MinNie Dialogues

 Hey all!  

I am working on updating my blog.

I'm about three months behind if you haven't noticed.

Feeling horrible during pregnancy for months really

did me in, plus having a newborn has been a huge change.

Literally the only thing I do is nurse.

I'm not complaining, but, well...it's all I do.

But my goal is to update and catch up.

For now, an update on baby Minnie, also known as Nielson six:

she arrived safe and sound on January 21st, at 3:21 am

7 pounds 1 ounce, 19 inches, and is beautiful

 and amazing and fussy all at the same time.

Or maybe I forgot what newborns were like?

Or maybe I'm just old and tired.

Whatever it is, I can't wait to share more.

I only take 50,000 photos of her a day,

so buckle up, pretty soon this blog might sound more like

 the MinNie Dialogues.

25 Years

 Today, Christian and I share TWENTY FIVE years of marriage! 

We're spending the night in Chapel Hill.

This photo of us several years ago describes us perfectly.

We're still hanging on to each other and supporting each other

with love, patience, balance, laughter, and strength. 

Can't wait for the next 25!

Zero

 This morning, I got a notification from Barre3 about my class

progress.  I completed ZERO classes?!

Zero is exactly how I'm feeling these days.

I know I am growing a baby inside me, and patience is the name

of the game right now.  But it's also a little disappointing.

Gigs called, and we had a nice chat.

He's doing so great!

He sent this ADORABLE photo of himself on a mountainside

of his cozy, cold area somewhere in Slovakia.

I'm going to frame this photo.  

I think it describes him perfectly right now.

This afternoon, I went to the studio to check out the snowflakes

and make sure they are still hanging in there.

Unfortunately, the studio still smells like being pregnant and sick.

I long for the day when I can go to the studio and feel happy again.

Christian promises me it will happen.

Holiday Flannel

 This afternoon and into the evening, we got some last-minute 

jobs done around the house in preparation for our holiday guests!

I got all the beds, new holiday flannel sheets, and blankets.

Just a few more days and we'll all be together!

Jane and I have big dreams for this amazing bedroom upstairs.

Someday.

I need to have this baby first.

Crash

 I woke up this morning to a large crash.

My tree fell over.

Everyone was gone, and I was alone in the house and not to be 

dramatic or anything, but I was took weak to pick the tree up.

I called Christian in tears.  He said he'd come home

 and fix it and then take me to lunch.

Today is St. Lucia Day, but we will celebrate it next week 

when Oliver and Claire are in town. That's a relief, because today 

I don't feel the light, joy, and love that St. Lucia is known for; 

I feel quite the opposite. However, I did manage to 

line up all the Christmas books on the stairs. It's really exciting to

 think that next Christmas I will have a little baby to read them to!

Celebrating St. Lucia later

Christmas Trees

Today, Christian was my hero. 

Before leaving work, he made a fire in the living room, 

made me a bed on the couch with oatmeal for breakfast

 and my water (that I really struggle to drink),

where I lay rather uncomfortably until around noon, when

I got myself in a tub.

Honestly, even tubs are hard to take.

There really is no situation where I feel normal.

It's all hard.

It snowed again, dusting the ground outside.

That made everything cozy.

Before Christian came home, he called me and asked if there 

was anything he could pick up. I said, "Christmas trees."  

So, like the best husband, he visited three different places to 

find our perfect trees. I mean, Christmas was already halfway over,

 but the thought of wandering around a tree lot while

 feeling nauseous sounded awful. Plus, it was really cold outside. 

So he went alone.  

A first in our marriage.

He video called me from each tree stand, and at the first two places, 

they didn’t have any trees that I liked. 

The trees either lacked personality or were groomed too perfectly.

 The third place was the winner! 

As it was getting dark, his truck pulled in with two big

 butterball trees in the back. 

He jumped out of the truck with a huge smile; he reminded me of Santa.

This year, I just used tinsel garland to decorate the tree.

Easy and simple.

The one upstairs is still on our porch.

I was cooked after decorating the first tree.

That one will have to wait until tomorrow.

Or who knows when.

Before going to bed, I checked the weather.

More SNOW!

Three Things Today

 Here is what my life looks like today:
1. Kitty snuggled up to Christian with a huge tub of Red Vines.  

I like those, if only to put them under my nose to use them as a nausea diversion.   

Once baby is here, Kitty and Angus will live outside in our 

screened-in porch. 

2. A little dusting of snow this afternoon.  It was so magical. 
 I lay in bed giddy (as giddy as I can these days).

  

3. Lottie doing homework like a good girl.  
I think homework is easier with a festive house.

No Reason At All

 Tonight we attended a Christmas concert- well, I didn't.

I'm pretty much zero fun these days. I guess I should say Christian attended

 a Christmas concert with his red-headed beauties.  

I stayed home, barfed, and watched White Christmas.  

It's not as fun watching it being so sick.  

I am so ready for this to be over.  

I am also trying so hard to be happy and grateful for a

 relatively healthy pregnancy, because how amazing is it 

that I am carrying another beautiful NIE due in a month's time!?

I am so excited for Ollie, Claire, and Nate to come out!

A few days ago, Ollie informed us that he is bringing a friend with him.

She'll stay for a couple of days before Christmas.

I hope Ollie told her that I was pregnant and sick and therefore,

kinda grouchy.

I hope he warned her that I may throw up at any given 

whiff, time of day, or for no reason at all.

2025 Alternative Christmas Card

 

Remember when I got our family Christmas cards?

Well, I still haven't sent them out.

I'm thinking of replacing them with this 

homemade job:

This is really how I feel.

Meanwhile, Kitty doesn't know it yet, but once the baby comes,

she will live full-time outside with Angus.

No pet fur for baby, thankyouverymuch.

Hi Gigs!

Today, almost everyone (except for Lod, who was at school) 

was on the call with Gigs.

I was at home

Christian was at the office

Jane at the studio

Oliver in Idaho at school

Claire in Arizona.

It was so fun to catch up, like old times.

The first thing the Nies ask is to see my 

growing baby bump.

It's getting bigger every day, and I love showing them 

our progress.  Everyone is SO EXCITED to meet baby six!

Pretty soon we will ALL BE TOGETHER for the holidays!!

Gigs is doing awesome.

Highlights this week were meeting and inviting five new friends

to church, getting a new coat with real fur around the hood

at the local thrift store, and getting his haircut.

 

Also, THIS!

Gotta love this!

 

Was That Even Me?

 I can't explain how horrible I feel.  

And I keep thinking about how AMAZING 

I am because I did this FIVE OTHER TIMES BEFORE, 

but somehow, I totally forgot, and now I'm in awe of myself

 because back then, I had little kids I had to take care of

 on top of feeling like crap every day.

How did I do it?

Seriously, HOW?

Was that even me?

Exhibit A:

This is a picture of me in 2006, living in Arizona

 weeks away from delivering Nicholas.

Look!  I have groceries in my hands, I was being productive, and

responsible AND I had three SMALL children to take care of.

Was that even me?

Exhibit B:

This is a picture of me in 2004, pregnant with Oliver.

Look!  I am smiling!

Not a lot of smiles around here recently, and

it's a miracle if I shower, get dressed, and feed myself every day. 

Was that even me?

I am so thankful for my family here who are soooo good to me.  

They feed me, clean up, take me for rides, show me funny memes & pictures, 

(like the one of Kitty), and they never get sick of me crying

 and/or throwing up at all times of the day and night.

Today, I lay on the floor upstairs while directing the girls with

instructions while they put fresh cozy flannel bedding on the beds

upstairs for our holiday guests.

Wouldn't You?

 I met Christian this afternoon at the studio to 

hang up the other half of the paper snowflakes I made yesterday.

I also hung up the fresh green wreaths on the studio front.

It looks amazing.

When I say "I," I mean Christian.  

I basically just sit there and direct.

 If I didn't know what Barre3 was, but saw the studio,

I'd be intrigued and come inside and check it out,

wouldn't you?

I hope so.

Alert: 20 more days until Christmas.

I'm dead.

I Don't Think We'd Notice

 I have been making paper snowflakes for a few years now, 

and today, while listening and loving the book 'Wintering'

and alternating between drinking tea & Gatorade, 

I somehow managed to make my prettiest snowflake bunch to date.  

It's always good for my hands and fingers to move and stretch,

even though it really hurts to thick cut layers of paper with scissors.

I ALWAYS think about Deb and my other physical and occupational

therapists in Arizona and Utah, who were so supportive,

patient, and relentless in helping me make use of my body parts again.
I hung the snowflakes up in the dining room windows.  
Stillestead is starting to look like Santa's workshop.  

No Christmas tree yet, though.

I'm not in a hurry- mostly because I'm so sick and the thought 

of going to our storage unit to pull out the Christmas stuff, then come 

home and decorate sounds like a nightmare.

But the tree sounds most overwhelming!

To pick out a tree, then come home and set it up, decorate it, 

vacuum up after it every day,

and then the worst part: keeping it alive.

I can barely keep myself alive.

I keep dropping subtle hints to the family, like;

"The house looks so cozy and Christmassy, I don't even think

we'd even notice if we didn't have a tree." 

Every time I get SHUT down and accused of being

sacrilegious and terribly offensive.

Oh, pregnancy, why do you have to be the worst?

He Is God

 This morning, I thought I was dying.  

Not only because of the nausea, but my body aches.  

Each day, my skin stretches to make room for this healthy baby girl,

and it's amazing, and I am soooo thankful,

but it feels a little like torture.

 I don't want sympathy or anything; 

I just don't know what to do with

my feelings and physical discomfort, so complaining 

all the time seems natural. 

I've been here before, praying for a swift death to take me

from my pain- that sounded way dramatic, but holy cow, this is hard.

Christian settled me on the couch in the living room and 

lit a fire in the fireplace.

He played my favorite song,

"Slow Down" by Sissel on repeat as I lay there

staring into the fire with tears.

Then I got a text from Ollie in Idaho.  

He was headed to his early class, and in his part of the world

it was still dark outside.

He texted me a photo of his truck with his cute Christmas wreath

on the front and the snow piling up on the road, sidewalk,

and his car, and he said,

"Can't wait to come home for Christmas!  I'll try to

bring some of this snow with me, I know you love it.

Have a good day, I love you, Mom."

I'm so grateful that my kids are strong and resilient. 

It's such a cute, full-circle event that they are all caring for me

 as I bring another sibling into their lives.

Amidst this horrific sickness, I feel God's love and know

He has a plan for our family and me.

He is God.

It's also comforting to know that whenever this baby comes,

I know I'll feel so much better.

This isn't forever.

Later, Christian took me in the car 

(he knows I love car rides.) And we stocked up on firewood.

It's getting low, and when everyone comes for 

 Christmas, we need to be prepared.

No snow in the forecast, but it will be really cold.

Only 15 more days until Ollie comes, and 17 days 

until Nate & Claire come!  

I'm so excited!

*

In the midst of my confusion

In the time of desperate need

When I am thinking not too clearly

A gentle voice does intercede

Slow down, slow down, be still

Be still and wait, on the Spirit of the Lord

Slow down and hear His voice

And know that He is God

In the time of tribulation

When I'm feeling so unsure

When things are pressing in about me

Comes a gentle voice so still, so pure

Slow down, slow down, be still, my child

Be still and wait, on the Spirit of the Lord

Slow down and hear His voice

And know that He is God

2025 Christmas Cards

 It's that time of year!  

Time to order and send out our Christmas cards! 

As always, I ordered our cards from Pinhole Press

and this year, I used a photo from Claire's wedding in July.

When I look at the picture of all of us at the temple, where 

Claire and Nate were married and sealed together, and

I can’t help but feel that someone is missing.

Truly, our family isn’t complete yet, and I don't think I ever really noticed

or felt that until I looked at this photo.

 We are all so excited to welcome baby girl next month!

I took a card to the studio and pinned it up next to our new tea station.

I'm hoping clients will bring in their family Christmas/holiday cards, too.

Happy December and Merry Christmas

from the Nielson's 

(and our newest members, Nate & baby girl six)