For even MORE updates you can follow both Justin and me on twitter. Ari isn’t on yet…we’re waiting until she can spell.

And now for the update!

Our church had their annual Christmas party which was a ton of fun. Monkey got to go caroling with her Daddy, though I think her favorite part was that she got to put on her own socks. Plus the house we went to had a roller coaster race car game, which happened to be the greatest thing she had ever seen.

Here’s my husband, committing the egregious crime of gingerbread homicide.

My son being smothered by girls. And he likes it. A lot.

Christmas was a lot of fun. I love living so close to all of our family. Monkey was so overloaded with gifts she didn’t know what to do. I surprised Hubs with a Wii that I’d been doing odd jobs for about ten months to save up for. We got a Wii Fit Plus, too, which is fantastic and I looooove it.

My favorite thing about Christmas was both sides of the family were able to get together for Christmas dinner. Did I mention I love living so close to everyone?

We had a white Christmas!!

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care…

PRESENTS!!! Monkey actually restuffed her stocking with wrapping paper so she could pull more stuff out.

Monkey got a play kitchen for Christmas that comes with a toy phone. F-U-N!

Feeding Unca Mames pickles.

Water splashed in the face + kiss = hilarious picture.

YESSSSS! I got a baker’s hat and apron for Christmas!

We did a whole photo booth series in the hubcap mirrors that hang everywhere in my parent’s house.

Monkey is a big fan of Mimi and Geepa.

We played dominos and much fun was had by all.

More pictures on facebook!

Monkey’s birthday was on the 1st but her party isn’t for another couple of weeks. We’ll be celebrating her 2nd birthday and Jut’s 28th on the same day! Nothing like that to make a person feel old…I keep trying to tell myself we’ve still got a while before I’m 30…but it’s getting so dang close!…I’m rounding 27 but still feel like I’m 21 most days!

Baby smiles!!!

Life is settling into more of a routine. Even though we aren’t completely moved in, enough of the house is unpacked that we have places to go relax. It’s hard to manage kids, keeping the house clean and unpacking, so we’re hoping Christmas break is going to afford us more of a time luxury than we’ve been experiencing!

One of our routine parts of the day is mine and Ari’s after nap snuggles. Will is usually still asleep at that point, and (depending on her current mood) we might stay in the rocking chair and cuddle, talk, or read a book. This is probably the sweetest part of my day.

“Mommmyyy! Uuuuup!”

This picture is blurry. I couldn’t care less. My snuggles.

Reading the “fishy book” after a particularly rough wake up. (Ari has nightmares sometimes.)

I love that nothing can comfort her quite so much as Mommy kisses.

I love this picture because her eyes really are this blue!

Ari and Will still love each other. I’m cherishing this time! No one gets bigger laughs or smiles from Will than Ari…and nothing gets Ari quite so excited as the prospect of holding her little brother (whom is currently dubbed her “son” .

She’s actually laughing hysterically in this photo. It kind of represents their relationship to a T.

*loves!*

Though life has pretty much been routine, we’re hoping to get a lot of extended family hang out time during Christmas break. It’s really great to live 10-15 minutes from both sets of grandparents!

“What color are the leaves?” “Geen!” “That’s right! Can you find the yellow leaf?” [thinking.....pointing] “LULLOW LEAF!”

We aren’t very good at holding Mommy’s hand or not running away…so we’re practicing.

Monkey is going to be getting a haircut soon…so I want to document all these little curls while I can!!

“Key inaina door open Mimi inthere Papa inthere key opit.”

Something caught her eye. I don’t remember what it was, but she gabbered about it for several minutes. (Gabbered=combo gab and jabbered. I just made it up. You’re welcome.)

Playing with the leaves on the sidewalk while Mommy played with the fun leading lines OF the sidewalk.

I LOOOOVE her face in this picture!

Handing me some of her leaves to keep because she couldn’t fit them in her pockets.

I’m pretty sure she’s trying to give her prized leaf to Dora. Who apparently lives in the sky. This probably isn’t good.

Trying to catch a glimpse of something above her…probably a bird, I don’t remember. I do remember she wanted me out of the way to see whatever it was.

In other news, a few random shots from the past few weeks/days/years/whatever it’s been.

Monkey really loves her brother. She gets upset when he’s asleep and she can’t play with him and kiss him and hug him and hold him. He’s like a living toy to her…she really likes having him around.

I love this picture…her lashes are so pretty.

Welcome to what my son pretty much does all the time. Except eating and pooping. I don’t have pictures of the latter. You can’t see pictures of the former.

“Ari?” “Huh?”

But I should probably wrap this up. The shoot is, quite obviously, OVER.

Hospitalizations, Dr visits, swine flu, a new house…lots has happened and we’ve just been barely able to keep our heads above water! We’ve had a ton of help from our church and family and before you ask, yes, everyone is fine. We’ll catch back up on the blog when we’re doing more than just keeping ourselves afloat.

In the meantime, here’s a few teaser pictures of Blueberry and Monkey – who suddenly looks ridiculously grown up in all these pictures I’m taking and I’m constantly struck with how BIG my little girl is getting. I can’t believe she’s only 20 months in some of these! (Daddy picked up a pair of her shoes the other day and said, “Oh, no…These are not baby shoes! These are little girl shoes!”)

Monkey sitting on a bench when we went to play on the playground the other day.

Monkey making a face. I am in love with this hat, ya’ll, for real. $2.50 at a local consignment store. And she will wear it every day until her head will no longer fit! (“Pretty hat wear!”)

Ah, my daughter, the diva.

Monkey meeting her baby brother. It was love at first sight!

Me and Blueberry minutes after his birth. I adore this photo with all my heart – thanks to my mother who took it!!

My mom took this picture an hour after Blueberry was born, being warmed under the heat lamps (he was a bit hypothermic…see “hospitalizations” above…)

For full story, click here.

Daddy snuggling with his brand new Blueberry.

Monkey is constantly asking to “hold him” and for “hugs.” (I’m telling you, this child is IN LOVE.)

A good friend crocheted this gorgeous blanket for Blueberry. It has become our carry-everywhere-around-and-out-of-the-house blanket. It’s soft, warm without being stifling, and the perfect size. Blueberry loves it!

Blueberry napping in his Amby we’re currently borrowing from a friend – the same Amby Monkey napped in when she was his age!

Mommy wakes up in labor and doesn’t know it.
Daddy wakes up with swine flu.
Daddy quarantines himself in another house all day while grandma takes care of Monkey.
Mommy goes shopping, cleans the house, goes for a walk to get ‘false labor’ to go away.
False labor doesn’t go away.
Mommy calls midwife at 11:15 and says “MAKE IT STOP!”
Midwife says, “Come in, we’ll check you.”
Mommy comes in.
Mommy’s a 9.
Centimeters.
Out of 10.
Mommy pushes for 3 hours because Mommy keeps passing out because Mommy is exhausted.
Mommy is convinced baby Will is NEVER GOING TO COME EVER.
Baby Will comes!
Daddy is watching through a window because Daddy has swine flu and can’t be near baby.
Mommy sleeps at birth center for 6 hours while Will is being monitored for infection.
Monkey meets baby Will.
Monkey loooooooooooooooooooooooooves baby Will.
Mommy and Monkey go home.
Grandma takes Monkey, Mommy’s mommy takes Mommy, and Mommy goes to sleep.
Channel 8 news calls and wants to interview Mommy because of Daddy and the swine flu.
Mommy says no. Mommy says interview somebody else. Mommy is tired.
Channel 8 news interviews grandparents and Daddy.
Mommy wakes up to make a blog post because, what else do you do after a story like that?

The end.

Baby Will meeting his Daddy outside the window.

Baby Will under the heat lamps because his breathing was too rapid.

Monkey trying to pick up Baby Will because “Baby Will car carseat drive bye bye now!”

More pictures and details as soon as Mommy can!

William Justice Butler
Born October 5, 2009, 3:31 am
7 pounds, 14 ounces
20 inches long