No one told us how special the holidays were with a newborn!
Gwen and Emily were so excited to have time off from school to love on baby Wade. Jake started his paternity leave and also had a break from coaching basketball so we relished in the cuddle time.
One of my dear friends took some family pictures for us and they are so sweet to look back on.
Jake and I couldn't help but each take several pictures of the exact same moment. We all just stared at Wade constantly. His smiles, frowns, grunts, and toots made us laugh and giggle so much. I know it will wear off someday, but Jake, Gwen, Emily and I all just love staring at him!
We spent time with family and loved it! Lena and Londyn came over a few times and spent the evenings with us. Gwen and Emily LOVE Londyn and always want to carry her, but she knows she's just one of the big kids and not a baby so she gets annoyed at them! It's my favorite power struggle--two big kids trying to hold the toddler like they've been holding Wade doesn't go over well! Ha!
Emily had a school performance. She loved practicing her songs for us, and she knew them so well! She didn't feel well the night before and it wasn't just nerves. After that day, she had a fever and we think the flu. I think she rsllied to feel well enough to be in the show, and then crashed.
Gwen ran in a school race to catch Santa. She loves this event because she loves being faster than so many of her peers! A girl after my own heart :)
Gwen also has been knocking it out of the park with her piano practicing! She was playing Christmas songs all month, and she is reading music out of the church hymn books. I'm so thankful for her wonderfully sweet teacher, Bette Anderson. Gwen tells me every Tuesday after lessons that Bette makes her feel smart and is so nice. I know that's why she's excelling! She's just feeling so proud! Gwen is truly one of the best people I've ever known, and I'm so blessed to be her mom.
We decided to sell our home. We listed it in the middle of the month, and got some beautiful pictures taken. We didn't get any offers in December and enjoyed what will likely be our last Christmas here. We're hoping to get a little closer to the girls school so they can walk home.
I started my new job at the community college in the dental hygiene program. I did a lot of trainings this month and was running around town getting proof of experience, fingerprint cards, and more!
On Christmas Eve, we went to Top Golf and spent the morning eating and hitting! It was so much fun and Jake decided it was a tradition we should keep going. It was our first real outing (excluding things like doctors appointments, and grocery trips) as a family. We ran 10 minutes late to our reservation because everything takes longer with a baby! We ate so many tacos because they are so yummy there. After golfing, we went to the Blackburns for dinner. We ate a festive charcuterie meal, and the kids all dressed up for the nativity. The finale of the evening was playing Left Right Center with all the kids. We prepped them by telling them all that only one person would win all of the dollars, and they all tried to be such great sports. The Blackburns love games more than we do (which is a whole lot!) so we have all taught the kids how to try to be good losers hahah! They were all so happy for Holliday when she won the cash.
We went to church together in matching dresses and came home after singing the best Christmas songs. We had a lovely, lazy day opening gifts, playing with toys, and playing new games. We did a gift exchange with the Bishop side of the family, and were gifted with the best blanket we've ever seen. We all laughed and laughed so much, and now Gwen fights for that blanket for every movie night.
My friend, Mel, invited the girls to do a princess Christmas camp. She would pick them up each day and bring them home. At the end of the camp, they girls did a performance. It was so cute. Gwen decided she was a little too cool to wear a princess outfit but compromised with a sparkly jacket. Emily loved the chance to wear her beautiful Belle dress from our Florida trip and sang with so much gusto that I thought she would burst! The camp was led by a woman who is a trained professional. She taught the women how to use their breaths to sing loud and proud. It was amazing and I'll do it next year for sure!
We were able to resume our family walks and it was such a new experience having the girls ahead of us while we push the stroller and hold Fred's leash. Our family is the best. I never imagined having so much joy was possible. We still have fights, and we need to work on a lot of things, but the love we share is incredible. I can see the future so clearly sometimes--Gwen, Emily, and Wade bringing home their loved ones and their own children--it makes me weepy just to type. Our goal as parents is to raise these people with love and respect while being on their level, and the love they have for us is just as palpable. Seriously, these kids are going to be best friends forever. And Jake and I get to be included in that forever, too.
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| Christmas Day |
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| Matching dresses is my dream come true. |
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| Emily and Wade. She can stop his crying always! |
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| 💗 |
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| We have three children! Inconceivable! |
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| Our two favorite guys! |
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| love love love |
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| "He has a lot of nerve being so cute." |
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| Emily and Belle. Emily said, "I know that isn't the real Belle because she really lives in California." Smartie. |
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| I love this face. He looks like Gwen. She did this same face and hand motion. |
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| Emily has to touch Wade always. It's wonderful. |
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| I'm making an album of Wade sleeping on me. It will be great one year from now. |
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| Gwen was born to be a sister. We can always give Wade to her when he's been crying or upset. She is patient and doesn't ever stress. She says, "It's okay for babies to cry. Don't worry, I got him." |
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| Gwen was also born to beat. . . the. . . boys! It's her goal in every situation, always. |
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| Emily and Wade |
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| Lena, Wade and Londyn |
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| Emily's recital! |
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| She worked so hard on her part and the songs. She physically pushed the flu away so she could participate. |
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| Jake loved teaching the kids how to stand and how to swing. |
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| Top Golf! The guy who took this deserves an award. He stood on top of something to get a good angle and better lighting. |
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| Wade's festive onsie and cute joggers from GramE! |
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| Emily FINALLY lost her tooth! She doesn't like to let us wiggle them because we lost her trust by wiggling too hard hahaha so it takes her teeth longer to come out. |
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| Wade at church. I bought him three beanies. Jokes on me, he hates when they're on him. |
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| He slept like this for 4 hours once. I had to go potty so bad, but refused to move him. |
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| Those socks melt my heart. |
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| Wade all wrapped up in my favorite blankets from Gram E. |
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| Gwen and I went Christmas shopping at got just a little bit of kettle corn. Sibling gift exchange will always be my favorite. |
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Gwen pretending she's not having fun, and Emily having the time of her life. haha
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| Hahahahaha! The blanket from Tony Bishop will live on in infamy. |
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| This shirt is on a pillow that Emily calls "Daddy Pillow." She can't sleep without it, but they played like this for hours one afternoon. I can't handle them. |
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| Emily was meant to be a big sister, too. She is such a help to me. She can get Wade to take a pacifier when no one else can. She dances with him, and scares me half to death, but she always keeps him safe. |
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| All the neighbors outside the house. We will miss them the most when we move. We have such a great group of kids and hope to be by some more. |
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