Family Picture Time

 The past few years, nothing has made me feel more like a 'mom' than making my family dress up for pictures.  I think it's just something that only a mother would make you do, but I have loved it.  This year we had a tough time - it was super cold, we couldn't find the photographer at the right park, and the sunlight was fading quickly....AND, Macie saw the lollipop I was going to give her at the end of the photo shoot, and she pitched.a.fit.   If you saw the Christmas card on a previous post, that should explain some of the tears.  I think we got some good photos inspite of the tears, but I learned some lessons for next year:  Take pictures before time changes so we've got more daylight to work with; Pick a place closer to our home where we are familiar so we don't have to rely on our phones to get us to the right place; let her have the lollipop sooner (or just skip the after photo treat).  That being said,  my girls are beautiful (brag much?) and I love being their mommy.   I only pray they know Jesus from a young age. 

 

 This is an actual dress from my childhood.  She calls it her 'Princess Dress'.  Does that make my dress vintage?!

Only one of a few where we're all *almost* looking at the camera.

 This is one happy girl.  What a delight and I can't believe she's already 10 months old.  I can't belive her eyes are so blue also.  She's not quite taking steps, but she's highly mobile.

I love this picture.  She was getting a gentle 'talking to' but the moment looks so serene, instead of the time-out I was likely threatening.  But I do love it.

Potty Training Question

Hey Y'all!  I'm checking in here to ask a question.  Background:  We started the actual, no holds barred potty training on Dec. 21st, 2012.  That day she went #1 11 times and 8 were on the toilet (success in my book!).  The following day she had no #1 accidents and a #2 accident (but daddy was watching her, so again, success!  Just kidding).  Since then, she has had only one potty accident (weird, it was just last weekend, and she was totally unfazed that she had wet herself).  But overall, things are going SWIMMINGLY! 
Here is the question.  For her naps, she is waking up dry, and has been for a few weeks.  So yesterday I bought a mattress pad (and then promptly got home and realized i already had one...blurg) and she took a nap with no diaper.  Success!  No accident.  So at night, she has been generally waking up with a dry diaper.  When do we move to night time no diaper?  Is this not for a couple years?  When did you start going all night with no diaper?
I'd love some input here.

And since we're way overdue for pictures, this is from a few months ago at Costco.  Did I already post this?  I'm at work on break and I'm limited to what pictures I have on hand.  But little cuties they are!

Where To Begin?!

Honestly, I've had one of the busiest holiday seasons of my life, and not all for the better.  I'll just start by sharing that my father passed away on New Years Day.  We've had a difficult relationship for many, many years now, and I'm still very sad to see him go.  I've got lots to write about that, but I'll have to save it for a complete post.  That isn't the main reason that I haven't been blogging, it's just because I've been SO, SO busy (not unlike most of you), and I haven't had time to put on makeup, let alone, blog.
Let me just give some highlights (from before my fathers death) and that will hopefully entice you to check back when I finally have a chance to write everything down. 
First, Macie is *almost* potty trained!  I say almost because we still do night time and nap time diapers.  It has been amazing not to clean up toddler poop!  Today marks 2 weeks and we haven't had any accidents since day 2!
Second, my church put on a huge Christmas Eve service (actually, we had 5 services) and I directed it.  It was hugely rewarding, and I wish I could do that for a living instead of teach history (although i certainly enjoy teaching history...and above all, I wish I could just stay at home full time with the girls...if I'm dreaming).
Third, Christmas!  With a 2 year old!  It was fantastic to see her excitement Christmas morning.  The only problem this year on Christmas was that we learned of my dad's deteriorating health condition that night and that sort of soiled the end of the celebration.
Fourth, Home Improvement!  We had our ceilings scraped of the lovely 80's popcorn ceilings while we were in northern California*.  But this meant taking down all Christmas decorations on Christmas night, and then putting away all knick knacks of any kind all day on the 26th before ...
Fifth*, driving 7 hours to Northern California with a 2 1/2 year old and 9 month old to see my grandparents.  We had fun..ish.  There were 12 people in a 3 bedroom house that is only 1400 square feet.  We aren't hugely demanding, but I felt bad for my Aunt, as we took over her room completely.
Sixth, Dh and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary.  While in Nor Cal, we left the girls with my mom for the night and drove to San Fransisco.  We had a nice dinner and saw a 49ers game.  It was very, very cold for this Southern California girl.
Seveneth, Penny started getting a cold the day we got back to my grandparents house.
Eight, Macie got sick the next day
Ninth, we were informed right before our long drive home that my dad was being transferred to hospice care and would probably die in the next week or so.
Tenth, we were told that he would probably die that very day or the next.  So on our way home, sick babies and all, we went to the hospice and were there right before he died.  It was on one hand nice, on the other hand, very uncomfortable**.
Eleventh, the girls continued to be sick and on Tuesday night, Macie's fever reached 104.3.  Penny's wasn't that high, but she had the bad cough.
Twelfth, Both girls to the doctor the next day (wednesday now).  Both girls Bronchiolitis.  (Penny just had this two weeks before Christmas, Macie's never had it).
Thirteenth, Dinner with the stepmom who was in the middle of divorcing my father, but as he was in the ICU, they "exchanged rings and said I love you".  So she's back in the picture even though he is gone.  Very unsure how I feel about that.
Fourteenth, Macie is better, Penny is on 4th day of fever.  Is throwing up almost everything she eats or drinks.  Little urine output.  Back to doctor.  Breathing treatment and chest xray.  Guess who has mild Pnemonia?  Peneleope Dorothy!
Fifthteenth, did I mention I'm throwing a bridal shower tomorrow?  So I've got no free time here and when I do, I'm searching how to do a trivia game for TV families instead of cuddling my little ones, because I still want to celebrate my friends' baby, but I'm just a little strapped.  At least it's tomorrow and it'll be fun.
Sixteenth, My husband was supposed to go out of town tomorrow night and with everything and without me asking, he decided to stay home and be a huge support to me, especially with Penny being sick.

This has been, the most non-vacation of my life.  I can't wait for life to go back to normal.  Whenever that will be.
AND, God is still good, all the time.  I still see His hand on my life in the middle of this earthly insantity.


This was supposed to be the short post.  Can you believe there are details here I didn't write?!  I may not write them down, I'll lose all my 'followers'.  Ha.

** my dad died of liver failure brought on my alcoholism.  It was a very sad way for someone who once had so many friends to die, but at least his family was surrounding him in the very plush hospice room.  It was uncomfortable because there was no privacy to say anything to him.  But then again, I'd already said what I needed to say in our conversations early in life, but still, you know...he was my dad and I really have great memories from my childhood.  just not my adulthood where he was mostly concerned.