The Plauge of Sickness

The last two weeks our house has been struck by the Plauge of sickness. First Claire caught a cold. She had a runny nose that turned into a cough. We elevated one side of her crib, cranked up her humidifier and gave her Zarbee's all natural cough syrup and within a few days she was back to normal again. However a day or so into her cold I caught it. It's horrible being sick, pregnant and chasing after a toddler. Just as I was getting over my cold Christian caught some kind of cold.

Now yesterday Claire wasn't feeling to well and had a fever and today as well. Looks like she is just cutting another tooth. But now I'm sick again! Which means Christian had something different from us. I feel miserable. Hopefully I get to feeling better soon. I have another baby appointment tomorrow and I don't want to feel like crap for it.

There you have it, ours last two weeks....ugh!

I'm Back...

Sorry for the long delay in my updates. Things with Christmas got so chaotic. We flew home for Christmas and spent two weeks with our families. It was wonderful holiday season with them. The most wonderful part was we were able to announce to our family in person that Claire is going to be a big sister. Baby #2 is due July 30th. We are so excited. I had my first appointment right after we got home. I have already been referred to high risk maternal fetal medicine. I will see them in a few weeks. I am praying this baby will make it to full term.

Christmas Town

Every year at Christmastime Busch Gardens transforms their park into Christmas Town. We wanted to go last year but ended up going into labor prematurely. So this year we were able to go and take Claire with us. It was so much fun. The whole park was covered in real Christmas trees covered in lights. The walkways smelled of fresh pine. Hot chocolate was sold at every snack cart. There were Christmas shows in every food hall. If you are ever in the Williamsburg VA area at Christmas time I highly recommend it.

There were two things I wanted to make sure we got to do with Claire. Go see the Clydesdales and the Sesame Street Christmas show. We started the night eating dinner in Octoberfest while watching the Deck the Halls Christmas show. After that we walked through the park looking at all the lights while sipping our hot chocolate. Next we went to the Clydesdales barn where Claire was able to pet one up close. She absolutely loved it. We ended our night at the Sesame Street show. Claire loves Sesame Street especially Elmo so I knew she would just light up with excitement once the show started. Which she did along with dancing and clapping to all the music. It made the whole night for us. Here are a few pictures from the night. Enjoy!

Outside of Octoberfest there is a childrens choir singing Christmas carols on the balcony.

Santa's Workshop

The North Pole

This was part of France. (The park is set up as different countries)

One of the many walkways covered in real Christmas trees and lights. Claire loved these sections.

The polar pathway

Waiting for the Sesame Street Show to start.

Sesame Street Christmas Show

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Last week was the big decorating week around our house. It took me two days to get my tree up this year thanks to Claire. It was easier to work on it during her naps than it was to try and keep her entertain and not going after everything for the tree. But its up and beautiful and so relaxing to just look at every day. This year I didn't put any ornaments hanging off the bottom of the tree and the ornaments I did put on are not breakable ones. So far so good our tree is still standing. Though Claire and I haven't gone in the family room to play since we put it up. I guess you could say we are avoiding temptation...haha.  Hope you enjoy a little glance into our winter wonderland. Outside christmas light picture still to come (I keep forgetting to take it).

Family room...I love Claire's little table and chairs her grandparents got her for Christmas.

Close up of our tree. Red and Silver with poinsettias and icicles.

Living room

A few small details: Front door, coffee table and dining room.

Santa....I Know Him!

We took Claire to see Santa last weekend. The Yankee Candle Factory has a year round full time Santa. In the summer time he wears a hawaiian shirt and shorts and hangs out in the Christmas Village of the factory (Christmas year round...I love it). At Christmastime he has a nice set up in the center of the factory and is even joined by Mrs. Clause.

I figured she would do well as Claire absolutely loves people and other children but I got a little nervous since pretty much ever kid before her broke out in tears. But when it was her turn she went right to Santa. She loved the white fur on the sleeves of his coat. He talked to her, they read a book and took so many cute pictures together. It was a great day! The family is definitely getting a Santa picture along with their gifts this year. We will be going back again next year for sure.

Santa!

I was a good girl this year!

What do you want for Christmas?

I love this book!

Reindeer Games...

I was tagged in this Christmas blogger game going around by the lovely Katie Ridings from "My Blossoming Bud".  The game is intended to help bloggers get to know each other, and what better way than a pass it along Christmas questionnaire. These are the five questions that I was tagged with by Katie. Once you answer the questions on your own post, tag five other bloggers that you follow. Let's spread the Christmas cheer and get to know each other a little better. Merry Christmas!

1. What makes Christmas such a special holiday for you & your family?
From as early as I could remember every Christmas my whole family (parents, sister, cousins, aunts, great aunts, grandparents and great grandparents) would start our Christmas eve at my great grandmothers tiny two bedroom house. We would enjoy dinner and pies before we all opened presents that my great grandma worked all year saving up for. She had such a big heart. She didn't have much money but everyone got a gift albeit usually a sweatshirt and underwear it was the meaning behind it that mattered. After we finished there my more immediate family would caravan to each others houses opening gifts. Then when Christmas morning arrived we opened our Santa presents and stockings before joining my immediate family at my grand parents house to spend Christmas day together.

2. Were you told the truth about Santa Claus by your parents or did you find out another way? & do you plan on lying to your kids (if you plan on having kids) :)?
I don't remember my parents ever telling me Santa wasn't real. I was raised to know the biblical meaning behind Christmas but also was raised with Santa being part of our Christmas Spirit. I think as I grew older is was one of those things I just figured out on my own. To this day we still get "Santa" presents. We plan on carrying this same tradition on with Claire so she can experience the wonder of the Christmas season.

3. Real tree or fake tree?
Artificial tree, though I love the smell of a real tree they are so messy and don't last as long as I would like. One of my favorite Christmas traditions is decorating the Christmas tree. I love to be able to enjoy it as long as possible. There is something magical about seeing my lit up Christmas tree through my living rooms picture window as I pull into my driveway in the evening. 

4. Do you open presents on Christmas morning, Christmas Eve, or both?
Both: My family opens on Christmas eve but opens Santa presents and stockings on Christmas day. Christian's family opens gifts on Christmas day. 

5. What is your favorite Christmas movie to watch, & favorite Christmas song to listen to?
I have so many Christmas movies I love. I live for the 25 days of Christmas on ABC Family. But some of my must haves that I own and must watch every year are Home Alone, White Christmas, Christmas Vacation, Elf, Surviving Christmas, A Christmas Story and The Family Stone.

Now time to pick five bloggers to repost & share the Christmas fun.

1.Cindy-Life with my Celiac Sweetie
2. Tanya- The Little Pogue

3. Stephanie- Crafty Auntie
4. Meg-Henning Love
5. Megan Brink- A Brink Adventure

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving was so much fun this year! I have to admit, last year I was having some baby blues. Claire was born the week before quiet early and she was in the NICU. There is nothing harder than having to be discharged from the hospital and leaving without your baby. But having to spend her first holiday with her in the hospital was an extra sting to the heart. So this year Thanksgiving was a much happier day for me. I feel like it was her "first" Thanksgiving since she was actually home, even if it wasn't.

 We had a nice small Thanksgiving at home this year. Which was nice, no pressure just family and we all enjoyed it. In the morning we watched the parade and after that was over my sister and I went to work in the kitchen and my husband and brother in law went to work on the turkey in the back yard. On our menu was fried turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, rolls, rum cake and pumpkin pie. Everything turned out perfect!Only one snafu with a broken thermometer but nothing major. We all enjoy our delicious feast (including Claire). Then spent the evening watching movies.

Our little turkey!

Watching the parade.

Watching daddy and uncle cook the turkey (don't mind the milk face)

Enjoying her feast!

Minnie Mouse Birthday Bash

Claire's birthday party was on Saturday and it was a hit. Almost everyone we invited showed up and she had the most amazing time. It was wonderful to see how many people she is blessed to have in her life. The day was a happy and emotional one for me just thinking about what she was doing last year.

This time last year I was spending my days in the NICU day in and day out and this year I was watching my baby girl crawl around chasing her friends and laughing away. Not to mention last year she was getting liquid fat by IV in the NICU and this year eating her birthday cake. I hope you enjoy the pictures of her special day. The smile on her face made it all worth it. I love her so much!

Minnie Mouse Birthday Bash

Claire's Corner

Some of the details

Backyard

From birth to 12 months

Highlights from opening gifts.

Cake Time

Candid of our 1 year old!

Happy 1st Birthday Claire Lucille

Hard to believe that one year ago she surprised us all when she came into this world early! She has been through a lot in one year and continues to amaze us everyday. She has brought us pure love and joy! She is our world and we love her more than she will ever know! Happy 1st Birthday Claire Lucille!

At birth she was 4lbs 4oz and 17in long and now at 1 year she is 16lbs 10oz and 28in long. She has quadrupled her weight which is amazing even though she isn't on the growth chart yet. She loves to eat, lately her favorites are cottage cheese and pineapples, quesadillas, mixed veggies and toast. She is now on whole milk (fortified for extra calories though) and loves it. Some of her favorite things is going to the park to swing and go down the slides, her sit to stand walker, Minnie Mouse and Elmo.

Her Minnie Mouse Birthday Bash is tomorrow and I am so excited. I made all her decorations, there will be lots of yummy food, friends, family, presents (of course) and I can't wait to see her smash into her cake. A lot of pictures to come from today and her party so stay tuned!

Prematurity Awareness Month

Did you know 1 in 8 babies in the US are born premature? Claire is 1 in 8, weighing barely 4lbs when she was born. She has struggled to overcome some of the issues resulting from her prematurity but with the help of modern medicine, an exceptional NICU and a team of amazing doctors she is happy and healthy.

November is Premature Awareness month. I am thankful for organizations like the March of Dimes that work to help mothers have full term babies and research the problems the threaten babies lives.