Grant's Farm on Steroids

Last Tuesday, I was out of town and thankfully Scott & the kids were kept in good company by the Peach Family. Megan & Nate really like each other and can pretend for hours in our back yard. Well, this pretending session involved picking leaves and pretending they were food. Unfortunately, poison ivy doesn't make for a very good meal. On Wednesday afternoon when we got home from school, Nate showed me his neck and said it was itching. I brushed it off thinking he got into something at school that irritated his skin.

I should have put two and two together then, but instead it hit me in the face the next morning when he woke up and his whole face and lip were swollen. Poor thing! Off to the doctor he went and was put on an oral steriod. Nate on steroids. It's a fun thought to process. You should be very very scared when both the doctor and pharmacist look at you with straight up pity.

The first night wasn't so bad, it just took him a few minutes to fall asleep. Then he was up at 4:30 AM singing. Yes, singing. We were scheduled to meet the Baker Family at Grant's Farm and I thought of canceling but I really wanted to see them and what was the alternative? Have Steriod Man destory my house some more?!

Off we went and although it was a little tough, I kept thinking it could have been worse (a common mother's rationalization I presume, even when it can't get worse). Nate was 90 to nothing at some moments and then at other moments very tired and cranky. I love his little personality but he's a bit irrational and high maintenance on a day without steriods. Just imagine, if you will.

Nate & Myra in front of the AB sign...

Nate suggested I take their picture here - one of the nicer moments of the day.

His face was so red and we had already eaten lunch so I promised he could get Dippin Dots. It kept him non-whiny for a few minutes. Not many.

Exactly one time through the mister which usually brings lots and lots of fun!

I'm happy to say the poison ivy is clearing up and we are starting to wean the steroids (thank goodness!) It sure has been interesting!

Recipe Monday

I have a confession y'all...I only cooked one time the entire weekend. The rest of the time we either picked up something to eat or fended for ourselves at home. I actually find that I miss cooking when I don't do it. Oh if I only had a few more hours in the day.

I'm thinking of making manicotti this weekend when Mimi & Paka are here. I've loved manicotti since my mom made it when I was growing up. Her manicotti tastes just like Pasta House. I'm not sure mine does, but this is the recipe I use to make some pretty yummy manicotti. Works very good to freeze too!

Click here for the recipe. Enjoy!

Lucky 7

Lila is 7 months old! I would ask if you can believe it, but I think we all know the answer to that question.

Here are a few of Lila's notables for lucky number 7:

• Lila is almost ready to crawl! She actually wishes she was already crawling. Soon enough, soon enough. If she crawls this month, it will be a month earlier than Nate.



• We think Lila is cutting her first tooth. The agitation at night is pure loveliness, let me tell ya.



• Lila got to meet her first girl cousin this month!



• She takes great naps at school. Not so much at home, even though we are not doing anything different. I like to think it's just because she likes being around me too much to be away from me:)



• Lila can cause pain with her hair pulling skills. Her favorite is when I'm holding her and Nate walks up to us. Just the right height for her little hands to reach out and yank.



• She is still the bearer of many nicknames - Lulu, Sisty Lulu Bits, Lila Lulu Bell. Oh my, I need to stop.



• She is finally an eater! Her favorite food is sweet potatoes and second runner up apples & bananas mixed with cereal.



• Lila loves to stand up and is trying to pull up on things.



• Lila is doing great at school and they all love her so much. She has transitioned so well and loves her friends.



• She says "Hi" or something like it, sometimes. But does not say much else. I mean she makes a lot of noise, just not noise that forms into words.

Lila, we love you so much and are excited for the next few months to really see you take off! I hope our house (and our cat) are ready!

Non-Kid Accomplishment!

Our house had a big accomplishment this week. And it didn't involve the kids for once! Scott's paper got accepted by the journal where it was submitted. The best part was that it got accepted with minor revisions and does not have to be submitted again!! Scott takes so much time making sure that everything is perfect that he is definitely rewarded on the back end with pristine paper submissions. We are all so proud of him! Congratulations Scott, now you can enjoy one of these...oh okay, I'll let you have a couple. Just this once:)

Transformation

I often think I should write some "day in the life" posts about what we do all day. Except most days that would be pretty boring with the exception of 6:00 AM - 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM, when the kids are home and we are doing things besides working. Well this week I had a, we'll call it, a "contrasting" day.

Tuesday morning, I rolled out of bed at the ripe hour of 4:30 AM. Quickly showered, got dressed, then kissed the kids and Scott while they were sleeping and hopped in my car. Drove on auto-pilot t0 the airport (we are in fact BFF these days - me and the airport that is). After parking, rushing into the ghost town of an airport, and getting strip searched (just kidding, but isn't that what it feels like these days? Not complaining, just saying), I boarded my flight - after only a slight delay due to thunderstorms, another recurring theme for my travel these days.

3 hours and a short taxi ride later, I'm sitting in the board room on the 33rd floor of the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. As the meeting faciliator started speaking, I looked out the window to see the statue of Paul Revere (I don't know if it's Paul Revere, just looks like him standing atop a very tall building in downtown Philly) and I started thinking.

Not too many hours ago, I was changing diapers, cooking dinner, and trying to make sure no one was eating anything off the floor. A quick transformation and I'm not only somewhere else, I'm actually someONE else. Not technically someone else, but I doubt I'll have to tell any of these gentleman not to eat off the floor (yes, I was the only female there and a good 10 years younger than everbody else. I'd like to say this doesn't happen to me very often, but it does. The financial services industry is still pretty male dominated.)

After about a 3 hour meeting, it's off to the airport in a stifling cab ride to catch my flight home. It was delayed due to thunderstorms, big surprise, but I did make it home about 10:30 PM. Exhausting day, but I was thankful to sleep in my own bed. As I drifted off to sleep, I reflected that although it takes definite coordination, a great husband and well adjusted kids, I have it all. At least for today. Tomorrow will be a different day in the life.

And A Half...

You know when you were a kid and it was a big deal to be able to say how old you were and then add "and a half?" Well that time has come for Nate. He started asking when he would be 5 and a half months ago. This week he finally turned 5.5. We wanted to do a little something for him not only because he knew it was his "half birthday" but also because I always feel a little bit sorry for him when his birthday falls so close to Christmas.

He had actually forgotten the day of his real half birthday. So Scott & I didn't say anything but instead surprised him after dinner. I think he was actually surprised, which with Nate is hard to do.

Cupcakes from Jilly's!

We got him 2 books - one we told him that he could read to us when he was ready and then of course something that had to do with Star Wars - an activity book.

Our little eater - who was just about at the end of her rope by this point in the evening.

Nate, we truly can't believe you are old enough to know about "and a halfs". But we are excited for the next half of the year and all that you will accomplish! We love you!

Hands

I love the way my own mother's hands look, mostly because they look like my Nana's (her mother's) and because my own hands are starting to look like hers. Here are a few other hands from our family. I love the story they tell.