Merry Christmas!

This year I sent out a birth announcement along with our Christmas card. I wasn't on the ball enough to get it out sooner and I figured better late than never, right?

We are having fun today simply hanging out and getting a few last minute things done. We finished shopping early and most of the presents are wrapped. I am planning a little pageant for tonight and tomorrow morning we will be having my grandma's famous Christmas eggs. We will then be driving up to NJ to spend the rest of the holiday with Ryan's family.

As I sit here writing this Griffin is eating tomato after tomato. He has eaten 5 so far! That's 5 full tomatoes not just 5 slices or chunks. This kid is so crazy. Good thing I get ours from Costco so there is plenty to go around.

Hope you all have a lovely holiday and find all the joy you deserve.

Loves and kisses!

Overwhelmed

I cannot begin to explain the amount of candy, cookies, cakes, and sweet treats that Ryan brought home from school today. This is his first year teaching in a school that is not an inner city school and the difference is incredible. I think he got a gift from each student and each gift was wonderful. There is no way we can eat all of the incredible goodies we have.

He did also get a Walmart gift card which will be used gratefully and some other fun gift sets with mugs and such.

I am completely overwhelmed at the generosity and love of his students. It is so nice to feel appreciated especially at this time of year.

Note to those with school age kids: If you get your kids teacher a gift try not to make it food related or come in a mug!

Caramel Candy Recipe

I made the yummiest caramels yesterday and thought I'd post the recipe for anyone who might want to try them.

SOFT CARAMEL CANDY

1 c. butter 1 lb. brown sugar (2 1/3 c.) Dash of salt 1 c. white corn syrup 1 (15 oz.) Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp. vanilla Melt butter, add brown sugar and salt; stir in milk and corn syrup and cook over medium heat, stirring all the time until it forms firm ball stage - 236 degrees. Take off of heat and stir in vanilla. Pour in generously buttered 9 x 9 inch pan. Cool. Best if left all day before cutting in squares.

Jungle Party

Today my visiting teachers (women from our church who visit to make sure all is well) came over for a bit. We were downstairs which is where the play room and computer desk is set up. We were sitting on the couch talking for awhile. Evan asked if he could play on the computer. I said he could.

He has several sites that we have bookmarked for him but ever since he has learned to read and write he has been putting words into google. It usually doesn't work for him and he still mainly just goes to his regular sites which are noggin, pbs, and disney for the most part oh and of course webkinz.

As he sat down he said, "I am going to find Evan's Jungle Party. " He is having a jungle safari birthday party in Jan and it is all he can talk about. I didn't think much of it and we continued to talk.

As they were leaving we happened to glance over at the computer (which Evan had abandoned several minutes earlier) and there was a naked woman and the title "Jungle Party 2."

How nice.

It is time to break out the parental blocks.

How embarrassing.

Happiness is...

A snowy morning and an orange sled!

Getting out of wet clothes and enjoying Hot cocoa!

A letter to Santa Clause!
(if you look at this one larger it says North Pole)

A lovely Christmas tree!

A grinning baby boy!
(this is his normal look, always laughing!)

I just love the holiday season!

Merry Christmas!

Pregnancy Q&A

Saw this on another blog, had a good belly laugh, stole it to put on my own blog. Enjoy.


Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A: No, 35 children is enough.

Q : I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.

Q : What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.

Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational.
A: So what's your question?

Q : My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right?
A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.

Q : Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor?
A: Not unless the word 'alimony' means anything to you.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q : Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's diaper very quickly

Q : Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?
A: When the kids are in college.

Litte Fin

This is Griffin singing Twinkle Twinkle and then he sings his favorite song which is the theme song from Cars by Sheryl Crow "Real Gone." He loves that show, that song and everything about that movie.

Too cute.

If you're happy and you know it....SPIT!

I finally agreed to cut off the side wings of Oscar's hair. He does look so cute but it makes him look so much bigger. My baby is growing up. Ok, perhaps I am being a bit overdramatic but I'm already missing those teensy baby days.

Isn't he cute!

Evan at Karate

This is Evan at his Karate class. He really enjoys it and is always talking about it with people he meets. Tonight they did a presentation for Santa. Sorry the quality isn't so hot but it was the best I could do with where I was sitting.

Six months already?

Oscar is sixth months old. Can you believe it? I really can't. It is amazing how fast the time seems to slip away. I feel like it was just a few days ago that I was first realizing that I might be pregnant and now he is here and has made a permanent impact on our family.

What a sweetheart this little boy is. He is so genuinely happy to be alive. Just a glance in his direction is enough to get him smiling. He giggles for most of the day and practices rolling around on the floor for the rest. He doesn't crawl yet or sit up but he can move all over the place with a well executed roll or scootch.

His hair. His hair is the stuff of legends. There is just so much of it and all of it is huge curls that stick up and away from his head. It is crazy, funny, and ridiculous hair and I love every milimeter of it. I know that soon I will have to cut it but for now I love to stroke it and wrap a curl around my finger while he sleeps in my arms.

He is my smallest baby and unfortunately that has been an issue for him. I loved my big chunky babies but there is something so sweet about a small baby. He is light and easy to hold for a long while. I can let him sleep in my arms for longer periods of time and he seems younger because he is smaller. I am ok with that. Stay small for just a little while, little Oskie.

He has and still has some health problems but has dealt with them all with such ease. He is smiling during his exams and giggles at the doctors. The nurses are all taken with him and are happy to see him again. It has all been much less of an ordeal because of his perfect attitude.

Oscar had a rough start and it brought our bond very close to the surface very quickly. I had to protect him from the moment he was born and sacrafice what was good for my body in order to give him what he needed, which was a mother by his side. I truly believe that angels reside in the NICU to be with God's smallest children and take care of them. I don't think any mother could leave her child there without feeling that spirit there.

I am keenly aware of how quickly infancy passes and try to relish each moment with him while he is still such a new spirit.

I'm not on my computer so I don't have access to many pictures and will try and post more later this week. I am working a lot of overnights, though so daytime will be sleep time.