30/31 Weeks

I'll actually be one day shy of 31 weeks as we ring in the new year tonight!  9 weeks to go!  March 5th still sounds like a long way away to me, so I prefer to tell people how many weeks I have left.:)  

I've been feeling really well lately. I haven't had trouble with my sciatic nerve since late November...huge praise!  I've had some heartburn, but not all the time.  I have started having some back pain on the lower right side of my back.  I'm trying to cut down on how much I carry Claire around and hopefully that will help out.  

Abby is moving a lot these days, which I love! I had my 30 week check up early in the week and we both got a great report.  The nurse put the doppler on my belly to listen to her heartbeat and as soon as she put it on my belly Abby kicked it hard.  It made us both smile.  It took the nurse a little longer than normal to find her heartbeat, over a minute, which may not sound like long, but when you're holding your breath waiting to hear that sweet noise, it felt like forever.  I felt sure that Abby was fine since she was kicking and moving, but it was a huge relief when the nurse found her heartbeat.  It was beating about 148 bpm.  I'm going for OB checkups every two weeks now, which seems to make things go by faster in my mind.  

Last night at the dinner table we were all saying our favorite thing about 2015.  Mine was hands down Abby.  In 2015 we found out we were expecting another little blessing, we found out she was going to be a girl, and we chose a name for our 4th daughter.  So much excitement!  We're super excited about 2016 and getting to hold her in our arms.  Praying for all the details surrounding her arrival.  We love you baby girl!!  

Visits with the Burns

Our friends, the Burns, live in Central Asia but were home for a couple weeks during the month of December!  We were able to get together with them several times during their visit and it was so much fun to catch up!! 

All the kids eating a muffin!  Yes, I did have to get out the vacuum when they finished, but aren't they cute!?

Hudson and Hannah are just 2 weeks apart and Katelyn and Claire are 6 months apart. 

My friend Jacinta kept the girls in the nursery at church last Sunday and said that Katelyn was upset when her Mommy left and Claire kept going over to her and patting her on the back.  She sent me this picture of Claire checking on Katelyn.  Sweet things.

We're so thankful for the Burns and we're praying for them and their work in Central Asia!  

Wordless Wednesday

Christmas in Toccoa

On Christmas Eve afternoon we headed over to Toccoa to meet my family at the Christmas Eve service at my parents' church.  I grew up going to this service each Christmas Eve and we haven't been able to make it to this service since we've been married, so it was so special that we were able to be there this year.  Brought back lots of good memories, plus I loved seeing so many people that I've known all my life!  There is just something about walking in and having people call me "Steph" and "Steph-a-neph-a-neph-a-nie" that makes me feel comfortable and loved.  

Papa Stan ended up walking out with Claire during the service.  Claire kept trying to talk to us and when I would cover my hand with her mouth that would only irritate her.  

On Christmas morning the girls were SO excited about running down stairs to see what Santa had brought them. Emily was about to burst.  Hannah was very excited.  And Claire was slightly confused about what all the excitement was about.  We had actually woken Claire up just before taking this picture. 

Emily was so excited about the tablets (Leapfrog LeapPad) that Santa brought her and Hannah. Claire was too busy checking out what Hannah had gotten to even find her gifts.  I had to bring her to them right after I took this picture.  

I snapped these pictures just before we started opening gifts with my parents and siblings.

Ressie was taking her morning nap when we opened gifts, but she didn't mind missing the craziness. She enjoyed her own opening party after she woke up! 

The girls loved getting to spend time with Jacob and Ressie!  Ressie will turn 1 in about 2 weeks and she is going to be running around with her big cousins in no time.  She's already started taking a few steps.  I love that Jacob wanted to hold his chainsaw for the picture.  He declared it is favorite Christmas gift.

Just before lunch Aunt Ann (mom's sister), Uncle Bud, Angela, Uncle Jimmy (mom's brother) and Aunt Kathy arrived.  We enjoyed having all of them there to spend the afternoon and evening with us! 

Claire was telling Aunt Ann and Uncle Bud about something.  

I caught Claire and Ressie playing together and I thought it was cute!  They are going to be buddies.  

5 going on 15.  

Watts Family Photo

We had such a wonderful Christmas!  So thankful that our Savior was born.  So thankful for family. So thankful for the three girls standing in front of us and we can't wait to have one more in our arms next Christmas! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  

Christmas in Jackson

We headed down to Jackson the Monday before Christmas to spend time with Bert's family.  We had a great visit!  

On Monday afternoon the other adults were doing a little more wrapping so Bert and I took the kids on a walk around the neighborhood.  Cuties!

All the kiddos where you can see their sweet faces.  

Hannah loves watching movies with Pawpaw! 

On Tuesday evening we had our Watts family get together.  Carrie set up a photo booth, which all the kids thought was great fun!

We loved getting to see Mamaw (Bert's grandma)! 

Pawpaw even got in on the fun!  

Grandmama made capes for all her grandkids.  They were a big hit!  

Grandmama and Pawpaw with all their grandkids!  Grandmama was especially glad to have everyone at the same place and same time.  

On Wednesday we all started making the treck north.  Alison and Stephen headed back to Wake Forest with their kids and we met Linda, Jeff and Carrie at our house on Wednesday evening.  They spent the night with us and then we had a fun morning with them on Christmas Eve before they headed on up the road to Alison's house.  

Aunt Carrie and three of her nieces.  We always hate to see her go.  Los Angeles is just a little too far away.:)  

We had so much fun with family!  The girls loved getting to play with their cousins and Bert and I loved getting to catch up with everyone! 

Anniversary Dinner

Our anniversary was on Dec. 15th and we had a great day!  My mom came up a couple days later on Friday so that she could keep the girls and we could go out for an anniversary date night.  We decided to go to the Peddler Steakhouse.  We went there last year for our anniversary too.  It's just so good!  I get the pork tenderloin every time and Bert gets a steak and he's decided it's the best steak around. They also have an AMAZING salad bar which makes me equally as happy as the pork tenderloin, but then I really like a good salad. 

When we were at the salad bar there was a guy talking to another lady that he knew and she was asking him if they were going to have another kid (earlier in the conversation he had told her that he and his wife had 2 girls).  He said they would if they could guarantee it would be a boy, but since they can't he's not sure if they'll have another or not.  Bert and I just smiled at each other.  To each his own, but Claire and Abigail are such huge blessings to us it's hard for us to understand why someone would say they don't want another girl.  

We so enjoyed our time at dinner together!  The food, atmosphere, service, Christmas decorations...everything was wonderful!  After dinner we headed to several stores to finish up our Christmas shopping.  

Our anniversary date was actually a two part date (Friday night and Saturday morning).  On Saturday morning we headed to the movie theater for the 10 am showing of the new Star Wars movie.  Until about 2 months ago I hadn't seen any of them.  We've enjoyed watching them together and Bert has been so excited about this new one coming out. Bert could give you a more detailed analysis on #7 compared with the other movies...even though I've seen them I don't think I'm Star Wars knowledgeable enough to do that, but I can give you the summary....we both enjoyed it!  

I love him more today than I did on the day we were married!  Happy 8 years to us! 

Christmas Dresses, a Reunion, and Play & Praise Performance

I usually don't have time on Sunday mornings to snap any pictures of the girls.  Bert leaves for church really early so it's just me getting everybody fed and ready for the day.  But this particular morning I just had to make time for a picture.  They were too stinking cute.  

Hannah did not originally want to wear this cute dress.  She had picked out a black sleeveless dress to wear on the chilly December morning.  There were definitely some tears when I told her she had to wear this one (3 year olds for ya), but I knew she would be totally fine once she got it on.  They still love to dress alike.  

Thanks so much to Mimi for buying these cute dresses for them on a black Friday sale! 

As soon as church was over we jumped in the car and headed to Pendleton for the Moore family reunion (my dad's mom's side).  We have this reunion at this time every year at Aunt Jennie's house.  It's always so good to see everyone!  

After the reunion we headed back to Greenville so that we could get ready for Emily and Hannah's Christmas performance at church.  My parents came back with us so that they could see the girls perform.  They loved having Mimi and Papa there.

They sang 4 songs and did such a great job!  

There were several times when they were singing that Hannah would stop and wave really big at Papa.  Papa was holding Claire in his lap so we weren't sure if she was waving at Papa or Claire or both, but she had the biggest grin on her face and it made people chuckle. 

Preschool choirs really are the cutest.  It's hard for me to believe that next year Emily won't be in the preschool choir -- she'll move up to the big kids choir next fall!  It's been fun having them both in there together this year.  

When Hannah first got up on stage and got in place she looked at me and gave me a big thumbs up.  That also brought a round of chuckles.  Sweet things.  

It was a fun, busy, and beautiful Sunday!  We have so much to celebrate and be thankful for this Christmas season!