MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE GEARHARTS!

o.k. it's been way too long since my last post!! I've been catering a lot lately with all the holiday parties, so hopefully I'll be able to keep up with posts after the holidays!!

To catch up: The secret pal party is an event every year celebrated by the Miller women on the first Sunday of December. We exchange names and have a $25 limit, but eatting and BINGO are the most fun part of the party!! This year it was hosted by Natalie, my mom and Laura. Great job guys!! Here are a few pics of me with my favorite 2 Miller women:

The following week we had another emergency with Brayden and ended up spending the night at Grand View Hospital... VERY long story short- He woke up one morning and was extremely lethargic. He drank his milk in the morning, but after that, he couldn't keep his eyes open and was a rag doll. After extensive testing -including a lumbar puncture- the doctors really couldn't tell us much other than that he may have had a touch of pnuemonia (although he had no runny nose, cough, fever,etc. AND the blood work didn't show any signs of infection) and low blood glucose.... (no picture of the hospital gown this time, WAY too traumatic for all of us!) Brayden is much better now and just about done with the antibiotic for the possible pnuemo. We'll have to do a follow up chest xray after the holidays to check on the questionable spot in his lungs, but for now we're doin alright.

After we knew we were in the clear, we took Brayden to the mall to see Santa for the first time. As with many young kids, it didn't go as well as expected! hehe, after the long wait in line with Brayden attempting to escape every other minute, we sat him down on Santa's lap only for him to look at us with pleading eyes to take him back! You gotta have that first Santa memory though, so it was worth it! ;-)

Mimi and Pop-pop babysat Brayden last Friday night so that Derek and I could go to his office Christmas party! That was a blast, lots of food, beverages and catching up... And of COURSE Mimi and Pop-pop got the better end of the deal- playing with Brayden! :)

Yesterday was the Miller Christmas get-together at Grandma & Pop-pop's! It was quite a party with the 2 "babies." (Brayden being almost 14mo and Harley who is 18mo) They got the new Hess truck, so they were ready to make a mess!! Pictures to come- mommy didn't have the camera ready, so we gotta wait for others to share!

Here is how I found Brayden this AM watching Elmo while I was cleaning up the kitchen... Hehe, looks like he could use a chair or a lap! Luckily it's clean laundry!

*Special thanks to Aunt Connie for taking the xmas photo of Brayden at the top! For those of you who didn't get cards from me this year, there is a photo coming to you soon!!!

As some of you may know, my best friend Ashley, was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer this past September. She under went somewhat unexpected, extensive surgery last week to remove the thyroid and effected lymph nodes. Through this holiday season, please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers as she recovers from this tough surgery and under goes radiation treatment in the new year... LOVE YOU GIRLFRIEND!