Buy 3, Get one Free

John Michael thinks I hoard shopping bags but I always know they will come in handy.  When we travel to family Christmas's, instead of making 431,072 trips to the car to get presents, I just stash them all in these handy oversized Belk and Target bags, and off we go!  These 3 bags are ready to be hauled off to one of our many Christmas's.

On the eve of Christmas Eve, Ryder was all jacked up on excitement.  He's never removed the couch cushions before, but there is always a first time to jump from the couch to the cushions.

Then he built a "fork"

Kayla came to give Ryder his presents early.  One of them being Boots!

This is how Ryder's hair looks after all the water has drained out and he wants to continue playing and it's drying out it's on.  Youch.

Later that night there was a very interesting turn of events.  At 12:30 a.m. Ryder was up and crying so I went in to soothe him.  I ended up falling asleep.  About 1:30 a.m. JM runs in Ryder's room and says "Brittany where are you, the doorbell just rang!"  I was sound asleep but immediately wide awake.  Next thing I know JM has run out of the room and comes back with a gun and says he's going to the door.  By then someone is banging on our back door.  I'm like NOOOO don't open the door they might come crashing in but he leaves the room and I hear him talking to someone outside.  I'm freaking out because I know they are going to knock him out and come in and get us.  Finally he comes back in and says it was the police and that someone had broken into two houses directly across the street from us.  They were both home, nobody was hurt.  But seriously, how disgusting are some people?  And desperate, it's so sickening.  So I got Ryder up and brought him in bed with us and couldn't sleep a wink the rest of the night.  Once I thought I heard a gun shot (JM thinks it was fireworks, but at 3:00 a.m. on Christmas eve eve?)  So I kicked him and said did you hear that, he literally wacked his head straight up and flew out of the bed and scared me worse.  OH WHAT A NIGHT!

So the next morning we went to my grandmother's in Greenville.  Here is a picture of every single one of the grandchildren (my first cousins) and the 3 little ones are the great grandchildren.

Christmas morning.  Raggedy fort no more, it's a Toy Story tent!  And a new tricycle.  For the first couple days he could only pedal in reverse... I looked on the streaming video at Ryder's school and they were outside.  Ryder was on one of these trikes going 90 to nothing in reverse.  Sooo funny.

Then Poppy and CC came over to give Ryder his big present.  I told him it was his new chair that he could watch TV and read his books on because I didn't know if he would know what it was.

His very own bean bag chair with his name on it.  When we pulled it out, he said, "Open it, where's my chair?"  He thought it was zipped up in the bean bag I guess.

All of our parents do too much.  I didn't mention the big gift he got from my dad and Becky, it was a nice chunk of change for his college fund.  He does that for all the holidays, it's sooo nice!

Then we went to Nanni and Grandaddy's where he got a new slide!  He is so rotten.

His aunt T got him this "Woody" hat and a gun.

He knew right where to shoot it.  Except he had it pointed in the wrong direction.  Lawd I hope he didn't see JM with that gun the other night!

Ryder had tons of fun with his new block toys he got for Christmas. He stuffed them all in his shirt and thought that was hysterical.

Unloading.

Next up, Christmas at CC and Poppy's.

Everyone was admiring Sellers' new bike, especially Ryder.  He needs to get the trike down in the forward motion first.

Our family of 3, soon to be FOUR!

Yup, bun's in the oven.  Back at the end of October I ordered some Christmas stockings because shame on me, I'd only had 2 stockings the last 2 Christmas's and there were 3 people in our family.  Ryder didn't have a stocking :(   So, I searched Etsy and when I was trying to choose between a couple of merchants, I noticed one person offered their stocking at buy 3 get 1 free.  At this time there was no baby on board, and I didn't know when there would be, but I thought, what the heck, hopefully I'll have another one by next Christmas, I'm going with this person.  Good thing I did because a couple weeks later we found out Ryder would be a big brother.  I'm a little over 10 weeks and due the end of July.  I couldn't keep it a secret too long, because it was getting rather obvious.  Between the nausea and expanding belly, the news had to be shared.

Things have been totally different this time around.  One, I find myself forgetting all the time that I am pregnant where before it consumed my brain.  I haven't glanced at my What to Expect book, even though I don't remember much from last time, I haven't been stalking baby name and nursery bedding sites.  I've been extremely exhuasted and have been nauseated most every day, and have gotten sick several times.  Last time around I felt like a dream, no tiredness, no sickness, just happy as a clam.  BUT, I wouldn't care if I was sick all day every day, I'm just soooooo thankful and feeling very blessed and thanking God for this blessing.

Here's big brother Ryder holding little baby's pics in front of my buy 3 get one free.

Admiring his little baby's pictures.  He has requested a little brother and wants his name to be Ross.

He had enough with all that baby talk, he decided to go outside and practice his front pedaling skills.  Practice makes perfect.

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My New Years holiday weekend started about 3:00 on Thursday, so I went to Ryder's school to pick him up early.  As soon as I walked in the door I saw him running out of the office.  I thought uh oh, he got in trouble!  But he said, "Mama, look, I gotta red boogie!"  I said a what??  Then his teacher said he had just fallen and busted his nose, which was still bleeding and so he said he had a red boogie.  

He was being a big boy, but I still wanted to take him to do something fun so we went to the library so I could read him some books.

Then, we went next door to Sonic and drank milk shakes outside on such a pretty day.

Then we went to eat Mexican with friends and afterwards Ryder and Gaines took a cute little bubble bath together and played in their Elmo pj's.

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Awhile back John Michael got me a groupon for Aqua the Day Spa and the deadline to use it was January 15.  I was trying to find a good date and decided on this past Friday because I was off work for New Years holiday.  I had $150 to use so I scheduled an hour massage for 10:00 and a pedicure for 11:30.  I got there at 9:30 and patiently waited for my appointment.  She took me back, gave me my robe and slippers, I got changed and went into the nice warm cozy massage room.  She started to ask me why I wanted a massage and what areas she should focus on.  I replied that I was 10 weeks pregnant and.... I was interrupted by, "Honey, you can't get a massage, you are still in your first trimester."  I was bummed.  I told her that my groupon was about to expire, and what was I going to do for the next hour and a half.  I walked over to Broadstreet and ordered and early lunch and read my book until 11:30.

And then I got my spa pedicure.  It was worth the wait.  Although it looks like my legs are in a double cast, they actually felt wonderful in those hot steaming towels!

And the girl was so sweet, she ended up giving me a gift card for the price of the massage so there would not be any hassle with me trying to get the massage after my first trimester, which would be after the groupon's expiration date.  

JM was working on Friday so before my appointment my dad and sister met me there to pick Ryder up and keep him.  After I was done I picked him up and we went to my sister's, I put Ryder down for a nap, and she and I watched Water for Elephants.  It was the most relaxing day I think I've had since college, if that.  Then, on Saturday (New Years Eve day) JM took Ryder to deer camp.  Ryder said I couldn't go, he said it was boys only, no girls.  So when they left at 9:30 I went to Redbox and rented 3 movies, Midnight in Paris, One Day and Something Borrowed.  I was literally sore from just laying around all day.  I had to get up and move around.  I can't believe what a lazy weekend I had.  That's just not like me, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

New Years Eve night we were all wild and crazy and went out to eat, the 3 of us.  The waiter who appeared to be a stoner, took our drink order, and then asked what he could get for "her" to drink (Ryder).  Me being me, I didn't want to embarrass him so I just replied that we would like some milk.  He came back with a breakable glass of milk that was bigger than Ryder's head...if that tells you anything :)  

It had no straw, no top, he clearly has never eaten with a child before.  I just laughed imagining what it would be like for Ryder to actually pick up that glass and take a little gulp.  

And today is New Years Day and I don't tend to make resolutions, they are pointless to me, sorry.  But I do hope to read my new "Jesus Calling" devotion everyday, try my hardest not to nag John Michael about petty stuff and walk on the treadmill at least 4 times a week, especially since I've moved into the new ages and got some new shoes for Christmas.  Out with the 2002 gray new balance, in with the 2012 neon nike's.

Notice I did not say I plan to eat healthier.  That's just too hard when the only thing I can eat at this rate is Zaxby's.