Baby's 1st Christmas

I'll update about Christmas Eve and tomorrow on another post.

To our angel, Marissa...you've been with me everyday...holding my hand, keeping me strong.  It's been hard to hold the tears in today, watching the kids play and laugh, opening gifts, giving hugs and kisses...  You should be here in more then spirit, and I'm fighting hard to remain positive.  I know you care for your little brother/sister up there with you...and cradle the little miracle in me in your ever-strong little arms.  As bad as my heart aches to know you...hold you...I thank you for the many wonderful people you brought to my life, and I thank you for letting me be your earthly mommy for 9 months, and your angel mommy forever.  You and I are both in good company...until we see you again, Merry 1st Christmas, our sweet angelgirl~~~with so much love:  Mommy, Daddy, Kaitlynne, & Katie.

Busch Gardens

We got to the park at 915a (opened at 930), so we got to park right up front.  We visited every dang thing, walked everywhere (our legs are still hurting today).  We got lucky and it seemed everytime we got to an animal exhibit it was feeding time, which was really cool to see.  The Haunted Mansion 3-D was a neat theatre show...one of those where the seats move, water comes out of the screen, etc...  There was this one part where it's supposed to be rats running lose, and air shoots out from under the chairs to feel like them running by..both of the girls about crapped themselves, it was hillarious.  The girls both agreed to go on the 'kiddie' coaster with Alex...Kaitlynne flat-out cried when she got off of it, Katie tried to be big and bad for daddy, but in the end-she wouldn't ride anything else either..lol.  Anywho, we had a great time...kids, for the most part, did very well.  We got back to Ocala and had dinner at Denny's then came home.  I got on here for a little bit, but crashed quick, I was so tired.  I usually can hold out until Alex is ready, but I didn't even hear him come to bed.

Above are pics from yesterday (I took 70, kept 54, but promise not to bore y'all with all of them):

1 & 2)  The monkey's on the monkey.

3)  Alex and the girls on the train (in the tunnel-they were sure something was about to happen).

4)  If you feel like enlarging this one, do it..it's so funny!  This is the 'after' pic from the kiddie-coaster.

5)  The girls on an airplane ride.

6)  This was cute, an elephant came out from rolling in the hay (literally), and another elephant chased after him and ate the hay off his back.

7)  The girls with Santa.

8)  My fav pic :)  Myself, Alex, Kaitlynne, and Katie in front of the flamingos. 

9)  This was funny, too.  Took a pic w/ a Clydesdale;  Alex and Kaitlynne were laughing because as soon as they got posed, the horse bent over to sniff Katie's hair..lol!

10)  Feeding time at the lion's den..he came right up to the glass by us to see his trainer walk by.

11)  Alex and the girls feeding the turtles.

12)  Mr. Croc came over to say hi, too.

 

Gracie Noelle

Ok, wanted to make sure it was ok to post the pics..lol.  Miranda had her little girl on Monday at 744am.  Gracie Noelle was 7lbs 8oz, 21 inches long.  Above are some pics:

1)   Miranda and her little one.

2)  Myself, my daughter, and Gracie.

3)  My daughter holding Gracie, Miranda's son Kristiaan standing next to her.

4 & 5)  Little Gracie Noelle :)

6)  Miranda holding Gracie while Kristiaan looks on.

We're headed off to GA tomorrow to get Katie.  Alex's schedule DID get changed!  No more 3am shifts!  Soooo happy! 

Baby's been moving like crazy tonight-not super strong yet, but I'm looking forward to them, even if they hurt!  Everyone keeps saying boy...Tina, Mom, Jen, few others from the boards.  I still say girl...we'll find out in a couple of weeks, I guess :)

Went to the dollar store today to get the last minute stocking stuffer things...people are so rude this time of year, it's unreal.  I'd rather battle them there, tho, then at Walmart...ugh.  Someone tapped me on the shoulder and I was about to go off thinking 'now what', but it was Kim.  Donald had all the kids so she could go get his gift w/out him being there (she tried to go earlier, but the babies were crying).

That's about all for tonight...kinda worn out, and not really much else to say.  I hope you feel better soon, Jen!!  *hugs*

So sleepy..but heart's a pumpin' strong :)

Just a quick entry.  Kaitlynne got up at 3am this morning and never went back to bed..and made sure we were all pretty much up with her-needless to say, we're all not happy campers.  She's asleep, I HAD to take a nap a little earlier, Alex and I are just relaxing now.  We're going to get Katie on Saturday, then Sunday we're going to my brother's for Mexican dinner, then Monday we're going to Busch Gardens (small glitch w/ the Disney plans, we figured this would be better in the long run anyway).  It's looking like hopefully Alex's other brother will be working graveyard shift at the hotel soon (probably just on the busy days, and hopefully starting tomorrow), so he won't have to do that crappy 3am shift.

Got our layaway the other day...lady asked if we had twin girls, I said no, just two 8 year olds between us (bought 2 of everything..lol).  Alex's dad called and wanted to know what the girls wanted.  Told him Bratz or Barbies-he said he wants to spend more $$ then that on them, gave the ideas HE had (I was like are you KIDDING me??..LOL).  It made the brothers' uncomfortable because their dad only does it once in awhile-I just go w/ the flow on it (learned that from dealing w/ my dad..never consistent)...it's the thought that counts.  He wants us all together for Christmas dinner, too, but one brother is saying he will absolutely NOT go because of one of the other brother's being there.  I know every family has their crap..but I just find it really sad that the crap can't be forgotten for one day...

For today...we took Kaitlynne to her speech appt, then to my doc appt.  Our OB had to leave at the last second to do a delivery (happens w/ him alot, part of the job..lol), so we had the option of staying and waiting for 45m-to an hour, or seeing his assistant.  We saw his assistant, since this was a quick routine visit anyway.  I haven't gained any further weight (tho I'm definately popping), bp was good, and the heartbeat was in the 140's!  Kaitlynne got to hear it this time, she was standing by Alex whispering, "Is that the heart?" over and over, was cute :)  I had the option to get the u/s early next week, or wait until the week after-I chose the week after, so 2 weeks from now (I'll be 18 weeks, and assuming little one cooperates, have a really good chance at seeing gender-tho mommy is saying girl..lol).

That's it for tonight, I'm sure I'm missing something, but my brain is foggy tonight... (no comment from the peanut gallery).

OMG!

Ok it's 12:53 now, just 1 minute ago, as I was saying my goodbye's and I love you's to Alex for him to come home, it happened....I FELT THE BABY!!!!  I had tiny flutters today and I wasn't sure if that's what it was...but sitting here it went BAM!  Like getting flicked on the belly from the inside!  Happened twice afterwards!  OMG-it's an amazing feeling every time, and I'm just about to bawl!!!!!  I was getting a little worried because I figured with my third child, I should be feeling it a little sooner.  Today is 16 weeks, right on the nose!  Alex was like 'go get your baby hearing thing' (baby beat from Target-sucks..LOL), I said I tried last night and nothing.  I have an OB appt tomorrow, so they'll listen.  So very cool!

On a side (very important) note...I got the ornament in the mail today from Gretchen.  The thing is big! About 6 inches long!  And just GORGEOUS!  I told Gretchen that the hair color on the ornament is EXACTLY the same color as Marissa's hair was!  It's on our tree, right next to the little angel we got for her, and underneath our mama angel :)  I'll have a pic tomorrow (hopefully my old camera can get a good pic).

*HUGS* to Gretchen for "listening" to me as I typed like a mad woman just now...I had to yell at her cuz the baby moved..LOL!!!!  I have more to tell about today, but this entry deserves to be as it is.

A quickie *smile*

Just a quick entry... Alex and I have a kid-free night, so we went to the dollar store w/ my brother (always a trip-only people I know who can spend 75 dollars at a store where everything's a dollar), then we went to Golden Corral for dinner, then walked around Wal-mart (they had FSU and Dale Jr baby outfits on clearance S0 CUTE, so I got them, and finished up a little Christmas shopping).

I wanted to share something w/ you all.  A good friend from the February '05 kids board got something for us last night, and I was just crying when I saw it.  She says she feels Marissa works thru her..and that this item was a gift from Marissa and herself.  It's just perfect!  ***HUGS Gretchen*** I still can't thank you enough, but I promise not to get all sappy on you again...lovun's!!!  The above picture is the item-it's an ornament, made of clay.  It's amazing...

Not much else to say for now, I guess.  My brother had planned that we would all spend Christmas weekend out there with him (cooking mexican food on the eve, and our turkey on the day), but now I'm not sure...we have to visit friends and some of Alex's family, too.  Have to figure this all out.  Can't think of much else to say for now, tho I'm sure there's more.  Until next time...

<Putting Santa's helper shoes on>

I hadn't updated in a few days because something happened (financially) that just threw us for a HUGE loop.  It was really looking like NO Christmas for our family this year, and I was so depressed.  Not that the girls need alot or are even asking for much, but we had really hoped to do our Disney trip.

So, Alex and I got to hounding the people that owed us money, and today I bypassed the JERK-off who had originally "helped" us, and went over his head to the girl he mentioned.  He had said it was her fault we didn't get out money yet.  So, I called her...she had no idea who I was or what I was talking about.  No big surprise there.  I explained to her that we had used our savings to get the truck, and this check that we were waiting for was our Christmas money.  She was VERY helpful, said she would go to JERK-off's office and find out paperwork and call me back.  She called back in 5 minutes, said she found it all and would have our check to us by the end of the week!  We're soooooooo relieved!!!!!!  So now we can breathe a sigh of relief and know that we're back on track again :)

We went to the Christmas parade last Saturday, and something happened this year that has never happened before.  Someone stole one of our spots we marked off.  I've NEVER had anyone mess with anything before.  These people were so brasen they MOVED our cone and caution tape over, and just parked there (like DUH, did they not think we'd park next to them???).  When we got there, some old lady was running OVER the cone to take our last spot!  We made her move, and I was SO angry at the dipshits next to us.  I thought at first I would have a few choice words for them, then decided I didn't want to ruin the parade for Kaitlynne, so when she wasn't looking, I took a full bottle of coke and a leftover glass of pepsi and dumped them both in their truckbed.  Mature?  No....  Did I feel better??  Damn skippy, especially when the dipshits DID show up and got ticked cuz they couldn't sit in the bed cuz it was sticky :)  Hormones, gotta love em.  Scott and Pete didn't show anyway (no big surprise).  They went and traded their last car (just got a Durango a month ago, and told us finally they put 4 grand down on it, and payments of 600/month) and got a new truck (2000 down, payments almost800/month!!!!).  They pissed me off, tho, cuz they harassed us to take over their car payment.  I told them over and over NO, we don't want another payment.  They got pissy.  They did show up and show us the truck at midnight, tho.  I could NOT get over the money part of it.  The payments for that, the durango, the house, the utility trailor...no way in HELL would I be happy about all that!!  I guess they got mad that I wasn't thrilled for them, cuz when I walked to get the mail today I saw 2 Burger King cups (they had eaten there that night), and a ton of cig butts at the end of the driveway.  Whatever...sheesh....  BTW, the parade was not as good this year...I like seeing the Clydesdales and the car clubs...neither this year.

Stayed in my pj's all day yesterday, and have the same planned for today :)  Cleaned house yesterday and put up out tree last night (cat's now sleep in the comp room and backporch at night cuz they try to undecorate the tree..lol).

Can't think of much else going on right now.  Might update more later if I think of anything :)