ScrumpyDaddy

My company has progressed since last year. This year they gave us a 1/2 day for Christmas Eve. I would love to see them give a whole day Christmas Eve next year, but we will see. Personally, I don’t understand why companies just don’t give the entire week before Christmas off (with the exception of retailers and emergency crews). I work for an asset management company and this time of year is very slow. We don’t really accomplish much during this time.

Anyways…enough of my rambling. Let’s get to the heart of this post. We went over to my in-laws for Christmas Eve dinner and then to their church. I have to say, even though I am not catholic, the service at St. Valentines is wonderful to go to. This is our second year spending Christmas Eve with the in-laws and going to their church. The service is a beautiful, traditional service. The canter was much better this year than last year. I love singing to traditional hymns.

After the service we came back to our house for dessert. Dave had made a cheesecake. Dave’s sister Edie and her husband Pat met us over at the house for dessert. We had a good time of being together.

After talking prior to Christmas Eve about traditions we had growing up, we decided on a couple that I hope to continue each year even once the kids have grown. I grew up with my Grandfather reading “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to me each year before bed and I loved it. Now…we don’t have a grandparent reading it, but either Dave and I will be reading it to our kids each Christmas Eve from now on. Also, we started a tradition of letting the kids open 1 gift before bed on Christmas Eve. Each year they will now be receiving new jammies Christmas Eve.

Abby did great going to bed even though I know she was very excited about Santa Claus coming. She even left him cookies and milk. She picked 2 cookies, a tree and a star sugar cookies.

After the kids were in bed it was time for Daddy and I to get started on our work. I swore I would never become my mother when it came to her tradition of staying up late Christmas Eve wrapping gifts. Apparently I lied. Yes, I failed this year to get anything ready prior to Christmas Eve. It has been a crazy couple of months. Daddy and I stayed up until 3am wrapping all the gifts and putting the finishing touches on the doll house we made Abby. Next year will be different. I will be going to bed at a more reasonable hour.

Zach had been breathing hard with a cough for about 3 weeks. He has been to the pediatrician twice for it. The first time he went they said they heard the wheezing and the cough. They didn’t really diagnosed him with anything, but wanted us to give him nebulizer treatments every 4 to 6 hours as the cough persists. The 2nd time he went for the follow up they found he has his first ear infection. He has been on antibiotics since a week ago Tuesday. He of course hates the antibiotics. I wish they made a stronger concentration for infants. He has to take 1 and a 1/2 teaspoons twice a day. That is just so much liquid for him to swallow, especially when he hates the taste of it. The nebulizer treatments started to go better, but he was not a big fan of them either. Poor baby sick already at 5 months.

On Saturday December, 19th we had a first day of snow. It snowed all day long. When we got up in the morning I would say we had at least 2 inches on the ground. I told Abby to go look out the window. She looked out our bedroom window and said, “There’s snow out there.” We went down had breakfast and then all got ready, except for Zach, to go out and play in the snow. Zach took his morning nap, which worked out great because then both Dave and I could go outside. Zach is 5 months old and not quite old enough to be outside for an extended period of time even with his snow suite.

We took out the snow pants, boots, mittens, hat, and winter coat. By the way, the snow pants, boots, hat, and mittens were all from our local Salvation Army store (less than $10.00 for all 4). The Salvation Army store is great for kids who grow out of things so quick and can only use things like snow pants and boots for 1 year. Anyways, Dave and I put on our long underwear, we don’t have snow pants, and got our hats and gloves on. The 3 of us headed outside to enjoy the snow.

It was beautiful outside. It wasn’t very windy and with all our layers on it didn’t feel too cold. The snow was still falling, but it was just lightly falling to make the perfect winter scene. Abby immediately went out in the snow. She wanted to make snow angels. She made at least 5 or 6 angels while we were outside. She really wanted to make snow balls and a snowman, but the snow was too fluffy and soft to make those. Not quite wet enough snow. We will have to wait until later in the season.

Abby had tons of fun anyways. We got out the sleds and pulled her around a little bit. We also went sled ridding. We have a hill for a backyard so Mommy and Abby went down the hill together many times on the blue and orange sleds we have. Abby laughed each time and wanted to keep going.

We stayed outside for about an hour before it started to feel cold on our faces. We knew it was time to come in and Abby was ready. It was a wonderful time. Days like this are why winter is so great. I am just glad it wasn’t a work day and I didn’t have to drive in it.

Abby’s Snow Angel

Zach is now 5 months old. He is growing leaps and bounds. I had to change out all his clothes right before Thanksgiving to his 6 to 9 month clothes. Zach you have to stop growing so that we have enough clothes for you, LOL! Zach is now 19 lbs 13 oz.

Zach is getting much better at his fine motor control. You can see him concentrating on controlling his hand to pick up specific toys. Then once he has them he can now hold onto to them and put them in his mouth (which he does most of the time) or shake them to make noise. He loves one rattle in particular. Whenever he moves it and it makes its rattle noise he smiles. We keep that one at the dinner table with us. We have been putting Zach in his high chair at the dinner table with some toys whenever we are eating. He seems to like that better than the bouncy chair or on the floor. He likes to be up with the rest of us at the table. We will probably be starting him on solids soon. He seems to be getting interested in watching us eat, typically a sign they want to start solids.

Zach is also moving forward with his gross motor control. He has now rolled over completely several times, though I think Dave has missed everyone of them. Dave will be with Zach and trying to get him to roll over for him and of course Zach does it the second Dave looks away for something. You catch it one of these times Dave. Zach has also discovered his feet. He is starting to grab them when he is lying on his back. We now have to keep shoes on him to keep him from pulling off his socks and then sucking on them. Wet socks, gross! We still have to work on those stomach muscles to help him sit up on his own. He is getting much better though. When you hold his hands he will try and pull himself up to sitting position. He still can’t stay there on this own and needs support, but we will keep working on it.

Zach is still a very happy baby. He loves to make noise and make himself heard, whether that is good or bad. He also loves his sister and still smiles whenever he sees her. She is wonderful with him. She is now starting to play with him more, since he now reacts more to her. She reads him books, gives him toys, and loves to help whenever she can. She will get very jealous if you don’t ask her to help. She is a great big sister. I hope it remains this way.

Unfortunately, Zach is sick right now with a bad cold. It has gone to his chest so he is coughing and wheezing. Dave took him to the doctor yesterday and they prescribed nebulizer treatments every 4 to 6 hours to help open him up. I hope he gets better soon.