Christmas Break

Let's be real.  None of you want to read a long 

wordy post about our Christmas Break.

  So here are some pictures to give you a little taste of our time home.

We spent our time off of school with our families in 

Spokane, Washington. 

It was so wonderful to kick back, relax, forget about school and work and just enjoy time with family.

'Did you really just put me in a stocking?'

'And you're gonna post these pictures on the internet???'

'I don't know how I feel about this guys!'

'But hey I look like a Russian bebe!'

{Read this in a Russian accent}

There were lots of snuggles!

She was kind of a big hit.

Adam proved to be (one of) the cutest little uncle(s)! 

When Madeline got fussy Adam would always try to calm her down 

before just tossing her into my arms.  

Proud big sister moment!

We made soooooo many goodies! Sugar cookies being one of them!

Some ate the cookies more than decorated 

{*cough*cough* Elizabeth and Christian}

My first Christmas I didn't use this stocking... Bitter/Sweet.

{I had every intention of making stockings for 

our family that all coordinated, but that didn't happen.

  Maybe next year! 

We ended up using $4 Target stockings instead}

She was serenaded by Uncle Peter

We celebrated New Years Eve with Italian sodas.

{Yes I am the Vanna White of Whipped Cream}

mmm....mmm.... good!

And luckily Jeremy learned how to sleep on the

 couch with Madeline without her falling off the couch

{Yes that did happen.... Yes she is fine... Yes Jeremy learned his lesson}

Sadly I didn't take more pictures... It's so hard to remember! 

I was just too busy enjoying all the festivities!  

Hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone already. 

 It always goes by way too fast. 

The very best...

...gingerbread you ever did have! 

We made gingerbread houses over at the Fullmer house the other night.

It was a lot of fun! We've never really done it in my family before. There were four groups (and therefore four houses).  This first one is the 'Wells' house.  Can you see Jeremy, Madeline and I outside? Standing next to our teeny-tiny door? haha.

My BEAUTIFUL roof! Come now, give me some props! Isn't it gorgeous?

{I'm not proud at all...}

~

Group 2: Mom, Adam, Emma, Elizabeth

Snowman chillin' in the back yard

~

Group 3: Dad, Christian, Joshua

Complete w/ fire-pit out front

Arial view

~

Group 4: Peter, Hannah, Rachel

If you've heard of the 'I'm a Mormon' campaign 

(In association with the LDS Church)

You'll get a kick out of seeing Peter's ''billboard'' leaning against the bottom of the house. It's Santa saying, 'I'm a Mormon'. haha.HA.

Hope your days are merry and bright!

{MERRY CHRISTMAS}

And fyi, "Santa is still watching! Even though it's Christmas Eve he still has camera's all over the North Pole facing in EVERY direction!" -- My six year old brother, Joshua, encouraging my four year old sister, Emma, to stop fighting with Elizabeth, our two year old sister. 

Cousin Fun

Four of Madeline's cousins came to play today! 

They drove all the way from Clearfield to see Madeline 

and their Grandma - not us.  We're boring. HA.

Madeline is the fourth of five girls to be born 

this year on Jeremy's side of the family.  

{The last of which was born today! Congrats Jon & Kim!}

When Katelyn came over today we just had to get a picture (or two or twenty) of them together.

  

FYI Katelyn is 5 months old.  Madeline is 3 weeks old.  

Katelyn was fascinated with Madeline. 

 It almost looked like Madeline was going to be her new favorite toy.

In case you didn't know Madeline's feet can be quite extraordinary.

And then her feet weren't interesting enough so she went for the face. 

Sequence (1/3) Madeline looks a little uneasy here.

(2/3) And then a lot more uncomfortable.

(3/3)  And that was the last picture we took.  

I can't wait to get all 5 girls together next summer for a picture! It'll be so fun to see them a little older and more evened out size wise.  

Katelyn is just a really big girl! But she's a cutie!

Thanks for coming guys!

a busy first week of life

I'm assuming that most humans spend their first week of life snuggling at home with their new parents.  Free from the cares of the world and away from all the hustle and bustle of life.

Madeline's, however, was rather busy.

Day 1

 So there was, of course, the whole journey through the birth canal - that had to be kinda rough.

Yeah... not so happy about that... 

Day 2

But later she decided it was ok because she has a really great dad. 

And she got to come home from the hospital.

Day 3

Left at home with dad for the first time.  My sister Hannah turned twelve the week before and in our family when you turn twelve you can get your ears pierced.  Hannah was so nice and agreed to wait til I could be there! Seeing as our options were Wednesday or Friday (black Friday) we decided to make our trip to the mall Wednesday - even though I'd just come home from the hospital the day before.  It was a quick trip but I was so glad I could be there!

 Nervous?

I think this is her concentration face, what do you think?

All the girls (minus Elizabeth and Madeline)

I look horrible in this picture because I had a baby two days before.

Just wanted to point that out.

DAY 4  

Happy Thanksgiving! We went up to my Dad's Mom's house for Thanksgiving Dinner.  My aunt and uncle and cousins were there and it was a lot of fun! Great food, lots of pie :)  And unfortunately I didn't take like any pictures.... oops!

Day 5

A much needed day of rest and snuggle time :)

Both of us enjoy sleeping with this toasty warm little bundle of love!

DAY 6

Less than 24 hours before Madeline was born, my beloved great-grandmother passed away.  She was 91 years old and truly my biggest hero. I don't know of another person on this earth closer to perfection than she was.  When I was born, her mother was still alive and we took a 5 generation picture.  Me, my mom, my grandma, my great-grandma, and my great-great-grandma.  We were all excited with the possibility of getting another 5 generation picture once Madeline was born.  However, my grandma is helping my grandpa Preside over the Albuquerque NM Mission so she wouldn't have been able to be in the picture (for another year and a half at least). Because of the funeral my grandma was able to come and she got to meet Madeline.  {Is this all getting way too confusing? }

Sorry if this is a kind of an uncomfortable picture... 

but we just had to do it. 

Madeline is the first daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter, 

and great-great-granddaughter of all of these women.  

Most of the Fullmer clan headed out that night so we had to hit up Temple Square to see the lights before they left.  

Madeline is in the moby wrap under Jeremy's coat.  

She was toasty warm and slept the whole time.

Where's the baby?

There she is!

You can see a little bit of her face right above Jeremy's hand.

{Gah I hate how fat my face looks.... And still looks.  Any guesses what my New Year's resolution is going to revolve around? haha.HA. No really....}

DAY 7

We went to Sacrament meeting then came home and took a nap.
Later that afternoon Madeline got her first bath!

She wasn't wild about it right off the bat.

Then she decided it was pretty nice.

Mommy and Madeline

{I love being mommy}

And after her first bath she got her first pedicure!

ten tiny toes prettily painted pink :)

And so the sun set on her first week of life.

We're glad Madeline has proved to be able to keep up with our busy lives!