Down with the Sickness

Anyah is sick. Not an easy kind of sick either. With working nights there comes difficult moments occassionally, like that moment when you go off to work and leave your sick baby and your exhausted husband to stay up off and on all night and with 2 hours of sleep under your belt you make the best of an 8 hour work day in a place that's exactly where you wish you weren't even though it makes to since to wish to go home to the land of sickness and crying... yet you wish you were home, to hold her...

A Look Back On Christmas

Red & Green dresses and toys that make noise...

Tutu's and adorable tights to match your adorable smile...

Two delicious meals with family...

Oh the joy of presents from Santa and watching bed heads dance about in excitement...

Christmas eve jammies start off with the promise that Santa is coming and with him he brings the anticipation of twinkling lights, trees covered with ornaments, candy canes, holiday jingles and yummy treats to it's much anticipated moment of truth...

It came.

It was beautiful.

It was our Christmas.

To Santa with Love

Cookies on a plate and carrots for the reindeer. New Christmas jammies with little heads tucked snuggly into warm beds. Presents spilling out from under the tree and stockings toppled over from the weight of sweet suprises inside.

Bed head over french toast with sleepy eyes glazed over with the wonder of what Santa just brought. A celebration and story about a little baby who changed the way the world would love before nap time.

A month of to do lists that never got finished. Presents missing their bows because they got too close to tiny fingers. Christmas treats made with love and completely silly looking from the kind of help that keeps life interesting.

The smell of candles burning while the kids play. Cameras clicking. Lasagna bubbling in the oven and garlic bread smothered in butter. Christmas cake.

Too much goodness for one day. Which... I am going to go off and enjoy.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas filled with a million little love moments.

Letter to Anyah @ 8 Months Old

My Anyah~Girlie,

If the last month was consistant in anything it was that you were in a constant state of change. You are such a beautiful big girl all the sudden and I love watching you learn and explore. Each little change you make sets you off on another adventure that leads you to yet another change, a never ending cycle of amazing discovery.

At the beginning of the month you started the army crawl which you have now mastered and can do as fast as most kids crawl on their hands and knees. You also, occassionally, take a few timid steps on your hands and knees. You can transition from laying to sitting and back on your own so you're all over the living room floor getting yourself into trouble and have successfully located every crumb of food off the floor for me.

In fact about a week ago your sister left a cupcake on her little white chair in the middle of the living room floor and much to both of our suprise you located the cupcake, took it off the chair and ate it. Yum.

You love to eat and to nap. You love to watch your sister and play with her. You love songs with clapping in them and the way your giraffe from the zoo feels when you chew on him. You have 4 teeth now. Four. Amazing. You use your four teeth like a rock star and love to eat anything we hand you (well except peas). You tip your head back and "nom nom nom" and I have started calling you my birdie girl because of the way you eat and the way you are always squeeking.

You're all personality and cuteness these days. You attempt to say "hi" when prompted letting out a loud "ha" sound and pumping your little hand open and closed. I thought you were going to make Mama your first word, your really close, you yell it instead of crying sometimes...but alas... you started yelling "laylaylaylaaaaaa" recently. So Layla gets the honor of being your first word. You like to yell at her when she is running around and it cracks me up.

You love the bath now that you aren't forced into the bath seat. I just sit you upright in the water and let you kick and splash with your sister until it's time to wash your hair. You also have a great appreciation for the Christmas tree and like to lay under it and talk to the lights while running pine needle covered branches between your toes. But nothing says Christmas adventure quite like your never ending quest to get bows off of the Christmas presents and ornaments off the tree. That tree of temptation could very well be the only reason you learned to crawl at all.

You like Kipper the Dog on the TV, Christmas rock music, stealing Layla's crayons and trying to eat them, graham crackers, the swings at the park, car rides, playing with people, rolling around on the big bed and toys...suddenly you're very into toys.

You dislike peas, cold water on your face, loud noises, strangers of the male gender and when Mommy leaves the room.

You're an easy baby with a big amount of love which you spill over on to people with a lopsided toothy grin and crazy hair. You make me laugh with your facial expressions and your constant bid for your big sisters attention.

How did we ever go so long without you?

Love,
Mommy

Unexactly

The decorations are up, well most of them. The lights twinkle, well most of the time. The Christmas Village may or may not be covered with snow and or up side down at any given moment.

It's Christmas with kids done by people who like their kids.

It doesn't have to be perfect. Heck it doesn't HAVE to be anything. So take those ceramic figurines and act out a scene from Mickey's Christmas Carol or pull all the balls of the tiny tree on the kitchen table. Push boxes wrapped with bows around on the floor like a train, and put it back *almost* like it was...

only better...

better because it was enjoyed and that's what Christmas really is about.

Sprinkles, Now Available with iPhone Pictures

Ok so it's a whole month of bullet point blogs, but it's December and I haven't abandoned my blog which is more than I can say for some of the blogs out there with tumble weeds and spider webs for goodness knows how long... I'm trying people. I'm trying.

• Last night was a pretty crummy night at work which was then topped off by accidently running into a picture of JB when I least expected it leaving me so emotional that I came home with a box of donuts and promptly shoved 2 into my mouth (not at the same time though, that would be dangerous for my shirt)
• To get Layla to nap today I may have promised we'd decorate sugar cookies when she got up, which means I need to get to baking some "almost homemade" goodness ASAP because I don't have any sugar cookies ready to decorate (On the behalf of working mom's nationwide I'd like to thank Pillsbury for this mother of the year moment *ahem*)
• Anyah is crawling around trying to pull things off the tree *strike that* she has a glitter snowflake now which is waving around in triumph.
• At the parade, Nannie let Layla take pictures with her iPhone (how jealous is that little girl behind her-VERY) but what's more fun then a picture from my iPhone of Layla taking a picture of me with Mom's iPhone
• Layla loves Christmas cards and rearranges the wall I have them taped to at least once a day.
• Anyah says something that sounds a lot like "ma ma"... I am hoping this is going to turn out to be "ma ma" because MAMA wants to be a first word this time.
• Jon downloaded more Christmas music off iTunes and put it in my phone for me to listen to at work tonight. While I know iTunes is user friendly I find the husband downloading App to be my favorite so far.
• I am off and running for the HOLIDAY SWOOP. What you don't have a swoop? Well that's when you have nothing really all December despite asking people to book things earlier in the month if possible then you get to the 16th and you have something biggish every day until the 26th when you fall with a swoop on to the couch and glare at your holiday decorations in exhaustion.
• Hey, guess what? Turns out the Christmas party at work is formal-ish. Lucky me, guess who gets to buy a dress before Friday. *sigh*
• Anyah has discovered her inner diva whine. Oh.My.God.Make.It.Stop.Puh-Leease...
• Layla is in love with Christmas. It's giving me a new fond appreciation for Christmas lights and Silly Songs. My new favorite song "two turtle ducks and a share cake in a bear tree"...so what if she doesn't know the words...her version is much more entertaining.

And on that note... I bid you farewell until I find more bullet points... I seem to have run out. Perhaps they are with the sprinkles.

The Presents Were Wrapped (again)

Oh to be done Christmas shopping, but this year it just seems to linger longer and longer into December. It's been a long month. A VERY VERY long month. It's half way done and I feel like I've done it twice. Some parts of it I have done twice (or more).

I've had to re-wrap a few things. I keep putting the same ornaments on the bottom of the tree over and over again. I swear I've done these dishes already. Didn't I just pay rent.

Longest.Month.Ever.

And not necessarily in a bad way. I'm actually enjoying Christmas this year. Layla into the magical season finally and Anyah loves the music and the lights. My pants are all tight from the high amount of yummy treats I'm enjoying. I may or may not be singing Christmas Carols in the shower and going out of my way on the way to work to see the bitchin' lights displays around town.

Perhaps it's the anticipation of the look on Layla's face Christmas morning or the last few hold outs I'm still waiting for replies from in order to make my holiday calendar all tied up with a little red bow. It just seems like a lot of waiting...and suddenly I'm 5 again...and that advent chain seems so dang long.

Family Traditions- Christmas Lights Parade

We live in a small-ish town. Our small-ish town remembers when it was a small town and still has it's fair share of downtown events. I love downtown events. I love them almost as much as I love cake. They make me feel all warm and fuzzy (events, not cake).

One of the traditions we really love is the Downtown Turlock Lights Parade. Jon used to march in the Christmas parade when he was in highschool. I always attended the parade with family and I seem to recall being in a parade or two myself. (Debra Morgan dancers- this shout out is for you).

Anyhow, we like a parade covered in lights. We like Christmas. We dislike crowds but not enough to dislike this event.

We got GREAT seats this year. Also, because the rain was coming it wasn't too cold. The rain started to trickle just as we went back to the car which was perfect because it meant Layla wanted to get into the car.

The parades here are long, loud and have a huge variety of random. It's always a good time and I'm glad we went and that we stayed all the way until Layla waved at Santa at the very end.

Eventually more pictures of this event will be available on the girls blog as I didn't take pictures of the parade really, only my kids. Priorities, yo.

What?! You want more sprinkles?

• On the night of the Christmas Parade we had my mom come early so that Jon and I could borrow her SUV and run to get a tree. Layla FREAKED OUT when Jon tried to leave the house without her. So...she got to go to "the Christmas Tree store" with us. We had no trouble picking a tree quickly. Then we brought it home, tossed it in the garage and went to the parade. That night while I was at work and the kids were in bed Jon got it into a stand and into the living room. The next day we sent Layla to my mom's and put Anyah down for a nap and Jon decorated the tree. Good times.
• Jon went to South Carolina. Then Jon came back. Now randomly Layla will decide she has to lose her shit when he is gone for too long. Like last night when he went to work. "oh no Daddy missing" became her battle cry and if I had another car we would have went to Daddy's work to say hi...because it was that bad.
• We got NetFlicks on Demand, I think I mentioned that. Layla and Anyah love the variety of new stuff. We have now been introduced to Angelina Ballerina and Thomas the Train. As adults, Jon and I are less thrilled, but I did manage to get some things done this morning with Thomas playing on loop.
• Yesterday Layla and I made cupcakes that are both high in sugar and food coloring. They taste like sugar. Layla loves this but it mostly makes me want to brush my tongue with something. Ewww.
• I got invited to a Christmas party. I know? Right? That never happens to me... I am pretty excited.
• Anyah took her nap this morning with Daddy who desperately needed to sleep in. I can hear her up there talking to him and I am sure she is petting his facial hair and that any minute now they will come downstairs.
• Layla may or may not have had scrambled eggs, bacon and a cupcake for breakfast. She's cute. I caved.
• Yesterday Layla left a cupcake on one of her little chairs in the middle of the living room. Anyah discovered the cupcake and worshiped it by spreading it all over herself, making happy noises and nom nom noming it to bits all over the carpet. First cupcake smashing ninja success.
• Right now my iPhone is syncing for the first time since October. Needless to say it's taking awhile. I really need to get better about that.
• Speaking about things I am behind on, I have this weekend off. I am hoping this means I will finally catch up on the 2 months worth of pictures I need to post on the girls website.
• Christmas Tree Lane is calling me with it's flashing lights, animated wooden cut outs and pop up inflatables... if only it would stop raining on the days I plan to go, that would be AWESOME.
• It's raining by the way.
• The white car is gone. We are down to one car. But, it's one car that works. We are also up one parking spot. Which is good considering we stopped parking the garage (with two kids to load/unload it's just too hard).
• Jon brought home presents from SC. He brought Layla a little Delta plane like the one he flew home on. She is convinced it is a rocket. It just blasted off Anyah and landed on the piano. Anyah finds this game very amusing, except for the part where she can't touch the airplane for any reason.
• Anyah crawls
• Anyah has 3 teeth now
• Layla can write her name, but only if she wants to
• The Christmas bug is calling. Jon's mom still hasn't gotten me that fudge recipe. So I am about to go wing it (again) wish me luck.

Random Sprinkles of Goodness

oh.my.god. it's a bullet point post... it's been one of those weeks people

• Layla calls Christmas Lights "sprinkles" sometimes, it's adorable
• Anyah is on the move and boy is she quick, she's a Christmas present bow snatching ninja
• Jon has only been home a few days and already my house looks and feels much better
• We got a tree (pictures to come eventually)
• We went to the Downtown Turlock Christmas Lights Parade (pictures to come eventually)
• We got Netflicks on Demand (this may increase the time it takes to get those pictures because OMG we have something to do)
• I am not done Christmas shopping (I usually am by now) but I am close
• I am done shopping for my girls which is really all that matters to me
• Any suggestions for a dress to wear to my office Christmas Holiday Suprise Party? (Why it's a Suprise Party I do not know- considering we all obviously know about it).
• This is my rotate week to weekends off so this week only I will be off TUE, WED, SAT, SUN (woo hoo!!)
• I am not sure if I work Christmas or Christmas Eve so I can't plan anything
• Costco tamales are yummy
• I had PMS and no husband for a week... my kids lived... I want a gold star
• Jon's mom is going to send me her fudge recipe which might result in non-crappy fudge

After asking for suggestions for my Christmas meal menu we're down to two options Lasagna or Steak. The one I pick will be soley based on time available and how many people RSVP.

So now Christmas opinion number two is needed. If you had to choose between chocolate cake with butter cream frosting or chocolate pie with whip cream...which would you have?

Day 4

On day four of Daddy being M.I.A. Layla has decided there is something HORRIBLY wrong and that we might actually need to run around screaming "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE". Of course, she is three, so she can't articulate that sense of panick and no amount of Mommy reassuring her and letting her talk to a peaceful and happy daddy on the phone is fixing it.

Yesterday she bit me. Then for good measure she peed on me while crying "Daddy takes me a potty, no you, a Daddy, I no go till Daddy comes." (At that point we had 24 hours left)

Today she has tossled between whining, screaming at me, whining, crying, screaming in general and then rinse, recycle, repeat.

Lovely.

Terrible 2's have been gone for awhile. I am not handling the Oh.My.God. FREAKOUT phase well.

Please send reinforcements, tell them to bring chocolate mice, malibu rum, pepsi and more ice.

And if you can't do that... just pray that Jon's flight arrives on time and that he gets home safetly because at this rate his child will still be up at midnight crying "I NO GO NITE NITE WITH NO DADDY" because that was how nap went down and at this point... Mommy has given up trying to tame the wicked wild child that just misses and loves her Daddy too much.

After all...

I sorta feel the same way when he's gone too long.

The Christmas Train & Holiday Menus

Today I will be driving all over the planet again, dropping cars off for the Hubby's return from South Carolina, doing some last minute shopping and of course being a mom.

I am trying to get some last minute Christmas stuff wrapped up. Tomorrow night is the Downtown Turlock Christmas Lights Parade and we always go to that. I also want to try and take Layla to Christmas Tree Lane some time in the next week.

I'm trying to lock down my Christmas Dinner menu. I can say honestly at this point that I doubt it will involve turkey as I am still the proud owner of half of the Thanksgiving Turkey in my freezer waiting to become soup and/or enchiladas.

I can't decide between 4 different Christmas Dinner choices. So if it was you would you have...

* Grilled Steaks, Baked Potatoes, Salad

* Lasagna, Salad and Garlic Bread

* Pork Loin, Au Gratin Potatoes and Steamed Asparagus

* Enchiladas, Mexican Rice and Black Beans

My top two choices so far are the steaks or the lasagna. But I just can't seem to keep that train on track...

Airplane Stores & Zoos

Sunday night I worked from 10 pm to 6:30 am and then I ran home and jumped in the car with my mom, Jon and the girls and we went "through the mountains" (as Layla likes to say) to San Fransisco and we "dropped Daddy off at the blue door Airplane store" where he has been "up in the sky" for several days (as far as Layla is concerned).

To distract from the fact that Daddy was getting on an Airplane and flying away from us we went to the San Francisco Zoo.

Me (with no sleep or makeup) and my two pretty girls at the zoo. Anyah was miserable in the stroller but once we pulled her out she liked the zoo.

We let Layla (for the most part) pick which way we walked and what we did. The zoo itself pretty much sucked and we'll be faithful to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo from now on... it is much better as far as my 2 cents are concerned.

We stopped for a bit for Layla to play at the playground and I put Anyah in the grass. It was a little damp so I set her on my sweater which lasted about 3 seconds because she moves now so she ended up on her belly in the grass.

Layla didn't enjoy the animals much *mainly because the zoo sucked* but she did enjoy the statues, playgrounds, walking, the gift shop, the lunch, and the picture stops.

She also liked the penguins and giraffes, as that's about the only 2 animals that didn't suck.

(see in the stroller she was SOOO unhappy) I forgot my new Sakura Bloom sling, it would have made my afternoon better...

But we didn't stay too long because after we drove all the way back I had to take a quick nap and go back to work. Good times.

Layla is very anxious to go back to the Airplane store where we forgot daddy. She'll be very happy when she wakes up Friday morning and he is here. Zoo's are nice, but they aren't distracting enough to stop missing Daddy.

With Family

Jon's grandma passed away on Saturday and two days later he was on a plane to South Carolina to be with his family. The girls miss him. I miss him. He'll be home late Thursday night. Our prayers are with them today as it's the buriel and memorial service today.

Downtown Turlock Christmas Tree Lighting & Festival

If you know me, you know I love a good local event, and Jon...he's a local boy so he's all for going downtown and keeping up a tradition for his wife's sake. Our tradition, it appears, involves Jura's Pizza and Hot Wings followed by the Downtown Turlock Christmas Tree Lighting & Festival.

Layla wanted some flashing green mouse ears, which of course I let her have because how cute is that cookie covered flashing little girl? Very cute... I agree.

Sugar cookies on a stick are something we seem to get at every local festival. They are tasty but she never finishes one. She of course picked the lighted tree since it was the Tree Lighting.

Anyah fell asleep as we were walking around looking at all the vendors, it was past her bed time. She slept right through the tree lighting countdown and everything.

As usual we danced on tables in our new winter coat. The whole thing went pretty well. It was a nice way to spend an evening before the holidays. Maybe we'll see you there next year?

Thankful & Belly-full

Thanksgiving was at our house this year and thankfully it was a small crowd. We had Nannie, PopPop, Daddy, Mommy, Layla and Anyah...then a little later Papa stopped by.

Layla was a big helper the day before helping me get things ready and this year she actually ate things that were served for Thanksgiving dinner.

Anyah was a huge fan of smothered green beans and sweet potatoes. She ate so much I had to cut her off because she was going to give herself a tummy ache.

Then after we ate, I let Layla bust out the first of our Christmas stuff. Her Fisher Price Lil' People Nativity and Christmas Village.

And when that stopped being fun, Nannie started spinning little girls in circles on the office chair...

Then there was napping. Much Napping.

Because we were content, thankful and mostly...full.