Ringing in the New Year.

I never posted a pic from our New Years Eve Dinner Date at Medici

The Family

Me and my Pumpkin (sans bow and shoes, no less...she won't keep either on, and usually I just let her be.  I only ever make a fuss with her when we go out, but clearly here, I did not!)

At Breakfast (don't ask where we are, Dad's choice!) the next morning in her Ralph Lauren Sweatsuit (Thanks, Nana!)

Using her Nuk Sippy Cup like a Big Girl!

Cruisin.

Nik first learned sit-to-stand shortly before Thanksgiving.  She mastered that, and has been too thrilled to be able to do it over, and over, and over again.  She hates to lay down, (forget trying to change her diaper--I have to hold her down with the grips of life!), and she constantly wants to be standing.  We received several toys for Christmas to assist her in standing, which she recently has begun to really utilize.  She really just uses anything she can: me, Daddy, couches, chairs, tables, table legs, cabinents, doors, dressers, etc to stand. 

Last week, Nik started Cruising, and really grasped a hold of it this weekend and the past two days (pulling herself up everywhere, cruising along the couches over and over, and pushing her little train as a walker).  Today, she was moving from one item to another, with one hand at a time, so I know she is getting close to walking...and I am so excited for her, but a little part of me wants her to slow down, just a little, and not get so big so fast.  It just went by in the blink of an eye, especially since I wasn't there everyday in and out.  Her two front teeth are coming in, they have broken the skin, and one right behind the other, and before long, this little pumpkin will have four big teeth (well on her way to a full mouthful!)

As you know, Nik had her belated 9 month Check-up last Wed.  We also gave her her second dose of the Seasonal Flu Shot (as the flu shot craze left the doctor's offices depleted in vaccines).  I put it off as well, partly because she had an appt coming up, and becuase it tends to make her sick?? and throws her off for a couple of days.  Well, I swear, the moment I brought her home from the doctor's office (without fail) her nose starts running, and then ny Friday, she had a full on cold.  It never fails, and if I may say so, is quite frustrating, that these shots actually make her sick!  Yes, I know that a cold, and a cough is better than a fever and a bought with the Flu (or Eek!, worse), and it's just her immune system building up to face worse deamons, but goodness, I just feel for the poor little pumpkin. 

Doctors and the pediatricians encourage these shots for our children, and we unsuspecting, over-protective, anxiety stricken new moms are pushing at the gates-and I'm one of them!  Our poor little Pumpkin, whether the flu shot aggreviated it, or what the case may be (Ahem, daycare), Nikolina has a runny nose and a terrible cough.  Of course, then (post shot) I go running into our Pediatricians office (cha-ching) and am exasperated that my child cannot breath bc she is having these coughing fits that sound horribly like Bronchitis, only to find out that it's perfectly normal, and it has not spread to her lungs, and she's a Champ, holding up just fine, just a cold and cough, that will probably last two weeks (until the next one)!  I swear those ladies in the office are going to think I am stalking our Pediatrician!!  I've been there 3 times in the last 3 weeks!!  It's a good thing I have a full-time job, or they would be in there snickering that I'm some over-stressed, crazy, deranged, naive, lonely, hypo-chondriac lunitic housewife who is desperate for some (adult interaction) attention!!  I'm just praying Nik doesn't get sick for awhile, or they are going to be in there whispering, "It's HER again!!"  I literally asked our pediatrician if I could just have a stethoscope so I wouldn't have to keep coming back in again, and again, and again...

I find it ironic that I pay our daycare provider to watch Nik and she gets sick bc other kids are sick, and bc their parents take them to daycare sick, but, you really are not supposed to take them when they're sick, but you still have to pay them when your child is sick but you cannot bring them to daycare, and they are only sick bc they're at daycare (say that again?!).  Then you have to repeatedly pay the pediatricians office bc your kids are sick, and they administer these shots that weaken your child's immune system and causes them to get sick at daycare or get sick in general...AHHHHHH!!!!!  It's this crazy vicious cycle that never ends!!! 

So, anyway, our little pumpkin has been struggling with this horrendous cough, and it just breaks my heart!  She keeps waking herself up coughing, and her little face gets all pink, and it seems like she won't be able to stop...it's horrible!  And, she doesn't want to nap, bc she feels cruddy, she wants to nap with you.  And of course, I go check in on her about 5 times a night just to make sure she's still breathing, and then, I can't hear her because of the white noise, and it's dark, so I have to touch her back and try and feel her chest moving up and down, and then she starts to stir, so I have to quickly duck down, hold my breath, and try and sneak back out practically crawling on the floor (whose the adult?) so she doesn't wake up and see me or she'll scream her head off...It's Crazy!!  Besides that though, she's as happy as can be, and such a little trooper. 

So, that's where I've been.  Just praying she fights this and gets a handle on it soon, so she is out of her misery.  Hope everyone is doing well.

In Hopes that St. Nicholas Soon Would Be There...

Some pics from Christmas, I'm just now getting uploaded (Christmas in January?!)...

Nik's Stocking

Diesel's Stocking

An ornament ("G") from Williams Sonoma from my mom. It's really a beautifully blown piece of glass, if you can see it in person.

Nik playing with a teether.

A Snowflake from Pottery Barn from my mom.

I just love the way the sun looked as it came through on this photo.

A present for Nik.

I love the bear peeking out behind there.  I love the Idea that some presents can be unwrapped under the tree.  It's so "Santa" (present out of the bag, straight from the toyshop and all that!)

This little dog is a hoot!!  I love Tiny Love!

This pelican speaks French, but not very well (for some reason, is hard to hear)

 Coconut!

Heavy heart.

I am missing my pumpkin terribly today.  We are currently in an overtime status at work, so even if I wanted to leave (pending any emergency), I cannot use any time off to leave today to go get her early, and squelge any extra mommy love time with her.  Today when I dropped her off at Daycare, when I started to hand her to our care provider, she turned back towards me, and tried to snuggle in closer to my chest.  Literally, my heart broke right there in a million pieces, and I started to well up after I left.  That turned into a full cry once I hit the car, and contemplated just turning around and running into rescue her, so we could snuggle cuddle all day.  I miss her so much lately, it's really hard.  She seems to need me more lately, as she is going through this seperation anxiety, and I desperately want to be that comfort for her.  I just can't, and it breaks my heart, and makes me feel like a horrible mom.  I just hope she's doing alright, and that the days go quicker for her than they do for me.

Hi, I'm Nikolina!

What's that you say?  You want me to smile?

This couch is yummy!

You want me to smile, when, Oh, gotcha...how about, now

Happy Face!

Kind of Sad Face.

Found some fuzz.

What is that piece of fuzz?

I love babies in tights. Don't you?

On her tippy toes.

Sweetie Cakes.

Sweetie Cheeks.

Cheesing!

Hi, little Pumpkin, Love you, miss you.  You have my heart.

Giving Back.

This year was a tough year for a lot of people.  Who knows what lies in store.  Hopefully, well, some hope. This year, both sides of my family opted not to do our usual gift grab bag exchange.  On my husband's side of the family, my husband's youngest sister suggested that we donate some money or time to helping some less fortunate this year instead.  So, we contacted our local Food Pantry/Mission and selected a program where you "Adopt A Meal."  In this program, you buy the food, prepare the meal, and serve it.  There were 8 of us, our 13 year old niece also wanted to help out (and then made a list to give to her school of some of the items that they needed, isn't she such a sweetie??!!).  We all split the cost and for a very little amount (with leftovers and extras), we were able to serve we think somewhere around 40 people.  We had a great time, and we even stayed to wipe the tables down and do the dishes afterwards.  We had to drag my husband out of there before he started mopping the floors)!!(we volunteered December 27th and some of the group were heading back out of town).

My mother and father-in-law also helped us prepare the food and watched our little ones while we volunteered-Thanks Jan and Roger!  It felt really good to give back, and to think that we were helping to make someone's day a little sunnier, a little easier, a little warmer, especially at Christmas time!  Seeing the chidlren's faces really hit home for me.

Becca, Jordan, and Lyds

Me, with My newly engaged Sis-in-Law, Becca (left) and my niece Lydia

My youngest Sis-in-Law, Jordan (Jordie, George)

My self-less husband (who initiated our dish washing:)

My Sister-in-Law, Rachael (Rach-photographer, mother to Four, and creater of http://schiranotriplets.blogspot.com/ )

That's my sister-in-law's (new) fiancee, Dan.  I neglected to blog about it in the rush before Christmas, and bc I was quite sad that I didn't grab a good picture to post.  They were engaged in Chicago December 19th  where they live.  He created a whole special day for the two of them, taking her all around town to significant places they encountered throughout their relationship together, then proposed to her by Lake Michigan with the twinkiling city lights behind them.  Obviously, she said yes!!  And they and family toasted at the Hancock Building in Chicago.  As this is an Adult Setting, Nik and I were still fortunate enough to able to meet the family out later to join in the celebrations for a bit (as my parents were unavailable to watch her that weekend).  But, in all the haste, I didn't grab a photo of the two lovebirds, but hope to post one later for you. 

Congrats, Becca and Dan, and thanks, Dan for volunteering to help and give this weekend, even though you're not "officially family."  Ha, Ha!!  Seriously, we love you, and we couldn't be more ecstatic and thrilled that soon we can officially called you "family" (even though we already refer to you as "Uncle Dan.")  Becca, What a Beautiful Bride you will make!!

We love you both, Congrats!!  Can't wait for the Wedding!!  Becca, my Wedding Book awaits you!

Right on Track.

                                  

Nik had her 9 Month Check-Up today.  She turned 9 Months the 29th, but somehow, maybe do to the holidays, the check-up got scheduled a little later.  Nik is right on track with her height and weight, as she's been all along...Height 30 Inches (97%percentile), Weight 22.9 (95%percentile), Head Circumference 17 1/2 (75%percentile-Nik had held steady in the 50th%percentile in this category, but I guess she decided to start uping the game on that % too!).  Dr. Emm says she's doing great and he's very happy with where she's at!

We had just come from having Lunch with Daddy at the Office (I used Family Leave Bonding today:), and Nik held onto Daddy's golf ball the whole way in the car, and into the Doctor's office.  Love you, Daddy!

Nik and I had a great day visiting her Nana, Grandpa, Daddy, Doctor, and we had the chance to run some errands, get some things done at the house, do some grocery shopping, pick up something for Daddy, and we had a VERY FUN TIME using our Gift Certificate to Victoria's Secret and SHOPPING at the Mall.  We had a cafe break at the coffee store, bought a new toy, hat, mittens, fleecee, and winter coat.  Nik even helped me find a great piece at Vickie's that I had missed during my initial run through.  She's such a great shopping partner!!  She's Trouble though, she loves everything!! 

Partners in crime, us girls!!

Shh... I Have a Secret!

Victoria's Secret Semi Annual Sale Going On Now!!

Thanks, Jan (And Rach).