Oh my, am I behind on letting you know what's going on in our neck of the woods besides cooking up a sibling for Adelaide!! So here's another lengthy post with lots of fun photos to boot!

**Post Disclaimer: All photos taken on my phone**

Thanksgiving 2015: When my sister was able to have a whopping NINE days off of work, it made it well worth the effort to book flights to go home. My first Thanksgiving in Cali since high school!! It was also super special for all of us to be there because my parents were celebrating their 40th Anniversary Nov. 14th. We brought The Party to them! The sunny days can be summed up with lots of snuggles, walks to the park, shoe shopping with my mom and we squeezed in a family photo for my parent's Christmas card in the back yard. (Oh, and that breakfast where we announced that we'd found out the day prior I was pregnant....Thanksgiving and eating for TWO? Yes, please, I'll have another helping!)

Christmas 2015: I was so looking forward to the Christmas Eve 9:00pm service at the church where my dad used to sing in the choir, but unfortunately, first trimester fatigue had me so weary that Gerard & Mom headed out and thoroughly enjoyed it! Otherwise, our time together was equally lovely: snuggles, baking, gingerbread house decorating, Laidy's first movie theatre experience and official haircut, a piano duet by my parents (wow!), and a quick family photo as Katie was loading up to head home...

We flew home, rested a day, and headed out to the Quad Cities slowly due to an ice/snow storm on the roads, to see Gerard's side of the family. I have been really thankful that this pregnancy has had 3 weeks worth of opportunities for afternoon naps, because I sure needed it in the first trimester. Phew! So, time in the QC can be summed up with: snuggles, a trip to John Deere, good food, Monopoly (girls unite to win!!), and lots of snow fun!

Following Christmas break, we started potty training Laidy and she took to it like a champ! It's helpful to have Anna, Elsa and Olaf undies....

We've made it through show choir season, and a couple weekends ago, hit up their Indianola competition. She loved hanging out in the clinic room watching the girls in all the pretty dresses sparkle:

And since I am so royally behind....here's a Valentine's recap too!!

Gerard & I were struck with a stomach bug late one evening the week of Valentine's Day, but he had enough strength to get Laidy to preschool and then we both rested. Thankfully, Gerard recovered fairly quickly and was able to handle Laidy while I was still laid up for the next two days gaining strength back. Blessedly, we were on the mend well enough in advance to take Laidy to our church's Daddy-Daughter Dance on Feb. 21st where I was in charge of the photo booth...

The week following that event, I was chop liver to Laidy. All she wanted to do was "get in our dresses, coat on, and find the Dance Party." So, in Daddy's absence one evening, I shimmied into my winter formal dress from 2001 and we danced to Disney in the kitchen...(Please excuse the blurriness, we were dancing!)

In the midst of the more busy time of the school year, we've been talking to Laidy (among other things) about being a Big Sister and have been able to carve out a couple of Family Days...

We've also been teaching Laidy what it means to be kind and a good friend. So, for Valentine's Day and now, St. Patty's, we've made some telegrams with her handprints and paint. I want to instill in her the treasure of snail mail, sending Thank Yous, birthday cards and just a quick note to let a friend or family member know we're thinking of them.

I think that gets us royally up-to-date with the going's on in our household! Say "Hello" to Week 19 of pregnancy!!

Here's to warmer weather, less snot in our noses, and letting the house air out,

Carrie

Life Lately...