Christmas 2009

On Christmas morning, bright and early at 6:15ish, Curious George woke up and asked if he could check to see if Santa has been at the house. In order to buy a few more minutes of sleep, we told him it was still night time and to go back to sleep. Of course he didn't go back to sleep. After 20 minutes, we couldn't hold him off any longer and told him to go ahead. He went up to the fireplace and saw that the cookies and milk has been eaten, so he came running down to us screaming, "SANTA'S BEEN HERE! SANTA'S BEEN HERE!"

(Thing 1 is in pink, Thing 2 is in yellow)

We didn't have as many presents this year, but it worked out for the best. They were able to sufficiently enjoy each toy. The biggest hit with Curious George so far was Buzz Lightyear. Santa delivered some of their presents in Texas because he knew we might not have enough room in the minivan.

The girls had some similar presents (different colors), and some different ones.

Snow!

OK, according to the news, Richmond area got around a foot of snow yesterday. This is unusually large amount of snow for the area. And we missed it! We're here in NC. We got about 2 in. of snow. But that didn't stop the kids from enjoying watching the snow flakes come down. And it definitely didn't stop Curious George from wanting to go outside to enjoy it. He asked about going out nonstop.

Here he is enjoying the snow. He cleaned the van a little bit and then took Daddy's body board to sled down the hill. By this time the snow is mostly icy. Surprisingly, the body board worked better this time in 2 inches of snow compared to the 8 inches of snow we got in February this year. Remember the pizza pan sled? Aah, that will never cease to make me laugh.

I didn't let the girls go out because they are under the weather with cough and asthma.

Curious George in a church play

Curious George was part of a church play this weekend with 2 performances, Saturday night and Sunday morning. He enjoyed it, even though he barely knew half the words on the songs. But he sang them proudly. :) It's hard to miss him, he's always the one moving.

He woke up not feeling well on Sunday, but he still wanted to go. It's obvious on his face he wasn't quite himself, if holding his arms out when he saw me was any indication. He wanted Mommy.

Oh yeah, he also had the worst case of "Elvis legs". I just made that term up, but if you watch the videos, you'll know exactly what I mean.

You will also hear the girls in the background. The first couple of videos, Thing 1 wanted to go up in the stage and was a little upset. Then she wanted me to sing along.













Day 2 - very tired and not feeling well and coughing.

Oh Christmass Tree

Nana put up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving and the kids helped decorate it.

Curious George and Thing 2

Thing 2 was busy chatting while I snap pictures.

Notice Daddy on the phone in the kitchen. It's the weekend he was offered the Texas job.

We wanted to take a picture of the 3 kids together in front of the tree, but they all had other ideas. Sometimes I just take what I can get.

Topsail Beach (8/4 - 8/7/09)

A few days after our Cherokee Trip, we headed to Topsail Beach in NC. It was the first time the kids and I have ever step foot on a beach. It was a glorious experience and one that we hope to repeat again! But our trip started out on a bad foot. A few days before our departure, Thing 2 came down with a fever. We thought it may be just a garden variety fever and that we would still be able to head out, albeit a day later than planned. But on the day we were about to leave, Thing 2 stopped talking and stopped opening her mouth. I looked at her throat and it was red. Just the night before, my throat began to feel sore. For me, it was an impending strep-throat. This was the 4th time I had gotten it in 5 months. And because Thing 2's throat was red, I was pretty sure it was also strep throat. So the morning of our departure, Daddy brought Thing 2 to the hospital (the kids were still in VA medicaid at this point and could only be seen through the ER outside of VA). And I headed to the local Urgent Care. By lunch time, we headed to the beach packed with antibiotics.

This was our first evening at the beach. I coaxed the girls to get on the water, but they were scared. I worked with Thing 1 for a while, and got her to be confident of the water. But Thing 2 was not meant to be. She was not feeling well.
(Thing 2 in pink, Thing 1 in green)

Everyone enjoyed the sand!

Thing 2 looks for the perfect sand to play in.

Curious George was the most excited of all! He jumped right in on the water with Daddy.

In between playing in the water, he played in the sand and dug tons of holes looking for crabs.

We brought a canopy with us, which allowed us to stay pretty much the entire day at the beach the next day. Here is Thing 1 obsessed with sunscreen.

Poor Thing 2 conked out. Her was low grade after being on the antibiotics, but she was very tired. On our last day, she even developed scarlet fever.

On the 3rd day, a storm came. But after it had passed, we packed up the sand toys and chairs and headed back. Daddy and nephew got to enjoy the bigger surf and had fun body surfing.

Before bed one night, Daddy had the urge to to go the beach. I don't know why. But I went with him anyway. It was pitch black, windy, but very peaceful. All we could manage is blurry pictures though. The camera fogged up the moment I opened it.

It can't be a beach trip without someone getting buried! Thing 1 and I got busy burying a very giggly Curious George.

And of course, Daddy! I had to give him a sexy figure, complete with preggo belly. He is cupping his boobies here and was a little disappointed. He said he didn't mind boobs as long as they were ginormous. I thought I did give him big ones, but apparently they weren't big enough.
We just love Daddy's sense of humor!

Sexy Daddy!

Digging around with Cousin B.

Thing 1 got a beautiful tan!

Curious George outside the beach house.

Thing 1 in our room.

Incidentally, Daddy contracted H1N1 during this beach trip. He complained of sore body the last day we were there, but we thought it was normal considering he was on the water body surfing everyday we were there. But when the body ache lasted a few more days after getting home, he went to the doctor and tested positive for Type A flu. Being in the middle of summer, Type A flu was pretty much a sure thing that it was H1N1. A week after he got better, after Thing 2 recovered from strep throat, she contracted H1N1 as well. The poor, poor little angel. Both Daddy and Thing 2 didn't have high fever, but they had the severe body ache. In fact, Thing 2 couldn't even walk for a good week. We had to carry her around, she was so sore.

Also at this time, being that this was my 4th time with strep throat, I was given 2 very strong antibiotics to finally kill off this antibiotic-resistent bug. We didn't know I was pregnant. Thankfully, baby is just fine and the strep is finally gone!

(I will post beach videos next.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yesterday, I had my 20-week ultrasound. I was worried and excited...worried that something may be wrong with the baby, and excited at the same time. Well, we found out that we are having another baby boy!!! Both Daddy and I are excited that now we have 2 boys and 2 girls. Who could ask for anything better? This baby is a surprise, coming at what many would thing is a "bad time", being that Daddy has been unemployed since February. But we see this baby as a complete blessing. Being unemployed for this long is unfortunate, but with God's help, we've survived.

A long time ago, Daddy and I have told each other that there is nothing we can't handle as long as our family is together. Family is the most important thing there is. We can survive with much less, and still be happy as long as our family is taken care off. Due to a series of decisions we've made throughout our marriage, this time of unemployment could have been a lot more stressful and devastating than it really has. This is not to say that it has been easy on any of us, but we can definitely see the forest for tress. (Is that how that goes?)

Daddy has received 3 job offers recently, and 2 of them are viable. We are now just thinking of what is best for our family: Texas, or Northern Virginia. There are a few more hurdles to overcome: driving with 3 kids, moody pregnant Mommy, and a Daddy who has to deal with us all. But it's a task we would gladly undertake.

This Thanksgiving, we can't help but think of the never-ending things we are thankful for:

• Daddy's parents who have welcomed us with open arm,
• time the kids have spent with their grandparents
• time the kids and I have spent with Daddy
• being blessed with one more healthy baby boy
• a smart, highly independent, strong-willed son
• 2 beautiful, fascinating, smart, sassy daughters
  
• great and soulful, going on 13-yr marriage (whoah, that's long!)
• all the people that love and care about us
• and many many many more.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

NC Zoo videos

10/31/09

Here are videos from the zoo (the pictures are posted here). How did these kids get so big so fast? Curious George is slightly over 3 1/2 ft tall, wearing size 11.5 shoe and 6-7 yr old clothes. His sisters are about 3 ft tall, wearing size 9.5 shoes (Thing 2's feet are ever so slightly bigger) and 4T clothes.

Thing 2 is wearing pink, Thing 1 is in white.



Here are the kids loving the colorful poisonous frogs. Notice Curious George holding the Zoo map. He planned our route the entire time based on which animals he wanted to see. We didn't see the entire Zoo since it is too big.



You can see in Thing 1's face how tired she is and hungry. Curious George's excitement is still going strong here. He loves animals! He has told us many times that he wants to be a Zoologist and Entomologist...among many other things of course.



On the move again, following Curious George. They were all hesitant to walk on the floor vents.

NC Zoo (10/31/09)

With Trick or Treating out of the way a few days prior, we were able to enjoy the Zoo on Halloween. The forecast was rain starting midday, but it actually started in the morning. But we went ahead with the plan to go to NC Zoo. Good thing, too. There was barely anyone around!

Fascinated by the Lions.

Thing 2 on the Carousel with Daddy. Thing 1 was with me, but the photo is too blurry to post.

Curious George chose this frog to ride on.

Thing 1 guzzling water. This was about 2pm. The girls were tired but were absolute troopers. She's wearing a necklace she won by tossing bean bags through a small hole (a fund raising for the Bats part of the Zoo).

Giant Bumble Bee!

Posing Turles.


I wonder who got scared first?

Crocodiles! They're all real!

Nana and the girls. Is Thing 2 showing her assets to her sister? I wonder.

Mommy and Thing 2.

Oh, the memories we're making.

It's hard to believe that we've been living here with Daddy's parents for four months. Four months is a long time, but at the same time we're left to wonder where the time has gone. It's been tough for all of us, but it is also hard not to count our blessings. The kids are enjoying their grandparents and there are a lot of lasting memories being made here everyday. The girls are too young to remember, but Curious George will probably remember some of the excitement. He will probably one day come to me and his Daddy telling us of his dream/memory of living with his Nana and Papaw and about catching frogs. We will tell him that no, it is in fact a memory...and we have this blog to prove it.

Curious George is sweaty after running around in the yard in this hot humid day. We catch a lot of fireflies here (an almost every night ritual).

Curious George shows his sisters the pint size wheel barrow, one he got for being well behaved after spending 5 hours with the grown ups at Home Depot and Lowes).

And teaches them how to use it.

Thing 2 comes up the hill after following Curious George. Thing 1 (wearing Curious George's Speed Racer shirt) doesn't follow too far down (she's too tired from vomiting for 3 hours the night before).

The kids help Daddy unload Papaw's truck.

It's all about team work.