Just Beat It!

You cannot beat it being December 27th - 50 degrees - and playing outside in the sandbox, swinging on the swings and racing around playing tag. It was good to get out of what looks like "a bomb went off in Toys R Us" (thanks Jean Sakry!), our house.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Merry Christmas my blogger friends!  I love this time of year.  I love the chaos of trying to be "everywhere", but mostly of the cheer everyone has.  Everything about this time of year is FUN!  I love that my kids are really into Christmas and my favorite part of this year was Teague's first Christmas program at preschool.  He did so well, sang his little heart out and was a total little goofball (can't say his goofing off in class comes from Dad...just ask my parents about Parent/Teacher conferences sometime). 

It's just a blessing this time of year.  We are fortunate to celebrate Jesus' birthday with so much happiness, cheer, and being blessed with health, good jobs, warm homes, and love.

I hope today brings you all as much warm fuzzies as what I feel today being with family.

Singing at his program, in English and Spanish - it's important to stay politically correct.

Love my little Santa.

Teague with his two teachers.

The best family picture of the 28 we took.

At least they're both looking.

I love this one because it describes our "adult life" perfectly - there is no such thing with kids - see Lola there??

Whew!

(I've been holding this as a "draft" for 3 days hoping to find my camera. So far no luck, so didn't get to post all the pictures I want. It's my own fault, I let the kids take pictures while we were decorating the tree 2 weeks ago and now I can't find it, along with the photos on the memory card for the past year. I'm not sick about this at all! Ugh)

Whew, I know you all have been anxiously awaiting an update from me, right?! Probably pretty typical for most, but this time of year is hectic with a lot going on, but it was (still is) my goal to update the blog once a week....I don't even know if there is anyone out there still reading? I know a lot of people like to use FB to keep everyone updated, I guess I still like to use the blog as my way of journaling like it's their baby books!  =)  Besides I would hate for the entire news feed to crash with all the cute pictures of my kids! So I hope some of you are still out there!

Lola is recovering really well from her surgery. I was surprised, however, how long it really did take her to start feeling 100%. Even now she still seems to have some after effects. I was sure, so SURE, that she had an ear infection (even though the ENT office assured me that with tubes, if she had an infection the fluid would drain out), but she was just constantly digging her little finger into her ear (like she always did when she had an infection). ENT initially told me that was normal because when the scabs start to come off from the adenoid removal that it can feel like residual pain into the ear. So that was one week post-op and by week two post-op she was still having the same symptoms (which include - most importantly for me, lack of sleep!) so I brought her into the clinic to be "assured" all was well as I had heard that some kids' tubes will fall out right after surgery. Well I was assured her tubes looked great but that even 2 weeks later that she still had swollen lymph nodes in the neck area from the adenoids. So we left with nothing but a prescription for butt cream for the massive diarrhea virus she also had at the time. I know, gross, you didn't really care - but is diarrhea really that gross to talk about when it's a baby (at least she's a baby to me)?! Other things about Lola:
- She uses an outside voice everywhere. The only time she doesn't is in the morning. But you have to know Lola to understand what her muffled loud voice sounds like. I say this with all the love in the world, it's annoying.
- We are constantly amused by her antics. Some that should not be laughed at, but amused nonetheless. I have been thoroughly blessed with two kids who ARE NOT stingy with their smiles and laughs. She, however, laughs at everything. Even when we punish her - not an appropriate time to laugh.
- She has no fear. Not even of Santa. She is a Tom Boy through and through. She will be our athlete, no doubt. I am even questioning the prospect of her starting dance next year as I think she would enjoy and benefit more from an activity that had more rough movement - like Tae Kwon Do. I fear, honestly, her ability to follow the directions of a dance instructor!
- She does not enjoy clothing. Even with it being so cold out. Luckily getting and keeping primary clothing on has been going well, but she does not enjoy wearing a jacket, shoes, mittens or a hat. Most parents with exceptionally wonderful kids have their own opinions on my parenting skills I am sure, but very often for the 10 steps into daycare I will not sweat, wrestle and hold her down to put these items on when she will just sit on the ground and take them all off immediately. One day she will be too cold. Best parenting technique ever, I am convinced. She will, however, wear her moon boots - and only those. So don't be surprised to see her in an adorably cute outfit with pink moon boots on. Totally normal.

Teague is doing awesome in Tae Kwon Do! Next week he will be testing out of level one for his white belt! How cute is that?! He loves going, he's a bit uncoordinated and stiff - but he loves it and it's an activity that gets some extra winter energy out! Other things about Teague:
-He's doing great in preschool. The teacher feels even though he would be young that he would do well in kindergarten next year. We are hoping if all works out that he will make it off the waiting list to go to Montessori next year and wait another year for the big K.
-He is WAY into Christmas and the meaning of it this year. He talks about Jesus being born and sleeping in a manger ("just like a crib, but smaller - right mommy?") Of course I won't lie, he is just like any other kid and excited about the presents. He insists that Santa should bring him a Wii this year. I cannot even believe it - last year he would have been happy with a $1 dinosaur from Santa. Wow, age 3-4 can get expensive!
- He enjoys dressing up as Spiderman EVERY night (thanks Carson Bergquist!). I don't even think I have had a chance to wash the costume yet!
- He never always teases Lola. CONSTANTLY. There are times I just plead with him after school to just not go near her as she screams like she just broke her leg whenever he comes near her ("MAAAAAAA-MMY, Teaguie hit"..."MAAAAAAA-MMY, Teaguie push"....."NOOOOOO TEAGUIE, Leave me alone!", etc. etc.). I think he truly wants to play with her but then realizes she is a true diva and therefore it is fun to make her scream. Same old song and dance at most homes that have girls and boys, I am sure...TOTALLY SURE I cannot be alone on this!

We've had a lot of fun outings lately:
- We went to the Holday Parade of lights in Morris with Nana.
- Lola and I joined Nana and some other rellies for a Christmas tea.
- Thanksgiving brunch with Gramma and Beepa in STC (and Beepa is doing GREAT with chemo)!
- Thanksgiving dinner at my sister's beautiful home in Paynesville
- Me Black (Thursday) Friday shopping at Walmart (first time ever) and getting EVERYTHING I had on my list. YES!
- Black Friday (late afternoon after the crazies went home) in Willmar with Krista, Sky, Lola and I
- We went to the Melrose Mini-Dazzle Parade
- Saturday movies in Sauk Centre
- Water park outings in Monticello
- Visiting Santa Land at Macy's in DT Minneapolis with Nana
- Visiting American Girl Doll Store and Nickelodeon Park with Nana
- BBall has started - first game is tonight. GOOOO DUTCHMEN!
- And most exciting: (No, I am NOT pregnant)....we got a King Bed! That's exciting stuff.

Macy's Santa Land Visit - Pretty untraumatized, right?

Action shot - so excited he is jumping up and down!

Not scared of Frosty at the Morris parade and I don't know why this is sideways.

Wouldn't leave her mittens on and it was only about 50 below 0.

See, no mittens.

Nope, not scared.

"Mom, look at my big muscles!"

Christmas Tea

Half open eye, but showing how the grass he planted in school grew!

Typical

There's Lola on the right - she LOVED this MOA ride, especially when the little girl to her right kept giggling!

Going from the rollercoaster to this ride was a bit of a disappointment for him?

Lola's FIRST haircut. Just a trim, not enough to make her stop screaming when I comb her hair.

Tae Kwon Do and Surgery

I feel like November has just flew by, I can't believe it is already the middle of the month.  We've been really busy and I don't expect life to settle down anytime soon being bball starts next week.  I am hopeful that since the kids are a bit more flexible about their bedtimes (ok, I am not as much of a Nazi about it anymore now that they aren't babies) that we will be able to attend a few home games this year.

Last week Teague started "Little Kickers" which is the intro class to Tae Kwon Do.  Needless to say, HE LOVES IT!

And today our little Lola had to have her adenoids out and tubes in.  I won't lie, I felt like a failure as a mom. I felt like as long as I protect my kids the best I can from being around others that are sick and most importantly, that I nursed both until they were a year old, that would protect them from what I feel is too typical of a surgery: tubes.  I tried thousands of dollars in holistic therapies for Lola and of course as needed, trips to the Dr for antibiotics.  She had swimmers ear twice this summer and then 2 ear infections (all in the right ear) 6 weeks apart (on top of the fact that she caught a cold when she was 6 weeks old and it's like she never really got "over" it.  So we had an initial consult with the ENT about 2 weeks ago for tubes and I sort of pushed to get adenoids out as well, and boy am I glad.  So she went into surgery this morning (and I won't go into how terrifying it is to watch your child be placed "under") and after about 20 minutes the surgeon came out and said that it was good that we insisted on having her adenoids removed as they were "chronically infected and full of green mucous".  She didn't have any current fluid in her ears but it was apparent that the adenoids were the cause of the problem and then the ears would become infected.  So it is possible she didn't actually need the tubes, but we will have to see how she does now.  So I felt less like a "failure" once I knew that was just "how she is" no matter what I would have tried to do.

It was very sad to see her trying to wake up from the anesthesia.  I am really glad that I read up some information on the web about other toddlers who have had anesthesia - she was just so out of sorts and nothing would calm her.  Eventually (about 20-30 minutes) she came around and about an hour and a half later (so there for about 4 hours total), she was able to come home.  I thought she would sleep the day away, but it was a struggle to get her to nap!  She acted like nothing ever happened.  I am hoping her recovery continues to be so smooth.

Before surgery, watching cartoons in the lounge.

In her little gown, hanging with daddy - still waiting.

I got to go back with her - hence the great outfit.  She's so happy here!

Here she is working on the Diego puzzle I brought from home before surgery.

NYC

Beth and I went to NYC a week ago.  It was awesome, we had a great time!  All I wanted for the few days afterwards was to just be back there.  I love that city.  Here's a quick breakdown of our trip: flew out Friday at 3am, shopped, attended a runner's expo (Beth's thing!), and ate.  Saturday: ran a 5K (which was BEAUTIFUL - started at the U.N., ran through the Rockefeller Center area, finished in Central Park at the same finish as the NYC Marathon, walked through Central Park, shopped, ate at Serendipity, went to the 9/11 Memorial, shopped, ate, went out to some fun bars.  Sunday: shopped, went to Brooklyn to watch the marathon runners (Brooklyn is really pretty and quaint), shopped (basically got kicked out of Chinatown), Times Square, scored a great deal on Rock of Ages tickets, Harbor Lights cruise, dinner and then drinks at a very cool rooftop bar.  Monday: shopped, Rockefeller Center and then home.  All around it was great. Here are a FEW pics.

Halloween Fun

Halloween was a beautiful night this year.  The kids got a lot of use out of their costumes.  We went TNT (trick and treating) at the Sartell strip mall one day, MN School of Business one day, Preschool party, REAL HALLOWEEN, and a daycare party!  We got our money's worth on these costumes.  They made a huge haul on their candy, and I finally threw the remaining pieces in a baggie so we no longer had to listen to Lola whine "pa-kin?, pa-kin?, pa-kin?" (Pumpkin,for those of you who don't understand 2 year old jibberish).  She had a pumpkin that held all of her treats and she learned how to TNT really quickly, problem was she wanted to eat every piece as she received!

Someone is exciiiiiitttteed!

"Cheeese!"

Best "together" picture I could get!

They're having a great time getting some good loot!

This guy actually keeps track of EVERYONE who comes to their house!  =)

"Mmmm, I love those!"

"Soooo much fun!!"