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December 28, 2005

Holiday update

It has been a crazy busy time here at the Ross house.
We had a great weekend, I couldn't ask for better memories and stories to tell. The girls really enjoyed themselves and behaved very well with the travelling and holiday craziness.
For Christmas Eve we went over to the Hartzells house to experience and share in their wonderful holiday traditions. We had a special dinner which Linda only makes once a year and it was so good. After dinner we each took turns reading a verse from the bible with all the lights off and just a candle in front of us. Then they brought out a birthday cake and we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. We were so thankful to be able to spend our Christmas Eve with a family.
The next morning Lizzie woke up at her usual 7:30 and she came into bed with me while Daddy turned the tree lights on and got her milk and then we walked out in the living room with her. Her stroller was unwrapped and she played with it immediately. I still think alot of this gift thing is a little over her head. She also got a car to go with her Little People house, and some Elmo puzzles.

After all the fun we headed off to Maryville to my Gran's house. We had a great time with the family but it certainly was not the same without my mom who was in Oregon at my sister. We really missed her.

Monday, JoyLynne and Gosey were passing through town on their way home from Christmas with JLG's family and we had dinner together. It was so great to see them. I'm hoping I got a better picture on the other camera, this was not a good moment for Julia but great of everyone else.

Now we're gearing up for our trip to MA, we leave for Knoxville and Christmas with my Mom on friday and then fly out the next morning for our week long trip up north. I am so excited to go. It will be a great getaway and they are supposed to get fresh snow the day we fly in. I'm hurriedly reading the first Chronicles of Narnia book so we can see the movie with Andy's sister.
I have a ton to do before we go, I have a running list of things to pack, things to pack in carry ons, things to get at the last Walmart trip and finally things around the house to clean. Unfortunately I am now nursing a cold so trying to take it easy falls pretty low on the list.
But I am just holding on till that vacation!

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December 21, 2005

Wrapper Extraordinaire

Guess who is helping wrap the gifts?

No not Andy. . .

She was so awesome at it and really got into it. She didn't quite understand the concept of tape and that it was to hold things down, she would just put it anywhere. She did love those bows.
You can catch a little glimpse of the Christmas tree skirt I made this year. The holly leaves and berries are supposed to go all the way around but I didn't have the time. I definitely bit off more than I could chew this year in regards to making gifts. Maybe I can add some holly leaves each year and by the time the girls graduate from high school it will be finished. It's made out of felt and I stole the idea from Restoration Hardware and it actually turned out great.
One of those rare moments when I copy an idea and it actually works out and it was cheap. Now if I can only get it finished. . .

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December 17, 2005

The Look

I love this stage with Julia. 8 months is a great age, I wish I could freeze time.
(if Lizzie was completely potty trained of course)

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December 14, 2005

Nothing like a good cry

I just put Lizzie down for a nap and we've been battling it out lately, she doesn't fall asleep for a good 45 minutes after I put her down. I just tucked her in and was walking away from the door when I heard a big thump and she started crying. She had slammed her head against the wall. Obviously I went in there and hugged her and walked her around the room a little but I was also thinking- there is nothing like a good hard cry to send a toddler off to sleep and sure enough she is now fast asleep. Sweet! (did I just say sweet over my child banging her head)
Julia is rolling around the office eating a piece of paper (wow, maybe someone ought to call children's services)
We had her head ultrasound yesterday. They didn't tell us anything of course but we really aren't expecting anything since her blood tests were all fine. I'll be interested to see how reassured our pediatrician is on Monday. She's not the overreacting type and I'm pretty sure the tests were just precautions. For those of you counting that's 3 times to TC Thompson in one week. 2 tests for Julia and Lizzie checking to see if her barrettes were edible.
I did lots of shopping this morning even though I've been stuck at home without a car. It's actually the way to go since it's easier to shop in my pjs on the couch versus bundling the kids up and taking them out. We have Andy's brother done which is a miracle since he is hard to shop for, and he gets really good gifts for us. Thank goodness for Amazon wish lists, I highly recommend them. I also have my dad and his family almost finished. That box should be shipped to WA by friday. With each thing finished the stress is definitely less. I wish it wasn't like this but I have been extremely stressed out this month. I'm not sure if its the money thing or just trying to get a great gift for everyone. I wanted so badly to really teach Lizzie about the meaning of this time of year and being a stress pot is not a good example. Good thing she's 2, I have a couple more years to get it straightened out. Then I'll be the PERFECT mom! Whatever!
I often think that during the day, "I hope she's too young to remember any of this." Well, maybe not everyday, but I do think it. I certainly don't want to look back in 10 years and think, man I totally should have just relaxed. But I know that its my destiny.

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December 10, 2005

More drama

This week has definitately been one for the books. It seems like we got hit from all sides and I look back on it and just have to laugh. We capped off our week with a trip to the ER at the children's hospital last night. Lizzie woke up from her afternoon nap and told me that her barrette was gone. I asked her where it was and she said, "it was in my mouth and on my tongue". I looked very serious at her and asked "is it in your tummy?". She started to cry (probably because she could sense that I did not think this was a good thing). She told me yes it was in her tummy. I almost didn't believe her and kept racking my brain to see what information she offered without my prompting (two and a half year olds are easily influenced) and I knew for sure she said it was on her tongue first. I called the doctors office (after a few other calls to find out how serious I should take this) and they advised an xray be taken to make sure it was already in her stomach and not stuck anywhere else. So I called Andy and asked him to come home early and off we went. Shamefully I'll admit I was more irritated than concerned. The ER was great, we were only there for an hour and a half total and I was very impressed. They did in fact see the barrette in her tummy and we are just waiting to see it come out the other end. Oh boy!
She has been given a stern talking too about putting things in her mouth and for a while I'll be using little rubberbands to tie her few strands of hair back.
What an adventure parenthood is.

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December 9, 2005

The results are in

We had blood work done on Julia on Tuesday evening at children's hospital and it all came back ok. Obviously we are so relieved. I never really expected it to be anything but the emotional rollar coaster was enough for me. There's nothing like the stress that comes with anything relating to your childs health.
We still have a head ultrasound to do, but I don't even really know what they'll be looking for. I so hope she won't be restrained. Having her blood drawn was enough for me. I don't really know where we'll go from here, maybe the doctor will just say that she is fine to be in the 5th percentile for weight. (her heighth is the 50th percentile so she is getting taller)
I'm so glad today is friday, it has been an incredibly hectic week. I let Lizzie watch extra tv today. She got to see a video of Blues Clues and everytime Steve asked for her help I would hear her say, "No, I not want to help you". I was in the office trying to get some freelance done. I hate to turn down any work but I secretly hope that nothing comes up before Christmas because I have so many projects going.
On a potty note: Lizzie has been doing awesome!! Initiating everytime today and yesterday I was in the living room and I heard her yell "Mommy I'm pooping," it was right before nap and I was thinking- don't kill her! I came down the hall and she was actually in the bathroom on the potty! It was so exciting!! That was the first time she had gotten on the potty by herself. She did that twice yesterday. I am so excited about this development.
Yesterday we had Hannah and Christopher here, I'm thinking that was the potty influence. They can come anytime if they are going to influence her like that!

Also, for those who gave suggetions for my 40 something entry- I ordered the moon pies last night. Great idea, I've already received emails from people reporting on my aunt and uncles response to getting 40 of something for a week now. It's pretty funny. Wanted to do the 40 ounce beer but that idea was taken.

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December 5, 2005

Failure to Thrive

We had another weigh in today with Julia (now 8 months) and she has not gained any weight since our last weigh in 3 weeks ago. Dr. Slack said that we've been playing around with this, so to speak, for 3 months now and its time to get serious. So now we're waiting on an appointment at TC Thompson to have a head ultrasound and get lab work done. I'm pretty sure this all sounds much worse and much more serious than it is. Even the term "failure to thrive" seems a little harsh to me. Julia is a happy baby and she eats all the time, I just can't imagine where it's all going.
My Mom said, maybe it'll be something small that they can adjust with some medication, like a thyroid issue, and I think that was the first time I even considered that there would be something. I've always thought that it was my milk and she needs to be on more formula, but it might not be that. As it is now, she nurses 5 time a day, eats a jar of baby food at lunch and dinner, oatmeal for breakfast, and we fit in 2 4 ounce bottles of formula. She has the correct number of diaper changes, believe me I would know, I get to experience every one of them!
I'm not sure quite how to process it all. I flip flop from feeling like its all just precautionary, to a bit of a failure for not providing for her needs, to wondering what they'll find.
Thank goodness for Lizzie, she keeps me so busy with her constant questions and precociousness, there is hardly time to dwell on it. :)

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Christmas pictures bring out the best in us all

We got the tree up on Friday and even though it was only the 2nd I felt strangely behind. It took me a little over an hour to fluff every stinkin branch and then about 2 hours to put on the lights (I stopped for a few glimpses at Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien). I wanted to do it while Lizzie was asleep so she could wake up to a tree that was ready for ornaments. She did really well decorating and I think for an obsessive compulsive perfectionist I handled the 5 ornament to a branch rule for two year olds rather well. I actually haven't moved a single one (well that's not entirely true, I moved one of Andy's)

Then it was on to the adventure of taking the girls pictures for Christmas cards. This is a great opportunity for me to realize how selfish and impatient I am, it was fun. I just don't understand how a two year old can't understand what I mean when I say "sit up straight and lean slightly towards your sister". Seems pretty easy to me. Andy was whispering behind me the whole time "she's just two".
If one of them was doing well, then the other was on the move

No, Lizzie smile a little smaller!

Once Lizzie was done I tried to get some shots of Julia on her own and this was the result,

Did I say how much fun it was! The one I ended up settling on required some photoshop magic and was actually two pictures that I combined into one. I think we could have done better, but for the safety of my children we're going with this one.

At least they aren't crying in it. . . . yet.

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