* Because Kevin's days off were actually over the weekend, we got to go home for Thanksgiving weekend! Kevin's family hadn't seen the kids since Eli's birthday, so it was time for a much-needed visit! And of course we enjoyed some time with my folks too! Friday Kevin and I prepared a Thanksgiving feast for both families together, and we enjoyed lots of yummy food and fellowship. I didn't take a single picture the whole weekend, because as much as we enjoyed family time, I was still in survival mode....
* I've been sick though with a horrible cold--runny stuffy nose and coughing, coughing, coughing that I just haven't been able to relieve with anything I've tried. I've been terribly exhausted but still chugging along as best I can and doing my mom duties. And FINALLY after a week and a half, dare I say it, I'm finally on the up-swing of this. Maybe??? Good thing, because my ribs hurt badly from all the coughing. The last two nights have been decent sleep again, and I'm finally starting to feel a bit more functional! Hooray!
* A couple weeks ago I started leaving Eli in his underwear for nap time, and I'm happy to say that most of the time he stays dry! I am sooo proud of him and still in disbelief at how smoothly this whole potty training business has gone! Hannah's very interested in potty, and we've put her on it a few times, and she's gone a few times! However, we're not quite ready to dive into it with her just yet. She throws a whole big fit when we take her off of it, and when she does pee or poop and gets an M&M reward she not only makes a huge mess just eating the single M&M because she insists on taking nibbles off of it instead of just putting it her mouth, not to mention the whole big fit she throws about wanting more. Anyway, just signs that she's not really ready for the actual training process. But I'm sure it won't be too far away!
* Kevin hit a deer on his way home from work a couple weeks ago, and today we're finally going to retrieve it from the repair shop. It'll be nice to have two vehicles back again!
* We only have one cell phone now (mine) plus a local landline for incoming calls only. And most of the time I really don't miss the second cell. I've enjoyed small chats with Kevin's family from time to time whereas before he talked to his family on his phone and I talked to my family on my phone, and that was that. We've been through a mess with the Alltel/Verizon merge but for now we just have the one phone and that's fine.
* Only 8.5 weeks now 'til Baby's due date! I'm getting more and more excited every day! I'm in the process of painting the toddler rail for Hannah's crib and as soon as it's done, we'll switch her over to a big-girl bed. A friend of ours was anxious to get rid of a crib they longer needed, so I took it, and the baby will go in the crib and Hannah can stay in her pretty white bed. I realized that if we didn't use the toddler conversion for her, it would never get used, because with the boys sharing a room the baby will go straight into a twin bed/bunk bed instead of doing a toddler bed of any type when he's ready for the switch. The kids and I put the bassinet cradle together last week, and I've already pulled out all our baby clothes and blankets and swaddles and burp cloths n such that we'll be using for the baby. The only thing we "need" are winter clothes for the baby since Eli was a summer baby. We have jammies and sleep sacks and a couple small pairs of pants, but just a few outfits that I've picked out in the last few weeks. We still aren't 100% decided on a name, so we'll see! He sure moves a lot and you can clearly see my belly warp all around with his movement, and though I have a relatively small belly, he's measuring right on track! Eli's going to be so great when the baby comes, I can't wait to see him really be a big brother to him! He already tells me that when the baby falls he's going to tell him that it's okay, and he's going to share his trains with him, and (as he scoots over in his toddler bed) he says that the baby can sleep next to him! It's so cute! Hannah's quite aware there's a baby in my belly also, but I think she might think there are three babies since I have three bumps on the front of me. If you know what I mean... =)
* Hannah's talking more and more every day and uses short sentences now quite often. She's thrilled when she sees the moon outside as we're driving, and she calls combines "boo-kines". She's a girly girl and often requests a particular coat or a particular pair of shoes. And her favorite things right now are toy phones, back packs, and little notebooks and crayons. She sleeps with a small baby doll now, and she's picking up on counting. When she sees more than one thing together, she'll say "two cats" or "two arms" or "two cups" or whatever it is. It's such an amazing part of a child's development!
* Kevin's been done with outage for a couple weeks now and we're sooo enjoying his days off again! He has next weekend off and will finally, for the first time in months, be able to join us at church here! =) We're also super excited to set up our Christmas decorations, especially since it's our first year in this house!
* Ooo, in celebration of our upcoming 5-year anniversary and just because, in just a couple weeks Kevin and I are going to Kansas City for a kid-free weekend!! We're sending the kids off to my parents' house and we're going to enjoy three whole nights away! Kansas City is just a couple hours away and I've never really been there. I don't know what's there, and I don't even care! I know the city is going to be beautifully decorated for Christmas season, Kevin and I can enjoy some time together for the first time since ELI was born, we can sleep in as late as we want, go out to restaurants for a party of two, and do a little shopping without kids in tow or schedules to meet! This was our last chance before I'm tied up for another year with a nursing babe, and I'm soooo excited that we can do this! HUGE THANKS in advance to my parents for making this happen! We'll return from our getaway and a couple days later celebrate Kevin's 29th birthday! December is going to be an exciting month, and I just can't wait!
Alrighty, I suppose that's all for now. But probably in the next couple weeks you'll be seeing pics of Hannah's big-girl bed!! Lots of love to you all!
One loved it and everything about finally getting to play in the snow...
and the other... 
not so much.
at which point I finally swooped her up and took her inside for some snuggles and hot chocolate
