Every year for Christmas, Nathan has gotten a book box filled with some of our favorite books. We have so many books right now and love toreadthem all. I thought, since most of the people who read this blog are parents to kids around N's age, I'd share some of our favorite books!

1. Come Along Daisy
N LOVES this book! I think it is probably his favorite book right now. It is about a little duck who does not listen to her mommy and gets lost. It has just the right amount of suspence for a toddler!

2. Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Iza Trapini
This author is wonderful! She takes well known kids' songs and adds verses to them. This one is about a family of bears and their adventures on a river. I love the illustrations in this book!

3. The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett
This is the book that actually inspired me to do this post. We read this book after making our gingerbread house and N was enthralled with it. The illustrations arebeautiful, as they are with all Jan Brett books.

4. One Bear, One Dog
N has loved this book since he was a baby. It has fun pictures for the little ones and a great rhyming story.

5. Animalia
This is a great ABC book and N loves to look at--well okay, I love to look at it. The illustrator of this book is a genius and we find new things everytime we open the book.

6. That's Not My...
Books. I like all of them in the series. We have That's Not My Santa, That's Not My Bear, That's Not My Dragon, and a few more. Nathan loves them for their bright colors and the fact that there is a different texture on each page.

7. Whose Nose, Whose Toes
Fun animal book where each page opens up to a big, full length page.

8. Baby Cakes
We read this a lot before we go to bed. Nathan has it pretty much memorized and we act out every page.

9. Colors: A Play With Me Book
Nathan has loved this book since he was old enough to understand the concept of a book. It has different beach creatures that you can take out of the book--which N liked to take out, put back in, take out, put back in, take out, put back in...you get the idea. So, its a fun book, while teaching colors! Somehow,though, our copy is missing!

And what book list is complete without...

10. Goodnight Moon
What can I say about this book, but that it is a classic!

If you have any other books that your kid loves, please share the title!

I haven't gotten to spend as much time with Nathan as we are both used to, so I thought it would be fun to have a little mommy/Nathan time by making a gingerbread house with lots of yummy candy. Of couse it took us about 3 days to actually be able to sit down and finally make it, but that's okay. It was well worth the wait! N had a blast while making it. No surprise that most of the candy didn't make it in the house, but rather in a little mouth. That's part of the fun, though!Towards the end, Emma had had enough of Daddy time and wanted to eat. So, Daddy had to take over the gingerbread house fun.

As it was getting closer to our turn, Garett brought Nathan back to the line and N started to panic! We just knew that we were going to have the classic crying kid with Santa picture--like last year. But, N took a deep breath, let me carry him over there and warmed right up to Santa. Of course it helped that Santa was super friendly. N and Ems sat in his lap and Nathan even told Santa what he wanted --trains. Santa sang them a Christmas song and gave N a candy cane. Emma even got into the Christmas spirit and gave Santa a huge smile.



I am so proud of both my kids! Operation Visit Santa=SUCCESS!!!

What a great day! We had a showing of our house this morning at 8, so I had to load both kids up in the car and be out pretty early. I actually enjoyed it--call me crazy! Ems fell asleep in her carseat and slept for two whole hours after we came home, giving Nathan and I lots of time together. I miss that special mommy/Nathan time we used to have and I know he does too.

Then, after Ems woke up, we took her Santa hat pictures. I have a picture of Nathan in this same hat when hewas just a few months old. It is seriously one of my favorite pictures! Here is Emma, and I will have to see if I can find N's picture on the other computer so we can compare!

I had to bribe him with his favorite thing in the world, chocolate, but I love this picture! My little baby looks so much like a big boy now! Don't you love his Christmas tie shirt? Found it on Esty--my new addiction!

I am loving his new haircut, too. He was such a little trooper at the salon! He didn't cry once, but he was quite disapointed. We went to a new place since our old place cut off his curls and that is unforgivable. Anyway, our old place used to blow bubbles while they cut his hair. So, he kept asking me and the lady where the bubbles are. When we told him that they didn't have bubbles, he says,"sucker?" which of course they had. So, he kept saying, "No bubbles, just suckers." the whole time. She told him that next time he comes back she will have bubbles. I love this kid!

This past month flew by for me! It doesn't seem like there was a time without Emma, which is funny because I was so worried about what it would be like adding another little person to our established family of three. She has blended into our family perfectly. Nathan is so in love with her and she with him. When she wakes up, she looks for him and even gives him a little smile. And when he wakes up, the first thing he does is give her kisses. We are all so in love. Happy one month birthday, Little Emma!

Yesterday, as I sat in a bedroom in Garett's parents' lakehouse nursing Emma, I began to think just how lucky I am. Sometimes it is easy to forget when I am having a rough day or am down about something. But, I truly believe that I am one of the luckiest people around.

I am thankful for my two beautiful, healthy children. They truly are my little miracles. As I held Emma's little hand, I realized just how blessed I am to have her big brown eyes gaze up at me. As Nathan beamed about his first fish that he caught, I couldn't help but tear up a bit about my life. I love it and I love my babies. There are so many people out there who are desperately want children and cannot have them, and here I am with two. There are so many people out there who had to spend Thanksgiving in the hospital, watching over their sick baby, and here I am with two healthy ones. There are so many people out there who are having to pray for the safety of their children over in Iraq, and here I am holding my two little ones. I truly am blessed.

I am thankful for my wonderful husband. We have our moments where we want to strangle each other--had a few over the holidays--but I love him deeply. He truly is my soulmate and my best friend. I probably don't tell him how much I appreciate him as much as I should, but I hope that he knows it. I hope that he knows just how much I love him and just how thankful I am that he is in my life. I truly am blessed.

I am thankful for my parents, my sister and brother. I wish that we lived closer and I could see them more often. I wish I could have seen them yesterday for Thanksgiving. I wish that we didn't have to move even further away. But, despite all the things I wish for, I could not wish for a better family. I love them and am very thankful for all the support and love they have ever given me. I truly am blessed.

I am thankful for the roof over my head and financial peace. There was a song that used to play often. I think it was called "Don't Laugh at Me." The part that has always stuck in my head is the part about the homeless man asking for money on the side of the street. It turns out that he wasn't just a druggie begging for money, but he was a man whose wife and baby died and he lost it. So, everytime I see a homeless person, I never assume the worst about them. I always try to think of what put them in that situation. My point is, I am thankful that I am not in that situation. I am thankful that I have a great roof over my head, food for my family, and am able to pay our bills and still buy my kids toys. I am thankful that I am able to stay home and be with my kids. I truly am blessed.

I am thankful for my friends. It seems like some friends come and go as you travel through the different stages of life. Even friends that you thought were going to be lifelong friends, sometimes turn out not to be. I do have regrets about drifting aways from some of my friends, but things are what they are. I have made some great friends since having Nathan-friends that I have a lot in common with, friends I can lean on and that can lean on me, lifelong friends. I truly am blessed.

I am thankful for my health. On the way to Garett's parents' house yesterday, I was telling Garett about someone that I know who was going to the Ritz for Thanksgiving dinner. I made Garett promise that if I ever die, he would always have a homecooked Thanksgiving meal for our kids on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. I always make him promise to do things if I die. Hopefully, that will not happen anytime soon. Hopefully, I will live to watch all of my kids walk down the aisle and have kids of their own. Hopefully, Garett and I will grow very old together. So far, so good. I truly am blessed.

Okay, so I might have jinxed myself by saying that I had a sleeper earlier. She is NOT a sleeper. In fact, she just went down for the first time today about an hour ago--at about 2:45! She is fine as long as she is sleeping in my arms, but the minute I lay her down, those little eyes pop right open and she begins to cry again. Oh well. I love holding her, so its not that bad!

http://family.go.com/santas-list/video/8170-txamu01/

Ems had her 2 week appointment today and she did great. She didn't cry until they did the little heel prick, after which she whailed. Poor thing. Good news is that she gained her birth weight back and then some. She is now 8 pounds 1 ounce, putting her in the 50th percentile for weight--numbers we never heard with Nathan! I knewshe had gained weight since nursing is ging so well.
We also had visitors over, Meredith and Baby Elizabeth. N LOVED showing Emma off and I loved having some adult company!

And just to prove that E doesn't sleep all the time...

N loves his babby Emma. I am so proud of how he has taken on the role of big brother!

Garett took Nathan to the zoo today for some daddy time. I miss spending time with Nathan. I miss the many cuddles he used to give me. I miss the snuggles. I still get some, but not as many. We are still both trying to adjutst. He loves his baby Emma, but yesterday he woke up and told me in a very quiet voice that he wanted baby Emma back in my belly. That broke my heart.

I don't have much time to do a long post, but little Emma Grace was born on October 29th at 8:51 in the morning. She weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces and was 19 and 3/4 inches long. She has a head full of dark hair and I think she is going to have brown eyes.

Garett took a few pictures for me tonight. These will probably be my last belly pictures before Emma makes her arrival!

I had my 38 week appointment today and am dilated 2 cm. Dr. Browning says that is enough to set up an induction for next week. I really wanted this baby to come naturally, but with Garett working almost two hours away, there was no other choice. So, little Emma Grace will enter this world next Wednesday, the 29th! I am super excited to meet my precious baby girl and hold her, but also a little sad to put a time stamp on Nathan and my alone time together. I am giving him a sibling, though, someone who will be a friend his entire life.

A friend forwarded me this story the other day and I have to admit to crying while I read it. I think it sums things up pretty well.

I walk along holding your 2-year-old hand, basking in the glow Of our magical relationship. Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: How could I ever love another child as I love you? Then she is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you've never shared me before. I hear you telling me in your own way, "Please love only me." And I hear myself telling you in mine, "I can't," Knowing in fact, that I never can again. You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again. But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. I'm afraid to let you see me enjoying her -- as though I am betraying you. But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection. More days pass, and we are setting into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast. But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just us two. There are new times -- only now, we are three. I watch the look between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other. I watch how she adores you -- as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of her new accomplishments. And I begin to realize that I haven't taken something from you, I've given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you. I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you -- only differently. And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you'll never share my love. There's enough of that for both of you -- you each have your own supply. I love you -- both. And I thank you both for blessing my life.

Author Unknown

It stayed in the 70's today so it actually felt like Fall for once! Garett and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and took Nathan to the park. We usually stay there for about 30-45 minutes, but today we stayed for close to two hours! Needless to say, Mommy and Nathan took a 2 hour nap when we got home!

Our little girl is no longer called Baby Girl Willig. We have decided on a name!

The Hulk is N's hands down favorite super hero right now. He loves to "Hulk smash" everything and show everyone his Hulk muscles. So, it was a no brainer on what he would be for Halloween. We showed him a bunch of costumes on magazines, online, and in the stores, but nothing would do. He wanted to be the Hulk.

I cried yesterday and it was NOT due to pregnancy hormones. It was due to a woman who apparently did not speak English very well. said this a million times, but man this pregnancy has flown by! I think we have everything ready except for a name! We need a name!!!!

I will officially be 36 weeks tomorrow and I have only taken two sets of belly shots! I should be shot! I took them every week when I was pregnant with Nathan/ So, I thought I would have Garett do a whole little photoshoot of my 36 week belly. Unfortulately, we ran out of light, so that will have to wait until next weekend. Here are some snapshots that we took tonight.

I just wanted to let everyone know that we are okay! Our garage and Garett's car, on the otherhand, are not--but more about that later.

Our power finally came back on Friday night (after a full week) and I can actually say that it made me tear up. Being 8 months pregnant and having no power is absolutly miserable. Nathan did okay with the whole ordeal because we spend A LOT of time outside--taking walks, painting, playing with the neighbor kids, etc. He actually had a blast.

Anyway, as I said earlier, G's car and our garage didn't fare so well. About 4 in the morning on Saturday during IKE, I heard this loud crash. I thought for sure that a tree fell on our house. In the morning, we could finally see that thankfully that didn't happen. But, our big 100 year old oak tree in the back fell right on the garage and G's car that was in front of the garage. It took out our gumball tree with it. G's car is pretty much totalled and the garage has seen better days. We had some tree people come out this last Friday and rescue my car (which was in the garage) and take the tree off of everything. You should see the pile of debris in our front yard.

I will post pictures later once I get them downloaded. For now, though, I just wanted to let everyone know that we are all safe.

We had a blast in San Antonio! First off, G deserves a pat on the back for the hotel he chose. We stayed at Hotel Contessa and it was beautiful! We had a room that overlooked the River Walk and there was a wedding that went on each night.