Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Passy Detox

So, in addition to the sickness-induced whining and lack of sleep that is blessing us lately, we decided to throw passy detox into the mix, too. All along, we have been planning to give the passys to Santa, and Saturday morning, I wrapped them up and Santa made a special early trip to bring Alden a stuffed bunny to snuggle when she misses them. That afternoon at naptime, she cried and asked for "pa-hees" over and over. I finally went in a laid with her until she fell asleep. That night, she did great, and fell asleep all by herself. She has requested them a few times in the past couple days, and we have had a few tears at bedtime, but overall, it has gone SO much better than I thought. However, it seems that Mommy has had to take the place of the passys, because she has been extra clingy...wanting to sit in my lap all the time, carry her around, and read to her. I don't mind any of those things, because it is fun to get a chance to snuggle her.

Hopefully, we are through the worst part. Now onto potty training...maybe when we get settled into the new house...which by the way, we found one and are closing on January 15th if all goes well! We are really excited!

On the Mend...Hopefully

We are finally starting to feel better. I took Hudson in to the doctor on Saturday morning after he was up most of the night because he was so mucus-y. The doctor did a test that said he was positive for RSV, and that there is nothing to do but wait it out. Basically, he is going to be snotty, coughy and miserable for 7-10 days. Merry Christmas. Obviously, that doctor didn't have kids because she didn't offer much sympathy or solutions. We have been liberally administering saline drops and running the vaporizer so that the room is like a rain forest that smells like Vicks. Luckily, today he seems much better and we have been getting more sleep the past few nights.


The rest of Saturday we lounged around and rested. Sunday, we had to skip church so as to not spread our holiday cheer. By yesterday, we were very ready to get out of the house, and went to the mall for an outing. Last night, we had an idea to drive out to see some lights in Wendell that were touted as a 30 minute choreographed light extravaganza. Well, Hudson screamed almost the whole way there, the lights were NOT impressive, and then, he screamed the whole way home. Lovely.


Today, I went to the barn to ride, and we went to the Cary mall for Alden to ride the Merry-go-Round. It has been so cold here that the mall seems like the only place to get out! There is one black horse that Alden loves and calls Black Beauty. She got off today, and starts talking about how in the book, "Black Beauty is scared of the Biiiiiggg fire!" How does she remember that? We haven't read that in months.

I was going to try to add pictures, but our computer just crashed while I was editing pictures. Patience, Patience. I will post some soon.



Thursday, December 18, 2008

Sickies

We are all sick right now. Alden started with an off-and-on fever/respiratory thing the other day and Matt, Hudson and I were all trying to fight it off, too. This morning, I woke up to feed Hudson around 5 and had to sit in the bathroom for 15 minutes because I thought I might puke. Luckily, Mom was able to stay with me today and help with the kids and I got to rest some. Alden slept from 1:30-6:15 this afternoon, when my mom had to wake her up, and Hudson has been coughing and phlegmy. Matt has felt worse and worse all day, slept through lunch, and threw up at work. We are all headed to bed and hoping that our status improve so we can head to Aiken for the weekend.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Hudson Sits!

I have been a little out of commission. Sometime last week, I don't know if it started with kickboxing on Monday and was exacerbated by picking Alden up, but I hurt my back. Thursday and Friday I laid low and didn't do much at all. This was fortunate timing, however, because it was pouring rain, and we couldn't go out anyway. Two days was plenty of time, though, for me to realize that staying in the house for a whole day is hard!

Ashley has been working at a daycare/preschool in the afternoons and they had their Christmas program on Friday night. We took the kids, and Alden enjoyed watching "boys and girls singing!" Pop pop ran sound for the production, and let Alden play the drums afterwards.
Our evening was fun, and made me so thankful that I am able to stay home with Alden and Hudson. Of course, there are days that they drive me crazy, but seeing all those little kids that are at daycare all day made me so sad. It would break my heart to leave my two all day.

Saturday, Alden and Matt raked leaves, and we enjoyed some quiet time during naps. That night, we enjoyed an impromptu family night out to Chick-Fil-A. We decided to take the risk and go to Toys R' Us afterwards, with a warning to Alden that we would be looking, not buying, but that she could show us things that she would like Santa to bring her. Well, that ended up being almost everything in the store. She would point and yell, yes yell, "Santa, I get this for Christmas!" Some of her favorites were Diego, dinosaurs, and Thomas. Miraculously, we made it out without any tamtrums. Then, we went to REI and Alden tried out the Thermarests. She said she was camping.


Sunday, we went to church, and didn't have much time to do anything else around naps. Weekends just seem to fly by. We did indulge in the season finale of Survivor and were glad Bob won!

Today was a day that makes me just love North Carolina. After a week of cold, we had a beautiful day in the 70s. Alden had school, and then we played outside for a couple hours after lunch.
Alden was doing some "fishing" with a willow branch. She said she caught a "blue shark" and a "lobster."

Our big news lately is that Hudson is really sitting up by himself now for a minute
or two at a time. To celebrate, we let him try out the ring in the tub. He really liked it.
He is enjoying playing with toys, and starting to make little puppy noises when he wants to be picked up, or if we walk away from him. Matt was lifting him in the air the other day and he was giggling and squealing. He seems more animated and more talkative all the time.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Yesshh

I have to record some of our conversations lately...

**Alden (seeing some kind of Disney Princess something on TV): Mommy, Mommy, I want dat for Christmas!!
Mommy: Maybe you should ask Santa for it. (And thinking, thank goodness she is interested in something girly)
Alden: No, I don't think so. Mommy get it.

**Amber was talking about going to Chuck E Cheese sometime. Alden sounded interested in going, and I asked her what she was going to do there. She replies, " Play dodgeball, and play catch."
WHAT??? I don't think she has even HEARD of dodgeball?!?!??! And I know she has no idea what Chuck E. Cheese is about.

**My mom is a lactaction consultant, and Alden was looking through one of her books that was laying around. She turns to a page with breasts on it, and says, "oooo, scary boobies!" Then, she points to one of the nipples, and says,"Funny nose."

**Alden's latest thing is "YESSSHH." This is funny, and a nice change from all the "no's". We were driving Saturday night and the moon was HUGE. We stopped at a stoplight and could really see it. I asked her if she could see it, and she replies in a very bored, I-don't-care-kind-of-way, with her head leaning on the side of her carseat "yesshh." Matt asks if she thinks it's cool, and again, another bored "yesshh."

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Tinkerbell Sock Game

Alden and Hudson created their first game together today. Alden had one of her Tinkerbell socks, and would put it part way on her foot. Hudson would take it off. Alden put it back on, Hudson took it off...and so on and so on. Until Alden says, "I'm done now. No mo."

VIP Day

Last Wednesday was Alden's VIP day at school. Since all the kids have summer birthdays, they get a VIP day assigned to them instead. I got to go to music class with her, and brought iced cookies for snack time. Alden got to wear a crown, and said she looked "peety like a princess." It was fun to see the kids singing songs and playing with the sticks and instruments. All I can say is that their teachers are INCREDIBLY patient. They were talking about Christmas trees that day, so Alden showed me how she was decorating one of the little trees in their room.

I also got to see her making her art project for the day and she showed me the drying rack.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Parade, Birthday, and Anniversary

Last Thursday, Hudson had his 4 month appointment. His stats were:

Height 24 1/2" 25%
Weight 15 lbs 5 oz 50%
The doctor said he looked great. We got the go ahead to try some cereal, but I am not in a big rush. He eats so well, and has been sleeping good. I remember being so excited to try cereal with Alden in the hopes that she would sleep longer, and it didn't work anyway. He got three shots, and like Alden said, "he cried and cried...poor Ha-ha."

Friday night, when Matt got home, we went on an impromptu shopping trip and dinner at Moe's. Alden got to ride the carousel at the mall, and this time Matt went with her.

Saturday, we were planning to do some more shopping, and ended up walking around downtown Apex. There are so many cute shops there. We got hotdogs and hot chocolate at the Fire Department, and tried cookies from a bakery...that weren't that great. Later that afternoon, we went back for the Christmas parade. Alden LOVED it. I would say firetrucks and the Chick-fil-a cows were her favorite. We all bundled up nice and warm, and all took turns cuddling Alden and Hudson for body heat. I had to skip out early to go to my friend Elizabeth's Bachelorette party. Thankfully, Ellie wasn't wanting a wild, go-out-and-party kind of night, so we met at Laura's house for appetizers and presents, and went to 118 Seaboard for dinner. Yum.

Sunday after church, Matt and I went out with a realtor to see some houses. Nothing was very appealing. That night, Amber came over and we decorated the Christmas tree. Alden enjoyed hanging ornaments. Afterwards, upon closer inspection, we realized that most of hers were hung on two branches that were pratically touching the ground, they were so weighed down.

Monday was Amber's 27th birthday and our 7th anniversary. Crazy. Seven years sounds a lot longer than 6. But they have been so good and I am so thankful to be married to Matt. He is wonderful. A great husband and a great father. Did I say that I love him so much??
We had a special birthday dinner for Amber, and I made her a Christmas Funfetti cake to celebrate, and chocolate mousse for Matt. It was really fun to all be together, and Matt and I are looking forward to a date night, too! Hudson wanted to try some cake, too. Maybe next year.
Hudson sat up today for the first time! It was only for a few seconds before he toppled, but it is fun to think he is going to be more stable soon. Matt was lifting him up and down tonight and Hudson was giggling and laughing. He loves his Daddy.

Alden is so funny. Tonight she was sitting at the table with her head in her hands and saying,"Daddy...hmmmm."Another thing she throws around lately is, "Mommy, what do you want to do now?" She is into the Christmas lights ("yights"), and luckily, there are some neighbors down the street with a very elaborate display, including a motocycle running over a reindeer. She, Bebe, and Ashley walked down there tonight to check it out.

Showing off some bubbles.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Hey!

There are 3 posts that follow, and they are a little out of order. Enjoy.

Cookie Gallery

A display of our works of art...
Owl

A beaver and two fish

A giraffe


Lily


Black Santa

A Christmas Tree



Camo bear



Sarah Palin

Kiki - our old cat

A turkey

A horse - it is supposed to be Phoenix, the new one I am riding

The weekend before T-giving...Go Bucks

I have to do some catch up here...

Friday night Matt fell asleep in Alden's room after dinner.
The weekend before Thanksgiving was really restful for us. Matt watched the Ohio State game, and we tried to get Alden to wear her cheerleader outfit and cheer on the Buckeyes. Here are some of the pictures from that effort... I went to meet a horse on Sunday, and I think it is going to work out well for me to ride him a couple days a week. He is a four year old Havnoverian gelding, who has been started, is pretty solid walk/trot/canter, and just needs more exercise and time that his person can commit to. Jamie, who owns him, is super, and I am looking forward to knowing her better, too. It felt much better to ride after taking a 9 month break. Just like riding a bike...sort of. It will be good to have some lessons and constructive criticism to correct some bad habits!
Here are some cute pics from the weekend...



The week of T-giving, we had an impromptu visit from some Charlotte friends on Tuesday. Stacy, Madison, and little Mason met us at the mall on their way to New Jersey. Her husband, Toby had a meeting in Raleigh, so we were able to spend some time together while he worked. Alden and Madison had a great time in the play area and got to ride the carousel. On Wednesday, Mom and I went back to the mall and Alden got to ride again. We saw Santa, but Alden wasn't interested in sitting in his lap...or really getting near him at all.

Hudson seems SO grown up lately. He is flipping all over the place, and unfortunately, this tends to wake him up at night more. He can sort of stand up holding on to the ottoman, and loves playing in his saucer. He is reaching and grabbing for things, and putting everything in his mouth. When people talk to him, he just smiles and smiles. He is SO cute.