Winding Down the Year, Gearing Up for Baby

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniel.lauve/December2010

So all of a sudden we turned around and we are two weeks away from the due date given for our baby boy. We had a great Christmas vacation, the whole time excited and aware that it was our last holiday as a family of two. I woke up with a cold that started out my week of vacation; it didn't damper my favorite holiday of the year! We left Austin on Wednesday and drove to be with my parents and brother in Jasper. We did our usual holiday baking, napping and catching up. Then on Christmas day we visited the Comeauxs and Heberts. We got to be a part of their Christmas, which was special because Amber and I shared many Christmases growing up. I enjoyed making bulletin boards for the girls rooms with Amber, and I think Daniel played football in the freezing cold with the kids.

We left on Sunday morning to go to San Antonio to be with Daniel's parents, sister Alicia and the Neelys. We'd decided to meet there for a mini-vacation in lieu of gifts. We had a good time walking the Riverwalk, checking out local restaurants (if you need good breakfast tacos go to Taco Haven) and playing games with the family.

Once we arrived back home we even had a pre-New Year's party with some of my college friends at our house. It was so fun to spend time with everyone and once we had laughed and caught up, the very next night Daniel and I thoroughly enjoyed a quiet New Year's.

Since we've gone back to work in 2011, we've really gotten to work! With less than a month to go, we got really busy preparing the house for the baby. The nursery is all finished. And after 5 extremely generous baby showers from our colleagues, friends and family, we have all the important stuff. We now spend each day open to the idea that he could bless us with his arrival any moment. We feel as ready as you can for something that will change your life forever in ways you can't really know until you experience it.

Here are some pictures of both the belly and the nursery-two of the things that have required a lot of work in the last month!

We also have a special announcement--our baby's name was decided on our Christmas trip through Texas after lots of thought, research and prayers: Everett Winston Lauve!

Everett, we already love you and can't wait to meet you soon.

Your parents,
Brandi & Daniel