Goodbye Winter

I'm not sure if I'm to blame for exposing my kids to an unusual number of germs or if this year's viruses were stronger than we're used to, but we definitely seemed to have a sicker-than-normal winter around here.

From stomach viruses to the common cold to unknown fever and general malaise, Ryan, Abbey, Dylan, and I were all hit hard this year. 

Until this year, Abbey's managed to stay fairly healthy, and it was difficult to see her sick.  It was even more difficult to get her to take any sort of medicine, and I had my first foray into Mommy bribing, letting her have ice cream in exchange for simply swallowing some baby Motrin.

Dylan, thankfully, is better with taking medicine, but it may have been even sadder to see such a little guy getting sick over and over.  Sleepy and cuddly when he doesn't feel well, it broke my heart a little that he was sicker in one year than Abbey has been in three!

Needless to say, despite many fun moments, we are all ready to finally say "see ya!" to the Winter of 2010!

feeling sick and snuggling with teddy 

a little Cookie Monster helps a little, too

Wishful Thinking

We recently received an invitation to a tea party playdate, complete with the suggestion that the moms should dress up, too.  Never one to pass up an opportunity to wear a dress and cute shoes, I eagerly accepted and talked about it frequently with Abbey.

I shouldn't have been surprised that she chose a pink, sleeveless, tulle dress, right?  Or that she proceeded to paw around in my closet until she found a white and pink sleeveless dress for me to wear?  Trying to foster independent thinking, I went with it, after slapping on some tights (cute ones for her, not-really-matching black ones for me) and cardigans and saying a quick thanks that we didn't have far to walk from the parking lot to my friend's condo!

The playdate was absolute genius, by the way.  The kids thoroughly enjoyed the little tea set and then proceeded to move past the "tea party" part of the playdate to the "play" part.  As for the moms, I think we all enjoyed an opportunity to feel pretty and put-together. 

I can't speak for everyone, but although I am making an effort to wear cuter clothes and make-up most days, the lingering winter weather is really beginning to take a toll on any fashion baby steps I might be making.

Feeling ready to welcome spring, I was sure that Mother Nature would appreciate our efforts to retire our heavy sweaters and boots for the season.  I was wrong.  Snow blustered in again, and there's snow blanketing the ground and wind making Dylan gasp in surprise each time we step outside. 

I guess Mother Nature didn't get her tea party invitation.

at home & still wearing her dress 

not the happiest picture of my little guy

but he wore spring clothes to try to will winter away, too!

Staying Warm

Uggs.

They might not be the cutest things.

They're probably out of style, since I own a pair.

But warm feet are happy feet.

When Kids Get Sick

She asked to snuggle on the couch at eleven am and was asleep moments later, so I wasn't too surprised when the thermometer showed a temperature that made me reach for the medicine cup.  Never one to let an opportunity pass her by, Abbey bargained her way into some chocolate ice cream by taking her medicine without (much) fuss.  Unfortunately, the rest of the week wasn't quite as sweet.

Abbey's fever was up and down over a few days, accompanied by the usual runny nose, slight cough, and all of the general symptoms of a cold in the dead of winter. 

Ryan was the next victim, trying to deal with the cold on top of seventy-hour work weeks.

Even Dylan joined in on the fun with a little fever.

Winter doldrums are nothing to shrug at in any condition, and facing them with a household of sick people carries its own particular challenge.  One moment I think the kids are fine, and the next finds one of them collapsing into tears for no real reason.  Cabin fever hit late in the week, but their little bodies hadn't quite caught up with their minds, and getting anything at all done was an exercise in extreme flexibility (on which I pride myself) and patience (on which I don't).

Spring can't come to this house soon enough, but there are long winter weeks looming ahead before I can even consider packing up hats and gloves and thermometers and cold medicine.

Cross your fingers for a healthier week!

even during dreary moments, she's always good for at least a little sunshine

New Year's Eve 2029 Preview

manis and pedis 

party dresses 

friends

good tunes 

good drinks

party til you drop

New School New Year's - Part Two

Kids change your life.

(not a revelation, right?)

Still, kids change your life.

There were days when we spent vacations dancing on tables*.  Now we have babies crawling under tables.

Back in the day, we wouldn't have frolicked in a hot tub with cuties like this hanging out by themselves on the other side of the sliding glass door!

And we weren't interested in spending New Year's Eve with our moms!

*Disclaimer - I still have some groove-shaking left to do in my lifetime!

Little Footprints in the Snow

One time, somewhere, I heard that people are partial to the weather of their birthday month.  Now, first  of all, I think this shows what a swiss-cheese type of memory I have, since I don't remember anything specific about that fact theory urban legend.  Also, it has to be basically a crock.  February, for example, is rather different climate-wise in Michigan and Hawaii.

Yet, my born-in-August self loathes the cold and the winter and the snow, and my darling-born-in-February snow angel is never cold and gets all giddy when she can make "little footprints in the snow!!" 

Bundled into a warm coat - hat, scarf, and gloves keeping her warm - she insists on Crocs, and I give in, knowing the car is feet from our back door.  I hurry Dylan to his waiting car seat, hurry to pull off the puffy coat, to buckle him in, to start the car, hurry to press the button to heat my seat.  Calling for her, I shake my fingers and wonder how I can manage to drag around a diaper bag the size of a small Brinks truck yet don't have gloves when I need them.

She's prancing around, fascinated by her own footprints, and my immediate response is to scoop her into the car and settle into the almost warm air blasting from the vents.  Thankfully, I stop myself, in spite of my chapped fingers and her barely covered feet. 

Because she is laughing and smiling and leaving her mark on the snow that will likely melt by the end of the day.  The cold bites for another moment, reminding me that the days and weeks and months can melt away in the same way, hurried into cars and houses and schedules and errands.  So I fight the urge to worry about where we're supposed to be five minutes ago and let her amazement circle me warmly, like her breath on my cheek a few minutes later when she leans in for a quick kiss.

I need a warmer coat.

Missing the Bundle Me

Winter has arrived, with snow and ice and salt and bitter cold, and that means bundling up the babies every time we go outside.  This is Abbey's second winter as a walker in convertible car seat, so she's used to the drill.  Also, she's kind of an accessories girl, so she doesn't have a problem donning scarves, mittens, hats, and coats. 

Dylan, on the other hand, attempts to pull his hat off anytime he can move his arms.  I have to mention that, because when he's wearing his coat, he kind of resembles that little boy in The Christmas Story who falls down and can't get up again when he's all snow-suited up to walk to school.  Combine that with his non-walking status makes him an awkward little guy to tote around.

Winter has only just started sticking out its ugly tongue around here; we have months of this mess ahead of us.  Pretty as the snow may be when it's blanketing the trees outside of our windows, it really does make it more difficult to get around town.  I almost miss the days of the baby carriers and the Bundle Me, but I don't think I could carry either of them around on my arm anymore!

Luckily, they're pretty darn cute in their hats!

see, he takes it off when he has the opportunity

I'm pretty sure he thinks it's a game now 

my friend Andrea made his hat

she donates part of the cost to a local food bank

check out her Etsy shop here 

another great Etsy store