The only thing that could make this better would be a little baby boy...

This holiday season has been exhaustingly wonderful.

We've had more time at home throughout December, spent wonderful time with local family and friends.  We've all been sick in a low-grade, snotty kind of way, for about 4 weeks, but even that is finally waning.  

The only things that has made the last three months unpleasantly challenging have been the rotten nausea and heartburn and sensation that somebody keeps slipping benadryl and loperamide into my tea before work.  We found out yesterday that the person doing this is a small boy due to be born this July!  

I totally forgive him and will continue to feed him bagels, avocado, pan-seared cold cuts (take THAT, listeria!), frequent TUMS, and as many hours of sleep as I can.  We're thrilled and have started now, in earnest, to imagine our way into a family of four (our final goal for procreation).  

Yesterday Fiona was sitting naked on the potty with her snowman necklace resting in a little pool of drool on her chest (molars) and she looked down thoughtfully, rubbed her belly in big, sweet circles and said, "Baby!".  I'm so excited for this kid to have her as a big sister.  

This girl is putty in her Pop's arms.

She's hugging her new doll from Grandma CB which she named... "CB".

In the right of the frame is the talking, burping, laughing monster ("Mahssa") from Uncle Nick which is terrifying and captivating; we're doing slow exposure therapy and imitating his laugh.

Unwittingly, I married George Washington.

This girl's discovering the amazing power of the human behind.

A cool new ladybug tunnel and puppy from cousins Ainsley and Eliza (and their parents or whatever...).

And a cozy hand-me-down from Carter; thanks, Stacey!

She really loves this puppy.

Not pictured is a big, sweet, wise elephant from Grandpa Rick and CB who rarely leaves her crib, being indispensable (and apparently kind of humpable in an overwhelming love kind of way) for sleeping.

We had a cozy New Year's Day at home wearing big girl undies and Soviet hats.

Remember that hat?

JEEZ, that seems like a long time ago.  Worlds.

Thank you to the women of the 2005 PUWRFC for this fine painting smock.  She wears it proudly.

Peee-eww!!

I love this laugh so, so much.

On to the second trimester!!