Christmas Recap

We had a wonderful Christmas this year!  Lincoln definitely enjoyed it more than last year but not near as much as I think he will next year.  Everytime he opened a present he would say "Wow."  He enjoyed the act of opening them more than the actual toy at times.  He was definitely spoiled ROTTEN by all the love, attention and gifts during our 5 day trip.  Cory and I, of course, were not left out and were given way more than we deserve.  It was a joy to spend some with our families and to find out at the same time we would be having a girl!  Such a treat.  All that being said, here are the pics from Christmas!

Opening presents at Pop-pa Don's

Christmas morning at Papa and Gigi's

 Christmas at Mimi and Poppy's

Dragging Lincoln all over definitely started to be apparant towards the end of the trip.  He is a pretty good traveler but too many days out of his routine and not sleeping in his own bed really starts to catch up with him.  He slept extra long at night and took extra long naps the few days we were back home. 

And this is this is the only picture we took of our family at Chrstmas so I will post it again.

Weekend at Mimi and Poppy's

A few weekends ago we headed south so spend the weekend at Mimi and Poppy's house (Cory's mom and stepdad).  About the actual trip, we have always had a hunch that Lincoln may be one to get carsick but this trip helped confirm it.  We took the backroads which is about two hours of two lane roads and Lincoln cried the whole time.  Overtime he has become a pretty good traveler so it only made sense that the roads were upsetting his stomach.  We finally stomped and I climbed in the back seat with him.  Once I did that and held his hand and talked to him he was asleep in 5 minutes.  Bless his heart.

Ok back to the weekend.  Poppy was mainly at the deer camp all weekend but he stopped by a few times to visit.  In fact the first time he stopped by to visit was Saturday morning with the deer he had just killed.  Lincoln was not sure what to think of the dead animal that did not make any animal sounds. 

Later on that morning Cory's twin brother and his family came over to hang out with us.  We played out in the yard with the leaves, ate lunch and then went to the park at the local elementary school down the street.

We had a great time visiting and hanging out with all of our family!

And, we arrived home on Sunday evening just in time for the bonfire/hayride at our small group leaders house.  I only took this one picture all night.  I guess I busy having too much fun.

Spilling the beans

Just to back track a little bit, I have to tell the story of how I told Cory I was pregnant.

I took a pregnancy test the morning of Cory's birthday (August 16).  The test came back VERY FAINTLY positive but positive nonetheless.  I debated all day if I should tell Cory or just take another test the next morning and see if it was any darker.  By noon that day I had convinced myself to wait and tell him tomorrow.  However, once I got home and made his birthday dinner I decided to just go for it.  So, when he got home we had dinner and he opened presents.  After he opened all his wrapped gifts I told him he had one more gift in the kitchen.  He said "O, did you make me a cake?"  I just laughed it off.  So he looked around the kitchen a minute and then I said, "You have to look in the oven."  So when he opened the oven door this is what he saw...

It took him a good 5 or 6 seconds before he turned around while still hunched over and said "Are you for real?"  I busted out laughing.  {It is a "bun in the oven" in case you are confused}.  It is VERY rare that I can truly surprise Cory so this was a classic moment.  He was of course very excited and I was glad I was finally able to tell him after keeping it a secret all day!  I did explain to him that it was faintly positive but that I took the test WAY early so it could be wrong.  Although I felt like I was pregnant.  I took a test the next day and it was much darker.  I then had my blood drawn twice within 48 hours and all my levels were doubling like they should. 

Next, we were on to tell our parents.  We waited about 2 weeks later {Labor Day weekend} to tell our parents.  My parents were coming up for the weekend and I had been feeling pretty sick so I knew I would have to tell them or they would figure it out.  When we told them we were pregnant with Lincoln we gave them a heart-shaped box (since my due date was Valentine's Day) with Baby Ruth bars in them and the ultrasound pictures.  So this time we decided to again be creative with the delivery of our news.  We brainstormed ideas and decided we would go with an "umbrella" theme since the baby was due in April.  We also decided to keep "Baby Ruths" as part of it too since we did that last time.  So Cory came up with the idea of tying the Baby Ruth candy bars to the underneath side of the umbrella so they would dangle down when opened up. 

So, on Friday night after my parents arrived we chatted for a little bit and then Cory brought up to my dad (the weather buff) the topic of all the hurricanes hitting the East coast.  Then Cory walks in the dining room, opens the umbrella with dangling Baby Ruth bars and walks back in the living room.  He then says "Well I hear there is a big hurricane coming next April called Hurricane Babe".  My mom got it right away but not so much my dad.  It took him a little while to figure it out.  I was sitting the couch crying I was laughing so stinkin hard!  Here is a picture I took later of Cory with the umbrella.

Cory told his parents using the Hurricane Babe story too but over the phone.  His dad caught on pretty fast but his mom cracked us up.  She did not get it at first and told Cory there was no way that the weather people could predict this far out about hurricanes.  We were rolling on the floor.

We have definitely had fun with sharing our news!

Lake Fun on the Fourth

For the Fourth of July we spent the weekend at the lake with Cory's family.  It was Lincoln's first boat trip experience and he definitely LOVED it.  We had to watch him extra close because if we didn't he would have just jumped in the water without any fear.  It was lots of time in the car and lots of new fun people to play with which meant he his little schedule was thrown out the window. 

On a side note and something I want to remember...Lincoln also decided to continue his little habit of biting those who do not follow his way.  He is so sweet and a pleasure most of the time but I have discovered that when he is tired then the biting occurs.  It has helped that we have learned this and hopefully we can avoid anymore biting situations in the future.  Whew, it has stressed me out but it is such a small part of his behavior that hopefully soon we can move past this phase. 

Anyways, on to pictures.  I actually only took a couple of pictures but my SIL's sister is a photographer and took over a hundred pictures of the weekend.  So, I am stealing her pictures.  (Her name is Amanda Allen and if you live it the Dallas, TX area then you should call her to take your family pictures.  She does an amazing job.  Here is her facebook page.)

Ok, now that I have plugged her here are her pictures I stole of the weekend....
 

 Me, Mady and Lincoln on the boat

 Lincoln enjoying the boat ride

  

 Lincoln and Mady

 Cory and Lincoln enjoying the water

 

Lincoln after being dunked under the water

Mady and me hanging out in the water

 The babies playing the piano at Mimi's house

On Sunday, we went to Hot Springs to walk around. 

 

 Sweet sisters.

 Mady with her new shades and Lincoln with his wild and crazy hair.

 Uncle Cory holding Mady while pushing the stroller.  She really wanted to ride on the stroller like the babies.

We enjoyed a very Happy 4th and we hope you did too!