Christmas morning

Christmas didn't go exactly as we had planned this year. I came home from the hospital with Hadley on the 23rd to find Mark and the boys all sick!! And to add to that, Miss Hadley was not keeping weight on like she should so we had to take her in daily to have her weighed...and unfortunately, Christmas Day was no exeption.

The boys got up early (but not too early) and started to open presents, but by 9:00 we had to get ready to go to the Dr. office. By the time we got home later, the boys were so cranky and just not feeling well, that we decided to lay low, just let them play with the things they had already opened and postpone the rest of the present opening until the next day.

New bikes from Santa!

Porter before the "cranky" set in. ( I love this picture)

Christmas...Take II

It was a very Star Wars Christmas around here. Sure, they got lots of other stuff too, but between Grandma & Grandpa Allred and us, there just ended up being a lot of Star Wars stuff (and the boys couldn't have been happier about it).

I love Porters awesome bed-head in this picture.

This was my favorite gift...much needed -- maybe that's why I haven't been keeping up on the blog like I should?? It seems odd to take a picture of me and my new camera using my old camera...more odd that I even thought about that.

After all the presents were opened and things settled down, Cooper decided to check out one of his new books and read a little to Hadley (even though she was asleep)

Christmas Blessing

Our best Christmas present came a little early this year...

Hadley Jane Hilton
arrived on December 21st at 2:04 p.m.
weighing 7lbs 5oz

First visitors

Cooper and Porter came to visit us in the hospital. Both of them were coming down with something and had just come from the pediatrician so they were told to wear masks around the baby. I think they're so cute in their little masks - I giggle a little whenever I look at these.

First Pictures...

These are the first pictures of our sweet girl. She was my easiest labor/delivery so far...don't get any ideas, that doesn't mean I want to do it again. I'm just saying it's just a great way to end my baby making career.

Last Pictures...

These are the last pictures of our 2 kids and our family of 4. Taken the day before Hadley was born and it became our 3 kids and family of 5!!!

Super Cuties!!

I love that the boys think it's cool to dress alike. I'm pretty sure any minute now Cooper's going to grow out of that and not want Porter to be the same - so I take advantage while I can.

I also LOVE that these two are best friends. I hope they never outgrow that!

BAHHHH!!

I've been meaning to catch my blog up for awhile now. And knowing that we're soon going to have Christmas pictures and then new baby pictures to post gave me the motivation I needed to get all the backlogged posts going. I was planning to get a lot of it done next week while Mark was off work BUT....then I went to my appointment on Friday and it turns out this baby is going to come a little sooner than I had planned...so TOMORROW (Dec 21st) is the big day. I know the commentary isn't witty (not that it ever really is) and the spelling hasn't even been checked - but at least I'm 90% caught up (still need to do a post about Mark's birthday)...and you are now "in the loop" as far as what's going on with the Hilton's. Happy catching up!

Hooray for Pajama Day!!

The day before they let the kids out for Christmas...sorry 'WINTER' break was Pajama day. Cooper thought it was so fun to wear his p.j.'s ALL day long! Ah, simple pleasures. Actually, come to think of it - it makes me pretty happy if I can find a whole day to stay in my p.j.'s too.

Making Candy Bar Trains

Another 'get ready for Christmas activity' we did was make candy bar trains. My friend Dan taught me how to make these back when I was in college. Cooper had his friend Seth over after school one day last week and we decided that would be a good time to make them. Pretty much when you're talking about a craft that's all candy, held together with frosting - it's a hit with the boys.

Cooper working hard

His 'best friend' Seth

The finished product

Making Gingerbread Houses

For another Christmas activity we invited a couple of families over to make gingerbread houses. The kids had a great time and I loved seeing their creations! Good times.

Taylor and Drew

My little goofballs

Mackay, Beckett and Andrea

All the boys!!

Making Christmas Cards

One of our "Christmas activities" was making cards to send to their cousins. It was a great way to 1. keep them busy for an afternoon and 2. talk about their cousins and remind them of who they were and where they lived etc.

Christmas Countdown

Since we're staying at home for Christmas this year (for the first time since Mark and I got married)...I decided we needed some fun Christmas activities to help pass the time (not that I needed anything to help the time go by - what with trying to get ready for Christmas AND a new baby at the same time...what were we thinking!!!)

I had the boys paint a big tree. Then we painted 25 red ornaments and made designs on them with glitter. Next, I wrote an activity on the back of each ornament and we put them on the tree. Then we put the whole thing on the wall and the boys got to pull one off every day and see what activity we would be doing that day. It was fun. I think I'll do it again next year (with a few minor tweeks)

The finished product (minus a few ornaments...I didn't take the picture until a few days later)

Painting projects

I love when the first Saturday of the month rolls around and Mark takes the boys to Home Depot to do a project. They always have so much fun. And painting them when they get home just adds to the fun!!

Tired Little Man

Sometimes I look at Porter and he seems so big. He's potty trained and can dress himself and even work the remote (a little). But then sometimes he still seems so little.

This kid is a triple-threat. Between his dark brown eyes, LONG eyelashes and his dimples...he's got this mom WRAPPED around his little finger.

I love how snuggly he is. I can tell when he's tired because he wants to "hold my head" as he calls it. I know when this baby comes hes' going to seem HUGE in comparison...but for now, for a few more days at least, he's still my baby.

Baby Shower

A few of my friends threw a shower for me a couple of weeks before I was due.

I have great friends in Austin. Honestly, these women are the best! It was a fun night of hanging out with the girls - eating good food and opening lots of PINK presents!! I hadn't really done any shopping yet - and opening all those presents made me realize how much more fun it's going to be to shop for a girl.

(I should do a separate post on some of the gifts that people made for me. A-MAZ-ING!!!)

Jessica (& me)

Marcia, Andrea, Robin (& daughter - Juliette)

Mark turns the BIG 4-0!!

Cooper's 1st Field Trip

The day before Thanksgiving break Cooper went on his 1st field trip. Since I had to work that day, Mark took the day off and went along to help chaperone. They visited a farm in Manor, TX (about 30 min. east of Austin).

Cooper had a great time and loved having his dad there.