Merry Christmas!!!!

It seems to have been one party after another around here lately and I’m beginning to think that little Miss Jenna is growing too accustomed to opening presents, both baby presents for Jolene and Christmas presents, and having chocolate as her main food source. Her Auntie bought her a chocolate advent calendar and first thing in the morning when she comes downstairs, she insists on opening another number. Am I a bad mother for allowing her chocolate for breakfast?? Who can resist her little cute voice saying “Mama, eat number 20 toomono?”, which doesn’t actually mean tomorrow, but right now to her. Too cute!

The same girlfriend threw me a baby shower last week, the first of two, and I can’t believe how little I actually had for Jolene. Being as though I delivered 6 weeks early, I didn’t have a lot of things ready for her arrival. Okay, okay, the fact that I’m the biggest procrastinator didn’t help either. But now, after one shower and a family Christmas celebrated early, Jolene has many new beautiful clothes and toys (as does Jenna). My girls are definitely loved and spoiled by so many of our friends and family. We are very blessed.

Jolene is still growing like crazy despite having issues with feeding. The formula we used at the hospital and for a few weeks after she came home gave her the worst gas and she was very hard to settle down after a feed. We then switched to 2 other formulas and although the gas was a little better, she was still writhing in pain after some feeds. I put in a call to her pediatrician and we now have her on a new formula. It stinks like crazy and is double the cost of regular formula but I’m crossing my fingers that it will do the trick. She’s only been on it for a few days so it’s still a little too early to tell. My heart breaks for her when she’s screaming in pain, arching her back and curling her feet up to her chest. I just feel so helpless some days. The husband is very good at reading my stress level and taking her from me to help calm her, and me, down. Who knew this whole mothering a newborn was going to be this hard. Aside from the sleepless nights, being puked on, being pooped all over, looking (and smelling) like a troll most days, and having an upside down house, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Soon, Jolene will be older and all of this hardship will be a distant, fond memory so I am trying my damndest to savor every moment.

I took the girls to see Santa the other day and I was preparing myself for worst with Jenna. We were at the mall a few weekends ago and while the husband and the girls were waiting for me to finish up at a store, they stood by where Santa was and Jenna apparently jumped right out of the stroller into Daddy’s arms frightened of the bearded fellow. So knowing that, I tried preparing her a few days in advance telling her all about Santa and that he brings presents if you’re good and she was starting to get pretty excited as well. I couldn’t have asked it to go any better! We got there and right away, she sat on Santa’s knee, with Jolene sleeping on his other knee and when asked what toy she wanted for Christmas, with a very serious face, she held up two fingers and said “2 gums and a chocolate please”. I knew she wanted gum as her whole world revolves around gum, but holding up the 2 fingers cracked me right up! Santa didn’t quite understand but nodded his head politely and told her to take a candy cane. I was so proud of my big girl and since then, she talks of him often AND of the 2 gums she’s waiting to see under the tree from him. And I've been using the "I'll call Santa and tell him you're being naughty" as a bargaining tool to getting her to do things I want....like behaving when she's not. I know, something I'm not all that proud of!

We’re off to California on Sunday for a week to spend Christmas with my sister and her family. We haven’t spent Christmas together in quite a few years and I’m giddy with excitement. Jenna is soooo excited to see her cousins.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a rockin’ New Years’ from our family to yours! I haven't downloaded any recent pictures from my camera lately, which is already packed, so I will leave you with one of my most favorites videos of Jenna. It was taken over the summer at a mall when Toopy & Binoo made an appearance. She was just too darn cute!