Thank You

Today @ the Kroger self checkout line, Alexander said "Thank You" to the cashier. I'm not sure if he was thanking her for not carding me after scanning the bottle of New Year's Zin or for letting me bag my own groceries?

Either way, the cashier was so excited. Especially after he thanked her again when we left!

A spoonful of Sugar

Cranky A, the baby that the Bronchitis, Ear Infection & Pneumonia triumvirate delivered late last week, hates taking his medicine.

Well, he doesn't mind the grape flavored Ibuprofen. But not even grape flavoring can entice him to swallow the Augmentin.

Last night at "medicine time" while Papa was working (until 1am) and Nurse Ratchet was busy in the Peanut ward, I had to find a way for the babe to swallow.

Hmmm. I ran through a list of the monster's favorite untouchables... the trash can (gross), the toilet (even grosser), ungrounded electrical outlet (the medicine won't help with electrocution).

Thinking of electricity must have turned the light bulb on; the fridge.

Opened the door & in he went. He was so busy pounding on the fruit crisper drawer, he didn't even notice when I slipped the medicine dropper in the corner of his mouth. And... Medicated.

Well, for now. This trickery has worked 3 times now, enough for his ears to lose the posterior puss & his chest to become a little less congested.

And all without a house call from Nurse Ratchet... and our over-worked Papa.

Shovel the walk?

In the fall Aunt Amy "returned" a fluffy, recently dry cleaned sleeping bag, which she claimed I lent her years ago. I didn't recognize the bag, and we already have a sack for mama, a sack for papa & even one for the little campfire.

Right before Christmas, I saw a homeless looking gentleman crossing National Road carrying a ratty looking sleeping bag.

If I didn't need the sleeping bag, Papa didn't need the sleeping bag and baby doesn't need a bag, why not find a homeless fella who could use it. Right?

The 13-year-old neighbor Colleen told me yesterday that she thought this was a terrible idea. I guess she was right. It's too early to be teaching our little winter squash about car jackings.

This morning, the doorbell of opportunity rang. And luckily didn't wake the squash.

A man with a hard-luck story & a shovel was looking for a little snow-shoveling work. Ten bucks to clean the whole way around the house. But only $2 to clean the front walk.

When I handed over the ones, the man had socks on his hands. Dirty socks. Ugh.

"Need a sleeping bag?" He wasn't sure at first, but after I explained what a sleeping bag was, he agreed. I'd leave it on the porch & after he earned $12, he would pick it up. How much is a six-pack these days?

As Baby Alexander will learn before long, I keep a lot of useful stuff, and can't turn down a deal. I'm not a hoarder, but I have a very organized collection of many, many things which I'm just waiting to redistribute to someone who needs it.

Today was the day. I went to the winter hat, glove, scarf collection & pulled out my old purple thermal ski gloves, purple Thermal ear muffs and a flappy winter hat.

The snow shoveler was so happy to put his socks on his feet & gloves on his hands.

But I told him not to ring the bell again. The baby is sleeping.

Sleeping like a baby

The Albuteral wound Zander up like a Christmas Dreidel, and knocked him over like a wag from Guinness' tail.

You can't quite hear the snoring in this video, but know that it was loud enough to entice me into the nursery to check on the little chick pea before I went to bed.

There's not too much coughing this morning, so hopefully the babe is on the mend. Unfortunately, he HATES his antibiotic, again. Last night we had to hold Baby Boris down, purse his lips, pinch his nose and he still spewed the white goo across the room like D just told a bad joke.

Double "Oh, that's really a mess" ear infections, bronchitis & a little Pneumonia for good measure

Yes, you read right. Our baby is sick. Again.

The day before Alexander finished his nasty pink antibiotic for a sinus infection, he started coughing. The same day that we were to travel to Carlisle for Christmas & that the doctor's office closed early.

I called the insurance company & asked if we could see a doctor in Carlisle. Of course, our insurance is no good in Pennsylvania, but the ever-so-helpful associate said if I could get a referral from our pediatrician, we could take the little sprout to an after-hours clinic. Pediatrician closed. No referral.

General consensus was our cranky baby was just cutting teeth. Fever free, let him be.

Oh, how wrong we were. The poor little guy has double ear super-infections, bronchitis & quite possibly pneumonia in the bottom of his left lung.

How does that happen? Of course, Sarah is on antibiotics for Strep, Norah is on antibiotics for a sinus infection, Ethan is on steroids to finish clearing up the Pneumonia he had last fall & Baby Charlotte is on antibiotics for an ear infection. It should not be possible for little bean sprouts to get additional sicknesses while on antibiotics for previous sicknesses. Someone, right a rule & sent it North!

Anyway. The baby is now drugged & loving life. Well, mostly he just can't sit still long enough to worry about his ear pain and there is no time to cough. He is on steroids to help the wheezing & it is like baby crack. All we need now is some mama crack so I can keep up with him.

It's a family affair

The whole fam-damnly. Very nice.

Despite the icy rain, we got a couple nice family pictures in front of the tree & in the back yard. It was so foggy, the background almost looks fake.

The kids all got ice cream. Grandma said it was to celebrate Mike's birthday, but I'm pretty sure they would have gotten the cones regardless. :) They are also aloud to blow bubbles in their milk & eat popcorn on the bunk beds. All pleasures I didn't have when I was a wee one:).

I think Papa might be getting the new baby bug...

Aunt Jenn also looked like she was getting the "bug" again... She's halfway to the baseball team Grandpa always wanted!

Although we typically open presents first thing in the morning, the bad weather kept the krewe home, so we didn't go Christmas Crazy until right before dinner...

Papa hates presents, but he was a very good sport & helped Alexander open his presents from Aunt Jenn, Santa & Grandma.

Ethan also did a fabulous job helping Alexander! E hit a wall at the packing tape, but I guess that's why they made Mamas?

Aunt Jenn hit the mark with A's first Christmas present; a donation to the World Wildlife Federation.

Papa might hate opening presents, but Mama hates the idea of spending money giving thought-less, un-necessary presents and the commercialization of Christ's birth in general. So, our nearly gift-less Christmas 2009 was perfect. Although we said no presents, Mama & Papa were the only ones who kept the promise. But we can't complain, because the surprise presents we extra thoughtful & all necessary in our daily lives.

Thank you my darlings.

If you are wondering about Sarah's crazy laugh... Grandpa taught her the K-rated version of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer... "Grandma's Underwear" anyone?

Note for posterity... Baby Alexander is cutting 4+ molars & 2 K9 teeth, still has a snotty nose & is pulling at both ears. Oh, and he has a terrible cough. Baby Charlotte has an ear infection. Sarah has strep throat. Ethan is still on steroids for whatever bronchial infection he has. And Norah is on antibiotics for an otherwise undisclosed infection. Yet the crying, drama & overall Christmas Chaos wasn't too bad.

I'm thankful for you all. XOXO

Christmas @ the Santa Claus & his old lady commune

"One of those big sleds, y'know? And he used ta have it pulled by some reindeers, y'know, like, reindeers?

Y'know. He used ta hook them onto da sled and then he used ta stand up inside da sled and hold on to da reins and then call out their names, like, "On Donner! On, Blitzen! On Chewy! On Tavo! C'mon, Becto!" And then, the reindeers used ta take off into da sky and fly across da sky, man!"

Alexander may not have bonded with Santa at the Mall, but that didn't stop him from pulling on his red hat & celebrating at the "Santa Claus & his old lady commune," AKA Grandma's house.

Babushka gave us a little suit for the babes when he was born, a 2T. I thought I had some time before he outgrew it... but after a quick scan of his closet last week, I realized it was already a little too small. So, Christmas attire it became!

Poor little Baby Zane finished up his 10-day antibiotic on Christmas Eve, the same day he developed a nasty, croupy cough. Oh, and an aversion to sleeping the night or taking even the shortest daytime nap... And of course, the doctor's office closed @ noon Wednesday & won't reopen until Monday morning...

Anyway, after a sleepless night & a cranky Mama, Papa woke up early Christmas morning with the snotty babe & let me sleep in. At 7:30 Papa & our little Christmas caroler woke me up with the best rendition of Jingle Bell's ever!

Did I mention that after Alexander met Jolly Ol' Saint Nick, his fear of Grandpa melted away like a snowball in June.

Aren't they so cute now? Birds of a feather flock together!

Unfortunately, the fear of Ice kept us @ Grandma's Christmas morning. To make everything all better Grandma made her Christmas Supercolosal & grandpa passed sugary bites under the highchair to Alexander like D sneaks tuna to Peanut. He wasn't fooling anyone!

Because we're a Weather Channel obsessed family, we made an extra special Christmas Eve party @ Aunt Jenn's. Shrimp, spinach dip, pigs in a blanket, cookies, dips, cheeses, the whole shabang. And we all go to open presents (Although this was supposed to be a present-less holiday???) at exactly 3:31pm, when Sarah woke up from her nap.

Baby Norah spotted Alexander's new JB special as soon as we came in Christmas Eve, and refused to take it off; not even to eat...

Of course all the kiddos were sick, and half the old folks too, so we called it a night early so we could all hit the hay & wait for Santa!

Over the river & through the woods stories from grandmother's house

Each day Alexander & I woke up early. Headed to Aunt Jenn's to get everyone some Peanut Butter toast, Ethan off to school and the chores complete.

But each night we went back to Grandma's to play with Grandpa & Guiness (the recently Smith-adopted doggie).

Norah is still in love with Alexander, and she wanted to make sure he got his daily antibiotic for his sinus infection. Of course, her dedication propelled her to race around the house with a medicine dropper in hand.

And we went out for the running of the children.

So, while the kiddos were running wild @ Target while we waited for yet another prescription on antibiotics, a super-nice guy in a racing wheel chair pulled up to race Sarah. So funny!

Unfortunately, we also made some time for baby torture... I really didnt mean to make the little man hate snow, and thank goodness, the fear melted quickly...

But not before Ethan had the chance to show Alexander how to make a snow fort & eat snow!

But we always ended up playing back @ grandmas house... well, with grandpa too!

All Washed Up

After a long day, well, 5 long days, Alexander is still going strong. Hamming it up for Grandma & Grandpa in Carlisle. What a cuteso!

Nora Elizabeth McMahon

When I was a girl, I had to write an essay about the person I admired most. I chose my cousin Nora. She had cancer when she was little & she survived. More than survived, she thrived. And grew up to be, probably, one of the most caring, sensitive, thoughtful & loving members of my extended family.

We called her Little Nora, because when she was born in 1979 we already had a Big Nora.

She always sent us Christmas presents, although we only saw her once or twice each year.

Nora & my Aunt Bubba traveled the whole way from Rochester, with a backseat full of healthy snacks, to celebrate Alexander's arrival with us & then turned right around to make it back to go to work the next day.
Nora was the last off the dance floor @ Jeff's wedding in October. I danced with her & stood with her to watch Andy & Colin flapping all around dancin' like fools.

And this morning she passed away.

It is sad that Alexander won't get to know her when he gets bigger. But we can be sure that she's made it to Heaven & will be watching down on us. Sending us Christmas presents each year.

I love you Little Nora.

Chillin' with our homies

After a quick stop @ the Pediatrician, we finally evacuated the Wild & Wonderful and made it home to Carlisle to meet the new babes.

Charlotte Eileen is just perfect... well, she was perfect, until she pooped all over me & her mom refused to give me a clean shirt...


Alexander isn't quite sure what to think of all the kiddos. But, he's loving all their toys! He's particularly enjoying the girl's pink toys!





He looked so cute in the hat JB made for Baby Norah, I couldn't stop taking pictures!

The girls love their new edition, and want to hold her & stick binkies in her mouth every minute!