Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Christmas pictures!

Okay, here we go. I have a lot of pictures, but not very much to write. I promise to be better with posting and looking on other blogs now that the Christmas rush is over. We had a nice Christmas, and as Becca would say, it looks like Toys r Us threw up all over our house (sorry Becca, I HAD to use that one!)

Mary and Anna on Christmas Eve. We went to my in-laws house to eat lasagna (real Italian food made by a true Italian Grandma, there is nothing better!)
These pictures are so typical of my girls. Anna goofing around as usual (hiding under the table, I knew she was there so I had my camera ready when I said I found you) and Mary very calm writing Santa a letter so that he could read it while he ate our very delicious cookies!
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Alexandria even got into the spirit of Christmas, while Max the cat just lazed around.
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When we got home the girls got ready for bed and put out some cookies and milk for Santa!
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Jason and I didn't get to sleep until 3 in the morning because I put off all the wrapping, and the girls had a hard time getting to sleep so we didn't start till about midnight. Up again at 7. We had a wonderful morning with the girls. It was snowing, nice big snowflakes, I made cinnamon rolls, then the girls ripped open their packages 100 times faster than it took us to wrap them. Santa got them what they wanted. Anna got her American girls doll with Hazel eyes as she specifically requested. Mary got her American girl doll bed, which is a lot bigger than I thought after Jason put it together. It takes up a good amount of room in her bedroom. Santa got Alex a push and walk/rider, she didn't ask Santa for it, but he knew it would suite her;) Okay, last set of pictures:

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Prayers still needed for Moreena and Annika. Annika is still in the PICU, and still under sedation and on a vent.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Santa, great! But no lap for me!

Today was Anna's last day of preschool until January. The teachers threw a little holiday celebration for the kids, and the kids sang songs for the parents. Because Jason had to work, and Grama and Papa went Christmas shopping, it was just Alex and I. They sang a few songs for us, recited a little Santa Clause poem, and then we had refreshments. The teachers had told the kids that if they sang loud enough for the parents, they would have a special visitor. Of course, they all knew she meant Santa. So, as we were eating too many sweets, Santa walked through the door! Anna jumped up from her plate full of cookies, cupcakes, chocolate covered pretzels and snowmen made out of marshmallows to go to try and be the first to see Santa. For Anna to leave her sweets behind without making me promise to guard them with all my might, is just unheard of. I guess Santa is a very important guy. By the time I made it over to Anna she was already next in line. The way she acted toward Santa was different than I thought she would have reacted. I envisioned her running up, giving him a big hug (like she did for every single character she saw at Disney), jumping on his lap, and telling him in detail what she wanted for Christmas. When I walked up to them I noticed her teacher nudging Anna toward Santa. She was very hesitant when Santa asked her to sit on his lap, so she only just stood next to him. His first question was "Have you been a good little girl?" Anna answered yes. Then he asked, "What would you like for Christmas?" I did not hear her answer, I was trying to pass Alex off to someone so that I could take a picture or two without getting the camera ripped out of my hand. Darn. A couple of quick pictures, and Anna's turn was over. When we went back to sit down to eat the rest of Anna's sweets I asked her why she didn't sit on Santa's lap. She told me that she wanted to wait till we go to the North Pole to see Santa again, she would sit on his lap then. The North Pole? I told her I didn't think we were going to the North Pole to see Santa. Anna started to cry, "but you told me we would go to see Santa tomorrow!" She meant the mall. We promised since Jason is off from work tomorrow, we would all go to the mall to visit with Santa. Since they make it look like the North Pole, that's where we miss understood each other. So, we finished our sweets, gave the teachers big Christmas hugs, told them we would see them next year, and went on our way to pick Mary up from school. In the car I could see Anna reminiscing her visit with Santa. After being quite for a good ten minutes (so not Anna) Anna said to me "It was good I told Santa that I have been a good girl, that way I will get what I asked for, huh?"

"Well Anna, you didn't lie to him did you?"

"No"

"You know, Santa will check his list again, he knows who is naughty and who is nice"

"Do you think I have been a good girl Mommy?"

"Yes Anna of course, now what did you ask Santa for?"

"I can't remember"

"Well, I'm sure Santa will"

I could tell Anna wasn't sure if she had actually been a good girl this year. She was scared that maybe she had lied to Santa, and all that silence in the back seat was her going over in her head whether or not she thought she had been a good girl. Besides the usual kids stuff, she has been a good girl. All kids throw fits when they don't get what they want, right? Get into fist fights with their big sisters, take toys away from their little sisters, give their food to the dog, torture the cat by trying to put butterfly clips on his tail to make him look beautiful. That is all normal kids stuff. I wouldn't have it any other way. She can also be THE sweetest girl in the world with all of her hugs and kissed and thoughtfulness. Anyway, I hope she asked Santa for what she told me she would ask him for. I am going to have to pay attention tomorrow when we visit Santa at the North Pole. At least I will be with Jason, and won't have a grabby baby to hold while trying to take pictures at the same time.


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I want to request more prayers for Moreena and Annika. Annika had to go back to the OR earlier this afternoon, and she is resting now under sedation and on a vent. This family is going through a lot right now, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Winter Wonderland Part 2

Well, a few more inches are falling tonight. It's beautiful out there. On Thursday when the first big snow fell it took me an hour and a half to drive to get Jason from work when it would normally take 15 minutes. It was a mess and dangerous, I am sure people heard of the Northwest plane that slid out of Midway Airport. I almost got into an accident driving, someone lost control of their car and almost smashed into the side of our car, but I managed to turn out of the way and keep control. I will try to avoid driving in this as much as I can, but I sure love to watch it fall.

The girls had fun yesterday playing in the snow. They were out there from the time Mary got out of school until it got dark. They had a blast, and their cheeks were bright red when they came inside! It wasn't great packing snow, so they weren't able to roll a snowman out, but they managed to pile up enough snow to make a little hill shaped snowman.

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Payers are still needed for Anna's liver pal Annika. The surgery to place the shunt is not working for her. They are waiting to talk to the doctors to see what has to be done now. Moreena is thinking that she will hear the word retransplant. This would be Annika's third transplant. Please pray that there is an easier alternative.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Winter wonderland

Sorry for the lack of updates. Everyone is sick in this house. Alexandria has been sick off and on for a few weeks now. She just finished her second round of antibiotics for her ear infection, and I think she might still have it, unless it is just habit for her to play with her ears now. Anna's ear infection is a little better, but still there. We went to Children's Tuesday for a follow up on her latest ear infection, and she had an ear full of puss that needed to be suctioned out. She is telling everyone that the doctor vacuumed her ear. The night before that I went to bed with my eye feeling a little funny, like I maybe had an eyelash in it, but couldn't see anything to pull out. I woke up a few hours later to use the bathroom and as I was washing my hands I glanced up at the mirror to see my eye swollen almost shut. Knowing I had so much to do the next day, I headed to the ER to get some explanation as to why it was like that. I guess I had a stye in my upper eyelid, which I guess is a backup of Bacteria, so basically like a pimple in my eyelid. I looked really pretty, I promise. I was told to use Warm compresses and some antibiotic eye cream, and I was on my way home. A few hours later I was up getting Mary ready for school. I have been having to drive Jason to work because his car broke down, so I did that, took Anna to Ballet, then brought Mary and the baby to Grama's and took Anna to Children's, and all of this with my eye half way swollen shut. On my way to Children's I got some relief because the stye in my eye popped, and all of the puss oozed out, but at least I was able to see a little better. We were supposed to visit Annika while we were there, but I started to feel like I was getting sick. There was no way I was going to expose her to anything, she doesn't need anything more to deal with right now. Since we had a little something for her we just meet Moreena, Annika's mommmy, in the lobby. Please say a prayer for Annika, she is bleeding again, and back in the PICU.

On the way home from Childrens, I felt horrible. Major sinus headache. The next day it was all over, full blown sick. Jason was off from work and took very good care of me, I was so glad to be able to take a nap (that wouldn't have been done otherwise, not with three little ones) and didn't have to worry about getting anyone dressed and running around to school and back. I am paying for it today though, with all the dishes and laundry backed up from two days. Today Jason has it, and has to work sick as a dog, poor guy. Mary was up all night coughing, so was Alexandria. Surprisingly, Anna doesn't have what we all do. She is usually the one to get it worst, and lasts longer with her (knock on wood). So, I am starting to feel better, and am able to take care of everyone else.

Today it started snowing, big time. We are supposed to get up to 6 inches, and it looks like it's already there, and is still falling. I didn't' send either of the girls to school with snow boots. I guess I need to start watching the weather channel. I just realized that Mary does not have any snow pants, so I need to run to Target. Thank you for checking up on us, hope everyone is well, Happy Snow!!!!

Right now this is what it looks like outside of my house. It's beautiful!
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This is a picture Anna drew all by herself the other day while I was napping. Notice it's on lined paper with the edge cut off, but the binder holes used as the snowman's buttons. Very creative for a 4 year old I think!
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Thursday, December 01, 2005

Teeth!

They are finally in enough to be able to see in a picture! She has new hair growing in, it's so fuzzy. Maybe that means it will be curly? Who knows, but it is out of control.

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More updates to come. Anna has been suffering with an ear infection. Alexandria has a double ear infection, again. We are going to Childrens for labs tomorrow for Anna, then a follow up for her ears at ENT at Childrens Next week.