Everything In Between

The reason I blog so often is because I love to create Blurb books from our posts. It's a collection of our history that I plan to pass on to our children. The most important part of these books are the photos I take along with the memory of what was going on at that time. So, in an effort to catch up and add some memories of the past couple of weeks, here is one long, very random post that bounces all over the map. 

 This is a beautiful photo I took a few weeks back on our way home from Christmas shopping. I probably shouldn't have been snapping pictures while driving, but it was just too lovely to not take advantage of and there were no cars around me at the time. I just love fall in the Pacific Northwest (especially when its not raining)!

 My sweet mother took Ella over to her house a couple of days last week so I could care for Nicholas without a precocious two-year-old underfoot. She completely enjoyed her time with Gramme and zonked out both evenings when she returned home. 

 Nicholas is still requiring some oxygen and his bi-pap during the day. Now its only 2-4 hours during the day plus all night (nighttime is always normal for him) instead of around the clock oxygen and bi-pap. So he is not back to baseline yet, but he's definitely heading in the right direction which makes me one happy mama! He has the best disposition, offering a smile even when he feels crummy. 

 Ella had a slight fever and runny nose last week. It wasn't anything major and she bounced back in a couple of days, thank goodness. 

 I gave Ella her winter hat last week since the temperature dropped dramatically and she was outside a lot with Daddy and Gramme. I had planned to give it to her for Christmas, but when you need to be warm, you need to be warm, right? Now she loves it and wants to wear it all the time. 

 Just a few days ago I was reflecting on how much our baby girl has grown and changed in these last several weeks. She speaks much clearer now and is quite easy to understand. She also repeats absolutely everything we say, so we have to watch what we say and have taken up spelling words we don't want her to repeat. She has also become so cuddly and compassionate. She loves to crawl up on our laps and snuggle with us and has wanted to fall asleep with one of us in our bed every night. We then move her to her toddler bed in her room where she usually sleeps peacefully for the remainder of the night and only gets up when she hears Jeff getting ready for work in the morning. Then she crawls back into our bed and sleeps with me. I have loved her at every age, but I honestly think two is my favorite so far. 

 Here's Mr. Nicholas feeling just fine and off oxygen and bi-pap, thank you very much. His occupational therapist, Miss Pam, came over last Thursday morning to do some school work with him since he isn't going back to preschool until late January or February. Pam is the sweetest and Nicholas absolutely adores her!

 Ella's new buddy is Nicholas's giant Curious George. It's almost as big as her. A few nights ago she was driving all over the house with George on the front of her plasma car and she could not stop laughing. She got a kick out of racing around with her monkey friend. 

 Last night Ella must have decided George needed some manicuring, so she got out the nail clippers and trimmed his fur and toe nails. She cracks me up!

 Yesterday during bath time, Ella learned how to float in the water and was so proud of herself. 

 Today she spent most of the afternoon "reading" her books. She loves to look at the pictures and tell her own made-up story. 

 Each year I buy only one new addition to our Christmas decorations. Usually it's a new tree ornament, but we have so many now, almost too many to put on our tree since we've been getting four feet ones the last couple of years. This year I picked up this cute red berry tree and sparkly snowflake place mat and I am using them as a centerpiece for our dining table. 

 I bought Nicholas a cozy Sherpa blanket for Christmas, but like Ella's winter hat, I felt he needed it early. Now that he's been venturing out of his bedroom into the living room, I thought a cozy warm blanket would make our boy happy, and I was right. He loves it softness and the coziness of it and likes me to rub it on his hands and feet and cheeks. 

I feel like one lucky lady to be a mother to these adorable, loving children. When I was young and imagined what my life might be like in my 30's I never could have imagined that I would be so abundantly blessed.