Christmas Magic!

So it's that time of year. Everyone's getting out the Christmas decorations and our children are so excited. Their eyes light up just thinking about all of the tradition to come. Some of my favorite Christmas memories were the ones our parents created for us...strictly for entertainment (for us and them :-). One would sneak outside and shake some jingle bells outside while the other cued us to hear Santa and his reindeer outside and run to bed (pretty smart way to get excited kids to bed). They would point to the sky and make us believe we saw Rudolph's red nose flying across the empty (refinery poluted) sky! Staying up late to assemble countless toys from Santa, the best of which was a canopy bed with Strawberry Shortcake bedding that I woke up in on Christmas morning in complete awe of Santa's ability to come and leave such magnificant suprises without a sound (They must have drugged me?). It seems like yesterday thinking of those cold nights piling in the car in our PJ's with our favorite blanket and pillow to go see neighborhood upon neighborhood of Christmas lights which seemed larger than life. So now it's our turn! Now we are creating memories that we hope our children will remember forever and talk about with syblings until their old and grey. Well, a friend of mine has introduced me to a new one...and it is so cute and so much fun! Just wanted to share it with everyone! Heard of "The Elf Upon The Shelf"? It's a book that you buy in a gift box. Each gift box contains one of these tiny little elves. It's a cute book the children will enjoy. The little elf comes to live at a house and explains to the children that he was sent by Santa to watch them and report back to Santa if they are "naughty or nice". Each night he flies back to the North Pole and returns to their house by morning only to find a different place in the house to watch and observe. He explains he will lose his magic if he is ever touched. He wants to be named and talked to. Please tell him what you want for Christmas and he will tell Santa. So, then while your child is sleeping you place your tiny elf on whatever perch you choose in your house. Each night you move him. The magic on your child's face when they first find the elf is priceless. And anything to help kids behave around this time of year is a bonus too! So our elf joined us about 2 days ago. Hunter didn't spot him until after returning from school. I forgot about it when I suddenly hear a "Mom, I see something red. Mom will you come with me to see what that thing dressed in red is? Mommy it's the elf!" He names him Fred Heckledinker??? or something like that???? Apparently a silly name he and PaPa use together. He told his elf to "watch out for my baby sister cause she will grab you right up and you won't have anymore magic." Elf backfired on us the second day (or on Thomas--I was at work). Hunter woke up at 5:30am and ran to Daddy saying "we have to get up and see elf when he comes back home from the North Pole!" He woke up so excited to bust the little elf sneaking in our house. Thomas informed him the elf was already back and was hiding in a new place. It's actually pretty fun trying to think of new fun places to stake out the elf each day. Anyways, our fun has just begun! You can buy these books/gift sets at Learning Express, or Hallmark stores. They probably have them at Barnes and Nobles too. Hope you have fun with this. I think it would be great if everyone shared their Christmas ideas or other little ways to enhance the magic of Christmas for our little ones! Any other ideas out there?!

Back in the Saddle!

So we finally got Hunter back on a horse and Haley on a horse for the first time! Hunter used to ride with us a lot when he was 5 months to 18 months until he started getting scared suddenly and wanted nothing to do with it. He loves helping Grandmommy in the barn cleaning stalls, and feeding the horses, but lately has been asking to ride again. We weren't sure if it was just tough guy talk or for real, but sure enough...not only did he ride again..but he rode by himself! He held the reigns and Grandmommy didn't even have to lead "Devo." We were so proud of him and he was all smiles. After a few minutes of riding he said "this is kind of like going on a hayride." Which Hunter loves hayrides so guess the horse must have been pretty fun for him to compare the two. This was at the end of Hunter staying at Grandmommy's for 2 nights. He's definately quite the farmer. He told me when I got there Saturday morning, "Mommy, me and Gee have been workin real hard being big farmers!" He completely knows the routine around there. He knows exactly how to clean the stalls where to take the horse poo afterwards, what to feed them, where it's kept, how to give it to them. He even likes to share their horsey stash of treats (apples, peppermints, and carrots). Saturday before noon he had already finished 2 apples while playing in the barn. He also enjoys playing in Grandmommy's giant sandbox (riding arena). He calls it the "barena." Haley on the other hand has not been offered any rides on the horses until now. We thought we scared Hunter somehow...so we wouldn't put her on one until she begged for it. Well she's been begging. She's recently fallen in love with her rocking horse. She also spotted the quarter machine horse at Toys R'Us a mile away and insisted on hopping on...only to get very upset that she couldn't make it rock or move. So cheap Mommy finally had to put in 2 quarters and make it move. She was like a princess on a parade float! Just grinning from ear to ear looking around like she was a queen. The last few times we've ventured out to Grandmommy's barn she gets so excited when she spots the horses. She reaches out for them, laughing and grabs their heads as soon as she gets close enough, pulls them in for a hug and a kiss, and sticks her fingers right up their big horsey nostrils. So Saturday was the day and she knew it. As soon as Grandmommy hopped up on Devo's back she immediately started the reaching, and whining to go up there. She loved it! Anytime Grandmommy stopped, she would try to rock or get the horse going again. She started fussing a little the first time we got her down, and then reached trying to get on another lady's horse as they walked by. She ended up riding twice with Grandmommy and once with Mommy. We'll definatley have to do that again soon with both kiddos! Well, hope all is well with everyone and hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! We will be spending Thanksgiving with the Mitchell's at Aunt Diane's house not far down the road. Then watching the smackdown Thursday night! Friday we will head to Baytown for Thanksgiving with my mom...and maybe more horsing around. Then it's time to bust out the Christmas tree and outdoor Christmas lights! Hunter is so excited to help with all the decorations! It's so wonderful to watch the magic of Christmas unfold as they see it!!! Happy Thanksgiving!

Perking up!

So I guess Haley's perking up little by little, very slowly. Over the weekend she stopped being so lethargic and resorted to fussing and crying all weekend. She and Daddy bonded (even more) while I was out of town working on her baby book (which I finished). She wants to be held all the time still but gets frustrated because she wants to play but can't bring herself to part from me. So there is a lot of crying going on at our house. She was still not eating much at all and only sipping a drink here and there. Today she didn't pee at all from wake up time (8am) until around 5:30 or so. We went to the doctor for her regular well baby 15 month visit. Dr. Pielop said her lack of pee was ok because she had plenty of tears as she cried which indicates she's hydrated enough. However the drinking and appetite should improve in the next 48 hours. Sure enough tonight she ate her spaghetti and apple dinner pretty well. She shoveled it in and actually wanted more. She was still only sipping her milk. Anyways, I think she is turning the corner and on the road to being silly Haley again soon. Her measurements from the well baby exam indicated like Daddy says, she's what every girl wants to be. Tall and skinny. She was 31 1/2in tall (80%) and 21 pounds 3ounces (25%). We decided to hold off on her immunizations for this appointment since she's still so irratible and not eating well. The shots will usually make them more irritable and sluggish for a day or two and we don't need any more of that then what we're already experiencing! So in a few weeks we'll go back just for the owwys :-( So way too long post, probably boring everyone. I'll stop soon. Hunter is fine...no sicky sickys. He's been sweet to Haley and singing to her a lot. He's been singing this "I love you in the morning and in the afternoon" song to her latey and it just brings tears to my eyes with a smile of course. Thomas had been fighting a cold last week and is much better now. Hopefully it is all passing. Have a wonderful week and stay healthy!

Doctor update

I took Haley to the doctor today after no improvement and continued high fever, 103.7 at the office, constant sleeping. He said her throat is bright red with lots of pus :-( On top of that she also has an ear infection in one ear. Because of the vomiting and not being able to keep things down he gave her a potent antibiotic shot (Rocephen) to get the improvements going. Then tomorrow she will start oral antibiotics. Late in the day today, she finally had a little energy and played, smiled, danced a little. She managed to eat a little and keep it down. She did start to get pretty fussy this evening and had a hard time falling asleep tonight...but I think she's feeling better now and finally having the energy to fuss about feeling yucky. So we'll hope tomorrow is a better day! I'm posting a few pictures of Hunter's new furniture for the grandparents that wanted to see.

Not Another Cold!!!

So looks like Haley's sick again. Feels like she just got over her last cold just before Chuck's visit. She's kept her worried parents up for 3 nights now..including my prediction for tonight. She goes to bed with Tylenol or Motrin, then wakes up around 1am on fire with fever again, vomiting or dry heeving, sleeping like a rag doll when we pick her up. We end up trying to get more Tyl/Mot down her and sleeping next to her for fear of her gagging and choking. Today, well Wednesday, I was sleeping after working Tuesday night. I went to bed at 8am hoping to sleep until around 1 or 1:30pm..and return back to work Wednesday night. Thomas's Mom had to leave our house (watching Haley)around 11:45am and has been excellent in a new little routine of putting Haley down for a nap at 11:30am so I can sleep until she wakes up. Well, today Haley was so tired and feeling bad she was hard to keep up till 11:30 so Linda had to put her down around 10:45am. 5 hours later I wake up frieked out that something must be wrong because Haley's never napped that long. She's fine, but very sick still. Guess you're supposed to sleep to get better right? So while going to get Hunter from school and on the way home Haley vomits all over herself and car seat. Windows all down, hurrying home, trying to talk Hunter out of vomiting because he's grossed out by the smell and sight....we made it home...with an hour left for me to bathe Haley, rid my car of vomit, make dinner, and get out the door for work. So needless to say...I'm not at work tonight and Haley's already awakened moaning and gagging, more fever, more vomit, more ragdoll, more water, Motrin and now sleeping by me in the guest bed. I slept all day so I can't sleep now. I'm supposed to be going on a weekend scrapbook retreat with the girls Friday and of course I don't want to leave my baby girl sick. I'm hoping she'll be through the worst of it by then. Other than that, Hunter is loving his new bed....big, big, bigboy bed. He's actually happy to go to bed each night and not waking us in the middle of the night now for about 3 nights (guess he's passed that onto sister). He's got a new little saying that comes out of his mouth about 10times a day. Everything is "Good as new!" That's what Handy Manny says which he watches a little too much of. Look at my bed Mom...it's good as new! Poor Haley girl...you'll get better...you'll be good as new! Mom I fixed your tires, they're good as new! It's pretty cute. Thomas and I have to laugh each time. Well, I'm going to lay down with Haley and try to get tired before she wakes up again. Hopefully better news soon! OOps...for anyone that didn't already know..if I didn't mention it..Chuck and Pam are having a BOY! More testosterone in this family..just what we need! No really...couldn't be more happy for them and can't wait to meet the new little mustard man in March!

Trick or Treat!

Both of the kids really enjoyed trick or treating! I thought Haley would be too young to really experience it or appreciate it, but no way! She was totally into it! We took her to the first few doors with her little candy bag (that she wasn't going to eat, bad idea for Mommy and Daddy) thinking we'll show her what it's about and then keep her in the wagon most of the remainder of the night. We figured she'd be happier in the wagon, not really understanding what's going on at each door. Wrong! She threw a little fit the first time Hunter went to a door without her..pointing and motioning for us to follow him. So we did and she kept up with Hunter all night long. Hunter was a little too excited. He would ring a doorbell wait a few seconds then open the door and try to walk in as I would quickly be pulling him out of someone's house and trying to quietly close the door before they came. After a few houses he finally got the hang of it..waiting for them to open THEIR door. No stopping to eat candy this year...he ran from door to door as fast as he could. After we'd filled their candy bags too far...we stopped at a friends house in the neighborhood for a Halloween party. It was mostly toddlers and children. First thing Hunter plops down at a party table to devour a little candy and of course a cupcake or "pupcake," as Hunter calls them. Haley got a capri sun for a special treat and sucked that thing down nonstop until it was beyond gone. Mimi and Papa stopped by the party to see the kiddos in their costumes just in time to let us hitch a ride home and wind down the kids. Hope everyone had a great Halloween! Please send pictures our way!!!