Holiday seasons

It feels like it's been forever since I posted!  We've been busy as usual and out of town for part of last week, so I'm woefully late in getting these pictures up.  Last week started with me spending Monday with my precious nephew Caleb while Madeline worked and Darryl was at school.  I can hardly believe he's already 9 months old!  He's growing up so fast and moving around even faster...We played hard together and I think the biggest laugh that both of us got out of the day was lunch.  I fed him peas and one spoonful dropped onto his tray and it ended up all over his face, arms, and legs.  We were both laughing so hard, I didn't even get a picture!  I know he'll be a great buddy for our little guy, too!

Matthew met me Monday night (after a long day of work for him!) and we drove to Dallas to spend Thanksgiving with his Dad and Brenda and Shannon and Kevin.  We had a great time shopping for Christmas and for baby on Tuesday and Shannon was off work on Wednesday, so we spent the day with her.  Thursday we were all up early to get the meal ready.  Kevin spent all day out on the Big Green Egg with the turkey and the rest of us prepared the side dishes.  Shannon had to go into work, so we had the meal ready when she got him.  Unfortunately, we had to head back on Thursday night because Matthew had to work the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

On our way back in, we tried something we've never done before...we hit the Wal-Mart for the 12:01am sale.  We pulled in the parking lot around 11:45pm and it was already packed!  When we got inside it was nuts!!  Matthew made me wait in a less crowded area, so I wouldn't get run over by crazy people with carts.  We got some great movie deals and a Christmas present we were after, and we had a lovely conversation with an older couple while we waited for a hour in line.  I'm not sure we'll ever be doing that again!!

While Matthew headed in to work early Friday morning, I tried to get a little shopping done, but it was crazy out there and I barely managed to get the 3 things on my list.  Needless to say, after the Wal-Mart fiasco and the Black Friday business...I'm doing the rest of my Christmas shopping online!!!  I started feeling yucky on Saturday while Matthew was at work, so I laid around most of the day, but I did at least accomplish some unpacking.  I feel like I haven't seen my husband for days, though, and I'm looking forward to our weekend together in a few days!!

As you will see from the pictures below, and as I'm sure some of you already know, we've OFFICIALLY picked a name for our little boy.  We really had a name picked out for a boy or a girl for ages, but I had some doubts.  Anyway, his name will be Liam Frederick, after my two grandfathers.  My dad's dad was William (but we were not real fond of any nicknames), so we went with the Celtic version of William in Liam.  My mom's dad was Frederick.  Both of them have passed away, my grandpa Fred just last year, so we feel like it's a great way to pass along their memories.  Also, Liam means "Determined Protector" so we feel like it's a great name for the first born!  Don't worry though!!  We're not one-family sided!!  If it was a girl, it would have been all names from Matthew's side!!  And the next boy will likely be a Powell/Fensler family name...we love the idea of passing down family names!

Matthew took some great pictures of a pumpkin we carved and put lights in with his name in it.  We love calling him by his name and we pray for our little Liam every night!  He definitely has active times during the day now...he kicks the most in the mornings and in the evenings.  I had another doctor's appointment yesterday and everything looks great.  The doctor is pleased with both of our progress!  I have the yucky gestational diabetes test the next time I see her (right after Christmas), so pray for me that I pass the test and don't puke from all the sugar!  I've been feeling a little under the weather lately...it's possible I'm getting tired and trying to do to much.  :-)  I've been having some back pains (some of which I know are stress related), but the doctor says those will probably be around until the pregnancy is over!

Enjoy the pictures below from the last two weeks...Sometime soon I am going to have Matthew do a post...he's been asking to do it :-)

Love,
Courtney

24 weeks!

Liam's name in lights

Thanksgiving turkey...yum!

Powell family picture

We both look a little full!!  :-)

25 weeks...Mommy didn't feel like dressing up!