Catching Up

I know I've got a lot of catching up to do. Zion is sick this morning. Has been for weeks really but just in the last few days her fever has been worse so she's kind of homebound (gee, this seems to be a pattern when Rob gets to come home. Last time it was Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease. Ugh!) The doctor that saw her on Friday tested her for Strep and Mono and ran a CBC. Strep and Mono came back negative, the CBC showed slight anemia. Her temp was 102.5 then. Since then it's been running around 100 to 101.5. She has a wicked cough. So the doctor's conclusion was that she may have a little pneumonia and if she isn't better after a few days to bring her back in for x-rays. A few days puts us right about the time we're supposed to leave for a few days on the coast. Naturally. So when she still had a temp this morning I went on her ped's website and schedule her an appointment for tomorrow. I'm hoping that she'll have a miraculous recovery and be fine tomorrow morning and we can cancel her appointment and pack for our trip.

Anyway, my point is that I'm stuck at home with Zion while Gideon naps and Rob and Gabe went to church. Might as well take the opportunity to update the ol' blog. Warning: this post is picture heavy!

The other morning I was nursing Gideon in the rocker in my room when Zion woke up and screaming her head off started calling for me. I asked Gabe if he would go in and talk to her while I finished with Gideon. Things got quiet but for the occasional giggle. When I finished I found them in a dark room watching the little projection on the ceiling from Zion's "birdy box". That's what we call the little Fisher Price soother that attaches to her crib and plays music and shows a light up scene on the ceiling. Gabe had managed to get Zion's ginormous pink Pegasus into her crib and they were both nestled in and watching the "movie". How sweet!

"Got pots and pans in my rock and roll band!" Some lyrics from one of our favorite Children's music CDs Dog Train by Sandra Boynton. Gideon was definitely gettin' his rock on this day. Bang! Bang! Bang! goes the pots and pans while he laughed and laughed.

Until, of course, it was time to taste them.

Speaking of tasting, guess who has FIVE teeth! Well, I guess technically we all have five teeth and more but Gideon has busted through three on the top to add to the two on the bottom and last I checked 3+2=5! What a little snaggletooth.

All the better to bite you with! Or at least annihilate the few pieces of brownie I let him try the other day.
And some banana, one of his favorite foods.

Zion kicks back after finishing a meal.

Gabe has been mastering scissoring and gluing lately. He loves to draw and then cut out of the pieces and glue them together. This little guy is a Bob-omb from, you guessed it, a Mario game.

Zion got washable markers for Christmas so I can stop making her cry by telling her she can't use Gabe's which are so not washable that I now have permanent colors on my nice dining room table. Lovely.

Gabe and Zion really enjoy the AquaDoodle mat. They get to color with the water pens and it just dries up in a little while and they can do it again. And Mama doesn't have to clean up a mess.

I suppose I should be honest and confess that Rob's being home isn't the only thing keeping me away from posting this last week. In November I took a knitting class but had a hard time picking it up outside of the class and had a harder time finding a sitter so I could get to class again. In December I was determined to keep it up but then forgot my knitting at my sister's at Christmas. Jamie got me a book called Stitch N' Bitch which is a title I can't even say in front of my children but is excellent and I've referenced it on many occasions. Now I want the other titles, Stitch N' Bitch Crochet: Happy Hooker (OK, I want this one the least but the naughty side of me likes to say the title so I included it), Stitch N' Bitch Nation and Son of a Stitch N' Bitch.

I also discovered Ravelry and Knitting Help. The last one has really great video clips for people like me who get home from and can't even remember how to 'knit' or 'purl' let alone fix a mistake or attempt something like cabling. But, you may recognize that the above photo of my very first project ever does indeed have a cable (that's the chunky twist up the middle of the scarf). And now I want to shout from the rooftops "I'm doing it! I'm doing it!" because I never thought that I could and look - it's working! Since I took that picture I've multiplied the length by about five times and I'd say it's about half way done (and it doesn't really flare at the bottom, it's just an odd picture). Yesterday I bought yarn and needles for my next project which will be a simple rib stitched neckwarmer only to add in a challenge it will have buttonholes and buttons. I'm trying not to think about that though. I haven't even bound off my first project yet. One thing at a time.

Zion my fashion diva. Had to sneak in this picture when she wasn't looking or I knew I wouldn't get one at all. When she out grew the hat I added it to her dress up collection so now she wears it with random outfits.

Gideon loves these little "pancake puffs" that I make. I freeze the extra and they make great teethers. One of these days I'll try them with whole wheat so they'll be a little more healthy but by the time I get around to that he'll probably have his driver's license - ha ha.

Look who joined our family!

For about 30 hours anyway. Gotcha for a second didn't I? We just got to puppy sit this cutie for a little while. Neither Zion or Gabe wanted him to go home. In fact, I don't think Towzer did either. Personally I was quite fine with him heading for home. His little visit cemented in my mind that I don't want a puppy any time soon. Not that he was bad or anything, just one more thing to take care of and I need that right now like I need a hole in the head.

But Champ the pup and Towzer had a blast playing in the yard sometimes running into each other like demolition cars.

Zion especially loved having Champ around. When he was in his kennel in the living room she would take her block puzzle over there and simply play in front of his door for an hour or more.


And she just stood in the yard laughing at the Champ and Towzer play until I drug her back in due to the cold.