Still house-bound

We've got a little break here, both Drew and Madeline are blissfully sound asleep. It was one of those long nights of continually interrupted sleep. (Makes for zombie parents, I've heard.) Madeline finally ended up in our bed, so I could hear her breathing and coughing - which, any parent knows that a toddler in the same bed basically amounts to the worst nights' sleep ever.

This kind of sickness is so frustrating. There is little you can do to treat the symptoms and really, the virus just has to run its course. And that takes time. Meanwhile you have to try and comfort a cranky toddler who doesn't understand why she feels badly and why we don't just clap our hands and make it all better.

However, the fact that she went down for a nap so easily hopefully means she's turned a corner.

In other news, Adelaide just started pulling up and standing. Andy and I stared open-mouthed this morning as she crawled over to the printer (not really sure why it was sitting in the middle of our living room floor other than the fact that we just pulled it out of the box) and stood up. Later she pulled herself up on the coffee table. (I guess she's not my tiny baby anymore.)

Although, she's not very steady yet and has bumped her head a few times. Comes with the territory, I suppose.

And, to change the subject again completely, it's hard to believe New Year's Eve is tomorrow! Any big plans?

Dashed Plans

Today started out normal. (I realize that is a completely relative term.) After I helped Andy get a project done, (which later I forgot to mail) I was going to get ready and take Madeline to her first bona fide princess birthday tea party she'd been invited to.

We're talking about milestones, here.

I may have been more excited than she was. But, as we were getting ready to leave, she was crying about something or other so I picked her up and she felt hot to the touch. I took her temp and, sure enough, she had a low-grade fever. So, sadly, she didn't go to any princess birthday tea parties; she just went straight to bed for a nap.

(It's a good thing two-and-a-half-year-old memories aren't terribly keen, I think she's mostly forgot about the whole thing. Except right before bed she did tell me she was supposed to go to Maddie's house. Nevermind that it was, like, 10 p.m. And, before I get all kinds of comments about how late our kids stay up, let me just say that it's usually not quite that late.)

With Drew and Madeline safely down for a nap, Adelaide and I left to run some errands. I know I've said it before, but one kid out and about feels like a vacation when you're used to the battering it is with three. So I took my time.

It's a good thing I have an internal sense of direction. Otherwise I might be somewhere in Delaware right now. (Heaven forbid.) I do, however, need to get a road map for my car. Just in case.

And, for now, I'm off to tend to a crying, slightly-croupy little girl that is probably going to breathe her germs all over me. But, what is a mother for?

A Quick Visit

Erin and Micah were here! (That's my brother and his wife, in case you didn't know.) They flew in to pick up a car she got for Christmas and the dealer just happened to be in our area. So, lucky us! We don't seem to keep up that often since we're all slightly busy, but we had a fabulous time catching up. They've headed down South again today. Our time with them was short but sweet.

New & Improved

In which I declare my love for the-day-after-Christmas sales.

I decided not to buy a tree skirt this year, hoping it would still be at Target (where else?!) the day after Christmas. There was one left, so of course I gobbled it up.


Same thing for stocking holders and some cheery stockings for the kids.


Everything is even better when it's 1/2 off.

Christmas in a (Very Large) Nutshell

Christmas with three small children is a slightly crazy time. I think one of the best things we did this year was to do things in stages. (Last year the kids opened all their gifts in one sitting and we ended up in a gigantic mess and they were too overwhelmed to even move (okay, not really). Borderline sensory overload, it was.)

After this year’s Christmas Eve service at church (and I finished Madeline’s dress in the nick of time, by the way. It was last year's dress and I just let out the hem),


we ate dinner and then the kids opened the boxes from my parents and grandparents. It was perfect; they got to enjoy that first set of gifts until they went to bed and they were more than pleased.





[That last picture was taken Christmas morning; Adelaide had slept through the Christmas Eve festivities.]

The thought even crossed my mind, ‘hey let’s just return everything we got them and save us some money! They obviously don’t need any more toys!’ (Which wouldn't really be possible. A couple of weeks ago a friend tipped me off to a local toy store closing so I had bought everything from there, marked down and final sale.)

We had Andy’s parents over here for Christmas morning breakfast and coffee. (That coffee got Andy and I through the day. We may have stayed up until 2 a.m. the previous night wrapping and stocking stuffing and cleaning and getting everything ready. I felt like I was back in college pulling an all-nighter. But not.)

The kids were allowed to have their stockings first thing – another set of gifts that they actually got to spend time enjoying.



After breakfast (hello, old friends),


we did the bulk of the presents – our stuff to the kids. Here are some highlights:


She's trying to wiggle out of the sling I made for her. I also made her a doll blanket (shown with the doll pack n' play I found at that closing-toy-store sale).



Isn't it hilarious? It also serves quite well as a makeshift toy box, apparently.


Toy shopping cart: yet another thing to fill up and push around. Those are always a hit.

And then we flew around cleaning up the mess(es) and getting our food contributions for the Christmas feast ready and heading over to Andy’s parents’ house. The kids opened their final set of gifts - the ones from them - while we were there.






And we ate. And ate. And then went home and took a much-needed nap.


And left the mess for... another day.

9 months

Can't hardly believe it!

We start 'em early on the veggie dip

Today I was washing and cutting celery sticks for our Christmas Eve lunch, and glanced over at the table and noticed the veggie dip had been sampled by small fingers and smeared across the table. Madeline, however, was nowhere in sight.

And then I realized. Adelaide was sitting in the booster seat, and I had no idea she would be able to reach that dip. I looked down at her and she was COVERED in veggie dip. Hands, face, jammies - all smeared in a healthy layer of savory yumminess. And she was going back for more.

So, she's had baby oatmeal and applesauce, some rice puffs, sweet potato puree, a taste of peas that she gagged on, and veggie dip. Not the usual progression to table food.

But then again, she's my child and they like to do things backwards.

A Very Merry Christmas Eve Morning

It promises to be a busy one! We've got a to-do list a mile long. And near the top, I've got to finish hemming Madeline's dress. I won't mention the fact I started it in August. Tonight's Christmas Eve service is true motivation. I mean, she won't be needing a Christmas dress for Valentine's Day, afterall.

Well, time's a waistin'. Merry Christmas Eve!

The Jumping Bean

Day Late and a Dollar Short

This was supposed to be for yesterday; we were having computer issues yesterday. Still are. But I'll do my best.

Welcome to our home at Christmastime!


Not sure what the football is doing under the tree. Also, a few of our ornaments have been broken this year by an unnamed almost-four-year-old.

This year I tacked up some ribbon in our kitchen and used clothespins to hang the Christmas cards we've received in the mail. It's been a festive addition.



This cheery snowman is one of my favorites. I got it in the college bookstore years ago when I was still in school. He used to have twig arms but they would mercilessly poke you if you sat or leaned on him. Those arms probably could've taken out an eye. So last year I de-clawed him. Childproofing, people. Childproofing.



This is our nativity set. It's up high, out of reach of little inquisitive fingers.



And, lastly, I found myself a cute, and sometimes useful, little elf.


Merry Christmas!

Various and Sundry

I did get the stomach bug last week, wiped me out clean for an entire day. Thankfully Andy was able to stay home and play "Mr. Mom." And I lost about 8 pounds, the only positive side effect of being sick. (Which comes in handy being only a week away from Christmas and all those Christmas goodies. I'm sure it will all be back in nothing flat.)

For Christmas Andy bought himself us a concert series to hear the Philadelphia Orchestra (and Philadelphia Singers also). Our first concert was yesterday, the full Handel's Messiah at the Kimmel Center. You feel sort of like you're sitting inside an instrument in that theater. But the sound! We went with some friends, too, which made it extra fun.

Then later last night, Andy and I were on the brink of an utter freak-out; Drew accidentally spilled his gingerale ALL OVER OUR LAPTOP!!! We never have the computer in the kitchen (for obvious reasons). But with our crazy day yesterday I had set it down on the kitchen table and never got around to moving it. And then after evening church we were all in the kitchen and Andy was looking up something, Drew had his cup of soda... you can picture the rest.

Not a good scenario. But, as you can see, we're back up and running. The keys are slightly...sticky. But other than that, no more worse for wear. We'll get it professionally cleaned as soon as Apple will take new appointments (too busy over the holidays), come the first of the year.

The other computer frustration is the printer, which is claiming there is a paper jam. THERE IS NO PAPER JAM. I cannot get it to reset, am about to throw the thing out the window. I need it to just print out 5 measly sheets of labels so I can send off the Christmas letters I've been busy folding and stuffing. So, if you get a handwritten envelope in the mail, you'll know our printer is probably sitting out on the curb somewhere.

And sometimes they tell on themselves...

Drew, if you're going to touch Mommy's camera, at least hide the evidence!



I'm not really sure what he thought was photoworthy - a car wearing a clothespin?!

My Day Off

There's a part in The Devil Wears Prada where one of the characters says something like, 'I'm only a stomach flu away from my goal weight!'

I must now be at my goal weight.

I'm going straight back to my blankets and couch and movies.

I love fresh haircuts.

Makes 'em look cute n' pudgy.

Just In Case...

This is a little forwarding message for my pregnant and nursing friends, in case you missed it on Dolly's blog. Super cute! I need to order me one, like, yesterday.

Click here: Obuba.

Ne'er a Dull Moment

We had a fellowship supper after church today. Andy and I were sitting in the nursery while the food was being set out - him feeding Adelaide a bottle and me sipping my coffee and watching Drew and another little boy. Madeline was with Andy's mom. Or so we thought.

But as we were sitting down to table, Andy came over and said he couldn't find her.

Uh. Not good. Just based on her history.

He found her in the kindergarten classroom, just off the fellowship hall, amidst a tornado of dumped out toys. They were all tiny little things like wooden letters, mini rubber fruits and animals, shapes, magnets, blocks, and beads. All mixed together into a jumbled mess when obviously they were each supposed to be in their respective plastic jars and containers.

She looked up, scrunched up her nose and nodded to the mess, "this is Mrs. Luchs'."

Um, yes, yes it is. Thank you.

I think the kindergarten teacher, bless her heart, probably wanted to scream when she saw the mess but she was very gracious and went and recruited some boys to help pick up, sort, and put away.

Meanwhile Adelaide, sitting in a high chair by herself at our table, almost pulled the entire tablecloth off the table. I don't want to even imagine the mess had she succeeded in spilling all the coffees and other various drinks that had been set down. All she managed was a small puddle of orange punch.

And, to top the morning off, Andy was holding Adelaide when he went to get his coffee and she stuck her hand right into his cup. Thankfully the coffee wasn't boiling hot and he had already added some cream. But her hand turned pink for a little while and she was understandably a little more cranky.

It was one of those days where I was this close to packing it all up and heading home early.

The Tree Is Up (hopefully this time for good)

Yesterday we were supposed to meet some friends for a little kiddie Christmas cookie making party, but that was put off due to a bit o' sickness. In the end, I took my kids to the children's museum (because we'd been home for over a week while the van was getting a whole new life and clearly it was time to get out) and met another friend and her bundle of cuteness.

I've missed my morning outings, I have. Anyway, we were sitting in the play area for the under-5 crowd and I looked over and Madeline had climbed up onto a counter where they have a real sink (versus a pretend one), and was kneeling on the countertop, stooped over, drinking water out of the faucet that she had turned on full blast.

Nevermind I had her sippy cup within easy reach. I think she just likes to embarrass me. And drink questionable museum tap water.

And, on an entirely different note, today was a day full of Christmas fun and festivity. I wish I had brought my camera when Andy wheeled the kids out the nursery door at Lowe's standing on a flat cart with the Christmas tree. They were so excited and looked extremely proud of themselves.

Drew was very concerned watching Andy tie the tree to the top of the van and then the whole way home he kept saying "it's gonna fall!" The only time it DID fall was later when he was standing on the back of the couch, reaching to put an ornament on some distant branch and he lost his balance. I didn't see him fall but knew what happened the instant the whole tree toppled over and landed right next to Adelaide's exersaucer. And, yes, she was in it.

She was only close enough that maybe a pineneedle brushed her hand, but it startled her. It startled the whole family, for that matter. I am glad it happened if it means the kids will be a little more cautious around the tree (and so far they have been).

Last year we had a tree delivered right to our front door - in a stand with lights and everything. Oh, and it was also free. So this year maybe wasn't quite as nice as that, but we roll with the punches and move on. I think last year I also must have thrown out our tangled strands of lights because this year I could only find one.

So, it still needs a little bit of work... and a few more lights.

And possibly, a fence.

Time for a Drew Post

"ANDY!!! LOOK WHAT'S ON MY CAMERA!!!"








That boy.

Soup-Tacular. (Or, Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder)

I have a lot of favorite soups. But since I already made this soup this week, it's fresh in my memory and fresh out of my recipe box.

Plus it is, hands-down, Andy's favorite.

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

(Also. I normally double this recipe. We love us some leftovers 'round here.)
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped bite-sized
1/2 cup chopped onion
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons butter
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup hot water
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 cups shredded cheese (I normally use Cheddar; recipe actually calls for Monterey Jack)
1 can creamed corn
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles (optional)
1 small or medium tomato, chopped


In something resembling an 8-quart pot (or a dutch oven), brown chicken, onion, and garlic in the butter. Add/sprinkle the cumin and mix well. Dissolve the bouillon in hot water, and then add to chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Stir in half-n-half, cheese, corn, and chilies (again, optional - I normally don't have these on hand). Cook, stirring frequently, until the cheese is completely melted. Stir in chopped tomato before serving. My friend D likes to garnish with cilantro.

Best served with Hot Crusty Bread and Butter.

Also, Andy likes to add several drops of Tabasco to his bowl(s) of chowder. We're all about the options here.

You can tell Santa, if you see 'im.

Since I already have my two front teeth:

Starbucks gift cards - one can never have too many.

These boots or these boots. Size 8 1/2.

A bookcase like this for under the window by my desk.

Green Tea Moisturizer by ProActiv Solution.

Wives & Daughters (DVD).

My very own computer would be nice, too.

Today

First, look what's back home, sitting happily in my driveway:


(And I'm pleased to note it drives like a new car. As it should, for that price.)

As you can also see, it snowed. This was from earlier (it's much whiter now):



Her first real braids:





(Pointing to a squirrel that was presumably out looking for acorns in the snow.)

G-U-M Spells Gone.

Even though I’d determined never to take all three kids to the grocery store by myself again (or at least until they’ve reached high school), last night I found myself having to do just that. I was in a pinch; I needed cheese for the soup I was making for dinner. Andy was still over an hour away and I knew he was especially hungry. And I aim to please.

So I bundled and loaded everyone up, (we’re using my in-laws’ other van) and we headed to the store. Normally I’d strap Drew and Madeline into the double stroller and carry the baby in my sling. But yesterday (and all week, for that matter) my stroller has been in the back of my van, which is STILL AT THE HONDA DEALER.

Which doesn’t do me any good at the grocery store. Thus, I was forced to let Drew and Madeline “ride” in the little plastic car on the front of the shopping cart. Madeline, unbelievably, stayed in that car almost the entire time. I did allow Drew to walk, as long as he stayed right next to me.

[Turns out ‘stay right next to me’ is a completely relative phrase.]

When we were finally in line to check out, I asked Drew if he would please sit next to Madeline INSIDE the plastic car while I paid for our stuff. He pulled a package of Bubble Tape off of the checkout shelf (also known as Parental Shopping Torture) and asked if he could have it. I’d previously told the kids we’d buy more gum, so I told him yes he could have it but ONLY IF he stayed INSIDE the plastic car with Madeline. I had the cashier ring it up and I gave it to him.

As soon as I paid I looked down to check on them. This is what was left:



That much gum in less than 2 minutes.

I realize I haven't had a post like this in a while but Madeline changed all that for us.

Today was a self-appointed cleaning day so this morning I was upstairs changing all the sheets. The kids were playing but then Madeline came in and said "I eat the dinner!" And then, scrunching up her nose and waving her hands around in the air, she said, "and then I MESS IT ALL UP!!!"

She was very proud of herself.

And I was duly warned. But then I forgot about the whole thing since I was in the middle of tucking sheets and fluffing pillows.

Later, walking downstairs and into the kitchen, I remembered she'd mentioned something about 'eating the dinner' and rounded the corner to this:




MESS IT ALL UP? Why yes, yes she did. And, the only reason I had that box was because it came free with a coupon.

Which just makes the whole 'free coupon' thing rather pointless.

'Wine-Coffee'

A couple of nights ago Andy and I made Wassail, it being Christmastime and all.

Mmmm.

Anyway, Drew asked what it was, so Andy told him it's basically hot wine.

Then, "Daddy, after you're done with your winecoffee, we'll go play in the living room and hide in the pillows."

WINECOFFEE. Got that?

Makes perfect sense: Coffee = Hot.

Hot Wine = Winecoffee. Perfect almost-four-year-old logic.

Stranded.

As if the whole week without my car (otherwise known as a mother's sanity on wheels) weren't enough, Andy went to pick it up from the dealer this afternoon and as he was driving off, found the whole steering system was completely out of whack. Which is kind of an important feature, you know.

So, Monday. Monday!

It's always something, isn't it?

Sleeping Beauty

Now, if she'd just sleep ALL NIGHT LONG!