Sick days

Note the blue bracelet on Jane's leg? Oh yeah, sickness has moved into the Anderson home, and Jane was diagnosed with an upper respiratory cold, and an ear infection. She lost her voice too (which only added to my mommy paranoia).  There just isn't anything like seeing your baby cry and hearing only squeeks come out.

Nolan is over his cold for the most part, although, I'm going to have his ears checked (he's been talking like he has head phones on).  So, there you have it, we are deaf and mute here but still doing fine. :) pray for healing & sleep.

Time to Reflect

Finally, I'm sitting down and mostly by myself, there is a super cute baby girl next to me making raspberries and holding her toes, but who can complain about that?  I am now ready for a nice slow winter.  A winter of playing in the snow, watching my breath as I wait outside, and of warm tea and biscotti. This is the exact opposite of the previous weeks, and who can blame the business on anyone? There was just a lot that happened in a small amount of time. 

For starters, there is a lot of new life celebrations this year.  Cora, my neice turned two years old (her birthday falls on December 15), and my Sister-in-law Heather is due to become a new mom by the beginning of February, making a baby shower necessary while family was in town.

Another celebration of life but in a more painful way was when Steve's wonderful Grandmother Jane (whom my baby Jane gets her name) passed a week before Christmas.  The funeral was a testament to her godliness, love, charm, humor, and blessedness.    

If you are keeping track that is three social events, all of which happen within or around a weeks time. 

Now, as is tradition in our family we have the five Christmases, and try as I might I'm just not the kind of person who can be around people all the time (except for my immediate family and even then I need some alone time).  For me the perfect balance is a one to one ratio.  One day out and about to one day in and recharging.  But with  nine events within the window of ten days my ratio is kinda thrown to the wayside.  But I'm finding that it's not a lack of people but more a lack of energy to register everything that is happening around me and plus my house goes to pot (a dirty house actually stresses me more than...well maybe a fender bender.  In fact, if I did have a fender bender, I really hope not to, I would probably be okay if I came home and my house was perfectly clean and the laundry was done.).

So, now in the comfort of our chase, I can finally register my feelings, thoughts, hopes, dreams, and sit down and blog as I look back over the previous weeks.  I am thankful for all the time with friends and family (and COOKIES! I've gained at least 5lbs), and I look forward to the winter, to 2013, and to all the adventures that are bound to make their way onto this blog.   

Life Captured by My Phone

Finger painting

Nolan loves the bird and bug book.  Here he has picked out his favorite bird.

 Nolan is offically 3, as of mid-November.  As a birthday treat we took Amtrak from Lees Summit to Union Station.  He loved it so much he cried leaving, all the way home and ended up taking a long nap.  At least he really liked it...right?

 Christmas at our house.  A little bit not as stylish as normal (Note the presents in the tree) but I have a feeling that I'll miss that messy tree some day.  (The other picture is of our advent calendar that hangs in our front window)

Steve and I at the Nutcracker.

Christmas #1

& Steve's

Col3.2

"Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth." NLT