31 Weeks with Ham
Christmas Ham
This is what Christmas looked like for 2012.
We traveled to both Manhattan and Hiawatha over the weekend so we could return to our house for our first Christmas with Ham.
We had about a day and a half with each of our families, which is never enough time, but we made the most of it, despite Henry being sick.
And when we made it back to Wichita, we really made it.
Special.
Relaxed.
Memorable.
I found myself trying to will my brain to remember how this first Christmas with Henry felt like.
And smiling when I thought how different it will be next year.
Andrew and I fell into bed Christmas night and both commented how wonderful the entire day was.
My parents came to share the day with us. My mom and I cooked together. She taught me how to make her chocolate pie.
Andrew has made requests for it almost every day since.
Andrew has made requests for it almost every day since.
There are so many great traditions I want to start with Henry, but for his first year, we focused on the basics. Church on Christmas Eve, jammies and reading. Leaving cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. Santa returned the favor.
A special Christmas breakfast. Playing with his new toys. Lots of lounging. A crackling fire. A nice Christmas dinner.
The day spent with loved ones - the greatest gift of all.
Seriously, thirty?
Merry & Bright
I've been looking forward to December 25th, 2012 long before May 28th, 2012.
It's one of those idyllic moments in my head I thought about when I was daydreaming about being pregnant and about being a parent.
How we get to choose how to do Christmas.
Which traditions to carry on from each of our respective families and which to start new.
How we get to choose how to do Christmas.
Which traditions to carry on from each of our respective families and which to start new.
And now my daydream is becoming my reality. And it's better than imagined.
We've been crafting Henry's gifts to give because my mom always had us craft our gifts to share
with grandpas and grandmas, aunts and uncles when we were little.
with grandpas and grandmas, aunts and uncles when we were little.
Decorated the weekend after Thanksgiving and not a moment earlier.
Been to meet Santa.
I found THE perfect first ornament for his stocking today after searching at no less than five stores.
Our Christmas Day meals are planned.
Andrew even had his very own Clark Griswold moment.
Andrew even had his very own Clark Griswold moment.
Henry's three Christmas gifts for this year are wrapped, one of which might just happen to be the cutest pair of Christmas jammers and a beautiful copy of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas that he will open after church on Christmas Eve because don't you remember begging to open
just one of those packages under the tree taunting you during the days leading up to Christmas?
just one of those packages under the tree taunting you during the days leading up to Christmas?
I wanted to write him a note on the inside cover of this possible book that he would love to hear in the next years.
Probably roll his eyes at during his teenaged too-cool years.
And love again when he becomes a father and understands just how special it is to relive Christmas again through your children.
Probably roll his eyes at during his teenaged too-cool years.
And love again when he becomes a father and understands just how special it is to relive Christmas again through your children.
I asked Andrew what we should write a few nights ago and he suggested we wait until after we read it to him for the first time to decide.
Instead, we read it together that night and thank goodness for trial runs because I was so emotional
and Andrew is AWESOME at reading out loud.
Henry is going to wonder why the book is so sad and what all of those stuttered words mean.
Ha.
Just a few more days to go.
Three more stocking stuffers to buy.
Cookie dough to make - Santa's going to need a snack.
A few more holiday movies to watch.
We're enjoying the coziness of the season.
My Pandora permanently set to Christmas radio. Sharing the spirit with our neighbors.
And them sharing it back - CAROLERS at our front door. Made my night.
My Pandora permanently set to Christmas radio. Sharing the spirit with our neighbors.
And them sharing it back - CAROLERS at our front door. Made my night.
Anticipating what's to come.
It's almost here.
Week 29
Week 28 with Ham
two-seven
HALF - 26 WEEKS
TWO-FIVE
twenty-four
Week 23 with Hammer
Week 22
Ham's 21st Week
Week 20
Our 19th Week with Ham
18 Weeks with Ham
Henry's 17th Week
Sweet Sixteen
Forever and Always
When we got married, I thought I knew it all.
I knew you were the one I would grow old with.
I knew I didn't care where we lived as long as we were together.
I knew you would always take care of me and protect me.
I knew how to push your buttons.
I knew you would push mine.
I knew I didn't care, and that we would get through good days and bad days.
I knew you were messy.
(Okay, maybe I didn't know quite how messy.)
I knew you were proud and competitive and humble.
I knew you cheated at board games.
I knew you loved me, and I loved you.
I knew I loved this quote that we selected for the back of our wedding program.
And, I thought I knew why.
--
Last year, on September 13, 2011, we celebrated.
Our third wedding anniversary.
And we celebrated the fact that God had blessed us with this little perfect human growing inside my belly
after several months of hoping and disappointment and praying and wishing and trusting.
I have thought of our September 13, 2011 anniversary all day today.
I have thought of how even though it was still days too early, I decided to take a pregnancy test because I just had a feeling.
Finally. The feeling.
And, how I took another one just to make sure.
And how I couldn't wait to tell you, but planned out a surprise for when you got home that afternoon.
And how I wanted to record telling you, but instead through nervousness pushed the stop button when you started reading your anniversary card out loud and pushed the start button when I set the camera down to hug you when you immediately started crying once you got to the end and read
"...you are going to be a father in nine months..."
And seeing you finally break down after you had been so steadfast and calm during those summer months of uncertainty and
understanding you wanted to be pregnant as much as I did, but knowing that you had needed to be strong for us.
I have thought about how happy we were at that moment, on our third wedding anniversary,
just finding out we were pregnant and feeling so incredibly in love.
And I know how complete and loved and fulfilled I felt and how magical that moment was.
I thought I knew.
--
I thought I knew what life would bring us in the next year.
I thought I knew what it would be like to become a mother and to see you become a father. I thought I knew how much I could love our baby.
I thought I knew what it would be like when they placed Henry in my arms.
I thought I knew it all.
It is so much more than what I thought I knew. It is so much more than I can explain.
Sharing parenthood with you is my biggest joy in life. I look at Henry and cannot believe we created him.
I know how big my heart feels and can't imagine being happier.
But, through four years of marriage I'm getting better.
I know to expect great things.
--
Happy Anniversary, Andrew.
The best is yet to be.
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Sharing my musings on motherhood, parenting, photography, pregnancy, food, travel, marriage, and what makes my simple life one that I sometimes just can't believe it gets to be mine.
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