Sometimes, You Take What You Can Get

Today officially marked one week spent entirely in our house, other than one brief trip to SuperTarget last Friday. We haven't been able to go anywhere or do anything because of the littles' sickness. Miss is definitely on the upswing now, but Master has now entered the realm of the very bad mood, and wants to sit on my lap at all times. I am tired, and a bit stir-crazy, but the past couple of days have also brought some sweet moments that have served to lighten the load around here.

Master's use of new words continues to entertain us, and always makes me smile. He has begun to give an enthusiastic "AMEN" after the mealtime prayer. He also loves the word "taco" and says it all the time while we're eating, as if to request a substitution on his plate. He has also learned to say his own name, and loves to repeat it when we reprimand him for something. Which, of course, makes reprimanding him all the more difficult. Because we're trying not to laugh at his adamant exclamations of his own name.

Miss has also made some strides in the past days. For the first time, she wrote her own name. We haven't really practiced this task, but she was very determined to write it on a note that she was composing for Daddy. She did an amazing job, in my opinion, though the r's were upside down, and the E was a bit unrecognizable. Her insistence on doing it herself, though, was very sweet, and her Daddy was quite pleased when he found the note on his pillow at midnight after a late shift.

And so, some of the simple, sweet aspects of our everyday life sustain us through a lot of drudgery and discomfort over the past week. And now, I must end, because a little guy is crying in his crib.

Illness Update

Thank you to all for your prayers for Miss . . . she is doing better, but is still in a wretched mood because of her lingering cough. Miss does not handle being sick very well. She finds it all very frustrating, and exclaims every few hours that she is still not better, and may not ever be any better.

Master, on the other hand, is now in the midst of the worst of the sickness, with a terrible cough. He is having trouble sleeping, and sounds *so* very pathetic.

The littles were doing well enough yesterday to take part in a very short trip to the St. Paul winter carnival with Daddy. Here they are, bundled up and ready to go:


They saw ice sculptures and visited the "Hotdish Tent," and returned home before the deep freeze began to set in around here. We're hoping that a few days of rest at home will return the little ones to normal, and that Mr. and I can continue to avoid the ick.

Sick Little Girl

Please pray for little Miss Peanut. She is so very sick with a fever and a sore throat / bad cough. She looks beyond pathetic, with little swollen eyes that are constantly full of tears. We know it's serious when she:

1. Is quiet.
2. Says: "I'm just not feeling well enough to dance."
3. Won't let me out of her sight for the slightest fraction of a moment.

It looks as though we are going to miss the Presbyterian Pizza Party at our church tomorrow night. We are bummed, especially because we have so enjoyed saying "Presbyterian Pizza Party" as often as we could for the past couple of weeks.

Oh well.

Pray also that the rest of the household can avoid the ick. Especially little Master.

So, I'm Cold

I have come to realize over that past week that I am almost always feeling cold. I am cold in the house (despite the fact that we set our thermometer at a much higher temperature than most in these here parts). I am beyond cold whilst walking to the car, and I am freezing in the car as it warms up. I try to spend little to no time outside, other than when I am scurrying to the car. Since we returned from our trip to California, we have not seen 30 degrees here in the Twin Cities. I am finding myself avoiding necessary errands. I *need* to go to Walgreens. I *must* purchase some tweezers, because I lost mine on our trip. My eyebrows are beginning to make me look like near-man. Yet, I gaze out upon the snowy landscape, and choose warmth over good grooming.

The latest forecast from The Star-Tribune looks like this:

A weak clipper could brush southwestern Minnesota with a little light snow today...here in the Metro only a dusting is expected by Wednesday morning

A quick warm snap could push highs into the 30s on Friday

More arctic air heading this way...by early next week lows will drop below zero

I love that highs in the 30's constitute a warm snap.

The children, meanwhile, do not mind the cold in the slightest and would frolic in the snow all day if I were game for such activities. In many parenting tasks, I have had to learn to be bold since moving here. I brave the stores and malls with both kids in tow on a regular basis. I handle all parts of our daily routine single-handedly because of Mr.'s varying work schedule. But this, my friends, I am afraid I cannot do. Standing in the snow. Freezing. Watching Miss build snowmen, while repeatedly helping Master return to an upright position after falling face first into the snow because of his top-heavy winter clothing. Yes, I will go outside and play, but only on days when fun Daddy is home to help with these adventures. Maybe by next winter I will have become tougher and stronger.

Or, maybe not.

Quotable Quotes

On the way to church this evening:

Me: Remember, honey, that you need to listen to Mommy and Daddy at church. Especially when we tell you that it's time to go. We've been having some trouble with this, and I don't want to hear any complaining when we say that it's time to go home.

Miss: But, I don't wanna go home. I wanna play with Johaaaaaanaaaaa.

Me: You must listen when we say that it is time to leave.

Miss: (Long Pause) . . . . . (big sigh) . . . . If I must, I must.

On the way to bed this evening:

Master: Da-da. Da-da!! Buh-bye (little chubby arm waving like crazy), buh-bye!

Master is in such a cute stage right now that I can hardly describe it. Pretty much everything he says and does is adorable. New words every day. New connections being made in his little brain every five seconds. So. Darn. Cute.

Miss is enjoying this stage with Master, as well. She has taken to teaching him new things, and being really thrilled to see him imitate her. I think that she's been waiting for him to be able to do this for a long time. Now we'll just be waiting to hear his little voice say, "If I must, I must."

There and Back Again

We have returned from a 10 day trip to Sunny Southern Cal, only to be welcomed by a good bit of snow, and a morning temperature of -5. Fortunately, it did warm to -1 by lunchtime today.

The trip was a good one, with a lot of time for visiting with family, playing in the sun, and general relaxation. Miss had a wonderful time playing with the cousins and seeing the grandparents. Master enjoyed himself as well, though he again demonstrated that he is our little homebody. He just can't quite achieve a status of full comfort when he is away from home. He was so angelic on our return plane ride, that it almost seemed that he could sense our final destination. Today, he was as happy as I have ever seen him. Sitting with his books. Playing with his toys. Running in circles and laughing in the living room. If he had known to kiss the ground, he surely would have smooched the frozen pavement in front of our house when the cab dropped us there.

We are so thankful for the time with our families. And now, we are thankful to be home and to be settling back into the normal routine of life. Even if it is -5 tomorrow morning when I have to leave the house. Did I just write that? Yeesh.

Merry Christmas

Miss' Favorite Gift: A beautifully illustrated version of Rapunzel.

Master's Favorite Gift: $2.00 beach ball to kick around the house. "Baaaaaallllll!"

The Littles' Favorite Christmas Moment: Putting Baby Jesus in the manger on our Advent Calendar. When we announced, after breakfast, that it was time to do this, they both screamed with delight, and Miss ran in circles around the dining room table. Their excitement caught us a little bit off guard, but it made us realize that they really had been anticipating Christ this season (as much as a 3 year old and 18 month old can). Each day, we added a character or object to the nativity scene, and we finally reached *the* moment. The moment when the Baby Jesus came.

Mr. and Mrs.' Favorite Christmas Moment: See above. Kids are the best. They teach us new things every day, and they surprise us moment by moment.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Anticipating Christmas

We have had a great week, anticipating Christmas and enjoying the new sights and sounds of a new environment this year. On Wednesday, we went to the "Holidazzle" parade in Downtown Minneapolis. We positioned ourselves above the parade in the skyway, so that we could take it all in without freezing. Miss was entranced. Master was, uh, less than entranced. But, a good time was had by all, and we enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city, just a few days before Christmas.

On Thursday, we experienced our first snowfall, which was beautiful and short-lived. The snow is expected to be completely melted by the end of the day tomorrow, ruining any chance of a white Christmas. But, we enjoyed it while it lasted, and know that more will be on the way soon. Here are some pictures of our recent adventures:Miss checks out the parade from the skyway.

Since Master wasn't thrilled with the parade, he took the opportunity to clown around with his hat. He's getting to the point where he knows when he's funny. And he loves it.

We stupidly failed to bring our stroller to the parade, so we had to hoist *heavy* Master all around town. Fun times.
Our bird's eye view.

Miss and her little snowman. The snowman now consists of nothing more than a teeny pile of mushy snow. Miss is sad, and doesn't understand *why* the snow has to melt. Ahh, the disappointments of life.

Learning to Talk

Few things are as heartwarming as listening to your child's first words. Master is using more and more words these days, and we are beginning to get more and more of a glimpse into his little mind.

His favorite word right now is "book." A while ago, Mr. Peanut started the ritual of allowing Master to choose his bedtime reading material. Each night, he carefully selects a favorite from the shelf, looks at me with a big grin, and says "Thiiiis. Thiiiiis booookk." He hands me "Owl Babies" or "Goodnight, Moon", backs himself onto my lap, and settles in for a snuggle and a read. At the conclusion of the book, he squirms from my lap, and heads straight for the bookshelf to make another selection. This process is repeated a few times, until I place him in his crib, with his little hands still wrapped around the last book we read together.

If I fail to remember that he wants to take a book to bed, he adamantly reminds me by pointing at the bookshelf and again declaring, "Thiiiis! Boooookkk!!"

Just a small thing. A tiny part of our day. But such a reason to smile. Hearing our little guy's voice. Beginning to know his favorite things, and getting to share those with him. Amazing.

Performer

From the very beginning, Miss has been a performer. She was a fun first baby, because she would happily learn and display various tricks for our entertainment. She has always been *very* (oh, and I do mean *very*) verbal, and so we could teach her to say and sing funny things at a very early age. Master, on the other hand, does not seem to be as enthralled by applause as our Miss has always been. When I ask him to show me his nose or ears, or to say certain words, he usually looks at me with disdain, as if to say "I do *not* perform on command."

Well, Miss had the opportunity to be in her element earlier this week. All of the children at the Community Bible Study I attend sang in front of all of the moms as part of a Christmas program. Mr. was able to get some time away from work, and we sat side-by-side, laughing, and shaking our heads as we watched our little performer. She was loving every minute of her opportunity to be on stage. Most of the kids in her class stood completely still, not singing, or wandered aimlessly around the stage. Miss, on the other hand, sang her heart out, and did a very sassy, dancing version of the hand motions that went along with the songs. After the performance, she walked down the aisle, passed right by me, and said "Bye, Mommy. You have fun, now."

She has been running around the house with her toy guitar, singing and reliving her moment of glory, ever since we returned from the big performance.

Next year, Master will be up front, as well. Something tells me that he will be looking for me in the audience, and that he will be thinking, "What am I? Nothing but entertainment to you people?!"

Such different personalities, in two equally sweet little monkeys.

A Haircut and A Trip to St. Paul

A tour of our weekend, in pictures:

Master had his first haircut!

He was not thrilled, but survived the experience.

This is the best 'after' picture I could come up with. Don't worry, we did not slip sedatives into that juice box, it just looks that way.

After the haircut, we went to Rice Park in downtown Saint Paul.

Miss enjoyed the statue of famous Saint Paul native, F. Scott Fitzgerald.

She enjoyed Shroeder and Lucy even more.

She did not enjoy Santa at all (look at that expression), but was fascinated by him. We got to sit in his chair, because she said, "Um, I don't think so right now," when asked if she wanted to sit on Santa's lap.

She decided to play a trumpet, like the angel, instead.

It was a good weekend. Mr. Peanut is panicked by the lack of snow on the ground this close to Christmas. I would love a white Christmas, but I have a feeling that we will have a chance to see many of them in the years to come. For now, I am enjoying the 30-ish degree temperatures, rather than the normal below-zero's they usually expect this time of year. This Californian needs time for transitioning!

Things I Never Thought I'd Have to Say

Sweetie. Honey. Please do not rub your fingers on the bottom of your shoes and then lick them. I know they taste salty. There's a lot of salt on the roads right now.

But, please. Please.

Do. Not. Lick. Your. Shoes.

I Am Doomed

No, not because Master is enamored with the Christmas tree. He is actually doing quite a good job of enjoying it without destroying it. He walks up to it, points to it, says, "Biiiiiiig. Nooooooo." And walks away. So far, so good.

Rather, I am doomed because this same little Master has officially learned to turn doorknobs and open doors. This very day, I saw him do this thing five times in a row in his sister's bedroom. He stood at the door, reached up, turned the knob, smiled, and then closed the door in order to repeat the process. He was practicing (I could tell) for future escapes from my attempts to keep him confined in one room or another. He was thinking, "Ah-ha! I've got her now. There is no stopping me. This house is all mine."

Just when those holiday treats are threatening to pack on the pounds, I will have a new reason to exercise. I will be forced to chase a laughing, squealing boy through the house, tackle him with tickles, and smother him with kisses over and over again throughout the day. I suppose that things could be worse. Let the calorie burn begin!

One Very Excited Girl

No sooner were the Thanksgiving leftovers consumed in the Peanut household, than we were dragging down the Christmas decorations from the attic. Mr. and I look forward to Advent every year, and we were eager to have everything in place in order to begin our celebration next weekend. For the first time, this year, we allowed Miss to stay up late in order to trim the tree with us. She was beside herself with excitement. She ooed and ahhhed over every ornament, and dutifully asked if it was made of glass in order to ascertain if she might put it on the tree herself. She helped us place our candles in the windows, and gave advice on where to place other decorations around the house.

She was most excited at the appearance of her very own nativity scene, which she remembered well from last year. She lined up all of the animals, shepherds, wise men, Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and the angel, and (of course) began a conversation with them. She then escorted the group to her bedroom, and carefully placed them by her bed, so they could be near her as she slept.

It was great fun to see her excitement, and it was amazing to realize that she has reached the age of being able to help with and really enjoy these activities. She is no longer just a perpetual, living photo opportunity in front of the tree. She knows what Christmas means, and she remembers our family traditions. What a gift this year's time of anticipation will be for all of us, because we have her to remind us of the wonder of it all through this little girl's eyes.

Thanksgiving

Overheard today:

Daddy, do you know what I'm thankful for?

What, honey?

Thanksgiving!

We are indeed thankful for our Thanksgiving Day. We had a quiet morning at home, watching the Macy's parade. They quiet was only occasionally interrupted by screams of glee from Miss, who was completely enthralled with the huge balloons *and* the Broadway performances.

Our pastor and his wife kindly hosted us for dinner, and we had a great time. The food was wonderful, and we had some good conversation. I discover more and more that we have in common with them every time we are together. A very nice day, and a very good opportunity for reflection on all of our blessings.

Reason to be Thankful

It suddenly dawned on me today that Thanksgiving is but two days away. I have not had much opportunity to think about the approaching holiday, because of a sick boy who has decided that he cannot live without my physical presence throughout the *entire* day. Yes, little Master has contracted some sort of nasty virus, and will only play for very short periods of time before staggering over to me, crying, and falling head first into my lap. He would not eat a bite of lunch today unless my hand was acting as a resting place for his little cheek. It is oh-so-sweet in many ways, but oh-so-exhausting in others.

Trying to keep the little guy afloat, while also trying to pretend to be "Cinderella's Daddy" (Miss thinks that all of the princesses in her Disney video are dancing with their daddies) is a tricky proposition.

But, now that the house is quiet, I am reminded that even this time is a blessing. Having a little girl who loves to pretend with me, and a little boy who needs my touch and reassurance is surely a brief chapter in life. I regularly read a blog written by a woman with older children. This week she is bemoaning the fact that her boys are grown and will not be home for Thanksgiving this year. It reminds me that I have reason to be thankful in these circumstances. And, I hope that when I am in her shoes, I can remember that I will have reason to be thankful then, as well.

Forgive me for the extended absence . . .

Time has somehow gotten away from me over the past few weeks, and blogging has gone by the wayside. I will be attempting to rededicate myself to regular posting. In the meanwhile, here is a summary of our recent activities:

Election day came and went. Master expresses his happiness about the end of the campaigning.

The last of the leaves have fallen. We now await snow.

We had one 70 degree day. Master decided to play some ball.
Grandma and Papa visited from California. Miss was filled with glee.

We went to the Minnesota Children's Museum with Grandma & Papa. Miss got to be a part of fine art.

Master enjoyed seeing the sights.

Miss enjoyed, most of all, taking the stage and making her own music video.

Master continued to be his normal, cuddly self.

Miss shared her first carousel ride with Master. He enjoyed it quite a lot, as did his sister.

All in all, we have had a lovely few weeks, and we are now excitedly anticipating Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a trip to California in January. So much awaits us.

A Princess, A Chicken & 30 Degrees

Our first Twin Cities Halloween was fun and *cold.* We went to a church festival, Miss had a blast playing games and participating in "Trunk or Treat" in the parking lot. Master was still feeling under the weather, and was somewhat less than thrilled with his chicken costume. He enjoyed the sights and sounds of the festival, though, and was mighty cute.

What We've Been Doing . . .

The home of the Peanuts is not an abode of peace this evening, dear reader.

No. Rather, it is a den of germs. The sounds of snorting, sneezing, coughing, and hacking fill the air. Restless sleep plagues us all, as we toss and turn in a futile attempt to find a position that will allow our clogged sinuses to inhale much-needed oxygen.

I am coughing and battling a wicked-sore throat.

Mr. has begun to sound like Darth Vader, in both the wheezing and deep-voiced senses.

Miss has roused me each of the past few nights by declaring: "Mommy, *sniff, sniff*, I am not feeling very well, because I have coughs, and I need some MORE MEDICINE!"

Master. Oh, poor little Master. He is the worst off of us all. Fever. Nose running profusely. Coughing from deep in the chest. Eyes watering. Looking like he's been hit over the head with a mallet. So very pathetic. He is spending a lot of his time on my lap during the day, and with his head rested on my shoulder as I comfort him at night.

Have I mentioned that this results in very little sleep for us all?

This may lead you to ask why I am writing this at 11:15PM, when I could be in bed.

Because of Mt. Laundry, which must be climbed this evening, whether or not we are sick. In fact, the mountain is a little bit higher than usual this evening because of all of the spilled Benadryl and other unmentionable fluids that have been spewed around our house this week.

I wish that I could say, "Stop, please. I'd like to get off," when times like this come. But, I can't. None of us can. And so, we keep on pushing forward, and soon this seemingly never-ending icky time will come to an end. It will be forgotten within a few days, I'm sure.

I will find, once again, that I am always more than willing to complain when any of us are sick, and that I am not nearly so quick to be thankful when we are well.

Best Husband Ever

Blueberry Muffin:

STUD MUFFIN:Today Mr. P has proven himself to be the best husband *ever*.

I have not gotten much sleep over the past few nights (for various reasons having to do with the littles). This morning, without any prompting from yours truly, Mr. offered to 1) help with the housework, 2) take both children grocery shopping so that I could lounge about, and 3) take care of the entire bedtime routine / juggling act tonight.

He is currently handling task #3 by talking Miss through her nightly concerns about the Rainforest Cafe (darn that darn place).

I think I'll go watch the World Series with my husband. He's the best, and I am so blessed to have him around.

Me: