HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy, Happy New Year everybody! I hope this year will bring you all much joy and peace within! Plus, for all my bloggy friends who I have had the GREAT pleasure to meet (through cyberspace) I hope we all get to meet our precious little ones this year! I know some of you already have experienced that great moment, and for you, I hope this year brings many wonderful moments where you can make lots of great memories!
Hurry up shiny New Year, drop that ball!!!

From our family to yours - Merry Christmas!

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus right down Santa Claus lane!

Wow, our girls were so excited about tonight being the night that Santa comes! I did'nt think that they would EVER go to sleep. Lily kept saying "Mommy, I'm asleep!" and I would have to say, "Lily, you're not asleep if you still talk to me! Go to sleep so Santa can come, and bring you stuff!" I should have kept count on how many times those words came out of my mouth.
Well yesterday we decorated Christmas cookies, so of course we had to put some out for Santa.

We hope all of you have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TOO!!!
 

We'll just sit here and wait! 

Cookies for Santa! Oh, and carrots for the deer too! 

 

Big hugs!!! 

Love my sister! This is the picture that went out in our Christmas cards this year. 

Our two precious gifts! 

Little lady! 

Such a big girl! 

Lily with her Gingerbread Church! 

Madilyn with her house! 

Merry Christmas

A friend has this video on her blog, and I wanted to share it too! I hope by next year this song will take on a different meaning to us, than it does right now!

Well, we finally finished decorating our house last weekend, we did'nt go all out this year. We just put up icesickle lights outside, and put up the tree, and stockings, and a couple other little things here and there.
I found an ornament that I just had to have this year for our little girl. I could'nt bring myself to hang the other one just yet, mainly because we don't even know if she's born yet, and because we have not decided on a name for her, so when I saw this one on Ebay, I got it for this year, as a kind of "waiting for" her ornament.

I am also posting another poem I found, enjoy!

Oh! Christmas Tree,
all candy caned,
all green, all glowing bright.
Oh! Christmas tree all tinseled, rained,
all dressed in colored light.
Oh! Christmas Tree an angel stands,
she guards above each bough.
She smiles o'er your rainbow dress
and knows that even, now.
The gifts, the wrappings about your feet,
those presents on the floor.
Are but, the simple actions of
our love and nothing more.
Just some sweet, kind, thoughtfulness,
at this His time of year.
To show you, our angel and our God
His love is living here.
by Linda A. Copp

Santa Claus!

Well, Miss Madilyn is back on her little feet, so we headed off to the mall yesterday to see Santa Claus!

The girls were both so excited to tell him what they wanted for Christmas! I am so lucky that both of my girls are great with Santa Claus ( and the Easter Bunny for that matter) I know some kids just do not want this person or thing touching them much less holding them! I will be extremely fortunate if our third is the same way!
Oh, Melissa, your post about your troubles with Holiday pictures and kids faces, these are some of the cuter ones, there were some that I just could not bring myself to posting!

Also in the spirit of the season, I found this little poem I wanted to share with you all. For now my girls are not old enough to question it, but I know the day will come, and I REALLY dread that day!

Daddy, Are You Santa Claus ?

“Daddy, are you Santa Claus?”
my daughter asked today
with all the innocence of youth about to melt away
I’ve always hoped this day would come when she was with her Mom
She’s sensitive, I’m hesitant the words may come out wrong
An awkward kind of silence as she peered into my eyes
about to learn the righteousness of “ grown-up people’s “ lies
I crossed my fingers, took a breath and pulled her on my lap
kind of just like Santa does beneath his Christmas cap
“Santa Claus is all the love that fills my heart with joy
when I remember happiness and comfort as a boy
and Santa Claus is all your dreams and wishes coming true
protecting all your innocence to keep the world from view
and Santa Claus is all the words we feel, but never say
and hope that you can understand their meaning, Christmas day"
“Daddy, are you Santa Claus?” she would not be denied
I hugged her reassuringly but deep inside... I cried...

by Jim Morton

Our unplanned trip!

Wow, was our weekend something else!
Friday night both girls were acting just fine, running around, playing. First thing Saturday morning, Madilyn starts acting funny, being clingy, wanting me to be right there, she did not eat much breakfast, and then BAM all of the sudden, she starts throwing up. Poor little thing could not keep anything down all day long, so after our nap, we got up, and it started again, so I did not want to wait it out, I have had to take Lily to the Emergency room before for being dehydrated, and wanted to catch this before it got that bad. So at about 4:30 I take her to the E.R. (let me stop for a second just to state the fact that this is no ordinary E.R. it is for Pediatrics only!) We never even had to sit down in the waiting room, they took her right back, for those lucky ones out there who have never been to an Emergency room this is a WONDERFUL thing, I had to take Matt once, and we sat out there for at least 4 hours. But back to my story, love the Pedeatric E.R.
They hooked her up to an I.V. right away, because her heart rate was 160, and they said it normally should be anywhere from 100-120, so they knew she was already dehydrated. Also, when I got her undresses the nurse noticed a rash, very lightly all over her little body, so she did a Strep test, and guess what, it came back positive! My baby has Strep! OMG! I have no idea where she could have gotten it. So anyway, they start giving her antibiotics in her I.V. and after a while she starts acting a little better. The E.R. Doctor calls her Pediatrician to see what they want them to do. They said to just keep her until she goes pee pee. Well a couple of hours pass, I had already gotten her to drink juice and a pop sickle without throwing it back up, but she just would not pee, so they called the Dr. again, and at this point (about midnight) they decided to admit her into the Hospital overnight.
Boy, that was a rough night!!! Neither one of us slept very well, not to mention, I had not prepaired to spend the night! I was starving, did'nt eat supper! So the WONDERFUL nurse brought me a sandwitch, chips, and a drink (at one in the morning!) Finally around 2 she pee pee'd, but still the night was bad, they woke her up around 5:30 to draw blood, by then she was so tired, she was just laying there. All day Sunday, I was doing everything I could to get her to drink something! She did not want any part of eating or drinking. Our doctor decided to keep her over night AGAIN! So at this point, I had been wearing the same clothes for over 24 hours, so Matt brought a change of clothes for me, and some things so I could take a shower. Sunday night was much better, she was sitting up playing with some toys that the nurse brought in. She still was'nt eating or drinking, but her personality was coming back a little. But finally Monday morning we were able to bring her home! I don't know who was happier, me or her! Ever since she walked in the door, she's a totally different child than the one stuck in the hospital bed. She's drinking, and eating little bites at a time. I'm sure her throat hurts, I have never had strep, but I could imagine it must be bad, especially for a two year old.
Well, sorry for such a long post, just keep thinking of her for me! And I'm crossing my fingers none of the rest of us get it!

Holiday eating tips!

I thought this was too cute to not post it on my blog! I got this in an email from my mother in law, thanks Mimi!
Subject: Holiday Eating Tips (the fun kind)
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have SOME standards.
10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.
Remember this motto to live by:"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, totally worn out and screaming,
"WOO HOO what a ride!"

A little Excited now!

Wow, we just got word that April is in the review room! That means for the next couple of months I will be on pins and needles hoping that they don't need any more information, cause from what I've heard, if they ask questions, that could put you back until the question is resolved. Some people have been set back by a month or more. So needless to say, I will be sweating!
In the mean time, I quess I'll continue passing the time like always, shopping. Here's some more evidence of my shopping spree.
The first set is a pair of adult/ladies PJ's. For anyone interested, I got them at Aeropostle(spelling???) The pants were only $5.99, and the top (which I did'nt see, I asked if they had any shirts that match the pants, and she went and got one from the back) was $2.99! They have the cutest Pandas with lollipops on them. I also found a pair of undies, from somewhere else a while ago, but I will not be posting the picture of them, thank you very much!
I will probably be taking these with us, when ever that time comes! They are so soft too.
The second set is from Gymboree, it's for our little girl, and I just can't resist the Pandas!!!