Since We're STILL Here: Part 2

We're still in Columbus. The story: after deciding not to fly to UT on Christmas Day because of a major winterstorm and what we assumed would be an understaffed airport because of the holiday, our new flight to Utah was supposed to leave at 5:50 pm Friday. After we had been waiting at our gate for awhile, they delayed the flight for an hour because of fog in Chicago (our layover destination...I am quickly losing patience with Chicago...always trouble there). We thought we could still make our connection so we just crossed our fingers. After lots of waiting and LOTS of chasing our crazy but happy kids around the airport, they cancelled our flight. Everyone was making a mad dash to the Southwest counters to make reservations and Nate stood in line for forever. When it was finally our turn we learned there were absolutely no flights available Sat or Sun or Mon. Nate has to be back next Sunday and we just didn't feel like it was worth the money to fly us all out there for a few days so after MUCH deliberation (and a short bawling fest by me) we booked a flight for just me to go out for a few days for my sister's wedding. Then last night as I was starting this blog I checked Southwest and they had added flights! We almost got one for tonight (Sunday) but they suddenly sold out so we got one for Monday. I'm going to stay in Utah a week longer than Nate; it was MUCH cheaper for us to fly back then. We're so happy, but it's hard to be too happy till we're actually IN Utah. Flying is so crazy.

We went to the zoo yesterday because it was 65 out here. It was pretty windy and you can see in the picture Jansen is holding his bandaid to his forehead. He was so scared it was going to blow away.

Always something to smile about:

Since We're Still Here

The plan was to fly into Salt Lake City tonight, but the weather there was supposed to be pretty terrible...so we made a quick decision to reschedule our flight for tomorrow. The good news: we actually saved $120 dollars. The bad news: I think we would have made it there possibly without any delays at all. I don't know though, we'll see. We're a little upset about missing a day of being with family and I can't think about it too much or my stomach hurts. Tomorrow will be here before I know it right?

But here is Christmas morning. We got them a wagon on Craigslist (which I kept in the garage and little Natalie always noticed it and would yell "Bike!" but Jansen was clueless and never noticed. Natalie also found the presents under our bed that Jansen never discovered.) Nate has been pulling them around in the house in it all day.

Well, I'm going to go check the weather in SL again so that I can kick myself for deciding to stay. Just kidding, I needed some extra time to pack anyway. And I think we'll go to Graeter's tomorrow. That will fix everything.

This is my life lately. Natalie wants me to hold her all the time and if I don't she drives me crazy doing things like this. Something's bothering her and my best guess is teething. Yes, that is a barf covered carseat cover. She drank too much milk and then had a coughing spasm and out it came.

"Hold-y!"

As for Jans-Man: No doubt about it, my son loves trains. Here's how I know:
-After we have put him to bed at night he often talks to himself and calls out things like, "All aboard!"
-He talks about Santa and his traindeer
-Last Sunday he saw "train tracks" on the ceiling of the church
-He said to me today, "There's my golden engine I love to chug!"
-He uses words like "coupled properly," "buffers," "down the line," "narrow gauge controller," etc.
-His new favorite movie is Polar Express
-He will make this high pitched train whistle sound for like 10 minutes straight when he's playing...it's cute, but it's also like nails on a chalkboard
-He can't wait to get Percy, Molly, and Henry for Christmas (maybe)

Not His Day

Today Jansen fell backwards down the stairs in a friend's house. I was actually at the top and watched the whole thing...I just keep replaying it in my head and it makes my stomach turn every time. He cut his head again, so add another scar to my poor son's face.

Another event to top off his day...he had been creating this yucky mucky brown "chocolate milk" out of paint and water and absentmindedly drank from it. It was kind of funny, but of course disgusting. Hopefully tomorrow is a little better!

Makes My Heart Melt

When this little one:

Got hit by this big one:

The only thing that would calm her down was this:

It was so cute because my kids have actually only hugged each other a few times, and when Natalie was crying (because Jansen hit her) I asked her if she wanted a hug from her assailant. She sweetly said, "uh-huh" and stopped crying immediately.

Little Bit of This, Little Bit of That

Jansen likes to be "covered up" before he goes to sleep at night. So this is what it looks like in his bed at night. I always go in later and remove some things so that he doesn't suffocate or sweat to death.

Spaghetti face 1

Spaghetti face 2

I started putting up a few little Christmas decorations at the end of November because it just makes me so happy. I finished the rest the day after Thanksgiving. Here's a little taste of what it looks like at night over here:
We went to a cool exhibit a few days ago. It was a huge Lego display with buildings, farm scenes, and a moving train. Jansen could have followed the train around and around for hours. Natalie on the other hand, was intent on destroying or damaging something.

I Can't Stop Thinking About This

Let me introduce you to Cold Stone's Dark Peppermint Pleasure cake.

I had their Dark Chocolate Peppermint ice cream the other night and thought I had died and gone to heaven. But add red velvet cake and ganache...I'm in love...I seriously can't stop thinking about it. I WILL taste this cake before the end of the year. Mark my words.

Bet You Can't...

...make a pile of dirty laundry this big in less than 3 hours.

We got a babysitter for a couple hours yesterday because Nate was at the hospital and I had a baby shower to go to. Jansen was excited to play with the babysitter but I knew Natalie wouldn't be quite so cooperative so the plan was to have her nap most of the time we were gone. I put her down to sleep and then took off (in some snowy, slippery weather) to my shower luncheon that was about 25 minutes away. After about 40 minutes and halfway into my lunch I got a phone call from my poor sitter. Natalie is awake and threw up in her crib. What?! She's only thrown up once in her life and she was perfectly fine that morning. Murphy's Law. I threw my half eaten lunch across the table to my friend who hadn't ordered anything and hurried home where Natalie was curled up in a corner of her crib (she didn't want to be picked up by the babysitter) just sort of waiting patiently and miserably for me. There was vomit all over bed. I cleaned her up and took the sitter home (Natalie threw up again all over herself and the carseat on the way home). Anyway, that picture of the pile of laundry is all the different clothes Natalie and I wore in about 3 hours time. The nice thing is that she is actually very pleasant and happy...but she just keeps throwing up. She's doing better today.

So This is Christmas...

...with Natalie (broken ornament)...

...but this moment sure made up for it. I collect Christmas books and keep a stack out at Christmastime for anyone and everyone to read. Many are a little advanced for Jansen, but I loved seeing him zoom by with his dump truck and then decide to stop and take a closer look at some of the books. Even if they're upside down.

15 Months

With a 15 month old, this is the only way I can get anything done around here:

Natalie's 15 month check up was today...as always she was very wary and clingy but things went okay. She tried to make a fool of her mother by not responding when the doc asked her where her nose and belly were. The little scamp. To make a long and frustrating story short, we heard today from her cardiologist (the first time we've heard from him since the echo cardiogram) and basically her little hole will most likely heal on it's own and she will just have check ups every year. If we do have to have it closed we will wait until at least preschool. So that's all good news I guess. Here she is enjoying a snack: