Sunday, May 30, 2010

It's a Family Tradition

In the house we love to celebrate wacky things like unbirthdays and 1/2 birthdays.


Finn started us off!



Chloe's turn!

Here are a couple of pics from Hutch's celebration last night. I will have a longer update post on what Hutch is doing and vital stats after his checkup on Friday.





Saturday, May 29, 2010

Cake and Presents Just Were Not Enough

Starting out yesterday morning, if you had told me where we would end up I never would have believed it. I would have called you crazy and maybe a few other not nice words and if I hadn't lived it, well, I still don't believe it really happened. Chloe had been saying things and acting a wee bit jealous of the birthday attention Finn was receiving so we celebrated two things yesterday. Finn turned 5 of course and Chloe had an Unbirthday to celebrate. For breakfast, they had pink pancakes with candles.


Two excited girls wait for their pancakes!



Finn's swirly whirly rainbow cake in progress



After we finished baking and decorating the cake, we headed to lunch. TeeTee aka the Birthday Fairy told Finn she had to go to the bathroom and would meet us at the restaurant. What she really did was set up the scavenger hunt. (More on that later)

Enjoying lunch


Does this kid look sick to you?



She absolutely loved the singing of Happy Birthday and the dessert on her face. I think she could wear a sombrero any day and look fabulous.

We told her that we would eat cake and have presents when we got back home. She walked in and there were no presents on the table, just an envelope. I told her the birthday fairy must have left her a message so she immediately tore it open to see what she had written.


Row #1- Reading Clue #1 led to the oven
Row #2- Clue #2 led to the clothesline
Row #3- Running back to the house to read clue #3
Bottom pictures- opening Ivy, her new doll.


She kissed the box, squealed and I really thought she was going to cry tears of joy. Her reaction surprised me since she is not a big doll girl. I mean, she had asked for Ivy, but she doesn't spend a lot of time playing with dolls.


Making a wish


The inside of the swirly whirly cake!

We lounged around the rest of the afternoon while Finn enjoyed her new toys. I cooked her special birthday dinner of spaghetti and neatballs. She didn't really eat more than a few bites and started to look like she did not feel well. She complained several times of her side hurting and then I checked her temperature. It was back at 102.6 and in my head I thought for sure she was suffering appendicitis. I dosed her up with motrin and two hours later, her fever had not gone down. In fact, it was climbing ever higher. A little before 9:30, when we checked her temp again and it registered 103, Jeremy grabbed his keys. He was out the door with her before I had time to get my shoes on. Granna came to stay with Hutch and Chloe and Granddaddy took me up to the hospital. Chloe was crying for Finn when I left and showed just how much she loved Finn while we were gone. She refused to go back to sleep and told Granna "I will tell Granddaddy when he calls what they are doing to Finn." We made it to the hospital right after TeeTee and before Finn had been put into a room.


When we got into a room, the nurse took her temperature with one of those thermometers that you run across the forehead. It said 106 degrees and I almost lost it. I was sitting on the bed holding Finn and the nurse just kept saying "that can't be right". He tried again and again with several different thermometers and they all read between 102-106. She had another dose of medicine and a cold water bath. I continued to hold her as TeeTee washed her arms, legs and trunk over and over. She had a strep test, rsv test, chest xray, urine test and bloodwork. Even in her state, it took six adults to hold her still while they drew her blood. I was shocked that it came back as strep but also completely relieved. Strep doesn't require surgery and in a few days she should be okay again. At least I hope she is because I do not want her to be sick anymore. She has had a rough couple of months.


Thursday, May 27, 2010

A Hand, A Whole Hand!!!

At 2:04 am, Finley will go from just four fingers old to a whole hand. That's right! She will be FIVE!!!! Do we have an amazing day planned for her? Of course we do. Stay tuned for the big reveal!


Fresh from the oven


Last picture as a 4-year-old


Tomorrow's fun involves this and a scavenger hunt. Any idea what she might be getting?


What a Week!

Last year, we had one of these little creatures show up on our bathroom window every night when we would be getting ready for bed. After a few weeks, we gave him a name and really started looking for him. Then it turned colder and he didn't come around anymore. We missed him and feared he would never be back. On Monday, he showed back up with two of his buddies. What a party they had on our window.


I bought a package of really cute cupcake wrappers and decorated toothpick things to use for the cupcakes I was taking to her last day of MDO birthdaypalooza. (And yes I do enjoy making up words as needed!) It was a nightmare from start to finish. Ok, maybe I should not have started them at 9pm but I did what I had to do. I will not be telling you about the icing that squirted across the counter when my ziploc bag failed to hold my cake tip that was supposed to make grass for the giraffe to stand in. So anyway, they didn't want to stay together and I made a huge mess but Finn loved them and that is all that matters.


Tuesday Finn wasn't acting like she felt good but had no obvious malady so we went on about our day. She whined some and laid around like a slug for a day or so. She ran just a little bit of fever and had an outbreak of hives. They were more severe than the ones she had last October but I am not 100% sure it is related to the fever. She is fine now, well still whiny, but I think that is going to be a recurring theme around here for a while. She did manage to get out and have a tea party this week though and I thought it was really cute. Her blackberry tea with three sugars really tasted great too.




Sweet sweet baby boy


I loved how different the next two pictures look because of where the focus is. First picture it's on Chloe and the second one is Reesee. And yes, she still refuses most bows and clips, prefers skirts over any other attire, and will play outside all day in up and down shoes if I let her.



Today we attempted a photo shoot with the three kids and it was brutal. It was hot, they were grumpy, and no amount of bribing or begging would get even remotely decent smiles out of them. Chloe also was traumatized by a run-in with a parasol and a gentle nudge from Finn that caused her to fall off the train tracks. I would write more about it but I am trying to erase the memory of it and my spilled dinner out of my mind.



Friday, May 21, 2010

Lots of Randomness

Before and After of the floor in the girls' new bedroom



My favorite little princesses on their way to a princess party that had a bounce house---they loved it


Little Miss Hollywood with Attitude


See that knot? We have one of those to remove almost every day.


Hutch Times Two



The First Round of Soaking Each Other and the Dog for the Year





The game was ended abruptly by me when Hutch was squirted after I had said he was off limits.

A beautiful little ladybug was spotted on my tomato plants.





Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Finn's Horse Party

Saturday morning we all headed out to the stables for the mane event. Finn was very specific this year about what kind of party she wanted so I could not say neigh to her requests.


the decorations were so festive


I know most of you who know me are saying "Whoaaaaa!" right now but yes I did give Mister Clingy Cranky pants a cheesy imitation puffed chip to gnaw on so I could get a few minutes of peace.


sugar cube stacking was very popular and messy

We also played horse round-up with small plastic horses hidden outside and a rousing rendition of horse, horse, pony aka duck, duck, goose. Pictures of the most favorite game we played coming right up.


the ever so beautiful purple mountain majesty cake from the local grocery store



Finn loved loved loved the singing of happy birthday to her!



making a wish




Bobbing for apples was a huge hit and all the kids were begging to dunk their whole heads. Only one actually did it.