home at last

Two days later than planned, but we made it home this morning around 11:30. I'm feeling much better today after a miserable day yesterday. My husband's still not feeling great, but much better than Saturday, and thankfully Rachel hasn't seemed to catch it.

Today's December 1st, and I had to acknowledge the day with my mom's traditional Dec. 1st song that she used to sing us every year and her mom used to sing her every year.

Oh, December how I love you,
And the joyous sounds you bring.
Winter snow and winter sleighrides,
Hear the merry sleighbells ri--ing,

chorus:
"Jingle, jingle, jingle on the frosty air
Tis a jolly sleighride I de-clar--er--er--er.
Jingle, jingle, jingle all the world is fair,
Jingle, jingle, jingle everywhere.

Hear the voices of the sleighbells
Ringing out so loud and clear
Telling with their merry voices,
"Santa Claus will soon be here---re"

chorus

a recap

Today I'll give you a recap of the last several days of our Thanksgiving "celebration. "

Wednesday--Rachel and I left mid-morning to run last minute errands and then drive an hour north to pick up my husband from work. He doesn't usually work an hour away, but his company has an office up there and he sometimes has to go up to meet with his co-worker up there who does a similar job. He decided to go Wednesday to put him an hour closer to our destination. He got off at 11:30, so we met him up there and continued on our way to my parents' house. Rachel didn't sleep in the car as we had hoped. She almost always does, but this time she decided to tell us every two minutes that she wanted to "go Gwammaw's house." Over and over and over. If I had a dollar for every time she said it, I'd be a rich woman.

But we finally arrived and she was happy as a clam. Soon after we got here, my brother and his family arrived, and Rachel had a ball playing with her cousins for most of the afternoon. We put Rachel to bed a little bit early and she was more than happy to comply, because she got to sleep in her big girl bed.

Thursday morning we set out to see my husband's family. This year was a little different than usual because not everyone was there and they weren't going to be eating their thankgiving meal until later in the day (which is when my mom's dinner was going to be, too). So we didn't have two thanksgiving dinners like we normally do. Rachel fell asleep on the way out there, probably still tired from the previous day's no-nap. At naptime we drove back to my parents' house, but she didn't take a nap this time. I tried to put her to bed once we got back (she even said she wanted to go!), but she didn't sleep. She sang songs and talked to herself, but at least she was resting.

Thursday evening my brother and his family came back over (they stayed at my sister in law's parents' house), my grandpa came, and my aunt, uncle, and cousins came, who we usually only see at Thanksgiving and Christmas. We ate my mom's delicious Thanksgiving meal and I had my favorite yummy pie. Rachel started crying right before we ate because my husband was setting up the timer to take a family picture. She was "vewy, vewy hungwy" and wanted to eat RIGHT NOW, and when we told her she needed to wait for a minute she started to cry (she hardly ever cries, which is why it's notable that she did it then). So we let her start eating some turkey and drink her milk while he finished up the picture. We put her to bed early, since she hadn't had a nap, and the rest of us played a game, looked at Black Friday ads, and talked until well past our bedtimes.

Friday morning my husband braved the crowd and went Christmas shopping for my presents. He said it was fun, though I don't know any specifics about where he went. My mom and aunt went out for awhile, too. I enjoyed not going shopping and just hanging out with my family, though I was anxious all day, knowing Allecia was in labor, until I heard from her that everything was fine and Marin was born. I also had a frustrating time getting Rachel to nap. She wouldn't go to sleep and kept calling me. After an hour of listening to her alternating singing, calling me, and crying, she finally went to sleep. After she woke up, Rachel spent the afternoon with Alex, since his older two siblings went with their mom and other grandparents to a museum. Alex, who is almost four, loved being the older kid for a change and Rachel loved watching him, laughing at him, and following him around. They were laughing and chasing each other all over Grandma's house. My aunt and uncle left, my brother and his family went back to my sister-in-law's parents' house, and things got a little quieter.

That night I noticed a bag sitting in the TV room and asked my mom whose it was. She didn't know either, so we looked in it--it had a laptop in it, but we weren't sure whose it was. We thought it must've been my uncle's, so my mom called. Turned out it was my cousin's. They were staying at their other grandparents' house about an hour and a half away so we were going to meet them yesterday on our way back home and give him the laptop.

But then my husband woke up Saturday morning sicker than a dog. There would be no going back home. So I did some laundry and hunkered down for another day. Meanwhile, my brother was going to meet them with the laptop instead, because they were heading home. But about 20 minutes after they left, we got a call that my neice had just thrown up in the car so they were going to head back to my sister-in-law's parents' house and spend another night until they all got healthy.

It was a pretty unexciting day. My husband slept on and off on the couch all day long. My dad was in his bed most of the day, too, with a terrible cold. Rachel, my mom, and I hung out watching videos and coloring most of the day. My dad has named this, "The Thanksgiving from Hell."

We're all just waiting to see who else gets it. Hopefully no one, but with so many people sick, it's hard to say it won't happen.

EDIT: Now I'm not feeling well. Oh, brother. I was up getting packed up and ready to leave when I started feeling nauseous. I'm afraid to get in the car, so we may be here yet another day.

ANOTHER EDIT: Yep, I'm sick, too. We're still here. I've been in bed or on the couch most of the day. My husband is feeling a bit better, but still not himself. He'll have to take a sick day tomorrow and hopefully we can finally get back home (provided Rachel doesn't get it, too--oh, I sure hope not).

the best laid plans...

We had planned on going home today, but that was before my husband woke up with some sort of stomach bug. So the poor guy has been laying on the couch all day at my parents' house getting up only to go get sick. Yuck, yuck, yuck. So we're here another day (and crossing our fingers that no one else gets it). My dad has a bad cold, and my brother and his kids aren't feeling well, either (his daughter just threw up in the car on their way back home, so they're turning around and coming back to stay another day, too!), so if we don't catch something from someone, we're apt to catch it from another, but let's hope not.

Ugh.

big news

Going back home today. I'll write more tomorrow.

And the most exciting news in my world isn't actually my news to tell, but since she already put it on facebook, I guess I'm not overstepping my boundaries.....my dearest friend Allecia had a healthy baby GIRL yesterday afternoon! Rachel and I can't wait to go meet baby Marin and help entertain big brother Kaden in a week or two.

Black Friday

Are you going shopping today? I haven't figured out whether I'll be going or not... my husband likes to, but I hate the huge crowds. We'll see if he can convince me to go. I didn't see anything in the ads that I just have to have (for myself or for gifts), so we'll see.

Otherwise we'll be here at my parents' house enjoying lots of family. And more pie! Mmmm....the first bite of butterscotch last night was so delicious--I only get it once a year.

Yesterday was a long, tiring, but fun day. It'll be nice to have a little bit of a down day to recover.

Edited to add: He went without me. He's shopping for me, so that's fine with me! :)

In other exciting news, my friend, Allecia, went to the hospital in the middle of the night to have her baby! Can't wait to get a call (hopefully) this morning!!!!

over the river and through the woods...

...again!

We were just at Grandma's, but we're going back today. Hooray!


Oh, and here is another saying I just heard Rachel say yesterday...but she said it several times, so maybe it's a keeper:

-Good 'dea, Mommy! (idea) --for how long will she be telling me that? I'm sure it won't be long before she's rolling her eyes at my 'deas instead of complimenting me on them!

her latest sayings

Here are a few of the things she's been saying a lot lately.

-Hey guys, whatcha doin' in here?

-I need blanket make my warm.

-I have my hands full! (while carrying all of her babies, or stuffed animals all around the house)

-Look at all deese fings! (all these things)

-Maybe waiter (later)--when I tell her 'no' about something she answers, "maybe later."

-all by MYYYYY sewf (self)

-I got sared! (scared)

-I vewy, vewy hungwy (very, very hungry)--she's never just hungry, but always very, very hungry. Then she eats two bites.

-Dare, dat's bettah! (there, that's better!)

-Good singing, Waytul (Rachel) ....she says this after she finishes singing a song. Nothing like giving yourself a pat on the back!

And lately she's been asking for a "big girl bed." She slept on a mattress on the floor at my parents' house last week, since she's gotten too big for the pack and play she usually sleeps in there, and now she wants one in her room. We hadn't planned on switching anytime soon, since she's still sleeping just fine in her crib and doesn't try to climb out, but maybe we should start thinking about it.

horn of plenty

While at my mom's last week Rachel discovered her cornucopia centerpiece. Grandma told her what it was called and they took out all of the plastic fruits and vegetables inside and played with them.

A few hours later, after it had been put away for awhile, Rachel went up to my mom and said, "Get cokie-cokie-cofia pweeze?" We had no idea what she was saying and asked her to repeat it several times. Suddenly it dawned on me that she was asking for the cornucopia! Now we ask her over and over to tell us what it's called because it's hilarious to hear her call it a cokie-cokie-cofia!

the cape

While we were at my parents' house my mom and I set to work on that cape I was thinking about.

The next morning when we showed her she was so excited.

Her second sentence after, "A Wonder Pets Cape!" was, "Where's my fwy boat?"

So we found her one.

(The only problem with this project is that we had to use glue to put the W on the back because Rachel was sleeping in the room where my mom's sewing machine is, and the glue is really stinky!! I'm hoping the smell will dissipate, but right now I can't stand being anywhere near her when she's wearing it!)

the newest Beatle?

Growing up we had a wig in our dress up trunk. I don't remember why we even had it in the first place, but it was always just there. We used to put it on and pretend we were one of the Beatles and sing, "I Wanna Hold Your Hand."



It was laying around my parents' house while we were there and my parents took turns putting it on and getting a reaction out of Rachel. She didn't know what to make of it at first but then would say, "Grandma has silly hair!"



Finally she wanted to try it on herself. How's she look as a brunette?

In other news, I'm sick. My previous cold, which I thought was gone, or almost gone, has turned into a sinus infection. Oh, how I don't like winter....sickness, cold, stuck inside. Yuck. I'm not ready for this.

at Gwammaw's house

Every so often while we've been here Rachel will stop whatever she's doing, look around with a big smile, and say, "I at Gwammaw's house!!" She's just basking in all of the love, attention, toys, and playmates she has here.

Sadly, we go back home today. But we'll be back next week for Thanksgiving, so it won't be long before she can bask some more!

peg legs

While at Grandma's house Rachel decided to put on these "boots," as she called them....one is the old farm silo and the other is the plastic golf bag. She kept saying, "Help me?" because she couldn't get out of them, but we couldn't stop laughing and snapping pictures, so it took us awhile to get around to getting her out!

the human tornado

If they named tornados like they name hurricanes, this one would be called "Rachel."

Within a couple of hours of arriving at Grandma's very clean and tidy house yesterday,* Rachel managed to turn it into this!

*We're at Grandma's this week because Daddy's gone to a conference for work. We miss him, but it's always fun to be at Grandma's!!

germaphobe?

The other night Rachel asked me to help her change her baby's diaper. So I did...on her little blue stool. A little while later she found my gloves. For whatever reason she decided she needed to wear them (plus her pink baseball cap, backwards....) to change the baby's diaper again.



Perhaps she doesn't like passing germs on to her doll?

a 'cate'

A week or so ago I got a video for Rachel out of the library--it's one I've had out before (in fact, it was one I had on vacation and she watched it over and over again in the car....), but she hadn't seen it in a long, long time. One of the shows on the DVD is The Wonder Pets, a show she doesn't ever watch (it's not on at a time that she's usually allowed to watch a show). She's choosing this one a lot, and gets particularly excited when they put on their capes and get in their "flyboat" to go save some baby animal.

Last week sometime she brought me a blanket and said, "Cate, Mommy? Put cate on?" It took me awhile to figure out that she was asking me to put the blanket around her shoulders as her cape (she does this all the time, but usually it's as Super Bunny and she doesn't call it a cate!). So I put the blanket around her and she said, "Thank you my cate, Mommy." Then she was looking around for something. I asked her what she was looking for, and she said, "I looking my flyboat," which is what they call that red contraption in the picture you see. So we found an empty box and that became her flyboat. For several days that sat in the family room and whenever she'd choose to watch The Wonder Pets, she'd get her 'cate' on and get in her flyboat (then I cleaned and the flyboat went out to the garbage....yesterday she was asking for it again.....oops!).

So next on my agenda is making her a 'cate.' And maybe finding a new flyboat.

her new favorite seat

...Daddy's shoulders!

"Sit up dare, Daddy?" she asks as she points to his shoulders.

Doesn't Daddy looked thrilled with the arrangement?

letter to santa

Dear Santa,

For Christmas this year I'd like a "Kwismiss Twee."

But since Mommy told me we'd probably get one before Christmas, could you bring a "pah-ty" hat for me to wear instead? And some for Mommy and Daddy, too, because I want us all to wear party hats.

Love,

Rachel

I asked Rachel the other day what she hoped Santa would bring her for Christmas. The above responses were her answers!

still sick

My house is full of germs. My cold is much better, but I can't say as much for the rest of my family. My husband is getting worse, instead of better, and Rachel's has stayed about the same (except she's added a cough to her list of symptoms). Thankfully, she's sleeping okay at night, thanks to Benadryl and Vicks. Naptime has been a different story.

Some time ago she decided that her stall tactic for keeping us in her room when it's bedtime would be to say, "I need a kleenex, please." I don't know what started it or why she chose that, as opposed to, say, "I need some water, please," like most kids seem to want. She wants a kleenex. All. the. time. So we started leaving one in her bed with her--that way she can't ask us for one.

But then this cold started, and she'd wipe her nose or eyes with the kleenex, declare it "yucky," and then want a new kleenex! This tactic didn't work, though. We wouldn't go back in to get it for her. So then she started crying. Crying with a horribly stuffed up nose just makes it worse, and Saturday at naptime she had worked herself up into quite a mess. We went in a couple of times, calmed her down, she got a new kleenex, and we arranged her covers again, but before long she was at it again. After an hour we gave up and got her up. We told her she could stay in bed and go nigh night or go in her playpen by herself. Either way, we weren't going to be with her. She chose the playpen. And surprisingly, she played really well in there for another 45 minutes before we got her up and declared "naptime" over.

Sunday's nap started out heading in the same direction. I was nervous. I really, really didn't want the no-nap thing to become a trend. She's too little to give that up (I'm too selfish to give it up!!!! It's my two hours of peace!). Thankfully, though it got off to a rough start, she did fall asleep. I'm really hoping today goes a bit better and we can forgo the bit at the beginning. She's always gone down SO well for naps and nighttime. I don't want all of that to change now, after nearly three years. Maybe it's just the cold. Maybe it will all come back to normal when she's well (like, in April, since she's usually sick for most of the winter....). I'm already tired of winter and it isn't even here yet!!!!

the barefoot artist

She asks all the time now, "Paint, Mommy? I paint now?" We only get them out once in awhile because they're so messy, but I'm sure that now that it's cold, they'll be coming out more and more.

After painting I introduced her to the chalkboard on the back of the easel. She had no idea chalk could be used anywhere other than outside on the driveway...and she was thrilled. Here's how she started,

and how she ended...covering up as much as the board as she could reach.

a birthday wish