pajama party

We had some Hoosiers come over to our house to enjoy the Colts game the other night. It was a wonderful evening. The game was great, the Smith family made an incredible meal, and the Culvers came with Hazel, a friend from Abby’s childhood . Abby and Hazel were born a week apart from one another, and only get to visit on occasion. This was the first time the girls had ever really played with together, and they had a blast. Their evening consisted of playing alone in Abby’s room for a good half hour, running about 75 laps around the bottom floor of the house, and the excavation of Zump’s catbox. Oh, and of course, they loved showing off their jammies.

fall creations

Fall in our neck of the woods is inspiring. When its not POURING, it is absolutely a beautiful place to be. Its crisp, colorful, and makes a lot of people around here really happy (since so much of the year is gray).

Now that time is more precious than ever, I am realizing how much I love to create things. No, that’s not entirely true. I love to copy things that others have created. I have a friend at MOPS who creates, and shares her ideas with us. Thanks to her wonderful, creative mind, I have some fun ways to display my Fall pictures from the last few years.

I was hoping Abby would also enjoy crafting as much as I do . . . which she does, unless it involves an edible medium. She and I set aside some time to decorate Halloween cookies, and it was going pretty well, until I left the room to go change Zack’s diaper. I came back to the table to find a little girl with an empty tube of icing and a smirk on her face. The cookies turned out fine, but notice that very few of them are decorated with black icing . . . since that’s what Abby ended up eating in lieu of her dinner. Silly me for leaving the room. I would have done the same thing .

picture me rollin’

Our little guy is on the move. Over the last few days, he has shown more interest in his toys, tummy time, and now rolling over. Slow down, Buddy. I don’t want to be chasing you any time soon.

pavlov’s toddler

Abby has this very cool chair. Its the kind that converts from an infant rocker to a toddler chair. For the past 1.5 years, this is the chair that has given me the freedom to shower, as Abby would quietly sit in it and watch a Baby Einstein. Its as safe as can be, with a little seatbelt and everything. Well, Abby is older now, and I really have no need to strap her in anymore. But the other day, I realized that she has not clued into this. I came out of the restroom to the sound of her grunting and getting very frustrated. She was leaning over the front of her chair, unsuccessfully trying to reach a stuffed bunny on the floor, because in her mind, she was strapped in. So did I show her that she was not belted in? Oh no. Like any good mommy, I stood on the side and giggled for a little while. It was just too cute .

just when your ducks fall in line…

We got notice a couple days ago that our family doctor was finally getting the H1N1 vaccine, so we jumped at the chance to get an appointment. We were scheduled for today, Josh met us at the office, and we were in and out in a flash. Josh and I opted for the shot, but Abby was the only one brave enough for the "nose squirt". She was so excited about her purple lollypop and Pooh sticker. On the way out of the office, I told Josh, now that we had received this vaccine, I felt so much safer.

Then this happened on the way home…

I was driving home with the kids, when a landscaping truck ran a red light. The truck flipped on its side, and we spun around in the middle of the intersection. To the best of my knowledge, the passengers of the truck were ok . . . to the best of my knowledge. My airbags deployed and the kids began crying. I remember looking at the ground, seeing something splattered all over the car and my clothes. Once I realized it was only the rest of my mocha, I jumped out of the car and starting pulling the kids out. They were safe and untouched. Once I confirmed that my babies were fine, I began to feel my chest hurt. It was raining and a saint had us come sit in her car, and let us use her cell phone to call Josh. Her daughter covered Abby with a sweater and also shared a couple of her stuffed animals. After the fire department showed up, Abby and I were escorted to the ambulance, and I was looked over. Abby stayed with me, and wouldn’t let me out of her sight. Josh showed up, brave, but shaken, and gave us all hugs. Abby and I left in the ambulance, and left Josh with a sleepy infant and the task of talking to cops and cleaning out the car.

My ride with Abby was sad, surreal, and surprisingly pleasant. She was calm, and we just laid together on the gurney, chatting with the firemen and snuggling with each other . . . and the little stuffed animals that we accidentally took from the sweet little angel at the scene of the accident.

Our new fireman friends were so kind, and the staff at the Evergreen ER was incredible, as usual. They checked me over and did a chest x-ray. No broken bones, just a lot of pain. I can deal with that. Abby stayed with me the whole time, talking to people and playing games on my phone. I couldn’t have asked for a better companion for my day.

Meanwhile, Josh was still at the scene, talking to cops, and witnesses who were very helpful at giving their accounts. Zack also proved to be a wonderful little "helper" and traveling companion, and was as calm as he has ever been, giving Josh a chance to take care of business. They joined us at the hospital as soon as they could get there. An x-ray and two very poopy diapers later, we were leaving the ER. Our friend, Dean, got the "pleasure" of taking me, and one very tired, talkative toddler home.

After talking to our insurance company, we are still unsure as to how we will be getting around as a family in the near future, but its amazing the amount of perspective we gained throughout the day. We started the day, feeling secure that we had eluded the Swine flu. Then control was stripped from my hands in the blink of an eye. We are home now and my rib cage hurts, Abby is still saying she’s a little "scared", and we don’t know how or when we will get another car. All is not perfect, but all is SO WELL.

love in a cup

We are definitely at the season in our married life where there is little time, and little money, to date like we once did. You know…the expensive, exciting type of dating that put pricey meals in our tummies, jewelry around my neck, and more gourmet coffee than one should be allowed to consume. While now is not the season where we are able to enjoy the "finer" things in life, my husband is still wooing me with coffee, made from his own hands. He won’t even realize until he reads this, how much taking the time to make an Americano or Latte means to me. I’m not sure that steaming milk and scooping foam could officially count as a love language, but it is to me .

sleepyhead

He does NOT like going to sleep, but when he’s out, I could stare at him for hours.

But, it isn’t too long before I miss this…

mine

We have arrived. We have entered into the "its mine" stage of the terrible terrific two’s. What makes matters worse? If Zack has it, its hers to the the 10th degree. Of course . . . right at the time when brother is starting to be interested in toys. Right at the time when he can finally hold the thing that he’s been scoping out for months. She will march right over and take it. It can be anything. The chain link in his hand, the floor mat he’s on, the swing he’s in. Its all hers.

How strong is her sense of entitlement? Let me give you an example. We brought Abby along with us to Zack’s 4-month check-up. Abby likes her doctor a lot (enough to play "Dr. Price" with her medical kit at home). She did NOT like that we were there for Zack and that HE got to get his heart listened to and his ears looked at. And you know what else she didn’t like? That HE got to get shots!!! She knows what they feel like. She remembers the pain. But it didn’t matter. She wanted them, because Zack was getting his! So, I had to consol my little guy while he was getting shot, and Josh had to take Abby outside to consol her for NOT.

Good grief!

i heart halloween

I tried to have very low expectations for our first Halloween with two. Abby has been testing us quite a bit this week, wanting things her way or no way. And the little guy has been going through a growth spurt . . . very fussy and very hungry. We had a slightly disappointing beginning to our day, but the evening ended pretty well.

We started out early this morning and headed to a local clinic to get our H1N1 shots. We arrived a half hour after the clinic opened to a line that would have taken us 4 hours to get through. So the thought of waiting in the cold with two small kids was terribly unappealing, and we turned around.

On the way home, we spotted a pumpkin patch, and pulled over. But a muddy field and cold weather kept us from picking. So, we headed to the grocery store to pick up some sugar cookies for decorating, and let Abby parade around the store in her costume. She was the bell of the Fred Meyer, as people pointed and smiled at our little Minnie Mouse, so that redeemed our seemingly endless car ride.

We also found another "pumpkin patch" a little closer to home (aka Safeway) that was giving their punkins away, so Josh grabbed a few for our pie-making enjoyment.

By this time, Abby was rubbing her eyes like crazy, and the baby needed to be fed, so we sped home and had a little lunch. A little icing makes EVERYTHING better .

After a long nap for the whole family, it was time to get in costume and head to the Mill Creek Town Center, where TONS of little ones trick-or-treat every year, and our church was giving some treats and balloons out. Of course, an hour before we needed to head out, the rain started so I planned on our celebration to be very brief.

Our little giraffe exersaucing…

And with the zookeeper…

Obviously, Zack was not too fond of wearing his costume, but his daddy was THRILLED to wear him. Abby, on the other hand, couldn’t be happier in her Minnie "Diva" costume. She even helped me get ready for the evening.

One of her buddies, Brooke, was also a precious Minnie, so we had to snap a picture.

We also spotted a little Tinker Bell (better known as Madison).

Aside from Abby insisting on wearing my "ears" all night (mine did have a veil on it ), Abby was such a trooper. She was completely fascinated with all the costumes she saw, and at one point, in her giddiness, she said "Trick-or-Treat! Happy Birthday Momma!".

Zack’s night was not quite as enjoyable. We had to skip a couple naps today being out and about, and the poor little guy was NOT better for it. After nursing him in a nearby bakery, he managed to calm down, snuggle, and take a little nap.

Since Abby knew none the wiser (and it was fricken’ freezing outside), we stayed in the bakery the rest of the evening. Abby was still too little to really enjoy trick-or-treating, but she was able to have her first candy bar. She couldn’t eat it fast enough.

(I love that last picture. It exemplifies Halloween to me. Daddy’s hand, with a balloon tied to it, feeding candy to an exhausted, dripping wet little girl who has yet to have enough molars to fully chew the bar’s nuts and nougat.)

Over all, it was a wonderful day. Any time we have nothing to do but be a family is a good day, no matter what we do or where we go. Happy Halloween!

always connected

Gone are the days of sending your husband to work, only to have him come home after a long day,  just before dinner (homemade and cooked to perfection by an apron-wearing wife). Well, Josh is the apron-wearing cook in the family, and thanks to technology, we could really see each other whenever we want. On those rare occasions that I’m sitting at my computer during the day, believe it or not, this face is a special treat .