Deck the Halls!

We finally managed to get up a few Christmas decorations in the house last weekend. The tree looks a little challenged because the bottom two feet have no decoration (thanks to seventeen month old babies who can not help themselves). But it still lights up the room and gives us that little bit of Christmas cheer we need. I also got the stockings up on the mantle. Other than that, a snowman here and a Santa clause there and voila, we have Christmas!

Before leaving for my office Christmas party..

Pictures do not do justice to this cuteness of this new dress from Aunt Kelly... SOOO CUTE!

Ornament for first family Christmas..

Nate picked up "Ho, Ho, Ho" and he has been repeating it when we say it. It's so funny!

Read me this Christmas book, mommy!!!!!!!!
Stockings hung by the chimney with care.. or recklessly with a hammer and nails into my new mantle..

First trip to the E.R.

I mentioned that Lilly was sick before Thanksgiving, but I didn't mention that her temp got up to 104 and would not go down, so we had our first experience with the E.R. and all I have to say is UGH!! I thought the pediatrician's office was a little on the unpleasant side, but the E.R. makes that seem like a day at the Spa! UGH! Luckily Lilly was pretty entertained people watching (as was I) so she didn't get too fussy.. that is until any member of the hospital personnel looked her way, and then she completely lost it. After about two and a half hours, we were admitted to what I can only call a hallway gurney, because there were no available rooms. So at this point she was so tired and fussy and screaming at the top of her sick little lungs. A witchy nurse came over to our gurney to dope her up with Motrin in an effort to shut her up. This poor older man was on a gurney next to us.. probably admitted for severe headaches or something. I apologized profusely as I paced around with her until Mr. Physician Assistant could come look in her ears and throat for two seconds. He was telling me what was wrong and what my options were but I couldn't hear over Lilly's screaming.. BIG UGH! Turns out she had her first ear infection. She got an antibiotic shot in her leg (poor thing- she had just gotten two other shot for vaccines a few days before!) and we got out of there at 12:30 am (some four hours later)!

So several days later when Mr. Nate started getting fevery and snotty on hour 11 of our 13 hour trip home from Colorado, I called the pediatrician's office and got him in as soon as we got home! We were super stinky and gross from being in the car for so long, but I was not about to get into a situation where we ended up anywhere near that E.R. again!! NO WAY! Turns out Lilly was nice enough to share her ear infection with him and he also picked up a barky cough along the way which required some steroids to make sure his airways were open. Fun stuff..

So everyone has been coughy and snotty and runny nosey for the past couple of weeks, but I think we are all on the up-swing!

Thanksgiving in Colorado!

I can't believe how long this has taken me!! So Sorry!

As you can see from the post title, we spent our Thanksgiving holiday in beautiful Colorado this year with Brian's family. It was so great to see everyone and for all of the cousins to be able to spend time playing together. I was so nervous because poor Lilly had an ear infection before we left and I knew Nate would follow. Luckily, she was feeling better and Nate waited until after we got back to get sick, so everyone was in pretty good spirits while we were actually there! Just seeing the difference of all that the babies can say and do on their own now since we were there last January was amazing! They are running around now, and playing more independently. It made the whole trip a lot easier and more fun for all of us! The drive was not easier.. oh no, there was nothing easy about that.. but that is another post! Let's keep this one positive.. :)

Aunt Steph and Lilly..
Aunt Kelly and Lilly (Are you seeing a pattern here?)

Cousins playing..

We could not wait to see this little guy.. our nephew who just born in June and this was our very first time to see him! What a cutie he is!! Just smiling away!

Then there is Nate.. so jaded by life already.. not as easily amused.. :)

Lilly warmed up to Grandma pretty quickly..

Grandpa with two of his six grand kids! Lilly looks like a big girl next to the baby!

They had fun with sidewalk chalk in the driveway

Lilly stayed squatting so she wouldn't get her pants dirty. Smart girl!

Lilly really enjoyed making her aunts, uncles, and grandparents read to her (OVER and OVER)!

Nate and Daddy

Brian reading to the girls..

We did our Christmas while we were there too. Nate and Lilly had fun unwrapping this year! What a difference a year makes!

This was the best shot we could get of all the kids!

Yes, we do have a lot to be thankful for..

We miss all of you and love you very much!!

Blog-iversary!

One year ago today I started blogging about the babies! This blog has been such a great way for me to keep my memories together, and it is neat to go back and read about all of our baby adventures! I can't believe it has been a year!!

Some pictures from last weekend..

Miss Thang walks around everywhere with my purse..

Nate getting into the kitchen cabinets..

He found something fun to play with!

Peek-a-boo!

And Lilly took it away from him, as usual!

Nate looking for a midnight snack..

Easier than I thought..

I just have to brag on Nate a little more this morning. He has done so well without the paci! To give you an idea of why I thought this would be so difficult, here are some pictures taken a couple of weeks ago just before we left in the morning.

"You better not take my paci away just to take a picture"
"Hey, give that back!"

AND.. Melt Down..

Pictures of pretty girl the same morning in her new snowflakes shirt..

YAAAAAWN!

Sucess and Failure

Well, the good news is that Nate (and the rest of us) made it 24 hours with no paci! He did cry for a bit longer last night when we put him in his crib, but once he was asleep he didn't wake up all night and he didn't need it in the morning either! YAY. Get rid of paci- check.

On the "failure" tip, I was overwhelmed last night with trying to divide my attention between the two of them. They did not want to play with their toys or read their books, they both wanted to be held.. by me.. all the time.. all night. All I got all night were little faces staring up and me, arms out-stretched, saying "uh-uh-uh-ma-ma-ma-ma". It breaks my heart and dang near brings me to tears that it seems neither of them get what they need from me. Even when I get down on the floor with them, they crawl on me and one gets upset when I love on the other one, or even when I try to love on both at the same time. They slap at each other or push each other away and I feel like I am constantly trying to show them "equal" affection so they feel loved and don't resent each other (or ME, God forbid!) :).

What am I supposed to do when they are literally fighting for attention?

Pacifiers and Pony tails!

Nate did great without his paci last night! Strangely enough though, he did wake up whining at 4:30 a.m. and as this is not a time I am willing to wake up and fight any kind of battle, I let him have his paci so I could sleep one more hour! I am feeling good though.. small steps! Maybe tonight he will make it the whole night.

Here is a picture of Lilly with her pony tail taken with my cell phone this morning in the car. Cutie!