Biggest surprise EVER!

It began on Monday night, two days ago...Bryan came home from work and began acting ridiculously giddy about my Christmas present. Then he gets a phone call and heads for the door. When I ask where he's going, he tells me that he is going to help out some old people that Brent has been texting about all day. Apparently these old people are stuck in the snow and need help getting out to get their medication. A few minutes later there is a loud knock at the door. I grab little boy and take him to the door with me. I open it cautiously, because I'm not expecting anyone, it's dark, and I'm home alone. Well guess who cam knocking at my door? My parents! All the way from New Mexico! I had nooo clue that they were coming. Apparently they had been traveling across country all week and I was the only one that didn't know. The clues of this adventure began to add up. Like the fact that my parents answering machine was turned-which only happens when they're away. When I asked about it last week my mom said she tripped over the cord and broke the answering machine :) So the old people bryan went to help were my parents. This was the biggest best surprise yet. I just feel so special that someone came across country to see me. Additionally now I can just drive home with them so I'll make it in time for Mandy Burnam's wedding! The only thing that would make this more perfect is if there were a Trader Joes along the way and I could buy a case of Peppermint Joe Joes. Additionally, Little boy drank half a bottle of peppermint extract today. Posion control told me to watch for general signs of drunkness. Like I've spent a ton a time around drunk people to judge this by. Basically babbling, falling while walking and drowsiness-all of these in a 10 month old hmm....I can't wait to post pictures of all the goodies we're making, especially the peppermint marshmallows! which is how Baby Boy got the extract..

Roanoke has morphed into winter wonderland over the last day! Within the last twenty four hours our little Virginia town has gotten 20 inches of snow! It is officially the biggest snow fall that Roanoke has seen in over a decade. My mom said she was channel surfing and saw the weather Channel reporting from our airport, so you know we hit the big time. :) The snow is a pristine white that covers the cars until unidentifiable. The boughs of the evergreen trees are weighed down to the point that they can't support the snow. We ventured out to play in the snow where Little Princess was unable to walk because it was so deep. The snow was so clean and beautiful, so we all had a try. Little Princess told me that it tasted like 'food'. That reminded me of a cook book I had when I was a young girl. It was the Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie cookbook. In it there was the recipe for snow candy. So I made everyone come inside so we could look up the recipe. Unfortunately, we don't have molassas in the house, and we weren't crazy enough to drive to the store. So I got another idea. I googled snow ice cream recipe and found a delicious recipe. To 5 cups of clean snow you add 1 cup of milk 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. It took less than 5 minutes and it produced ice cream that was top quality! you can hardly buy it that delicious! Although, I must admit the cold weather made it slightly less desirable.
In other family news Baby boy took his first steps on Thursday (12-18) night. He was standing up using his pack n play, while Bryan sat on the couch. Baby Boy turned around and walked to his dad! it was completely unexpected, but he willing repeated the feat a few more times for our entertainment. Additionally, Little Princess is keeping up with her cuteness and she told me the other day 'mom, I think Porter looks like Captain Moroni.' I'm so happy she is such a bright little girl that is learning the scriptures. Another thing she said this week, after taking a shower was 'oh man, I'm so wet, my mom is going to KILL me!' where'd she pick up that saying? oh well..
Unfortunately due to the snow we missed out on Dickens of a Christmas this year. But we are happy to be together and warm in this little apartment. And being locked in has given me a chance to catch up on Christmas cooking. Chocolate chip cookie dough is ready in the fridge, the bread dough is rising and the roast in the crockpot. Next up will be the meringues for chocolate covered meringues. I love cooking! and eating.. :)

that time of year and other stuff

Well it's the holidays again and here at the Keele house we love the holidays! we were lucky enough to get to spend Thanksgiving with Bryan's sister Melissa and her family. We were really grateful that they made the trip down from Indiana to see us and make us some delicious pumpkin pies. Thanksgiving day started out with the Drumstick Dash down town. Bryan ran the 5k and the rest of us walked, pushing the kids in strollers. It was a fun time that raised money for the rescue mission. Bryan finished around 22 minutes, a good improvement from his last run, so congrats again honey! December 5th we made our annual trek up Bent Mountain to get our Christmas tree. Once again this expedition landed on the first snow fall of the season. There was already a few inches of accumulation by the time we got there so we made it a quick trip, but I think the tree we got was still marvelous(Bryan picked the winner). Little Princess insisted that the tree be small enough for her to carry. So we compromised and got a regular size pine and also a Charlie Brown style tree just small enough for Little Princess to carry. I have some adorable pictures of her and her dad dragging their trees through the snow that I'll post soon. Some funny Little princess moments lately are: She's discovered advertisments. The Black Friday ads came out and she fell in love with this princess vanity/piano combo. Quite frankly it looks annoying. But she carried the ad around for two days straight. She slept with it. First thing in the morning she was carrying out of her bed. It has since been destroyed, but she seemed to want it so bad, we went out at 5AM Black friday morning to get this fabulous present for her. I really, really, hope it's not as annoying as it looks in the picture.. Just a few nights ago I see her sopping up a mess. 'I had an accident' she tells me. This is highly bizarre considering she hasn't had an accident in months, but I let it slide. A little while later, I glance over the couch and see her pull of her shorts and head to the corner of the room. "what are you DOING?" I asked..she runs off the the bathroom and proceeds to use the toilet. She comes back out and tells me 'I'm just going potty like Vegas'(our dog). ughh really? peeing on the floor? I'm guessing that 'accident' was not and accident.Luckily those incidents have not repeated themselves. Little boy is growing big. He weighs a little over 20 lbs and is 31 inches long. That puts him in the 95th percentile for height. The Dr. said it's still too early to sign him up for the NBA but we'll see. A comparision between my boy and girl, He is 20 lbs at 10 months, Little princess was 18 lbs at 18 months. Genetics is a crazy thing. I'm going to use this blog as a family journal of sorts, so I should be posting more often and in small lengths.

So, I don't really feel that there is anything very exciting to write about-I'm just writing for the sake of updating the blog so I don't look so lame-o. Since I've last updated the blog many things have happened here's a list:
Bryan lost his job (the week the baby was born-talk about rotten timing)
I got a YMCA membership
We move out of our loved apartment into a friends house
I went to Las Cruces at the end of May
Bryan got a new job
Got a new calling as cubscout leader
Becky got married!
Little princess turned 3 years old in July
I spend a total of 2 months in New Mexico
Beginning of August I'm home and we got a new apartment
OH wow, I need to blog more often. However, to leave out all the drab details this is the story. It turns out Bryan losing his job was one of the best things that has happened to this family. I am more than glad to say good riddance to that life sucking job of Public Accounting. Now I have a happy husband that I actually get to spend time with. He loves his job working for a small business consulting/accounting firm where he gets to sell and manage new accounts. He is happy to use his expertise to help others and also to sell/communicate with lots of people (his speciality). I spent a long time in New Mexico this summer in order to help out for Becky's wedding and to see the family. Although I missed Bryan, I can honestly say that two months was not enough. I love my friends and family and it made me realize more than ever that I am happiest when I am in the desert. I knew that I was almost home when on my last flight I heard some one say 'Aye chihuahua!'. You just don't hear that in the south :). I am feeling particularly nostalgic, so I think I'll dedicate an entire post to just NM later on. So my little girl turned 3 years old this summer. I can't believe it. I feel so old, or maybe I was just really young then..She has grown tremendously. She has a very sweet personality mixed with alot of attitude and determination. She has an inate sense of compassion that is amazing. I'm grateful for the divine gift that she is in our lives. Porter can now roll and scoot and nearly crawl. He is the happiest baby you will ever meet, and also one of the largest. He just keeps growing and growing. When little princess potty trained this summer at 3 years of age she wore a size 3 diaper, at 6 months of age Porter wears size 4. He will probably catch up with her in weight within the next month and has already out grown his infant carseat. Life is so full of unexpected things!

Baby boys birth story

So I loved, loved, loved the birth of my baby boy and decided to post it incase anyone else was interested and also to record it for myself. Some background info: after Little girls birth I decided I was a more positive birth experience. I just felt like for being such a miraculous event I was left feeling not so excited/slightly traumatized (hard to explain) so for Little boy I decided it might be different if I went all natural. Here it goes:
Super Bowl Sunday afternoon my intense Braxton hicks changed to more of a lower crampy feeling that would come and go every 10 minutes-but only sporadically. I started to have some bloody show and realized this could be it. I stayed home from the Super bowl party and let my husband go. I wasn't too worried because they weren't frequent and they didn't seem to come around from the sides or back like I thought they would. The contractions were just a menstural like cramp in the lower ab. So hubby gets home around 10, we watch The Office and head to bed. The contractions are only around 7 minutes apart and not intense at all so I decide to not even think about it and go to sleep (but I was pretty sure Monday would be the day). I remember waking to a slight pop feeling and then a little warm wetness. I say to DH, 'I think my water just broke, or else I just peed in my pants.' so I get out of bed and sure enough there is a big gush of water. DH jumps out of bed and starts throwing things into his bag. I wasn't having any contractions at this point and am shaking just a little. I didn't want to go the hospital yet because I am in a great, excited mood (no serious sign posts emotionally) and am not having contractions. DH insists that the only thing he remembers from the general Childbirth class we took 3 years ago for our first is if the water breaks you have to go to the hospital. So off the hospital we go around 1:20 am. We get to the ER and I'm embarassed because I'm walking, talking and laughing and sure that everyone is going to laugh at me because I'm already at the hospital and only at the beginning of labor. I decline the wheelchair ride to avoid feeling more silly (plus I don't need it). We get to the preliminary check in room and Contractions were every 3 minutes yet mild. They couldn't confirm my water had broken but I was dialated to 6 cms! I was so relieved. As we walked up to LandD everyone was commenting on how calm I looked for how far along I was-and how cute I looked because I chose to stay in my own pj's ;). A few more contractions and I had to concentrate. I don't know how long it was but I definately hit self doubt sign post. I made DH get the nurses to check my progress because I had changed my mind. I told them I needed drugs, anything I could get. I was 8 CM and told my cervix was 'paper thin'. The head nurse told me I could do whatever I wanted but was very encouraging in letting me know I was probably very near the end. They asked me what I wanted to do, I requested a shot in the head, they laughed and then I told them to give me 10 minutes. I was sure I could do 10 more minutes. Welll after two contractions I was sure it was time to push, so DH grabbed the nurses, who grabbed the dr. and my son was born at 4:28 on Monday the 2nd. I can't believe I made it. When they put him on my chest all wet and squirmy, he looked so tiny. Then they weighed him in at a little over 8 lbs!! I never thought I would grow something that big(2 lbs bigger than his sister). Immediately after the birth and the following day I was seriously doubting my sanity. But after that I was just so excited and happy and refreshed! I can honestly say that I will remember this as one of the best experiences of my life. Going natural gave me the amazing experience that I thought childbirth should be-I'm so glad I tried. I even told hubby the other day that I was sad the whole ordeal was over and I wanted to do it again. Now he is doubting my sanity. Little prince is so mellow (and kinda yellow) and absolutely perfect. He loves his momma and I love him. ( I still miss little dresses and ruffles though)

Just the two of us

So tonight was little girls and my last night alone together-at least for a while. Confusing? here's how my pregnant brain works (besides not very well). We have gotten to spend a lot of time alone together, with the hubby being gone at work, or traveling a lot. So as I was folding laundry I realized that tomorrow my mom is coming into town and that she'll be here until the baby boy is born. Thus making tonight the last night little girl and I will be just the two of us (first mom, and then when she's gone baby brother). Be it the pregnancy hormones or the insanity of being secluded (with hubby gone and no car) for two weeks, I find this to be very sad. Despite the constant clash of attitudes, I love every minute I spend with my baby girl. I love to do her hair, and dress up in princess clothes and dance around. I love that we can cook together and make messes in the flour. I love that she will eat the craziest combinations of food(just like me). I love all the goofy inside jokes we have. I love (and am watchful) how much she emulates me. Although I am excited for this baby boy to come, and I already love him so much, part of me is sad that our daily life will change (big or little) from the way it is now. I suppose baby boy or not it is changing quickly anways, as she is growing up way faster than I would like. (don't get me started on this unless you really want the water works). I love my daughter more than I ever imagined possible. In order to commemorate, we watched Cinderella (our favorite princess movie), ordered pizza w/ veggies (hubby hates veggie pizza-so it's just us girls), and made no-bake cookies(which I don't particulary like but it allowed her to partcipate in the process more). This is the way we actually spend a lot of the nights when we are alone. So nothing razzle dazzle, but I was caught unprepared. I wanted to take pictures but hubby has the camera (in case he saw some nature he wanted to take pictures of...hello?! I am having a moment here! you know whatever).
I know that someday baby boy will be big enough for me to leave and at that point baby girl and I can have one on one time. I am just mourning the end of a part of life that will never return. However, I am sure that there is more and more joy to come.