Christmas catch-up...

Yeah, she's FIVE months already!!!!!! I can NOT believe how time has flown (and how little I've posted about her eventful little life)! All the girls are getting too big, too fast. We've just gotten over a nasty stomach bug at our house that took its toll on each member of our family (luckily, Caprice got away with a mild rash after a few days of feeling out of sorts). I'm now trying to catch up on my to-do list and posting on the blog is somewhere on there. I've felt kind of out of touch being homebound lately...so, sorry, dishes, dust and laundry, blogging is a bit more fun at the moment.

We've been getting ready for some yuletide fun around here. Thanks to Kira's preschool, we have tons of homemade ornaments and gifts, Christmas parties and Santa sightings. The tree is trimmed, decorations up, countdown well underway, gifts bought and wrapped. I'm so glad we got a lot of that done super early this year since we've been thrown for a bit of a loop this past week with illness and weather. Yes, we got our own share of the crazy blizzard that graced half the country. Luckily, Kira had a snow day during the worst of it and other activities were cancelled, so I didn't have to venture out in the icy mess too much.

Same can't be said for Christopher, though, who has been on ICU the past month. Dark and early, he's out the door to face new challenges of dealing with unconscious people in extremely critical conditions. He's done quite a bit of that alone, too; no intern/resident/attending a good percentage of the time. But as always, he's worked hard and impressed staff with his ability to cope and adapt and gets the work done. Thankfully, we get him home, all to ourselves, for two whole weeks starting this evening!! Recently, he's heard VERY positive feedback from his top residency choices, which is always very comforting and exciting.

Kira has been L.O.V.I.N.G. preschool! It's so fun to hear her come home singing random songs, showing off her letter/number skills and talking about her friends from school. She's Caprice's biggest fan and Alexis's most loving enemy ;). There are so many things she does by herself and I know I take for granted the things we expect from her. She's truly a little adult in many ways and I forget that she's still a four-year-old preschooler. Kira is uber excited for Santa to visit us, though she's a little leery of seeing him in person...no lap-sitting for her!

Alexis...oh, Alexis. Even as I sit typing this, I hear the pitter-patter of little feet and thumps of falling toys in a room that should have a bed occupied by a sleeping girl. We find ourselves in pulling-hair, banging-head-against-walls situations with that child, but laughing in exasperation as she goes from mischievous little devil to calm little angel within seconds. It's hard to be stern with her while she's sitting in time-out, arms folded, looking at you with those big blue eyes and solemnly agreeing with every sentence of your lecture in her tiny voice. I've enjoyed having one-on-one time with her while Kira is at school. It's amazing how her mood is so uplifted throughout the day when she gets a little alone time with mom or dad. She's pretty much potty-trained and glad that process is almost done! She, too, is excited for Christmas...and has been good about waiting for her wrapped presents that we've bravely put under the tree already.

Caprice brings just as much joy into our home as her sisters. She's definitely at the social stage- smiling, laughing, mimicking, "talking". Her new best friends are her feet. I love watching her just play with her toes, rolling back and forth from side to side with her feet as far in her mouth as possible. She's now on her own in her own room, which has been a blessing for mom and dad! Everyone is getting a little more sleep nowadays. Her naps are longer and she's only waking 1-2 times a night for about 10 mins at a time. She just had a doctor's appointment last month and was 50%tile for both her length and weight. She's our pleasantly plump baby...complete with kissable dimpled cheeks and chunky baby thighs! We all love her to pieces! Video of her posted on the video blog.

With the girls old enough to understand the true meaning of Christmas, we've been constantly emphasizing Christ and His importance in our lives. Some of my favorite Christmas carols have always been more religious ones. As I've listened to them this year, my testimony has been renewed of His love. Here are the lyrics to one of my all-time favorites...so beautiful.

What shall we give to the babe in the manger,
What shall we offer the child in the stall?
Incense and spices and gold we've got plenty-
Are these the gifts for the king of us all?

What shall we give to the boy in the temple,
What shall we offer the man by the sea?
Palms at his feet and hosannas uprising;
Are these for him who will carry the tree?

What shall we give to the lamb who was offered,
Rising the third day and shedding his love?
Tears for his mercy we'll weep at the manger,
Bathing the infant come down from above.


This is truly a precious and sacred time of year. I hope it is a time of happiness and rich blessings for all of you! Merry Christmas!