Falalala and all that stuff

I have a few minutes since we are apparently snowed in. There is a whopping half an inch of snow out there but the locals are losing their minds. Granted, the roads do get icy since most of the freeways and highways are well above ground, but still, seriously people? The roads out of town are closed, the military base is closed, all public offices are closed, and Jared is home for a 4 day. We are hunkering down to stay away from the crazy people out there on the roads and will venture out tomorrow to get some fresh air.

As a family update, we are just chilliing. I finished my baking last week so that I could make sure the soldiers in Jared's office had noms before they all left for break. I also made gifts for Kayla's teachers even though she didnt get to go back to school the last week. Kid was still sick. I would have sent her if it wasnt a holiday, but I could not stand the thought of any of those kids getting sick for Christmas. The presents have all been purchased, and half of them are wrapped. We are waiting on one more shipment from Walmart that should be here today (if the Fedex guy can manage to drive on wet roads) and we will be set. We are planning an expensive but super tasty Christmas dinner event with our besties the Reynoso family. We will be missing one who is in the sandbox right now, but we will take lots of pics so that he can celebrate vicariously. I just need to get stuff to send out in his box, I really suck at remembering to do that stuff ahead of time.

Jared has been enjoying half days this week. He comes home right in time for lunch which is so nice for the kids. Normally, he comes home during their one hour crazy monkey time right before and after dinner. So now he gets to see that his kids are actually normal little monkeys most of the time. Unfortunately for him though, he caught our colds. So he is dealing with that, but he can take medication so I dont feel too bad for him. The girls and I still cannot take anything, they are too little and I am too prego.

So me, I am 26 weeks todayish. Boyo is kicking away in there. His favorite spot is definitely my bladder. He also likes to spin so that his feet face my spine and then push off so that his little back arches out of my belly. It is pretty dang uncomfortable, enough to make a tear or two slip out. But I really cannot complain because this pregnancy has been such a breeze compared to the girls. I am only waddling after a long day, and I am still pretty active. My house is clean, my kids and myself are clean, so I am satisfied!

Kayla has been sniffly since about two weeks ago. I am sure it is the inability to go outside, but hoping that will change next week. Its too cold here right now to go outside so I have to wait until the weather warms up a bit. It does average 50 degrees here in the winter so we can actually go to a park in December. Anyways, Kayla has already moved on to asking for things for next Christmas. I told her that if she really wanted the toy she was begging for, then I would take back one of her presents to get it for her. So she decided she could ask for it next year. Of course she forgets immediately after asking for it. This week I had her bag up all of her stuffed animals other than 10 of them and the ones that she had been given as a gift from family. I have a problem with buying cuddly animals for the kids and I have had to stop. I filled a 30 gallon bag full of animals that the kids had never played with. EVER. Some were from my childhood, that still had tags on them. Maddie got to keep hers other than a couple that she said 'scared her'. We donated them to the Junior Enlisted Family center so that some little kids could hopefully have a warm snuggly for Christmas. I was proud of Kayla for not fighting it once she knew what we were doing with them.

Madison is in the full throws of terrible twos. When she gets going it is like a full on explosion that nothing can stop. Her freakouts always happen when she doesnt get exactly what she wants immediately. Since I dont cater to whims, only needs, she freaks out often. It breaks my heart to see her meltdown and not be able to calm her. The events are happening less and less, so I hope that she is getting it. Last night we went to Olive Garden to spend some Christmas money we had been given. Madison normally is a nightmare at dinner. Last night she was so good! She served herself some of the salad, and then ATE IT. She actually willingly ate salad. I grabbed a pepperoncini out of her hands right before she ate that, but I was quite happy seeing her eat green stuff. She even tried calamari. I tell you, that it was one of the best restaurant meals we have had in a long time. Olive Garden is the only place around here that can manage to cook seafood right. Other than leaving the tails on the shrimp that is. Red Lobster always has chewy seafood. EW.

So that is about it. We are just going through the motions, impatiently waiting for Christmas day. I have actually been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from my family. It seems that as the years progress I hear from them more and more. I need to be better at reciprocating, and I plan on starting this in the new year as Kayla learns to write thank you notes. I got a couple packages that brought tears to my over-emotional eyes, just because of the knowledge that this family member thought of my family. I hope as the years go by I get better at this whole 'adult' thing and now that I am done having kids I can focus on remembering the little things, like Christmas cards, and pictures and stuff. We are also planning on heading home for Christmas next year. I have decided that I am done missing my family over the holidays, so if we are still here, we will head back home. I love being around my friends, but they have their families to go to, and its just not the same as being surrounded by siblings, and grandparents, and cousins. So here is to hoping that it doesnt snow anywhere next year so we can drive home!

I hope all of our friends have a fantastic Christmas and a Wonderful Hanukkah (I know it is day 4 already, I am late) And to all my lovely family and friends that are prego as well, enjoy some hot cider since we cannot have the eggnog! Love you all!

Check out the adorable blanket I was given!

Maria added a sleeping monkey. LOVE!

Maddie serving herself salad

She is actually eating and enjoying it!

Tis the Season!

Ok update time! I guess since I am bedresting it for a bit, I may as well blog. I am actually really bored and its annoying. I am currently sick again, really sick. Walking around in a complete fog while my head feels like it is a balloon rapidly filling with air sick. This would be really bad if my kids were not also sick. They are both lounging in the living room watching cartoons, while curled up under pillows and blankets. Kayla was sent home sick with a fever of 102 yesterday. I think she will be ready to go back tomorrow as the fever did not last, but we will see. I do not want to get any other little kids sick over the holidays. She has her school Christmas program tonight that she will be missing out on. It breaks my heart because we have been working so hard on helping her memorize her song for it. School rules, no interaction with other kids until her fever has been gone for 24 hours. While I know that it has been by about now, I am not going to push it.

So for us, we attended Jared's company holiday party last weekend. It was held at the local VFW. We were told it was non-smoking, that they had a bunch of activities for the kids, and that we needed a dessert and a white elephant gift. Oh yeah, its mandatory. Mandatory fun time. We got all dressed up in our finest and headed up. Well, apparently, the no smoking laws do not apply to this VFW. We were there, so we decided to stick it out for a bit. The smoke was horrible. Constantly filling the side room we were in. There was also no kid activities. My little ones ran around like monkeys the whole time while Jared and I kept watching the clock, hoping the smoke didnt affect myself or Kayla's asthma. Dinner finally was served and I was one of the first to get my white elephant gift. I picked up Maddie and we spent the rest of the time in the car watching Beauty and the Beast. It was so nice to see people from the unit, but I was so scared for my health at that point that I couldnt stand it. the food was good though, especially the pecan pie. I could have eaten the whole thing myself. It was store bought! Anyways, Madison fell asleep in the car and Jared and Kayla finally came out around 9 PM. Our friend had given Kayla her white elephant gift. It was a game where you shove some playdough like substance in a dog mouth and squeeze it's leash until it poops it out. Seriously. It poops. And the kids love it like candy. I got a Costco sized container of Starbucks hot cocoa, and Jared got a toilet shaped coffee mug. I would say we made off pretty well. We would have had a really good time if it hadnt been for my fear of the cigarette smoke. Next year, hopefully they have it somewhere else.

We also had a church party on Saturday night. We all seemed pretty healthy so Jared and I made 4 dozen rolls and a bunch more cookies for co-worker and teacher's gifts. Our rolls were gone in 10 minutes, so I guess they were good. What a change this party was! NO SMOKE! It was great food as well, and it was nice to see everyone. We werent very social, but I didnt want to walk around much due to some super fat feet and hands. I mostly sat with my feet on a chair and people came by to say hi. They had a cute Christmas program with a Santa that I believe had a german accent. I do not know who it was, but the kids were happy.  We left when Madison started to act like she didnt feel well. She was getting watery eyes and sneezing. Yikes.

I woke up the next morning feeling yucky. Madison was coughing as well. So sad. Looks like the cigarette smoke had an effect after all. At this point, Jared is still healthy. I really hope he stays that way. He is going to have to finish the baking!

Jared has recently come back from a trip to Fort Knox, KY for some school he attended. I know that I should remember what school, but he goes to so many I lose track. That week sucked, because I was sick then too. Oh right, this part is supposed to be about him. Hrm, oh yeah ok. Jared was tasked with giving out a APFT to soldiers attempting to get their CIB. (I know, a bunch of Army acronyms, but I dont feel like typing it all out, its not really important anyways, just that it was a test to check the physical fitness of the soldiers) He had to be at work at 3 AM. He survived it, came home around 1 PM after a grocery run. Then he handled the kids and me, cleaned the kitchen and made homemade turkey soup for us. It was so nice to just sleep for several hours without having to worry about anything. Go Super Dad!

I think I am as updated  as I can be. I am 24 weeks along and CJ is dancing in my belly. Unless Kayla is trying to feel him kick. I am taking things a little easier due to some very, very minor bleeding a couple weeks ago. Apparently I do too much activity and need to slow down and definitely not carry Maddie around. That morning I had done a ton of laundry, and mopped and scrubbed down my kitchen. I can see where I may have overdone it as my kitchen floor is huge and pushing that mop around and straining to get every last piece of dried on grease off my stove could have caused my problem. I have had nothing since so I am just doing what I can and letting things go more. It definitely shows. I think I need a maid and a nanny for Christmas!

Kayla is doing well in school still. She comes home with new information daily. I cannot believe she is able to read already. We picked up some early reader books for her for Christmas, at the suggestion of her teacher, and we will be working on some simple reading over the holidays, if her books get here in time. She is getting a major independent streak that I am trying to squash. She is learning consequences of her actions and is learning that her actions have an effect on others as well. She is actually getting a conscience finally! It breaks my heart when she starts crying, (when she realizes she hurt someone else's feelings) but I know that it is progress to teaching her right from wrong, and I am glad she can actually feel something for someone other than herself. Now, if only I can get her to stop lying...

Maddie is still my little terror. she has broken 3 ornaments already. The first was an accident, the second was when she wanted to see if they bounced on the tile, and the third was when she dropped a barbie on the tree from up in the loft. Sigh. We are going to get rid of these ornaments and buy some plastic ones in the after holiday sale. We will have plastic until CJ is old enough to leave them alone. I am ready for a change anyway. She is napping more which makes me happy.

Well, that is it for now! Have a fabulous Christmas and Hanukah and Kwanzaa and all the other wonderful holidays all my dear friends celebrate! Love you all :)

Making cookies together

Maddie getting her first hair cut. It didnt go very well.

Happy to make cookies! You can really see how bad her haircut came out

I made these! Red Velvet with cream cheese frosting and a peppermint stick for decoration.

Maddie in her Christmas dress

I love Kayla's smile here. I wish I had a good pic of her in her dress, she looks adorable.

Look Santa, I have shoes!