A Very Pregnant Christmas

It's hard to believe that Christmas is already over! The past few weeks have been crazy!

Working in retail during the holiday season is always tiring, but doing so while pregnant is just down right exhausting! I did my best to take many breaks to get off of my feet (I'm having back issues that will cause swelling in my back, hips, and legs). Doctor said either I take lots of breaks to keep the swelling down or she's going to put me on bed rest! I definitely cannot afford bed rest! Nor could JCP be short a manager for that long! So the longer I go without bed rest (hopefully the whole pregnancy) the better!

Christmas Eve was a weird day at work. I had to keep walking around the store to make sure the girls stayed busy. We wanted to get them out on time and they knew that but I wasn't about to let them just slack off all day. I mean come on, you get to leave like ASAP so why can't you try to stay busy until then? So needless to say I was quite tired and achy after work.

Mom and Dani picked me up and I was cranky because I just wanted to go to Aunt Cheryl's house, but mom wanted to go find a place for Dani to get food since no one made a vegetarian friendly food option for her. I didn't mean to be so cranky, but I was just tired and hungry and I wanted to take a Tylenol for my pain in my back.

Finally we arrived at Cheryl's house! There where a good amount of people there and everyone was checking out my tummy! Oh and baby O'brian was there! Nolan you did so well! I was holding O'brian and his leg was pressing against my tummy and you didn't kick it once!! Usually you kick at any pressure that last too long on my tummy, but you didn't kick O'brian's leg once!! I'm sure that's a sign that the two of you will get along just fine! He's about 8 months older than you, which will be noticeable when you are first born but bring on toddler years and no one will be the wiser about your age difference.

Derek got to the party shortly after I did. Thankfully he remembered to bring cousin Justine's birthday present!! I have been very forgetful while pregnant! It's the weirdest thing! I honestly never would have thought that pregnancy affects ones memory the way it does!!

We ate a lot of food on Christmas Eve! Some spinach dip, roast beef sandwich, (other stuff I just can't remember right now) and of course plenty of dessert! Tonya made some wonderful cupcakes!! I kind of want one now, but I know that if I eat this close to bed I will get terrible heartburn!! I spent a lot of time talking to Beth (O'brian's mommy) and we discussed the many future plans that we would like to have with each other. Some with kids, some kids free. Derek was tired the whole time, so finally we decided to leave. Beth, Gerald, and O'brian left then as well.

Derek and I had a hard time waking up on Christmas Day. We just kept snoozing the alarm and cuddling! But we where still up around 8. Unfortunately, breakfast wasn't going to be ready until 9, so I snacked on some Christmas Eve leftovers until then. We had cinnamon roles for breakfast, which for some reason didn't taste as good to me as the last time I had them. I don't know whether it was just a different brand or what.

Derek and I decided to open our gifts from his family. They where all wonderful and one of them was the start of our Christmas tradition. Sandy said that every year Derek and I will be getting some kind of musical item every year for Christmas. This year it was a precious moments angel that play 'Joy to the World' I thought it was interesting that Sandy decided mine and Derek's tradition would be musical items, because from childhood to this day my favorite items of my mothers are her musical items (especially her Victorian styled music box).

After that it was a mixture of relaxing and slowly getting ready to go to grandma's house. Having to pack up and move all of those presents was not very fun! But I knew it would all be worth it when the family received their gifts.

When we got to grandma and grandpa's
house things where not quite ready so it was a bit hectic. Aunt Cheryl, mom, and Tonya where all trying to help grandma in her last minute food preparation. Roberto and Sam where downstairs playing with some race cars. Once the rest of the family arrived grandpa took some pictures and then we prayed and ate a wonderful dinner. Ham, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, rolls, corn, jell-o, etc. it was all so good! Nolan, me and you ate a ton!!

Then it was time for presents. It took forever just to pass out all of the gifts! So many people and presents in one room! It was crazy! We all watched as the kids went nuts opening their gifts! There was wrapping paper and smiles all around!

Nolan, you even got some gifts! You got a stuffed puppy from Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Bill, and Justine. From my mommy and daddy (your soon-to-be grandma and grandpa) you received a penguin blanket!! You also received a Fisher Price paint toy from Uncle Jeff, Aunt Stacey, and their three children (Austin, Ethan, and Lexi). It's a very fun toy! The paint brush lights up and music plays and it teaches about colors, numbers, and shapes!! Derek found it quite fun as well!!

I started feeling really exhausted so Derek and I left, the Anaya family, and Jeff and Stacey's family left around the same time.

Derek and I spent the rest of the even relaxing. Well mostly relaxing, because I had laundry to do!

All in all, it was a nice Christmas, it just felt like it went by too fast. Baby Nolan, I know that next year Christmas with you will be perfect!! And every Christmas after that will be better and better!!