December...Christmas Parties all month long...

Last week we had a party with my family. My brother and his family came up from Texas, where they are stationed...and it was fun to get together!

All the Millett grand kids:

Back Row: Hudson W & Shae M
Front Row: Jacob M, Alex W, Ethan M, Thomas W, Olivia W

These cousins haven't seen each other since May...so they were excited. Add the fact that it is Christmas and they are getting presents.......



We wanted to sing some Christmas songs, and my dad had my old (1988?) Yamaha electric piano. So, Brandon played and we sang. Then things got a little out of hand..David (my brother) remembered that there were songs/rhythms/backgrounds saved on the pianos...so they all started to sing and rap to the beat of the keyboard. Really, these 3 boys were the ones having the most fun!!




We all pitched in and got Grandpa the 4 pack of Indiana Jones!!!

He is such a great dad and grandpa. He means the world to me. He has been a shoulder to cry on my whole life, and these past two weeks, I have been able to lean on him, and cry with him. I am one lucky daughter!




Here is Grandpa Millett reading "Santa Mouse" to the kids. We grew up with this book, and if you don't have it, buy it. So Cute! Anyway...it is hard to get pictures of Grandma Dee, but here she is with Thomas reading with him! She is a wonderful Grandma (and Mom) and did a great job of planning this Christmas party!!!!

In fact...she can do it every year.
(Just Kidding Delores!)



Ethan, Jacob & Shae


Hudson & Alex

Thomas & Olivia


All in all, a great Family Christmas Party!!!

Ella Marie

Our sweet Ella passed away sometime earlier this week. During a Dr. appointment Friday with our family Dr. (Laura has a terrible cold), we asked him to listen to the heartbeat. When he was unable to find one, he did an ultrasound. He claims to not be good with ultrasounds, but he was unable to find a heartbeat there also. My OB was in surgury, but his office suggested we head to the hospital, and they would have a specialist do an ultrasound.

We got checked into the hospital, and our OB was out of surgery in time to be with us. They brought up the high-teck ultrasound machine, and confirmed our fears. Baby Ella was no longer alive. There was no heartbeat, and there was no flow within the umbilical cord.

At this point there were very few options. Because I was 32 weeks, I had to go through labor and delivery. They asked if we wanted to go home and be together, then come back the next day, but we decided to just stay in the hospital and start labor.

They gave me a suppository at 3pm, and I could feel some contractions, then another suppository at 7pm...along with a shot of morphine. After the 11pm suppository, the contractions came hard and fast, and I could tell I was going to have a baby soon.

Ella was born at 12:11 AM, Saturday Dec. 13, 2008. She was beautiful!

She weighed 2 lbs 10 1/2oz and was 15 inches long. She is definatly a White! Long toes and feet, long thin fingers.

We were able to spend about 3 hours with her, and it was wonderful. We took some pictures, and Brandon said a beautiful prayer. We weren't sure if we could give her a name and a blessing, but we have since found out that we can, so when we go to dress her, we will be able to do that too.

We have had such great support from our family and friends. We are struggling to understand what has happened, and why, and have so appreciated the love we have felt. Thank you!

We will be having a small grave-side service Tuesday, at the Bountiful Lakeside Cemetary. Ella will be able to rest and wait with her Grandma Jo.

So, I am in desperate need to update my poor blog...but I have no pictures to add, so I have been putting it of. However, I am tired of looking at the same old stuff. So, I will do a little life update.

First, pregnancy. I am 32 weeks, which is awesome! I am not ready to be done, or have the baby here...but it is nice number to see.
However, there is a bad number in my pregnancy right now. 148/100 That would be my blood pressure last Friday. A solid 30 points up from two weeks previous. I am trying not to stress (thus increasing the blood pressure), eat lots of protein, drink more water, and have lots of helpers with the kids. We are not worried, yet, but cautious.

Brandon has a birthday coming on Thursday. 32 whopping years old. Not exactly life-shattering, but still a birthday! Happy Birthday, baby!

Hudson will be 9 in eleven days. How did that happen. He is a good sport about having a Christmas birthday. I keep telling him that he chose a bad time of year to be born...but he just rolls his eyes!!

Thomas and Liv and Alex are great! Life is busy, and they are full of energy, and excitement over Christmas.

We put the tree up the weekend after thanksgiving...but didn't finish decorating it or the house until last week. Too many things to do in life. But our house is all decked out, and jolly and twinkling!

Let the Christmas countdown begin!!!! 14 days left!!!