Saturday, November 29, 2008
Papa update
Things are looking much better today!! His lungs are almost clear of all the fluid (there is still a small portion of "moisture" in the top of his right lung, but it's much improved). His kidney u/s was good and showed that his bladder is functioning like it should. My mom spoke to him on the phone this morning and she said he sounded just like our jovial papa (he wasn't himself at all yesterday). Thank you all so much for keeping him in your thoughts.
Thanksgiving
We celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday. The 1st thing we did was get out our tree and put it up. The kids are having lots of fun with it. In fact, before P even came downstairs this morning, he pointed to the tree and said "Christmas tree lights on please". We haven't decorated it yet.......that's to come today.
Making room:
Pierce helping:
My everything:
Pierce actually took this photo (with no help from me):
I spent the day cooking some last minute dishes for our turkey dinner. After lunch, Harper and I went to visit Papa in the hospital (Mark is on call and stayed home with Pierce). Unfortunately he wasn't released like they had planned. His back has been hurting him so they did an x-ray. They found fluid in his lungs. They are limiting his fluid intake to help prevent it from developing onto pneumonia. They are also concerned about his kidneys and did an ultrasound to make sure his bladder is fully emptying. We should know the results today. We had a nice visit. He seemed really excited to see us--especially Harper. It's so difficult to see him in this state. He said he's trying hard to get better.
After getting home, we hosted Mark's dad and Kathy for dinner. This is the 1st year that I've prepared the entirety of Thanksgiving dinner and it turned out wonderful if I say so myself. We all enjoyed turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberries, candied sweet potatoes, garlic rosemary mashers, green beans, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie. Harper had an Earth's Best turkey dinner (had it 1st on Thursday for dinner) and an organic pumpkin pie baby food I found at Central Market. We're eating leftovers tonight. It was so nice to see RL and Kathy--it'd been way too long.
Sitting down for our meal:
A family pic in front of our un-dercorated tree:
Making room:
Pierce helping:
My everything:
Pierce actually took this photo (with no help from me):
I spent the day cooking some last minute dishes for our turkey dinner. After lunch, Harper and I went to visit Papa in the hospital (Mark is on call and stayed home with Pierce). Unfortunately he wasn't released like they had planned. His back has been hurting him so they did an x-ray. They found fluid in his lungs. They are limiting his fluid intake to help prevent it from developing onto pneumonia. They are also concerned about his kidneys and did an ultrasound to make sure his bladder is fully emptying. We should know the results today. We had a nice visit. He seemed really excited to see us--especially Harper. It's so difficult to see him in this state. He said he's trying hard to get better.
After getting home, we hosted Mark's dad and Kathy for dinner. This is the 1st year that I've prepared the entirety of Thanksgiving dinner and it turned out wonderful if I say so myself. We all enjoyed turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberries, candied sweet potatoes, garlic rosemary mashers, green beans, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie. Harper had an Earth's Best turkey dinner (had it 1st on Thursday for dinner) and an organic pumpkin pie baby food I found at Central Market. We're eating leftovers tonight. It was so nice to see RL and Kathy--it'd been way too long.
Sitting down for our meal:
A family pic in front of our un-dercorated tree:
Thursday, November 27, 2008
a few pics from Thanksgiving
Preparing candied sweet potatoes on Wednesday:
Another pic from Wednesday (I love seeing my babes together!!):
Harper and Dad this morning watching Pierce and I prepare cinnamon rolls for breakfast:
Pierce with the breakfast he helped prepare:
Pierce is loving our Christmas lights this year. Every night when they come on, he asks to "go outside to see lights please". Part of our modest light display:
Isn't it the cutest when babies sleep with their bottoms in the air?!
Another pic from Wednesday (I love seeing my babes together!!):
Harper and Dad this morning watching Pierce and I prepare cinnamon rolls for breakfast:
Pierce with the breakfast he helped prepare:
Pierce is loving our Christmas lights this year. Every night when they come on, he asks to "go outside to see lights please". Part of our modest light display:
Isn't it the cutest when babies sleep with their bottoms in the air?!
The Invisible Mother
A touching email I received from my cousin Jade:
THE INVISIBLE MOTHER
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of
response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room
while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the
store.
Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on
the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on
the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even
standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see
me at all.
I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a
pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie
this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of
hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to
ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide
to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?'
I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held
books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that
graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared
into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's
going, she's going, she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating
the return of a friend from England .. Janice had just
gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and
on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there,
looking around at the others all put together so well. It
was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was
feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a
beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you
this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe.
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me
until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with
admiration for the greatness of what you are building when
no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And
I would discover what would become for me, four
life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals
we have no record of their names.
These builders gave their whole lives
for a work they would never see finished. They made great
sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their
building was fuelled by their faith that the
eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came
to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw
a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He
was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so
much time carving that bird into a beam that will be
covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman
replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into
place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me,
'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make
every day, even when no one around you does. No act of
kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no
cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and
smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you
can't see right now what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction But it
is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure
for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote
to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective
when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people
who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to
work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no
cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because
there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my child to
tell the friend he's bringing home from college for
Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and
bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for
three hours and presses all the linens for the table.'
That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to
myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if
there is anything more to say to his friend, to add,
'You're gonna love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be
seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very
possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we
have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the
world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
THE INVISIBLE MOTHER
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of
response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room
while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the
store.
Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on
the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on
the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even
standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see
me at all.
I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a
pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie
this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of
hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to
ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide
to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?'
I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held
books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that
graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared
into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's
going, she's going, she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating
the return of a friend from England .. Janice had just
gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and
on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there,
looking around at the others all put together so well. It
was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was
feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a
beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you
this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe.
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me
until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with
admiration for the greatness of what you are building when
no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And
I would discover what would become for me, four
life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals
we have no record of their names.
These builders gave their whole lives
for a work they would never see finished. They made great
sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their
building was fuelled by their faith that the
eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came
to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw
a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He
was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so
much time carving that bird into a beam that will be
covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman
replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into
place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me,
'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make
every day, even when no one around you does. No act of
kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no
cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and
smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you
can't see right now what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction But it
is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure
for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote
to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective
when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people
who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to
work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no
cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because
there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my child to
tell the friend he's bringing home from college for
Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and
bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for
three hours and presses all the linens for the table.'
That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to
myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if
there is anything more to say to his friend, to add,
'You're gonna love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be
seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very
possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we
have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the
world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
I love this image. I found it Pierce's 1st Thanksgiving, when he was just 6 months old. I saved it to my computer and used it to wish friends a happy holiday. When I came across it last year, I paused and said, "That looks just like Sweet P!!" It still rings true today....
I have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I have two healthy beautiful babies and a loving devoted husband.
My grandfather is doing much improved today. He had an impromtu angiogram done late yesterday evening after a CT scan showed a grapefruit sized collection of blood in his stomach. The doctors were unfortunately able to find the source of the bleed. The good news though is that as of this morning, the bleeding has stopped on its own. The are planning to discharge him home tomorrow.
We're having a low key day today. We started the day off with some cinammon rolls and the Macy's parade. I was a whirl wind in the kitchen this morning, preparing dressing for tomorrow. Harper had cheese today for the 1st time. It's the 1st finger food she's had that she hasn't gagged and thrown up from. Mark's on call and is actually at the hospital right now. I'm making a meatloaf for dinner. Mom's in WI visiting her inlaws and Steven is spending Thanksgiving with a friend's family. We're celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow (although we count our blessings daily!!) when Mark will be more likely to be at home. This is the first year that I'm actually preparing the large mamjority of the turkey dinner. I'm excited but slightly nervous, as I've only made a turkey once before. Mark's dad and Kathy will be joining us.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
another Papa update
I just spoke to my mom and my grandfather is out of the upper and lower scope procedures. The good news is they didn't find any tumors or ulcers in his large intestine. The bad news is, they couldn't find the source of the bleeding. He is still bleeding internally somewhere--they've already given him 6 units of blood since late Monday evening. They are doing some sort of dye procedure tomorrow to look at his small intestine. Hopefully we'll know more then. I greatly appreciate continued prayers for my Papa!!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Papa update
The latest is he has been moved to a room. They are doing an upper and lower scope in the morning to try and locate the source of the bleeding. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers!!
Papa in the hospital
My mom has been calling all morning trying to get in touch with me. I just talked to her and my grandfather, who i am super close to, is in the hospital. He has been very weak, couldn't get settled last night, and went into the hospital. They found out that he has some internal bleeding. They have already given him 2 units of blood and 1 unit of plasma. They are currently awaiting a consult from a GI doctor. They aren't letting him anything just in case they have to do surgery. I'm going nuts with worry over here. This man is like a father to me. He's so special--Sweet P's middle name is after him. We just visited him on Sunday (it'd been a while, as my grandparents live about 1 1/2 hour drive from us). I'm a wreck.........he holds our whole family together. If you could please spare some prayers for my Papa, I'd certainly be most gracious.
Monday, November 24, 2008
dancing
Been meaning to blog about this.......Harper's been dancing for the last few weeks, anytime she hears music she starts bouncing up and down dancing. It's seriously adorable.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Perfect Iron!!
We were supposed to have the results yesterday, but apparently the wrong tests were ordered. Our ped's nurse just called and Harper's iron levels came back PERFECT!! I'm so thankful!!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
show me the wagon
'cause I'm D-O-N-E buying cloth diapers (well, aside from the occassional cute Goodmama or Mutt that I just have to have........)!!
Pierce's stash:
A breakdown:
Top row--doublers, extra inserts, snappies, disposable liners, fleece soakers, and covers
2nd row--prefolds, mostly plain with a few embellished
Bottom row--pockets, fitteds, AIOs
Not pictured: yellow velour pocket (he's wearing it), a dark blue pocket in the diaper bag, an "All Aboard" pocket (that should arrive any day now), and 2 white pockets (that should be shipped tomorrow).........
Harper's stash:
Top row--doublers, extra inserts, snappies, fleece soakers, and covers
2nd row--prefolds, mostly plain with a few embellished
Bottom row--pockets, fitteds, and AIOs
Not pictured: pink velour pocket (she's wearing it), a purple pocket in the diaper bag, a MIA snappi, a Baby Pink pocket (that should arrrive any day now), 2 white pockets (that should be shipped tomorrow), and a replacement pink velour pocket (it was missing snaps when it arrived--hopefully shipped tomorrow)........
These are our newest diapers (velour pockets). They're so soft!!
Mean mama was taking pics right before naptime........she was so over me snapping photos.
And a couple of bonus pics......
Harper pulling up (she just started pulling to standing yesterday, but she's been pulling to kneeling for about 2 weeks):
and climbing:
Pierce's stash:
A breakdown:
Top row--doublers, extra inserts, snappies, disposable liners, fleece soakers, and covers
2nd row--prefolds, mostly plain with a few embellished
Bottom row--pockets, fitteds, AIOs
Not pictured: yellow velour pocket (he's wearing it), a dark blue pocket in the diaper bag, an "All Aboard" pocket (that should arrive any day now), and 2 white pockets (that should be shipped tomorrow).........
Harper's stash:
Top row--doublers, extra inserts, snappies, fleece soakers, and covers
2nd row--prefolds, mostly plain with a few embellished
Bottom row--pockets, fitteds, and AIOs
Not pictured: pink velour pocket (she's wearing it), a purple pocket in the diaper bag, a MIA snappi, a Baby Pink pocket (that should arrrive any day now), 2 white pockets (that should be shipped tomorrow), and a replacement pink velour pocket (it was missing snaps when it arrived--hopefully shipped tomorrow)........
These are our newest diapers (velour pockets). They're so soft!!
Mean mama was taking pics right before naptime........she was so over me snapping photos.
And a couple of bonus pics......
Harper pulling up (she just started pulling to standing yesterday, but she's been pulling to kneeling for about 2 weeks):
and climbing:
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Harper's 9 month well baby
Harper must've known that it was a big day today. She celebrated by breaking out a new trick...........pulling up to standing!! She's been pulling up to kneeling for about 2 weeks now, but today she started pulling up to standing. Upon seeing her, Pierce giggled at his lil' sis standing all by herself. I cheered and Harper grinned proudly.
Her well baby went perfect. She's right on track (and even ahead in some areas) developmentally. Her pediatrician marveled at how cute she is and how quickly (and smart) she is growing. She was impressed to hear of her babbling, clapping, crawling, pulling up, standing with her heels down, etc. Her weight dropped below her curve some, but our ped says this is normal around this age due to increased mobility. She grew a lot in length over the past few months. She's leaning out some, but she is still roly poly with fabulous chubby cheeks.
Her stats:
weight 17 pounds 1 ounce (20%)
length 27.75 inches (55%)
head 17.5 inches (65%)
She has her two bottom front teeth now. Her ped suspects all 4 top front teeth will be coming in soon as her bums are swollen. Her iron was slightly low, so they are sending off a blood sample (had to squeeze a whole vial out of her toe, then when that clotted, had to repeat it on her finger--but my brave girl didn't even wince once) to a lab for a more accuate reading. They said that their machine measures off sometimes. They'll call me tomorrow with the results, and if it's still slightly low we are supposed to start OTC iron drops.
Both Harper and Pierce received toothbrushes (Pierce also got a lollipop and sticker). Pierce promptly shoved his in the sharps container and then proceeded to chow down on it. Sure makes a paranoid mama flip out when they see blood on the container...........
When we got home, we celebrated Harper's excellent check up with her 1st finger foods--whole grain sweet potato puffs. She was really excited about them and played with them for quite a while before actually tasting them. Then once she finally got one in her mouth, she promptly gagged, and threw up. We sort of expected this.........she is my daughter after all (I had huge texture issues when I was a babe). She didn't let it slow her down though and experimented a lil' more. I think over the course of 15 minutes she successfully ate 1 puff. We're learning........
A few pics of the action:
1st bite:
I don't know about this:
Going back for more:
And more:
Maybe this isn't so bad after all:
Her well baby went perfect. She's right on track (and even ahead in some areas) developmentally. Her pediatrician marveled at how cute she is and how quickly (and smart) she is growing. She was impressed to hear of her babbling, clapping, crawling, pulling up, standing with her heels down, etc. Her weight dropped below her curve some, but our ped says this is normal around this age due to increased mobility. She grew a lot in length over the past few months. She's leaning out some, but she is still roly poly with fabulous chubby cheeks.
Her stats:
weight 17 pounds 1 ounce (20%)
length 27.75 inches (55%)
head 17.5 inches (65%)
She has her two bottom front teeth now. Her ped suspects all 4 top front teeth will be coming in soon as her bums are swollen. Her iron was slightly low, so they are sending off a blood sample (had to squeeze a whole vial out of her toe, then when that clotted, had to repeat it on her finger--but my brave girl didn't even wince once) to a lab for a more accuate reading. They said that their machine measures off sometimes. They'll call me tomorrow with the results, and if it's still slightly low we are supposed to start OTC iron drops.
Both Harper and Pierce received toothbrushes (Pierce also got a lollipop and sticker). Pierce promptly shoved his in the sharps container and then proceeded to chow down on it. Sure makes a paranoid mama flip out when they see blood on the container...........
When we got home, we celebrated Harper's excellent check up with her 1st finger foods--whole grain sweet potato puffs. She was really excited about them and played with them for quite a while before actually tasting them. Then once she finally got one in her mouth, she promptly gagged, and threw up. We sort of expected this.........she is my daughter after all (I had huge texture issues when I was a babe). She didn't let it slow her down though and experimented a lil' more. I think over the course of 15 minutes she successfully ate 1 puff. We're learning........
A few pics of the action:
1st bite:
I don't know about this:
Going back for more:
And more:
Maybe this isn't so bad after all:
Sunday, November 16, 2008
P's 2 1/2 years old!!
How did the past 2 1/2 years go by so quickly??!! Seriously, it seems like just yesterday our lives were blessed with Sweet P. We had a great day today celebrating with our little man. We went to McDonalds for breakfast and to play on the playground. This afternoon we went on a nature hike at our local park. And of course, this evening I was the paparazzo...........
Getting treated like a king by dad (wrapped in a blanket, drinking milk, carried to the bath):
28 month Watch Me Grow photo:
Freshly bathed sweet P:
Brushin' good:
Note his mismatched pjs--he's all about being independent nowadays--he is TWO afterall:
Getting treated like a king by dad (wrapped in a blanket, drinking milk, carried to the bath):
28 month Watch Me Grow photo:
Freshly bathed sweet P:
Brushin' good:
Note his mismatched pjs--he's all about being independent nowadays--he is TWO afterall:
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Guess what we just did.........
bathed Harper in the big tub!! We got home late this evening (one of my best friends got married). In a rush to get the kiddoes bathed and in bed, I just drew one bath (usually Harper takes a bath in her tub inside the big tub, then Pierce takes a bath in the big tub when she is finished). She did very well and sat like a big girl the whole time. She really enjoyed the extra room to play and splash and was quite upset with Mom when I took her out. I'm kicking myself for not taking a pic. To come........
Friday, November 14, 2008
Lil' Miss Boop
can get into the sitting position all by herself now. She's been trying by crawling, rolling, and rocking back on one hip for quite some time. But today, she finally got the extra oomph she needed to rock all the way into the sitting position. Pierce and I clapped for her. She joined in and clapped for herself too.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Nana gives P a haircut
Nana gave Pierce a haircut today. If you know me, I'm quite picky (especially when it comes to my babies). I really had to prepare myself for this.........but it turned out great!! We did it early enough before pics that we could take him in to get it professionally cut if it didn't turn out well. But no need, Nana did a great job and Pierce really enjoyed letting her cut his hair.
Bribed to hold still with a blue lollipop:
Lovin' the spray bottle:
Bribed to hold still with a blue lollipop:
Lovin' the spray bottle:
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
9 months
We introduced Harper to lunch today for the 1st time. She was a big fan and ate 2 jars of food (winter squash and apples and strawberries). She was ready.......
We also lowered her crib this evening after dinner.
She celebrated by pulling into the kneeling position for us (a very new trick).
9 month Watch Me Grow photo:
Tonight after her bath.........I love this curl:
We also lowered her crib this evening after dinner.
She celebrated by pulling into the kneeling position for us (a very new trick).
9 month Watch Me Grow photo:
Tonight after her bath.........I love this curl:
sticker hazards
Stickers are big in our house, really big. You can almost gurantee Pierce will have at least one on (or more) at any point in time. A minute ago, he came to me saying "oww" and pointing to his nose. Well, he's also big into picking his nose now, so I thought maybe he'd irritated it a bit. He kept saying "oww" and pointing to his nose. I tilted his head back and looked. It appeared like he had a folded up piece of paper shoved up there. I held one nostril closed and asked him to blow. It came out a lil'. But as I was trying to pull it out, he said "oww" and sucked it back up. This went on several more times until he sucked it so far in, I could no longer see it, and he was still complaining of it hurting. I called Mark to see what I should do, thinking we needed to go to the ER or he'd eventually swallow it. Mark told me to call his ped instead. I called and they said they'd have a nurse call me back as to whether his ped could see him or if he needed to go to an emergency clinic to get it out. I got off the phone and told P we HAD to get this out. I got a tissue and asked him to blow his nose. I told him if we got it out, I'd give him a lollipop. After a few blows, I could finally see the paper again. A few more blows (and a few more sucking it back in away from my reach), I finally got it out!! Of course, I had to inspect it and saw that it was actually a folded up sticker. His nasal passages are a lil' bloody and irritated from me fishing it out, but I figure that's better than the alternative...........
pulling up??!!
When I went to get Harper for her 3 am feed this morning, I found her kneeling at her crib!! What a way to celebrate your 9 month old birthday--with a milestone!! Guess what we're doing tonight after dinner?? Lowering her crib..........
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Pretty Girl is...........
turning 9 months old tomorrow. I can't believe it. In a way it seems like she's always been with us, but yet at the same time, it seems like she just came to us. Our lives have been blessed immensley by her addition to our family. She is growing so quickly. She started crawling a couple of weeks ago. She still does it the hard way though, preferring to do push ups and pull herself across the floor. She's starting to figure out how to crawl in the more traditional sense a little at a time (and realizing it's a lot easier that way). She cut her second tooth (bottom right) on Sunday. She said her very 1st word today--Nana (much to mine and Mark's chargrin). I bet you can only guess how happy this made Nana. We'll be introducing lunch tomorrow for the 1st time.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
morning at the park
We took the kids to the park this morning. We had a fun time.
Harper's 1st time in the swing:
Pierce's turn:
Harper watching and wanting to join in the fun:
P loves to slide:
Harper's 1st time in the swing:
Pierce's turn:
Harper watching and wanting to join in the fun:
P loves to slide:
Smoky Mountain Vacation
Better late than never right?! Here it is, the long awaited slideshow from our leaf peeking trip to the Smokies: SMNP (remember to click on slideshow to view the full pic and caption). The travelogue is a bit more of an abridged version after Mark's insistence that noone reads it. I have also left out our breakfast plans which weren't anything particularly notable or out of the ordinary (aside from the house made granola and muesli, of which I had a heaping bowl full every morning, at Buckberry Creek).
Saturday, October 25th: We had an extremely early flight into Charlotte, NC this morning. Both babes were pretty confused when we woke them to leave. Pierce was excited nonetheless as he knew we were traveling to the "mount mounts". Much of this day was spent traveling to Asheville and getting settled into our hotel. We did squeeze in a visit to the University of North Carolina's Arboretum. They were hosting their annual flower show with prize winning chrysanthemums. Their scenic gardens were sprawling, and one could easily spend days there. For dinner, we got take out from Tupelo Honey Cafe who prides themselves on homestyle food with an upscale twist. We split a NY Strip and Pork Tenderloin. The accompanying sides, however, were the stars of the show. The sweet potato mashers and cheesy cauliflower were delicious. Oh and the dessert of course, which was a rich fudge brownie topped with frozen custard.
Sunday, October 26th: After a quick breakfast, we checked out of the hotel, and drove to Cherokee, North Carolina. Here we visited the Oconoluftee Visitor Center. We took a relaxing stroll alongside the river. Next we drove through the park with spectacular views of the mountains to Gatlinburg. We checked into the famed Buckberry Creek, where we'd be staying the next 3 nights. We stayed here last year and were elated when we were given the same 4th floor suite coined, "Crow's Nest". Our view here, one word: breathtaking. We simply could not have timed our fall foliage vacation any better. Colors were at their peak. We took a short hike down to the creek on our lodge's property. Once returning, we ordered room service from our lodge's restaurant--all opting for the filet and rosemary mashed potatoes. It was melt in your mouth delish.
Monday, October 27th: We awoke to an exciting surprise this morning---this fall's first snowfall. The misty mountain tops were decorated with a beautiful blanket of white snow. We went on a self guided driving tour of the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. You meander your way up the side of Mt. LeConte amidst remains of an old mountain farming community. We learned much about the early settlers in the Smokies and how their lifestyles helped shape the community into what it is today. After the drive (and realizing the light jackets that we packed simply wouldn't be sufficient), we went into town for some cheesy souvenir sweatshirts. If you've ever been to Gatlinburg, you may recall the town is teeming with these stereotypical tourist traps. On the way back to our lodge for an afternoon nap, Pierce got car sick from the winding drive. Instead of relaxing with us, Mark drove to the nearest Wal Mart (45 minutes away) and bought him a new carseat, a new jacket, (since we didn't have access to a washing machine), and winter hats for both babies. After naps, we met up with Mark's brother Chris and his family. We went to a small local stream side park. It was wonderful to see them. The cousins had a blast playing with each other. For dinner, we ordered take out from Cherokee Grill--chicken strips for P, rotisserie chicken sandwich for Mark, and cheeseburger for me. All were met with sighs of satisfaction.
Tuesday, October 28th: This morning we met up with Chris and family at the Sugarbush Visitor's Center. We watched a short vignette about the history of the Smoky Mountains. Harper, my sister in law Rebecca, and myself visited their small museum while the rest of the crew went on a nearby nature hike. After an afternoon nap, we took a hike to Laurel Falls. We didn't actually make it to Laurel Falls because of the cold temperatures. However, it was nice to get out and breathe the fresh mountain air. For dinner we had take out from Cherokee Grill for a second time. Mark and I split the NY Strip and Prosperity Steak while Pierce enjoyed their chicken strips again. This meal was named, "meal of the trip".
Wednesday, October 29th: After checking out and bidding Buckberry Creek a farewell with plans to return one day, we set out back to Asheville. Before leaving, we stopped and had lunch at the Wild Plum Tea Room. It's a cozy, girly tea room that Mark would be quite embarrassed if I told any of his friends we went here. They make amazing chicken salad spiced with nutmeg and apples and served with vegetarian chili. We also had their specialty wild plum muffins and tea. Mark noted that he and Pierce were the only males under the age of 70 dining here. Once arriving back to Asheville and checking into our hotel, we visited the historic Biltmore Estate. The Biltmore was once the home of old man Vanderbilt's son (responsible for Grand Central Station in Manhattan, NY and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN). It's easily the largest home in the United States. The architecture alone is impressive, let alone the majestic grounds. We visited the farm and petting zoo. For dinner, we picked up some food from Pomodoro's. I won't go into too much detail about this meal as it was met with mixed reviews.
Thursday, October 30th: We knew we would need to drive back to Charlotte for our flight home, so we started our day early. We drove back through the Biltmore Estate, stopping to tour their impeccably manicured gardens. The Biltmore is so unbelievably beautiful and so meticulously cared for, one could easily spend an entire week here. We'd really like to come back with more time to visit. We flew back home to Dallas that afternoon.
We had a fabulous, relaxing vacation filled with great company, fun times, gorgeous scenery, and delicious food. Pierce and Harper were both champion travelers. This was easily the most fall colors Mark or I have ever seen (including on our New England honeymoon). Being from Texas, we don't get to see much fall foliage. They certainly don't make leaves like that here. It was such a pretty sight to behold, and we're so thankful we were able to share it with our babies.
Saturday, October 25th: We had an extremely early flight into Charlotte, NC this morning. Both babes were pretty confused when we woke them to leave. Pierce was excited nonetheless as he knew we were traveling to the "mount mounts". Much of this day was spent traveling to Asheville and getting settled into our hotel. We did squeeze in a visit to the University of North Carolina's Arboretum. They were hosting their annual flower show with prize winning chrysanthemums. Their scenic gardens were sprawling, and one could easily spend days there. For dinner, we got take out from Tupelo Honey Cafe who prides themselves on homestyle food with an upscale twist. We split a NY Strip and Pork Tenderloin. The accompanying sides, however, were the stars of the show. The sweet potato mashers and cheesy cauliflower were delicious. Oh and the dessert of course, which was a rich fudge brownie topped with frozen custard.
Sunday, October 26th: After a quick breakfast, we checked out of the hotel, and drove to Cherokee, North Carolina. Here we visited the Oconoluftee Visitor Center. We took a relaxing stroll alongside the river. Next we drove through the park with spectacular views of the mountains to Gatlinburg. We checked into the famed Buckberry Creek, where we'd be staying the next 3 nights. We stayed here last year and were elated when we were given the same 4th floor suite coined, "Crow's Nest". Our view here, one word: breathtaking. We simply could not have timed our fall foliage vacation any better. Colors were at their peak. We took a short hike down to the creek on our lodge's property. Once returning, we ordered room service from our lodge's restaurant--all opting for the filet and rosemary mashed potatoes. It was melt in your mouth delish.
Monday, October 27th: We awoke to an exciting surprise this morning---this fall's first snowfall. The misty mountain tops were decorated with a beautiful blanket of white snow. We went on a self guided driving tour of the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. You meander your way up the side of Mt. LeConte amidst remains of an old mountain farming community. We learned much about the early settlers in the Smokies and how their lifestyles helped shape the community into what it is today. After the drive (and realizing the light jackets that we packed simply wouldn't be sufficient), we went into town for some cheesy souvenir sweatshirts. If you've ever been to Gatlinburg, you may recall the town is teeming with these stereotypical tourist traps. On the way back to our lodge for an afternoon nap, Pierce got car sick from the winding drive. Instead of relaxing with us, Mark drove to the nearest Wal Mart (45 minutes away) and bought him a new carseat, a new jacket, (since we didn't have access to a washing machine), and winter hats for both babies. After naps, we met up with Mark's brother Chris and his family. We went to a small local stream side park. It was wonderful to see them. The cousins had a blast playing with each other. For dinner, we ordered take out from Cherokee Grill--chicken strips for P, rotisserie chicken sandwich for Mark, and cheeseburger for me. All were met with sighs of satisfaction.
Tuesday, October 28th: This morning we met up with Chris and family at the Sugarbush Visitor's Center. We watched a short vignette about the history of the Smoky Mountains. Harper, my sister in law Rebecca, and myself visited their small museum while the rest of the crew went on a nearby nature hike. After an afternoon nap, we took a hike to Laurel Falls. We didn't actually make it to Laurel Falls because of the cold temperatures. However, it was nice to get out and breathe the fresh mountain air. For dinner we had take out from Cherokee Grill for a second time. Mark and I split the NY Strip and Prosperity Steak while Pierce enjoyed their chicken strips again. This meal was named, "meal of the trip".
Wednesday, October 29th: After checking out and bidding Buckberry Creek a farewell with plans to return one day, we set out back to Asheville. Before leaving, we stopped and had lunch at the Wild Plum Tea Room. It's a cozy, girly tea room that Mark would be quite embarrassed if I told any of his friends we went here. They make amazing chicken salad spiced with nutmeg and apples and served with vegetarian chili. We also had their specialty wild plum muffins and tea. Mark noted that he and Pierce were the only males under the age of 70 dining here. Once arriving back to Asheville and checking into our hotel, we visited the historic Biltmore Estate. The Biltmore was once the home of old man Vanderbilt's son (responsible for Grand Central Station in Manhattan, NY and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN). It's easily the largest home in the United States. The architecture alone is impressive, let alone the majestic grounds. We visited the farm and petting zoo. For dinner, we picked up some food from Pomodoro's. I won't go into too much detail about this meal as it was met with mixed reviews.
Thursday, October 30th: We knew we would need to drive back to Charlotte for our flight home, so we started our day early. We drove back through the Biltmore Estate, stopping to tour their impeccably manicured gardens. The Biltmore is so unbelievably beautiful and so meticulously cared for, one could easily spend an entire week here. We'd really like to come back with more time to visit. We flew back home to Dallas that afternoon.
We had a fabulous, relaxing vacation filled with great company, fun times, gorgeous scenery, and delicious food. Pierce and Harper were both champion travelers. This was easily the most fall colors Mark or I have ever seen (including on our New England honeymoon). Being from Texas, we don't get to see much fall foliage. They certainly don't make leaves like that here. It was such a pretty sight to behold, and we're so thankful we were able to share it with our babies.
my crock pot love affair
I love crock pot cooking. Seriously, I used to only use my crock pot about once a month. However, over the last few months, I've started using it several times a week. I've exhausted my crock pot recipe book and went to the internet for recipes. I stumbled on this blog: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/ The author made a new year's resolution to use her crockpot every day, all year long. She's got some awesome recipes on here. Just thought I'd share the wealth (and goodness) of her blog.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
big boy bed update
Pierce's transition to a big boy bed for has actually gone very well. He is back to sleeping through the night. I was really nervous about naps, but he's doing great--still napping about 2 hours. He's so proud of his big boy bed. I find it funny though because he still sleeps all over the place. I usually find him laying sideways like he slept in his crib. I found him like this the other day when I checked on him during his nap:
Even though he can climb in and out of his bed on his own, he usually calls for us to come get him out when he wakes up. I was really nervous about the transition (I had planned to keep him in his crib until he was either to big for it or started climbing out). But given how well it's gone, he was definitely ready.
Even though he can climb in and out of his bed on his own, he usually calls for us to come get him out when he wakes up. I was really nervous about the transition (I had planned to keep him in his crib until he was either to big for it or started climbing out). But given how well it's gone, he was definitely ready.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
political mischief
Pierce and I just got home from voting. No lines, just walked right up. We had the option of electronic or paper. We chose electronic, and P actually cast one vote. As we were walking in we noticed a bunch of candidates' signs. I informed the election workers and asked if I could remove them. I was told that as long as they are within 100 feet of the entrace, they were allowed. I never knew that!! So P and I went about our business and voted. I got my sticker and P one of his very own (he's already snagged mine and my mom's too). I told him "Wear it proud son". As we were leaving, the worker I had spoken to about the signs said if he happened to look outside later and noticed the signs were gone, he wouldn't miss 'em. So P and I went about taking all the signs down. As we were finishing, a woman drove up and asked if I was in charge of putting the signs up. "Oh no", I told her, "I was just taking 'em down". She asked why....... I proceeded to tell her if people can put 'em up, I can take 'em down. She said, "Well I don't know who you are voting for, but I'm here to put signs up for the other side. It is considered public property and allowed as long as it is within 100 feet." i told her "Oh, okay. I won't take 'em with me, but I'm not putting them back up!!" P and I left all the signs laying down in a pile, got in the truck, and came home.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Happy Halloween
Just wanted to share some pics of my babes in their Halloween finery. Pierce is wearing a mama-made scarescrow costume and Harper is wearing a lion costume (P's 1st Halloween costume). Missing from the photos--Dorothy and the Tin Man. ;-) We went to Spooky Storytime at the library in the morning and went trick or treating last night.
Storytime:
Festive clothes:
All ready to trick or treat:
Trick or treating with Nana:
Trick or treating with Dad:
Pierce was really into it this year, excited about his "scarecrow costume". We had a great time!! We had a wonderful trip to the Smokies too--a slideshow and travelogue will follow soon.
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