Thursday, December 22, 2011

Sick :(

No, not me - Simeon. I hate when my kids are sick. Fortunately, it is not a common occurrence around her, so when it happens, it is more noticeable. Frankly, no one is really operating at 100% this week. B.J. and I are up to all hours trying to get things done (life is busy enough without the added fun of preparing for Christmas), Elianna has a lingering cough from an earlier cold, Janaya is a little 'off' somehow too. Simeon though, is the worst.

He has been running a fever since Tuesday nap time and it hasn't really changed. It is between 100.6 and 101.6 so nothing major, and we are very much of the opinion that the fever is the body's way of defending itself and as long as it doesn't get dangerously high, we leave it alone. I did take him to the doctor (which I SOOO don't usually do for a simple fever) since he had just been getting over a cold and still had a nasty cough when he got the fever. The doctor checked him out and said that his ears had some pus in them so she was going to treat him for an ear infection. Hmm. I'm not really certain that is the issue, though it might be. It just seems that to cause a fever, I would have expected a worse ear infection. I'm not convinced it isn't bronchitis based on how and what he is coughing. So, while I don't like antibiotics automatically for ear infections or bronchitis, I went with it.

He is miserable and not himself. He's not really eating which is VERY unusual for him..Okay, the constant holding isn't that unusual come to think of it. But, he is sleeping hours upon hours at nap time which is very unusual for him. He is also just cuddling with me all day long - also extremely unusual for my get-into-everything-I-possibly-can-in-two-seconds little boy. I have to admit that I am enjoying the cuddles. I am almost resenting the Christmas preparations because they are nagging at me with an ever-impending deadline, making it very hard to just sit with him. I am very glad to still be nursing because it is one of the few things he still has an appetite for right now and I know it will help him feel better faster. So, for now, I am trying to get as much done as possible while still meeting my little-guys 'needier' needs. Thank God for nursing and baby-wearing. This would have been an impossible week without both of those! I'm just praying for a speedy recovery, health for all of us, and a restful and restorative Christmas break.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Flashback

I was going through pics from this year and came across this treasure. Enjoy!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Happy Birthday, Baby Boy

Dear Simeon,

I can't believe your first year has already come and gone. You came into this world in a 'no-nonsense' way and you have continued in your determination to conquer the world. Never willing to settle for being the third born, you have worked your way into our hearts and family in such a way that we could never imagine if you weren't here.

I have loved watching you grow and develop this year - even when it wasn't necessarily the pace I was expecting, but I am learning that your pace is all your own and it is just right for you. I love how you know now when you have done something exciting, and you cheer for yourself with your big, cheeky, grin that now has some teeth in it. Lately, you are starting to stand independently and when you decide you've had enough and sit down, you clap and cheer for yourself with the biggest smile. I love it! I love your laughter and I have to chuckle along when you find something funny.

As your mommy, you have a way of melting my heart that takes my breath away. I love that you have discovered that and have been freely dispensing hugs left and right. As much as on some days I am ready for you to be a bit more independent, I am remembering to cherish these moments. All too soon, you will be off and running and not quite as willing to cuddle up with your mama. So for now, I will continue to take advantage of the cuddle bug you are and enjoy every minute.

I pray that in this coming year that you would begin to know God more. I pray that I can live a life that shows the Gospel to you. I pray that we can begin to hide God's word in your heart. I can't wait to introduce you to the Savior. I pray for an extra measure of protection over my adventurous little climber, and I thank God that He is watching out for you.

Happy Birthday, my precious son. Your mama loves you so very much!








Just for contrast :)

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Time to get OUT!

We had the wonderful chance to celebrate Thanksgiving this year up at Sarah's new house. For those of you who don't know, my sister, Sarah, and her husband have spent this year building a new house on the side of a mountain in North-Central PA. It is a beautiful, huge house and they were crazy enough to invite all 24+ people to not only have dinner, but stay over a night or two too!

On our last day there (Friday), we went hiking to see the property and in that hiking came across a really cool stream (one of two on the property). This one snaked and forked and rushed its way down the side of the mountain. Perfect. Especially for preschool children. Without hesitation or preparation, the girls started doing the same thing my sisters and I used to do in the woods - play in the stream. Give any kid a stream, a stick, and some leaves and watch their imaginations soar. The girls took turns clearing sections of stream, blocking others, racing leaves down the mountainside, and getting pretty darn wet :) They had a BLAST! and I was not about to stop them. So what if they got wet and muddy (okay, I admit I was a little bit annoyed at that, but I kept it inside - it's just clothes and shoes, I reminded myself). Kids don't get to play like that anymore. We are too busy with lessons, schedules, and to-do lists to just let kids play. Play is the work of childhood, someone once said and it is true. There was all kinds of learning going on in that play. There were gross motor skills being developed, problem solving, physics, science, etc. but that ultimately didn't matter. They were learning in the way that kids this age should learn....by playing.



Elianna hard at work


Grampy made a walking stick for Janaya

Simeon came along for the ride - he even napped a bit Like father, like son :)


Hey! It's MOMMY!!!