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 :)

Holiday Run down- part 1

Sorry for the lack of posts, but truthfully, I'm not that sorry. It has been nice taking a real holiday break and enjoying our free time and children. We have been spending our nights relaxing, watching movies we have wanted to see for the past year, and watching the home movies of our kids that we had taken earlier in the day. Its been really lovely. 

So to rewind, we prepped for the holidays with a little bit of cookie making. We made my favorite, gooey butter. Dono and Reese were such good helpers, and best of all, neither one of them really liked the finished product! Donovan took one bite of a cookie and SPIT IT OUT! So, I did what any good mother would do and ate their share.

This is the first year since college that I got to be off work all of the holidays. Let me tell you, a girl could get used to this! Christmas eve we went to Tom's parents for our family Christmas exchange. Poor Donovan started feeling bad that day and came down with the stomach bug. He only had one bout of sickness but really did not take it well. He did manage to have a great time over all though. Reese was very cute and also enjoyed her day. After she got her baby doll present though, we could have stopped all other presents. She didn't really care about anything after that. 

Both kids enjoyed their role in passing out present helpers. 

They both got these awesome glasses you look through and it makes every point of light either a snowman or  a snowflake. They liked it but the big kids (Tom and I) thought it was the coolest thing we had ever seen!

Reese didn't have that baby out of the package for 1 minute before it was in the high chair drinking a bottle.

Uncle Nick and Aunt Anna got matching hats.

I can't say enough about how much I love Reese's cheese face.

"Pime out"

It is never a good sign when your one and a half year old is so familiar with time out (or "pime out" as she calls it) that she walks over and puts herself in the chosen location when you are casually mentioning a story regarding time out to someone else.

This is how cute and pathetic said 19 month old looks in pime out.

Her outfit was her choice. Kitty socks over footie pajamas. My kids are such the fashionistas right now.

But back to time out, I don't think Donovan had been in time out more than 5 times at her age, although time does wonders to a memory. Reese is there almost daily at least once for hitting, biting, spiting, you name it. She is so used to it that she has now started putting her Elmo doll in time out too. She tells me as she is putting him in the hockey net, "Pime out" and then when I ask her why he is in time out she tells me "biting". So apparently Elmo has that problem now too.

I do love when she gets out of time out though. Anyone who goes in time out has to apologize to whoever they offended. Then they have to give that person a hug and kiss (if that person is receptive). Reese bit Donovan on the back the other day and got more of his shirt than anything. So after she got out of time out she had to go apologize. It went like this:

Me: "Reese, what do you need to tell Donovan?"
Reese: "Fawwy"
Me: "Good job Reese"
Reese: "Biting" (apparently the apology wasn't over. Pulls Donovan's shirt out) "Shirt"

It was the most specific sorry she had ever given, all by herself. Usually it's just a "sorry" and then me filling in the rest but that one she did all by herself. But this time she was sorry for biting Donovan's shirt and it was perfectly communicated.

What I came home to tonight

Yeah they are crazy. Also, the only reason Donovan isn't wearing his Spider man costume (which he has been wearing non-stop since Friday night (even sleeping)) was the fact that he wore it over his footie pajamas to his hair cut today and got it covered in spiky hair so it had to be washed. And no, they did not actually swim or go to a pool today.

We are blessed

Not a day goes by that I don't think about how blessed Tom and I are. When sad things happen in the world it just amplifies that feeling. We are so lucky to have our wonderful children. Tonight we hugged them longer, took more pictures and enjoyed the laughter more. Here are some of my favorites from tonight.

Yes, you saw it correctly. Donovan was dressed in his Halloween costume tonight. For some reason, inspiration struck and he wanted to wear his costume. He even talked Reese into putting her's on. "Reese, do you want to wear your owl costume with me?"  He is showing his muscles in both these pictures.

Reese is trying to show her muscles in this one. Looks like we need to practice that one.

My favorite picture. It should be yours now too.

Spiderman was very busy. After sprinting around the house showing us how fast he was, he cooked himself and his sister dinner (chicken nuggies). And no, his eyes were not open in this picture because sometimes you smile so big and your eyes close, duh. 

After dinner was more running, a small collision with some injuries and blood, and then bath time. Donovan has recently become a big fan of laying on his back so his ears are under water, then starting a random conversation with you so he can hear himself and you talk. I love how much he loves it. I also love that Reese tries to do it too now, but I have to make sure to keep an eye on her and catch her head as she would go all the way under water if she slipped.

After bath was some you tube watching, snuggles and bed time. Donovan wanted to wear his Spiderman costume to bed, and had it on over his footie pajammies until he was brushing his teeth and changed his mind. A perfect night with my two babies. It is little nights like these that I am so thankful for. 

My beautiful daughter

It is late and I need to be in bed, however, I know that we have some family members that check this blog regularly and are not going to be happy without a recent post so here it is.

 A picture of my beautiful daughter after swimming over Thanksgiving break. I love those eyes. They are going to be trouble. Maybe not so much for me, but for any future suitors for her. Good luck saying no to those.

We are very busy now. We have lots to do before Christmas (including put up our Christmas tree and get lost of presents bought) and I am working around 50 hours a week and still trying to save sometime for my kids and myself. So forgive me for the lack of posts for now. I promise, mid January when a co-worker returns from maternity leave, it will get better. Until then, posts will be sporadic. But know that we are all well, and I will try to at least do a weekly post.

Oh and also this is Ellen posting from Tom's sign on. Long story, mostly computer related, but it's still me unless it starts with "dad post".