Out Sick

Since I can't be "out sick" from being a mommy, let's just say I have been "out sick" from writing on my blog. It's been a month and half, because that's about how long we have been sick at our house. We are on virus #3 or #4, not sure anymore if what I have now is new or just something that didn't really go away that struck back with a vengeance. The kiddos had the croup with this last virus. Little Miss 1 had it the worst - she sounded like she was doing an E.T. impression when she breathed "El-li-ot, El-li-ot...". But considering I know of at least two families in our ward who took their kids to the hospital for breathing treatments with this croup, I guess we were lucky.

Before we were sick, my niece E2 was baptized. My parents came for a few days, and it was nice to see them. They brought my son a Halloween counting book, which he loves because it has ghosts in it. He is really  excited for Christmas and all, but last night he was singing to himself a Halloween song in his room. Thanksgiving we got together with Werty's clan. Werty finally saw his new niece, tiny little girl. Someday I will be healthy, and actually get to hold her! Lots of family, lots of love. Made my first lemon meringue pie - tasted great, but didn't fully set. But that's ok, there were so many pies that no one but me ate it. And then it didn't fully survive the car trip home. But, I think I know what went wrong, so there's always next time.The day after Thanksgiving we put up our tree. Here is Little Miss in her new Christmas dress.





Meanwhile, Little Miss1 had her 18 mos check-up. Here are her stats:
W: 25 lbs 8 oz  70%
L: 32 in  55%
Head: 19.5 in  100% (she's related to her brother, what can I say?)
Cuteness: 100%
Hair: still not as long as Jack-Jack's, but she can do curly pig-tails.







On Monday, I said to myself, it's December and it feels like we should have snow by now. Hahaha. No, I hadn't checked the weather forecast in at least a week. Too sick to care and all that. Well, it snowed, and it's snowing again. Bear loves it, Little Miss isn't so sure yet.

My Brave Boy...and his stats

"Remember? We are going to the doctor this morning to see how big you are."

"Uh, Mommy, I am a little bit scared."

"Are you scared you are going to have a shot at the Doctor's?"

Bear nodded.

"Well, I asked when I talked to them on the phone and they said you weren't getting shots today. You will have to get them before Kindergarten, but not today."

"OK."

We get to the doctor's, and after a decent wait, we get in and the nurse explains that Bear is supposed to get shots today. Oh, poo. I lied to my child. I asked when I made the appointment - I really did - but I should have known better.

So, I tell my brave little boy that yes, we are getting shots today, and I remind him about D@niel Tiger and how it hurts really bad, but only for a second. And the nurse tells him he can have a treat if he gets his shots, and he really likes that idea. And he is so brave, all calm, until they stick him, three shots, and by the last stick, he is crying in shock. So brave.

Last night he reminded me, "walk only on the big ones," a game he likes to play in the kitchen where everyone only walks on the big square tiles instead of the smaller rectangles. "Well, it may be hard to do that because I am walking with Little Miss." "It's okay, Mommy. You don't have to be perfect." Nope, Mommy is not perfect - and sometimes she tells you that you aren't getting shots, and then you are. But my boy still loves me. And I am so glad.

Bear: 4 years old
Weight: 42 lbs 6 oz  90%
Height: 3' 7.5"  95%

Fall Gardening

I planted 8 new red tulip bulbs. Every year we seem to lose some - I think something is eating them. I am going to spread the rest of the mulch over the front flower beds, and then I declare myself done with Fall planting. I've got too many other things to do!

Sick Kids...again

We were only completely healthy for about a week. Now both my kids are running fevers. I am pretty sure it is a flu - because Bear is sick enough that he has no energy to do much more than lay around. He had to miss his preschool trip to the pumpkin patch and corn maze this morning. He was sad, but he was tired to really protest. Now, this is my child who takes after me when it come to being sick - he runs around and gets hyper when he isn't feeling well, and then crashes. This is the reason my mother usually didn't notice when I was sick - I was much too cheerful and full of energy to be sick. She usually didn't believe me until my sister would get sick, and then I would pipe up that I felt the same symptoms. (I just thought my sister FBS was whiny growing up, but I guess I am the abnormailty.) So, when Bear just wants to cuddle up in a blanket all day, he is REALLY sick. I am trying to keep them inside and away from people. Poor Little Miss went straight to the door and cried after breakfast for at least 10 minutes - No, mommy, I can't take it, we need to GO somewhere!

What I really want to do is get some fabric so I can be working on something (*cough* something other than cleaning my house, since I feel sick and have a lack of energy too) while we are locked up at home.

Cold 5k

I ran another 5k this morning. And by running, I mean, I jogged. My sweet Werty surprised me by being at the finish line with the kids cheering me on. Bear ran the last bit together with me. Werty almost didn't recognize me - I was so cold that I put the shirt they provided on over the brightly colored shirt he had seen my leave in this morning. He also noticed that I had improved my form since the 5k I did in May - I looked like a real jogger. (Whereas last time I looked like I was going to keel over at the end.) And it's true, I had more control this time. But it was cold. Really cold waiting for 45 mins for the kids mile to be done. Then the first part of the race was a slight incline, in the shade and the wind, next to a smoggy major street - State Street for those familiar - and it was more unpleasant to breathe than I expected. The second half of the race was in the sunlight, and was much nicer, as we ran back and forth through the neighborhood streets. With the weather turning cold, I have no intention of purchasing a bunch of gear so that I can run any of the winter 5ks. So this was it for a while. I am proud of the improvements I have made this year. I will continue to run at the rec center, where it's nicely climate controlled.

FHE and Costumes

After we had a lesson out of the Friend magazine for FHE, we went to T@rget to check out Halloween costumes. I have learned that if I wait until October to look for costumes, the cute ones (for little kids and toddlers) are already gone. Last year, Bear was not impressed with any of them, and insisted on being a snowman, which they don't make costumes for, so I had to sew one and make it up as I went along. This year, we found something he liked -- maybe not his first choice, which would have been something I had to sew, a red ghost (think Pacman Blinky ghost) -- but he was excited enough about it, that we bought it. And we found something cute for Little Miss as well. Next year, she will be old enough to have an opinion, but this year I get to decide. Bear will be a fireman, and Little Miss will be an owl. Unless they change their minds. I am keeping the receipt just in case.

Zoo Trip 2013

Last weekend we went on our annual zoo trip. Werty vowed that next year he is taking a day off work and we will go on a weekday instead of the last Saturday before the school year starts...it was so crowded that we missed meeting up with Werty's brothers and their kids. We being the only ones without a cell...they found each other just fine. We did find each other in time for lunch and the bird show. Then we split up because they had already seen the things we hadn't.

 Here is our zoo's baby elephant - she just turned 4, same age as Bear.

 Last year, the snow leopard had 3 baby cubs about the same age as Little Miss, the zoo still has mother and one cub, this one. I love the baby animals...

 Here is a new baby giraffe!

 Bear at the bird show. He loved the birds flying right at and over his head.

 Bear and Werty on the carousel. He wanted to sit in the peacock seats because he didn't want an animal that went up and down.

Bear is almost as big as a female adult orangutan. 

 They had a special lego theme exhibit going on, although some of the lego animals had been removed due to heat damage...but here is the polar bear, make completely of little legos. And the kids spent about 20 mins playing with these big legos before we left.

 Even Little Miss tried doing some legos.

 After the zoo, it was about 5pm, so we stopped by to visit my grandparents before leaving Salt Lake.