How We Spent Our Christmas

We started out having a nice, quiet Christmas. On Christmas Eve, our dinner consisted of fun snack foods and egg nog to drink. After dinner we let the kids open the traditional Christmas Eve gift: pajamas! After that, the kids acted out the nativity. Lil' Miss was Mary, Lil' T was Joseph and Big T was everybody else. We put some fresh-made cookies (thank you, Pillsbury!) out for Santa and the kids went to bed. When we checked on the kids later, this is what we found:
Can't you just see the sugar plums? Big T was sweet and let Lil' T sleep on the top bunk with him.

The boys slept until just before 7:00, which was the time we told them was allowed. However, we had to wake Lil' Miss and she was not thrilled. She had a hard time caring that "Claus" had been here. But she sure warmed up once she got downstairs! After opening gifts, the building began! Lincoln and the boys built Legos and built Legos and then built some more Legos! With the excitement of the morning over, we settled down to have a relaxing afternoon. That, however was not to be! At about 2:30, I began to have contractions. They were regular and starting to hurt a bit, so we called my parents to have them come down to be with the kids and made last minute preparations to go to the hospital. After some dinner, we made our way to the hospital at about 8:00. When the nurse checked me I hadn't progressed much from my appointment earlier that week, which was very strange. She called the doctor and we could hear her telling him, "Well, she's not in labor!" I was pretty sure I was! There was some concern over the baby's heartbeat, which was difficult to locate and seemed a little low. The doctor finally arrived and he decided that he would "augment" my labor. Before he started the pitocin he asked the nurse if she had felt the baby's head. She thought so, but he wasn't convinced and decided to do a quick ultrasound. Sure enough, her head was not down where it should be. The doctor then asked me, "Do you know what this means?" I was pretty sure it meant that I was having a C-section, but I still was worried that he was going to send me home. He meant that I was having a C-section. I was less than excited quite frankly. So the doctor got his team together and I had my very first C-section with the Babe being born at 11:44 on Christmas night! (Couldn't the doctor have waited 16 minutes?!) Oh well, she was healthy and that was the most important thing!

Merry Christmas to us!

She's Here!

The Babe arrived at 11:44 pm on Christmas Day. She is 8lbs 8oz and 21" long. Mom and Baby are doing great! Here she is:

Pregnancy

Funniest thing I've heard this pregnancy:

• From a 5-year-old: "Are you growing a brand-new baby in there?

Most obnoxious thing I've heard this pregnancy:

• From a grown man: "When are you due? Is it twins?"

Halloween

Here is our official Halloween family picture! Normally Lincoln and I don't dress up. But this year he had a great idea for costumes: Lil' Miss went as Little Red Riding Hood, Lincoln as the woodcutter and, being rather pregnant, I went as the wolf who ate granny. The boys both wanted to be Clone Troopers from Star Wars. (No, they are not Storm Troopers!) Big T wanted to be Commander Cody and Lil' T wanted to be Captain Rex. Since I am not creative or skilled enough to make Clone costumes, I ordered them online and we have had them since August.

Lil' Miss really enjoyed Halloween this year. I thought she would put up a fuss about wearing her costume since the last time she put it on, she didn't feel it was complete without an army helmet. But, when it was time to put on costumes, she happily put on all the parts and pieces without complaint. She also got the hang of trick-or-treating very quickly. She walked right up to the door each time, holding out her basket.

The boys also enjoyed trick-or-treating. Lil' T was the best at saying the appropriate phrases: "Trick-or-treat" and "Thank you." There was however one house that the man at the door was a little scary. He was all dressed up with his face painted and he was yelling. At that house, Lil' T was hesitant to go to the door. When he did go, he placed his pumpkin on the doorstep hoping that the man would fill it for him. That was not to be. The man was letting the kids pick their own treat. After Lil' T realized that he would have to pick out his own candy, he got over his fear just enough to grab a candy and retreat. We only made it around our block before then the boys said they were tired and ready to be done. They're not hard-core trick-or-treaters apparently. Oh well, less sugar for them to consume!

The weather was surprisingly nice considering that it snowed earlier in the week. We didn't need coats over the kids' costumes! Yay! And I LOVE that daylight savings doesn't start until after Halloween! Someone was a genius! It was actually still light out when we started trick-or-treating at 6:00!

Here is a picture of the pumpkins that Lincoln carved for the boys:

They both had to have pumpkins that coordinated with their costumes. Lincoln is so good to be willing to create the designs that they have their hearts set on!

And that, my friends, is "the end" of this post!

'Tis the Season...

...for Halloween!

Every year during the month of October, I try to make a different Halloween-themed treat for each FHE. Here are my ideas for this year:

• Haven't you ever wondered what some of the foods mentioned in Harry Potter taste like? I sure have (and I'm not talking about Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans!) Here is a creative recipe:
  Butterbeer

  

12 oz. (one bottle) ginger ale
36 oz. (three bottles) cream soda
3 T butterscotch ice cream topping

Thoroughly chill unopened ginger ale and cream soda in refrigerator until icy-cold. Refrigerate empty, glass pitcher as well. Once beverages are chilled, in a small mixing bowl or tall glass, stir 1-2 oz. of cream soda into butterscotch topping till thoroughly combined. Pour all remaining soda into chilled pitcher. Quickly add butterscotch mixture to pitcher. Stir till just combined; do not over-stir. Pour over ice and serve immediately. Serves 6.

For a frothy sparkle, dip the rim of each glass in corn syrup, pulling drips of syrup downward with a toothpick. Then dip each glass rim in a mixture of colored sugar. Before dipping, spread the corn syrup & sugar mixture each onto a separate, flat-bottomed plate.


I think I will make some chocolate dipped pretzel wands to go with the Butterbeer. Heather Bailey also has a few other Harry Potter inspired recipes you may want to check out.

• Another idea that inspired me comes from Family Fun Magazine:

Forked Eyeballs

2 (11-ounce) bags white chocolate chips
12 doughnut holes
Semisweet chocolate chips
Tube of red decorator frosting

1. To coat a dozen doughnut holes, melt the white chocolate chips over low heat (and keep the chocolate warm while you work). With a fork, spear each doughnut hole and submerge it in the melted chocolate to coat it, then gently tap off any excess.

2. Stick a semisweet chocolate chip with its point cut off onto each doughnut hole, cut end first. Place the forks (handle side down) in a mug and allow the chocolate coating to harden.


3. Use a tube of red decorator frosting to add squiggly veins radiating out from the pupils.



I know they're a little gruesome, but that's part of the fun of Halloween, right?

• I have seen variations of spider cupcakes all over, including the ones we tried last year.
  Spider Cupcakes
  I want to try something like this, this time. Wouldn't they be yummy made out of red velvet cake?!!
  
  

• And last, but not least I think that Mousse-Filled Witches' Hats will be a Halloween staple at our house. (Honestly the mousse is my favorite part!) They have been requested again.
  
  Mousse-Filled Witches' Hats

1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

1 cup milk chocolate chips

4 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 teaspoon shortening

1 package (4 3/4 ounces) chocolate ice cream sugar cones

Halloween sprinkles

12 thin chocolate wafers (2 1/4-inch diameter)

1. For mousse, in a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup cream to a boil; remove from the heat. Stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

2. In a small mixing bowl, beat the remaining cream until stiff peaks form; fold into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate.

3. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt semisweet chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip pointed tips of ice cream cones a third of the way into melted chocolate; roll in sprinkles. Refrigerate until set.

4. Just before serving, spoon mousse into cones. Top each with a chocolate wafer. Invert onto a serving platter.

Serves 12

As I was looking for pictures and recipes for this post, I found this site you might want to check out. I might have to try the Vampire Bites in addition to the other delectable treats I have planned!

It's a ...

I'm still having a hard time believing it! How perfect is it to have 2 boys and then 2 girls?!! I am really looking forward to using all of Lil' Miss' baby clothes again. Of course, I think there will definitely have to be some matching outfits added to the mix.

We've had a hard time naming this child. Usually it is decided just as soon as we know the gender. I think this time, though, we struggled because we really love Lil' Miss' name and we had a hard time thinking of one that is as fabulous! We're pretty decided now, but we've left it a little open-ended. We want to wait and see when she is actually born. So, when is she due? She is due January 9, 2010. We pretty much expect her the last week or two of December because the others all came 2-3 weeks early. Maybe she will surprise us, though and wait until her due date! Only time will tell. Hopefully she will not surprise us and be born on Christmas, though.

Lil' T was the only one that was disappointed that we're having another girl. Big T is such a sweetheart and has been saying since the beginning that he hoped Lil' Miss would get a sister. I think that Lil' Miss needs a sister because right now she has her daddy wrapped around her little finger and she is at risk of becoming extremely spoiled! Part of it is she is just such a sweet girl! Whenever she hears the garage door open, she runs to the door saying, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" And if it is Dad, she gives him the biggest smile and hug! Who wouldn't melt at that?

Summer's Finally Here!

It looks like the weather is finally cooperate and give us a little sunshine! I'm all for rain, seeing as we live in a desert a little moisture never hurts. But a soul can only live under cloudy skies for so long! The kids keep asking if it's summer yet. Now I can say, "Yes, it's finally here!" But don't worry we haven't let the weather hold us back. Here's a bit of what we've been doing:



I'm not sure who told Big T he could get big, but that's just what he's doing. He just finished his first year of playing soccer and his first year of elementary school. I swear that I'm not old enough to have a child doing these things! After all I still look twelve! He was just starting to get the hang of soccer when it ended. Ok, I confess, he's a bit of a dreamer on the field. It's true what they say about the apple not falling far from the tree (somewhere my mother is giggling to herself). But he REALLY enjoyed kindergarten. His teacher was fantastic and I cannot believe how much he has grown academically.

He still cracks us up, though. The other day he was looking for something in the kitchen. He found it in what he termed the "Crazy Ellen." What he meant to say was "Lazy Susan," but I think I prefer "Crazy Ellen!"

Lil' T is getting big, too! He just celebrated his 4th birthday, but I feel like he's already been 4 for awhile. He was sweet to share his Hot Wheels cake with his cousin, who was born on his 1st birthday. I think she might have preferred a girly cake, but hey, cake is cake! Lil' T is looking forward to preschool this fall. I'll admit that I hold preschool over his head saying things like, "Well, preschool boys can buckle their own seat belts" and "Preschool boys can put on their own shoes." It's probably wrong of me, but it seems to motivate him. His preschool teacher may not know what hit her, but hopefully he'll do ok.

Lil' T has always been an independent spirit. It wasn't long after we moved into our house that he felt perfectly at ease riding his bike around the block alone (unfortunately his parents were not at all comfortable with that considering he was only 2!) So his latest escapade should come as no surprise, right? While we were at Big T's kindergarten graduation, we wanted to get some pictures of the graduate outside the school. While Dad was taking those photos, Lil' T just vanished! One minute he was there and the next just gone! We looked all over for him and even had some help in our search. As I checked the playground, I feared the worst: he'd gone into the parking lot and been hit by a car. Little did I know that the reality was possibly worse. He had actually crossed the parking lot AND the street in front of the school to get to the van because he thought we'd left him. When I shrilly asked him, "You crossed the street?!!" he calmly replied, "I waited for all the cars to go first." Well at least he has some sense. And for the record, I have never left my children anywhere!

Lil' Miss is such a bright spot in our lives. She is constantly learning new things, which is what she is supposed to be doing. However, her new-found knowledge and experience comes with a price: she is becoming quite stubborn! She is opinionated about what she wears and is starting to want to dress herself. She's given up the high chair and is sometimes "too big" to sit in a booster. The funny thing is, she's not big at all. We still can't put her in a forward facing car seat. And I've been joking that hopefully there is not a "You Must Be This Tall" sign to enter nursery because I'm sure she wouldn't qualify.

I was worried that she wouldn't be girly because people told me that she'd probably be a tomboy with two older brothers. I shouldn't have worried because my mom says that our family has a "girly gene" and she definitely got it! Often when we get ready to leave, she can't go until she grabs her purse, even just to go out in the backyard. She's really into shoes right now and I love watching her dress up in my dress shoes. But her two brothers do have an influence on her: she enjoys playing with their vehicles and and eating an occasional shovel-full of dirt! I guess she's well rounded! She sure loves the boys. Her new word for them is "guys" and she just lights up when she sees them!

Well, this post ended up being WAY too long. To sum up, life is good right now. If we can just avoid that darn swine flu, everything will be great!