album 12\09\2009, by Jessica Flegel

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Holiday Happenings

We have been kinda busy. We had a quiet Thanksgiving just us and mom. We actually went out to eat and took a break from the cooking. The kids did great, the food was excellent...but the restaurant was a bit loud. I did try collards for the first time and OMG they are soooo good.

I braved the evil Black Friday and found some good deals. I was not waiting in line for stores to open nor do I ever have to do that again, but glad I experienced it. We are all done Christmas shopping and I am almost done wrapping everything. Ryan is starting to snoop so now we have to be one step ahead!

Grandma B got Ryan and me a gingerbread tree to make. We make the cookies on Sunday night and will assemble and frost tonight. Should be messy and fun. I have been baking cookies and other yummies for gifts this year (for neighbors, teachers, etc) and mom and I are having a bake-a-thon this Saturday. Then from 2-4pm we have neighborhood cookie exchange. Great timing!

Sunday we are going to see a live performance of Cinderella. We are excited. We really wanted to go see Holidaze by Cirque de Solei but the tickets were very expensive and not doable for a family of 4.

Ryan turned down the breakfast with Santa at his school. He does not like Santa live, in person. His school is also having a tree lighting and a Santa Shop. He gets to "go shopping" with money for presents for us and his friends. It's really cute and we get a list of the stuff they are selling and it's from $.75 to $10 at the most per item. He's pretty excited.

We have a couple holiday dinners to attend but other than that, should be a quiet Christmas too. Geoff has week off because the plant shuts down so I am not sure if he will try to get to Cleveland or not. I cannot take any more time off this year...oh well.

Maddie cut her first molars up on top. She has 6 on top but still only 2 on the bottom. The next bottom two have to be next...she has the cutest space between her top, front middle teeth. Her grandma Sue has a similar one and we love it! If she smiles real big you can see it.

Ryan is going through this awful whining/crying/not listening phase and I am about to lose it. This morning he cried because he thought his winter coat was too big/long and people would think he looked like a girl. I have no idea where that came from. He also has been misbehaving at school; not listening, talking out, acting up in line or at lunch. It's so weird, because then he can turn around and be the sweetest thing ever. He does try to manipulate though. He told me the other day, "mom, you are too hard on me". I said, where did you learn that? He told me Snow Buddies...omg. I told him that sometimes I am too hard on him and I will try to do better, but that it is still my job to make sure he is a good boy. I could give tons of examples but that was the best yet. Then he will tell me he loves me out of the blue and is super sweet and loving. I hope this is just a phase. Oh, he also hates baths all of a sudden..that is another fight each night.

Maddie is doing great. Other than her bout with HFMD (and Ryan then got it briefly) she's been great. She went back to sleeping once done with the HFMD. I thought I would never sleep again...it was awful. She cut her first molars up on top. We initially thought that was why she was waking up 500 times during the night. She has 6 on top but still only 2 on the bottom. The next bottom two have to be next...she has the cutest space between her top, front middle teeth. Her grandma Sue has a similar one and we love it! If she smiles real big you can see it. Some of her words: mine, not nice(she shakes her pointer finger while saying it), kitty, Ry Ry, eat...she signs fish, duck and more. She LOVES to dance. It's so cute when I tell her to shake it and she dances. LOL. She loves her blankies now, horsey rides on mom or dad, will not stay off the freaking stairs or stop touching the Christmas tree or Nutcrackers...oh well...she keeps us busy. She is still super tiny and very snugly and lovable.

That is all for now!

School Pictures

Both kids had their photos taken. Ryan was at school and Maddie at daycare. We were not all that impressed...but got a few of each.

Other than normal holiday business, Maddie got hand, foot, mouth disease. It took a while to know what the heck was wrong with her. She was not sleeping, soooo cranky and then the blisters showed up on her hands, feet and tongue. I don't like her being sick, but at least we knew what it was. Ryan broke out in the rash/blisters yesterday. It's harmless and they were not running a fever so not contagious from what I was told. Oddly, they don't have to stay home from daycare or school. That illness is a first for us...yuk. Sounds worse I think than it is.

Just life

Felt like I had some events, goings on to share. First of all, I applied and got "hired" as a freelance writer for a website called Examiner.com. I am the Raleigh Natural Health Examiner and am incredibly excited about this new opportunity. I am not in it for the money but am doing this on the side to get my writing out there. I am still learning and tweaking...check it out if you have time. Feedback and subject ideas always welcome!

http://www.examiner.com/x-29695-Raleigh-Natural-Health-Examiner~topic503667-flu

We were so sorry to see our neighbor's dog Katie pass on Sunday. I got to give her some love about an hour before she died. She was sick and now is in doggy heaven without pain.

We think Maddie had rotavirus. Crazy diarrhea Friday-Sunday. As the days passed, she ate and drank more. The child eats like crazy so when she was turning food away, we were freaking out.

We took some special time with Ryan on Friday and part of Saturday. Thank you to our dear friend Tracey for keeping Maddie overnight for us! Ryan, Geoff and I (troopers that we are) headed out to Chuck E Cheese. Turns out even an adult can be a kid..hahahahah...ok sorry. It was actually a lot of fun. Ryan loved the attention and all the games. Saturday morning Geoff took Ryan to his 4th Lowes Build and Grow session. They built a little matchbox sized garage.

We had Ryan's parent-teacher conference this past Thursday. They don't give out actually report cards until later in the year. Ryan overall is doing well. He is highly excitable (who knew? ha) and very sensitive. Man...even as I write it...the more I realize my children are ME exactly. He scored great in math. He lacked a bit in letters, letter sounds and beginning and ending word sounds. I, of course, was torn up. Geoff kept reassuring me...the teacher was fantastic and hilarious during out meeting. We left with a tape (yes, cassette tape...another story altogether) with letter sound exercises and some other ideas and tools to get Ryan back on track. We do the tape every night, we watch Letter Factory during the week too. I am also working on his site words. Tonight on a walk Ryan stopped us and said, "S T O P spells STOP." I was so excited and we praised him big time. He is smart, just gets distracted and bored easily. Does that have 5 yr old boy written all over it or what?

I had the most ridiculous day today. I was part of a pretty sizable mistake at work. It was a matter of time before I got "talked to officially". So, that happened today and they were very kind, I was not written up or anything but it was still hard to take. I am a perfectionist so to make a high profile mistake....well it hurts...but in the same day....I received an award (my first at this company) for my contribution to a different project. I kept shaking my head..how do both happen in the same day and then I realize that God has a great sense of humor.

Other than that, got to reunite with an old friend, say goodbye to another...celebrate new births...overall life is great. My family is happy and healthy and we keep on "doing life" to its fullest.

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The kids got these on Halloween and were cracking us up. Maddie actually said "cheese" for the camera. Her hair is getting so long...

Halloween and other fun stuff

Here are our Halloween pictures. Mom came over and handed out candy while Geoff and I took Maddie and Ryan around the neighborhood. People fell in love with Maddie and carried her off in some instances to show others her costume. Ryan got to "shoot" people with his storm trooper gun. We have fun and have yet to make it through the full subdivision before Ry poops out. Geoff was raring to finish and I had to remind him this was for the kids...and if Ry is done, we are done. Maddie could have cared less but it took her only one house (of giving back the candy) to figure out how it all works.

Maddie was the puppy at the daycare festival Friday night. Ryan won a costume contest in it when he was 1 :)

There is an alien tattoo on her cheek from a festival we went to earlier in the day.

This past Saturday we went to the 1st Annual Harnett County Fair. We didn't make it to the State Fair this year which was ok by us. It's a BIG deal down here, but honestly, it's expensive and crowded. This county fair we went to was the perfect size and the weather was beautiful. We even got to see the youth rodeo where they tied sheep and roped calves. Very cool. We will definitely head back next year.

Ryan's first time in bumper cars. This nice girl let him ride with her.

Maddie watching big brother

Maddie is now such a ham for the camera...she does this squinty eye, smile thing...very cute.


Ryan doing a Jerky Shoot (play on Turkey Shoot). He didn't hit any of the targets but he still won some beef jerky...mmmmmmm


Ryan and the big slide. He went down 3 times, loves it.

I threw some other random pics in here too.

After bath time in Maddie's room. Yes, she has some sort of boo boo on her back.

Also...congrats to our friends Nikki and Josh on their twin baby girls! We can't wait to come by and meet them!

Oh, and the garage painting project is done. The kitchen tile back splash has officially started...woo hoo! Once that is done, the fire place will be completed (soo close and it's the faux stone facade that is being finished). I am promised I can decorate it for Christmas.

I will have to get some pictures, but Geoff has built an RC car track in our side yard. We have 2 1/10 scale race cars. They are awesome. They go almost 35 mph. Geoff just got me my own body that snaps on the frame and we custom painted pink and brown and some decals. Pretty sweet!

Ryan just recited the months of the year to me while I was typing! I knew he had the days of the week down but I never heard him say all his months in order. Go Ryan! We have his parent/teacher conference this Thursday to see how he is doing. They do not put out report cards for kindergarten for the first 1/2 of the year.

Oh and just to brag for a minute...I am done Christmas shopping..oh yeah...done! I have never been done this early :) heehee

Pumpkins

We had such a great weekend. Busy, but great. Saturday I went to the Jr League Shopping Spree with Adria and Aniela. Then Aniela and her family and our family went out to Smith's Nursery to get pumpkins. We got to feed the goats too!

We all had a blast and got in the car just as the rain drops started.

Maddie's 15mo Well Visit

Maddie had her 15mo well visit today. It went great. Poor thing had 4 shots but two of the vaccines are done now.

She is still super tiny...her latest stats:

18 lbs 11.5 oz

30 inches tall

45.o head circumference

She is in the 10th percentile for weight. Her size is always concerning to me in terms of keeping an eye on it. Doctor is not worried but she does want us to work on getting some more weight on her. Healthy fats like beans and cheese. Honestly the girl EATS. Anyone who sees her eat for the first time is like OMG! I swear she will be 2 before I can turn her car seat around.

She is right on track developmentally and I wish she would learn some more words verbal or sign language. She gets so frustrated because she cannot express herself. She has become so snuggly lately too. She has also begun getting attached to blankets. Pacifier is still a go. 2 yrs old is the limit for that thing. That will be interesting.

Here are some cute pics of her from the other day. She let's me do her hair but rips it out in about 10 minutes.

Geoff and I also had our 8th wedding anniversary today. We celebrated Saturday night with a horse drawn carriage ride downtown, dinner and a night out on the town. Had a little TOO much fun ha. It was probably my most favorite anniversary so far.