Christmas 2011

Christmas came and went in a flash this year. I can remember my parents saying when I was younger that the older you get the faster time flies. Now I understand what they were talking about. This was my year to work Christmas at the hospital. Although it is usually never that busy on Christmas day the days leading up to and following are crazy because everyone is trying to get things done before the holidays hit. Between Christmas and New Years I ended up working 13 or 14 days straight and this pregnant momma was beat. Throw in the actual holiday with cooking, baking, present wrapping, elf shenanigans, and daily household business and I was ready to collapse. Luckily, my awesome husband came through with Christmas dinner including a standing rib roast which was excellent. We were lucky to have Nana and Aunt Danae over for Christmas dinner as well as our adopted Tallahassee Family, The Ochs. I love a house filled with laughter, memories, story telling, and utter chaos. In my head I have this idea of how I want things to go, pictures I want to capture, memories I want to make, crafts I want to do with Olivia, and then reality sets in and my ideas fall to the wayside. We did manage a family picture this year which is one step ahead of last year. All in all Christmas was wonderful, and we wouldn't have spent it any other way.

December 2011

We started this month off with a little sickness to go around. After Thanksgiving Olivia ended up with pneumonia. Luckily we caught it in time and she didn't need to be hospitalized. After 10 days of antibiotics and lots of rest she was good to go. Robert and I ended up with respiratory infections/colds, but we managed to bounce back after a couple of days. Due to sickness our family Christmas picture turned into pictures of just Olivia although I ended up in a few just for fun. I was 20 weeks pregnant with Caroline.







 



November 2011

So, I have a little catching up to do. Nothing like a little maternity leave to check things off of your to do list. Obviously my memory is a little shady, but I will do my best. We traveled to Birmingham twice during the month of November. The first trip was for Aunt Laura and baby Ashley's baby shower. The trip was short and quick, but we managed to fit in a little fun. On Saturday my parents took Olivia and I to Disney on Ice. She had a blast and was mesmerized for two hours. She ate enough junk food for everyone, but that's what special treats with grandparents are for.

Sunday I traveled to Tuscaloosa for the shower. I did a quick tour of the town to view the damage from the tornado. The town that I love so much and lived in for the greater part of seven years will forever be changed. It was devastating to see the town ripped to pieces, but amazing to see the rebuilding that had already begun. Laura's baby shower was beautiful and so much fun. I had a ton of fun helping out, and meeting her extended family and friends.

The two pregnant Jernigan women.

Our second trip was for Thanksgiving. Olivia had a blast playing with her cousins, and we enjoyed catching up with family.

Football, Pumpkin Patch, and a Mad Hatters Tea Party

We kicked off the month of October with a trip to The Swamp. Gigi and Papaw made the trip from Birmingham to Tallahassee to hang out with Olivia so Robert and I could go to the Alabama/Florida game. She was in heaven, and it was a nice but short get away for us. Luckily the Tide did not disappoint. We had a great tailgate, and an awesome win!

Next up was the Venetozzi/Doss wedding in Pensacola. We headed over on Thursday, and Olivia was way to excited to sleep in a hotel for the first time. The rehearsal dinner was amazing, and Miss Olivia enjoyed the samplings of dessert.

Before the wedding Friday evening we headed to the beach. It was a little chilly and windy, but a certain three year old did not mind. I came away with an awesome and painful sunburn and windburn, which made for a fun evening and ride back the next day.

After a very quick nap we made our way the to Pensacola Yacht club for the ceremony. I do not have a lot of pictures from the ceremony or reception. Keeping a three year old quiet while watching a princess marry her prince, and while her daddy was performing the ceremony took priority.

After a weekend or two of not traveling and hanging out at home we were ready for a little Halloween fun. We started the day with a trip to the pumpkin patch. Olivia picked out three pumpkins-one for each of us. She enjoyed bouncing in the jumpy house (for 30 minutes=hello good nap), and getting her face painted.

After the bouncy house induced nap Rapunzel and I headed to a Mad Hatters Tea Party. Olivia had a blast playing with her friends, and I enjoyed catching up with friends.

It's A...

It's been forever since I blogged, but I was afraid of not being able to keep my mouth shut. So, I guess it's time to let the cat out of the bag. We are expecting a baby in April 2012. We found out August 8th, but have tried to keep it mostly a secret. Although the past week or two there isn't much of a secret to keep. This belly has definitely popped, and there is no denying that I am pregnant vs. weight gain. We heard the heartbeat for the first time on September 8th, and what a wonderful sound to hear your baby's heart beat for the very first time. We told our families that weekend by sending them a picture of Olivia in a "I'm the Big Sister" shirt. Everyone was very surprised and excited. Other than having morning(all day) sickness from week 5-11 and a terrible stomach bug I have felt great. I am exhausted all of the time, and usually in bed by 9:00 p.m. Robert reminds me that this time around I have a three year old to chase after, which does not lend itself to naps after work. Olivia is over the moon excited about the baby. She has stated from day one that the baby is a sister, and told her Gigi and Papaw, "I be very disappointed if it a baby brother." She originally named the baby Lucy, but has since changed the name to Snow White. She doesn't understand why the baby can't come now, and has to wait until April. She loves to rub my belly and give her "sister" kisses. She talks about helping feed the baby, changing diapers, and letting her play with her toys. We hope the excitement and willingness to help continues after the baby gets here.

Movin' on up

The reason I started this blog was to keep a record of Olivia's milestones, and all of the funny things she says or does. Warning-this post will be complete with incomplete sentences, poor grammar, and run-on sentences.

Milestones:
Cutting out a shape or pattern with scissors.
Tracing letters, numbers, etc...
Identifying all of the letters of the alphabet and approximately 90% of the sound associated with the letter.
Spelling your name
Saying the pledge of allegiance

Fun milestones:
Learning to chew gum and not swallow it.
Learning to eat cherries and not swallow the pit.
Learning to eat a chicken wing which made Robert so proud.

I know there are so many other things that I cannot think of right now. It might have something to do with her waking me up at 5 this morning. She went back to sleep. I did not.

Funny things she has said or done:
I found her asleep on the floor in front of our bed one morning. When asked why she was in our room and not her room she said she needed some fresh air. I then asked why she didn't get in the bed and her response was, "Because it was full of yourselves and there was a big pillow in the middle."

I was woken up in the middle of the night this past week with her screaming. I jump out of bed to find her in the half bath and she had fallen into the toilet. Robert and I are convinced that she sleep walks.

She has started saying "Holy Cow" and "Whaaat" in response to something funny.

She came home from school the other day singing, "Who let the dogs out?" When I asked who let them out she replied, William. I guess that is the little boy that taught her the song.

She informed me that her daddy has brown skin, but that I do not.

Life here is never dull. There is always chatter and laughter. Most of the time I feel like I am the ring master in my very own circus.

Roughing it at Home.

Following our little trip to the ER we needed to keep Olivia home for a while before she could return to school. Folks it is hot here, and getting outside even at 8:00 in the morning is almost unbearable. You run out of ideas for a 3 year old and entertainment in the AC. So one day we ventured out to the mall. We enjoyed dinner by the fountains followed by icecream.

She is into dressing herself, and it is usually a dress or skirt so she can twirl.

And when it is too hot to picnic outside you can always have a picnic lunch inside.