Merry Christmas!

We actually had to wake Hayes up around 8:15am because we had family coming over to see what Santa brought Hayes. When he made it downstairs he was ready to see if Santa ate the cookies and drank the milk. Sure enough he did.

Hayes got a voice activated big wheel that he really likes. It tells the weather and says 'it's going to be a sunny day,' which is funny because that is what Hayes says every morning. Santa brought some play doh, LeapFrog learning toys, a long overdue umbrella, books and some other surprises.

Maybe he can save the day with this umbrella?

Nana came over to see what Santa brought Hayes...

...so did Pap and Meamie.

This was probably Hayes's favorite thing Santa brought. A $1 flashlight stuffed in his stocking. He does like the Wubzy book too.

Sammy and Sharkie tagging along with us as usual on Christmas Day. (Notice the red marker on Sammy?)

Wow. Thought this was too cute and Hayes loves this book and the movie. All I can think of though when I look at it on is A Christmas Story.

Christmas Eve

We had a delicious lunch on Christmas Eve at mom's, watched the kids open presents and then walked down to the hospital to look at the Christmas trees and gingerbread houses.

Tuesday, mom and me.
Nana making cookies with all her grandchildren:

Ashlyn, Madison, Hayes and Haley. Aren't these the cutest aprons?

Hayes got to celebrate his birthday one more time and he loved the chocolate ganache cake. I don't know what's up with the name tags.

"Red, like Christmas"

On Decemeber 23rd Hayes went to bed really late, around 10pm, on a pallet in the room Sheldon and I were staying in at the Porter's home. I went to bed around midnight and when I walked in the room I thought is was so strange that the tv was on. I looked over at Hayes and immediately noticed something red on his face. For a split second I thought it could be blood, but I knew it was not. I then noticed that it was all over the wall - my mother-in-laws faux rag painted wall - and on the embroidered pillow sham. The pillow stuffing was sewn into the sham. It was not just your typical sham covering. Then I looked and it was all over all of Hayes's stuffed animals and somehow on the pillowcase that was on top of the regular bed.

All I could do was bust out laughing (once I realized it was not blood), and call for help. Sheldon's brother came in first and we both started dying laughing. Matt turned on the light and Hayes started to wake up and everybody else came in to evaluate the damage...

At first he wouldn't tell us or show us what he used, but we quickly figured it out. Hayes had gotten a red marker AND glue stick out of a box from the closet and went to town. He put the red marker and glue stick back in the box (which I have no idea how he opened in the first place).

He said he was "red, like Christmas."

Sheldon stripped him down and gave him a bath. He still had a slightly red tinted face for Christmas Eve. Also I still noticed some red in his head about a week ago while giving him a bath.

Thankfully the red came out of everything. Thank goodness for washable markers!

Sleigh Ride with Santa!

After a family outing to Mast General, OP Taylors and the St. Francis Festival of Trees at the Hyatt we headed down to the Mellow Mushroom for some yummy pizza.

Did you know that the most eaten food on Christmas Eve is pizza?

After dinner we walked up to the Westin Poinsett to wait on Santa and his sleigh. I don't know how long Santa has been visiting downtown Greenville, but it was a fun, family outing that I highly recommend. http://www.sleighwithsanta.com/

Rhett, Hayes and Garrett waiting at the Poinsett for Santa.

Front row seats with Santa! We could hear Hayes giggling at Santa throughout the ride.

Yes this is the best picture I got of Santa, but what I really want you to pay attention to is the cold hard cash in his left hand. Based on how many people fill Santa's sleigh and with the rides lasting about 15 minutes we estimated Santa was making about $600 per hour. Let's just say Mrs. Claus was going to be getting something 'really nice' for Christmas.

The money was well worth the memory and experience. Santa was awesome and made us all laugh almost the entire ride. Some was nervous laughter because Santa would say 'Santa likes red...HO HO HO!' and then ran every red light on his route. Then he would turn around to talk to us and the sleigh would stray to the right where all the cars were parallel parked along Main Street. At first we thought he may have had a little spiked eggnog.

Gail and Michelle sitting behind Santa.

Matt sneaking in the picture of Sheldon and I.

Christmas at The Pruitt's!

Today we went over to Aunt T's house for some family time. The cousins decorated some Christmas cookies, played, opened presents and watched the Polar Express. We had a fabulous dinner that consisted of a smoked bone-in prime rib (I think that's what it was), salad, pototoes and bread.

Hayes, Haley and Ashlyn decorated some cookies.


Hayes was excited about getting several dinosaurs and shouted out a "ROAR!"

I just thought this was the sweetest picture of Hayes and Ashlyn.

Hayes' 3rd Birthday - December 16th

Here are some photos from Hayes's 3rd birthday celebration.

Hayes requested a chocolate cake with sprinkles. He blew the candles out the second I put the cake down on the table while Sheldon and I were still singing. One of his favorite presents was the dinosaur egg in the bowl. He was more interested in that than checking out his big present.

Some birthday presents and the cake.

Hayes on his big boy bike that looks like a motorcycle.

Hayes was already ready for it to hatch. It didn't hatch until the next morning.

Hayes trying to get away from Sheldon and the chocolate mustache.

Taking it to the street (well an alley like street behind our house). At first he was real worried about cars being on the road, which is a good thing.

Storytime with Santa at the Library

Well the local library had storytime with Santa today, which just happened to land on Hayes's birthday. I always said I would never do anything Christmas related on his birthday, but I thought this would be fun.

Yeah...he's about ready to get down now. I don't think he loved this Santa as much as the one at Walker's Bluff.
Here is Happy the Christmas Clown making doggie shaped ballons for all the kids.
And here is the final product.
After the librarian read a couple of Christmas books we got some snacks (they had a spread of holiday treats and juice for the kids along with take home goodie bags). Then Hayes made a couple of crafts. We then went into the children's section of the library and played some games.

Great time today at the library!

Christmas at Walker's Bluff

On Sunday afternoon we went to Walker's Bluff, a local 160-acre vineyard that is currently being developed. Their restaurant, Legend's is already open along with an event complex. Every Sunday is family day where they have free entertainment, crafts and jump on toys for the kids along with a playground. Most Friday nights they have a free movie showing and sometimes with themed food and beverages.

Hayes got to see Santa and Mrs. Claus, take a horse and carriage ride,

and make a Christmas ornament in the craft area.

This is Legend's restaurant. They are open Tuesday - Sunday

for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sheep with red ribbons. (Notice the one black sheep) Here is Hayes waiting on the carriage ride.
Hayes and Sheldon on the carriage ride.
We said this was the biggest ornament we had ever seen,

so here is Sheldon posing so you can get the full scale.

Tickets Please!

This morning we took a two-hour train ride on the Marion Polar Express. We arrived at the train depot at 9:45am for our 10am train ride. The passenger car was all full so we sat on the caboose. I was not really that thrilled that we had to sit on the caboose at first. Being almost 29 weeks pregnant you start to worry about access to the facilities. Once we started moving the Conductor said that the caboose was the oldest operating wooden caboose in the US, so that was a pretty cool fact!

Here is Hayes ready to go.

He randomly asked all week long to hold his ticket.

Waiting on the conductor to punch our tickets.

Hayes held his ticket from the time we got on the train

until the Conductor punched it. He said he had to "hold it so the ductor could see it." This may have been his favorite part of the trip!

The caboose had rattan looking covered seats and brown walls.

Doesn't this Conductor seriously look like the character in the movie?

Conductor switching the track. This meant we got to go on the

passenger train for a bathroom break and HOT CHOCOLATE!

Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot Chocolate! Sheldon and Hayes on the engine after the ride.

All finished with the Polar Express. Here is the engine, caboose,

and passenger car (borrowed from St. Louis).

The little red caboose.

The Porter Elves

It's getting sooooo cold up here in Illinois we feel like elves in the North Pole.

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/a9MW0seirOOG1vv5R5vr

Marion Christmas Parade

Last Saturday we headed to the local train depot to await Santa's arrival. Here he is getting off the train. This was a cool way to bring Santa in from the North Pole!

Season's Greetings from Santa.

Hayes watching Santa come in on the train.

The parade featured a great Grinch, which Hayes did NOT like. Thankfully the Grinch did not jump out of the car and run over to Hayes like he did to another child. Hayes was on a constant look out for the Grinch! The Grinch play will be held a couple days before Christmas for free at our local civic center.
Here comes Santa Claus. We all followed Santa up to the town square and attended a Christmas show in the Marion Cultural & Civic Center (our Peace Center). We sang Christmas carols and watched local dance teams, listened to the high school chorus and saw a performance by the Grinch.

We stopped at the town square after the Christmas show to see the nativity scene.

It's a BOY!

The Sunday before Thanksgiving I had a great baby shower at Gail's home in Easley. It was great to see family and friends celebrating the birth of a new baby boy. I'm due late February and am feeling more like I'm eight months along right about now.


Here I am at 26 weeks.

Very cute and very yummy cake from Sweet Creations in Easley. http://www.sweetcreations.org/ShowerCakes.html

Here is the Porter cradle that has been in the family since the late 1800s. Hayes slept in it in our bedroom for the first four months, and I only hope we get it up to Illinois to use it for this baby.

Here I am with the hostesses with the mostesses from left to right: Mary Ross, my mom, me and Gail. Thanks Ladies!

Here is Hayes eating a bumble bee off a piece of cake after he got up from his nap.