Getting ready for Halloween

We made it to the farm to take the pumpkin patch photos, but the girls weren't too cooperative. I'm not happy with the results, but it snowed the day after we got these shots and it didn't seem like a good idea to go back.

Kennedy is going to be a kangaroo for Halloween. I don't know where she got this idea, but she been fixed on it for several months now. We looked at several costume possibilities, but didn't find anything great... until we found a sea otter costume. I found a kangaroo puppet to be her joey. We bought some supplies to alter it, and Jake's mom added a pouch and made covers for the bunny ears we got - just don't call her a bunny. Several people did, and she wasn't too happy! She wore the costume on Saturday to the Nelson family party. She was a big hit, both for the costume and how cute she was playing around. Her cousins weren't there, but Kennedy joined right in with the other kids. Macy looked adorable in her Ute cheerleader costume. She spent some time getting to know baby Lydia who is just a few weeks older. I don't know yet if she will wear the cheerleader costume again or be a bear like Kennedy was for her first Halloween. The bear is much warmer, but I don't think we'll be doing much trick-or-treating.

We also got a few more pumpkins - the dragon got moldy and had to be thrown away. Our friends Paul and Sara came over to carve and have pizza. Kennedy was much happier with the results this time. She said something like, "Dad's pumpkin is beautiful. The cat and mouse are happy!" I tried to get fancy and make an elephant, but part of the trunk came off.

I love fall

I don't know what season is my favorite...I love them all. We're so lucky to live in a place where we can experience four distinct seasons. The girls and I were having fun in the backyard while daddy raked leaves.

Macy is doing much better after her first several days on the antibiotic.

Kennedy is doing just fine... as long as no one tries to take her pink ball.

Macy's first ER visit

Macy has been sick for a few days with what we thought was a mild cold, and last Saturday she started running a fever. We mostly stayed around the house over the weekend - playing games, folding laundry, and raking a ton of leaves (with the help of Kennedy and two neighbor kids who came over to volunteer). Sunday her fever reached 102, so I gave her some Tylenol and got out all my baby books to try to find the magic number for when to call the doctor. Everything seemed to say at her age, unless it's 103, judge more by her behavior. Se was alert, playing, laughing, eating well, napping fine - basically ok, but just hot and fussy. Sunday night didn't go so well. She woke up several times, and at 1:30am, her temp had risen to 102.8. We decided to take her to the emergency room. We packed everything up and dropped off Kennedy at Grammie and Pampie's.

Luckily the ER was pretty quiet, and we were in a room within 20-30 minutes of arrival. The medicine had kicked in, and Macy was happy and wide awake. Fritz, the nurse, asked us some questions and checked her vitals. Then we met with Dr. Junkins, who also asked more questions and took readings before deciding what tests to run. Fritz came back a while later with another nurse to do two catheter tests - one of them went up the nose to screen for viral infections, including H1N1 and seasonal flu. Macy really hated that, and I can't blame her; it looked miserable! Just when all of us had fallen asleep, the Dr. came back with the results...it looks like Macy has her first UTI. We were discharged from the hospital about 5:30am, and got home just in time to shower and get ready for work.

I went to pick up Kennedy and take the girls to the other grandparents' house for the day. Kennedy seemed just fine, but as I was about to leave, she started saying she didn't feel well. She asked for a bowl to throw-up in, she said her mouth hurt, she said her bottom hurt. I didn't know if this was real or a ploy for attention, but she looked a bit pale and her nose was running (probably from all the crying). Kennedy decided to stay home from school, which is not at all like her, even though she was "leader of the day". I know Kennedy doesn't have another UTI - we just got confirmation the day before that she's over her last one. Macy got started on the antibiotics and also got a clean bill of health from her virus screening. At least we know what we're dealing with. Actually, this feels all too familiar. I would assume that the next step will be to test Macy for VUR (kidney reflux), as it has a strong inheritance factor. Poor girl!

Scary

On Saturday Jake and Kennedy stopped for pumpkins at Nole's Nursery on the way home from the Little Gym. He said that we could carve them as soon as she woke up from her nap. We had nap time drama, as usual, and Kennedy just wouldn't go to sleep at a reasonable time. Lately she's been napping at 3:00 or 3:30, and often sleeps until 6:00... and then bedtime becomes a battle. I need to find a way to get her off this schedule. During one of the failed nap attempts, Jake, Macy and I were downstairs watching TV. We hear someone pull up in the driveway and get out of the car. Jake gets up to see who is here. He doesn't recognize the car, and as he's going up the stairs there's a knock while the door is opening. He's face to face with some strange, older lady we've never seen before. She's carrying flowers and a present, but that doesn't make the fact that she's just broken into our home any more comfortable. She claims that she had the wrong house, but it looks just like the one she's trying to find! A little scary.

We gave in and took a family trip to the farm. It was really busy, but we didn't participate in any of the Halloween activities. I've taken a picture of Kennedy in the pumpkin patch every year, but right now the patch is pretty bare.

I don't know if they had a bad crop or lots of kids, but we might have to find somewhere else to take the picture this year. I have to carry on this silly tradition with Kennedy and get Macy's first pumpkin photo shoot, too. Macy had a nice nap in the stroller, but Kennedy was wide awake (until the car ride home).


There are some adorable baby pigs; the smallest ones we've seen there. They also had a corn/hay bale maze for the kids. It reminded me of the one time I went to their Haunted Forest when I was in high school with friends from the swim team. I hate haunted houses, but there was something about being outside that made it even more scary.

Finally we carved the pumpkin. I suggested a dragon, and everyone seemed excited by the idea. Jake is the master carver, so he sketched out a design and put the pattern on the pumpkin. I was busy separating the seeds to roast, something I've never done before. Kennedy and Macy were having a great time watching it all.


When daddy finished the carving we lit a candle and turned out the lights to view the results... and Kennedy burst into tears! Then through her sobs she said, "I don't like it! It's really scary!" Later she warmed up a little when we told her it was a happy dragon, but she still seems a little frightened of it.

Picture Day

Last Wednesday was school picture day for Kennedy. I took three different outfit choices to my parents' house and a bag full of hair ribbons and clips. Kennedy doesn't like to get dressed at home most mornings, so she usually arrives at Grammie and Pamp's or Grandma Sue's and Grandpa Brent's in her pjs. Here's what we finally settled on. There was a little drama with the hair style - I wasn't satisfied with it the first time, so I tried to fix one side and then regretted taking it out. Needless to say, I was late for work. I hope she had a cute smile for the camera.

After school she came home with her little buns still in place - a miracle! Instead of taking a nap, Pamp, Kennedy and Macy all snuggled up in bed and watched their favorite show, Sesame Street.

That's ELMO'S WORLD...

Sharing

Kennedy had a cold over the weekend. When I picked the girls up on Friday I was told that her nose had been running all day. Ugh! Now we're all going to be sick. I do my best, but I'm terrible at constantly enforcing the no kissing, no sharing food or drinks, and frequent hand washing rules. I mean how can you refuse a good night kiss from a 2 1/2 year old? We did stay home from the Little Gym on Saturday, so at least the germs can stay in our own family. Later I went in to the girls' room to find Kennedy in the crib with Macy reading her a story.

And hugging and kissing her.

And giving her the bink.

Double ugh! I probably should have stopped them rather than continue to take pictures, but they were being so cute. Of course, now Macy sounds like she's a bit congested. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but so far I feel fine, and Kennedy is doing much better today.

On Sunday Kennedy was a big hit when she wore this outfit to Costco (plus her pirate rain boots!) Why fight it - I thought she looked cute.

The first supper

I wanted to wait until 6-months for Macy to start solids, but I also want her to start sleeping through the night again! Tonight she got her first taste of rice cereal.

Kennedy was a great helper. She loved feeding her baby sister!

Macy wasn't too sure about the idea at first.

I think she likes it- especially squishing it in her hands!

Best friends

Kennedy and Macy really are best friends, and I hope it lasts as they grow! Kennedy will stop playing just to go over and give Macy a hug and kiss. She'll say, "I love you, Mace!" And Mace puts up with the big squeeze and responds with a giant smile. It's just about the cutest thing ever!

I need sleep!

I haven't had a full night of sleep for the last several weeks. Why? Three reasons:

1) Kennedy. But she's been sick, so I'll cut her some slack.

2) Macy. She has been a great sleeper for the last few months, sleeping from 8-6 almost every night. Now she's waking up 2 or 3 times a night. I'd let her cry longer, but since she shares a room with Kennedy I don't want to risk it. I'll also cut her some slack because I suspect she might be getting her first tooth.

3) Netflix. More specifically, Dexter. Yes, I am addicted to the Showtime series about a forensics specialist who moonlights as a serial killer. We just finished season 2, which you can view online, and now I'm desperately waiting for the season 3 discs to arrive. I've spent too many nights lately watching episodes after the kids go to bed. And then when I finally get to bed and sleep for an hour or so... one of the girls wakes me up. No one to blame but myself here.

It's feeling like fall

I can't believe it's already October! On the first, we celebrated my old cabbage patch doll Keriann's birthday. She's 24, if you can believe it. We made her a cake in our new oven (the real reason for the party)! Kennedy picked out a rainbow cake with confetti frosting. She only ate a bite, but she was very excited to sing and have candles.

We took advantage of the little sun we had this week and had fun blowing bubbles in the backyard. Macy liked sitting in the grass and feeling it with her fingers.

Kennedy got sent home from school on Wednesday with a fever. I took her to the doctor Friday for yet another catheter, and now we're waiting for the test results. She has been doing ok while the fever is under control, but she crashes as soon as it starts rising. Her temp was 98 degrees when the nurse first checked it; within 30 minutes I asked to have it rechecked, and it was back up to 102.7. I also learned that the last infection she had was resistant to the antibiotic she takes every day. This could be her second breakthrough infection while on the prophylactic dose. I don't know what that means for her treatment, but we may at least need to change to a different antibiotic.