Bad Habits? Alzheimers? What the heck???

I've been stressed out the last week or so. With Christmas comes a lot of details for the lady of the house. Buying presents, wrapping presents, decorating, baking... Then there's just the normal stuff of life. Dishes, laundry (much less with Norah on Prevacid:)), diaper changing, potty training, cooking, cleaning, etc. Then there's work - MCF work that I do with the kids around. Mailings, labels, postage, phone calls, records, etc.

When my brain is full of all this stuff, sometimes it leaves out important stuff. Like don't leave your camera in the bottom of a Walmart bag. The screen might break. Or, while you're packing kids' stuff + Christmas presents, don't forget daily pills you take. So on top of taking care of daily stuff, then I have to make time to fix the things I've broke/forgotten/find things I misplaced.

I seriously have to stop sometimes and talk to myself about which details matter. The Alzheimer's comment isn't a joke either. My grandma is suffering from it badly right now and I think it's an awful disease.

Anyway, just some thoughts...

Norah the Scavenger

Norah's getting around quite well these days, and I fully expect to see her taking her first steps in the next month or so. She might make more progress if her brother would stop tackling her from behind when she's standing up by herself. Sometimes she takes it well. Sometimes she doesn't. Either way, she's definitely to the point of mobility where we can't leave drinks sitting around without them getting knocked over, can't leave snacks on the coffee table, etc.

She's found rolls and other food & drink that Luke leaves around, but I bet her favorite was the cookie she picked up at Kristin's while the kids paid attention to the tv and the adults to Settlers of Catan. I can't remember who found her, but whoever it was found a happy Norah with chocolate on her face. That's my girl:)

Norah Lou Who

I put pigtails in Norah's hair when I dressed her for Halloween as Boo from Monsters Inc. Around the same time Kristin put pigtails in Cate's hair and it looked so cute! I couldn't wait til Norah's hair was long enough to do pigtails more often. Then I realized it looks plenty cute right now in pigtails. A few people have said she looks like Cindy Lou Who with her hair sticking up like that. I think it's endearing;)

The Date I'd Always Wanted

That may sound cheesy but it's true. At the top of my wish list has been to see Harry Connick Jr in concert at Christmastime. When Eric nonchalantly said Krystal had a ticket to go, I begged Pup to get to the nearest computer and order us tickets. He did, and since Oct. 11, I'd been looking forward to that weekend. We used a discount from Holly's sister and got a super cheap and very lovely Marriott room. And Mom and Nic watched the kids for us, so we had the weekend to ourselves in St. Louis.

I thought my desire to see Harry would be quenched after this weekend but really, I just want to go back, sit closer, and see that handsome smile.

In 10 years...

I don't know how many times a day I think to myself, "In ten years I will miss this." Like today, Luke woke up and was talking about the boo boo on his finger (a very small boo boo if I do say so). So I kissed it for him and he said with much sincerity "All better." Or the other day he said, "Mommy play cars me?" You can't imagine the sweet inflection that goes with it and it's impossible to pass up. In 10 years I'll be wishing I could kiss his boo-boos and be the one he asks to play with.

Hats

My kids have been in a hat phase lately. Mostly Luke. But Norah doesn't usually mind. He's pretty creative about it.

Here are the construction hats. Very useful for crashing.

This baseball box made 2 hats!

Neither of them were too willing to wear hats for this photo shoot:)

Norah looked good in her Steak n Shake hat.

A Bonus!

Last week my boss Mike planned a little Christmas party with some Board members, me and my kids, and Bridget who cleans the campus house. He said we were going to have some desserts and just celebrate the holiday season. Sounded fun to me. I'm always up for sweets.

That Monday arrived and Luke was sick. So I called Mike and told him I couldn't come. He called me back later and asked if he could come by. So he brought me a plate of yummy Pampered Chef brownies and a card - with a big check inside for a Christmas bonus!

There are about a hundred things we could use this bonus check on. Mostly house things. Yesterday I wanted to treat myself to a better double stroller. I'm looking into that. Earlier today I was thinking about a new camera (since I broke my 2nd one in 6 mos. Yikes!!!). Presently, I'm remembering how much I want to carpet the cement back stairs to our bedroom b/c I just fell up them and my knees are killing me. I think the carpet's going to win out for sure. Hopefully I can treat myself to something else too.

Yaya's Island

Kristin had mentioned to me that there was a cool new play place in Paducah called Yaya's Island. We planned to take the kids sometime this winter when we were going stir crazy. Kristin ended up going first with another friend and came back with good reviews. So when Denise and Logan wanted to go, we went on the day before Thanksgiving. Pierson, Sarah, and Mike joined us too.

The kids liked the birds and tropical fish in the huge aquariums. I thought Luke might have a bird issue after the zoo, but he didn't:) The kids had a blast playing on the inflatables, climbing on the slides and in the Jeep, "cooking" in the play huts, and playing arcade games.

Denise took Luke to look around while I took care of Norah and when I found them, they were in the gift shop area playing with cars. My boy is obsessed!

Anticipation

My favorite part of the Christmas season is the anticipation of it all. I love Christmas music, decorating the house for Christmas, thinking about what I'm going to get people for Christmas, wearing Christmas shirts (not teachery ones though), baking treats, visiting Santa, shopping for gifts, giving people the gifts I picked out especially for them, and waiting for snow. With Luke being sick we haven't gotten the tree up yet and it's kind of driving me crazy:)

I've got quite a collection of decor about Joy. A lot of that happened the year I was pregnant with Luke and was so excited about that gift. My favorite decoration is the set of JOY stocking holders Pup bought me. This year we added a cute snowflake to it for Norah. (I didn't want to move on to NOEL b/c we are four now.)

I can't imagine the anticipation felt in the heavens 2008 years ago at this time. I read a book called A Cosmic Christmas one year. It described the first Christmas when God brought to pass his plan for Mary to have Jesus. How much anticipation there was as prophecy turned into truth. It also described the warfare that came with it, and how the enemy hated seeing God true to His word.

In some situations, anticipation is the worst part. Like going to the dentist or having a confrontation with someone. But in this case, anticipation is one of the best parts for me.

Nervous Wreck

Luke has been sick all week. Sunday morning he got sick at Mom and Dad's house, then he's been throwing up every day since. He can't keep any real food down. I think taking care of a throwing up sick kid is the real initiation into parenthood. I realize I'm only 2.5 years into parenthood. I don't mind cleaning up the mess, changing his outfits, comforting him, disinfecting everything, doing laundry constantly, or even trying to explain why he can't have candy when he thinks he feels better. It's that it's so unpredictable. I have to wait around and see what happens. Maybe he'll be ok all day, maybe he won't. It makes me a nervous wreck.

Then, there's the fact that Pup and I have an awesome weekend planned that I'm praying either of us don't get sick for. Mom and Nic are watching the kids while we go to St. Louis for the weekend and see Harry Connick Jr in concert at the Fox Theatre. I can't wait!!! So I'm also nervous that something will happen and we won't be able to go this weekend.

We're on day 4 of being sick and that's a long time to keep a boy like Luke inside. Maybe things will get better today.