The longest blog ever, but it has been a while.

Wow, we’ve been incredibly busy the past few weeks, and I think that shows in our lack of blogging. So, allow me to go back a few weeks, just to let everyone know what we’ve been up to. I got back from West Virginia on the twelfth. The training was incredibly intensive, but very much worth it. I was so happy to get home though. John was such the good little husband while I was gone, cleaning house, finishing up Christmas decorations, and do little “fix-its” around the house. I think he was happy to have me back though. I know Lexi was. John picked me up at the airport, and she was in the backseat, with the cutest little Santa outfit on her. Poor thing, it was a little too small for her, but it just looked so cute on. She was almost trying to get out the window; she was so excited to see me. It was a great welcome home.

It was back to work the following week, but I did manage to call around to daycares, and we’re officially on a waiting list for one. The one we really want, Cornerstone, has a year and a half to two year waiting list for newborns. I was blown away when I heard that. How is that even possible? Apparently, a lot of people put their names on the list as soon as they start trying to conceive, so John and I were really behind the times.

I had my office Christmas party on the 19th. It was so much fun, with a lot of good food. We have a secret Santa gift exchange, and I’d been wondering for a while who had my name. It ended up being my boss. He got me a gift card to Toys ‘R Us. The best part is that he has a daughter who is currently at Texas A&M, and he had her pick up the cutest bib. It says, “I spit up on tu.” I love it! Plus, I got to pick up my car, finally. The repairs were done, so I picked it up Friday afternoon. Thank goodness.

John and I finished up Christmas shopping on the 20th, and we had the Allison Tree on the 21st. That’s the big family Christmas with John’s mom side of the family. There’s always a ton of people there and a ton of great food. There’s a “santa” there for the kids (It’s one of the men, or sometime women, in the family who dresses up.) They surprised me this year by having a gift for baby Vrana, so I had to sit on Santa’s lap (John’s brother-in-law, A.J.) to get my baby gift. I’m sure my face was beet red. It was such a fun day, and it always seems to go by so fast. John’s sister, Elizabeth was able to make it in. Thankfully, she just had a cyst on her ovary, so that was removed and she’s doing much better. So, it was really a blessed Christmas that she was able to make it out of the hospital and home for Christmas.

The next work week for me consisted of a day and a half. I love working at the lab; they’re always closing early for us, and we have so many holidays. It’s really nice because I’m trying not to take any days off of work, in order to safe up for maternity leave. In fact, I’m actually trying to come in from time to time on the weekends just to help build up the time. Not fun, but it’ll be worth it in the long run. Tuesday morning some of us cooked breakfast for the lab, and our director had bought the makings for Mimosas for all of us. My friend, Audra was nice enough to think of me, and she picked up a bottle of sparkling white grape juice for me to make my mimosas with. I thought that was so thoughtful of her! I was able to use my short day on Tuesday to get most of the rest of my wrapping done though.

CHRISTMAS EVE
So, our family is rich in traditions. One of my favorite is “Christmas Eve Gift.” As soon as you see or talk to someone on Christmas Eve, you’re supposed to say Christmas Eve Gift, and they have to give you a gift. Well, things have gotten more and more elaborate over the years. Last year we covered Mimi and Paw-paw’s house with signs we had written “Christmas Eve Gift” all over. This year, Austin came over the weekend before, and we had a large piece of cardboard that I wrote “Christmas Eve Gift” on. Then, John and Austin punched Christmas lights through the cardboard, so that the sign lit up. So, at midnight Christmas Eve morning, John and I parked at Mom and Dad’s house, and John, Austin, and I walked down the road carrying this massive sign. There we were outside Mimi and Paw-paw’s house trying to tape/find some way to support this sign when a torrential downpour starts. As soon as we plugged the thing in, it lit up the whole backyard. Then, with the boys being so duct tape happy, we managed to wake Mimi up. So, she shot out of bed, and yelled Christmas Eve Gift through the window. Poor Paw-paw was jolted right out of his sleep, I’m sure. John and Austin dropped everything and took of running for it, leaving the poor pregnant lady there by herself. Thankfully, the rain had slowed a little bit, but we all jogged down the road back to our car.

I had already planned on going down to Mimi’s and Paw-paw’s for Christmas Eve. Paw-paw has always made seafood gumbo for dinner, and I wanted to help out with that as much as possible. Thankfully, Austin was there too because I couldn’t handle chopping up some of those peppers and onions. Mimi had gotten marinated crab claws from the Farmer’s Market, which are my favorite. After dinner, we opened presents from Mimi, Paw-paw, Mom, Dad, and Austin. While Austin and I were helping with the gumbo, we also helped Mimi with some of the gifts. Mimi doesn’t like to give money for Christmas, but it seems like she always has to give cash to a few. Austin and I came up with the idea to make them work for it this year, so we made a scavenger hunt. Dad, Mom, and John all had to walk all over Mimi and Paw-paw’s house finding their next clues, and eventually finding the cash at the end. It was so much fun for those who watched, and Austin, Mimi, and I had a really fun time setting it up. Austin decided to sleep at our house Christmas Eve night, so that Mom and Dad could set out the “Santa” gifts. Every year before Austin, John, and I would go to bed as soon as we got back from Mimi and Paw-paw’s so Mom and Dad could put out the gifts without us seeing those that were too big to be wrapped. So, Austin stayed at our house, but it wasn’t much difference for me because I just went to bed as soon as I got home anyway.

CHRISTMAS DAY
I set the alarm clock for 6:00 because 1) That’s what time we always wake up to open Santa presents and 2) John and I were driving to his sister’s Tess’s house for the day, so we needed to be able to get ready and go. Mom had always said that Santa would stop coming as soon as there were grand-babies. Well, now that there’s one on the way, we knew this would be our last year (even though Austin swears he should get Santa for four more years). My parents always spend WAY too much on us, but I’m sure they know how much we appreciate it.

John and I drove to Tess’s house where we got to spend Christmas with all of his family. We all had a lot of fun, snacking on yummy appetizers and exchanging gifts and stockings. His family is so funny, wondering if there was anything there for me to eat. Of course there was, I ate a little bit all day long. I’m definitely glad to be finishing up the first trimester, the nausea is starting to go away, and I think I might even be slowly getting some of my energy back. It’s so funny because at the end of the day, I just looked up and wondered where all the time had gone. I couldn’t believe Christmas was over already.

Friday was spent playing Guitar Hero World Tour with Austin, and putting together our Christmas gifts that needed to be assembled. Plus, I got to have some yummy leftovers from the Christmas lunch we had missed the day before. I was even able to get a piece of my mom’s infamous chocolate pie before my father and brother gobbled it all up. Saturday, I was on the road again, this time heading to Alexandria. My friend Kellie was in Louisiana visiting her in-laws, and our friend Lacey was able to drive up from where she lives south of Baton Rouge. We all drove a couple of hours just to meet at the Cracker Barrel for lunch, but it was so worth it. We got to meet Kellie’s baby, S.J., and just catch up with everybody. Plus, this was the first time they were able to see me since I’d said I was pregnant, not that there was a lot to see. That evening, Austin, John and I went to Joe’s Crab Shack for dinner. It was so good. My baby is probably going to be part crab when it’s born, but I love the stuff. Sunday, my Paw-paw’s cousin Max was in from Chicago, so we got to visit with him briefly. Then, last night I went out to eat with one of my oldest friends, Amy Beasley. Her husband was at the Independence Bowl, supporting his Alma Mater, Louisiana Tech, and she got her mom to watch her beautiful daughter, Abby. So, we were able to go out to eat, just the two of us. It was so much fun, and I don’t think we stopped talking or laughing the whole time. It’s always like that when we get together though, as if three and half hours is just not enough time for us to get out everything that we have to say to each other. Too funny. I actually didn’t get home until after 9:00 last night, shocking, I know. Then, it was after 10:00 when I went to bed. I seriously think that’s the first time I’ve done that since I found out I was pregnant.

Well, I guess that about sums it up. I wanted to post some pictures with all of this, but I figured if I didn’t post this now, I wouldn’t do it. We’ve got John’s office’s party tonight. This week, we’ve got friends of ours coming in from Lafayette, LA and Bryan, TX. They’ll be staying with us for New Years’ and part of the weekend. Also, after Mom and Mimi have had company at their house all last week, I generously (or crazily) offered to do New Years dinner at my house. Lord, help me. (Thank goodness Mom’s doing the ham). I think that’ll be the most people that’s ever been crammed into our house. At least we have barstools now, so we can fit more people. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. I’ve got a check-up on Wednesday, and I’ll get to hear the heartbeat. Then, we should get to find out the sex at the end of January. Happy New Year to all our friends and family!!