It Has Come To This

This is Mom not ready to ween baby off bottle for her own sanity and sleep needs. This is the only way to keep McKenna from taking off the lid and pouring out all the milk.

What's in a Name?

Ok, so I finally have started thinking about what the heck to name this baby. For some reason I HAVE NOT been able to think about it yet. Whenever I would, my mind would go completely blank and the only name I could really come up with was "Uhh...."

I have a few "requirements" for the names we are considering. I really like names that have nicknames. That will give the kid options as he/she (who am I kidding? - SHE) grows up. I also want all of our names to fit together. There doesn't need to be a theme or anything like starting with the same letter or Biblical names (not that I have anything against that) - I just want them to sound good together. And then, I prefer part of the name to have some sort of meaning. So far our children's middle names are both family names. We have already decided on Baby #3's middle name - another family name. So, now for the first name...

I think I finally have a few good ideas and I wanted some input. (I can't promise that we're actually going to use any of these names...)

Here are the finalists:
Brooklyn
I have loved this name for a while. She would probably be called Brooke (we planned on calling McKenna Kenna and we totally don't, so who knows...). I think this name is very cute, femine, relatively unique, and I just like it. Brooklyn was actually almost McKenna's name. We changed it 30 minutes before she was born. It also was on our list for Katie, but back then Dave didn't like it so much.

Pros:
I like it
It has a nickname
It fits
It flows with the middle name
Has been on the list for a while

Cons:
Brooklyn rhymes with Katelyn - kind of

Ashlee
This is a recent addition to the list. I just think it is a pretty name. And I have never met an Ashlee that wasn't pretty - not that that means anything, I guess I just associate the name Ashlee with beauty. Again, very feminine name. Not too original, but common enough and classic enough (like Katie) that she wouldn't feel like a fad. Plus, the other night Dave said that this was his favorite out of the three.

Pros:
It's pretty
It fits
It flows with middle name
Dave likes it

Cons:
No solid nickname - Ash? Nickname isn't as pretty as full name, but I guess could work

Elisabeth
Now, this name is quite controversial at the moment. I like this name, but have not ever really considered it for my own child. I don't LOVE the name although I do LOVE quite a few people with this name. But for some reason it keeps coming to my mind lately. I really like the nicknames Libby and Elle (REALLY like Libby - again, a recent development). Dave, however, does not share my enthusiasm. I think he likes the name Elisabeth, but doesn't like Libby or Elle, so he has vetoed the name. I am not giving up so easily though. It is still on my list. And Elisabeth with our chosen middle name flows beautifully and is a very classic, classY name. But, I am concerned mostly with the fact that my husband doesn't like the name, but also the I don't love all the nicknames. I would choose the name because I like Libby, and/or Elle. But I can't control what nicknames my child will be given or will choose.... The spelling is also debatable and still negotiable. I guess I chose an S instead of a Z because it seems softer....? Is that weird? Maybe it wouldn't be worth all the spelling corrections.

Pros:
I like it
It fits
It flows
Classic & Classy
It has many nicknames - I like Libby :)

Cons:
Dave doesn't like it
I don't like all the nicknames
Haven't always loved Elisabeth
Weird spelling?

So, I'm not sure if I'm making any progress with this, but it sure does help me to write it down. If any of you have some input on the subject I would definitely appreciate it. I know we still have 3 months before this baby comes, but history has shown that I definitely struggle in the baby naming department. I can't make up my mind! I can use all the help I can get!

There also is a poll posted if you care to participate...

CHRISTMAS!

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We sure had a great time here. I must say this has been our most fun Christmas yet. It is so fun now that Katie is old enough to really understand what's going on (I say that every year, but I think this year it's actually true!) And even though McKenna didn't quite get it, she sure was excited and loved all the presents. EVERYTHING the girls got was a huge hit which made it so fun. Even though Christmas is not all about the gifts, we feel extremely blessed to have had such a wonderful Christmas for our children. They were very lucky to get everything they wanted and more!

Here are some memories from this year's Christmas:

Christmas Eve

opening presents on Christmas Eve

Christmas jammies & Christmas book!

writing letters to Santa to leave with egg nog & cookies

"Dear Santa, I love you. And I love McKenna..."

so excited for Santa to come!

Christmas morning (7:30 am)

waiting patiently for everyone to be ready...

evidence that Santa was here!

Santa brought a kitchen!
He also brought...

a princess tea set for Katie &

a new baby & stroller for McKenna

fun new games -

Old Maid,

Matching,

Jenga (from the Yuans - thanks!),

Candyland

Katie's craft tool box from Gran Jensen - HUGE hit

the much anticipated Princess Book!!!

Little Einsteins stuffed dolls set - Katie picked these out herself for McKenna and she LOVES them. Way to go Katie!

McKenna discovered candy canes and VERY sticky fingers

new coordinating comforters for the bunkbeds - a very ambitious project for Mom, but she did it!

Princess dolls - Ariel, Snow White, & Belle

(thanks Elena and Grandma Hopkin!)

Elmo Live!!! McKenna's new best friend!

rhythm instruments from Grandma Hopkin - so fun!

beautiful books from GG Jensen - Polar Express & Puff the Magic Dragon

As you can see, we had VERY happy children Christmas morning. We managed to get through the day with only 1 breakdown! Impressive! After we opened presents and played for a bit, we went over to Dave's Aunt Sandy & Uncle Bruce's house for Christmas brunch. It was so fun & sure was fun to spend part of Christmas with family. There we had delicious food and had fun playing Christmas songs on the chimes. The girls even participated - Katie on chime #7 and McKenna conducting!

That evening, after much needed naps for mom & the girls, we went to our great friends Jason & Erica's house for a delicious Christmas dinner. We had prime rib (yum!). We then played Old Maid and the Wii. Very fun night - more time with family :)

The girls then stayed up until almost 10:00 playing in the playroom with all of their new toys. They were playing SO WELL together I didn't dare break it up.

We had such a great day. I love Christmas and love it even more than ever as a mom. It is so fun watching our girls get so excited and happy. That is the best Christmas present for this mom.

And we were SO THRILLED to hear the news that baby Maya Yuan was able to go home on Christmas Eve. What an amazing gift for Amy & Arthur! Merry Christmas you guys!

We love you all and wish we could have spent a part of the holiday with each of you. We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas as well!

Merry Christmas
to all of you and may the spirit of Christmas
- LOVE, family, & Christ -
be with you and your family this night and always.

D.E.A.R. time

Katie & I have been reading Charlotte's Web for the past month or so and finished it today. We have discovered that Katie loves us to read chapter books to her. She gets very excited to read a chapter before naptime or bedtime and is thrilled when we finish the entire book. It started with a princess book that her Uncle Don gave to her two Christmases ago that was about 250 pages long and full of chapters. We didn't dare tackle it back then when she was 2, so we mostly just looked at the pictures and made up shorter stories to go along. This summer I started reading it to her - one chapter at a time - to see how she would like it. She ended up loving it and asking for more everyday until we finished it in October. I honestly didn't think we would ever make it through the whole thing, but she loved every second of it. When we finished Katie said, "Mom, there was no Snow White or Sleeping Beauty in that book!" She then decided that she was going to ask Santa for another princess chapter book that had ALL the princesses in it for Christmas. In hopes of keeping her interest in chapter books alive, we started reading Charlotte's Web with the goal to finish it before Christmas when hopefully Santa would bring her the exact book she requested. And we did it! We read the final three chapters today before her nap. She was so excited when we turned the last page. She knew that meant that her princess book will be here soon! We'll see if she gets what she asked for tomorrow!

I am enjoying this time reading with Katie and hope that she continues to love reading, and reading with her mom, for a long time. I had never read Charlotte's Web before. I loved the animated movie as a child (and still do) so I knew the story well. I loved the book just as much as the movie, probably a little more (no surprise). The last two chapters were pretty emotional for me though. I don't know if it was the writing or the hormones, but Charlotte's death and Wilbur's new friendship with her daughters at the end definitely got me. What a sweet story of friendship and love. I would definitely recommend reading this classic children's story if you haven't already. And if you have, read it again!

Drop Everything And Read

My Very Own Personal Blog!

So...
I have started my own personal blog. Since I started this blog with the intention of it being our family blog, and have kind of taken it over as my own... So I have decided to take all my personal thoughts and randomness and put it on its own blog. Why I think that anybody is ever going to want to read it? I'm not sure. But this blog will now be dedicated to the Jensen FAMILY - pictures, videos, family updates, and such.

My new blog is called So Buttons
(so-ingbuttons.blogspot.com)
It still is very much a work in progress, but it's something. Hope you enjoy!

Woman of Habit

(This just happened a few minutes ago)

I was standing in the kitchen eating my dinner. Dave took Katie hometeaching with him and McKenna was done with her dinner. McKenna walks into the kitchen, opens the drawer with our "paper" goods in it, pulls out a sandwich bag, and says "cereal, Mama, cereal" while shaking it at me. When I took it from her, she then leads me into the mudroom/laundry room/pantry to the Cheerios. She then says "look Mama!" and pulls out the cereal. I put a small handful of Cheerios into her bag. She then runs off to the playroom saying "Whoa-Boz Mama! Whoa-Boz!" (Whoa-Boz = The Wizard of Oz). I then follow her to the playroom where I see that she has already turned the movie on. She sits down, starts eating her cereal, while watching her favorite movie "Whoa-Boz." She sure is a girl who knows what she wants and knows how to get it.

This happens at least once everyday. :)

This One's For Mom

When my brother went home for Thanksgiving, he told my mom that I didn't look pregnant. So, whenever I talk to my mom she brings that up and doesn't seem to believe that I'm getting big, so this one's for you mom. Proof that I am in fact growing! I still can't figure out how my brother could have missed seeing this belly...

Tag

I wasn't technically tagged, but MK did say anyone who wanted to...and I thought it would be fun......so.....

The tag is to post the eighth picture in the eighth folder on your computer.

This is the eighth picture in the eighth folder on my computer (well, in my picture folder)...kind of. I admit that I go overboard with the folders inside folders. My eighth folder was "2008." Inside that folder was a folder for each month - eighth one was "May 2008." Inside that folder were many folders as well (told you...) but there weren't eight. So I opened the first one - "Hogle Zoo - Katie's Birthday" - and this was the eighth picture:
(wow, did any of that make any sense?)

This is Katie & I on her third birthday at the Hogle Zoo, infront of the bear habitat - no bear of course :) For some reason we thought the bear was in the picture...? Whatever, it's cute of us and I'm glad to have the picture!

Tag: Erica, Becca, Kari, Kelly, Terri, anyone else who wants to do it!

(phew! that was kind of exhausting...)

Battle of the Jensen Singers

These girls crack me up!

For Your Entertainment :)

Get ready...

This is pretty funny...

Master Tigress vs. the Snake

Master Tigress vs. the Snake

Part II: Princess Style

The Turkey

I don't have many pictures from Thanksgiving (actually only 2), but I did get a picture of the turkey. Yes, I have officially cooked my first Thanksgiving turkey (actually my first any kind of turkey) and I have to say I think it was a success. We had a great time having Thanksgiving dinner at our house with great friends and family. We're so glad that some of our most favorite people were able to join us throughout the day! Sad that we didn't get to see the rest of you that we love so much :( - but we hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Now on to Christmas...!

btw - it was actually done even though the little red thing didn't pop up like it was supposed to...don't worry I didn't poison our friends!