Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Here are two little Gifts worth recognizing year after year...

Ellie Lu, 15 months & Audrey Lynn, 3 years

Expensive Paper.

Her first 3-year-old Birthday gift arrived in the mail from Uncle Tom & Auntie Autumn all the way from Washington, DC!

The excitement built as she peeked into the box...

And then,

She was both surprised and happy to see another box inside the box to be opened!


"Oh boy, Momma! What could it be???"



It's...Another box!!!


"Oooohhh....prettty ribbons"
she says referring to the beautiful, gorgeous, ultra feminine fancy-pantsy boutique dress chosen just for her!! I admired and examined and oohed and aahed...

She moved onto other things...

Like the silly singing card she also received....

While I oohed and aahed some more, instantly imagining my precious, barely 3 year old daughter, joyfully wearing such a delicate number while serving me and our bonnet-clad guests tea and biscuits at our next gathering....

Much to my imagination's dismay...She was much, much, MUCH more interested in the bright pink paper it was wrapped in...

She giggled and wrapped herself up, pretending to snore. While I continued to ooh and aah with images of sugar plums dancing in my head (wearing this dress, of course). While I continued to plead, prod, insist and eventually beg her to please! try on this beauty of a dress....

She had other plans. And for the next 15 minutes, this took place:

A few days later my every wish came true (and so did hers with the bribery of candy...), and she so very willingly....... tried on the dress so I could follow her around the house like a Mommarazzi while she ran from the flash...

This dress is beautiful, and if you put all these images together you can actually appreciate it from all angles!!...

She insisted I take a picture of Santa by the door, instead of her....

Thanks again Tom & Autumn for such a lovely, thoughtful, gorgeous gift!!!

This Momma is thoroughly enjoying it!!!

I guess as smart as the girl truly is.....she is still only THREE! :)

And this certainly proves that...

Not Lucky, Blessed #7

We have certainly come a long ways.

Audrey is currently on her 7th time being diagnosed with pneumonia.

The first few times she had it, she would start out with a simple snotty nose and within 12-24 hours be wheezy, taking 60+ breaths per minute (which means she is practically panting), and had refused even the smallest amount of liquid/food turning her weak body into a dehydrated sad little mess.

This time, after 5 full days & nights of snot, a small cough began. That is the tall-tale sign of needing more help than an antihistamine.

In the past she would spend her days as wells as nights 100% in my arms where she'd be in & out of sleeping, crying, and coughing so hard she'd throw up. Just a miserable, sad little mess.

This time she slept soundly all night in her bed, took longer naps than usual, and was happily content drinking juice I'd offer in silly cups, all while watching Toy Story 3, of course.

In the past, when we'd get her into the Dr, she would either be sleeping in my arms out of exhaustion, or scream and moan out of discomfort while being monitored......which always lead to then being sent over to the hospital.

This time I counted her breaths after she had been coughing a bunch, and she was at 62 breaths a minute. I called the Dr. and they said to come in right away. I asked her to continue watching the movie & that I'd pack up. She didn't mind that I was leaving her side, in fact, she called out suggestions "Should we pack Ellie's diapers too? can I bring my soft blankie?.."

In the past, I would walk in with tear stained eyes out of complete exhaustion from being up worrying and caring for her the previous stressful night before. I would rock & try to keep her calm while whispering sweet songs and prayers, all while giving the nurse the evil eye whenever they'd come into the room and say any other name but "AUDREY"...

This time she patiently sat on my lap, and she & I took turns feeding (even more patient) Ellie crackers while she sat in the stroller in front of us. Once we saw our Dr., he politely asked how she was feeling like he always does, and her reply was a tilt of the head, a concerned look and the sweetest little sad voice "I'm not feelin' very good. I have some snots" She also informed the nurse that "I have Asthma. So, I'm not feelin' very good."

In the past they would have to either do what they could with her in my arms, or pry her screaming-self away from me while I tried verbally comforting her as they checked her out.

This time she did exactly (and more!), as they asked of her. She sat like a big girl on the "crinkly paper", as I watched from my chair with Ellie. They diagnosed her with pneumonia right away and decided to opt out of having, yet another, Xray done to prove what they already knew to be true. The nurses came back in to give her two antibiotic shots....

In the past....well....this never goes over very well anytime really.....

She cried and cried and then she was fine and informed everyone "I'm so brave" and told everyone goodbye. We'd be coming back the next day to see how well the medicine worked. The next day she was, again, the perfect patient. Once the nurse, who had been the one to poke her the day before, came into the room she politely, calming, but a hint of quick anxiousness in her voice, informed her:

"I already got a poke-poke yesterday. Sooo... I don't need anymore today!" (Clever girl! :)

The word must have gotten out how cute this 2, going on 20, year old little girl is to inform everyone about her ailments, and instructing them on when and how she should receive (or not receive..), proper medication. Nurses who had never treated us would walk by the room or see us in the hall leaving and come up & talk to her about how she & her "poke-pokes" were feeling.

In the past none of us have gotten any sleep, everything in life gets put on hold and all we can see is her fragile little body getting weaker and weaker, like a very dark cloud with little to no light at the end of the tunnel.

This time, 3 days into antibiotics, and for the 2nd day in a row she says to me "Phew...Im getting pretty sleepy. I'm going to go take a nap now." Tucks herself in, and says goodnight. (!!!)

This time, her sickness began on the eve of Thanksgiving. How fitting.

This time, like all the other times, we give full glory to God alone for choosing to heal her little body.

We. Are. Thankful.

We are thankful to have so much knowledge and wisdom from our past experiences to know how to care for her. We are thankful for our very kind doctor for making all the right decisions towards her care, we are thankful for insurance to cover costs for multiple visits and multiple antibiotic medications. We are thankful she is living in a time of modern medicine, where we are able to praise God that she has had -and been healed of- pneumonia seven times.

We are thankful for all those who pray for her. We are so thankful to see her getting stronger each time, aware of the possibility it may not be the last time we go through this again.

But this time we know for sure, that only God truly knows.

De-tour to Refresh

There is a place where a father scopes out his best target, teaching his young.

There is a place where patience is taught.

There is a magical place where the fat-faced little chipmunks actually eat nuts right out of your hand.



A treed shady sunny day where your baby learns to share her food.

Where a Mother's heart melts at the sight of two of her loves sharing a moment.

A place where laughter is a more peaceful sound than the flowing river.

There is a place where unshowered, last leg of vacationitis, and way too many potty break stops, can turn into beautiful family memories treasured in a Momma's heart, from one simple de-tour.


This is a place where traditions are born.

Carrying On

Lately, Audrey is into different "carry" positions. This sounds odd to try to explain, but here we go anyway... Disclosure: These terms are all made-up by Audrey...

There is the "Mommy Carry" = Mommy, or the like, holds child, or the like, in arms.

Sometimes this is in the form of Audrey and our neighbor cat. Other times it is with one stuffed animal holding another. And most often, it is on our way to naptime. But always called "Mommy carry"

We can't fail to mention "Big Baby Carry" = Toy Story 3 is huge around our home lately. If you've seen the creepy (I mean cute...?) "Big Baby" character, you will know that the baby always carries the toys high above it's head. (see it is creepy because you can't tell if it's a boy or girl baby, it doesn't wear clothes...oh yes, and that very disturbing scene in the night when the baby is all alone in the park swinging facing away...blame pixar for your nightmares tonight!!)

And, of course "Fire Fighter Carry" = Big strapping hunk of a tall, dark and handsome man sweeping you off your feet in your distress, carrying you high above his chiseled face draped onto his shoulders as to keep your head above the smoke and....... What? Did I get carried away? Well, I like policemen more anyway..

And really, this means putting Audrey on her (big strapping hunk) Daddy's shoulders and being silly in the living room.

I have been asked on more than one occasion if I could please do "fire fighter carry"! I have brushed it aside, suggesting her Daddy is much better at it, etc, so I could get whatever I was doing done.

And then today, I once again said "no" then added.... "...do you smell that? ....What is that smell?? It smells like somethings burning?... OH NO!!!! It's a FIRE!!!! You better watch out!!!!" And I scooped her little confused body (she had been looking around & sniffing the air..), flung her high up onto my shoulders and we went skipping away, making silly sounds and laughing! She loved it, and frankly, it was easier than I thought!!!!

As I was carefully lowering her back onto the couch, I was half-expecting gratitude, prompt asking for more, maybe even a shoulder massage.... but never something so thought out and logical:

"Mommy, I didn't think you were strong enough....but you were strong enough!!!"

I busted up laughing at the first part of what she said. I suppose I should take the latter part as a compliment.

Uh-oh...my secret's out. I am a powerhouse. Do not cross me in a dark alley!! I might just swing you over my shoulders, make sounds resembling an ambulance and confuse the heck out of you so much you might forget why you were going to rob me!!!

You would be robbing in a dark alley, wouldn't you? If not, I suggest you find another place to meander..

Think she was hungry?

I left the room to assist Audrey going potty. Upon my return Ellie was quietly taking matters into her own hands and clearly letting me know it was her dinnertime...

I love the cautious look on Audrey's face in the first picture as Ellie dumped a cereal bag onto the floor.

And then? She digs in too..

And thank you Lucy Dog, for your assistance...

We are two girls!

Background story: "Oh I love my Two Girls" is a phrase I always said when I happened to be holding both girls at once. Now, Audrey delights in saying it first. "Look! We're two girls!" she'll say.

On most night the girls both get a bath together. They love it. Right after, we go into their room and they both get their jammies on. Then I usually try to sneak back into the kitchen and finish up last minute preparations for my husband's dinner meal before he comes home on his dinner break. This is usually when I call out for Audrey to pick out two stories & wait for me on the couch, and I either eyeball Ellie in the living room making sure she isn't climbing on anything, or I scoop her up & she hugs my hip while we talk about dinner.


It's all about timing, especially in the evenings. Timing how long bath time is, how long dinner will take, how long they can be left alone together before Ellie starts crying or Audrey yells at her to give something back... Of course when Ellie was small, they were never left alone.


(and when I say "never", I mean hardly ever...especially not after 2 year old Audrey completely picked up 3 month old Ellie Lu off the ground & said "Come on EllieLu" as I went back for more coffee, but peaked over the counter top at them.... Gasping & trying to calming tell her to slowly lower her back down, she did. And then I spent the next 90 minutes holding Ellie & covering her with kisses and whispers of apologies..)


But as Ellie has gotten older, bigger and tougher, we have given them moments of freedoms together whether in their room playing, or playing with other toys elsewhere. It has been a joy to see them choosing to do things together. And it's happening more and more these days. I love watching them when they don't think I am. It warms my heart to hear Audrey say things like "Here Ellie, you can have this one." Or to see Ellie pick up one of Audrey's prized possesions and carry it directly to her sister.


On this particular evening, after bath & jammies they were playing in the living room so I snuck into the kitchen, closed the gate and finished up with dinner. Pretty soon I realized they weren't in the room anymore. I heard nothing, and as any Mom would, I got nervous. What trouble could they be getting into... Then, I heard a faint sound of giggling.
Two separate beautiful sounds like an angelic chorus to my ears.


"Mom! ...Mommy come find us!! Mommy we are Two Girls!"


I walked into their bedroom and they were sitting side by side on the rocking chair in their room. Giggling up a storm, rocking back & forth. They seemed so proud to have both gotten up there with out any help. And they seemed so, so happy to have the other by their side.

"Momma, take a picture! We are two girls!"