New year, new adventure...

Welcome 2013! Hard to believe a new year is upon us already. Kyle and I are really looking forward to this year... we are excited to announce that we are expanding our family to a family of four! We are thrilled to be expecting another baby, and for Payton to become a big sister. We decided to keep it pretty quiet until the first trimester was almost over, and I am 12 weeks today. Baby Hall #2 is due to make an appearance around July 16, 2013. I'm sure it will be here before we know it! It didn't happen as easily for us this time as it did with Payton, but I definitely think there is a reason for everything, and the timing couldn't be better for us to have a summer baby. Kyle will be able to have a lot of time off, which is wonderful, not to mention both of my parents will be retired at that point, which will be a huge blessing to us too. It was a humble reminder to me to be patient, and that what's meant to happen will happen at the right time. I've been feeling ok, you know... the usual pregnant stuff! Fatigue, nausea, even some headaches with this one, which I'm told is common. I just feel "yucky" and tired most of the day, and I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I already have a kiddo to take care of. Before when I came home from work I could just lay around, put my feet up and relax, but now I'm going, going, going all day until Payton goes to bed. It's definitely been harder the second time around! I'm hoping that with the end of my first trimester approaching I will gain some more energy back, which is one of the main reasons I haven't really been blogging much lately. By the time Payton goes to bed at 8:00 I am exhausted, and I'm not far behind her! Especially with the start of Kyle's basketball season, I have been alone with her a lot of nights. I don't know how single moms do it!

Baby's first official ultrasound! This was taken about 3 weeks ago at my doctor's office, so it's done a lot of growing since then. More pregnancy details on my next blog! Very exciting!

Speaking of basketball, Kyle's season has been going extremely well so far. His team is 6-1! Payton and I have gone to a few of his games, Payton really enjoys going. When everyone starts clapping, she yells "go ducks!" I think she thinks every sporting event is a duck game :) She's always waving to her dad on the bench and saying "hi daddy!" It's pretty darn cute. It's been really fun to watch Kyle coach too, he does such a great job.

The one definite drawback of basketball season is that Payton has been acting out a lot more. At first I couldn't figure out why the heck she was acting the way she was, but then I realized it coincided with the start of Kyle's season. I think him being gone so much in the evenings is just a big change in her schedule, and she misses having him around. She's gotten better though, although Kyle's been on break the last few weeks and has been home everyday (which has been very nice). I'm pleased to report a very positive thing however; Payton has officially and successfully made the transition to a big girl bed!  We switched her over three weeks ago, and it went off without a hitch!

Mama can even get in for storytime!

Ready to sleep for the first time!

It's a really neat bed! Not the prettiest thing, but she loves it so that's all that matters. I liked it because the sides were high, so I didn't have to worry about her rolling out onto the floor. She LOVES climbing up and down the stairs, plus there's tons of storage space underneath, so I can put a lot of her toys under there and get them out of my living room. She piles all of her stuffed animals in there, it looks pretty funny. Every morning when I go in to get her up though, she tells me "I have lots of babies in here!" 

Christmas was very busy for us this year, but lots of fun. Here are a few pics of our Christmas decorations: 

"Helping" daddy put up the lights

The tree!

It was raining when Kyle took this picture, thus the artifact. Kind of looks like snow!

We spent the weekend before Christmas with my family in Gig Harbor, and travelled home on Christmas Eve. We had a great time! It went by too fast, as it always does. 

Playing with my toys!

Kyanne and Carissa got us Christmas jammies in honor of Grandma Book! Even a mini version for Payton :)

Grandma would have loved it!

It was so wonderful to spend time with everyone, we wish we could come up more often. Thank you everyone for all the gifts you gave Payton, she is one very blessed and lucky little girl! After we got home, there were more Christmas celebrations with the Halls, which is always fun. Not to mention Christmas morning with Santa's presents! 

Santa brought Payton a basketball hoop! She loves it!

2 points!

Christmas morning by the tree :)

Alright, I am about to drop! Way past my bedtime. I actually managed to stay up until midnight last night, but I paid for it all day today. This mama is tired! :) Blog again soon!

P.S. Happy birthday to the December babies! Kyle, Chris and Uncle David!

P.P.S. Congrats to my dad on his retirement from the Tacoma Fire Department! As his daughter I have always looked up to him as a hero, but for the last 30+ years thousands of others have too. Thank you for your hard work and years of service dad! Enjoy your retirement; you deserve it! :)