Baby Fight Club

As if strep, the flu, and RSV weren't enough for us, poor little Gwen came down with pink eye as well. Eric said it looks like we put her in a baby fight club. 

A New Phase

I adore my children and being a mother. I also love having a baby in the house. That being said, I really hate the climbing phase that all babies go through. It is exhausting and terrifying. Gwen is now climbing into and onto everything she possible can. I haven't snapped a picture of her scaling her baby gate yet, but she just started doing that this morning. She loves climbing around the tupperware cupboard, but then gets mad because she can't stand up straight.

 She discovered that she can climb up on to the dishwasher.

 And the kids chairs.

 And her birthday presents. 

I think she views everything now as a climbing challenge. Hopefully we both live through this phase of her baby life!

Gloomy

Gloomy is the only word I can think of to describe how our January has been so far. I was so excited for the beginning of the new year, to start on some new goals and get going with Mommy School. But, none of that has happened. 

We had some wonderful snow storms the end of December, and then the haze came and the temperature dropped. For about a week and a half it has just been plain miserable outside. The air quality has been so bad and we have been lucky if the temperature warms up to the low teens. 

 The view of the mountains from our house....you can barely see them! There is just a nasty layer of gross in the air. 

 The kids have loved watching our icicles grow larger and larger each day. Since it has been so cold, they aren't melting. One finally fell the other day and I thought something had fallen off a closet shelf the noise was so loud. I searched all over the house, looking for what made the loud noise, when I realized the largest icicle  was no longer outside our window. I'm glad no one was under it when it fell!

 We cannot get the ice off of our driveway. I have been so worried about someone slipping on it! 

Our car is beyond filthy, but we can't wash it because the water will just freeze. If the previous owners saw it so dirty, I'm sure they would have a heart attack. I'm quite positive in the last 10 years, this car has never seen so much dirt!

 Then things got gloomy inside. All 3 kids have been sick. We are going on 2 weeks now of someone being sick. Adam was sick first with what the doctor said was the chest flu, and then they called and said his strep tests were positive as well. As always, when he gets sick, everything moves to his chest and his asthma flares up. So between the horrible air outside and being sick, he has been pretty miserable. He still wore his Jazz hat faithfully and played lots of Star Wars Angry Birds. 

 A few days after Adam got sick, both girls started coughing and sneezing. Poor Tessa woke up in the middle of the night on Saturday and her only request was a blessing from her Daddy. We finally took both girls into the doctor and he said they both have a mild case of RSV. Thankfully, both of their lungs were clear and their o2 levels were good. 

 I feel like my kitchen has been turned into a drug store. The chocolate is my drug to get me through this...

 Although it stinks to have your babies sick, and all 3 at the same time, we feel like we can't complain too much. This was Tessa's first sick visit to the doctor in her life. 4 years isn't such a bad run. She got 2 suckers, so she was totally fine with having to be there. 

 Poor Gwen has just wanted to be held non-stop. She seems to be getting better, but still has a nasty cough that gets worse at night. She hasn't had much of an appetite (none of them have) so I am grateful for these baby food pouches. She loves them and will at least suck on those. 

Hopefully we will be on the mend soon. We are generally quite healthy, so to have everyone be so sick has been hard. I am lucky to get a solid hour of sleep a night. I am going on night 6 with little to no sleep. Gwen had just started sleeping 12 hours solid too. Why do they always get sick and mess up a good thing?! I am ready for healthy kids, a good nights sleep, and the opportunity to watch a "mommy show". If I never see or hear "Dora the Explorer" again, I will be a happy girl!

Here's to a better month! And hopefully soon!!

A Perfect Sunday Evening

Eric and I have been anxious for last night to roll around! It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday Evening. The kids were alseep and staying in their beds, and we were cuddled up on the couch together with some hot chocolate, watching the Season 3 premier of Downton Abbey. I was a happy girl!

Gwen's Birthday Bash

Gwen's birthday started out with a yummy breakfast of pink pancakes. We put a candle in her stack and sang "Happy Birthday" to her. Adam was so concerned about her being so close to fire. He blew her candle out before we had even finished singing. 

I think she was a little confused as to why she was having so many photo moments. Usually she gobbles up anything you put in front of her, but her birthday was a different story. She hardly touched her pancakes and just looked confused all during breakfast. 

 She had her doctors appointment that morning. She loved wandering around the room, but the only way to keep her on the examination table was to feed her her favorite snacks. 

 I spent the afternoon getting ready for her party. I thought things ended up looking pretty cute.

Tessa insisted Gwen had to have a party dress. Thankfully, Target had some good sales after Christmas, so Gwennie got her party dress. 

 We went with a cupcake theme. Gwen got her own cupcake cake. I made Banana Cream Pie cupcakes and Black Forest cupcakes for everyone else. We tried to use the cupcake theme in our decorations.

 Some snacks for our guests. 

 We still don't know why, but Gwen's cake totally freaked her out. She didn't even want to go near it. 

Tessa brought Gwen her cat, Lucky to help cheer Gwen up.

 Almost everyone was able to come celebrate with us. Gwen was again confused as to why everyone was watching her. She did pretty good at opening her presents. She got some fun things!

 Aunt Dee made her a new blanket.

 She loved reading her cards. 

 Getting ready for everyone to arrive!

Mamma's lap-a safe spot with so many boys around.

 The presents seemed to be a hit. And then came the cake. She freaked out and wanted nothing to do with it. She loves treats and is always eating everything we have, so I have no idea why she was so bothered by this cake. I tried and tried, but finally decided not to torture her with it. Hopefully she will like her next cake. 

 She was so traumatized that she even snuggled up with Uncle Matt-that was a first!

 All was good again when she got to play with her new toys, everyone's water bottles, and Ma's cell phone. She called Aunt Gillian twice. 

 We thought we would try things again on Friday and see if she was any happier with her birthday breakfast. She loved her pink pancakes and gobbled them right up!

 She loved playing with her balloons too!

 I thought we would give the cake another shot too, but no such luck. She still doesn't want anything to do with it. Silly, silly girl!

 She was thrilled when we let her have her birthday wish and have free reign of the staircase. Her favorite place to play!

 Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!