Merry Christmas - *updated with pictures*

*Updated* (with pictures...lots of them!)

Wow! What a difference a year makes!

Last year I was laid up in my hospital bed cooking my three beautiful babies with the occasional and brief stroll around the hospital for a change of scenery. I went through very time consuming (as the nurses struggle to find/keep the babies' heart rates) daily fetal monitoring of the babies and monitoring of contractions. I had to take daily medication to keep contractions under control which left me feeling pretty yukky. I listened as Christmas carolers sang outside my hospital room. I struggled to eat my recommended several thousand calories per day due to my stomach being smashed by babies. I went through surprise room changes with no notice. I had several more visitors from my wonderful and thoughtful friends and family - my Mom, Craig's parents - Steve and Jami, Kyle and Michaela, John and Angi, Mike, Ame & Blake, Al & Faye, Matt & Sharon, and Jennifer.

This year I cleaned and decorated my home in preparation for my family to come for Christmas. I cooked turkey and dressing as well as a few sweets! I fed my babies their bottles and breakfast. Craig and I had our own special time with the babies and I helped them open their first Christmas presents. We all sat together in the dining room and had lunch together. Then, we all opened Christmas presents and the kids enjoyed their new gifts. We then played a game of Apples to Apples and had a very good time. After my family left to go back home or to another family Christmas, Craig and I played with, read to, fed and rocked our sweet little trio before putting them to bed. It was a wonderful first Christmas as a family of five!

This was a week early Christmas gift. They got it early because they needed some more age appropriate toys that would hopefully keep Tyler out of stuff... Didn't work!
This is Cindy, one of my helpers for the first several months after the babies came home. She stopped by last week to drop by a Christmas gift for the babies.

My 3 little elves.
Can you tell who is who?
Christmas morning we began opening presents after their bottle.
The best 3 Christmas presents ever!
Oops... no bow pic for Whitney. :(
Opening presents!
They really like their new keyboard.
We tried to get a pic of the 3 of them with their Christmas presents, but as you can see, they are too busy for that. Then, my family came over for lunch, presents and games... My Mom, brother Les and Whitney
After we finished playing games, we kicked back for a bit. Me and my SIL, Kimberly.

Les & Whitney and my other brother, KevinUnfortunately I do not have pictures of all my family that came. It was pretty hectic and rushed and weren't intentionally left out. My SIL, Jill, nieces Maddie and Haidyn and nephew Caleb were also there.

After everybody left, Craig read to the babies a little bit before bottles and bed. This was one of their Christmas gifts.

Then, Saturday we had a non-traditional Christmas lunch with Craig's family. We had honey glazed ham, chicken salad sandwiches, veggies and dip, and lots of other yummy dips and desserts. We opened presents and dug through our stockings with the family and had a great time. We also had an exciting scavenger hunt - thank you to my niece Victoria for being my good little helper! Then, we managed to throw together an impromptu and much belated Mother's Day picture of all the grandkids for Mamaw. Later in the afternoon, we played a game together and had a good time straining our brains a little! We very much enjoyed our time together - all 18 of us!


Hannah is the youngest of all so she got to open first.

Whitney 2nd...
Tyler 3rd...followed by 15 more people. Thank you everybody for the wonderful Christmas presents.
Sweet cousins. Michael and Tyler playing together.
Sexy Mama!

Craig was enjoying our new camera and it's close-up features. Picture of his brother, Kyle.
Look at all those kids! And there are 4 not pictured. Lisa, Kyle and Michaela

Papaw is getting beat up by Mamaw!
Mamaw and Hannah (being silly as always)
Aunt Lisa and Whitney
Mommy getting a little R&R with the back massager!
Feeding the chitlens.
Mamaw feeding Whitney.Papaw and Whitney

My scavenger hunt with my helper, Victoria.
All 10 cousins/grandkids!
Wow! What a difference a year makes!