Our cute girls... (the more kids you have, the harder it is to get them all looking good at the same time!)
Awake!

Both Brynn and Abby LOVE to hold baby Ivy (Brynn calls her "baby Iby")

Just too cute! (Don't worry, her arms aren't really that long.)

Merry Christmas Eve to all!

Introducing Ivy Claire! Even though we were scheduled to have Ivy on Monday the 22nd, she had her own plans...After contracting much of the day, my water broke on Thursday evening (at my parents' house this time...much more discreet than the water-breaking episode at Barnes and Noble with Abby!). So, we went in to the hospital and she was born that night. She is a beautiful, sweet girl with lots and lots of dark hair and full lips. We just love her to pieces, and Abby and Brynn are ecstatic to have their baby sister here. What a nice early Christmas for us!

Just a quick addendum to yesterday's post...Oh, the miracle of hot glue and duct tape! After a desperate repair job this morning, our tree is again standing. Though it is a bit lacking in ornaments, it will hopefully stay together until the big day. (Abby and Brynn sure had a great time decorating the Christmas Tree all over again!)

Well, this is what happens when a two-year-old tries to get ornaments off of the Christmas tree...
I was able to salvage some ornaments before realizing that the tree is broken, too! (Granted, this $20 walmart buy lasted us 6 or 7 years, which is pretty amazing! It just would have been nice if it could have lasted 2 more weeks!) Oh, well. Either this will be my first and only year to not have a christmas tree on christmas, or we will be doing some desperation christmas tree shopping this weekend.

Oh, well. It's not the things that really matter anyway, right?! =)

I guess if I can hold out until after Christmas, I may be able to acquire a pretty nice tree on clearance (if James is willing to fight the crowds for me!).

This may seem like a rambling mess, but here goes...

Leading up to Christmas this year, I had mixed emotions about how smoothly everything would go. Having a Christmas baby certainly is a great blessing, and we are so grateful for it...it just changes the way I normally do Christmas. I am all about tradition: seeing lights, visiting festivals, walking the mall, fighting the crowds, last-minute gifts, etc. Typically for me, whose favorite time of year is Christmas, the more the better! I want the girls to have as many "Christmas-sy" experiences as possible so that it will always be their favorite time of year, too.

But, this year, after getting winded just going grocery shopping, I have had to scale back. And, it has turned out to be such a huge blessing and eye-opener for me. We didn't make it to the festival, we haven't walked around to see the lights...we haven't even made it to the mall! But, we have mae homemade ornaments and goodies, we've read new Christmas books, we have 3 different types of advent calendars keeping us busy first thing in the morning, we just sat and watched James put up the lights this afternoon: I have actually been able to savor Christmas more than I have often allowed myself to before. And, in only 2 1/2 weeks we are going to receive the best Christmas gift ever (which the girls are actually just as excited about as their material presents). This is what Christmas is supposed to be: a time to enjoy the small joys of being together and sharing in the wonder of the season. What a gift!

For those who haven't already heard the story, we had an interesting Saturday morning. Brynn and Abby were eating snacks and watching a show while I was in the kitchen (probably snacking myself!). Suddenly Brynn started crying. I went to ask what was wrong (since Abby wasn't obviously doing anything to her), and she said that she had stuck a craisin up her nose. I thought it was fairly funny at first, until I couldn't find the thing! First we tried blowing it out, but 2-year-olds just can't blow that hard. Our next attempt was to tweeze it out, which sent Brynn into hysterics. Then, my bright idea was to try to suck it out with a baby nose sucker (an aspirator?). However, I threw all of mine away a while ago since they tend to get nasty and I knew I'd get a new one with the new baby next month anyway. So, I called neighbor after neighbor (apparently not many are home in our neighborhood during the BYU game) until we finally tracked one down (thanks Krisanda and Jeff). That also didn't work and only made Brynn even more upset.

We weren't sure if we should just wait and see (James's idea) or take her to the instacare (my idea). But, after a sweet blessing and reading about all of the possible infection problems on the internet (already adding to my worry), I got my way. (Thanks, James.)

They were super nice at the instacare and assured me that this happens often (since I felt a bit stupid). After a thorough examination and several varied attempts, the doctor wasn't able to find it, either! She thinks that Brynn was so upset that she just inhaled it all the way down the back of her throat. Oh, well. At least we tried to do the right thing! I'm still convinced that my copay is worth the peace of mind, and Brynn was pretty excited to get a sticker and sucker out of the deal. Thank goodness for health insurance!

Our cute girls just can't wait to be big enough to help daddy in the yard! We had one last mow/yard clean-up before the snow and cold arrived. I just love the fall...It never seems to last long enough, though we really were blessed this year to have such beautiful weather past Halloween. On to Thanksgiving!

At Daddy's Work...

Halloween finally came yesterday, and not soon enough for Abby and Brynn! They dress up pretty much every day anyway, so that wasn't the clincher as much as the promise of lots and lots of candy. Boy, did we ever get a lot of candy! First we went to the yearly party and James's work, where the girls were most excited to dance with bubbles. Very cute. (His work goes all out on decorations: the kids trick or treat throughout the building, complete with spook alley. The girls made it through part of the scariness, but we finally had to take a "safe" detour to the end in order to avoid possible crying breakdowns. That's fine by me, since I'm not a big haunted house fan, either!)

Our girls were the first to start boogy-ing!


We came home, relaxed for a bit, then headed back out for our ward's "trunk or treat". It was a big success, though I underplanned on the amount of candy, as usual. We had to close up shop before everyone had gone through...we couldn't regift ALL of the girls' candy! =)
At the "trunk-or-treat"

Then, we parked back at home and headed out for a bit more trick or treating, this time to actual doors. (We couldn't convince Abby that trick or treating to cars was as good as the real thing, so we tried to find neighbors that we didn't already hit up at the trunk or treat.) It was a beautiful, warm night, and the girls didn't even have to wear jackets to cover up their cute fairy costumes. We all went to bed with sugar overload (and Lisa and Brynn with upset stomachs), but I think it was worth it!

Abby finally got her cast off on Monday...just in time for cooler weather so that she can now wear all of her pants again! =) She was a bit scared of the saw (though our doctor tried to convince her that it is called a "tickler".) Abby nervously laughed the whole time he was cutting it off...much better than the alternative! Poor little Brynn, on the other hand, was so worried about her sister. She did okay for the first minute or two, but then big tears started rolling down her cheeks and she kept saying, "It's not gonna hurt? It's not gonna hurt?" Abby kept reassuring her that it was the "tickler" and it didn't hurt. It's so sweet to see my girls looking out for each other.

She's hobbling aroung again now and saying her leg feels "wobbly". Hopefully that will wear off soon...I'm just relieved that I don't have to carry her around anymore! =) Cute girl.

A couple of weeks ago we finally made one of Brynn's big moves: from baby to little girl. She said good-bye to her crib and is now sleeping in a "big girl" bed (well, a "big girl" mattress...the bed will be coming soon!). She was super excited about the event and has slept almost perfectly since. We have definitely been blessed that she has always been a great sleeper. I'm more worried about the next big move...sharing a room! (We've considered just buying a bigger house so that our kids can always have their own rooms and always sleep well, but that just didn't seem super-practical at the moment.)

Good-bye crib...

Hello bed!

Abby and Brynn were delighted to wake up to snow last Sunday and just had to go out and feel it for themselves. (We, the parents, weren't quite so delighted...I'm just not ready for winter yet! But, the girls were so excited and fun to watch.) Even Abby was completely willing to crawl around on her hands and knees (still in a cast!) to be part of the fun. Winter, here we come!

Making a snow angel...

Making snow balls...

(Last year, Brynn was afraid to even stand in the snow, so playing outside this winter is going to be a lot more fun for everyone!)

So, I'm finally getting around to writing about Abby's broken leg. She was trying to climb up to Grandma and Grandpa Anderson's treehouse and just didn't quite make it! It wasn't a huge fall, but the landing was just right to fracture both bones in her lower leg. She's already had her purple cast for almost 2 weeks and will be in it for another 3 or so. It's been a bit of a challenge, since she needs to be carried everywhere. But, she has recently re-discovered the joys of crawling and can maneuver her way around the house pretty quickly by herself now! (I'm going to have to get her a set of kneepads!)

Abby has just been amazing to watch throughout this experience. She hasn't once complained about her broken leg and is very patient as she watches Brynn run and dance around her. I am so proud of her and have learned a lot from her attitude. Believe me: if I had been the one to break my leg, I definitely wouldn't have her attitude. Although, it might be nice having James carry me around! =)

(Notice the nice remains of Brynn's peanut butter and jelly sandwich on her clothes. We didn't have bread for 2 or 3 days, and the girls were suffering withdrawls from their normal lunch routine. Luckily, we ventured out to the grocery store yesterday...They couldn't have been happier!)

Today was a pretty lousy day. I know we all have them from time to time, and I won't go into all of the details, but I wasn't a happy camper today (and the pregnancy hormones don't help). The culminating moment came when, trying to salvage the morning, I took the girls out back to play (though poor Abby had to just sit there with her broken leg...another topic for another post, and a contributor to my lousy day, though not at all Abby's fault). A few minutes later, Brynn ran to me screaming and flailing: she had stepped barefoot in cat poop and somehow spread it all over her clothes, her hands, her face, her hair (I'm pretty sure even a bit went in the mouth by mistake). I testify that cleaning off cat poop is 10 times worse than cleaning off kid poop! Poor Brynn...she was a trooper and was excited to have a second bath. I, on the other hand, had had it.

I'm allergic to cats, I'm not all that fond of them anyway, yet some neighborhood cats have decided this year that my yard is the yard of choice. I have found many "gifts" the past few weeks that I have had to clean up, even though I don't own, and will never own, a cat!! It really irks me that my girls can't even play in their own FENCED backyard without fear of encountering these "gifts". So, if anyone knows of any methods to discourage cats from my yard, your opinions would be welcome. We'll start with humane suggestions, since I'm hopefully not that unfeeling. =)

I just have to reiterate how much I love girls! (I'd better, since we're soon going to have 3 of them!) Abby and Brynn just love to give each other hugs. It's so cute (and almost makes up for the times they don't get along quite so well...)

We now have Sacrament Meeting last, and James and I have decided to "divide and conquer" to be able to actually navigate the halls AND get a seat in the chapel (if we're lucky). Anyway, Brynn and I got to the chapel first today, and Brynn got the longest face and said, "But, where's Abby?" I thought she said "daddy", but no, she missed her sister (sorry, James...I'm sure she missed you, too.) Her face lit up when James and Abby arrived and she nearly knocked her over with her hugs. These are the moments I need to remember more often.

At temple square with Grandma and Grandpa...

How close can we get to the fountain without actually getting in?

The cute kids!

So, my sister and her kids came to visit in July, and I'm finally posting some pictures! Better late than never, I guess...We had such a fun time. Since they live in Texas, we don't see them nearly as often as we'd like. But, we make the most of the time that we do have together.

A cousins sleepover! Abby stayed awake the longest (is that a positive thing?!)

Fun in the backyard

Feeding the babies at the Church History Museum (our girls are growing up too fast!)

(Ok, so I'm only 3 weeks late on this update...at least she's STILL 4 as I'm writing this!) Abby just turned 4 and had her very first friend birthday party. I don't know who was more excited/nervous, Abby or me! It turned out to be a lot of fun, and we had a great time having Abby's preschool friends all here together again. Happy Birthday, my sweet Abby!

I was "tagged" (thanks, Sarah), and I've actually enjoyed thinking all about myself this afternoon! (Ha, ha). I'm not sure how interesting I am, but here goes...

3 Joys: the temple, travel, my car's air conditioning (I'll just name 3 more really quick: James, Abby, and Brynn)

3 Fears: the death of my husband or child, being the first to scratch the new car, our gerbils getting loose in the house (again!)

3 Surprising Facts: When I was a kid, I got my long hair caught in the electric mixer while helping my mom make a cake. It ripped a patch of hair cleanly out of my head and I had to wear a barrette to cover the bald spot for a long time.

I enjoy mowing the lawn. I worked for 3 summers on the maintenance crew at a golf course. Because I was the only girl, I got the "cush" job of mowing fairways and greens. Whenever golf is on tv, I always scrutinize the fairway lines. (I'm a horrible golfer, but I did learn to love just being on a golf course!)

I'm allergic to cats. Not all that exciting, but it was a letdown to my husband, who would really like to have a cat. Lucky for me, he still chooses me over a cat! =)

I tag Shell, Brooke, Beck, Bethany, and Rebecca H.

Yesterday at the doctor's office (Brynn has an ear infection...exciting morning!), Abby got a temporary tattoo that said "Girls Rule". It must have been an omen: that afternoon we had our long-awaited ultrasound and discovered that girls DO rule in our house: it's another girl! Except for James's worry that we will have an overabundance of hormones in our home (hee hee!), we are super excited to welcome our baby girl to our home in only 19 weeks or so. We feel so blessed to have such a beautiful family, and the Andersons DO love girls!

She refused to look at the "camera", but we still got some great shots...

What a perfect little leg!

My favorite picture: look at the size of that hand!

It's fun to be able to share part of our childhood with our kids...including the classic Slip 'n Slide. James is now a pro, and the girls were pretty impressed. (Too bad I'm pregnant! I was just dying to sport my swimsuit and slide on my belly!)

Hooray, James is home! We actually survived pretty well while he was gone, but boy are we glad to have him home! It has been interesting to hear all about China, especially with all of the Olympic stuff going on right now. (James got to experience the smog and crowds firsthand!) The girls loved their little toys that daddy brought home, but we have learned (the hard way!) that it's best not to bring them to Church with us. =) (The toys, not the girls. Although, some sacrament meetings would be a lot more peaceful with just James and me sitting alone!)

James got home just in time to celebrate his birthday...the big 3-2! (I can now enjoy being the same age as my husband for at least a few months until I become the oldest again.) I know, I know...what a creative birthday cake! In my defense, I did make a real cake for dinner at his parents' the night before, so donuts sounded great (and, I must admit, easy). Lucky for me, James is easy to please. I love you, James!

James has been in China (yes, can you believe it?! China!) on business for 5 days so far, and we still have 3 days to go. I hate to sound whiny, especially considering that so many wives have husbands who are out of town regularly for work. And, we've stayed busy and have been fine. But, I really, really miss my James! I try to appreciate him when he is here with us, but boy do I really appreciate him when he isn't here. I am one lucky girl to have such a guy!

I'm already sad that my favorite show is almost over for the season! For those who aren't fans of So You Think You Can Dance, start watching! Guys, even James watches every week! I have never been known as a good dancer, or even as a very coordinated person. But, somehow I can watch this show and believe for an instant that maybe I can dance like them in front of my mirror (not true, but I can dream! It's especially pathetic to try with my now pregnant body!). It is refreshing to watch a talent competition where everyone on the show is truly talented and isn't just there for their 5 seconds of tv fame. I don't even have a favorite tomorrow night, but I can't wait to see who wins...

We just finished a fun, fun, fun 2 week visit from my sister, Amy, and her kids. Since they live in Houston, the vacations are much-anticipated by all of us (I'm not sure who was more excited, the girls or me!). It almost felt like we were on vacation, too, since we spent almost all of those 2 weeks at my parents' house with them! The concentrated "togetherness" was great. Abby had her first real "sleepover" with Erica and Gabe, all of the kids played like crazy, and the adults TALKED like crazy. =) No matter how long the visit lasts, it doesn't seem long enough when everyone goes home. But, we'll definitely take whatever we can get.

Pictures are forthcoming...(whenever I did remember to actually bring my camera, I was too lazy to take it out. Thanks, Amy, for actually documenting everything! )

I'm so proud of myself...I now have 2 daughters who love broadway showtunes! It is so nice to have the complete influence over what they like and listen to (we're definitely not ready for teenagers yet). So, I've been exposing them to the joys of Broadway. Success! Our current favorites are "Into the Woods" and "Wicked", which is coming to town this Spring (my fingers are crossed that it won't cost a fortune because I'm dying to go!). It is so cute to hear a 3 year old and 2 year old try to sing along phoenetically and actually come pretty close. What fun little girls are!

It's wonderful having a car with a CD player and a tolerant husband who will even listen to broadway with us when he's in the car! What a great guy.

**Another note: Thanks to a great public library, I've also been exposing my girls to the entertainment of my past. They have spent the past week watching "Duck Tales" for their morning show...ah, memories. (I can still sing the song along with them!)

Abby and Carson venturing into the water...
Once Abby conquered her fear, she was fully soaked and loving it!

Having a "picnic" on the concrete

Michelle and I braved the challenges of double strollers, preschoolers, and parking, and ventured to Salt Lake for the morning. We visited the bathrooms at Temple Square, the childrens' section of the Church History Museum, and the fountains at Gateway. (We even rode the Trax train, which the kids loved! Michelle and I were a bit frazzled with the strollers and kids, but it was still a great trade off to walking many blocks in the heat!) We really had a great time and were proud of ourselves for doing it! (Plus, we all got great afternoon naps as a result!) It's so fun having a big van...