Out Comes #6!

After loosing three of his four front teeth, Logan discovered that he had another lose tooth during the holiday season.  I couldn't believe it since he already had some much "vacant real estate" in the front of his mouth.  I kept on wondering what was he going to look like when his sixth tooth came out?!  After arriving at the Priest Lake cabin yesterday, Logan's loose tooth got knocked out of his mouth today while wresting with his older cousin, Spencer.  Logan immediately came running to find me and to proudly show me his tooth carefully held in his hand.  I was so surprised as I didn't realize his tooth had even gotten that loose because it had only been a few weeks since Logan had first discovered it.  Regardless, he was super excited and is looking forward to yet another visit from his three tooth fairies (Tommy, Toby, and Terry) while he is up at the cabin.  Let's just hope that their little wings don't freeze while trying to fly up to put some money under Logan's pillow tonight!

Christmas 2018

We wrapped up our Christmas season today after several weeks of parties, activities, and events.  It was a good month full of many wonderful activities.  In addition, it was extra special this year being pregnant with our fourth and final baby.  I know I have said this before, but Christmas season always feels so much more magical when I am carrying a baby inside of me.  It was bitter sweet knowing that this was my last time being pregnant during a holiday season, but at the same time, I am so grateful for this wonderful gift that Heavenly Father has given our family and me.
As always, we made the trip up to Issaquah on Christmas Eve to celebrate at my parent's house with both Chris' and Eric's family.  We ate the traditional turkey dinner before having our Christmas program complete with the kids acting out the nativity story and my dad lighting the candles on the tree.  We made the drive home and got the kids tucked into bed before Ron and I laid out all of the Santa gifts in the living room for Christmas morning.  Luckily, the children slept in past 7 o'clock before coming into our room to wake us up.  We then spent a fun morning watching the kids discover and play with their Santa gifts before letting them open one gift from under the Christmas tree and eating our traditional, Christmas breakfast.  We then took turns opening up the rest of our gifts under the tree before eating lunch and watching an afternoon movie.  My parents stopped by on their way home after visiting both Eric's and Chris' families.  We enjoyed a nice visit with them and exchanged gifts.  The highlight had to be watching Logan's reaction as Ron and my dad carried in the one big gift that grandpa gives to all of his grandsons--his very own train set complete with Lionel model trains.  It is huge and is currently taking up most of the office, but Logan is thrilled about it!  Hopefully, this gift will provide many hours of entertainment for both Logan and Emmett in the years to come.  After my parents left, Ron helped me make our traditional, Filipino feast for dinner. We enjoyed eating in the dining room before Ron took the kids upstairs to get ready for bed while I cleaned up the kitchen.  Overall, it was just a wonderful way to spend these two special days with our children.

Our annual family photo in front of my parent's tree on Christmas Eve.

The kiddos and me.

Lia, Ella, and some other family members ringing their bells under Aunt Natalee's direction.

A close-up of our cutie.

Logan happily ringing his blue and orange bell.

Lia giving me a smile.

Silly Ella posing with her bells before putting them away.

Ella insisted on being one of the angels for the nativity story.  I just thought she looked so cute in this costume that I had to get a picture of her in front of the tree before the kids started acting out the story.

Lia got to be Mary and Logan got to be Joseph this year.  Here they are standing in front of the "manger" complete with a baby doll.

The kids acting out the story.  Besides our three, Brynn and Garrett were shepherds and Riley was the other angel.

Then the "stars" entered the story played by Vivi and Callie.  I just love how everyone is looking up at them in this picture.

A group shot after the nativity story was finished.

A shot of our three darling children before taking off their costumes.

The magical Christmas tree all lit up with candles.

Lia snuffing out one of the candles after we were done singing Christmas carols.

Ella taking a turn snuffing out a candle.

Lia's Santa gifts laid out on "her couch" Christmas morning before the kids came downstairs.

Ella's Santa gifts...

next to Logan's gifts.

In addition to the Santa gifts, we also put out this fairy and gnome table that Ron had secretly made the past few weekends in his shop.  It turned out so beautiful and I am so grateful to him for spending the time to make it as I have been collecting these fairy and gnome toys over the past few years whenever I have seen them go on clearance at Michaels.  Ella and Logan were absolutely smitten with it and have already spent quite a bit of time playing with it together.

All three children running down the stairs Christmas morning to see their Santa presents for the first time!

Ella holding up her new, princess/Santa nightgown.

Logan opening up the little box containing his custom-made, pirate ornament.

Lia posing next to her loot.

Ella opening up her one gift under the tree before breakfast--an Anna set from the Disney movie, Frozen.

Logan showing off his new pirate peg people toys that he opened up as his first gift of the morning.

Lia opening up her American Girl Doll gift from Aunt Austin and Uncle Robbie.

Logan checking out the fairy/gnome table for the first time.

Ella immediately wanted to color a few of her stained glass pictures from one of her new coloring books.

The kids and I enjoying our Christmas breakfast in the dining room.

All three children standing in front of the Christmas tree before they began passing out all of the gifts.

Mommy and the kids together in front of the tree.

Ella showing off her new Tinkerbell shoes.  I just love how she posed for this picture all on her own.  What a model!

Ella getting ready to open a gift.

Logan proudly showing off his new Star Wars, Lego set.

Lia opening up another gift.

Papa taking a turn.

After we were all done opening up the gifts under the tree, the kids were able to open up one large, group gift that had been wrapped and sitting next to the Christmas tree for over two weeks.  Due to its size, all three kids had been quite fascinated with it--especially since it was for all three of them.  After they opened it, they discovered this awesome, large fruit stand from Lea Clark's collection--the American Girl Doll of the Year 2016.  I was able to buy this large piece from her collection about 1.5 years ago when it went on clearance for an amazingly low price and have been waiting for the right moment to give it to our children.  They were all so excited!  Here are all three kids playing with it together.

A shot of Grandpa showing Ella and Logan how to use the new train board.

Logan playing with the trains.

Logan giving me a smile.

Now that is one happy boy!

Grandpa showing Logan how to control the trains with the control switch.

A group shot with grandma and grandpa before they headed home that afternoon.

35 Weeks Pregnant Posing with the Kids!

With the busy lives we all live, I feel like the I barely have any pictures of the children and me since my pregnant belly popped out a few months ago.  In addition, any picture we have taken together since then, the children have usually been standing in front of me and "hiding" my belly.  So, I thought it would be fun today to take a few pictures in front of the Christmas tree after church.  The kids have been so excited about this pregnancy and the coming arrival of their baby brother ever since they found out last July.  It really has been a fun part of this pregnancy to see and hear their enthusiasm to have another baby join our family.  I can't wait to be apart of them meeting baby Emmett when he arrives in a few weeks!

The kids and me standing in front of the tree.

Ella giving "Baby Emmett" a hug.  This is something that she has done on a regular basis ever since she found out that I was pregnant.

Ella kissing Baby Emmett.  This is also something that she has loved doing during this pregnancy.  I think that it is one of the cutest things she does!

Logan hugging Emmett and me!

And Lia doing the same.

All three kids giving Emmett a "group hug."

Since we are hoping to leave two days after Christmas to go to my parent's cabin (depending on my doctor's approval from an ultrasound and a stress test scheduled on the 26th), I realized that I might not be home this coming Sunday to take a 36 week pregnancy picture.  As a result, I had Lia take a 35 week picture of me today.  It's hard to believe that this baby's arrival is coming so soon.  Part of me will miss being pregnant as I know for sure that this is my last time, but part of me is ready to have my body "back" as this has been my hardest pregnancy.  My lower legs and feet are swollen every day, my feet ache, I waddle when I walk, and I definitely get winded going up the stairs.  But, overall, I have just been so happy and grateful to be pregnant that it has easily outweighed all of these not-so-fun side effects.  

I have loved feeling and watching Emmett kick every day and have actually really enjoyed going in for his weekly stress test in Tacoma these past four weeks.  Emmett has passed with "flying colors" every week producing way more than two "accelerations" in the first 20 minutes.  The nurses love to rant and rave about his beautiful test results and how they wish that every baby would behave like him during their stress tests.  In addition, I went in for a 32-week ultrasound a few weeks ago so that the doctor could follow up on Emmett's growth (which could be impacted by the two-vessel cord) and to check on the location of the placenta.  I was happy to hear that Emmett weighed in around the 53rd percentile and that the placenta had moved completely off of my cervix.  However, the placenta was only 1.3 cm away from the cervix and the doctor would ideally like it 2  cm way to safely deliver the baby vaginally, but at least it means that a c-section at 37 weeks is officially off the table since it is past 1 cm.  So, that was good news!

Other updates include Ron and I borrowing the baby bassinet from my parent's house last week and bringing down all of the newborn clothes and other baby paraphernalia from the loft in the garage this weekend.  I spent several hours today washing clothes and cleaning items to get them ready for the baby.  It feels good to get some of these things done before Christmas comes as I know it is going to be a whirl after the holidays with our trip to the cabin, putting decorations away, cleaning the house, and hosting Logan's 7th birthday party a month early at 38.5 weeks pregnant.  Before we know it, Emmett will be here!  Even though there is much to be done before then, I can't wait to finally hold this sweet, little baby boy in my arms after waiting so long for so many years!