Scout

Today we celebrate the two year anniversary of officially/legally adopting Kayliana into our family!   I’ll never forget what the judge said.  As we stood there before the bench, he looked us over and said, “I can tell that she’ll bless you as much as you’ll bless her.”  So true.

Last week, we went through an adoption process of a slightly (OK, VERY) different nature…from our local Humane Society, I brought home our first family pet since Mistletoe – our Christmas kitty who had to be put down the day AFTER Christmas, 2006.  Little 3 month old Lop bunny rabbit – “Scout” – is the perfect little fluff ball for us!  I’ll openly admit that I’ve been dealing with some doggie desires for a while now.  Mike is SOooo not ready and really, especially with my ZERO dog-ownership experience, it would be better for us to wait until – obviously – he’s 100% pumped AND if our animal-loving, kind of injury-prone wild-child, Kayli, is a tad bit older.  So for now all our pet-loving-caring energy can go to this adorable little fluffer-nutter bunny.  Currently, he lives in the cage we got for him and we let him out several times a day to hop around the kitchen (blocked off so he can’t escape to the rest of the non-bunny-proofed house).  We’re working on litterbox training though so far he seems to prefer his litterbox for sleeping in and the rest of his cage for pooping in.  Oye.  We’ll get there; it may just take time and lots of poop-practice!

Nutritarian?!!! Wha...?

Well, shoooot, only a few weeks into 2013 and I’m already struggling with one of my resolutions (#1 even!!): No guilt.  I’ve experienced a ginormous shift in my understanding of my resolution #4 (health) which has caused some issues with resolution #1 (no guilt).  I just finished reading the book Disease-Proof Your Child by Dr. Joel Furhman.  It has pretty much just completely verified everything I already knew (a primarily veggie-fruit based diet is based) and has also added a side-serving of guilt regarding all the foods I’ve been feeding my kids (and myself) for years.  Now, we ate fairly well.  Really, we did.  The boys still don’t like soda – thank goodness – we typically only had desserts on the weekend.  They only have juice a few times a week.  We drank fat-free milk.  We usually only ate lean meats and even then it wasn’t every single lunch or dinner…but still.  Basically I was already planning on cutting out all processed foods of which we can’t pronounce all the ingredients…but Dr. Furhman takes it to a whole new level.  You can see his ideal food pyramid here: http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/foodpyramid.aspx.  On paper it really doesn’t seem THAT different from what we were already attempting to do but putting it into practice is a whole other story.  Obviously this is the ideal and it’s what we’re working towards, but holy dooty, no-to-little cheese is going to be the toughest one especially for the kiddos where adding cheese to a veggie-filled pasta or quinoa or veggie-stuffed whole wheat tortilla was kind of the way to get them to really eat it.  Our kids do well with some veggies – they’re actually awesome with carrots, steamed broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, etc.  Basically the standard vegetables, but getting them (and us) on board with eating basically 75% vegetables (‘the salad as the main dish’) will be an adjustment.  See how even the whole grains are way higher up on the pyramid?!  As carbivores – granted healthy ones, you know whole grains, whole wheat, etc. – this is a change for sure.

Anyway, so, we’re working on eating this way.  I was already working through all of this when my bestie, Rebecca, heard some upsetting news and did some pretty extensive research.  It SHOULD seem off topic to go from discussing food and eating well to aborted fetuses, right?!  Startling segue, yes?  Sadly, no.  Thanks to her research and helpful links on HER blog: http://mammavintage.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-second-modest-proposal.html I’ve recently learned that MANY food companies (including Pepsi, Nabisco, Kraft, Cadbury and Nestle) use aborted fetal cells in their food testing or manufacturing.  Yet another startling and sickening discovery and reason to seriously avoid processed foods that are made out of weird man-made chemicals and things that you can’t pronounce.  The list was provided on www.preventdisease.com.  Kinda freakin’ me out!  My days of daily Diet Pepsi ended on January 1^st and boy, am I ever glad! 

Now, I will continue to work on making my kids the “weird” ones at school who pull out their lunch of tofu, quinoa and steamed veggies! Kale-beet juice anyone?!  But the good news is there ARE ways of making eating this way appetizing to kids, and trust me, I’m trying my best, but honestly, what I learned from Dr. Furhman, is that as long as kids regularly eat garbage (I’m not talking chicken nuggets every day, I’m talking about the way we were eating: whole wheat Ritz crackers, maybe a healthy-seeming granola bar for snack, the occasional Oreo cookie, maybe a frozen cheese pizza for family movie night, etc.) this transition will be WAY harder.  We’re not in any position to just throw out the ‘evil’ foods still lurking in our pantry (and that’d be wasteful anyway), but I am hoping that – without too much guilt and torture – I can transition us all to being “Nutritarians.” (If you’re interested in learning more, I highly recommend the book that I read or Dr. Furhman’s other book Eat to Live or Super Immunity.  Another great way to access some more info is getting on YouTube and watching his videos there; just search for Dr. Furhman). 

The clan kiddos

2013, baby!

It’s official: Christmas has come and gone.  Even New Year’s is already over.  Sniff sniff.  I have to say – without exaggeration – that this holiday season was the best one I’ve ever had.  On Christmas morning, I’d set my alarm for 7:15 so that I could get up, start coffee, start breakfast and be ‘in place’ for the children’s appearance at the top of the stairs at 8am.  Well, I was so eager and excited, I woke up before the arlarm and hopped out of bed.  The kids actually managed to sleep until about 8:15 which was surprising considering the amount of happy anticipation filling their heads.  And as rarely happens with me, my expectations were surprisingly exceeded by reality.  So often I have such lofty dreams of what a certain event or day will be like that there’s no way that reality can live up to it.  But not this time, friends.  Christmas was magical.  I was moved on many occasions with the overwhelming knowledge of how blessed we are.  We really could’ve had nothing under the Christmas tree and I still would’ve been happy.  But, let’s face it: the stuff under the tree was pretty great too.  I’m proud of us though as I don’t feel like we go crazy overboard.  The kids did a couple of the bigger items they wanted (for Zachary: a castle-thingy and a Playmobil pirate ship; for Matthew: a Star Wars lego; for Kayliana: a backpack – that she now wears when we take the boys to and from the bus stop – she also got a few other great toys that she loves).  Santa also brought us a sled which is genius seeing as we live on the top of a pretty friggin’ ginormous hill now.  Yay! Santa’s SO clever (AND shops for things second hand on Craigslist).

So, Christmas was wonderful and the remaining few days of winter vacation were mostly relaxing and quiet…until our best friends moved in for “Camp Christmas.”  Then the days were just crazy-awesome.  They came: Jason, Rebecca, Jason’s 15 year old daughter Adrienne, their two boys Joshua and Noah, their 1 ½ year old daughter Veronica and their Australian Shepherd puppy Kahlua; it was a full house and we loved every single fun-packed minute of it.  From Saturday afternoon until Tuesday afternoon we ate, we drank, we played games; we never got enough of each other.  Sunday evening we went to “Celebration Lane” – the fun-stivities at the local mall where over 100 drummers dressed as toy soldiers parade out every evening and rock out.  There’s fake snow.  There are noise makers.  We brought hot buttered rum.  I think we may have actually had more fun than the kids!  Monday night was New Year’s Eve and that was one for the books.  Adrienne babysat the kiddos so that the grown-ups could go out.  Rebecca’s parents had rented a party bus to take 25 of us around downtown Seattle for the night.  It. Was. SO. Much. Fun.  We danced on the bus.  We took over a bar near Pike Place Market.  We went to Kerry Park (with hundreds of others with the same idea) and watched the Space Needle lit up in fireworks as we counted down to midnight.  After that we partied our way to Dick’s Drive In for delicious greasy fries, burgers and shakes.  Mike’s butt accidentally dialed my parents at 1am – waking them from their slumber – ruh roh!  We fell into our beds exhausted, elated and not too drunk, thank you very much, sometime after 3. 

It all came to an end way too soon.  But now we’re here, several days of 2013 already behind us.  It’s clean slate time.  Christmas got packed up and put away yesterday (I’m still working through the grieving process).  But I’ll admit it’s nice to get the house cleaned up. It’s actually pretty exciting as we packed up yesterday as LAST year, post-Christmas we were starting to pack the house for staging, selling and moving.  So, a lot of our framed photos and decorative stuff just got packed up with Christmas and stayed there.  I haven’t seen some of it in nearly a year, so it was fun to get it back out again. 

Anyway, New Year’s Resolution time.  As someone who LOVES goal-setting, calendars and list-making, resolutions are more of a few-times a year thing for me, but it’s refreshing at New Year’s since everybody is on board the let’s-better-ourselves train.  I’m pretty pumped with my list. I feel like it’s do-able and I’m well on my way to making them a permanent part of my life.

In no particular order:

1. NO GUILT.  I’m pretty excited about this.  I came up with it a couple of months ago when I was feeling guilty about something totally stupid that I needn’t have felt guilty about and yet GUILTY has kinda just been a permament part of my vibe.  I ALWAYS feel (FELT) guilty about something, and I suffer from a variety of forms of guilt: mom’s guilt (not playing enough with the kids, general sucky in my job at raising humanoids); Catholic guilt (since Day 1 this has been a part of my existence.  Without murdering anyone or becoming a terrible person I plan on continuing the Catholic part but ditching the guilt).  Blogger’s guilt (I don’t do it nearly as much as I’d like to.  It started out daily – easy when you consider that I was trapped in a hospital on bedrest, but eventually went to twice a week and now is, on average every 7-12 days or so.  I’d LOVE to blog more; I’d LOVE to write more, but I need to not feel guilty when it doesn’t happen because instead of writing about my life, I’m busy livin’ it).  Recycler’s guilt (Yup, we live in Seattle.  It’s not easy being Green).  Runner’s guilt (if I don’t run three times a week, the guilt starts to add up).  Anyway, you could see the list is endless.  But not anymore, friends, 2013, I am 100% GUILT FREE!

2. HEALTH.  Yeah, yeah, everyone puts “lose x amount of pounds” down for a New Year’s resolution.  And I hate to be cliché, but as someone who has always struggled with my weight (despite the occasional Marathon, Half Marathon and weekly spin classes at the gym), I’ve realized that my health/weight goals need to be more about the lifestyle change and self-acceptance than about the number on the scale.  I’m going to continue my 3 morning a week runs with my neighbors from the old ‘hood.  (Unless it’s icey up here and I can’t make it).  I’ll continue my Tuesday morning indoor cycling class (my weekly Spin class is a sacred space that I RARELY let anything get in the way of).  We – Mike and I – are also going to start the p90X DVD workout series.  So, yeah, we’re pretty much going to be completely ripped and out of control buff…BUT the general goal is overall health.  We’re beginning to eat cleaner – more ‘whole’ foods (like how they were in nature, not all processed with ingredients that can’t be pronounced) and continuing to make sure that the kids eat this way (and LOVE it, darn it)!  As for the kids, I’ve been taking the boys out for walk/jogs with me.  It’s amazing how the second we’re outside, they just open their mouths and talk the whole time.  It’s such a great bonding time and obviously a healthy habit to form.  We have tons of trails that we can access from our house, so it’s silly not to take advantage of them.  The boys have been in swim lessons; in a few weeks that’ll wrap up and Zachary will do basketball for a couple months followed by Matthew’s baseball season.  Kayli gets daily exercise walking to and from the boys’ bus stop (that adds up to over a half mile every day).  Plus, she’s nonstop ripping around the house, running up and down the stairs, trying to climb most objects, doing chin-ups and swinging under the kitchen counter, etc.  I feel good about where we’re at with health, and more importantly about where we’re headed!

3. MY TIME: I’m going to be smarter with it.  Less pointless time on the internet, screens (TV, computer) will be turned off by 10pm every night so I get to sleep earlier, AND I will have more time for reading.  I’ve been reading a a couple of really good books lately, so I’m definitely on the right track with that.

4. MY FAVE: I’m going to have bubble baths!!! Like ideally once a week!  This is the best New Year’s Resolution EVER. 

Here’s to 2013!

[photo upload thingy isn't working right now.  grrr. pictures to come...]

Bubbles and bubbly (well, actually, just wine)

I can’t believe that today is Christmas Eve Eve.  It’s almost here; it’s nearly here!  And while the excitement for Christmas continues to build and escalate in this house with a constant rumble and trembling of joy, I feel a simultaneous build-up of sadness in the pit of my stomach.  It’s gotten worse as I’ve gotten older, and I just don’t understand it nor do I know what to do about it.  I’m so freakishly, insanenly enthralled with the whole Christmas season.  From the moment that I’m ‘allowed’ to listen to Christmas music (according to Mike this is socially acceptable the day after Thanksgiving), I’m giddy with the joy that IS the season – the lights, the music, the tree, the Advent calendar and wreath, the movies, the food, the drink…it all.  Obviously, the stress of the season gets to me too – all of the shopping, errands, festivities (which are great, but do fill up the calendar), cooking, cleaning, overly excited (i.e. out of control cranky) children, etc.  That wears me down too, but for the most part, I just can’t get enough of CHRISTMAS…until Christmas.  As it draws nearer instead of feeling more excited, I start to feel the impending doom of its’ ‘doneness.’  It’s like I’m PRE-sad knowing that so soon it will come to an end.  On December 26^th, when I turn on the radio and it’s back to regular ‘ol boring non-Jesus’ birthday or Santa-themed tunes, I’m SO disappointed. 

 

I’m about to admit something a little embarrassing but that, quite frankly, is the part of the essence of me (the “Jenessence” --- a term that dates back to the early days of this here nearly seven year-long, Blog); so, take it or leave it, but here goes.  This is how much I love Christmas: a couple of weeks ago, Mike and I were sitting by the tree in a rare moment of peace.  The three kids were upstairs all playing together well and in harmony.  (Seriously, a Christmas miracle).  Christmas music was playing (of course, as it has been, CONSTANTLY since exactly a month ago – November 23^rd), I was having a glass of wine (shocker) and ignoring the mountain of dishes in the kitchen sink so that we could just enjoy the moment.  I was telling Mike just how much I love Christmas, in particular, the whole Santa thing.  I’m still completely enamored with the magic of it all.  As a parent now, I obviously gain a different perspective of this Santa business and in some ways it has added such a depth and enjoyment to the experience.  They say, with children, you have the advantage of seeing life through their eyes.  It’s easier to ‘embrace your inner child’ when you’re surrounded by them…so maybe this is why the Santa thing has actually gotten harder as I’ve matured.  I explained to Mike that I just think the whole idea of Santa is so spectacular and magical and wonderful and [make sure your children are not reading this!!!...] amazing that it kind of breaks my heart that it’s not actually real and then…I…started…to cry.  Yes, I cried because there’s no such thing as Santa.  I didn’t even cry about this when I was a kid!  Sure, I was maybe extra emotional that night, maybe it was a more ‘tender time’ for me (if you will J), but I shed legit tears of sadness over…Santa.  Wow.

 

Anyway, as Christmas does come closer, and therefore, soon comes to an end, I’m trying my darndest to fight the inevidable sadness heading my way.  Tonight, in an effort to fight this and to, quite frankly, spoil myself, I did something that I haven’t done in almost exactly (to the day!) seven years.  I took a bubble bath.  Stay with me as I paint this picture (but try not to paint one too vividly in your head, you sicko).  The last time I soaked in a tub was when I was pregnant with Zachary and we were at a bed and breakfast in Leavenworth after Christmas.  When I told this to Mike he was like, “Well, yeah, I don’t even remember the last time I took a bath.”

 

I looked at him and stated the obvious, “That’s ‘cuz you’re a huge dude.”

 

I, on the other hand, do LOVE a good bubble bath and yet, and yet, it’s been SEVEN YEARS!!  So, finally, today was the big day.  I planned my entire day around the fact that this bath tonight would happen, darn it!  And it was going to be amazing!  And. It. Was.

 

We actually have a nice big soaking tub in the master bath of our ‘new’ house (of seven months already!).  I lit candles; I filled that tub full of bubbles and steaming hot water.  I had the best Christmas album of all time playing – Nat King Cole’s, obviously.  I had a glass of wine.  I had a book to read, but I didn’t actually start reading for quite a while.  I just basked in the glory of this completely self-indulgent, relaxing and TOTALLY earned bathing activity!  I laid there and listened to the rain on the skylight.  I listened to Nat.  I breathed deeply.  I thought about how I’m SO not going to wait another seven years for my next bubble bath.  Quite frankly, I don’t know if I’ll even be able to wait seven days.  So at least I’ve got that to look forward to post-Christmas (oh, and some insanely fun New Year’s plans…but more on that…later).  Merry Christmas!

Ms. Jenny -- local celebrity, her star status

(real names and places have been adjusted so that I can share this story without losing future business or feeling like an awful person)

 

“It’s like you’re Angelina Jolie.”

 

“Or Madonna!” I suggested.

 

This is just a typical conversation that Rebecca and I had recently about my celebrity status.  I just wrapped up teaching a four week session of music classes at a library.  This library happens to be located on the often-known-to-be-prestigious-well-off-and-yuppy island upon which I grew up.  Ms. Librarian, at this library, was, for the most part very nice, helpful and accommodating, but she was also kinda somethin’ else.

 

After talking to the librarians at the two libraries that I taught at a couple of years ago she called me in a panic.

 

“Look,” Ms. Librarian said, “They raved about your music program, but they also said that it caused rioting.”

 

“Uh, rioting?” I asked.

 

“Yes, rioting and we just can’t have rioting here at the Yuppy Island Library.”

 

The “rioting” that she was referring to was the fact that, due to the number of instruments I have, we have to limit the number of toddler/preschoolers and parental unit/caregivers that can attend each class.  Initially, I’d said, 20 should be the max number, but in order to be more flexible, I said that we could make it work with 30.

 

“We’ll have a sign-up sheet for each week which we won’t put out until the week before each class.  I’m going to limit the ages to 2-3 year olds only this session and make sure to check at the door…” Ms. Librarian said.

 

(Is she a bouncer?!  Do 2-3 year olds carry I.D.s?  Would Moms start a black market business of whipping up fake I.D.’s so their 4 year olds actually appear to be younger and can attend my class?!)

 

“Also,” Ms. Librarian continued, “I’m not going to advertise the class until shortly before it starts, we just can’t handle having too many… we just can’t have…”

 

“Rioting?” I offered.

 

“Yes,” Ms. Librarian agreed. “So, if you could also not tell anyone about the class.  Don’t mention it on your website, and especially don’t tell your students from the previous library classes. I don’t want your following here taking the spots away from the Yuppy Island children.”

 

I assured her that a.) I don’t have a website, b.) I don’t typically see any of my previous library students – except for the occasional random, public sighting when I’m approached and asked for an autograph (not really, but I have had people come up to me at the grocery story or library and say, “Aren’t you Ms. Jenny?!  We took your class a few years ago…”). Besides c.) those children would all be in preschool or Kindergarten now anyway.  Not much of a following.  Then, being the savvy business woman that I’ve become, I suggested that, is she’s really concerned about accommodating so many students, they could always book me for two back-to-back classes on each of the four Wednesdays. That way we could provide music to 60 of the young Yuppy Islanders.

 

“You know, I wish we could, but you’re very expensive.  You’re cleaning out our 2012 budget.”  I mumbled something about how I’m totally worth it and we signed off the phone.

 

A few weeks later, Ms. Librarian called again in a TOTAL panic.

 

“I don’t know how this happened, but someone LEAKED the news about your class and it’s all over.  It was published in the Yuppy Island Preschool Association’s newsletter…hundreds of families now know about you coming here!”

 

I tried to reassure her, especially since our first class was the day before Thanksgiving, but I’m pretty sure the poor woman was about to have a nervous breakdown.

 

As for Rebecca’s and my conversation about my celebrity status…She had helpful tips suggesting that I come in with all sorts of Diva demands like “I’ll need an iced Perrier with two slices of lemon…the room should be kept at 67 degrees…” etc.

 

Finally, the first day of class arrived.  I got to the library way freakishly earlier than I needed to primarily to appease Ms. Librarian.  It only takes me about five minutes to set-up but I knew she’d be having a fit if it was getting closer to class time and I wasn’t there yet.

 

As I set up my stuff, she tried – she tried so very hard – to be helpful.  But I’ve realized, I’ve done this for long enough now, I’m kind of a well-oiled machine.

 

As I pulled out my box of egg shakers she said, “We have some egg shakers that you’re welcome to use.”

 

“Oh, thanks, I think I’ll have more than enough though.  I brought enough for 30+ kids.”

 

I pulled out my little boombox. “You can use our stereo if you’d like.”

 

“That’s OK.  Thank you.  I’ve got mine all ready to go.  Thanks!”

 

I pulled out my water bottle.  “Can I get you some water or anything?”  (And yes, she WAS watching me do all this before she asked).

 

“Um, nope, I’m set, thanks.”

 

“Is there anything you’d like?” Ms. Librarian asked.

 

I looked at her and completely seriously said, “I’d really love a backrub.”

 

She paused – startled for a minute, “Oh—“

 

“I’m kidding,” I quickly said. “Nope, I’m fine, thanks for the help though.”

 

Anyway, that first class that we (she) was so very worried about was a piece of cake.  And, because it WAS the day before Thanksgiving it was not a crazy mass hoard of rioting mothers and toddlers at all.  We actually only had about 20 kiddos plus their adult chaperone.  After class, as I packed up my stuff, Ms. Librarian chattered on and on about how great it was and how she loved all the early literacy components that I included (she said the same thing to me after every class).

 

“I do wish we could have you more, but you’re just so expensive and we don’t have anything left in the budget…”

 

(Yeah, you’ve mentioned that before, I thought).

 

Each week went about the same, she’d introduce me and say that my program was provided by the wonderful Friends of the Yuppy Island, and “Now, let’s all give Ms. Jenny a warm welcome,” and everyone would clap while I smiled and nodded awkwardly.  And then each class went smashingly well followed by Ms. Librarian raving to me about how great it was – kind of ad naseum.  After my last class on Wednesday, she handed me a small envelope and then proceeded to tell me that it was a thank you note and went on to explain the contents.  I will say though, Ms. Librarian, does seem to be acting upon her admiration.  She asked if she can tell all of the other library branches about my program and highly recommend it.  I can imagine what she’d said, “Ms. Jenny’s program is great….etc….but she is a little pricey…” But then hopefully, after experiencing it four times and raving about it she WILL add, “But she’s worth every penny.”

 

 

STARS! THEY'RE JUST LIKE US!

They attend their child's 1st grade music concert.

(Photo snapped by Paparazzi photographer, Matthew, age 9).

 

 

Santa!

We did it! We went and saw Santa!  Kayli stood there as we waited for our turn all excited, and then as we started to walk towards him she did the slow motion, stiff as a board, I refuse to take another step closer, mini-meltdown.  We managed to cut her off with a quick, “You get to sit on Matthew’s lap!” ..where she proceeded to look awfully nervous and suspicious of the guy behind her until she’d finally had enough and melted off Matthew’s lap to run into my arms crying.  The photographer said, “Oh! Did you want a candy cane?”

 

I kid you not; Kayli immediately went from mid-sob to full faced grin and gave a watery exclamation of “Yes!!”  She ran BACK to Santa and sat on his lap smiling from ear-to-ear.  Unfortunately all of the pictures with her smiling were terrible or awkward-weird of everyone else.  It was like the boys AND Santa had used up their nice smiles in the first round of photos.  In one of the photos from the second batch (with a happy Kayli), Santa’s eyes were half closed and he looked like a ringing endorsement for the new legalization of Marijuana in Washington state.  Needless-to-say, we opted to pick the best photo from the first set despite Kayli’s stone cold face (but thought it was better than Santa’s STONED face option later).  

It's here, it's here, it's here!!!

We’ve got extra a lot-a lot to be thankful for this year.  I spent much of Thanksgiving Eve with Kayliana at Children’s Hospital.  She’d started limping again and we had seen our Pediatrician the day before.  Dr. B. wanted us to get more Xrays and lab work done.  It blows my mind that Kayli holds so still for Xrays – maybe she’s kind of freaked out by the process, the big camera thingy, the noise it makes, the hard weird bed thingy she has to lie still on, but she does it like a champ.  After Xrays, we went to the Lab where, sadly, the two nurses had a heck of a time finding Kayli’s wee little veins and had to poke her like crazy before successfully drawing blood. L Holding her down for that was no fun…but, in the end, all tests, Xrays, etc. came back fine and clear…INCLUDING the Xray from a couple of weeks ago on which they saw a cyst on her bone.  Turns out it was just a stupid shadow on the crappy Xray film.  Obviously, we’re VERY relieved that there’s nothing there, but we could’ve done without the expensive unnecessary stress!

 

In the end, Dr. B. thinks that Kayli’s limping may be from a hip/joint infection caused by a virus.  If Kayli continues limping for a week, we’re to give her Ibuprofen and let Dr. B know for further investigation, but thus far, she’s not been gimpy at all.  Thank goodness!

 

With our good news and relief, we went into Thursday extra grateful and had a really nice Thanksgiving.  We hosted my parents, brothers and sister-in-law.  I must say (completely biased here), I thought the food was quite delicious this year!

 

After everyone had left, we curled up with the kiddos and watched Home Alone to kick off my very, very, VERY favorite time of the year!  Thanksgiving is always special and I do try to savor the moments it creates, but for me I celebrate it with the anticipation of what is to come!  Friday is “Christmas Decorating Day,” and we had a lot of fun this year especially since it was our first time decking the halls of this house. We decorated, drank hot cocoa, listened to Christmas music (since I’m “officially” allowed to now, it will be on 24-7 through Christmas) and stayed in pajamas until late in the afternoon.  Despite the pouring rain, Mike and I (but especially Mike) even got the outside lights up.  We. Were. SOAKED.  And then the next two days were dry and gorgeous…oh well.  That’s just how dedicated we are to Christmas Decorating Day!

 

Kayli LOVES it all this year.  She walks into the living room, looks at the tree and sighs, “Oooh, pretty.”  When we’re driving in the car, even if a house only has one strand of twinkly lights she admires it with a “Pretty!”  And I have to say, we were really impressed with how well she helped hang ornaments.  Sure, they were a little clumped together – and obviously along the bottom part of the tree since that’s where she can reach, but overall she did a great job and was REALLY sad when there weren’t more ornaments to hang!

 

I’d gone to get the camera so that I could capture the “prettiness” on film when – low and beheld – Kayli was also admiring our décor but had, uh, dedecked…undecked herself (minus the red sash, of course).

Turkey Day spread

The table and family (minus my dad who took the picutre)

A nudey elf!

One of my favorite views -- and what the kids will see first thing Christmas morning!

Kayliana turns two!!

Today our baby girl turns two.  Not quite a baby, not totally a ‘big’ girl – she’s in that in-between called “toddlerhood.”  I know I’m biased, but I can honestly say that she is the cutest, most fun little two -year old.  She has so much personality and it’s just amazing to watch her as she’s grown into her own little identity.  What’s especially exciting is that she’s really, REALLY starting to talk more.  Yes, slippers are still “fwupees” and quite frankly, I hope they remain fwupees for a while yet, but hearing her say words, even sentences in her cute little voice is just beyond cool.  We’re not doing a big party this year – just a few separate small celebrations with close friends.  

And I am hoping to have Mia and her parents over some time soon so they, too, can join us in celebrating this little girl we all love so much.

Kayli's newest adventure!

I’m ever so behind in writing a post on Kayliana’s latest adventure: her first Xrays!  On Sunday morning, Kayli was running the loop (you know the kitchen-dining room-living room loop that is apparently designed for indoor track drills). We were in the kitchen when a sudden loud cry came from the living room.  Obviously, we weren’t there to witness what happened.  I don’t know if she tripped and fell, if she bonked into the coffee table, if she suddenly just crumpled to the floor – dunno; she was just hurt.  I picked her up, soothed her, she had a decent cry but not insanely long or anything, and then when I went to put her back down on the floor, she gave a shriek and started crying again.  At that point I noticed she wouldn’t put any weight down on her left leg.  We did the whole checking for swelling, bruises, toes wiggled fine thing, but she definitely couldn’t/wouldn’t walk on it.  After a bit, we decided to call the nurse line since this seemed like a problem that wasn’t going to go away.  Sure, enough, she recommended we come in to see the doctor.  Thankfully, there’s one office open on Sundays, so we won’t have quite the same hefty bill that the ER kindly sent us for her last ‘adventure.’

 

The doctor – an attractive woman with the nicest, smiliest eyes I’ve ever seen – seriously, she LOOKED like a Pediatrician – squeezed up Kayli’s left leg and, apparently, noticed a ‘hardness’ near the femur.  Ruh-roh.  That’s definitely the worst bone-leg situation to have as it means full on mega-cast if a cast is indeed needed.  I brought Kayli back to the Xray room.  We sat in the tiny waiting area across from a 9ish year-old boy and his dad.  I gave them a nod and asked, “What are you in for?”  (I’d like to think that I asked this in a gruff, The Godfather kinda-way but I probably was just boring and normal).  Turns out he’d fallen of a bar that he was swinging on and landed on his right wrist, but, as I found out with them, it wasn’t broken so he was sent home castless.

 

Kayli did great for her Xrays.  I thought for sure I’d have to hold her down (especially since she still won’t go on the examination bed thingy without having a total fit), but she did totally fine.  She layed there with her blankie, sucky her fingers, looking at (and talking about) the big Elmo poster on the wall.

 

Once the doctor got the Xrays, she did that sound that I just LOVE to hear from medical professionals, “Hmmm….hmpfh.  Weird….huh.”  All reassuring noises.  Not.

 

She brought me over and showed me the film where on one you could clearly see a large knob/bump sticking out of one of the bones. 

 

“I don’t love the look of that,” she said.  Yeah, me neither, I thought.  “It looks like maybe a cyst on the bone that’s possibly nothing – could’ve been there since she was born and we’d never know if we hadn’t done an Xray…and I don’t think it’s related to her injury this morning…but let me go check with one of my partners.”

 

She left the room and was gone for a while.  While she was away, Kayli wanted to get down and walk.  I decided to see what would happen and, sure enough, miraculously, she was walking WAY better.  She was still only walking on the toes of her left foot but definitely wasn’t showing signs of intense pain.

 

When the doctor came back in she still looked puzzled.  “Well, two other doctors looked at it with me and none of us can really figure out what’s going on.  But there’s definitely no huge noticeable breaks or fractures.  If I was being really conservative, I’d send you to Children’s for more in-depth Xrays, but we could just wait and see.  You’ll get a call in the next couple of days if there’s more follow-up needed.”  When I told her about Kayli walking around better she wanted to take another look at her.

 

Once again, Kayli walked like it wasn’t a big deal; she definitely had a limp, but it was nothing like before!  She even let the doctor squeeze and feel her leg without even a grimace.  In the end, the doctor was just as befuddled as I was.  She guessed that maybe Kayli had pulled a muscle and the hardness she felt was muscle spasms.  I heard her tell the nurse out in the hall, “Hmm! Yeah, that’s definitely not how I saw this ending.  I thought for sure we’d be putting her in a cast.” 

 

Then, as I sat in the room, putting Kayli’s pants back on her, I realized something: So, what’s this about a cyst on her bone?  It’s just a total coincidence?  Like, I’m supposed to just pretend that it isn’t there?!  I stuck my head out the door and asked the doctor pretty much that question.  And she pretty much – still looking a little confused – said, “Yep! It hasn’t caused any issues!” 

 

Hmmm.  Alrighty then.  Kayliana will turn 2 a week from today.  I think, you know, just out of curiosity, I might follow up with her pediatrician for her 2 year check-up.  “So, about this cyst on her bone that we’re just pretending we never saw…so, that’s cool, huh?  Right....?”

Halloween-y fun!

Zachula, the Dracula. Puppy Kayli and Civil War Soldier Matthew

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! That’s right: WHILE I type this we’re in the midst of the sugar-frenzied fun times.  Mike just departed with the kiddos to go trick-or-treating with some of our new neighbor friends.  Meanwhile, I’m sipping a glass ‘o red, sneaking the occasional candy bar and also manning candy passing out duty.  (I also plan on filling out my ballot and voting when I’m done with this post). Is it weird that I’m getting all teary about this being our first Halloween here?! I also think it’s strange that – despite constantly knowing and expecting the doorbell to ring any moment – I jump about a foot and nearly pee my pants out of surprise every time it does.

 

Mike insisted that we get the full-size candy bars this year.  We distinctly remember doing that for our first Halloween at our old house.  It’s like he wants to make a good impression on the trick-or-treaters in the ‘hood.  I even said things like, “Tell your friends: we’re the COOL house!”  Anyway, our first trick-or-treating group tonight was a herd of pre-teenaged boys.  There were at least five of them.  I don’t know if it was the sight of the big candy bars, but they were the politest group of young men!  One handed me our newspaper that he picked up in the driveway and said all cheeky, “I’ll trade you your newspaper for a candy bar!”  Then, when I held out the bowl, instead of plowing in like crazy sugar-starved crazies, they all immediately started complimenting our decorations, our jack-o-lanterns and then, yes, our candy selection. After carefully – and patiently – making their choices, they called out numerous thank you’s as they walked away.  I heard one kid say, “Ahhh, yee-ah! We hit the jackpot with that one!”

 

Well, the last group of boys was not quite so polite and not all in costumes either.  I wish I had some brussel sprouts to drop in their bags instead.

 

Pictures of our people to come…(once Mike returns with the camera), but here's a few from last weekend's parties and Kayli's photo shoot.