Thursday, December 31, 2009

Cookies

One day last week, after work, I had the crazy idea that Riley, Annie and I should make some Christmas cut out cookies. I put them both at the kitchen table and we mixed the dough and rolled out the cookies. Riley did great....Annie did not. All she wanted to do was eat the dough (understandable, I guess, for a 17 month old)...but then she got mad when I took it away, she started throwing it everywhere, and then had a fit when I had to remove her from the table.


When the cookies were finished baking, I again attempted to have them both decorate them. Annie did a bit better- I let her eat and play with the icing, so she was happy. I was so busy helping them and trying to prevent Annie from eating everything, I totally burned the burgers for dinner, and had to make new ones.....we still made a huge mess, but the girls had fun and we made some memories....maybe next year it will go a bit more smoothly.










Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Christmas with the Laube Family

The weekend before Christmas we packed up the kids and headed to Mimi and Papa;s house to celebrate Christmas with the Laube's. Anna and David are in Sweden, and Lynne and her kids were supposed to come by got struck with Pink Eye (yuck), so it was just us, Mom and Brian, Auntie Joannie and Uncle Steve and Chrissy, Scott and Kaitlyn. It was nice, though. The girls all had fun playing and we exchanged small gifts and ate some yummy food that Mimi and Papa's place catered for us (best macaroni and cheese I have EVER had)....here are a few pics from the fun:














Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Santa visit

A few weeks ago we went to Riley's school for Breakfast with Santa. It was a fundraiser for the school and we thought both girls would enjoy it. We ate a teeny tiny breakfast of pancakes and bacon, and then we stood in line for the girls to visit with Santa. I was hoping that Annie would sit on his lap, she loves to look at pictures of Santa and say "that" at him....but it was a no go. As soon as we got close, she stuck her head in my shoulder and didn't even want to look. I knew she would have a fit, and really did not want to do that in the middle of the school cafeteria!

But, Riley, of course, had no such issues and up she went to tell him what she wanted for Christmas (an Easy Bake Oven, Barbies and coloring books!), and they snapped this picture, which we received a few days later in her folder from school- for FREE!!!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Annie

Annie has been sick. Really sick.

It started last Friday- she was fine when I dropped her off at school, but when I picked her up, they said she had been coughing again and was running a slight (99 degree) temp. I figured she was just getting another cold, and she seemed ok that night. In fact, she ate a ton of pizza at dinner, so I was hopeful that maybe it was just a quick thing.

Unfortunately, at about 10:30 that night, she woke up screaming and coughing. When I went in to get her she started choking, and vomited all over herself and the floor. I took her into the bathroom, and she started wheezing badly, and then gasping for air. She vomited again, and was then really, really gasping and she sounded horrible. I ran the shower for steam, and we quickly gave her a breathing treatment...nothing worked. I started freaking out- we talked about taking her to the ER, but I didn't want to get in the car with her like that- by myself, since Todd had to stay with Riley, who was sleeping through all of this. I called my mom quickly to see what to do, and at that point, Todd said- call 911- so I got off the phone- they were coming over to keep Riley- and I called.....

EMS came and they took us to the hospital- my first ride ever in an ambulance- and gave her O2 and another treatment on the way. They took her temp- it was 103.5- and she was pretty out of it....as soon as they got us in the room, they did another treatment, and then another...Todd showed up....they took a chest xray. The respiratory nurse thought she might have croup and talked to us about steroids.....

Finally, the doc said that they thought it was pneumonia and that they would give her antibiotics and to continue the breathing treatments, and they sent us home- without another word about croup (this will become important!).....

So, Todd and I spent the rest of the night holding her upright in the chair to sleep....and the next day, more of the same, and the next night, and the next day....she sounded like a train- her breathing was still so heavy and labored and she wasn't sleeping at all- we were tempted to take her back, but decided to just wait it out.

Finally, Monday morning I called her regular pediatrician and took her in....and in a matter of minutes told me that it sounded like classic croup, not pneumonia, prescribed her steroids and said she should feel better soon.

And sure enough, by that afternoon and the next day, she was much better, and now (Thursday) she is breathing great and sleeping through the night again....

Such a scary, scary weekend for us....I am so grateful that it wasn't worse and that she is feeling better now....

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Children's Museum

A few weeks ago, right after Thanksgiving, Riley, Annie, Laney and Karen and I made a trip to the new Children's Museum in Greenville and we all had a wonderful time. I knew that Riley and Laney would enjoy themselves, and they did, but Annie had a great time, too. I am so glad that she is walking- she had a ball pushing the shopping carts and in the little farm display especially for toddlers. I can't wait for Sophie to visit in February because we are so going back with her!!

Unfortunately, I did not bring my camera, but I knew Karen would have hers! So, if you are so inclined (and I know several of you will do anything to see pics of Riley and Annie!), you can visit her blog to see the photos, and even a TON of videos, too!! Karen is a much better blogger than I am!

Monday, December 7, 2009

On reading

Books. I love to read. Really, although I don't have as much time as I once did, I very much enjoy reading. A few years ago, I wrote a post about wanting, hoping, for Riley to enjoy reading as much as I do. I took her to the library, bought her lots and lots of books and read to her constantly. And...it worked! Riley starting reading herself at an early age and now she is a voracious reader. She loves to read. Yesterday I left her in her room for quiet time while Annie and I napped- and she read for 2 hours! Straight!

Anyway...that brings me to Annie. As a second child, she does not get the constant attention that Riley did, unfortunately. With Riley, I read to her as an infant....Annie- well, not so much :( Early on, with Riley, I made books a part of the bedtime routine. We would sit and rock and read some books, and then she would go to sleep. Well, Annie's sleep sagas have been well documented here....mainly, she did not like to sleep so much (this is MUCH better now, but that is another post). So, reading books came later with Annie. But, we do read, and Riley reads to her, and I had hope that it would be enough.

I am pleased to say, Annie has followed her sister's footsteps in this way, even without all of the extra attention to books that Riley had. Basically- Annie is now OBSESSED with books!!! It is constant- all she wants to do is have us read to her. And we read the same few books over and over and over and over and over (you get the point!)....it is hilarious. Sometimes she will let Riley read to her, which is great because it gives me a nice break to get something done around the house, like laundry!

And we have now incorporated books into her bedtime routine, I am proud to say! So, I have high hopes for little Miss Annie, who, even though we started off slow, should be reading, just like her big sister, in no time!!!

Friday, December 4, 2009

Song for a Fifth Child

Thanks to Karen for making me aware of this...I love it, and not just because it gives me an excuse to why my house is a HUGE mess :)

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth
empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
hang out the washing and butter the bread,
sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.


by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton
It's been a while, and I apologize. I seem to have a few new readers so I am excited about that- welcome!! Things are moving along...December is typically a busy month here, as I think it is for everyone, so I made Todd buy me a white board calendar and I put all of our activities and appointments up there and I love it! But it really makes me realize how much we do!

Anyway, here are a few pics my mom sent of the girls from a few weeks ago. We went to visit Mimi and Papa and I had these cute matching outfits, so I dressed them up and off we went!

They were coloring together and Annie was rolling around on the floor and stepping all over the sheet, which did not make Riley happy...but they look cute :)