It's A . . .

GIRL!

Just looking to add a little more drama to the Eberhardt house.

I was sure it was a boy...so much for mother's intuition.

We're really excited for this new arrival on May 25th!

Christmas Morning

We got Addy a kitchen for Christmas. On the way home from my parents on Christmas Eve, Jonny said he would just put it together in the morning because he was so tired. We put Addy to bed and both fell asleep on the couch watching TV. We woke up at about midnight and I went to bed, but Jonathan couldn't go back to sleep, so he decided to start putting the kitchen together. I woke up every half hour for 3 hours and he was still putting it together! It ended up taking him 3 1/2 hours and 2 movies to have the finished product. So, I woke up at 7 ish and wrapped the kitchen and got in the shower and made breakfast and still, no one was awake.

Just waiting...Addy finally woke up at around 9am (late night!) Jonathan told her that Santa had come and brought her a big present. Well, seeing how she reacted to Santa a couple nights previous, she wasn't excited to hear that at all and didn't want to get out of her crib. So we finally just started telling her that there were lots of presents for her to open. She came around the corner and saw the big present and was a little nervous about it until I started showing her how to rip the paper off, then she was good to go!

Good job Jonny! It turned out really cute and Addy LOVES it!




More presents.

Merry Christmas

I love getting everyone's Christmas cards and being able to see and read about your family and the latest goings on. I love that my bulletin board was overflowing! Hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas!

Carlson Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was spent at my parent's house with the Lassiters, Alex, and my in-laws. We, again, had a delicious meal of ham, twiced-baked potatoes, broccoli, homemade rolls, salad, and had chocolate fondue for dessert. It was delicious!

After dinner, we read the Christmas story and had this large stuffed nativity to go along with it. (Thanks Grandma Ber) Calvin had a great time riding the camel. Addy, again, didn't want much to do with the whole thing, but did join the crowd when the jingle bells came out.

Addy not participating.

Eberhardt Christmas Eve

December 23rd was spent at The Eberhardt's home. We had a delicious dinner of stuffed pork chops, twiced-baked potatoes, asparagus, carrots, cabbage, homemade rolls and rice pudding for dessert. Mmm, mmm! Thanks Sans.

After dinner, there were many activities including Christmas bingo with all the kids.

Then the highlight of the night was when Santa arrived. FYI: Addy did have a cute outfit and bows in her hair, but as usual, everything ended up coming off not too long after we arrived. Addy didn't want ANYTHING to do with Santa. This was her 3rd encounter with him over the course of December and it didn't seem to make her like him anymore than any of the other encounters. As soon as she heard "Santa is here!" she bolted to my lap, started crying (real tears), and saying, "Go get in car?" over and over again. When Santa finally settled in the family room, Addy settled herself on the steps far away from him.

This was as close as she would get and only did so because Santa had a present for her.

Scary Santa!!

Cute Christmas Nativity with the kiddos, notice Addy didn't want to participate...shocker!

All in all it was a really fun night! We definitely missed the Oklahoma Eberhardts and managed to eat their portion of dinner as well. :-) Pregnant, remember?

White Christmas

Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland!

Nice shoveling Jonny!

"Mommy, What's That?"

Addy's blessing dress hangs next to her crib in her room. Today I went in to get her after her nap and she pointed to the white dress and said, "Mommy, what's that?"

I said, "Addy, that's your pretty blessing dress that Grandma Sans bought for you."

She looked at me for a second and said proudly,"It's a ghost!"

Christmas Eve Menu Ideas?

Okay folks, I may be hosting a small Christmas Eve dinner at my house. I would like to know what your family traditionally eats on Christmas Eve...including dessert. Growing up we usually had something different every year, but always had trifle for dessert. Jonathan has put in his vote for twiced-baked potatoes...but curious of other traditions out there.

So I don't forget...

Addy's latest vocabulary:

• fatterfalls = waterfalls
• church castle = church building
• temple castle = temple
• Chitiniza Pizza = pizza (Thank you Backyardigans)
• deeper = diaper
• tunnel = what everything goes through when you flush
• plash= splash
• peter= computer
  

Fun phrases:

• You got it!


• You can do it! (Often said to parents who she finds going to the bathroom)


• Good job daddy! (Ususally comes after the above encouragement, when leaving the bathroom. Often accompanied with clapping.)


• Nice n' warm (Used to describe the tub, freshly dried blankets, and winter clothes)


• What color sat? OR What sat say? (It was clear we had overdone the quizzing when she was asking me what yellow says?)
• What sat sound? (Said anytime a loud vehicle passes or when we hit a bump in the road, but her Dad is most proud when she toots and says it and then replies with, "Farts." )


• Hey buddy! (Said anytime we pass some kiddos she doesn't know)


• EIEIO (Her request for Jonathan to play Old Macdonald on the iPod)


• Counting to 10, but it always goes like this: 1,2,3,4,5,6, eleven, twelve, tirteen, 3,4,5,6, eleven, etc... (If you can throw in a 7 before the 11, she's AOK)


• No mommy yet. (Said anytime I start singing with her or doing actions to a song and she clearly doesn't want my participation)
• Sure can! (Used anytime you ask her to do something, it's not OK anymore)
• I like it.
• I fick its. (I'll fix it.)

Results

Last week, I took Addy to have her hips x-rayed to make sure they have formed correctly. Hard to tell because of the way she walks and runs, I mean, shuffles. My Mom came along because I figured they don't let pregnant ladies in for a regular dose of radiation. I am so glad my Mom was there. A few things went wrong from the beginning:

1. They kept telling Addy, in a very excited voice, that she was going to get her picture taken. Addy hates getting her picture taken in a normal environment, let alone, in a big dark room with large, scary medical equipment.

2. Addy is very independent (read: stubborn) and doesn't like to be told, or forced to do anything. So you can imagine her joy when she was physically forced to lay down and hold still to have her picture taken.

3. As I learned from our Trax experience, Addy is closterphobic. Well, due to the #2 issue, it eventually took my Mom, another woman, and a man to hold down my child to have this x-ray taken. Can you imagine having all of these people hovering over you forcing you to hold still while someone "takes your picture?"

It's a good thing my Mom was in the room because there is no way I would have let my child scream bloody murder without knowing that someone who loved her was with her. She fought so hard that she was asleep 10 minutes after she got in the car.

So, my doctor called today.

Results: Hips are normal.

Interpretation: She just walks funny.

Hope she forgives me for the tramatic experience to find that out.

Just For The Record

I really can't stand Miley Cyrus.

Help!

This is a picture of Addy when she was 4 weeks old. The striped blanket has been her "blankie" ever since. It is from Target, but they now no longer sell them. Does anyone have an extra one lying around that they don't use or that their child doesn't care about? Why, you ask?


Well, on Saturday, we took Trax downtown to meet up with Jonathan's parents and his brother's family to have dinner and look at the lights. All in all, it was a crazy chaotic night, as to be expected when you combine Addy with a restaurant and a stroller. Never a good combo. It just reminded us that a babysitter is ALWAYS worth the money. Anyway, after looking at the lights with the rest of the Salt Lake Valley, we took our ornery, squirmy daughter back on the train to get home. I figured out that Addy is closterphobic. Not the most opportune time to figure it out, when you get on the train with the rest of the state of Utah going home from either looking at the lights or leaving the Jazz game. We, luckily, got seats, but Addy still cried and screamed until about the 39th south stop when the train finally started to clear out a bit. (We'd like to go ahead and apologize to all those people on our train. Don't any of you have cars for heaven's sake?!?) At every stop, she would try to make a run for the doors. We had our hands full with a stroller, winter clothes, bag of snacks, blankets, purse, etc. (Who in their right mind would have the brilliant idea of riding TRAX downtown the Saturday after Thanksgiving?!?! Uh, me. Who married the most kind, patient man who never once rubbed that very poor decision in my face? Me!)


Anyway, back to the blanket. When we FINALLY made it to 90th south, I thought we grabbed everything and we were out of there! Well, I either left her blanket on the train or dropped it somewhere between the platform and our car and didn't notice until we were home. While Addy seems to be okay with it, I feel horrible everytime I put her down for a nap or for bed and she says, "Rainbow blankie?" I say, "I'm sorry Addy..." She finishes my sentence by saying, "Mommy, train." Yep, I left your little blankie on that blasted train.


So, since Target no longer makes this precious little gem, if any of you happened to purchase one and don't use it at all, I'd be happy to buy it from you and redeem myself as the greatest Mom ever!

What Took Us So Long?

So, we've got some serious temperature problems at our house. Our bedroom has 3 walls that are outside walls, so it doesn't matter what we set our thermastat to, it is always colder, much colder in our room. Well, for someone who has a baby cooking in her body, this isn't a big deal for me. My lean husband, however, wakes up with a headache because his head is so cold.

So, we started using a space heater in our room to combat the cold-head syndrome. When I would wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, I would always be so hot that I would just turn the space heater off hoping that Jonathan wouldn't notice. Sure enough, the next morning...cold-head. He didn't like my idea of just wearing a beanie...something about how it's his house too.

Anyway, the worst part of the cold room, preggers or not, is when you first get into that freezing bed. Brrr! Sometimes I would stay in sweats and then I'd wake up a few hours later roasting!So, to solve all these temperature problems, I bought a lovely electric blanket with dual controllers so he can make his side as hot as he wants. We turned it on last night before we got into bed and it was, well, heaven. My sheets were warm, my toes were warm, it was lovely. Well worth the price. I turned the blanket off before I fell asleep, but Jonathan didn't. When I got up to go to the bathroom, he was asleep with no blanket on him at all because he was so warm. I kindly woke him up and told him he could turn it off (didn't want him waking up with a cold head). I think we should have all the kinks worked out, so tonight should be smooth sailing.

This will be our second winter back in Utah and we're just wondering why we suffered through last year without such a lovely luxury. I love my BeautyRest.

Happy Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving! We started at my Mom's at 1pm. We have a fun tradition of making gingerbread houses every year. My Mom does all the hard work of making the gingerbread, gathering the fixings, and making the frosting, and we just show up and put them together. Addy went down for a nap after we ate and with her "treat" history, I was hoping I could get the house done before she woke up...nope, didn't happen.

My sticky little helper, permanently planted on my lap.

Notice her eyeing the candy on the house...and notice the bag of suckers on my lap.

See that big cheeser, it's because we bribed her with a sucker so she'd stop trying to touch the house. My mom sent me these pictures and I just think Addy looks so big!


Well, we left the gingerbread house at my Mom's because it wasn't done drying and we were off to the Eberhardts, so yesterday my Mom dropped it off at our house. I put it in the back corner of my kitchen counter. I ran into the other room and when I came out she had pulled the stool over and there was a broken Santa, a broken gingerbread boy (Addy calls them ghosts--can't quite get over Halloween), and she was trying to chisel out some M&Ms off the roof! If you wanted to see this masterpiece, you better come over quick because I'm afraid with little missy in the house, it will be destroyed shortly.

Delicious Thanksgiving #2 at the Eberhardts house. I am the worst photographer ever, because I actually forgot my camera. We were able to share this meal with all of Jonathan's brothers and families. Addy just wanted to eat the chips.

Conversation with a 2-year-old

Addy: Mommy, tweets? (treats...a daily asking ever since Halloween)

Me: (I give in and put some chocolate chips in a little bowl for her)

Addy: (Sees the chocolate and freaks out because that was obviously NOT the treat she was looking for)

Me: Well, you only have 2 choices. You can have these or you can have nothing.

Addy: (Thinks about it for a second) Nuffin. (pause) I want nuffin.

Me: (Starting to laugh, having no idea how to explain any further)

Addy: (Tantrum begins with pounding and kicking on the ground) I WANT NUFFIN!

Cute Cousins

Addy loves playing with Calvin because he does whatever she wants him to do.

Exhibit A & B: sunglasses and a stroller...what a man!

Wheat Grinder?

So, I'm in the market for a good wheat grinder...preferrably one that is electric and has a hand crank. Anyone have any suggestions?

Disney On Ice

Grandma Sans decided to take the 3 Utah girls (missed you Kate!) to Disney on Ice for Christmas. I tagged along to make sure that Addy wasn't a complete nightmare. I feel so bad that I didn't get a picture of the girls and Sandi! Duh! Grandma Sans never disappoints, and this was no different...7th row and everything. It actually held Addy's attention for most of it. I would say it was about 20 minutes too long, but all the kids in their Disney costumes would likely disagree. In classic Disney fashion, the treats were outrageously expensive. Who would pay $10 for a blasted snow cone?!? Lots of people who aren't cheapskates like myself!

That's right, we sneak in our own delicious treats.

Addy, Sami, Misha (missing Kate)...I think Sandi got a cuter picture.

Grandma's Day

For November's Grandma's Day, it was actually Grandparents' Day because my mom and dad took all the kiddos on Trax (that's right, 8 kids on Trax) downtown to the Discovery Museum at the Gateway. No lost kids, no kids left on the train, and no shoplifting. Success!

Addy Is Soooo Excited!

Got Gas?

When Jonathan and I moved back to Utah from California (2 years ago in Feb.), we were so grateful to come home to $2.08/gallon gasoline. Obviously, it only went up from there. What a welcome surprise to drive past our gas station on the corner today and have gas be $2.08/gallon again. I can't think of another time in all my driving years that gas has gone down, but I ain't complaining. Now we can go buy that Hummer we've been eyeing.

***11/25 Update*** Well, now that gas is $1.67 at the gas station on the corner, I think we have no choice but to go for the RV!

Two-Year-Old Well Child Check

Turns out...Addy's normal.

I went in for her check-up today and the doctor always gives print outs of what to expect and what to work on with certain age groups. The title for the Two Year Old is Miss Independent. I thought he put that on there just for me. There are actually other 2-year-olds as crazy as Addy.

This is my favorite part of the information I was given:

The 2-year-old is difficult, if not impossible, to reason with, but still extremely lovable. He or she will assert independence at mealtime, bedtime, and during attempts at toilet training. Two-year-olds typically do not know what they want, except they are sure they do not want to do what you want them to do. The 2-year-old will struggle with his or her parents before going into the bathtub, then once in the tub, will struggle with the parents when its time to get out of the tub.

I'm going to start checking my windows at night, because it seems that Dr. Johnson must be watching us through them. That hits the nail on the head.

As for her stats...it's official: she's a giant...97%...shocker.

She's gone up in weight from 50th to 70th. All that Halloween candy must have done her good.

One other thing, for those that know Addy know she has crazy legs. I expressed concern at Addy's 15 month check-up and Dr. Johnson has done a good job at following up. He had her walk and run for a while today to watch her. When Addy runs, she kind of shuffles...her knees almost touch and her bum sticks out the back...kind of like how an 80-year-old would run. Anyway, she got done running and he asked me, "So, does she ever run?" I laughed out loud. Uh, yeah, that was it. So, he's sending me to have her hips x-rayed to make sure that everything is okay.

Yes on Prop 8

To all my California friends...please vote yes tomorrow!

We still wished we lived in Cali so we could vote on this issue.

The church does a great job of explaining why it is so important here.

Happy Halloween

Gardner Village

I went with Dani & Jenni to Gardner's Village to check out all the witches. I am LOVING this weather!

Annie & Calvin mezmorized by the witch on the bike in the air

Annie & Addy...that hay can't feel good on bare legs, thus the face.

All the grandkids, again, minus Will who was sleeping in the stroller, and Graham who lives WAY too far away, and Payton who was at school. Notice which one of these well-behaved, smiling kiddos is trying to get to the ground as fast as possible. Starts with an A and ends in D.

Left to Right, Annie, Stella, Calvin, Claire, Oliver, Addy, & Emmy

Pumpkin Patch

We had a fun day at the Pumpkin Patch with Tyler & Jenni and their cute girls (and cute baby Will). You'll notice that Addy doesn't like having her picture taken and when you ask her to look at the camera she will look down or away, so we get lots of lovely pics of the top of her head. I think she gets her stubborn independent personality from her Dad. :-)

We are having so much fun taking this family picture. Exhibit A: The Back Arch, as seen when put in carseat.

Exhibit B: The scream & flail, kind of like the "bend and snap" from Legally Blonde, but not.

Holy Halloween Parties

We have attended 3 Halloween parties over the past 4 days, so here they are from most recent.

The Eberhardt Family Halloween Party at Pops & Sans new beautiful home. (Rather daring to let these wild ones loose with food, candy, cookies, and frosting!)

Uncle Andy holding Misha (my child actually held still without one of us...MIRACLE!), Alex (flexing his Batman muscles), monkey Addy, witch Sami holding cute little mouse Zach, and ninja Cade.

Here's a little better one of them looking at my camera. We had chili, played bingo with way too many prizes, decorated cookies, spent a little while in timeout for going into the living room, and had lots of fun with cousins. We missed Texas cousins Lincoln and Kate, but can't wait to see them for Thanksgiving.

Halloween Party #2 was the Frampton Family Halloween Party. This is my Mom's whole side of the family, which is ginormous. My Mom is the oldest of 8 kids which produced 40+ grandkids, of which 14 are married which have produced 24 great-grandkiddos. So, whose house would fit all this craziness? The Lord's house. We have our fun party at the church and have been doing it for years. It's a lot of fun to see family and see some crazy costumes.

Above is my brother Tyler, who failed to dress up, my hilarious but politically incorrect "brother" Alex, and my Aunt Jane in a blow up maiden costume. It had a battery-operated fan on the side.



Here's our monkey. Notice the enormous briefs in the background. Those would be my cousin Jessica's and her husband Mert's costume and somehow they convinced my grandparents to hop in for a picture. Bummer I didn't get that one.

Hilarious skit by Sam & Morgan

My Mom made this family tree. Each leave is a delicious sugar cookie that has the name of EVERYONE in our family.

Here's part of the crowd.

Halloween Party #3 was at our friends' house with couples from the neighborhood.

This is JD and Alisa as DOG the Bounty Hunter and his endowed wife.

Man in the yellow hat and Curious George (Aaron & Kristy)

Foxy Brown and her Pimp Daddy (Bill & Andrea)

KISS (the costume winners, Travis & Summer)

And Jonathan and I went as Publisher's Clearing House. Jonathan was the Prize Patrol and I was the winner.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!