Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!!

Wow - yes, I gave up on blogging for awhile and trying to catch up on just downloading pictures from my camera!  Pregnancy is definitely a challenge when you already have one - it has taken a toll on this Momma!

Braylea turned 3 on Thanksgiving day and had a great party to celebrate it.  We had a cowgirl theme party with lots of family and friends to help us celebrate.  She thinks she is totally grown now that she is 3 - watch out world!

 Braylea is fearless from anything....except of Santa.  She is still scared of him but gets so excited talking about him and states she wants to see him at all times.  We went to get pictures with him downtown and she would go talk to him, but touching was not even a question.  She ended up kicking Santa out of his chair to take the picture while he looked over her.  It actually turned out rather cute though!
Santa then came to visit daycare on Christmas Eve Eve and she was still scared but was able to go up with the whole gang to take a picture (just refused any lap time bonding with him).

We had a great Christmas as a family and it was so fun that Braylea was at the age to understand Santa and was so excited for the day to come.  We were blessed that it was such a beautiful day outside as well!  I'm definitely looking forward to a relaxing New Years weekend due to the hectic Christmas weekend - we didn't stop!  It is crazy to think this is the last holiday with a family of 3..baby Nutt #2 comes in less than two months now - man, how time flies.

It's A......

GIRL!!  The picture isn't great, but in motion it was very prominent that it was a girl. 

It was that awkward silence the moment we found out as we, mostly I, was just sure it was a boy.  We are both very excited to welcome another little girl into our family.  I always wanted a sister and am glad that I get to provide Braylea with one.  When we first told her that it was a girl, she just quickly said, "No, it's a boy!" like we were stupid.  She has adjusted now and does report that she is getting a little sister.
When I was taking her to daycare the morning of my sonogram, I told her that I was going to the doctor to get pictures taken of the baby in Mommy's belly.  She replied, "Your going to go lay down in a bed at the doctor and the baby is going to come out????"  I'm about died - how did she know how that works??  Beats me.  Anyways, I assured her the baby wasn't coming until after she was 3 and after Christmas time.  She cracks me up!

She was smiling at us!

Sucking her thumb.

I have a feeling this next half of pregnancy is going to fly by with the holidays coming up so quickly.  It is still crazy to think we will have a second child in the house to tend to.  It is definitely going to be an adjustment!

Boy...or...Girl - that's the question

Braylea gets to find out if she will be a big sister to a baby sister...or a baby brother in two weeks!  She is determined that it will be a baby brother though, so I hope I don't disappoint her.  She sticks out her belly and pulls up her shirt and tells me that I have a baby brother in my tummy and she has a baby sister in hers..oh the imagination of a two year old! 
This pregnancy is flying by compared to last time.  I do believe it is true that you 'blossom' a little quicker than the first pregnancy as well because it is definitely defined already that I'm pregnant..not easy to hide anymore.



To be continued in a couple weeks...

Summertime fun

We have definitely taken advantage of water this summer with the extreme heat.  Bray is my little waterbug, so it works great!  We have been to the Independence waterpark a few times and she has a blast.  She is a little daredevil, for sure, but it is nice that I can relax and watch her enjoy.

                                                             This one is my favorite. :)

And then there was two...

I've been so busy that blogging hasn't been an option, but I thought I would take time during lunch break to update our exciting news.  Braylea is going to be a big sister the end of February!  We are both nervous and thrilled all at the same time.  Having the first child, you have the unknown to be always excited about.  The second seems very different.  I am ready to have a baby again, but then again, I know what to expect and I question myself..am I ready for all of that again? :)  Braylea is so independent now in which gives us a lot more freedom as well.  It will be a big change to expand our family but overall we are happy and hoping for the opposite sex to be able to experience raising a different gender. 
I'm 10 weeks currently and actually feel pretty good.  I don't feel as sick as last time, so that is a plus.  Summer time isn't a great time to be early prego, I've decided, because we are always going and doing and then all I really want to do is sleep!  But I'm hanging in there!
I decided not to go back to my doctor in Chanute because of the drive - I loved her and the staff, but always dreaded that drive.  I had heard very good things about Dr.Horani here in Parsons and was very pleased with her on our first visit.  It will be nice to stay in Parsons in case of an emergency.

                                               Introducing Baby Nutter - our lil gummy bear..

Sis is very excited - when we told her that she was going to be a big sister, her eyes lit up and she said, "I'm going to have a little brother to feed and change??"  It was so cute - I hope I don't disappoint her and have another girl! haha.

She told her aunt the other day that her mommy's belly was going to get really big because her baby brother was going to grow inside of her and after her birthday, he was going to come.  Where does she get this??  She amazes me more and more everyday of what she takes in and understands!  She just recently got really into baby dolls, so I think she will be my little helper and a great big sister.



Big Girl = Big Girl Panties!!

I must say Bryson and I are very lucky - we did not really have to 'potty train' our daughter..it just happened.  Occasionally when we were home, I would put on her panties and she was good, but going out in public wasn't even an option.  I really didn't push the issue nor did she care either way, so I just left it at that.  Well last weekend I did the norm of putting her in her panties while we were home and everytime we left the house, Braylea didn't want to put a diaper on..so I gave in.  Zero accidents all weekend.  So, I asked Sara at daycare if I could keep her in panties and see how she does while distracted with kids.  All week long..no accidents.  I took her shopping in Joplin today and never had to put a diaper on once..it was great!  So, I would conclude we have a big girl and bye bye to purchasing diapers weekly..yay!  We, of course, still use one at night..I'm too lazy to get up and make her go.  I hear once she begins waking up without a wet diaper to try it out, but I'm in no hurry. 
We figured out what motivated Braylea..the other day she said that she can go to school now and I asked why..and she proceeded to tell me that she wears big girl panties so now she can go to school.  I laughed..I forgot that weeks back she kept telling Bryson and I that she wanted to go to school and my response, instead of just saying your too little still, was that you can't wear diapers to school, so she wasn't ready.  No thought about it..well, I guess it worked and now she expects to go to school..oops - now I have a whole year to hold her back. 

Here are a few random pictures - below picture shows Braylea's way of picking up her room so Mommy can vacuum..yeah, gotta work on that!

                                 This one I just love her eyes in and actually has a real smile in!  My big girl!

DORA!!!

DORA and Diego came to SDC this past weekend.  We couldn't pass up the opportunity so headed there for the day.  I made sure I just told Bray we were going to a big park to go play, but no mention of Dora.  I didn't think I could handle her talking about her the WHOLE 3 hours to Branson.  We just told her she had a 'surprise'.

Below is her 'smile' I ask for in pictures..I can't get lucky enough to get one during a real smile..

Excited for her 'surprise'!

This is her 'excited' face..go figure..

This is her when Dora walks in..she is half waving and trying to figure out what is really happening..Dora is HUGE!

She didn't like Dora once we creeped closer to her.  She did not want to go see Dora at all.  But..with clinging to Daddy..she managed to give her a high five and then a quick hug that I couldn't get quick enough.

Then it was water time.  FYI - it was kids' fest = LOTS of kids!

                                                    I actually managed to get a smile here!

 It was a great day!  Now all she can talk about is seeing Dora and giving her high fives and lovin's. :)  I think we succeeded.