December Bump

Yesterday was the 30^th, so that means we took our monthly baby bump picture. Here’s one last look at me with my baby bump before we enter the year 2011!!!

Tadpole is sure starting to show quite a bit

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

God is so good

God is so good!!! We have been so blessed this year. So, since today is the last day of 2010, I wanted to make a little list of some of the many things I am thankful for. Here it is in no particular order.

1. My wonderful husband whom God has blessed me with. I am so thankful for all he does, and that God put him in my life to be my husband. He is my matching puzzle piece. ^_^

2. For my daughter growing inside me. I am so excited that Andrew and I are expecting a little one. Even though she is not out in the world yet, she had already blessed Andrew and I in many way, and I already love her dearly.

3. I am thankful for the fact that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. And that I can have faith in Him that He is guiding my life even when I do not know exactly where I am going, or what the next stop is. I know His hand is guiding my life and thus I do not need to be fearful of what is to come.

4. For everyone who has/is praying for my marriage and is supporting Andrew and I with encouragement and love.

5. For each of the children in the Sunday school classroom that I teach in, and all the children who were in the Christmas musical. So many of them have such a faith and interest to know God more, that is simply inspiring.

6. For my loving mother who is an inspiration to me and a role model to me as a Christian woman and a mother.

7. For my new in-laws who have graciously made me part of their family.

8. For the time I was able to spend with my family this past year, and to meet part of my new family.

9. This might sound funny, but I am thankful for the library. Since I had morning sickness until halfway through week 16 of my pregnancy, and then two colds after that, I found myself tired, sick and at home a lot. The library has provided me with many books and movies to help keep me occupied when I felt too exhausted or sick to do anything else.

10. For my fuzzy, cuddly, loving cat, Hoshi.

I could go on and one from there, but 10 seems like a nice number to stop at. Except I want to share a few very recent things I am thankful for that have to do with blessing Tadpole.

About a week ago, my friend Sarah was looking for a new home for the crib her youngest has been using. I perked up at this news and voiced I was interested. She thus told me I could have it for free! I was so excited and felt so blessed by this. And the crib is even the color I wanted it to be – white. ^_^ Thank you so much Sarah, for blessing us with a free crib!

And then, on Christmas day, my cousin Kelli brought a box and bag filled with baby clothes her little daughter has grown out of and gave them to me as well. And she told me that she will continue to put clothes aside for Tadpole as her little girl grows out of them. Yet again, I feel so incredibly blessed!!!

I was so excited by the news that over the last couple days I have reorganized part of our home and began to nest a bit. I have been hesitant to nest since out lease is up a month after Tadpole is due, and we’re looking at moving. But I just couldn’t resist. Our living room became an explosion of baby clothes that I laid out to look at and organize by size. 

I then used the shelves that had been holding our “eBay and giveaway” stack of miscellaneous items as Tadpole’s dresser and toy shelf. I had a lot of fun organizing it all, and Andrew was very surprised by my progress when he came home from work (I did give him a head’s up that I was feeling like nesting, so he might come home to a home that is organized and put together completely differently than what it was when he left. He thus told me that as long as I don’t do any nesting with twigs and branches, that it’s totally fine). It’s nice to have a little section of our home clearly be filled with Tadpole’s things. ^_^

Thank you again, Kelli and Sarah! And thank you God for everything you have blessed me with this year. My heart feels overwhelmed with joy and love. ^_^

And for fun, here's me sporting the maternity shirt my mom gave me for Christmas.

Christmas Day

Christmas update part 2 of 2. This Christmas was the first and only Christmas we will have without children. So we did what we think any sensible person would do…  We did NOT set a single alarm, and allowed ourselves to sleep in and take Christmas morning at a slow pace. Our Christmas was full of celebrating Jesus’ birth, love, joy and fellowship. 

Santa came! Santa came!!! The stocking order is: Tadpole, Andrew, me, and Hoshi

Our yummy breakfast that I made. ^_^

 We started off our morning opening stockings. Tadpole sure made out for not being outside the womb yet. Santa sent her many different things to bless her with, and we also got a few things for her as well. We also got Tadpole her first stuffed animal from both of us: Blueberry the puppy. 

Tadpole's stocking gifts

Blueberry

 We had a fun loving morning together as we took our time opening stocking gifts, eating breakfast and then opening up tree gifts, and thought about what it will be like next year to have Tadpole crawling around and actually being able to enjoy her gifts. We also took much time to talk about being thankful for the gift of Jesus, and the true meaning of Christmas. Even though we both missed our parents dearly, I really truly enjoyed our first Christmas together.

Later that day Andrew and I hosted the Brady gathering at my sister’s house (our place is too small to invite everyone over at once…). I think one of the highlights of the gathering was seeing everyone’s surprise and excitement to see Derek home for Christmas. He’s been off at army training and didn’t tell anyone, including his parents and sisters, if he would be home for Christmas or not. Derek actually asked Andrew and me to pick him up from the airport so we could take him home and surprise his family. It was an honor and a joy to do so, and see his family’s excitement when he walked through the door.

Greeting DJ at the airport. I was very excited to see my nephew!

 My other favorite highlight of the Brady gathering (besides being able to be with my family) was the surprise gift my Aunt Janet made for our little Tadpole. She made an adorable hat and matching blanket for her. I can’t wait to put Tadpole in them both! Thank you so much Aunt Janet!

The adorable hat

And matching blanket.

 Christmas was a blessing! After all the Brady’s left, Andrew and I stayed at my sister’s house to open up the gifts my mom sent us all, have a tasty dinner, and then play the game Last Word. So much fun!

I <3 my family

My mom made aprons for us sisters (including Beth and Amy)

Christmas baby bump picture. Andrew didn't want to feel left out. hehehe

Thank you, Jesus, for being born a baby, growing and being an example for us all, and then dying on the cross to save us all from sin if we ask you into our hearts. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

This is a part 1 of 2 update about our first Christmas experience as a married couple. It was actually our first Christmas together in general, and our first Christmas away from our parents. It was very different, but still great and wonderful. Since practically my whole extended family lives in the WA area, we spent the Christmas season with them.

Sadly, Gram Bell had a fall a couple days before Christmas and ended up cracking her pelvic bone. She had to spend the holiday in the hospital – the one a 5 minute walk away from us – so we made sure to walk over and see her every day and to try and bring her a bit of cheer. She had fun checking out my Christmas Eve outfit, and looking and feeling my baby bump. Lil Tadpole was dancing a bit when we saw Gram Bell Christmas eve, but she wasn’t kicking hard enough for Grandma to feel her.

 That evening we went to my Uncle Steve and Aunt Lisa’s house for the annual Anderson gathering and Christmas celebration. Our family's tradition is that if you are 18 or older, you get to participate in the gift exchange, but if you’re younger, you get gifts from everyone. My Uncle TJ, who turns wood for a living now, created ornaments and other wood objects for each of the kids. And he included lil Tadpole in his giving as well. He told Andrew and me that even though she’s not here yet, she’s still almost here, so she should get a gift too. He created for her what he calls “The Tadpole.” Check out his work in the images below. Isn’t it fantastic? Thank you, TJ!!! 

The Tadpole. Notice it is a tadpole shape. I love it!!!

Check out TJ's handy work

Isn't it amazing! He carved it out!

After all the kids finished opening their gifts, the adults had their turn. It was Andrew’s first Anderson gift exchange, and he drew the number 1, and thus had to go first! He ended up picking a set of mugs that we both like, and was able to hold onto them for the whole exchange. The mug handles are actually hollow, and they each come with a spoon that fits inside. He also got four different types of hot cocoa. 

Andrew figuring out what he wants to open

 I ended up stealing one of those huge cupcake cake molds from my nephew, DJ (it was his first time participating too). I figure it should be a fun cake to make for Tadpole’s first birthday in 2012, and I would have more use for it than an 18 year old young man in the army.

All that to say, the three of us had a great Christmas Eve. And yes, I do believe Tadpole enjoyed the company of family and the delicious food. She was swimming and dancing all over the place inside of me!

Me sporting my Christmas Eve outfit, and showing off my baby bump

Our First Ornament

Andrew and I bought our first Christmas ornament today. I’ve been wanting a first Christmas ornament for us, but wasn’t finding any that we liked. Then we checked out the ornaments at one of the stands in the mall that has the ornaments made out of clay, and found the PERFECT one. Check out the picture below.

It's a husband with his pregnant wife! And you could personalize it for free.

 Isn't it just perfect? Well, it could be slightly more perfect if the guy had glasses and the girl had red hair, but still! I've never seen an ornament like this before. It shall be a Christmas to remember.