiers!) game was on that night, the boys had plenty to keep them occupied while we were baking away.  Cammie got to check out Eliot's tricycle and rocking horse, while playing with her Rockin' Mickey that we got her.  I love how she loves that mouse just as much as I do :)  Ellie (although we didn't know it was an Ellie at the time) got the sweetest gift from Camryn Marie (although I know her mommy played a big role in it :))... it was a basket filled with all of the things that Cammie loved when she was a "baby" and that she wanted Ellie to have.  In the basket were:  Sandra Boynton bathtime books, a package of Nuxy's, her favorite blanket in chocolate brown (the one that she can't live without), the famous Mickey Mouse CD, a bar that goes on the car seat, the I Love Puppies book, and a picture and frame of me and Amie from our October photo shoot.  It was such a thoughful gift, and brings tears to my eyes to realize that this time next year, our two little munchkins will be roaming around the house together at Christmas (well, Cammie running and Ellie maybe crawling or rolling :)). 

We also celebrated Christmas with Nick's immediate family on Saturday, December 17th.  We always do Christmas the Saturday before with his family, and it is just a great time to sit down with the six of us (and Sasha, Brandon and Amy's boxer :)).  Sasha and Penny don't get along too well, and since P got to come to Christmas last year, we let Sasha have a turn this year.  Penny still came away with a lot of loot, though :)
Eliot was not left out of this celebration, either.  She got her first Build-a-Bear from Aunt A and Uncle B, which was a puppy named Scruffy (too precious), a few outfits from Mamaw and Papaw Lawrence, a recordable storybook from Mamaw (which had us all in tears with the message she wrote to Eliot),  a few outfits from Aunt Amy and Uncle Brandon, and sweet little bows to match from Sasha.  I don't think she will be spoiled or anything ;)

The Elves Came!

Baby Eliot received her first gift from The Elves, who always seem to visit Nick's family around this time of the year.  They always wrap presents in really thick paper, and write on it in golden ink... such a great tradition.  E got her first baby doll from The Elves, which I love because of the feet.  She is dressed in a Ralphie-like suit!  I am sure that Baby Ellie will absolutely love her first doll! 

Flutters of Love

Tonight was the first time that I felt Ellie move.  The ultrasound technicican asked me on Monday if I had felt any yet, and I hadn't, but they say that it could be anywhere between 16-22 weeks, so I wasn't worried.  However, when it happened, I was at the computer in the office (soon to be playroom :)), and I thought I was crazy.  It felt like someone was flicking the inside of my stomach; when it happened about five more times, I knew it had to be it.  I texted Amie and called my mom to tell them the big news.  Whenever I feel her, Nick keeps telling me to quit showing off :)  I know that he will be able to feel her in a few weeks as well, which is extremely cool.  I am sure by then, I will be telling her to knock it off, though!  Love her so much already!

Think PINK!!!

Okay, so I might be the world's worst guesser when it comes to baby gender.  I just KNEW Cammie Marie was going to be a boy, and I felt the same about this little one.  However, when the ultrasound tech. stated calmly, "Female,"  I was as shocked as anyone.  Emotions overwhelmed me for sure.  I hadn't cried yet over this baby in the doctor's office, but hearing those words and seeing that precious baby on the screen made everything SO real.  I cannot begin to describe how blessed we are as a family.  Everything is measuring perfectly, with a heartbeat of 152 beats per minutes and her weight being in the 47th percentile, which is right on for my due date of May 8th. 

This little one already has a name:  Eliot Ann.  We both love the name Eliot for a girl, with her nickname being Ellie.  Litttle Ellie already has taken over her mom and dad's hearts for sure :) 

Just a little longer...

Until we find out just who Baby Lawrence will be!  Monday, the 12th is our exact date at 1:30.  My mom and Nick's mom will be joining us.  I am so blessed to have a mom and a mother-in-law who are both so excited about this pregnancy.  Nick and I discuss a lot who we think will be joining our family, and I am still predicting a boy.  However, when Amie was pregnant with Cammie, I could have sworn she was having a boy too, so guessing at baby's gender isn't my forte.  I say it all the time, but for this to be the biggest event in my life, I have never cared about something so little (the gender, that is :)).  I know whether it be a boy or a girl, our lives will be enriched because of it.  I can't wait to finally see this precious little one with an actual picture! 

We have both a boy name and a girl name picked out.  Nick and I came to an agreeance fairly quickly on both, which is typical for us.  Although in the past few weeks he has really been liking another girl name, but I still LOVE our first choice, so we will probably stick with that :)  Hopefully Baby L. won't be stubborn and we can see who they are.  That is a big fear of mine now, probably because I have looked forward to this day for a long time.  Such exciting things going on lately!