UPDATE

Hello All-

Michael headed to DC today to drive back with his BFF Will. Will is medically retiring from the Army so he is headed back to Leavenworth KS to become a stay at home dad! I am sure he is in for a rude awakening, so I am anxious for his first phone call when he can't sit around eating bon-bons and watching man shows! I am happy for him-- he will get to know his two beautiful kids better since he's been off fighting for our country! God Bless him.

After naps today the kids decided they wanted to see my mom and dad and spend the night there, so I took them over there and just got back! Now, Xavier is sleeping and I am emailing and cleaning. I am getting lots done, and that is been a welcome relief! I am trying to get some veggies cut up for when Will & Michael come home they can have a good dinner and I hope to make some cookies for Will to take on the road!

The kids have really been terrible this week. I don't know what is going on, but theres been lots of yelling, spanking, time outs, etc! Even Michael had it and he's only with them for a few hours at night. I am hoping that a night at my mom and dads will help straighten the issue out. I think it's because they are just bored and they've been sick. Clare had all her problems then we thought Will had a sinus infection. That didn't really clear up with the first antibiotic so on Tuesday they put him on another. Xavier had an ear infection on Tuesday so he just finished up his antibiotic today for that and if he doesn't start sleeping better by this weekend--I will be at the dr's Monday. He's really only been sleeping for about 1 1/2 hours at a time. He hasn't wanted to eat food, so he's been nursing and a 23lb kid can't make it that long on just the nursing :( So, it's been a really long week. I feel like I need to catch up on laundry, cleaning, sleeping, cooking, etc. Uh, being a mom :)

Well, sorry to bore you with our boring life. I hope you like the pictures! We took the kids to a Kids Eat Free night at a hotwing place by us (Wings Etc) and they have a lady that comes in and paints faces! They LOVED it!!

Here's hoping to a better week next week! Maybe the weather will turn around and we can have some time outside! Fingers crossed!

Happy VDay Pics--Posting below

Happy Valentines Day

Boy, it's been a crazy week:
Clare had been on an antibiotic last week but woke up SCREAMING bloody murder early Friday morning complaining that her cheek hurt. Well, my mom gut knew it was an ear infection. So, between holding her upright, sleeping with her sleeping on top of us, or just getting Tylenol in her, it was a long night. But, of course, Friday morning she woke up and first thing she said was that her ear didn't hurt. She ALWAYS gets dark circles under her eyes when she is sick and I saw it!!! So, as soon as the Dr opened on Friday we were there!!! Ear infection in both ears. So, we continue with the breathing treatments for the cough and then have the antibiotic for the ear stuff.
Will started his preschool this week. It's just a once a week program through the parks and rec department. We get to take him and be a part of it with him and he chose to have Michael go with him this week. He was SO PROUD of himself and had the sweetest little grin on his face as he left. I could have cried--the look on his face told me how excited he was, how proud of himself he was and just how overall confident he was. It lets me know he doesn't have middle kid syndrome--at least not all the time!!! He made some Valentine stuff so that is hanging front and center in the kitchen! I just can't tell you how sweet that little smile was as he left--I smile just remembering it! It's for sure one of those moments I will never forget!
Xavier is doing fine. He just started with the da-da-da's which I am always bummed about, but I guess it's just a matter of progression. He is sitting up and loving food. He is just about as happy and easy going as any kid can be!
Michael has had a terrible week at work. Surprisingly he hasn't been on a bender or anything, but I know he wanted to :) His birthday is this weekend and I just finished a cake! It looks pretty kid-a-riffic! They got to pick out which type of cake to get daddy so it is a funfetti cake, funfetti frosting and sprinkles. Lots of sugar!!!!!
Well, I will be posting some new pics as we just got a new camera! Luckily it is compatible with our software so it was easy to do!
Talk to you soon and Happy V Day!

Updated Family Pic

New week, new stuff!

We have had a weird week. Clare has had a cough/chest congestion for awhile now so we went to the dr on Thursday and they nebulized her and gave her a prescription. I called them back Friday when she had two doses of a three day medicine in her and there was no change in her dry barky cough. They sent us home with a nebulizer and another prescription for a steroid to treat her cough. Well, I tried the medicine (I don't let my kids take medicine I haven't tried, that way I know what it tastes like!) It was SO TERRIBLE and I couldn't get the taste out of my mouth. She took a little bit of it Friday night but she is a puker so I didn't push it. I called my aunt who is a pharmacy tech and she told me to try and find coke syrup because that is what the hospital cuts their meds with. Well, I couldn't find it and she could taste it in regular coke. She started running a fever and acting so tired at about 4:30 (which is SO UNUSUAL!) We gave her another breathing treatment and tylenol then called the dr. He basically said we would need to take her to the ER to get a shot in her. So, I talked to Clare about it and said that we would need to get pinches of the medicine if we couldn't get this in her. She ended up taking it after much gagging, vomitting and finally.... within two hours her behavior was somewhat back to normal. So, she coughed quite a bit last night in her sleep, but today is doing SO MUCH BETTER! It is wonderful, so hopefully she will be able to finally sleep and be ok!
Both boys have somehow escaped this, but I guess there is still time? The dr seemed to think that since she is a "crouper" this microwhatever is related more to that. It scared us, but like every other thing we've had come up--we know what to do next time :)
Michael is maybe going to DC next weekend to visit his friend Will. Originally he had purchased a ticket to meet him there and drive with him back (Will is getting out of the military to be a stay at home dad and his family will now be stationed in Leavenworth.) Well, since Will is now going to medically retire with the military, his timeline has changed. So, Michael already purchased a ticket and will either have to eat the charge or buy another ticket to come back. We will see! And yes, I am ok with him going, it might just be a long three days!
Other than that, we enjoyed yesterday as much as we could. Will and Xavier played outside a bit and got some fresh air. Clare made it for about an hour just playing chalk on the driveway but was not her usual self. Poor baby!
We got family pictures! They went ok. It's all a major money pit, so we just bought the cd this time. Everyone wants certain pictures and so we try to accomodate everyone, but it's impossible! So, this time we just paid a little more and bought the cd. I guess once everyone has what they want, we can see if the expense was worth it!
Talk to everyone soon. Oh, I lost our digital camera (not sure how or where!) so we have to buy a new one :( When we get one, I will be making up for lost time!!!!
Molly