Christmas pic

oh...too much excitement

Well, let me just start by saying that in my last post I almost spoke too soon by adding up the days in the hospital that we spent. On Monday, Christmas Eve, Griffin had been suffering from a terrible cough and needed the help of his breathing machine all weekend, so I took him into the doctor. She listened to him and took his pulse ox. ( his oxygen level) which read 88%, the hospital will admit if it is 92 or lower, so in a calm, yet panicked state, I asked if we could do a breathing treatment in the doctor's office and have it rechecked as to not spent Christmas Eve and Christmas in the hospital. Being the return patients that we have become in that office all the nurses came in to say hi as he was getting his treatment, and his reading went up to 94%, thank God. There were prayers answered on that day...

We went on to have a very fun and exciting time getting ready for Santa and opening presents all day. My sister had to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas, so we did half of presents on Monday night and the other half Tuesday night, which I think that Griffin really enjoyed.

The year in review

Us on a horse drawn carriage...Griffin was excited...

So as we come to end of yet another year, I can't help but look back and reflect on the many adventures that we have encountered...

Our family continues to grow with the birth of our little McKenna in May, which was an adventure all its own. Then Tyler entered our family when my sister got married in October. We sadly had to find new homes for our cats as Griffin's allergies to them were just too great.

Tim transitioned to a new job in September, and I was able to quit mine in April to stay home with our babes.

Between Griffin's hospitalizations for pneumonia and tonsil removal and my emergency c-section we spent 18 days in the hospital during the year of 2007- that is a lot... we found out that both our kids are allergic to nuts...Griffin is allergic to everything, dogs, cats, nuts, dust mites, grass, molds, etc...that has been a challenge, but one we are conquering...

As the end of the year comes we still have the event of Christmas, that we are impatiently counting down, as packages being to arrive and Griffin wants to tear into all of them, the anticipation is becoming too great. However, my birthday is tomorrow so Griffin can help with any packages there and that should subside his craving for ripping and tearing...maybe... (it will probably make it that much more intense)

With the new year we are looking forward to a HEALTHY 2008 for us and all our friends and family....

Merry Christmas!

9-1-1 What's your emergency...

So we are a proud and excited family...my sister is on a fast track to an ever changing life as she just recently got married and started a new job as a 911 dispatcher. The cool thing is that she was interviewed and had an article published about her training and the turn over rate within the department in the Arizona Republic. She has taken a few unbelievable calls, but when she says she loves what she is doing in the article, she really does. Way to go Jessica.....

ok, seriously...

Well Griffin had his tonsils removed this past Friday, and let me give you a little history leading up to this day. McKenna had a fever on mon. and tues. and when it reached 104 I called the doc immediately and she said to give her Motrin and call if she still had a fever on wed. well her fever broke and she was fine wed., then thurs. came and she had a fever of 102, so I took her in and they said she had double ear infections. We woke up at 5:15 in the morning fri. to get ready for our trip to the hospital. Gave McKenna her medicine and off we went.

We checked in at 6, surgery was at 7:30 and he was in recovery at 7:50, very fast. I am glad we had it done, as much as i didn't want him to have to go through it, his tonsils were enlarged and still growing that they touched in the back of his throat and it began affecting his sleep, eating and speech. So the nurse came out and got Tim and I to sit with Griffin as they began to wake him up while my parent stayed with McKenna in the waiting room. Griffin was taking a while to wake up so Tim went out to tell my parent and he came back and said that my dad had gone to the store to get benadryl because McKenna had a rash from head to toe. We got Griffin into his room and my parents brought McKenna up and I thought that she was having an allergic reaction to her antibiotics, so I made a call to her doc to get a different prescriptions. My parents took McKenna with them for a few hours so we could be with Griffin...my mom called and said they were on there way and she had given McKenna more benadryl because she still had a rash. Long story short, after her rash would not go away and getting a small fever again I ended up downstairs in the ER with her while Tim was upstairs with Griffin, since he had to stay overnight. McKenna had gotten the 3-day measles and that was what her first fever was for and then the ear infections on top of that...so after some steroids and more antibiotics she is doing just fine. Just our luck though...

Griffin is recovering great, Sunday and Monday were rough, but a part of me enjoyed that fact that he wanted to cuddle and lay with me for an extended period of time, he is pretty much back to normal. Hopefully we can get some weight on him now since he only weighs 9 lbs. more than McKenna...

the season for crafting

the holidays are a great time creatively for me. every year around thanksgiving i get this unending desire to craft, bake, decorate, try to create a Christmas feeling as i go outside in short sleeve shirt and flip flops. however, the last few year, i just haven't found the time or energy to do any of these things. working a full time job (usually 50-60 hours a week), having griffin, and squeezing time in for sleep made it hard to just get all the gifts that I needed by Christmas day.

this season however, with staying home now, i have decided to jump feet first into a sea of creative projects to keep us occupied, inspired and counting down til Santa arrives. in years past it was requirement to make a gingerbread house in the recreation program i worked in. so for 4 years i have filled the house with the scents of gingerbread just to cart it off to assist children in the construction of their creations, a couple of castles, a farm and sponge bob square pants house...yes pineapple shaped gingerbread house. So this year I wanted to fill my house with that same aroma, but let my little guy be the creator... let him pick out the candy...let him decorate...even though there was more decoration between his teeth, on his tongue and in his tummy, he did manage to get some amazing work accomplished.

We also made a Santa construction paper advent calendar, he reminds me all day that he gets to take a ring off after he brushes his teeth, when it is dark outside...

I also have carried on this tradition of making Christmas stockings from my mom, she made all of ours... mine has two reindeer and Santa, and my sisters is even grander and then my youngest sister's has tons of details and bead work,they got more detailed and extravagant with each child so I seemed to carry that on as well. I made Griff's, but did a little here and there over the course of a few months, so this year as I am making McKenna's with a snow woman and lots of packages and beads and sequins and "girly stuff", I am trying to put a rush on this one, but finding time with two babes...that will be the magic...

my upcoming project is cookies with all these assortment of 100 cookie cutters i found for a great bargain, but the trick here is that they have seemed to have turned into teething rings and toys...we'll see how it goes

ode to elmo...

So as I continue to think about things that I am thankful for, I can't forget to be thankful for Griffin's blue blanket and Elmo.

In most family dynamics the mom is the one that kids instinctively run to when they are sick, hurt, having a bad day, scarred and so. Dad's mean fun, play, sometimes discipline...these are they way things run in our house, however, sometimes mom and dad are just not enough. Griffin had a pacifier, but we he turned one, we took that away ( great birthday present..), but immediately following that he naturally clung to this blanket, now called blue blankie. I call it his Linus blanket (you know, from Charlie Brown). This is also the time that he began his obsession with Elmo. He has this stuffed Elmo that I had picked up along the way and held onto for several year for the day that I had kids, and was that a great decision or what.

Elmo is really like a third child during the day...Griffin feeds him snacks...Elmo has in own pillow in his bead, and we have to tuck Elmo in to bed...Elmo is now a "big" monster and goes on the big boy potty...sometimes Griffin has to put Elmo in timeout, but Elmo always says sorry and gives a hug to get out...Griffin and Elmo crawl up on our bed in the morning, on the morning that he is still tired they will crawl under the covers...on the mornings that he is really awake, they both are lions that say "roar" really loud to get mom up...

And this blue blankie, gets chewed on, hugged, used a real blanket, used to play peek-a-boo with McKenna, used as a superman cape, used to hid behind when he knows he has broken a rule...

But most important these two treasures have been with Griffin on all his hospital visits, been on an airplane, been to Indiana, California and Nevada, they have been to Grandma and Grandpa's, they have been on several car rides, they have been to Phoenix Children's hospital when he was getting tested for Cystic Fibrosis and they have to keep redoing the test, they will be Griffin when he gets his tonsil in a few short weeks...these are the things that Griffin clings to for comfort, security, protection and love when mom and dad are just not enough.

and the list continues

so as to continue my list of my most thankful things...

1. music - i can put it in at any time and we dance and play, music also has a way to ease a soon to be tantrum or fussy attitude

2. Grandma's - my mom took my babes for a little while today so I could partake in lunch with some former co-worker (still great friends),and engage in some much needed adult conversations

3." Big boy" underwear that have cool characters displayed on them and foaming blue hand soap - this has helped encourage Griffin's journey in the potty world

4. ice tea

5. my water pillow, yes a water pillow. this is a special pillow that is made to have water in the middle of it. while i don't great deal of sleep, what i do get is nice and comfy

6. ebay- my hubby found a two seat running stroller that i wanted for $80 cheaper than we found in the stores, it should be here by the end of the week! yeah!!

7. laughter, laughter and more laughter; my favorite is when my stomach hurts after a long good uncontrollable laugh. but when my kiddos both are laughing at the same time - pure addiction!!

Gobble, Gobble

Over the last few days I have been given this gift to submerge myself in a little of my past, a little of my passion. When I was in college I was a Resident Assistant for 3 years, and a small part of my requirements as a RA was to make "door decs" for my residents. They were these little decorations that you would make,put the persons name on them and hang it on their door. The intention was to bring a "welcoming" feeling between you and your residents. However, these turned into so much more for me. They brought a sense of community, a sense of bonding...My fellow RA's and I would sit for hours every month and make these door decs, they became a sense of expression, art, true meaningful thought to what it meant to the person receiving these. At the end of the year I could walk down the hall and see all my hours of work displayed on the doors, and when my residents would stop by and say thanks or comment on the new one for the month, that is how the community was formed, the bonding, the lasting relationships that I gained.

So that brings me to how I was recently given this gift all over again. When Tim moved over to M&I Bank he became the financial advisor to 4 branches and gained about 37 people that he works with. When Halloween came, the night before he said he wanted to put something together for his co-workers. That is when it came to me... I would do door decs in a way, okay so I made them and put them on the outside of a paper bag, but there were homemade cookies inside ( pumpkin spice with cream cheese frosting...yum) I wasn't able to set aside the time like I used to, but I got a little bit done here and there, and I was very excited about how they turned out and I am ready to start on one for Christmas.

(sorry about the pic quality, my camera broke, so while it is being repaired I have to use my backup)

I did make two extras to put on Griffin and McKenna's door and start them on this path of creativity and excitement of what is to come. When I was making these turkey's they were usually after the kids went to bed and Tim would be doing his thing, so I put on the headphones to rock out, but mainly started to think about the way things are in my life, and while some days I can't seem to find the air to breathe or I feel like I am drowning, there are so many things that I am thankful for. So for this week it only seems fitting that I list a few things that I am thankful for...

1.) I am thankful for my hubby and all he does so I can stay home to raise our children (most days...)
2.) I am thankful that I have two beautiful, intelligent babes
3.) I am thankful for exact-o knifes, there were a lot of pieces to cut out for the turkeys
4.) I am thankful that Griffin is potty training and McKenna is dabbling in the world of solid foods so accidents and messes happen, which means more dirty clothes (okay, so I am thankful for the accomplishments not the extra load of laundry)
5.) I am thankful for the food network, that is where I got the cookie recipe...

I will leave with those as my starters and add more as the week goes on...gobble, gobble...

In a child's mind

As you know we are in the midst of potty training, and doing pretty successful so far with it.

So yesterday, after 40 long days, we finally got a little rain and actual fall type day. I had the kids out in the backyard for a couple hours prior to the rain, and then the rain started and Griffin came up to me with the best analogy.

Griffin: "Mama, you don't go potty in your underwear, like the rain."
Me: "Yeah, you don't go potty in your underwear."
Griffin: "The rain didn't go in the potty, did it?"
Me: "No, you are right."
Griffin: "The rain went potty on the grass and sidewalk, but that's okay."
Me: "Yeah, that's okay, do you have to go potty now??" (as he was doing the "pee-pee" dance)
Griffin: "Yeah!"

Off we went inside..

Oh, to see the world again through the eyes of a 2 year old...

The next color...

Well as you can see his nose is now a shade of green with a hint of purple, but it is looking better.

As for my little girl, it has been a struggle of wills today as she is so desperately trying to crawl. She is just so anxious to play with her brother. She is getting up in more of a "push-up" position and then falls forward, it is only a matter of time...

Tim is coming home tonight and his plane has been delayed, so every little noise we hear outside you see Griffins little body run to the window and press his face against the window. Then he yells, "Daddy, Daddy, where are you??" It is just so amazing to me how much has changed in the last 5 days, Tim has yet to see Griffins new battle wounds or to see the progress that McKenna is making on her mission to move. Everyone is excited to see him and share of all our adventures of the last week, and Griffin has many things to tell his Daddy. He says he is going to tell him about his nose, the doctor took a picture of it, the M&M's, helicopters, elephants (at rainforest cafe), M&M's (yes, again), Maggie (my aunt's dog), and M&M's (as you can tell he is very excited about this part), and the slide at the park, and airplanes, and M&M's. So I hope that Tim doesn't want to talk to much when he gets home because Griffin has alot to say.

Viva Las Vegas

Wow, I don't even know where to begin on this one. Tim was out of town yet again for work so I decided that what better way to spend that time than to go up to Vegas and visit some much loved and missed family. My Aunt Diane (who I think of more like a sister than an aunt), and my cousin Deidre and Danielle live up in Vegas, so my Mom and I packed up the car on off we went. We got up there and the first night we were there we were all sitting in the living room and catching up and Griffin was running around the room being the main event. He was making McKenna laugh this great belly laugh and then BOOM. Down he went face first on the tile. I was holding McKenna, so I ran over and handed her off and scooped up Griffin within seconds. I walked about 3 feet to get into the light and I said to myself, why him? Why, Why Why? His nose immediately bruised and started to swell. I thought without a doubt that it was broken, so my aunt and I loaded him up in the car and began our journey to the ER, his nose started to bleed, but thank goodness not that bad.

I called Tim on the way, knowing that making that phone call was frustrating for all 3 of us because Griffin and I wanted him there and Tim was still in Phoenix and not with us, not knowing exactly what was going on. But into the ER Diane and I went with my poor babe. However, this little man with a swelling and throbbing nose and long bruise beginning to appear on his forehead, dictated to the nurse how to take all his vitals as we did the first steps in checking in. A two year old should not know these things. But the good news is with some cool X-rays that Griffin was impressed with, some Motrin, ice and two Popsicles the doc said no broken nose.

He had an orange Popsicle, can you tell?

The next morning it looked better, but since then the bruise has been getting bigger and changing colors, so Griffin is having fun looking at the new color in the morning. But wow, we spent the next day on the strip, going to the M&M store (mmm...) and Griffin experienced the Rainforest Cafe for the first time and the double takes at his nose and then at me have been fun.

The good news is that Griffin decided half way through lunch at the Rainforest cafe, with the bathrooms up a long flight of stairs, that he was ready to make a real go at potty training so we are making successful steps in that world.

We also got to see the lions at the MGM and the wedding chapel that my parents got married at almost 28 years ago.

McKenna had a good time too, she is so close to crawling she can't stand it. I am sure that is only days away.

We had great fun, had a long drive home, but what an experience.

Happy Halloween

We hope that your Halloween was

Messy

Out of this world

Surprising

All together Happy!

oh happy day

My sister got married last weekend and what a day. Many times events like these don't go without tension, anxiety, some sort of panic; which took place is small doses throughout the week. However, never have I attended an event where it was just a pure, joyous event. They were married in a small church in downtown Glendale and then we were able to walk across the street to the Spicery for the reception. One of the best moments was when Griffin was in his tux, walking down the aisle, until he saw me about started to run about 4 pews away.

Jessica and I worked at the same place until I quit to stay home, but I got to spend a great deal of time with one of my favorite former co-workers, and catching up on old office happenings is always a good time!

The thing that I love about my sister is that she is who she is, take her or leave her. The theme of the wedding was "The Corpse Bride", which some would say is unconventional, however, this is who she is, it is what she loves, and so does Tyler, her husband. So there were skeleton soaps as party favors, a corpse bride cake, skeleton lights and so on, and it was perfect.

Yeah for the official addition to our family.

A break in the hustle of life...

As we have been so busy with just life in general we have been blessed to take a few steps back here and there and really enjoy it.

We got to experience feeding time at the zoo...

We were able to head up north and breathe in a little October air and immerse ourselves in some very missed fall foliage...

And feeling grateful that my Dad took off yesterday to watch my babes so I could go with my mom and sisters to experience some much needed girly time in preparation for my sisters big day, which is tonight...