{winter wonderland}

So, apparently it's Winter Wonderland here in Birmingham, AL.  I had to pose a few of the classic "let's put our baby in the snow in a bucket before she freezes to-death" pictures.  For those of you who remember,  we did these same pictures for Jackson in the snow when he was 3 months old.  He was laughing the whole time... and my baby was crying the whole time, lol!  Notice the progression from the left to the right in the 2nd picture.  We had to get some pictures either way.  

{pepper mae's first christmas}

{We had a small Christmas in the morning with just me, Joe, and Pepper Mae}

{This cracks me up every time I look at it.  We told her to pose for a picture and this is what she did! Haha!}

{Boobie at the beginning and end of Christmas Day.  She was Pooped! Can you find her in the picture to the left?}

{This was actually taken Christmas Eve.  Looks like Sophie got stuck in Pepper Mae's mouth!}

{This was Christmas at my mom's house.  All those presents are Pepper's!  She got spoiled along with all the grandchildren!}

Here is a small re-cap of Pepper's first Christmas!  We consider the day a BIG success... NO breakdowns!  She was so tied up at looking at everything going on around her she didn't think to cry.  We had a great day and couldn't ask for a better family!  

{modern white christmas}

{christmas 2010}

So,  this is what Christmas looks like in the Ustad home this year.  There's a lot I still want to add (of course)  but I don't know if any of it will get done in time!  We decided to go with a modern white tree instead of the retro silver one we had last year.  We have the same wreath we made last year,  and I'm going to work on adding hand made white flowers to it... they might be done before the New Year!  

True Story:  My grandmother came over the other day and noticed we had booted Dakota off her stocking and given it to Pepper.  Wow,  big mistake!  My grandmother flipped a lid and told me I should be ashamed for giving Dakota's stocking to Pepper!  Well,  we only have three stockings!  Of course,  most people,  would put the child before the dog... with the exception to my dear Grandmother :-)  

{this and that}

Finally! Some time to work on a family blog. Things have been quite crazy since the arrival of our little Pepper Mae. I'd love to use this blog to post pictures and updates on our family and the rapid changes of our first baby. I promise, no political outbursts this time! (for those of you who might have read my last blog)

Here is a recap of what has been happening in the first few months of Pepper Mae's arrival. Let me start at the beginning... (well, kinda) the delivery. My water broke on a Sunday afternoon right after Joe got to work (in Hoover). Needless to say I freaked out and called my whole family, which considering we live a street over from my mom and grandmother, they were here in seconds. This is the picture Joe got when he got home from the office to take me to the hospital: 1. My grandmother frantically vacuuming the hardwoods. 2. My sister going through my closet looking for me underwear, but to my prevail brings me bathing suit bottoms. 3. Me, holding a towel under my crotch, in the nursery picking out baby socks to bring to the hospital. Shortly after this scene, my contractions started so off to the hospital we went! 4 hours, an epidural, and 3 pushes later, Pepper Mae was here! Woah. This is all I can muster up today.

Here is what I have learned about Pepper Mae in the past 3 months of her life:

1. She most definitely has a "type a" personality.

2. She is addicted to her pacifier like it's a drug.

3. She LOVES to talk to EVERYTHING (or "coo" I should say)

4. When sleeping, she has to have the tips of her fingers on her left hand daintily touching the pacifier in her mouth. When her arm starts to fall, she jerks it up over and over again until she's too asleep to notice. {modified: we strap her arms down wrapped like an ace bandage, problem solved.}

5. Bath-time is her favorite time of the day.

6. She has the biggest smile I've ever seen on a baby, and it makes me want to cry I love her so much.

Here is what I have learned about being a new mother:

1. The Herman Miller Eames rocker is not very comfortable for late night feedings, but it's oh so pretty.

2. Sleep is a thing of the past. (duh)

3. The "schedule" has been a work in progress, but not an exact science.