Rainbow Week

This past week was "rainbow week" at school. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the little ones were supposed to wear a predetermined color pairing for the day.

Needless to say, we made it such fun and even included Lauren - and also got in lots of practice time with my new backdrop stand and white paper!

Monday - Orange

Tuesday - Purple or Blue

Wednesday - Green (Lauren did match in the morning, but had a diaper blow out that required an outfit change!)

 

Wordless Wednesday

Sleeping Beauty

Sleep is something that is very hard to come by around our house these days. Between three sick children, one sick Mommy, and the general sleep patterns of a six month old - I probably average around three total hours in any given night. Mind you - that is not consecutive. I cannot remember the last time I had a dream, as my body never actually gets the chance to sleep long enough to enter into REM sleep.

Our littlest princess has been, by far, the toughest challenge when it comes to the sleep department. At six and a half months old, she still wakes about every 2 1/2 to 3 hours at night.

I will admit that sometimes we give in and she winds up sleeping with us...whatever we can do to get even just 20 more minutes is fine by me. We did the same thing with Ella when she was an infant and she turned out just fine...so why not?!

Typically, I am solo with the trio, which leads me to be even more lenient with Lauren, as it can be quite chaotic getting all three down at the same time.

But....when she does sleep, the sweetness will take your breath away....

Aidan's Trip to the ER

Thursday night brought about a first for the Parker household....croup officially made its' debut!

We had JUST managed to get the children and myself finally all healthy (the twins had ear infections and bronchitis, Lauren had ear infections, and I was diagnosed with bronchitis and borderline pneumonia), and then Aidan came home from school with a runny nose.

He went to bed just fine, but woke up at about 9:15 in a coughing fit and when I walked into his room, the look of panic in his eyes spoke more than he ever needed....he could not breathe and it was bad. He managed to get out a few wheezes and desperate gasps for air as I grabbed him up and took him immediately downstairs, called Mike at worked and threatened calling 911 if he wasn't home in less than 3 minutes, and whisked him onto the front porch into the cold air. Though the croup had never entered our household before, but I knew enough about it to know that he needed either shower steam or cold air.

Mike made it home, took one look at him and ran with him out the door to the Emergency Room. I made it there shortly after once Grandmommy and Grandaddy arrived to stay with Ella and Lauren.

It was scary.....his breathing was retracted and he was using accessory muscles in order to breathe. But after a nice dose of steroids and a breathing treatment, he turned the corner and was back to his normal self in no time.

They kept us there for an few hours for observation, in which time he wanted to know all about every button and knob in the room, where the bathroom was, where the refrigerator was, what they did in each room, and on and on!

See....a little medication and he is happy and ready to go:

...and so, at about 1:20 AM, we were sent home.

Wordless Wednesday

Curious George Comes for a Visit

Last week, Aidan came home from school on Friday with Curious George....and instructions that he was to tag along on all of our weekend adventures, and that we had to take pictures and write in his journal about all of the fun he had at our house.

While Aidan was thrilled to have been entrusted with George, I found that the assignment was really for me, as I had to take all of the pictures, print all of the pictures, and write the journal entry to send back to school on Monday. And of course, we get to do it again when it is Ella's turn!

Nonetheless, Curious George had quite the weekend! Within a few hours of being tucked in tightly with Aidan and going to bed, Aidan had a coughing fit that ended in him throwing up - all over George. So, George found himself in the washer and dryer at 2 AM before being placed back into Aidan's loving arms.

Aidan was better on Saturday, but we still spent a rather low key day just trying to take it easy. He joined us for a walk around the block....

....getting his shirt that had two holes sewn up by Grandmommy....

....and being hugged by Aidan all night long....

Sunday was a bit more exciting and involved a visit to the Disney Store at the mall....

....a ride in the grocery cart with Lauren....

....and dinner at a Japanese steakhouse....

All in all, I think Curious George had a fun weekend in the Parker household and we look forward to his return visit with Ella in a few weeks!

PJ Day at School

How excited are these two to wear PJ's to school today and take their bunnies for waffle making and storytime??!!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

6

Happy 6 Months Old Lauren!

Wow - half of an entire year has flown by since you completed our little family - I cannot even remember what life was like without your smiling sweet face!

You are growing and eating beautifully. Current stats include:

Weight: 16.5 pounds (50-75%)
Height: 26 3/4 inches (75-905)
Head Circumference: 16.5 inches (25-50%)

You are up to three meals a day and are an amazingly good little eater! Your doctor even said that we could graduate you to stage 2 foods when we feel ready.

You are still in a size 2 diaper, but quite honestly, could be in a size 3 - I just want to use up all of the remaining 2's!

You had another big month!

You learned to sit up on your own - you are still a bit wobbly, but you certainly LOVE to sit up....

....following on the heals of sitting up, you graduated to the toddler side of your little bath tub....

.... we had some issues with constipation and had to bring out the prunes and prune juice - which you loved!....

.... we have to be extra careful these days because literally anything and everything you can reach from toys to jewelry to hair goes into your little mouth....

....you got your first two teeth....

....you went on your first really long road trip (2-days down and 2-days back!) through the states of North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida. You were an incredible traveller and slept the majority of the time.....

....and put your little toes into the sand at the beach for the first time....

See what I mean? Big changes and events for you this past month - and through it all you are such a happy, happy little girl - you rarely cry or fuss and have a giant smile on your face about 90% of the time.

I will say that your sleep habits still need some work. I literally cannot get anything accomplished these days, and let's not even start on your nighttime sleep! Man, oh man, this every 2 1/2  - 3 hour thing has got to stop! I know that at some point I should just be a little tougher and let you cry some, but I could never do it with the twins, and still cannot do it with you.

You and I have forged quite a strong bond. You are definitely a Mommy's girl. Dont get me wrong, you love your Daddy as well, but no one can make you happy the way Mommy can!

Sweet lady Lauren, please know just how much I cherish this time right now while you are still little. And how deeply grateful grateful I am to get to live in each moment with you, Ella and Aidan.

Happy New Year!