Oh goodness, I just realized it's been several weeks since my last blog update. I think it's safe to say I have a case of the winter blahs. Different from the winter blues in that I am not seasonally depressed, per se, just lacking sunshine and vitamin D, I think. It doesn't help that we all are cooped up most of the time to keep away from all those germy people in public. Nicholas has not been to preschool since December, but will be returning next week which will bring some normalcy to our routine again. I am looking forward to that! I am starting to incorporate regular exercise and a healthier diet into our lives, which truly is beginning to make a significant difference. Here's a glimpse at what we've been up to these past few weeks...
Just a photo of me. I usually never take photos of myself but I realized that one day when the kids look through our photos, there will be very few of me when they were young, so I am doing my best to take a few of myself now and then.
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Ella has been potty-training these last few weeks (which is another reason we've been cooped up) and she's doing pretty well. She has good days and days with accidents, but she is making progress and likes to wear her "big girl panties" all the time. She even tried to teach Elmo to use the potty one afternoon.
Jeff's birthday was January 29th and we spent the evening at the Portland Trailblazers basketball game. I purchased the tickets back in September for our wedding anniversary and it was fun to attend the game ON Jeff's birthday.
Warm Up
It was a great game to watch! The Blazers played the Dallas Mavericks and were down by twenty points at the half and had caught up by the fourth quarter. They won the game in the last two seconds by two points! It was so exciting, especially since it was the first live game I have ever attended!
Blaze-the Trailblazer mascot
Since Nicholas has not been going to school, his teacher has been kind enough to send art projects home for both Nicholas and Ella to complete. Last week we made snowmen with chalk, finger painted, and made mitten wreaths.
All this inside time means my domestic goddess really gets an opportunity to shine through. I have been cooking every day and trying lots of new recipes. Yesterday I spent four hours juicing fresh fruits and vegetables for us to drink over the next few weeks. I freeze the juice in breast milk storage bags, so they are convenient to pull out, thaw, and pour into a tall glass. It's going to be my lunch substitute for a few months to see if I can start to shed a few pounds :)
It's nice to have a little lady that loves to be in the kitchen as much as I do. She loves to help stir things on the stove, and is getting more proficient at pouring liquids into the pot.
I made a bean and beef soup last week that was so yummy...
and these tasty ham & egg cups for breakfast last Sunday morning.
Jeff snapped a photo of Ella and I wearing our matching aprons and making dinner on Saturday night after church.
This was the delicious dinner we ate on Super Bowl Sunday. King crab legs, steak, baked potatoes, and asparagus. It was hands down the best dinner I have eaten in quite awhile!
We spent Super Bowl Sunday at my mom & dad's house and my brother, Eric, and his wife, Tina, joined us. I am excited to share that they found out they are having a baby girl! She will arrive in early June and I have been searching Pinterest for baby shower ideas for baby Vivian's shower in May. I absolutely cannot wait for our new niece to arrive!
I took Nicholas to his pediatrician this morning, after Jeff & I noticed a red mark on his right foot. Apparently, since SMA children do not walk or stand on their feet, their feet start to turn in, which Nicholas's have been doing slowly over time. Anyway, he has what his pediatrician called a "bone spur" which is part of his foot bone pressing up against his skin. It's not painful for him unless we put on his AFO's (foot orthopedics) and then he winces and cries in pain. Dr. Holland gave us an ace bandage and suggested moleskin or the like to protect it from from rubbing on his AFO's. We will also be going to Shriners on Friday to get him fitted for some new AFO's that will be more comfortable and that will not irritate his bone spur. I swear, this little boy has so much stacked up against him and he just smiles though all the pain. He is such a joy and a reminder that while we all have crosses to bear, carrying ones cross with a smile on your face, makes it so much more bearable. (On a side note: I know most four-year-olds don't use pacifiers, but since Nicholas's mouth is the one muscle he seems to have the most control over, he likes to chew, move, and spit out his binkie during the day sometimes. And we are all for oral physical therapy).
