Merry Christmas!!

We had a wonderful Christmas! The kids did not wake up too early. Jay and I were in bed and Sara woke up and got in bed with us and then Travis woke up. He went over to the stairs and looked down stairs and then came into our room and got into bed with Jay and I. He said calmly as can be, "I think that Santa came last night." That was it. He was not anxious to go down stairs or anything. I think that we all stayed in bed for about a half of an hour. The kids then opened up their stockings. They wanted to play with all the stuff in their stockings and Jay kept asking them if they wanted to open presents yet, but they did not. Travis's favorite present from Santa was a spiderman watch and Sara's was all her princess things.


After we opened presents, we got ready to go to Long Beach. All of Jay's siblings were there this year. We ate a yummy breakfast and then took a family picture (I wish that I had it to blog, but I didn't get any with my camera and have not gotten any from anyone yet). Then we opened presents. Jay was super excited to get the Wii. It has been a lot of fun (I am a great bowler).

Paul, Jill, Kate, Roland and Rand

In the late afternoon, my family came up to my house for dinner. The kids had a great time playing. Then we did our gift exchange. All of the kids in my family pitched in a bought my parents a picture of the San Diego Temple (great idea Cheryl!!). It is beautiful. We had a wonderful Christmas! We are so lucky to have both of our families so close.

Clint, Becky, my dad and Jay watching some tv

Taylor and Trav watching a movie

opening more presents

Joe got "Follow me Boys" (his favorite from when he was a kid)

Leah and Grandpa

the picture of the temple

Christmas Eve at the Spongberg's

Merry Christmas

On Christmas Eve, we went to Jay's family house to the annual Spongberg-Fernley Christmas Eve party. It was fun, just like always. Sandee bought all the kids matching pjs. They looked adorable in them. We started out the night by eating appetizers and socializing then ate dinner, then we watched a short video about Christ's birth and then Grandpa bore his testimony (which is always wonderful to hear) and then came present time. Grandma & Grandpa spoiled us all as usual (thanks GG & Gramps!). It is always a great time being together as a family. We were so lucky that everyone was there this year.

Leah and Baylee

Kate and Leah

Kate, Jake, Hallee, Baylee, Travis, Sara & Leah

By the time we got home, Travis was out. Jay took Sara for a drive so I could get some work done, but when they got home she was still awake. She did go right to bed, thank goodness. After hours of work, Santa arrived and left the house looking like...

This!

Bah Humbug!

The Sad Tree

Those of you who know me very well, know that Christmas time is my favorite. I love to shop for presents, I love to wrap them, I love to decorate the tree, I love all the decorations around the house, I love the lights, I love the treats, I could go on and on. Well, I was very anxious to get our Christmas stuff out of storage this year. I actually could not even wait for Jay to go get it, so I went up to Long Beach with all of the kids and got the stuff myself. We got our Christmas tree Dec. 1st. It took me over a week to get the lights on it. Still today....no ornaments. My house is not decorated at all...nothing. I have no desire to decorate it. Usually, by this time I would have so many presents wrapped and under the tree, it looks like Santa had already been by, but no not this year. No presents wrapped, no presents under the tree. The only thing I can say is that I do have most of the shopping done. What is wrong with me? I need a little more Christmas spirit!!

Greatest Hubby Ever!

Jay is the best! He is out of town (the first time since having the baby and I am surviving) and yesterday when I got home from running errands, there were beautiful roses waiting at my front door with a very nice note. Then later on, my friend, Heather, brought over a flat iron that I had mentioned that I wanted. Jay had asked her to pick one up for me. How sweet is he. He has also been just really kind all around and I really appreciate it. I don't know about most of you, but as for me, after I have a baby, I really don't feel super great about myself. I hate that awkward stage when you still don't even come close to fitting in you regular clothes, but you sure don't look pregnant anymore. Maternity stuff looks ridiculous (except for jeans) yet all my other stuff is tight when I am normal, and the tight look is DISGUSTING right now!!! Anyways, I am grateful that he has been so nice the last few days. Thanks Jay! I love you!!

Being the mom of 3

Sometimes I wonder how in the world can I be a mom with 3 kids. It seems pretty crazy. All I have to say is that I have realized that babies are easy, so very easy-2 year olds...not so easy and 4 year olds...not so easy either! Babies are great. They just sleep, eat and love you. They don't talk back, hit, whine, tattle, fight, make a mess...I have really lucked out. Leah is a wonderful baby. Really, even at 5 weeks, she just sleeps. I do feel like Travis and Sara have gotten a little crazy lately. I know that it is normal for kids to act up when another one is born, but for how long? They are both great to Leah, but not so great to each other. I feel like there is a lot of fighting, whining, and just plain being naughty lately. You experienced moms out there, any suggestions how to handle my kids? I feel like nothing works.

Bottom line... having 3 kids so far (5 weeks) has been hard in a different way than I thought it would. Other than having 1 more to get ready and feed every 3 hours, the baby is easy, the others hard. Who knows what it will be like in a few more months.

Leah Camille

Leah is such a joy! Dare I say that she is a perfect baby so far. Good thing! All she does is sleep and eat. She is very tolerant of her big brother and sister kissing and poking her. They love her very much! I have been very lucky to have lots of help. My mom and dad were sick last weekend and early this week, so my sister-in-law Becky came up on Tuesday and my sister JC came up on Wednesday. My mom came up on Thursday and Friday. Better not forget MR. MOM. Jay has been a great help too!! Thanks guys! As for me, I feel ok. I think that it is taking me a little bit longer to heal this time. I don't remember being so sore and needing so much medication for this long. We are so blessed to have this sweet little girl in our home!

birthday

7lbs. 9 oz-19 inches-just a little dark brown hair-blue eyes-big lips-big cheeks-little bum-

looks just like Travis did

1 day old

Meeting Travis and Sara

2 days old

still nameless
3 days old

4 days old

Going home with a name...finally!

5 days old

Lots of kisses

6 days old

Travis and Sara can't get enough

1 week

Leah stayed awake for 1 hour...record so far

8 days old

Travis has to hold Leah before he goes to preschool and wanted to take a picture of her for "share". Too cute!

*Thanks Becky for posting the pictures of Leah while I was at the hospital*

Baby Spongberg

Beautiful Baby GIRL

Welcome to the world Little Baby Spongberg. Coming in at 7 lbs. 9 oz. 19 in. She was born today at 2:15 and is very healthy. Mom and baby are doing great. No name yet, but soon to come.

Happy Halloween!

Annual Spongberg Family Halloween Party

On Monday night, we kicked off the first of 3 nights of our Halloween celebration. There was good food, great company, and lots of fun.

Preschool Party

Travis decided that he wanted to be a pirate for his preschool party instead of Tigger.

Travis and his friends Connor and Kai

Tigger & Pooh

We trick-or-treated with a bunch of friends in our ward on our street. Everyone had a lot of fun. We are so lucky to have such great friends!!

I've been TAGGED

Abi "tagged" me on her blog http://abijoe.blogspot.com/.

Here are the rules...

1-Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog

2-Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird

3-Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs

4- Let them know they are TAGGED by leaving a comment on their blog

7 Things About Me:





1. I was "Miss Twirlette" of Carlsbad (RANDOM & WEIRD!)

2. I found a murdered body of a little boy (8 years old?) in South Africa in a courtyard at the library.

3. I was certified as an EMT (but never worked as one).

4. I am scared of dogs.

5. My first name is Claudia (and I hate it!!).

6. I hate to throw things away.

7. I snore, and always have (even when I was a little girl).



You're Tagged:
Laura: http://ekfam.worpress.com/
Becca: http://beccasbizz.blogspot.com/
Jill: http://paulandjilltanner.blogspot.com/
Emily: http://dsmunns.blogspot.com/
Sarah: http://theasaygang.blogspot.com/
Kjrsten: http://kjrst.blogspot.com/
Becky: http://thewilsonpics.blogspot.com

The Latest...

Travis finally got his Razor Scooter. Yesterday my dad put it together for him. He was so excited! When he saw it he said, "Now I can go play in the street like all the other kids". Most of the kids on the street play in their front yards and in the street. I am probably looked at on our street as antisocial, but I can't stand my kids playing in the front. I am afraid that now I might have a new battle on my hands.
Yesterday, I moved Sara's bed back into Travis's room. We decided to bit the bullet and just make them sharing a room work. Well IT DID last night!! I think that Jay threatened them with physical harm if they got out of bed. It also helped that Travis was very tired. He fell asleep and Sara was awake for quite a while after just playing with her dolls in the bed. Sara's room is ready for the baby...the crib ready, cleaned and raised, even the sheets are on.
This morning, Sara did the funniest thing. She came into my bathroom this morning naked and just jumped on the toilet and said she was going to go potty just like mommy, daddy and Travy. She sat there for a while, but didn't do anything (we have not really been potty training yet, diapers are just so convenient.) Then she went to her room to get dressed. I found her with Travis's underwear on and her shorts on backwards. It was so cute. Little Sara is obsessed with clothes. She changes her clothes several times a day. She also always asks to go shopping. She loves shoes and always wants to go to the store to buy her some new ones. When at Babystyle, most kids like to play with the toys, but not my Sara, she goes around and picks out clothes and brings them to me and says, "Mom, this is a cute outfit" and then finds another one. Got to love it, but at the same time, this might be trouble. Actually, I will probably be the one in trouble, or would it be Jay... 2 big shoppers.

Changes

Finally, a big bed! Travis loves having it.

Sara likes sleeping in "Travy's" bed

(we keep trying to tell her it is her bed now)

The kids are growing. The family is growing. Time for some new beds and room changes. One of the hardest decisions for me lately has been trying to figure out where to put the baby. We have a good set up right now, 4 bedrooms, 2 kids, that leaves one vacant room--A playroom. We really don't want to give the playroom up. We are planning on adding a "loft" or 2nd family room over our dining room and living room hopefully in 6 months or so which will be wonderful, but for now, what to do? Being that we have no idea what the sex of this baby is, which would make the decision a little easier, we thought that for the time being, Travis and Sara would share Travis's room and the baby would sleep in Sara's room. (I know what some of you are saying to yourselves right now, just have the baby in your room and problem solved. With Sara, Jay and I had a good thing going for the first 6 weeks...Sara and I slept in one room, so that when she woke up in the middle of the night it did not disturb anyone, and then in the morning when Travis woke up, Jay took care of him and got him ready for the day. I got to sleep in until 9 or so everyday. Wonderful I tell you!! I really like the idea of being able to sleep in a bit and having my wonderful husband take care of the other kids in the morning.)

Back to the dilemma...last week we put another bed in Travis's room and tried to have Sara sleep in there. Did not work. That first night we put them to bed and tried it out for over an hour, but they just did not settle down. Sara went back to her crib in her room. We tried it for 4 nights, but they only got 2 chances each night. Sara ended up in her crib every night. We decided to try Sara on the toddler bed in her room, and it has worked fine. My question is, how do you get kids to go to sleep in the same room? I need some advice. I am running out of time. I have heard it might work putting them to bed at different times, but Sara is starting to stay up later and Travis is getting tired earlier (no more naps). HELP!!!!