A rough few days for Elise :*(

For those of us who know and love Elise, she NEVER sleeps on the couch, sleeps through a picture without waking up, and is rarely sitting still. So...what's wrong with this picture? Well the poor little kiddo started out Sat morning with the stomach flu (she'd gotten sick in the middle of the night and didn't call for us, just made her bed and went back to sleep!) She was so lethargic and just laying around flat on her back between the double digit sessions in the garbage can. Ended up 30 hrs of constant vomiting and pretty severe dehydration that landed us in Children's ER for 5 hrs.
This is her right after we got back from the hospital, ID bracelet on ankle and all! She was SO brave and didn't cry at all during the entire endeavor (much thanks to the awesome hospital staff - seriously they were awesome - an IV became "a little straw to help her body take a big drink of water, and a special pillow to lay her arm on"). The one funny thing is that as soon as the IV came out and band-aid went on her hand, she refused to use it, like it had a huge gaping wound on it. Funny kid!



Moral of the story is that we are so grateful for having healthy kids ~ much on my mind when we were there was the families that we know for which Children's Hospital is a common place to visit. Thank you God and even more prayers go to those kids and families!

2nd moral is that I am so grateful to have a supportive husband and DAD to our kids (PS He gave up going to the Vikings/Packer's game with Grandma Grandma). I'll never forget the image of him carrying her around and laying in the hospital bed with her.

Last thing is that I have to mention that poor Patrick has been sick since yesterday with a random fever (most likely from his 15 mo shots). Despite this he's been pretty much smiley and whiny all in one, poor little guy!
He was about 50th% for height and 25th% for weight - less and less thigh folds as he climbs, "runs", etc EVERYWHERE. Tonight he came up to Elise and gave her a head butt followed by a kiss (that was swiftly directed by Mom to her forehead).
Two words for him SWEET (kissing dolls) and BOY (immediately throwing them to the ground and grunting and saying WOW right after!).

WE ARE BLESSED!!!

Happy birthday Grandma-Grandma!

For her sixty-something ish birthday Grandma Grandma got to hang out with Elise and Patrick. Elise was very happy and proud to make a chocolate cake for her the night before AND get to sing with her! And in "true Grandma-break-the-rules" fashion, then everyone ate cake with their hands :)
She is the Grandma to 13 kids - but you'd never know it when she's with your own kids - thanks for making everyone feel loved and special. :)

SNOW Day(s)

We came home from a wonderful weekend in Kansas City, MO for my good friend's wedding to 10" snow! YIKES, the week before it was in the mid 60's - WELCOME WINTER! (Our wonderful Solberg neighbor's Erik and Brookie, shovelled the heavy stuff for us before we got home - THANK YOU!)
So, Wednesday the kids and I finally got out to enjoy the weather - Patrick's first time walking in the snow - a bit frustrating to him, then add mittens, even more frustrating. But dancing in the snow was super fun for him!
Elise was an old pro, we even got to make "a snow castle" with the sand toys still out.

Where have the past 3.5 yrs gone?!?!?

So on the exact day of 3 1/2 yrs Elise Faith started swimming lessons...YIKES!
I was nervous all day at how it'd all go, but ever since I picked her up from Paula's she went a mile a minute (waaaay over 10,000 words) about her class and how big she was. She was so excited and said to me, "hey Mom, since Patrick is still a little guy and he can't do class with me, maybe I can teach him how to swim in Cabo. Will that be OK? Bugga Boo, I am sorry you can't do swimming, but I will teach you in Cabo, OK?" Too cute!
At the beginning of class I had to remind myself and Greg to step back from hovering as she walked right into class with no prob. We kept saying, "Man she is so big!"
She loved the fact that her teacher was Nicole, just like my friend "A-cole" and asked where "baby Elliott (now over 2 yrs old) is?".

Shopping for boobs

So yesterday I was at Kohl's looking for a bra for the wedding I am in next weekend and I had my 2 side kicks with me. Patrick was in the little stroller and Elise was pushing him around. They were behind me in the aisle and I could hear Elise saying "hey bugga boo, you like this one for Mommy, I like this one it's pretty." I looked back and they each were proudly holding about 5 pairs of bras. :)

THEN, an employee walked by and Elise chipperly and loudly said "Oh hi, we are looking getting Mommy new boobs." I was crying I was laughing so hard! I did correct her that they were bra's not boobs and she took it like I was telling her something totally unimportant.

Her other thing when we are shopping, her new thing is to find little baby girl clothes, last time was a pair of pants she held up and non-chalantly said "oh my gosh, oh how cute, Mama can we get these for when you grow a new baby in your tummy and give them to her on Thursday". I like that world where the gestation period is 1 wk. She also told Greg she thought he needs a new car, a yellow one and that'd she'd by it "it's OK Dada, it only costs $2, I'll buy it for you".

Patrick's new thing is to dance with just his right arm out like a chicken wing!
AND he gives kisses, MELT MY HEART!!!!!!!!