Haunted Mansion

That's a scary (black icing face) isn't it?  Funny, it looks almost like cat whiskers, but it's actually where the spatula didn't fit into her mouth :)  Beanie helped me make the black and grey icings and even helped me get it into the piping bags.  She's gone from just dumping things in, to being a PRO at cracking eggs, and is actually really helping me in the kitchen.  Pretty cool.

Here she's decorating the haunted mansion.  This one came with gumdrops, round candy balls and some little arrows.  She did SO well placing the tiny arrows along the roof line, and was quick to ask for help if one was leaning or needed my help. It's funny, some things she wants to do herself, while some things she still asks for.  Can never tell which it'll be.

I look like I belong IN the haunted mansion :)  ...and this is Beanie's Haunted mansion face, whatever that means--but we did a pretty good job!  Like last year, we do these the weekend before trick-or-treat, so we can share them with all our visitors.  It's a super fun little tradition (now) for us that I really enjoy. 

Eric and I made a gingerbread house once from scratch for his grandparents, maybe down the road we can recreate that with the girls :)

Ami's Halloween party

We were so thrilled to get the invitation for Ami's halloween party and were excited to go. Amara didn't want to wear her costume, but was ready to eat, play, and make some crafts.

Ami is so patient and awesome (note her 3) with kids, and is going to make an amazing special education teacher VERY soon!  I miss not seeing her at the BJ games anymore, but am lucky we have kiddos the same age and live close.

I think she was a little overwhelmed with all the kids and cousins, we don't really have that many her age (yet) in our house, but she really liked the 3 crafts Ami helped her do.  So much, in fact, we came home and hung them up right on the class doors to enjoy every day!  Great party and happy bday kiddos.

Sweet potatoes

Cora is shaping up to be quite the little eater.  I think the way she "mmms" is just adorable!  Sometimes it takes her a few times to "decide" if she likes something, but once she gets going, she's going! 

These sweet potatoes were straight from Grandpa Jahn (as is everything she's had so far) and I roasted them and pureed them for her--actually, Annie gave me the tip to blend THEN puree them and it makes them VERY whippy and yummy.

After a few bites, she'll start biting the spoon (now that she has 2 teeth) or grabbing the spoon, and that's my clue to move to something else.  I know a lot of kids are onto other more challenging foods at 8 months, but she's enjoying herself and I don't mind in the least.  I'll take care of her as long as she needs :)

Daddy shares

Rare blog post from husband :

After the past few days' experience with Amara, I figured this morning would culminate with the "fun" of trying to get Amara to school for the first time since she fell ill and the subsequent experience.  And, she did not disappoint.  After dodging everything she could throw ... "I don't want school", followed by "I want mommy to take me to Sarah's" (sitter), followed by the best "but Daddy, I just need to stay home with you, pleeeease" ... but after that, a much more pleasant bow got wrapped around the present of this past week. 

Amara's attitude didn't change - wasn't pleased with going to school and clingy as we got into the classroom.  She was only mildly receptive to her teacher immediately giving her a warm reception, but as I hung up her coat and backpack, some of her friends really stepped up.  The first and most touching - a little boy who we were exposed to in the old classroom of Amara's previous age group.  Frankly, I haven't been his biggest fan (if nothing else, I wear my work ID on a retractable lanyard clipped to a belt loop on my pants ... if the first dozen times he did the pull-and-release manuever were "cute", the subsequent 10-dozen times were not-so-cute) - but to his credit, as soon as he saw Amara this morning, he came from across the room, and with a smile, very genuinely placed his hand on her chest and asked "are you OK, Amara?"  When she didn't respond (I'm sure just thanks to her anti-school prejudice at that moment and being overwhelmed by the situation - but she did talk about it when I picked her up), he just kind-of cocked his head, smiled, and gave her a quick but full hug and graciously stepped back.  I am admittedly sentimental and emotional when it comes to my girls, but I challenge anyone to keep from at least welling up after witnessing that.

That was followed by several other preschoolers seeing this and then coming over to ask Amara how she was doing.  One other girl in particular asked if she got the picture she drew for her (upon getting home from the hospital, our mail included a packet of "get well drawings" from her class - a super-nice gesture).  That prompted the same aforementioned boy to point out "the purple one was from me". When I told him his purple picture "was awesome and thanks for doing that!", he gave me a solid high-five.  I mean, even if someone tried to, you couldn't choreograph that kind of sensitivity and coolness.

Goig into that moment, I was frustrated with Amara's attitude that morning, frustrated that I couldn't coddle her forever, and was not feeling physically well myself.  But, those kids (especially the former arch-nemesis) single-handedly turned my day around and erased the last of any lingering stress I had been feeling about Amara's ordeal.  And how the kindness of another is able to wipe out physical symptoms of a cold like a headache and mild fever, I don't know, but I experienced that on this day.

So, thank you Landen (my new buddy, you can abuse my lanyard all you want), Amara's other classmates and teachers, the entire Primrose school and everyone in our lives for their thoughts and prayers over the last few days!

(thanks honey for capturing this, in person and here)

Painting pumpkins

With our stockpile of pumpkins from the patch last weekend, we started off to decorate. Letting them carve was a bit of a stretch this year, so we got out the art supplies instead.

Amara was really enjoying herself with her paints, being very patient and adding all the colors.  I did some stripes and dots myself, and Cora cheered us on :)  We had to accelerate our holiday event schedule a bit this year, getting behind with all the fall events, then losing a few days sick and in the hospital.

Cora is so sweet when she's watching Amara.  Doesn't matter what she is doing, but she's fixed on Amara.  As you can see, she had cleared her area of the table of anything entertaining, but was just fine watching big sis.  My heart breaks for her during those times Amara doesn't want to be bothered.  Gives you a new appreciation for the 'baby' in the family.

Hamming it up.  It was great to be able to stay home and enjoy each other and the season.  Amara is still on the mend, but just look at her.

Pumpkin patch with Grandma and Grandpa

As dad told it to us, the pumpkins came on early and fast this year because of all the heat and rain.  We usually go to the patch, but by the time we made it this year, many of them were already not great.

You'd never know it though, and Cora enjoyed her first pumpkin picking outing with little Cora on a BEAUTIFUL sunny afternoon.  Bean enjoyed herself too, luckily we had her boots on her b/c she was ALL muddied up within just a few minutes.

One of the RARE family photos you'll ever see of us--mostly because Grandma Jahn was there to capture it.  Again, we're all in short sleeves, etc. it was SO nice out!

Cora was so sweet and gentle with her pumpkins--they are such great big glowing orange orbs!

No surprise, Bean wanted to go off the beaten path. I took her to the stream where she spotted a wooly little caterpillar friend and we scooped him up in a leaf.

She's so gentle and I love it.  She doesn't squeal or squash them, but rather befriends them and shares them. She was DEMANDING grandpa find her a grasshopper too.

After leaving the pumpkin patch, we headed to Uncle John's garden to get some gourds and picked these beautiful flowers too.  I think all kids like flowers, but I try to show and encourage her to enjoy them when she sees them.  We picked 2 bouquets and she gave them to grandma.

I thought this was a cute pic of her patiently waiting on us to get to the car.  After the last few days we've had with the hospital, I'm SO amazingly thankful and lucky and can't even put into words how grateful I am to have my little girl back home.

Amara at Children's

This is one of those posts I certainly hope there aren't more of, though, I figure in the life of a child:

A) we're VERY LUCKY to be 10 minutes away from Children's hospital, and

B) SO VERY LUCKY that we got to leave there 3 days after we entered, unlike the thousands of families there every year.  I can't even imagine. 

I want to capture this event for posterity, but also because I want Amara to know that if she has kids, it's ok to be scared, but I can say without a doubt this is the scariest thing in my life.

I had picked Amara up from Primrose Tuesday afternoon and she was actually lying on the rug with her blanket.  Her teachers told me she wasn't feeling well, so I picked her up and carried her out and we went home.  She took some ibuprofen and in about a half hour, seemed much better. She didn't eat a lot, but seemed in good spirits and I hoped a good night's sleep would fix it.  I was wrong.  

The next morning she was sleeping in, so we let it go, then she kept sleeping and sleeping.  Finally, I took Cora to Mrs. Sarah's house and came back and she was still asleep.  Eric went and got her up, but she was so groggy and not herself. I went to carry her and she was hot and breathing shallow.  While Eric was on a work call, I called Dr. DiCarlo.  

We got her over there within the hour and he got us right in.  Amara was a trooper for the vitals, which were quick, because after only a few minutes, he curtly directed us to "take her to the ER."  That  moment is etched on my brain.

I heard him say "viral pneumonia" and that she "needed supported"  meaning oxygen and fluids. 

Eric and I got her right in the car and to Children's ER.  Luckily, they weren't busy, and because of the severity of her situation, Dr. Dicarlo had faxed her admittance sheet over, so they were waiting on us.  With a blood oxygen level dipping into the 80s (healthy is 95-100), they weren't playing around with us.

She was given oxygen immediately and nebulizer treatments of bronchiodialators and sterroids, in attempts to get her body to take in more oxygen.  She also had a chest xray, which ruled out the pneumonia.  After 5 hours in the ER, we were told they were admitting her.

Eric and I agonized over what to do--do I stay with Cora, does he? Who stays with Amara?  Let grandparents or Mrs. Sarah keep Cora?  How do you decide what to do?

Amara stayed in Children's for 3 days before she was released.  She had reactive airway disease--and the cold she got went to her airway, taking oxygen from her blood and making it hard to breathe.  The quilt she went home with was not only comforting during her stay, but was the inspiration for me to get busy giving back.  

We are so happy to have left, but thankful for our time at Children's hospital, and for bringing our little girl back home.

Amara's 1st school pics

Ok, sure all kids are cute, and everyone loves their kids pictures, but these are just so terribly sweet.

Love this pic, it says to me that she is trying to be serious and can't keep it in, or she's just being ornery.

As usual, you buy more of these things than you'll ever need--we'll share with family and put them in her baby book, but what sweet, sweet memories and smiles from our big (little) girl and her first school pics.

Young fall fest '11

A sweet moment captured by Grandpa Young, of Amara and dad getting ready for the hayride, and our cute little invitation.  I'll take credit for that.

For years, Amara has gone to her cousin's hayrides but never really got to participate.  They were always older kids, or at night well past when she could stay up, but she enjoyed it.  This year, Eric and I decided to do a little fall party for friends of ours with kids around the same age and it was a blast!  Here, Amara and dad are getting the goody bags ready for all her friends.

Mrs. Sarah volunteered to be in charge of games and crafts, perfect for her!  Here, they are playing the "wrap up like a mummy" game--great fun!

In some cases, they kids wrapped up the daddies, Steve was a great sport to Caroline's decoration.

Amanda and the girls were having Matt help with their crafts and their smores at the same time!

And the roller coaster is always a hit. Brandy and Nevon brought their roller coaster also, so the kids could race and have 2 cars going at the same time.  This was a favorite for a few of the boys, especially Gideon :)

I love a pretty fall sky, especially to end a super fun day with friends!

We had our wagon loaded up with hot dogs, sloppy joes, and beans and potatoes, fruit salad, yummy deserts, etc.  Some awesome friends brought along their awesome recipes too :)

Any other time the action would be all right by the fire, but as you can tell, it was in the 70s and everyone had on shorts and t-shirts.  I'm sure next year it'll be snowing and we'll be wondering why we ever complained about the warm year!

Um...uncle Jason, is this safe?  They were having SO much fun though.

Annie and Robert and little Colin, hanging out while Fiona was racing cars, what a cute fam.

One of the rare shots of Grandpa Young, especially with Cora--she's normally on the move, while he's behind the lens (and Grandpa Jahn was in the field).

The crew getting ready for the hayride, rallying the troops! I figure over time we'll do it later and scare them just like we did with the boys when they were littler, but for now, we worked with the kiddo's schedules.  They really had a great time on that, and uncle Jason did a great time driving everyone.

Mrs. Sarah brought an awsome mask craft and helped Amara with hers.  She also did a pin the number on the pumpkin game and I think Amara actually used her craft mask as the mask for the game.

Eric loved teaching Amara how to roast over the bonfire.  I'm pretty sure that is on most guys' daddy's lists of things to do with their kiddos.

Brandy is a pro at doubling up on the marshmallows--I even got one of them!

We got these pics from Grandpa Young, the kids found this odd bug and I guess took turns playing with him.  you can see how gentle she was being with him and I just love the innocence of this shot.  He has such a great eye.

Cora getting tired WAY before the big kids, but no time for napping now!

Fairfield county fair

We had such a treat this year to add to our annual family tradition.  In addition to grandma and grandpa Young meeting us at the fair, Casey and her new family joined us also!

We bundled up at the car and then headed up the street to the fairgrounds.  We got an absolutely beautiful day and were so excited!

First ride of the day was merry go round, fun for all the girls, while the grandparents waited and Casey, Jon and Olivia grabbed a bite.

Beanie spotted this fun ride--still not sure if it was a kangaroo or what exactly, but she jumped right out there and got sandwiched with 2 other little girls.  The ride went up and down and she just waved and laughed the whole time.

Next up, food.  Eric has his favorites but Beanie is more  apt to try all kinds of new things.  She was really digging this corndog!

And Eric his messy Gyro :)

Olivia has a baby brother almost Cora's age, so the two of them were fast friends--and Cora loved her right back.  Two sweet, beautiful little ladies!

The event of the day!  After Casey, Jon and Olivia had left, Amara decided she wanted to ride the ferris wheel.  She waited patiently in line with daddy and was first in line for the next round.  She got to ride and wait while the whole thing unloaded and loaded and then she got a nice long ride.  She was smiles all the way and had a great time!  I always used to like the ferris wheel too, I just hope she's more of a daredevil than her mama.

What a great day! (and congrats Casey and new fam-to-be, whose wedding is on our 5 yr anniversary next summer!!