Sometimes, Santa comes early

This year, we wanted to give Shae a playroom for Christmas.  She doesn't really have a place for all of her 'things', other than bins in the family room... which end up everywhere and need to be put away every night.

The Sorensen family arrives this week, and we figured that was enough excitement for Christmas, so we put the playroom together early and surprised her this morning.  It's not quite done, but at 1:30am we said it was close enough. This is probably the beginning of many late nights of putting together Christmas gifts for her.

Luckily, she loved it, kept pointing at everything saying 'ooooo, mommy'.  She now has enough room for everything, and will hopefully share the space with her brother when he arrives.

I love how it looks, and who really needs a dining room anyway?  We used it a whopping three times in the three years we've been in the house, so this is a much better use of space.  We have a playdate with some friends tomorrow morning to break it in.

Hard at work with her playdough.

Oh Christmas Tree

Something about a Christmas tree makes the house magical.  We put ours up last weekend and Shae had a blast picking it out.  I couldn't even get her to stay still for a picture.  She kept running around yelling "trees!".

Last year I was worried about her breaking ornaments, but she was so gentle with them.  This year, she broke an ornament within 30 seconds of me opening the box.  We've now kept everything breakable out of her reach, or didn't even put them on the tree, so it looks pretty bare bones this year.  What I love most is every morning when she comes downstairs, she says "ooooo, Mommy, tree!" and runs over to touch it.

For years, literally, Matt has been asking if we can have colored lights on the tree instead of just white, so this year I bought him two strands to mix in.  Pretty generous of me, huh?  I figured Shae would like them too... but I have to admit, I prefer white.

Papa!

Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen visited us for a few days, and Shae now calls both of them Papa.  I don't think she really notices a difference between the 'ma' and 'pa' sounds yet.  I was so surprised with how easily she warmed up to them and how excited she was to see them when she woke up in the mornings.

We waved goodbye to 'their' plane when they left, and now, every once in a while, she'll point to a plane and say 'papa' with a sad little face.  :(   We explained that they had to go home to take care of their sheep, chickens, llama, dogs, and cats and they'll be back at Christmas.  She has no idea what Christmas is (or a llama for that matter), but it seems to be an sufficient explanation for her.

There must be something soothing about Grandma Lucy.
Shae would never sit this still in front of a computer with me.

Singing 'row row' before bed.

It's a BOY!

Shae is going to have a little brother!  I've had this image in my head of raising two little girls, so it has taken time to get used to the idea of a boy.  It's not disappointment, just different than what I pictured.  I'm sure once I see his beautiful little face, none of that will matter.  All I really want is a healthy baby.

The doctor says he has very long arms and legs (go figure).

Oh, the humiliation...

The pets in our home are constantly being dressed up, chased, stepped on, put 'night-night', or used as a place for toys.  Except for Pete that is... he wants nothing to do with Shae and won't go anywhere near her.  Duke and Betty just hang their heads in shame and deal with it.  Shae loves her pets though, and on our drive home everyday she starts saying their names because she's excited to see them.  I wonder if they feel the same way... do they look excited to you?

This sweet little blob...

is the next member of the Sorensen family!!!  It even looks like it's smiling.  Due date is March 14, 2012.

We are so happy and excited to have another... we never wanted Shae to be an only child.  It's like having a home without a pet... somehow emptier.  Siblings are your first friends, your toughest competitors, they teach you how to share, and give you the most honest feedback you could ever want. As you get older, they are also your oldest friends, and you'll wonder what you would have done without them.  That is true for both me and Matt, and I hope it is for Shae too.  I know she'll be a great big sister, just like mine.  She even has a similar personality to Christine; very headstrong, smart, opinionated, and bossy.  She'll be perfect.  There will be about 26 months difference; not too close, but not too far apart.

Matt wasn't home when I found out, so I told Shae first. "I whispered Mommy has a baby in her tummy", because I had to tell someone.  She looked at me, then at my belly, and said a firm "No".  Now, if you ask her what's in my belly, she will say 'baby', but I don't think she really grasps it yet.  She's still a Mommy's girl, so may be a little jealous.  I love having a girl so much, I really, really want another (of course, Matt wants a boy).  I saved everything, so it would be easy too... no clothes to buy, bedding, blankets, I have it all for a girl.  That means it will be a boy, right?  We may need to find out the gender.  Even though I absolutely loved the surprise last time, I would like to prepare if it does turn out to be a boy.

We have the usual worries as well.  Since I am downright ancient in the maternity world (aka Advanced Maternal Age), we worry about having a healthy, normal, baby.  Then there's the question of how on earth we will have time for anything now?   How can I love another baby as much as I love Shae?  That can't be possible.  Will I favor one over the other?  And when will I sleep?  I am going to be so tired for the next few years.

Privacy? What's that?

Shae has become very interested in our bathroom habits... I'm told this is one sign she may be ready to start potty training.  Not only does she want to know what we're doing in there, but she wants to watch.  You get over any sort of modesty pretty quickly.  Unfortunately for our guests last week, Amy & Kevin, she wanted to know if they were going pee or poo and would ask through the door.  Luckily they locked it or she would have let herself in to ask.

Shae absolutely loved having her Aunt Amy here, and still says Amy quite a bit, I think wondering when she might see her again.  She even gave them hugs goodnight.  Those things really make me hate living so far away from family.