Countdown to Christmas

Our family braved the mall yesterday in St Cloud and it was so packed, I can only imagine what today would be like. Rayna loved the pretty lights and Christmas trees. I think I got the rest of my gifts and was waddling big time by the time we were done. Just can't walk normal right now...thanks to the baby and how he is sitting. For the family that is reading this blog, I am getting things off in the mail soon...just can't guarantee that it will make it before Christmas! After the mall outing, I went over to Maria's to sit in her ginormous bath with jets and I relaxed so much. It was heavenly and she said she lived in it the last few weeks of her pregnancies. For a little while, nothing hurt and the baby didn't feel like a bowling ball. It was wonderful. This weekend is filled with getting gifts ready to send, finishing the piles of laundry, and starting to pack my bag for the hospital. We are getting anxious to meet this little baby and Rayna is talking more about her baby brother. Speaking of Rayna...for any of you who have had a toddler...she has hit a patch of weird defiance again and doesn't want to get out of the car or van when we get home. She begins screaming at the top of her lungs and literally would stay in the vehicle for hours if we would let her. If we lived in Florida...that would probably be okay, but it is downright cold here. So, for two nighs in a row, when we've come home, she has thrown a huge huge tantrum screaming at the top of her lungs about not wanting to get out of the vehicle? We have no idea what is the deal, but it is her current toddler issue. Any suggestions? She is 3..and there is sometimes no rhyme or reason to her actions...who knows? Other than that...Rayna is doing great and still very much into dressing up like a princess. Oh...another peek into Rayna. She is a sensitive little girl and lately if I've had America's Funniest Home Videos on..and they do those segments where everyone falls down on their bikes or skiis or something like that, she starts crying! She doesn't like watching other people get hurt! She's done that a few times and it baffles me. Ok...here are some more pictures of our good friends, Matthew & Cristina, and one of me that makes me look like a tent.