Holiday Newsletter 2010

So much for my 2010 resolution to blog every month.

Not going to say any more about that.
Not even going to speculate about blogging during 2011.

Anyone have any shortcuts for blogging they'd like to share?
I'm hoping if you click on the images above you will be able to read it in a bigger box.

"37"-Mid or Late Thirties?

So I turned 37 last week. I told someone I had hit my "late" thirties. This person told me that 37 is not "late" thirties, but still "mid" thirties. Hmmm...

I still feel old.

Well, I don't. I feel young--until I look in a mirror and think "Who in the world are you and what have you done with Mari?".

Thank goodness I have Eliza to help me feel young.

I threw a party for myself and invited our siblings and spouses. We got Thai takeout and ate at Josh's parents house. I was going to take a picture of the food and the party and can't believe I forgot! Dumb. But the food was yummy, the company was great, and I've decided I'm going to try to do something like that each year. There's nothing wrong with throwing yourself a party at someone else's house, right?

More posts on Eliza's site...

Miracles Do Happen

It's true, miracles do happen.
Blogs do get updated.
elizanicole.blogspot.com is now starting to get updated.

My Pre-New Years Resolution is to post at least once a month.

Together Forever

On November 10, 2000, Josh and Mari were married on a snowy day. Little did they know that they were setting a tradition of snowy weather for sealings in their family...

On February 14, 2009, Josh, Mari, and Eliza were sealed together on a snowy and very windy day. Despite the cold weather (which Mari HATES), it was a perfect day.

elizanicole.blogspot.com

There is a blog I created back in August just for Eliza's birth-mother so that she could see pictures of Eliza whenever she wanted. I finally realized that it has been too overwhelming and time consuming to keep up two blogs with basically the same stuff (since the joshmari blog has all been about Eliza as well).

From now on, most all of the "Eliza" stuff is going to be on her blog: elizanicole.blogspot.com. I will continue to keep the joshmari blog to post other non-Eliza stuff that I've been meaning to do but haven't gotten around to yet. It will have stuff about our family, but not the millions of Eliza pictures like it has so far. For those of you that think I'm a bit excessive posting SO MANY pictures of Eliza, please realize that these are mostly for the benefit of Lauren (birth-mother) and out-of-town family members that don't get to see Eliza as often as they'd like to.

Merry Christmas

Fourth Month

16-17 Weeks Old:

I can't believe Eliza is almost 4 months old. She started sleeping through the night when she was about 3 months old and most nights are good. The last week or so she kept waking up and wouldn't go back to sleep, even if I put her pacifier in. I started giving her an extra bottle in between dinner and bed and she has been sleeping through the night again. She is SUCH a big eater!

Here are some poses of our happy girl.

One night after running an errand, I came home and lifted up the blanket covering Eliza's car seat, and the blanket that I usually have folded in a tube to cushion her head had come a little unfolded and looked like this. She reminded me of a little Cleopatra and I had to take a picture. She's giving me her lopsided grin here.

15-16 Weeks Old:

Here is our little girl in the morning.
She is always so happy to see me when I come in to get her.
She is playing with her little lion toy here.

She loves to stretch, too.

Closeup of her perfect features.

She's ready for her nap.

14-15 Weeks Old:

Josh and I celebrated our 8th Anniversary November 10th. When we got married, I had a plan to take an anniversary picture each year because I thought it would be so fun to see how our kids changed each year. We finally got to take a picture with a kid in it! :-D

This was one of my baby outfits.
It shows Eliza's chunky little legs pretty good.

She is such a beautiful, happy baby.

I never pose her hands like this...
it's just one of the ways she likes to hold her hands.

13-14 Weeks Old:

Our little princess smiles all the time now.

Morning is still her favorite time when she smiles the most.

This is what Eliza's daddy calls her "dirty look".So happy in her swing...

Scrunchy face

Her 3-month car seat picture.
Has she grown like a weed or what?

She doesn't cry as much during Tummy Time anymore.