Last week of 2009 - trying to stay sane

The last week of 2009 and our daycare is closed for the holiday break. Our goal around here has been to do something each day, keep the boys occupied and hopefully happy while maintaining our own sanity. Sanity felt out of reach at some moments but we survived. =)

Here's how we did it:

Sunday - a recovery day, trying to get over our tummy bugs.

Lots of time just laying around watching tv

Cole stayed clean of the bug and enjoyed laying down playing with a new toy

Monday - a morning trip to the jobsite, a visit to REI and a walk after nap time.

Eli hanging with Grey Wolf

Ready for a walk with his new REI backpack (and awesome jacket - thanks Aunt Cary!!)

This is the picture you get with a dog, 6 month old and a 2 year old

Mommy & Cole - Cole was wearing Eli's hat

He walked our entire circle holding my hand

Tuesday - Cole had his follow up doctor appointment. While I took him to the doctor, Tim & Eli met Carol & Ryan at Monkey Joe's for some fun jumping time. Cole & I headed over after his appointment. We had lunch at Chipotle and then headed home.

Jump Jump

Eli & Ryan driving the cars

Eli got to play skee-ball for the 1st time with Tim

Looks like we're crammed in a photo booth!! Such wonderful friends. =)

We played a round of "Whack the Shark"

Eli with his new ball that I won in one of those claw machines

Wednesday - We went to a place to paint plaster. I was hoping to do something for Cole's handprint (since pottery fell through before) but couldn't find anything I liked, instead Eli & I had fun painting Bob the Builder and making a yellow Jeep for his room. After nap time, Eli got a haircut.

Practicing his model look

Picking out colors for painting

Getting ready to paint

Painting Eli's Jeep while he enjoys a post-painting lollipop

Painting is exhausting......

Finished products - Bob with a dirty face (as Eli called it) and his own yellow Jeep

Cole hanging out wearing Mommy's hat

New haircut - and a mean "cheese" smile

Daddy had a beer after a long day and Cole wanted some too

He finally took the bottle away from Daddy

Thursday - such a fun morning, we went to see Noah and Kylie. I enjoyed hanging out and talking with Robin while the boys enjoyed playing together. We attempted to work on potty training but that didn't go too well - they had simultaneous accidents! Neither wanted to leave what they were doing but it was ok. We worked quite a bit on cleaning up and sharing. Eli enjoyed lunch with Noah and then we headed home for naps. I didn't do as well as normal with pictures, was just happy to be out!

Noah showing Eli how his new Tag book works

Eli giving it a go

Reading a book to keep the boys on their potties - Cole was just hanging

A little wresting practice - they took turns being on top. Love having boys!!

Cole & Kylie - I didn't do a good job of getting a picture when he was awake, he's not a very exciting date just yet. Sorry Kylie!

And that is how we finished up 2009. Can not believe in a few hours that 2010 will be upon us. 2009 has been a very busy, exciting and exhausting year!

Health update - all of us

So much going on.....here's our update:

Eli - still on antibiotic for ear infection discovered last week. Seems to be over the tummy bug but still isn't eating much. Continues to be whiney and fussy. Hasn't been sleeping very well - wakes up several times a night crying.

Cole - had a follow up dr appt today to recheck his ears. Ear infection still there. On 4th antibiotic (a z-pac this time) to keep it from getting worse and a fever developing. Dr recommended we have an ENT look at his ears. Appt scheduled for next Wed. His ear infection has been there since before Thanksgiving and isn't responding to any of the antibiotics so it may be time to do tubes.

Evia - fully recovered from tummy bug, still very tired and weak, somehow still upright.

Tim - fully recovered from tummy bug, has been Super Dad-ing it getting up with Cole in the middle of the night, somehow still upright.

Belle - showing lots of Old Lady signs these days. Getting up / down is harder for her so we're going to increase her arthritis meds to see if it will help. She will be 14 in March so that does make her almost 100. It's hard to watch her struggle sometimes and even harder to think of future decisions we will have to make.

I surely hope we're on the mend. It's been good that we're home from work / school this week so we can all get better but it's also hard because we're together 24/7 and trying to keep Eli occupied and Cole happy that whole time can be challenging. But we're getting there and taking it day by day. My original plan for this week was to go to the Y every morning with the boys and exercise as well as lots of afternoon activities.....guess someone had a different plan for me!!

Our Christmas Story 2009

Feeling some better so time to document Our Christmas 2009 - one full of food, fun, friends and family. Let's start with Christmas Eve.......

Thursday, December 24th

Eli & I started the day making cookie dough to make Santa some chocolate chip cookies. We made the dough and then took a trip to the library playground to run off some energy and see Ryan and Carol. It was a great break as I was home alone with both boys. Eli & Ryan had a great time on the playground and just seeing each other. Once we got home, I tried to get Eli to eat lunch and then we went upstairs to wind down for naps. Shortly after, Grandma & Grandpa N arrived and got their "bus" (RV) parked and came inside to say hello. Somehow I managed to get both boys to sleep and then my parents and brother arrived. I don't think the boys slept very long because the excitement of family visiting and Santa's expected visit for the night were looming in the air.

Eli on his ladder helping with the ingredients for cookies

Snack break at the playground with Ryan

Playing Monster trucks (of course) with Uncle Billy

Cole and Grandma C - happy hanging out together

Christmas Eve we had our first ever dinner with both sets of parents (and Tim & I have been celebrating Christmas together since 2003!!). It was so nice to have everyone together. We had meat loaf dinner with all the yummy sides and apple pie with ice cream for dessert. It was tough getting the boys to sleep but after some grandparent / uncle play time, we managed to do just that. Santa didn't wait too late to come to our house and had things out pretty early in the evening. We thought Tim would get a pass from putting things together this year but not quite - train tracks and a tool bench had his name on them.

Our first dinner with both families

Grandpa C and his grandsons

Grandpa C reading 'The Night Before Christmas'

Eli watching Monster Trucks on tv

Baby Cole - sweet as can be

Mommy's two boys - all decked out in their Christmas jammies, Eli was totally thrilled for picture time

Picking out a few cookies for Santa

and grabbing one for himself

Cookies for Santa

Daddy putting together the work bench from Grandma & Pop Pop N

How many grown men does it take to put together a toddler's train track?

Grandma & Grandpa N taking it easy

Santa was here

Christmas morning - Friday December 25th

Eli woke up so excited to see what Santa had brought. Cole woke up much earlier (his tummy just won't let him sleep in, unfortunately) and was downstairs waiting for Eli. Let me just tell you, Christmas Day was ridiculous!! Eli had so many presents that he didn't know what to do. He loved opening them and even helped everyone else open their gifts too. I love watching children rip into presents, not caring how well wrapped they are or what the paper looks like. Our first "present session" was gifts from Santa and Mom & Dad. Eli didn't know what to play with first. Second session was gifts from Grandma & Grandpa C & Uncle Billy because they had to leave after breakfast. Then we had a great big Christmas Day breakfast before my parents and brother left. Then it was third session with gifts from Grandma & Grandpa N and the Florida cousins. I told you it was RIDICULOUS!! I can pretty much sum up Eli's Christmas in a few words: Monster Trucks, Thomas the Train, Cars / Lightning McQueen and work bench. After trying to unsuccessfully get lunch in Eli, we managed to get him to take a nap before our friends Mike & Mary, along with his parents and her brother / nephew, came over for Christmas dinner. We started doing dinner with them several years ago and it is something I love doing. Dinner was very yummy and we had fun hanging out with our friends.

Hanging with Grandma C waiting for Eli to get up

Ooooooh, Santa came to see me!

Checking out his Santa loot

Best part of the stocking - M&Ms

Cole hanging with Grandpa with one of his Santa gifts

Eli loved Cole's walker - he ran around and around with it

Cole thought it was more fun to chew on it

Loving some Thomas

Eli saw this present and said he had to open it. He was very happy to see a Big Monster Truck from Uncle Billy and Miss Niki

Opening his gift from Aunt Cary - an REI box can only mean something good!

More Monster Trucks - the middle size ones - Thanks Great Aunt Val!!

Uncle Billy with his camo sheet set - notice the camo pj pants. If he gets a camo shirt, you won't be able to find him in his bed!

Cole chilling and bouncing with all the activity

My family - love them so and am glad they were here with us

Cole playing during breakfast

Watching Grandma & Grandpa C leave - Eli loves to watch from our front window and wave goodbye

Second session - Tim's parents opening their folding bike. They've adopted the RV lifestyle so we decided to help them enjoy it a bit more.

Miss Belle taking a break from it all - Santa Paws did leave her some treats on the mantle

Not quite sure how I caught an "almost smile" on Tim - love the shot. And love you HB!!

Tim's mom made him a big blankie - made the same way Eli's blankie was made.

Eli crashed Cole's walker in the trash bag and made a huge mess

Cole checking out a new toy

Ridiculous!

Our neighbor Henry in his custom Carolina Panthers apron. I was so proud of this - I made it, and his sister's, myself!

Samantha's apron - love the green / brown combo

All dressed up for dinner - still playing Monster Trucks!

Eli got his work bench from Grandma & Grandpa C before our friends arrived for dinner. It was perfect as he had mellowed out a bit from all the other presents and could focus a bit.

He really enjoyed banging with the hammer

and using the laser guided drill

The not-so-fun part of Christmas was that I started feeling sick about 8pm. I ended up throwing up several times and then Tim started about 10pm. By 1am, we were pretty much empty but then had to take care of Cole when he wanted a bottle at 2am - THAT was very hard. Unfortunately, Eli also started feeling bad and throwing up on Saturday. The good news was that the throwing up part only lasted about 12 hours but we were weak, tired and didn't want to eat for a few days. Saturday and Sunday were spent quarantined in the house, being as lazy as possible and sleeping when the boys would allow.

Poor little Eli - holding his sick bowl on the couch

We hope that everyone else enjoyed the same good parts of Christmas that we did without having to add on the not-so-good. Hard to believe this one is behind us and 2010 is staring us in the face!