Nine Years Ago Today...

This was us. This was our family.


And now, here we are.

Add three and three-quaters people, and now we have a crazy family that makes you loose your hair and me run around like a chicken with her head cut off.



But guess what? I wouldn't have it any other way.

Here's to the next 9o years...

The Big Event

Just a little back story before we launch ourselves into the pictures of our Christmas. As soon as I found out that I was pregnant with the little one back in April (and then discovered that I would be due right around the holidays), I flew into a bit of a panic.

My pregnancies, as before mentioned, are a bit unpredictable. I had pre-eclampsia with Adi, low amniotic fluid (resulting in pre-term labor) with Pipes, and bed rest due to pre-term labor with Porter-Pot. So I didn't know what kind of fun things awaited me in the last months of this pregnancy.

I got busy.

I created a spreadsheet, shopped around online to find what I wanted to get for the kiddos and for family, and started buying.

Yes, I started Christmas in May. I'm sure you can understand why, right? And I'm very thankful that I did, seeing that we ended up moving at this time of year also.

So this Christmas not only marked the birth of our Savior for me, but also the accumulation of all my hard work for the past seven months.

Just thought that I would share that with you. Now, onto the main event. The kiddos.

They each got to open one present before bed on Christmas. Too bad for them they were PJ's! I bet you can guess why I bought these jammies (and the baby has a matching outfit to Porter's that says, "Little Brother").



And we set out our plate of cookies for Santa (cookies that I stole from Whitney, since I haven't done any holiday baking this year) and oatmeal and carrots for the reindeer. Oh, and Adi decided to share some of her personal stash with the Big Guy also.



Every other year, we traditionally have the kids set their stockings in their "spot" for their gifts. This is where Santa leaves his gifts and OP and I stack up the gifts from us. This year we went a bit different and just sat the Santa gifts by their socks and left the presents from us under the tree.



Santa likes to leave candy all over the place when he comes here!



Oh, and these stockings. Aren't they stinkin' adorable? My Auntie Leanne made one for all the kiddos, even for the new bambino. I am in love with them.

Seriously.

The really neat thing is that when I was tiny, my Grandma made me one very much like these, except mine is blue and white, so now we all are somewhat-matchy.



Adi and Pipes both got Nintendo DS's from Santa and a couple of games. Porter-Pot got the V-tech equivalent of a DS (only much tougher) with some games. Here's Orrin showing him how to play and the girls peeking in...



Now, to be honest, I wasn't so great about taking pictures this year. At all. Not at the Buckway family Christmas party, not on Christmas Eve stuff, not on Christmas morning, and not at our annual Fried Mush and Scones breakfast.

I know, I know, how very unlike me! But I must beg you to remember that I have the range of motion of a beached whale these days, and about as much energy as a starving sloth.

I also wanted to enjoy all that was going on without having my face stuck behind a camera, as usual.

But now I'm yearning for more pics :(

Meeting Mr. Claus

I was avoiding doing this. I did not want to stand in line forever to get a picture with Santa that I'd have to pay $20 for a 4X6. I'm sorry, call my Grinchy all you'd like, but I don't like that.

Then my sister told me that you can get a FREE pic with Santa at Bass Pro Shop. Well, how could I turn that down? I figured that even if the line was forever long, I could put up with it for a free pic.

Guess what? We only waited for 1/2 an hour. Yep, you read that right. 1/2 an hour. And when I say "we" I mean Whitney. The kiddos and I went off to find a present for Daddy, then we sat down at the coloring tables and colored till it was time to meet the Big Guy.




Porter was the only one willing to sit on his lap. He told Santa that he wanted a big train (get used to disappointment kid, 'cause that's not in Santa's bag this year), Piper told him a DS and Adi just shrugged her shoulders.

And then we left with our free candy canes and pictures.

And I was happy.

Oh, and so were the kiddos.

Dear Papa,

Adi is anxiously awaiting your arrival. This tooth might fall out in it's own, and then where would she be without her big pay-day from you?

See you soon... 'cause I'm getting completely grossed out by it!

All the Twinkling Lights

After I hit 36 weeks and it was all good for the bambino to come out, I decided that I could take the kiddos to see the Mesa Temple Lights.

Ok, ok, so I was hoping that all of the walking would help induce labor.

No such luck, obviously.

The kids and I went with my sister and met my brother and his family there.



One of the good things about AZ this year is that we really didn't even need jackets.



But Courtney, why are your kids all bundled up?

Well, because they we have to get some use out of their winter attire! Adi and Piper ended up taking off their jackets and carrying them around... even Whitney (who always thinks it is cold) was taking off her layers!



None of my photos really turned out. I couldn't figure out how to change the ISO and etc. while walking through the lights, so I don't even have any of Zach's family on here...

Aren't these guys just the cutest little imps? They are lucky they are so darn cute...

Let it be Christmas

Here is proof that we are doing some Christmasy things around here. Given, it's nothing like my usual "25 to Christmas" daily countdown thingy I usually do (here, here, and here). But I think that I will be allowed to skip this year without feeling that all-too-familiar mommy-guilt.

Maybe not.

Anyway, here is Miss Pipes putting the star on the Christmas tree.



A tree which, I must add, probably wouldn't have made it up if it wasn't for the efforts of my mom and sister. By the time we got into our house, I was pretty much burned out and not really feeling like putting up the trimmings.

Thanks Mommy and Whit!

Almost here...

So, I can go on and on with excuses as to why I haven't posted in three weeks (I know all of my adoring fans have been anxiously waiting). I can tell you about having NO INTERNET for those weeks (ouch) and about losing my camera cord... but I'll save my typing fingers!

Anywho, since I had to transfer to a new doc in the last inning of my pregnancy, she wanted to get an ultrasound done right away to check on the bambino.

I, of course, didn't disagree with that.

The little fart wouldn't uncover his face to give us a peek. No matter how much the technician poked and prodded him, he always kept at least one arm draped across it. He's not even born yet and I am already being troubled by his stubbornness!

If you look at this pic (and at the tiny arrow) you can see him holding up three of his chubby little fingers.


See them? I say that he's holding up a "W" for his name that we chose (I'm trying to be all dramatic and not announce it until he's here. Dumb, I know). OP says that it was his way of saying, "I'll see you in three weeks".

Well, kid, your three weeks are almost up.

It's time.

The doctor said that he looks really good, right around 6 lbs (which, by the way, was two weeks ago. Can you say "Big Baby"?) but that his head seems a little on the large size.

"Right across the crown?" I asked.

"Yes...", she was probably marveling at my intelligence, I assume.

"Yeah, that's a family trait. My other three kids have the same shape."

"That must make for fun deliveries, huh?" She laughed.

Hilarious, doctor. Just hilarious.

Back to School

We made it! Hooray!

Of course, the majority of our stuff is still in Utah (until OP's 3-day weekend when he can go up there and bring it all back). That means our beds and the fridge.

How are we surviving? We're crashing at my lovely sister's house. I know, poor her and her hubby, huh?

Anywho, the first thing on our agenda when we got here was to get the girlies enrolled in their new school. Boy, was that an experience. Let's just say their last school was vastly different than their new one. Like, I was a bit terrified to leave my precious babies at this school.

I must admit that I do not adjust well to change, however.

I took the girls out the day after we arrived in blessed AZ so they could buy themselves new outfits, which they have been saving up for. 4 hours and 5 stores later, they finally had their clothes in hand. We journeyed to Target (nada), Old navy (Piper's shoes), Marshalls (not even close), the Disney Store (Adi's Minnie Mouse shoes), Walmart (for cheap accessories, of course), and finally Children's Place. Finally, at Children's Place, I told them that mommy had to go home and lay down, so if they don't complete their outfits here, they would go to school naked.

That worked.

They chose their ensemble and Porter and I finally got a well-deserved break.

Here are my little ladies in front of their new school:



After dropping off the girls, Porter, Pluto and I chilled at the park.



After having a complete breakdown (Did we do the right thing? Should we have stayed in Utah? Am I over reacting? Is this new school going to steal away their innocence forever? That kind of thing), I picked the girls up, and they came walking out in the center of a huge crowd of girls. Needless to say, they had a great first day and they love their new school.

I am still not convinced. But if they're happy, I guess I'm satisfied... for now.

Sew Crazy

Here he is. The teeny, tiny boy that has done a number on my body these last few months. This is actually him 11 weeks ago, but I never did post this pic from my ultrasound.

Now I know trying to discern what is going on in an ultrasound for the most of us is like trying to read braille. It just doesn't make sense. But if you look close enough on the right side, you can see his face. Can you see his two little eyes?

If you find the eyes, then you will be able to see his little nose. And guess what? It appears as though he will be our fourth child that was gifted my exact nose.

Doesn't it look flat on the end? The funny thing about that is when I was in labor with Porter-Pot, right before he came out, Orrin said, "Let's just hope this one doesn't have your nose." The nurses were horrified! I think a few of their mouths hung open (yes, I had several nurses, it was a like a party in there).

I laughed pretty darn hard since my nose is a mystery to my family. It doesn't belong to my parents, nor their parents, but it seems to be a strong enough trait that my kiddos all end up with it. Yes, you read that right, there I was ready to push out a baby and I was laughing.

"It's an inside joke," I tried to convince the nurses. I don't think they ever forgave OP though, seeing as how they stopped sneaking him meals.

It's not the best picture, mostly because I was too lazy to scan it and decided to just take a pic with my camera to transport it onto here.

I felt a little bad when I realized that I haven't really posted anything about this new buckaroo who is getting ready to make his grand entrance into this world. Trust me, we are so excited for him (Porter the most, I think). I've been sewing up a storm to get everything ready for him.

A plethora of blankets:

Swaddling types,



And the big kind that I mainly use for covering up while nursing in public.




The hand-quilted sort of blankies. This dumb owl blanket that I decided to quilt around every. single. owl. Not smart, Courtney. Definitely not smart.




Little bibs,



burpcloths,




and onesies,




Let's not forget the binky clips (let's hope this kid likes pacifiers, 'cause I have about twice this many),




A blanket made to fit inside of his car seat,




And more. But they are packed away already (some already in Arizona), so I will leave them up to your imagination.

I just really haven't had the time to take these pictures, what with this move looming over my head. But, I decided that I had better make time, or else it just plain wouldn't get done.

And I need to toot my sewing horn at least a little bit, right?

We've also gotten his car seat, stroller, swing, pack 'n play, a bumbo... etc. You know, all those things we had and then I got rid of before we moved? Yup. Awesome. Not to mention the other essentials; diapers, socks, wipes, diapers, onesies, outfits, nail clippers, diapers, jammies, sleep 'n plays, diapers... did I mention diapers?

And yet, there's always more stuff to buy, isn't there? *Sigh*

I've also made little gift sets for the kiddos to get when I leave to have this little man.

The girls get these:





Baby dolls to love, a diaper bag, a variety of blankets, burpcloths, bibs, their own binky clips, headbands, boppy pillows... everything to make them feel like little mommies themselves.





Now, what to do for Porter? And then it hit me. The kid loves dogs. Seriously. He loves them. So here's what he's getting:



An adorable puppy to pack around, a hobo bag, a dog bed, a food dish, a bone, a collar and a leash. Oh, and the puppy's own blanket, too.

So, in case you thought I've been just sitting around here on my laurels, you now have picture proof that I've been sitting on my laurels, sewing!

Goodbye, Hogle Zoo

We decided to take one last trip to our local Hogle Zoo. And then we didn't get to see very many animals while there.

Note to self: they bring in most of the animals when it gets too cold. And then some just weren't there. And half of the zoo was closed due to a new exhibit that they are building. Shouldn't admission then be half off also?

Anywho, we still found ways to entertain ourselves.

Piper posed for photos.



*Warning- the girls got to do their own hair today*




Porter was just being his goofy self.



And he was pretty much permanently attached to his daddy. Same old, same old.



Piper is our little adventurer and doesn't seem to be afraid to do anything. I'm pretty sure that she would have jumped in the green pool and swam around if OP hadn't grabbed her right after I took this pic.



Adi, who has a few more of my genes, covered her nose and tried to rush through the stinky exhibits.



"But Courtney," you might be saying to yourself right now. "Aren't you supposed to be on bed rest? And isn't walking around the zoo the exact opposite of lying down and resting?"

Well, yes. That's true.

Luckily, my husband, the hero, promised to rent me a wheelchair and then wheel me around the zoo.

And then he brought me this.




Seriously, I was angry. I admit it. The best part was the beeping that went off as I backed up. Awesome.

I eventually got over it. After all, OP kept pointing out that I didn't want to risk the baby just because I'm a bit prideful. Grrrr.....

I was soon booted off to give everyone else a spin.



Adi enjoyed walking with her daddy and reading maps (the entire time she kept pointing out the routes that we needed to take).



This one is pretty cool, eh?



And I tried to get a group photo throughout the whole zoo, and finally demanded one before we left.

This is what I got:



All in all, it was fun. Luckily us Merrills are pretty good at entertaining ourselves, with or without animal assistance.

A Showering of Owls

When Aunt Whitney visited for Halloween last week, she and my momma threw me a baby shower. It was a smallish one (I think they are now referred to as "Sprinkles"?), but it was oh-so-cute!

Take these cupcakes, for example:



I love these dudes. I never did eat one of them. How can you eat such a cute face?

My mom and Whit spent most of the day in the kitchen making this stuff. And I got to sit and watch. Pretty sweet arrangement, right?



Here's the hooty-owl diaper cake. Adorable? Oh yes! I wish that I had taken 360 degree pics of this thing.




These little dudes kept popping up everywhere (notice the owl blanket in the background that my mommy made for this bambino).



The girlies were stinking excited for the shower and even gave their soon-to-be-born little bro some blankies and rags.



I planned P.G.'s nap so that he would sleep through the shower. And that lasted for about 30 minutes.

At least he came up dressed. Usually the kid sleeps in his underwear and sees nothing wrong with lounging around in them the rest of the day.



I wish that I had taken a ton more pictures (like of my mom & sis), but I've been a bit tried (read: lazy) and just couldn't get myself to do so during the party.

And now, of course I regret it!

So, anywho, thanks mom and Whit for the fun times, and thanks for just letting me sit there through the entire thing!

Taking the Christmas Pictures

It's that time of year again.

Christmas Card picture time, that is.

This year I went against tradition and took the hubby with us.



And guess what? I'm taking him with every year. For reals. Not only did he help arrange the kiddos, found awesome places to take the pics, and smoothed their hair away from their faces (yes, I am talking about Orrin),



But he also made them smile/laugh for the pics (which isn't easy to do when there is snow on the ground and Mom makes you take off your coats for pictures).

I will leave it up to your imagination to figure out what he did to elicit these expressions...



I ended up with a lot of cutesy pics. Unfortunately, there were a lot of oopsies in said pics too.

Like this one. Adi's poor hand placement (trying to keep her hand from freezing, I assume) and Piper's moving foot.



And this one. Once again, Adi's hand (probably should have just let them wear gloves), and Porter deciding to scratch his face just at this moment.



And then I tried to get individual photos of the kiddos. Porter just wouldn't hold still long enough! Or make a decent face...



Luckily, Adi decided to stick her hands in her pockets in this one.



Isn't this one so Piperish?



This pic almost won Card Honors, but I thought the background was a bit distracting. OP disagrees with me and he voted for this one.

But I have total veto power, so I chose another one.



Pshhh, like I'm going to show you right now! You'll see in about a month when you get the card in the mail. Or when I post it on my blog.

I, after all, cannot guarantee 100% that these will get out this year. Seeing as how I'm kind of a ticking time bomb right now, trying to keep this baby in until after Christmas. And trying to move while I'm knocking on 8 months of pregnancy. Yikes!

Hopefully I'll succeed.

After we took pics, we had a quick (and I mean quick) lunch up there in the oh-so-beautiful Milcreek Canyon.




If you look closely at the white sign in the middle, you can read that it says "Closed for the Season". This caused Adi a lot of worry during our hurried meal.



All and all, this ended up being our most fun picture-taking event yet.

Looks like OP is coming with every year!