So Long

We'll be heading up north in a few minutes and be gone till the new year. Have a very Merry CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year!

picking it out

Emma received two $10 bills for her birthday for different family members. She loved being able to go to the toy store and pick out her own present! I think she felt so big choosing. . . . now she did choose several things that were way over $10 but when told this is 10 and that is 10 or that over there. She had fun looking and picking it out. Here's a couple of pictures of what she chose.

Taking a walk

The other day day it was so nice out we all went for a walk. Thanks to Aunt Tanya for the shopping cart so Isaac would have something to push too. It was a nice friendly walk that turned into a super looooong walk. What was I thinking?!

Bath time

**Warning Naked baby bottoms on this post**
(Chad look away)
Emma and Garrett taking a bath. Garrett LOVES taking a bath with sister! He gets so sad when I have to take him out at the end.





Can't wait for the bath to begin!





Splish Splash

Christmas Lights

Tonight Emma and I set up the fake tree, put lights on it, and she put the ornaments on it. Yesterday I put up some lights outside on the rail and sidewalk. Here's some pictures of the fun we had. Garrett wasn't as thrilled since he was trapped in his highchair and couldn't get down to pull on the tree.

Child Labor

We believe in child labor . . . why else do you have kids???

Children's clothing sizes

I just don't understand children's clothing sizes! Thank you Caleb Clement for the hand-me downs.

Balloons

Despite some people's adversion to balloons as a chocking hazard. Garrett and Emma love them! This Princess Ballon has brought such joy to Emma and Garrett for over a week now. If Garrett has it and it's taken away for any reason, he throws a fit and starts crying. He will carry it from room to room if allowed to. Thankfully Big Sister is being pretty nice and shareing rather well with it.

Snuggle Bug

We have been blessed with such sweet affectionate children. Garrett loves to find a soft blanket or toy and just lay his head down and snuggle with it all the time. It's so cute to watch.

Marti's Mom

My mom found out yesterday that she is going to need chemo again for two spots on her back where the cancer came back. This is a blow to her spirits but she's determined to fight this yet again. It's a good things that's it's only in two spots this time. But a bad thing that it's back and requires chemo. Please continually pray for her body to heal completely and quickly and for spirits to remain hopeful and determined. She begins chemo wednesday.

Thank you for the many prayers already said on her behalf. I know God is listening.

cookie monster

Amidst all the sicknesses in the house there are still enjoyable moments with the kids.

update sickly ones

The kids are doing a lot better. Garrett and emma slept most of the night the last two nights. That has been a blessing. Garrett still coughs some but not nearly as bad or as often as 4 days ago. He's still pulling on his ears but he still has 6 days of antibiotics left for that so it should get better in a few more days. He still needs the updraft machine at least twice a day for another week. You can still hear rasping when he breaths but nearly as much. His appetite is returning. He hasn't thrown up in over a day. Emma is barely coughing at all. Her fever is pretty much gone. Her stomach is getting better. She's still sick and sleeps more than she used to but she seems to be on the uphill climb now. They are both able to play happily now for longer periods of time. Matts stomach problems from the otehr day seem to have stopped and his appetite is returning as well. He has thrown up or anything else in several hours so that's a good sign. I was begining to feel sick yesterday but seem to be doing ok today so hopefully I will miss the intensity of Matt and emma's stomach problems.

Thank you for all the prayers on their and our behalf. I know they are working. I ask for your continued prayers for a complete recovery. It's such a blessing to have such good adn giving friends and family.

SANTA 2006

Last night we called the North Pole and asked Santa to come to our house and take pictures since Garrett's too sick to go to daycare and get pictures taken. Santa said he would come. He flew into the airport and meme and popo happened to be driving by and picked him up and brought him to our house. We took pictures. Unlike last year Emma went right to him and sat in his lap for pictures. Then Garrett had his turn. After a few pictures Santa rode with us to daycare. We had an hour and a half of kids and pictures Emma was feeling so sick she was laying on the floor crying to go home. So we wrapped it up and brought Santa back so meme and popo could take him back to the airport to pick up the reindeer. Emma fell asleep on the way home and was pretty hot by the time we got back. I gave her tylenol and she took a 2 1/2 hour nap. When she woke up she had birthday presents waiting for her from meme and popo and granny and big daddy. She had a lot of fun opening her presents.



Birthday presents:

Sickly ones

Tuesday:
We found out today Emma had a temp of 104 and a seriously bad cough. we did x-rays and thankfully ruled out the Flu. Garrett has RSV and a double ear infection. If they hadn't found a take home breathing machine we would have had to hospitalize him for the night. We go back to the Dr tomorrow (wednesday) to see if the treatments tonight have helped enough to keep him out of the hospital. So far he is sleeping soundly instad of the terrible coughing and wheezing of the last few days. Please pray he and emma will heal quickly and return to normal kid behavior soon.

Today:
We went back to the Dr today. All in all we got there at 10:20 we were finally done with everything and home at 1:30. uuggg. The Dr checked Emma. She is doing alot better. She had no fever today but was starting to get an ear infection. So we got medicine for her cough and her ear infection. She should be fine within a couple of days. Garrett on the other hand is much more serious. He is still at home so that's a blessing. He is coughing all the time and has a constant wheezing in his chest. His double ear infection was still pretty bad so we got medicine for that. We had to go purchace an updraft (breathing) machine for his RSV and he has added medicine for that. one medicine 2 times a day and one every 4-6 hours. He's not really keen on the gas mask he has to wear for 20 minutes so many times a day. He also has tylenol to make sure he doesn't start a fever. We cannot even guess to how long he can't be in public. So, we will see eveyone again one day :) He has a long road ahead of him to be fully recovered. Please keep both my kids in your prayers for their speedy recovery.

Taking a bath

Isaac and Emma somehow got it into their heads to sit in the baby bed and pretend they were taking a bath.

3 Years Old

It's hard to believe our little girl is 3 years old already. She had her Birthday monday and is so grown up. She wants to do everything by herself. Most of the time she gets it right too. She is fully potty trained. She is taller than most of her 3 and 4 year old friends. She has a huge vocabulary and is constantly entertaining her Daddy and I. She is so sweet and filled with wonder and joy. We love her with all her with all our hearts!

Daycare Birthday

Emma had a small cupcake party at daycare monday after nap. Sadly she had a slight temp so it wasn't as fun as it could have benn. She did eventually wake up enough to smile some with her friends.

Just like Granny

My mom and I have been told by several people we sound just alike, especially on the phone. It's funny talking to someone knowing they think they are talking to mom and hearing their reaction when I ask if they'd like to talk to mom. After Emma's party saturday I was talking to Garrett in the kitchen. Emma comes running in and says "What was that?" I give her a confused look and say "I don't know. I was talking to Garrett" She looks around and says "No. I heard Granny" So apparently all those other people were right, we do sound alike . . . .even to my own kid!Mom and I got a big laugh out of this one.

Not worth it

I asked Emma a few days ago if she wanted me to put up our christmas tree with it's lights before her Birthday Party. She said "Yeah and everybody can see it outside" I told her to remember we had no plug in the front so we couldn't put it out on the proch. She lights up and says "I know where on is! It's in the hallway" I say "yes but we can run the cord through the front door or it won't close good adn all the real cold air will get in. But we can put it up in the house for your friends to see." She slumped down and said "no. nevermind" So apparently if you can't put the lights outside for everybody driving by to see it's just not worth it.

Emma's 3rd Birthday Party

Emma had her 3rd Birthday Party Saturday. it was, of course, a Princess/Prince party. She had soooo much fun! As her friends arrived they all played downstairs for a few minutes. Then we came upstairs and made Princess crowns and Prince doorhangers. Once each child decided they were done with that, they were free to go play downstairs again. Finally when the novelty of that wore off, we sang Happy Birthday and had cake and sherbert. After everybody was done with that, we opened presents. Emma was so sweet. Almost every present she opened she remembered to look for that kid and say "Thank you for my present" to them. I only had to remind her a couple of times when she was more into the toy and forgot. The party turned out really great! We got her a kid digital camera and case (plus redoing her room super swell). She loved it. She h as been taking pictdures non-stop! I would say her next favorite was the ironing board/shopping cart/vacume that Aunt Tanya got her. Then would be the Strawberry Shortcake hat and mittins and big Barbie Aunt Jesse sent her. She loved all her presents. Everyone did a great job picking out things Emma would like. Thank you everyone who came and helped us celebrate our little girl turning 3 years old. Thank you to all her friends who came adn celebrated with us. It meant so much to Emma that you were there!

They don't know

As further proof Emma and Isaac don't know they are not related, Yesterday Emma picked up her play phone and started talking on it. I asked her who she was calling she said "I'm talking to MY Nan" For those of you who don't know, Nan is Isaac's Grandma. :) She was talking to her for a while telling her all about what every person in the house was doing. It was too cute! About an hour later she then called Granny. (Her grandma) Then she called "Isaac's grandpa" and told him Thank You for the hayride. I tell ya those two don't know they aren't related. It's so sweet.

no longer safe

We just caught Garrett on the 3rd step downstairs. Great! Now we can't leave him alone anywhere. The steps are no longer a huge boundry for him.

Also at 8 months old he is eating quite well. He has basically given up baby food and only wants what he sees on your plate. For lunch he ate some fruit puffs and all of a 1/2 PBJ sandwich. Yeah, Emma only eats 1/2 a sandwich still. Porker! Which I guess is fitting for an Arkansas Razorback.