Bowling!

Today Tom and I took Donovan for his first bowing outing and we had a great time! He love it, we loved it, Reese was at home with Auntie Jenna, loving it. It was a win, win, win situation.

We used one of those ramps for the little kids so that all Dono had to do was get the heavy ball up on the top of the ramp and then push it off.  I don't remember this being around when I was a child. Whoever invented this is a genius.

Donovan had to have the front row seat for all the action. Tom and I told him he could stand up there as long as he stayed right next to the ball return, so like a good boy, there he stood. Every. Single. Time. Towards the end of our second (and last) game, he would sit on Tom or my lap and watch us, but I think at first he wouldn't because he thought he couldn't see from "back" there.

I love this kid. (And also his little bowling shoes. A big part of me wanted to stuff them in my purse and enjoy them on a daily basis.)

End score of the second game. Yes there were bumpers and yes, all three of us ended up using them.

Cheers!

The kids have been really into Popsicles the past couple days. Requesting more than one at each meal. My favorite part? Donovan taught Reese to "cheers" their popsicles. He probably regrets it now, since she wants to cheers about 15 times in a row, a couple different times per Popsicle. But he humors her and I love it.

And then he tries to cheers me with the camera.

Holiday Run down- part 3

So Tom, the lucky duck, gets a full week plus off of work every year around the holidays. I shouldn't complain, I got two four day weekends in a row myself but I was missing my family on Wed when I had to go back to work and they got to stay home and play. I asked for a picture of the kids from Tom on Wed and this was what he sent. No idea if there is a story behind it.

Tom was so pumped for Thursday, which was going to be his stay at home day all by himself. Dono got to have a super special spend the night with Grammie Q on Wed (that he has wanted for the past 6 months) and he spent the day on Thursday doing fun things like playing, having a lunch date at McDonald's, and swimming at a local pool for 2 hours. Reese was gonna go to her baby sitters like she usually does except on Wed night when we put her down she threw up her milk right away. Tom was really hoping it was a fluke and even said so, stating that she was perfectly happy acting and was telling him all about how she "spilled her milk" ( "I spill it. I spill it.") But alas, 30 minutes later when she did it again (was still happy and telling us how she just spilled the milk) we knew that she needed to stay home on Thursday and Tom was not going to get his special alone day. Poor Tom and Reese. The rest of the day on Thursday Reese didn't throw up, but just wasn't back to 100%, even taking a 3.5 hour nap. So Tom brought her to go pick Dono up at Grammie Q's and as he goes to get Reese out of the car, barf all over the car seat and herself. Which is how she got the stellar outfit she was wearing below. Her brother's 3T shirt and some 24 month pants Grammie Q had at her house.

Pic of my sick but happy girl from Thursday.

The good news that the car seat debacle was the last of the throw up for Reese, the bad news was that the next 3 days were full of diarrhea and at least 20 diaper changes per day for her, including multiple ones over night. So she got multiple baths and in one, I debuted shaving cream painting for her. She loves art so I knew she would love this, and she did!

Sunday both kids got in on the fun and decided that painting each others hair was more fun than painting the wall.

So needless to say, with all the sicknesses (oh yeah, both kids now have a cough and Tom has gotten the stomach bug) we spent most of the holidays and the holiday break quarantined in our own house.  The poor kids have been really feeling it and you can tell they are stir crazy. Especially since Reese spent much of Sat, Sun and Monday just walking around and throwing random fits.

Then finally, on yesterday we got enough snow that we went outside and played. I wanted to take Donovan sledding at a local big hill, however he was limping a little, saying he hurt his ankle to I decided to keep it local and just play in the yard.

Tom and I laughed that Reese looked like Ralphie's brother in "A Christmas Story". She was able to walk though.

I had this great idea to try sledding in the small hill between our neighbor's house and ours. Dono and Reese went together twice, and then Donovan helped me push Reese a third time and then he declared he was done and wanted to go inside. I was super happy I did not drive him to that big hill I initially wanted to go to.

Reese went sledding by herself twice and loved it. She is my daredevil. 

Dono heading in.

So now you know the story of our 2012 holiday's and holiday break. Could have been better, but could have been a lot worse. Overall, we count ourselves blessed. If all we have to complain about is a few germs, we are lucky. Happy 2013 to all and here is to a wonderful, happy, healthy and safe year. May this year be even better than the last!

Holiday Rundown- part 2

So our Christmas morning was not exactly what I had been hoping and dreaming it would be. I slept in and expected to be woken up with Dono squealing about all of the presents and yanking me out of bed. Instead that poor boy had to be woken up and then he looked so pathetic and didn't really even acknowledge the presents. That's when I really knew he wasn't feeling good. But like a trooper the kid asked for breakfast and shook as he choked down a quarter of an English muffin. Which he then promptly threw up 5 minutes later. Luckily the kid rallied after that and was perky enough that he opened up his presents. He even played for a little bit with his new car track after the opening was over but had round #2 of the upset tummies so we made a call to the grandparents to fill them in on what was going on as we were supposed to go to their house for my side of the family's gift exchange. Luckily they were able to pack up the car and move the present exchange to our house to accommodate our sick boy (they were hosting the whole B family side later in the afternoon).

So we had our little family exchange, put the kids down for naps and Reese and I headed over to my parents to do the bigger family get together. When Dono got up later he wanted to go to so Tom brought him a little later. The kid did pretty good but got tired pretty quick so he didn't make it a long day. So not exactly the Christmas I had in mind but overall still a good one. I'll start saying prayers for a healthy Christmas 2013 now.

Our annual Christmas morning footie pj picture. We could not get Reese to do anything but this weird grimace. 

We only took video of opening presents with just the kids and Aunt Jenna. These pictures are from when my parents made it over. Dono showing off his big ol' present (a fishing pole).

Reese opening a joint, big ol' present.

Reese had gotten this super soft Elmo hoodie earlier in the morning and was very excited about showing it off.

Donovan's Christmas can be summed up in 1 word: Cars. As in hot wheels. He got 52 of them, no joke. He could have gotten more. He loves them.

Managing a smile even though he was feeling under the weather.

Riding her new neigh-neigh.

New animal puppets.

Pictures from Grandmas and Grandpa's house. Both kids love the train that my parents have under the tree.

He felt so crummy that he just laid on the ground and watched it for a little while.

Donovan did manage to save enough energy to "help" everyone who had a present to open it. I mean every single person.

Even if they didn't necessarily want it :)