And we're back!

Well, hello friends. It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry. Really, I am. I'm not really sure what happened. I think the death of our laptop largely contributed to my blogging hiatus. We have a desktop, but mostly I'm too lazy to sit there.

So what have we been up to for the last four months?

Well:

In October we started an eight week round of illness. That really might be the biggest contributing factor to why I quit blogging. We had a round of hand, foot and mouth disease (SK), bronchitis (SK), rotavirus (both girls), strep (me and Ali)and a couple of colds thrown in for good measure. That doesn't seem like all of it, but it's enough to tell you that it wasn't really a fun time.

We went to Beggs Family Farm in Sikeston for a little bit of pumpkin-picking fun. It was COLD! But we had fun anyway.





Wes and I got to go to an Ole Miss football game with several of our friends. I didn't take any pictures, but I had a blast. It's something we really need to do every year!

Then Halloween came around and my little princesses turned into a scary (but not really) witch and a fairy princess. Ali just can't stop being a princess for long. :)


Then November rolled around. And all heck broke loose in this house on the illness front. But did that stop us from packing up and going to Birmingham for Thanksgiving? No, it did not. It wasn't such a fun week for Sarah Kate what with rotavirus and all (wasn't it nice of us to take our illnesses traveling?) but it was the week she finally decided she likes my family. It only took close to two years. It totally made it worth it.


December. Christmas. Ali's first school Christmas program. Visitors. Cookies. December was a good month. Christmas was awesome for the girls this year. They both loved it. My favorite part was when Ali ran to the living room and yelled "He came! Santa really came!!" and then she dug right into her pile of gifts.



January brought a visit to the cardiologist. Sarah Kate had a sedated echo (we do NOT like watching her get drunk on sedatives and then pass out. That was not fun.) Her heart looks absolutely wonderful. And that made us feel great. We will always be watching for her subaortic stenosis to get worse and for now it hasn't changed one bit. YAY!! Sarah Kate celebrated her 2nd birthday on January 26th. Only there was no celebration. We spent the day in the dr's office for a terrible cold that we were afraid would turn into pneumonia. She got a rocephin shot for her birthday. And the very next week she got a nasty stomach bug. We haven't even bothered trying to celebrate her day yet. Isn't that sad? But we will definitely have a party soon. To celebrate two wonderfully amazing years with our little spitfire. She's mean as a snake, by the way. But then can turn around and be the sweetest little person you've ever seen.



Which brings us up to February. So far February has been defined by snow and more illness. I know. We have a recurring theme in the family. Week before last we got a TON of snow. TOO MUCH SNOW!! There was still a little bit on the ground yesterday. And when we got up this morning, the ground was covered again!! And we are expecting another 6 inches or so tonight. It's definitely beautiful, but Ali has decided she would rather have spring flowers than snow.






Speaking of Ali, she is FOUR today. FOUR YEARS OLD!! I started this blog when she was just a tiny little thing in my belly. It's so hard to believe that four years have passed. She is an amazing little person. So imaginative and full of spirit. I fully intend to post again soon with updates on both girls. I regret that I haven't done it sooner. This blog is how I remember things!


So there you are. Updated on the family.

After a fabulous trip to Birmigham, we are back to our normal routine. This week is fair week and we kicked it off by going to the parade Tuesday night. I didn't intend to take Sarah Kate because I thought she would be entirely too hard to keep up with. Plus, it was after her twilight bedtime. But I couldn't stand not being there with Ali (who went with her cousins and Nanny), so we headed over there. And while SK was predictably busy trying to pick flowers out of people's yards and wanting to run in the street, it was actually really fun. She danced when the bands came by (Ali danced when the dancers came by) and chowed down on a few suckers. I think starting next year, I might actually be able to just sit in a chair and watch while both girls catch candy.

Ali and I are headed to the fair tonight. I'm really looking forward to it just being the two of us. Next year, Sarah Kate will definitely be into all of it, so this will be the last time the fair will be all about Ali.

The girls and I came to Birmingham yesterday. For a visit and a change of pace. And I wanted my mom to make my birthday dinner. It was not the best drive ever, but many, many puffy cheetos later, we arrived.

And then, after no sleep all day, we thought it would be fun to go to the fair. Because we're optimists. And, really, it was fun. Ali had more fun than Sarah Kate (who has no use for fair rides, but does like fair food), but all in all, both girls had a good time. Sarah Kate's favorite part was the petting zoo. She liked to feed the animals pieces of straw she picked up from the ground, but did not like to feed the animals the small pieces of food that they would lick out of her hand. Ali's favorite part was the bungee trampoline.

Then we all came home and crashed.

And at one this morning, Ali rang in my birthday with a lovely bloody nose. Beating herself up in her sleep, I guess.

The plan for the day is just to play. And maybe shop. Tomorrow we'll have my birthday party. My first 29th.

Snippets

It isn't even light outside and Sarah Kate is already up eating breakfast. She definitely wins the early bird award.

Ali loves, loves her new "school". She has all kinds of friends. When she gets in the car in the afternoon, she dumps the rocks out of her shoes. And her feet stink.

I got an iphone the other day. Wes and I finally caught up with the rest of the world. Giving me one is a little like giving a heroin addict a continuous IV drip of heroin.

Really. What did people do before they were connected to each other 24 hours a day? Do you think it's a bit ridiculous?

The girls and I are going to Birmingham next week. Wes has to work the night of my birthday, so I'd rather spend it there with my family than here alone. We haven't traveled in over three weeks and I'm getting antsy.

Still dark outside. Here comes Ali. But it is 6:30, so I guess it's ok. I'm just not used to it getting light so late now.

I don't know if I've mentioned it, but Ali's made a huge leap recently. She is no longer three. She's thirteen. She's got the attitude to prove it.

But at least when I asked her what kind of birthday I should have she said "a queen birthday:. So she still somewhat acknowledges who is in charge here.

Sarah Kate went to the dr yesterday. She now weighs 24 lb and 8 oz. She still very much hates going to the doctor. She doesn't even like getting weighed. And she's perfected her glare. Everyone who walks in the room gets to see it.

Both girls are still addicted to Dora. This very much works to my favor when I need a few minutes of peace. It's nice to watch the laying together on my bed, blankets in hand, fingers in mouths, quietly watching tv.

It's even better to watch them playing together though. Lately Sarah Kate is much more interested in playing with Ali. She loves to copy her and they have a new game where they throw themselves down on the bed and pretend to cry. It cracks me up.

I spent hours cleaning my house yesterday. Today my arms are sore and my hands are swollen. But the house looks good. At least until 7 am. Then it will all be downhill. Do you ever feel like you clean for no reason?

That's about all that is going on around here right now. It's almost fair season and we are very excited! It might be the end of summer for sure, but it's the beginning of funnel cake season. :)

First Day

The girls started at their new daycares today. It went amazingly well. We had to leave the house at 6:40. Today that was easy. Ali was excited and I was prepared. I suspect as winter draws closer, it will be harder and harder to be ready and out the door so early!

Ali is thrilled with her new daycare. She told me all about her new friends and going out to play on the playground (the lovely playground with lots of gravel We brought half of it home in her shoes). She told me about naptime and lunch time. And anything else she could think of. When she wasn't almost falling asleep in her carseat. She was ready for this change and I'm so happy we were forced to move.

Sarah Kate has new little friends at her new daycare. Our new sitter has a 16 month old son and our 9 month old cousin, Avery, goes there too. So I think since SK will be the queen of the daycare, she'll be pretty happy there.

Thank goodness for answered prayers. And lots of help from the friends who got us all set up in our new spots!

Now I am enjoying the peace that a hard day of playing allows. It is 7:40 and Ali is asleep. Sarah Kate is talking in her bed. Reading to her Dora doll, no doubt.