2016 Christmas Recap

The most wonderful time of the year feels like months ago, but that's par for the course with this blog.  Regardless, I want to recount as much of it as I can because this is the first Christmas the kiddos truly GOT it.  Not to say they fully understand the real meaning of Christmas (Jude still prefers baby Jesus to sit on the roof of our nativity and Sloane has continued her love of presents before people) but the awe and wonder and magic were definitely there.  It was wonderful.

A small confession: I am not one of those who gets positively giddy about Christmas.  I enjoy putting up the Christmas decorations but about two weeks in I start feeling super claustrophobic.  I'm a minimalist at heart and it's hard for me to see past the STUFF.  I also get overwhelmed with all of the projects, crafts, pictures, cards, etc.  I wish I could say it's because I am so holy and really get the true meaning of Christmas but it's a personality flaw more than anything else.

Meanwhile, Michael is and always has been a Christmas fanatic and thankfully our kiddos have taken after him.  I did make the request that we spread out the cheer over the weeks leading up to Christmas so it wouldn't feel too overwhelming for any of us.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving the kiddos had their picture taken with Santa.  We've gone to this Santa every year and he's always so patient and sweet with them, including this year when Jude gave the beard one too many tugs.  Sloane asked for a purple slinky and for the next four weeks we heard way too much about this blessed gift.

Something else about this age - my kiddos don't quite understand time.  After a week of Sloane waking us up every morning with, "Is TODAY Christmas?" we found this adorable countdown calendar that saved the day.  Errrr... days.  Each morning they took turns moving the mossy wreath over to the correct number and it was probably our best purchase of the season.

We chose our beautiful tree from this quaint tree farm in McKinney called Home Depot and trimmed it sparingly.  It fell once and we're still not sure if it was solely Jude or if Sloane had a part in it.  We lost a good man/ornament in the fall but it scared both of them enough that the tree was left alone for the remainder of the season.

One of the highlights of this year was the Grapevine Polar Express.  Jude & Sloane wore their Christmas pajamas and got to ride their first train with mom, dad, Mimi, and Papa.  They absolutely loved it.  We sang Christmas carols, wrote letters to Santa, and got to visit the North Pole.  They each received their own silver bell after the ride was over and they're still hanging in their room - the only decoration I couldn't bare to put away.  They also took another picture with Santa and I must say, this has to be my favorite picture of them with jolly St. Nick.  It was such a fun evening and a great memory for all of us.

Other than that, we sent out some Christmas cards...

Visited downtown McKinney to watch the lighting of the Christmas tree...

Started soccer for Sloane and gymnastics for Jude...

Made some epic gingerbread houses (next year we're going to bake cookies - this was NOT the most wonderful time of the year)...

Purchased Holland's first Christmas ornament...

Went to a wonderful friend's Christmas party...

Grew a (giant) baby...

And had a fun Christmas concert at school... (they kept with last year's theme of Jude sitting in the teacher's lap the entire time and Sloane taking a lavish bow and blowing kisses to her adoring public after singing about sweet baby Jesus)

We celebrated Christmas a week early with Michael's family and then drove to Arkansas to spend Christmas with my family.  Since we were there on Christmas day we packed all of the toys, the stockings, and even the Christmas countdown calendar.  Our cars were filled to the brim.

On Christmas Eve they opened presents from mom, dad, Gaga, and Poppy.  They loved it for the most part but it was a bit sensory overload for Jude (The presents!  The wrapping paper!  The bags! The tissue paper!) so we spent the rest of the evening giving him big hugs and lots of love.

Christmas morning came and all of the presents were already unwrapped and waiting for eager hands.  The two of them spent the day playing and playing and playing with their new toys.

Michael had to be back at work on Tuesday but the kids and I stayed the rest of the week so we could see Aunt Chelle, Uncle B, and the cousins.  It was such a wonderful time - the fab five get along incredibly well and we even managed to fit 10.5 people under one roof for five days without any long-term effects.  I found myself thinking about next Christmas and how sweet it will be to have Holland there in the mix.

2016 was quite the year.  I was juuuuust fine waving goodbye to it and was happy to welcome 2017 with a warm embrace.  Cheers to a new year!

PinkBlush | Giveaway

Winner of the Giveaway: Britney Thorne from Instagram!  Thanks so much to all who entered!

Merry (day after) Christmas!  I'm still working on our Christmas post - the most wonderful time of the year takes a lot of time to write.  Christmas was absolutely wonderful, Jude & Sloane had a blast, and I definitely had my fair share of lump-in-throat moments that tend to happen far more regularly than they used to.

In the meantime, I wanted to announce a really fun GIVEAWAY!  I teamed up with PinkBlush, who makes incredible maternity (and non-maternity) clothes!  I love their endless options because they're stylish, unique, and fair-priced.  Since this will absolutely be my last pregnancy, I've been very careful with my spending.  However, I have some fun weekends coming up in the next few months so I've scoured their site and found so many great options.

For instance... this tunic (part of their maternity collection) was right up my alley.

24 weeks!

My favorite part?  I will absolutely wear it once Holland arrives.  I'm all about oversized bohemian tops (one of the reasons I haven't had to buy much this pregnancy) so this fit right in with my style.

Now we all know I'm not a fashion blogger and posing by myself gives me all sorts of awkward anxiety, but I had a world-renowned photographer (Michael Haynes, I'm sure you've heard of him) take my pictures so it was pretty easy.

(Also - Right now take 25% off their entire site!!)

Giveaway: $75 to PinkBlush (Maternity or Non-Maternity)

This giveaway couldn't be easier.  All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post!  You can also tag some friends on Instagram (@meredith_haynes) for extra entries.  No need to follow, like, or repost.

In the meantime, check out PinkBlush's website or follow them on Instagram (@shoppinkblush).  Giveaway ends tomorrow (Tuesday) at midnight CST and winner will be notified on Wednesday!

GOOD LUCK!

Thanks to PinkBlush for sponsoring this giveaway and providing the tunic pictured above!  

SaveSave

(Almost) 23 Weeks

I can't believe it's been three weeks since my last update!  It feels like I wrote it a week ago, which is a perfect description for how fast this pregnancy is moving along.  23 weeks seems like no big deal and then I realize... wait, we only have 16 weeks left before she's here.

I went back and read my 23-week update with the twins and had a good laugh.  By this point we'd painted the nursery and assembled both cribs as well as the changing table.   I'd already had a baby shower in Fort Smith and we'd taken a hospital class.  

Here is what we've accomplished so far...

1.  Created life (hey, when you know the list is going to be short you include it all)

2.  Named the baby

3.  Switched hospitals

4.  Uhhh....

The nursery is still very much an office with no plans of becoming a nursery anytime soon.  Furniture hasn't been assembled... or purchased for that matter.  This second (third?) time parenting thing is very humorous. 

However, there have been some big decisions made in the last few weeks, which I'm excited to share.  As I said above, baby girl has a name....

Holland Claire Haynes

Deciding on Jude & Sloane was a piece of cake but this little lady has been very difficult.  We've both been fans of the name Holland since I was pregnant with the twins, but I know it's quite unique and I was a little apprehensive.  Is it too much?  Will she be "that kid" in class?  However, one day we started talking about other girl names to see if we could come up with something we loved more.  Michael touched my stomach and said, "Hi, ____" and I was absolutely disgusted.  No, it was Holland.  This is Holland.  

We also decided to switch hospitals.  My OB delivers at two hospitals in the area and without thinking I just signed up for the one where the twins were born.  Michael asked why I didn't opt for the one closer to home.  Never even crossed my mind!  At my appointment yesterday I went to the business office and made the switch.  Birthday will still be April 6 and now we (and the grandparents) have a much shorter trek!  I also pre-registered so we are officially ready to go!  

Everything else checked out great at my appointment.  I've gained the same amount of weight with Holland as I did with Jude & Sloane.  My bump is the same size as well.  And yes, I do find that mortifying, thank you.  At a recent Christmas party the photographer said, "You're about ready to pop!  Only a month or so left, right?"  Total flashback to my twin pregnancy when I started lying about my due date just to avoid embarrassment on both sides.  I may start telling people I'm due in February.  

Blood pressure was great, heartbeat was perfect, and she's still quite the mover & shaker!  I've been having a bit of pain from my previous umbilical hernia surgery, which apparently is normal and will hopefully resolve on its own.  Belly button is still an innie but I'm guessing it has a few weeks if not days left before its triumphant emergence. 

21 weeks

22 weeks (wearing their initials around my neck!)

23 weeks

I got a little teary reading my 23-week update with the twins because I refer to it being our only pregnancy.  At times I still feel overwhelmed and anxious with this complete surprise but I just feel so LUCKY we get to do it all over again.  It's such an undeserved gift and a chance for us to really shine as a team.  Some of my favorite marital moments occurred in those first six months so I think about that when I start reaching for a paper bag at the thought of having three kids.  Thank goodness for several friends with three little ones who have shared words of wisdom and encouragement.  

We are closing in on Christmas and it's been so much fun to see it all through Jude & Sloane's eyes.  I believe it deserves its own post but, for now, here's (quite possibly) my favorite Santa picture to date!  

Polar Express in Grapevine - they loved it!

(Almost) 20 Weeks

Time for a monthly update on the little one - quite a bit has happened in November!

A few days after the twins' birthday party I noticed a bit of lower abdomen pressure.  I remembered a similar feeling with the twins, though it was not until much later in the pregnancy.  I went ahead and called the doctor that morning just to be safe and she had me come in for a quick ultrasound.  Michael was working from home that day so he was able to join me.

She did a few measurements and was able to ease my worries immediately - everything looked great and the baby was quite secure in its spot.  In my best nonchalant voice I asked, "While we're here, could you do a quick look at the baby and see if you can tell if it's a boy or a girl?"  She did and told us it looked like a girl.

A GIRL.

From about 10 weeks on, I just knew it was a boy.  No real reason why, just a gut feeling.  I asked her how sure she was and she replied, "I wouldn't paint the nursery, but I'm pretty sure."  I had a quick chat with the doctor and we were on our way.  I kept looking at Michael and saying, "A girl!  Can you believe it?"  He politely reminded me I was the only one who was convinced it was a boy so a girl was very easy for him to believe.

The next two weeks were hard because I felt a bit in limbo.  I didn't want to start growing attached to the idea of a girl only to find out a few weeks later it was indeed a boy.  I swore I saw a little something during the scan so I almost convinced myself it was a boy and she was mistaken.

When I was 18.5 weeks we went in for the scheduled anatomy scan.  Michael was able to come to this appointment as well, which made me so happy.  She checked the brain, heart, kidneys, and spine.  Everything looked perfect and about a week ahead of schedule.  Not shocking as the twins always measured one if not two weeks ahead.  The baby was, once again, bouncing all over the place and gave us several great shots so we walked away fully confident it was a girl.

sucking her thumb :)

I was both ecstatic and a little sad, as I would've been regardless of the outcome.  I'd already daydreamed two difference scenarios - a baby brother and a baby sister.  Hearing that it was a girl made me so excited (if not a little jealous) for Sloane to have a little sister, but I also knew how wonderful it would've been for Jude to have a little brother.  Regardless, I know they will both be amazing older siblings and this little one is the absolute luckiest to have these two as friends and mentors. :)

Once the kids were out of MDO I drove them to a park near Michael's work so we could do the gender reveal as a family.   I'd made confetti poppers the night before and we had a quick run-through as to what they'd do.  As you can see, Jude got a little confused and forgot to actually pop it.  Meh, whatever works.

I'd told Sloane we could purchase a pair of pajamas for the baby once we knew what we were having so once we'd vacuumed up our confetti (yes, I brought a dustbuster to the park), the kids and I drove to the mall.  We found a pair we loved and then Jude requested we go to the boys side and get a matching pair for his little brother.  It was then I realized... he thinks all babies come in pairs.  I knelt down and gently reminded him there was only one baby and it was a little girl.  He immediately started crying.  "But what about my brother?  What about the other baby?"  It was incredibly sweet and heartbreaking all at once.

We ended up not purchasing the pajamas that day and instead went to the shop next door for cookies.  When in doubt, give Jude food and he will cheer up immediately.  We had our cookies and visited the Disney store before heading home.

So that brings us to today.  I'm almost 20 weeks and feeling pretty great!  I've definitely popped and now look very pregnant - about the same size as I was with the twins at this stage.  It's a little disheartening but I'm telling my ego to shut it and just be thankful for a healthy pregnancy.  I've put off maternity tops as long as possible but my non-maternity tops are getting fairly short. I ordered a few recently and have lots of plans for layering this winter.  I've gained 12 pounds so far, which puts me at the weight I started the twins' pregnancy so it'll be interesting to see how this continues!  I also finally felt her (for sure) around 17.5 weeks and now get swift kicks and jabs quite often.  It is, by far, my favorite part of pregnancy.

Moving onto far more exciting stuff - a NAME and a NURSERY!  Not ready to reveal either yet, but we think we may have a first name and are trying to decide on the perfect middle name (which is ridiculously hard).  I am very protective of this third child and want to make sure she doesn't feel excluded from the twins but also realizes she is so special and unique.  While I didn't want the name to sound terrible with Jude & Sloane, I also didn't mind if it veered away from the one syllable names we chose for them.  And if you're rolling your eyes because I thought through all of this for a name, join Michael's club.

I also created a secret Pinterest board and went to town on her nursery.  When we first found out we were having a baby I was all, "Psh, we'll just throw something together last minute."  Ha.  HAAAA.  That plan lasted a few weeks.  She will be in the office, which is a tiny room with no closet.  We're going to have to get really creative with space.  I'm excited because it's super close to our room, has a large window (which has its drawbacks for a nursery but for someone who loves photography it is THRILLING), french doors, and pretty crown molding.  I'm fairly sure when we're done it'll be my favorite room in the house.

That's about it for now.  By my next update we will (surely?) have a name to share.  While the first trimester was painfully slow, the second trimester is flying by and I feel like I hit a new week every few days.  April 6 will be here before we know it!

ps.  If you were curious, I did end up getting the pajamas we picked out that day.  First purchase for our baby girl!

SaveSave

Jude & Sloane | 4 Years

The longer I go between updates on Jude & Sloane, the more anxious I get.  There's so much to share!  What if I leave something out?  Is it even possible to capture their personalities in a blog post? (Absolutely not.)  Regardless, I know one day I'll want to sit back and remember what this age was like and I imagine they might find it entertaining as well.  So kiddos, I apologize now for not being able to capture the true spirit that is you.

Jude
Height: 42 in (85%)
Weight: 39 lbs 4 oz (78%)
Clothes: 5T
Shoe: 10.5

Sloane
Height: 42.5 in (95%)
Weight: 36 lbs 8 oz  (64%)
Clothes: 4T tops and 5T pants
Shoe: 9.5

Jude Sullivan

Jude has the energy of the sun in a 4-year-old body.  He doesn't walk, he runs.  He doesn't jump, he leaps.  His kisses are powerful and his hugs make you lose your breath.  He feels with every fiber of his being.  Those who truly know Jude adore him.  He is crazy and all over the place, yet he remains one of the sweetest humans I know.

Jude had a rough start to school this year.  He's not a fan of change and as we walked past last year's classroom he let me know he was not interested in new teachers or a new environment.  No matter how much I encouraged him, he would have none of it.  He had a rough few weeks before finally settling in with the new schedule and now he's absolutely thriving.  His teachers have a funny story about him every time I pick him up and they recognize the amazing boy hiding under the cloak of crazy.  :)

Jude's speech continues to improve and while he's still difficult to understand at times, he will repeat his need/story/joke as many times as it takes for you to understand.  His heart belongs to Sloane and his adoration for her is so apparent.  It's incredibly sweet but I sometimes worry he will grow comfortable in her shadow.

He's still a picky eater and can be downright lazy at times.  He has zero interest in getting dressed on his own - he'd far rather me do it for him.  Now that a baby is on the way, I'm cracking down and not helping him as much.

Jude is very stubborn and has no problem throwing a loud fit if he's not happy with the situation.  He does not enjoy time-out so the simple threat of "Do you need to go to time-out?" is typically enough to calm him down.

This kid loves to dance.  His favorite show right now is Mickey's Monster Musical and he has the entire Monster Boogie memorized.  It's so fun to watch and I hope he's always that carefree.

His blonde hair has darkened a bit but it's still fairly light.  His bright blue eyes have little sunbursts and he has two freckles on the side of his neck that I adore.  He has his dad's lips and my eyes.  Those who knew me as a child think he looks like me but everyone else thinks he's all Michael.

While I know he doesn't grasp the magnitude of this new baby, he talks about it all the time and has become far more gentle around me.  If he kisses the baby too hard, I let him know and he tries again until he gets it right.

Jude is a total daddy's boy.  When Michael is around Jude wants nothing to do with me.  He loves to hold Michael's hand when we're running errands and sit in his lap if we're in the living room together.  It's hard not to feel a little jealous at times but I'm also so grateful for their sweet bond.

He loves his new fast race track and fire truck but he would watch television all day if we let him.  He loves the weather ("Mama, a storm is coming!") and the moon.  He's still scared of dogs (thanks neighbor) but loves pretending to be a cat.

I cannot imagine life without my precious son.  His laughter is still the best medicine ("Mama, I'm lappin!") and his love is something fierce.  What an amazing four years it has been!

Sloane Elisabeth

Every time I tell a story about Sloane I'm laughing and shaking my head. She is the funniest, sneakiest kid I know.

Michael and I don't really think she has a photographic memory but it's pretty darn close.  The other day I read her a 20-page book that she'd never seen before.  When we finished she turned to the first page and told me she wanted to read the story to me.  "I'd love that, Sloane."  She started "reading" and it was word for word what I'd read ten minutes prior.  Pretty amazing.

Sloane is a storyteller.  She has a vivid imagination and is so curious about her surroundings.  When she asks "why" she's not just trying to pass time, she genuinely wants to know why.  Be as specific as you can (and be careful) with your answer because she's holding onto every word.

She is so dramatic.  When she gets upset about something she crosses her arms and furrows her brow.  Lately she's added a distraught, "Hurumph!"  It's adorable and infuriating all mixed up into one.

She loves to help in the kitchen.  Whether it's mixing pancake batter or baking pumpkin muffins, as soon as she sees I'm up to something she grabs her stool and stands right beside me.

Sloane is very tall and lanky (with a belly!), has blue eyes that are bordering on green, and the world's slowest growing hair.  It's a bit of a mess at the moment but she loves how "long" it is getting and is still convinced she's the next Rapunzel.

She enjoys her toys but has far more fun making up her own stories and playing pretend.  She's easily entertained and manages to get her brother to play right along with her.

Sloane is quite the athlete and tends to pick up skills fairly quickly.  She is quick and agile but still a bit of a klutz (no clue where she gets that, ahem).  She loves soccer because it's daddy's favorite sport.  She always asks, "Which color are we rooting for, dad?"

As I said before, she is sneaky.  Those who are around her think she's incredibly sweet.  And she is, but it's not always genuine.  She knows exactly what she wants and will say whatever necessary to get it.  It's troubling to us because neither Michael nor I are like that and we're not exactly sure how it came to be.  Nature is a powerful force, I suppose.  We've both agreed to do everything we can to harness her power for good and not evil - ha!

She is SO EXCITED about becoming a big sister.  I'm not sure how she'll handle it once the child actually arrives (there is nothing Sloane loves more than being the center of attention), but for now she is its biggest fan.  She sings to it, reads to it, and talks about how cute it's going to be.  "It's going to have the cutest little feet!"

When I'm having a rough day, she's the first to pick up on it and is at my side comforting me until I tell her all is well.  That part of her is genuine to the core.  Her heart is big and bold.  When God created her he gave her far too many gifts and I pray she never takes any of them for granted.

I know when she's a teenager I'll have to keep this part a secret but she is the best friend I could ask for and my prayer is our bond will deepen and strengthen as the years go by.