Ode to January

Once upon a time, I did have a brain,

Lost between marriage and Thomas the Train.

Then along came Thing One and Thing Two,

And then came Thing One and Thing Two with the Flu!

Please go away fever this thing we can't shake,

Motrin or Tylenol which last did they take?

I am covered in throw up, saliva, and snot,

Is this what it means to be the Mamma of Tots?

Let's add fever of 104 and the croup

Means two trips to Children's for our little troup.

There must be a discount for a bulk of copays,

As we went to the doctor for seven straight days.

Then we have croup home remedies, too.

Put them in the shower for warmth and freezer to cool.

Alden awakens us for stories at 3:00

Spencer will only sleep in my room in the swing,

I love him with all of my heart and my head,

But when can we put him back in his own bed!

Dear little Spencer why pick this week

To drink milk from brother's sippy cup as your big treat?

That day brother decided to bring home disease

Two days later you, too, started to sneeze.

It is not only illness that kept us inside

January sent us a snow, no, it tried.

You promise your son a snowman in the yard

But making one from ice proved quite hard.

Thanks to Daddy this was a success

For making a snow-dog from a big, icy mess.

You must have hot chocolate on a snowy day.

Okay, it was worth the stained shirt I threw away.

Our neighborhood rocked on this snowy day,

Everyone sledding and coming out to say hey,

Our neighborhood cocktail party was the favorite for me,

We laughed at the snow tricks our son learned from T.V.

We can't go outside from sick or from weather

All toys in the world can't make it better.

Oh, my we are board! Oh, my we are cranky!

All of Mommy's activities are tanking!

Alden's new passion is puzzles and he is good

He would do them all day and all night if he could.

Two dinosaur puzzles, Thomas, Toy Story and fish,

Over and over, "Can you help me with this?"

We are so board the crib is a toy,

Big brother playing makes Spencer a happy boy.

Brother is teaching baby new tricks Mommy hates

Like crawling out of cribs and through baby gates

Like climbing up stairs to make my life harder

Like painting your face with the dry erase marker.

Like how to crawl faster when Mommy asks you to come

Or the latest fashions to cover your bum.

Baby Spencer has certainly made a new friend,

He watches our Lucy from days dawn to days end,

But no matter how much I plead and I shout,

He can open that cage and lets Lucy out!

Some games are wholesome and ones you might know,

We've pulled out the old school with a big game of Legos

At our easel we paint lots of elephants and E.T.

Alden, Spencer, and horsey make three.

It has gotten so bad that we play with dirty clothes

You know you are board when you play with those

The game is called "laundry" with clothes pulled out everywhere

They love it, so I guess that I really don't care.

Look, we are all showing Alden how much we care

Ignore that one is in a cage and the other strapped in a chair

He has a hat and a whistle that toots,

And all conductors must wear froggie boots!

Mom runs out of ideas and that is a fact,

One activity is always a good, messy snack

Crackers and Cheerios can be a savior

Why do babies like things with absolutely no flavor?

Some days they are sick and screaming, but soon...

There will be a nap in the afternoon!

So, dear January, my eldest wants to play,

Please keep away the sick and the snowy days.

My little one thinks breathing through his nose again is dire

For right now he really misses his pacifier.

Poor Baby Spencer, what a month ten

Quite a sick little boy you have been.

But I think that you liked staying at home

You are most content when we just let you roam.

January, even Spencer can now tell you bye-bye

I really don't think you even tried.

February, for you I am a pessimist

My kids are still sick and outside is nothing but mist.

At least we are together and making it just fine

Even though Mommy has lost her mind.

The Christmas Blog

I have to say that I have dreaded this post. I mean, you can't not do a Christmas post, but I seriously do not even know where to start. The counter on my camera says over 500 photos and my brain is almost as cluttered. Perhaps it was the constant company, the two very sick children, a broken oven, or all of the above.

But, here we go. This is our "Happy Birthday Jesus Party" for the neighborhood. This just cracks me up. I love that we are surrounded by children on all sides of our home and that all of these families all wanted to come together to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. However, check out the toys and children in my den! Mass chaos! We had ordered a plethora of food for the event since the temporary illness of my beloved oven and ended up being stuck with a huge blue cheese ball and sandwiches because no parent could actually eat anything. Want to know the best thing to have in your neighborhood at the Happy Birthday Jesus party? The fact that one of the dads is a priest. So, we all got a lesson, a cupcake and candle, and a giant mess! Oh, and my favorite part...I am torn. It is either where the first thing every man says when they walk in the door is, "Do we need to help you fix your fireplace?" Yes, it is falling apart. No, the construction company making a new one did not get it done over the holidays, but so glad it is that big of an eye sore! Or, perhaps it was the moment that my child threw up grapes and apple juice all over the floor and his father in the middle of the party. I so hope that the neighbors come back.

Our first visitors of actual Christmas season were Grandma, Great-Grandma Bettie, Granddaddy Bo, Aunt Nicole, and Uncle Tommy. Our first illness at the house was the croup. Alden. Sick child #1. Daddy took him to the doctor. They called me while they were there and I asked Alden what the doctor said. He says, "She answered Daddy's questions." That did not give me much information.

Reading with Great Grandma. We had only one night with all of the family in town together, so that was the night for Christmas dinner and gifts. Sadly, we had pizza thanks to the dead oven. Spencer and Alden were up way past their bedtimes to open gifts. Spencer, who really is never the one I worry about, had his first true all out meltdown. The passing around and no naps and late night had absolutely gotten to him. So, he missed the present opening and was put to bed, but has enjoyed the results. As Alden's Llama, Llama book says. Spencer was a victim of Holidrama!

For real, Alden vacuumed! Love this new interest!

Aunt Nicole and Uncle Tommy stayed with us for a few days. Alden, already on hyper level 8 from Grandma and Granddaddy upped it to hyper level 10. We dragged then everywhere, woke them up at 6:30 every morning, and kept them going all day long.

This is what happens to you when you are Alden's favorite relative. It might actually hurt to be loved so much by my sweet boy.

My favorite thing all Christmas was the Polar Express Pajama Party at McWane Center. This was really magical for all of us. Alden took his little blanket and Wolfie Dog Dog and sat between his Aunt and Uncle to watch the movie on IMAX which was really, truly just cool.

Even Spencer made it through the entire thing! At the after party, we got to see Santa one more time. Alden clarified that he wanted not just a train but a fish train. Spencer loved the beard. Santa did not love Spencer loving the beard. He said, "Someone take him...please." Okay, Santa is not supposed to say that I don't care what happens.

Each child got the a Christmas bell after the movie. Spencer carried it around all night. Then we had hot chocolate which thankfully came out of Alden's Christmas pajamas since it was there and all over his face. The boys and I had read this book every day for the whole Christmas season, so it was a very special night. Alden would not even let Joey read it to him. He said it was Mommy's book. Priceless.

Big Adventure. Wore out baby.

Family continues with a visit from The Morrisons. Spencer helped Grumps unwrap his gifts.

They hit the jackpot with Alden. New musical trains, a new train track, and a dinosaur puzzle.

And the cutest outfit on earth. Spencer has one as well. You will be seeing this again because we will be getting professional photos taken in knickers. Alden is showing off his screwdriver. He was "helping" Daddy put batteries in the celebration train.

I had totally mastered the figure eight mini-track. I am really thankful that Uncle John was there to put together the new monstrosity. Bridges and multi-tracks that are going to require me to get out the instruction book for the first fifty times one of the boys takes it apart and slings it all over the room and then asks for it to be put back together. Here is the other thing the new train track required. Mom and Dad had to make a quick phone call to Santa to tell him to get Alden a new train table since the coffee table no longer would work. All of this equals one super, happy Thomas fan.

And then Uncle David came. By this time, I already have completely lost control of my children, home, and even what day it is. The Christmas excitement and gift giving is out of control when you marry a man with this much family. The boys were running on super adrenaline. Everyone needs a Great Uncle to shower them with love and gifts. Let's wrap it up with this: Alden says, "There is Uncle David with his sleigh." Need I say more?

Uncle David highlights: The pirate ship. I would have had no idea that Alden would love this plastic pirate ship so much! It plays music to which he has requested I make up words and then asks me to please sing again and I have no idea what words I made up the first time. The entire nativity clan were captured by the pirates sans Baby Jesus who had previously gone missing but showed up several days later in Baby Spencer's mouth clearly saddened to have missed the capture. When it is in view, Baby Spencer is also going to make a straight path to the pirate ship as well. Who knew?

Two, yes two, giant construction vehicles. Both for Alden. The plastic Gumby gift has taken several spins in the concrete truck. For lack of better storage solutions, I parked these vehicles in front of the aforementioned ailing fireplace. The next person that came to our house to visit said they liked the work trucks in front of the construction site. Please! We are getting it fixed!!

The Alden-size dinosaur just because clearly everyone needs this. The dinosaur has slept in my bed, my bed, several times. It goes up and downstairs daily. I tried to tell Alden that it would guard him from E.T. and the giant green bean which he says live together in his closet in his bedroom. I thought this would save us from having to check for them twice a day and spray Febreeze spray every night to keep them away. It didn't work.

Curious George.

Music cube.

Brother taking music cube when Spencer isn't looking.

Brother taking construction truck accompanying hat when Alden not looking. Let's just stop and say that all the things we thought would happen with Christmas gifts happened with Christmas gifts. No surprise, Alden owns all the toys. Spencer owns this music cube. He can only play with the music cube an no other toys. However, if Alden wants the music cube then, of course, he can have it whenever he wants. All of Christmas we would tell Alden to share and he would bring Spencer the blasted music cube. Not that we don't love it, but there are about fifty new toys he wants to play with all of which are "Alden's." Which means, he doesn't want to play with the music cube because he wants to play with Alden's pirate ship or train or other gifts. Alden, subsequently, freaks out and yells, "No, Baby Spencer, No! My (fill in the blank)." Followed by, "He's eating it!!" It took a few days for us to realize that when Spencer gums the toys, as you know everything goes into his mouth, Alden really thought he was eating it and it would go away forever. I kept tell him to trade Baby Spencer hence the music cube fiasco. Kudos to my mother who finally said the magic phrase, "He will give it back. Where is he going to take it?" Alden must have noticed that he can't walk and only moves about 1 mph and has made peace with it. He will now stop himself mid-freakout and in a very post-conseling session way say to me and to himself, "He will give it back to me. He will give it back to me." Thus, we have learned to share. Sort of.

Christmas Eve. Baby Spencer clocks in at 102 fever, Mom on antibiotics with mini-fever, Dad goes to quick visit to Doc in the Box, Alden still croupy. Nevertheless, we are determined to celebrate. We still had fun with christmas eve cookie decorating for Santa. We all tried a couple to make sure they were good.

Leaving Santa milk. One of the first things Alden says on Christmas morning: "The milk is gone! The milk is gone!"

We are at Christmas Eve, and Santa did not follow the rules. Three gifts to Jesus from wise men, so three gifts each from Santa to Alden and Spencer. He must have thought we said multiples of three. Santa tells us that it really didn't look like that much stuff when he was getting it ready in his workshop, but somehow as he was carrying it in multiple loads down the chimney it became sort of ridiculous. Oh, and the train table not pictured above...

And...

I couldn't get it all in one photo. That might be bad.

But it was worth it.

Two super cute and smiling boys in Christmas pajamas. My little baby trouper. Runny nose, fever, double ear infection and no hope of seeing a doctor for two days.

Our first white Christmas, can't you tell? I mean, HUGE, beautiful flakes falling from the sky. So, we run outside to take a photo, sick baby and all. You can't even see it! If you were here, you know. If you weren't, just trust us, it was beautiful.

"Accumulation."

Our favorite present.

Alden has wanted froggie boots for so long. It was the very first thing he asked Santa to bring him. He wanted them so he could splash in rain puddles. Thank you God for sending my little boy puddles for Christmas.

Everyone loves the froggie boots.

Dr. Alden. He gave Spencer a few shots and is an expert cardiologist...with sound effects. When Daddy was leaving for the doctor's office, Alden said,"Wait! I have a doctor kit." Clearly, we no longer need to worry about those co-pays and long office waits. We have a professional right under our roof.

Grana and Pops visited on Christmas Day and brought more presents.

Stockings and slobber.

Nothing like a train table full of dinosaurs to encourage one to learn to stand up.

And now we are a pro. Watch out, they are both mobile now!

It is a toss up for favorite toy. The ball or the snail. They both roll and get chased. I happen to love the ball because it is the first toy the boys play with together. They roll it back and forth and Alden will go and get it when Spencer rolls it completely off course and returns it to him. The ball is developing sentimental value.

We love to watch our big brother do anything.

We will even be a passenger on his train. Getting double mileage out of the high chairs. And the froggie boots. When we play train, we must have four things now: the conductor hat, the train whistle, Lucy as the caboose, and froggie boots. Then, you can drive the train. Look, there is an empty seat for any one of you who wants to jump on!

Mary and Joseph with their camel and baby. Alden has still not called us Mommy and Daddy in about a week now. But, he has asked to read the Bible every night which warms my heart. In the New Year, I feel so blessed that this is my family and I am the lucky mom of these two special boys who make everything more fun. I am thankful for all the toys that will help me entertain my little cherubs for at least another week or two. I am thankful for the antibiotics that will finally cure Spencer's ear infections and allow us to sleep again. And I have surrendered my den, ugly fireplace and all, to a playroom for my children and all of their Christmas wishes.