The case of the half lit Christmas tree

When we put our tree up the top 12 or so inches wouldn't come on. Then one day it was on! Yay!

A few days later the middle section was out, but then it came back on. Yay!

Since then the top and middle have rotated, sometimes on, sometimes off, sometimes at the same time, sometimes opposite. It's crazy.

Here is our semi-lit Christmas tree.

New word

Hannah has a new word. Gogut. 10 points to whoever can guess what it is!

And for the record, toddlers do not do all that well having to stay inside all day because it's cold and rainy. I don't know how many times today I tried to explain that we cannot go outside today because it's COLD and WET. I don't think Hannah understands COLD or WET, or maybe she doesn't understand NO.

AND why is it that the mail is so slow! I mean, I know it's December, holidays and all, but my patience does not understand that. I want my stuff I ordered! Hurry up USPS! (And I better not find out that my mail has been delivered to the wrong address again. That would not put me in the Christmas spirit when I talk to the postmaster).

That's all. Maybe more pictures tomorrow.

Pizza dinner

Christmas Tree!

Pete, Hannah, and I got home yesterday form Mom and Dad's to a freezing cold house. It was less the 10 degrees warmer in the house than outside. I brought Hannah in from the car without a coat, but had to put one on her to stay inside. Apparently Pete left the air conditioner on while we were gone. (He also arrived at my parent's house with 1 pair of jeans, 2 pairs of shorts, several tshirts and short sleeved button downs, flip flops and Crocs. No socks and no long sleeved shirts or jacket. Sorry Pete, but you know it's true!) I have not stopped teasing him about this. He always WAY over packs. This one time that I told him it was going to be cold so he needed warm clothes he didn't over pack. Go figure.

Anyway, it was not quite freezing but still very cold in our house so Hannah and I wore jackets and hats for a while. It takes a long time to warm up from ~57 degrees! While we waited we got the Christmas tree out and set it up. Several years ago I bought a 7ft prelit tree at a post Christmas sale for $30. I was very proud of my tree. When we put it together yesterday, however, not all of the lights came on. The very top and most of the bottom were out. After lots of wiggling of lights, wires, and plugs we found that the bottom was plugged in wrong and got those working. However, the top 8 inches or so would not work. I have no idea why but I finally decided to just forget it.

Naturally, the part if the tree I'm talking about is the few inches that are cut off in this picture, but trust me, no lights.

So we decorated the tree. We only put a few breakable ornaments on and those are up high. Down low we have mostly felt and a few wood ornaments. We showed Hannah four felt ornaments I bought last year after Christmas just for her. They are two stocking and two mittens. She moves them all around. So far she hasn't messed with the others, or with the tree itself. She is a little confused though because the tree skirt is also felt and has felt stockings on it. She can't figure out why she can't pick those up and put them back on the tree.

After the tree was done I decided to bake pumpkin bread. I had 2 pie pumpkins that I had planned to make pumpkin pie from, but with all the sickness that never happened and we had Mrs Smith's pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. So I started preparing the pumpkins. It took a lot longer than I planned to make this pumpkin bread. In fact, part way thru Pete got tired of waiting for me to be done and went to his sister's house to help her with some things. Hannah and I kept baking.

Here is our bread being baked. The actual baking time took longer than expected as well. So long that Hannah went to bed before it was ready to eat!

So I was forced to test the pumpkin bread on my own and I pronounced it very good, better than canned pumpkin bread.

Then I went to bed. There were still no lights at the top of the tree. I'm sure of it. However, LOOK!

Lights!
I don't know if Pete fixed them after he came home (I was in bed already) or if they fixed themselves, or what, but they work! Yay!

Month of Sickness

Hannah and I are sick again! I know! It's terrible!

Yesterday I felt pretty nasty. Tired, coughing, scratchy throat. I took it easy all day and drank lots of hot tea, but it didn't really help. I woke up this morning still feeling awful, and exhausted. I took a pretty decent nap this afternoon but I still feel drained. I think I'll have to go to the doctor tomorrow. And, joy of joys, I think I'm losing my voice. Bleh.

Hannah was fine yesterday. In fact, she seemed a lot better. Her nose was still a bit drippy and she coughed occasionally but overall she seemed really good. This morning she woke up happy, I put her in her high chair with a sippy cup of water while Pete started getting her breakfast, and after about 3 sips of water it all came back up. We rushed her to the bathroom, cleaned her up, and she seemed fine. She was giggly and happy. However, she had a pretty nasty diaper when she woke up, which is unusual, so we were a little concerned.

All morning she didn't want to eat. She had a few crackers and a grape or two, but that was it. She had a couple more nasty diapers though. At lunch I gave her oatmeal with a little applesauce and she ate that happily, but as soon as it was gone it all came back up. Back to the bathroom for the same clean up routine. Again she was happy and giggly, but at that point we realized that she hadn't had a wet diaper all day. So we called the doctor. Pete, who had stayed home from work to help me luckily, went to HEB for Pedialyte while Hannah and I napped.

Finally about 6pm Hannah had a wet diaper. She didn't eat anything else today, and didn't want anything. She didn't throw up again and was perfectly happy. In fact, she was so energetic it was exhausting to watch her!

Hopefully we will both feel better tomorrow. Pete has a thing at work he can't miss so Dad is coming over to help out while Pete's gone. I already let work know that we'd be out tomorrow, and most likely Wednesday. I really hope we are all well for Thanksgiving!

Lazy Sunday with Crocs

Look at this stunning little babe wearing her still too big Crocs!









And look how beautiful now, one shoe, a picture frame bracelet, and a toy that plays Camptown Races!







Look how cute!

Red booty and Pirate's Booty

Al the last week Hannah has had a killer diaper rash. Just before we left for the daycare today I let her have some diaper free time and she used it to enjoy a bag of Pirate's Booty I had left out. Sneaky girl!

New floors

We have new floors! Over the weekend Pete and Dad installed laminate wood flooring in our living room and it looks great! In fact, we love it so much that Pete and I have decided to extend it into our connected master bed room.



Dad, Pete, Hannah< Pablo and Guster tearing out the yucky old carpet Saturday morning.


And Pete and Pablo putting on the final touches Sunday night. Pete's knees were so sore he couldn't kneel without the pillow, and even then I think it hurt.

As you can see, we have not put the room back together yet, but you get the idea. By the way, no idea what's up with the face Hannah is making!







And here is Hannah checking out her trick or treating loot after we got home Sunday night.


It's still there, even if you stand on your head to look!

Pumpkins in Buda!

Mom, Dad, Hannah and I went to the Buda Fine Arts Festival this morning, but before we looked at the art we had to check out the pumpkins.

Rain gutters are fun!

Hannah and I spent the day with Grandpa and this afternoon when Grandma got home it started to rain. Grandma and Grandpa have gutters on their house and when it rains water comes down. It was just drizzling a little, but that was enough to provide a true water baby with a place to play!










"Look Mama, this is serious business. No time for pictures!"

Breastfeeding and swimming and Longhorns, oh my!

This morning Hannah, Pete and I attended (and Hannah and I participated in) our second Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge at the Austin Farmer's Market. Again this year, as last year, Austin had the most moms and babies in one place in the U.S. (2006 - 55 moms and 56 babies, 2007 104 moms 105 babies). Last year we were new to all this and it didn't even occur to Pete or me to bring a camera. This time we planned better.











From there we went to Round Rock and Pete's company picnic at the Dell Diamond. It was a really nice day as long as we stayed out of the sun. Hannah had her first corn dog and she loved it. We made a try at face painting, but the brush was apparently tickly - she laughed every time it touched her - so that didn't work out.


Hannah and I went swimming for a while. There was a step all the way around the pool that was just the right depth for Hannah to walk on.




Unfortunately the Longhorns didn't do as well today, despite Hannah's show of support. Better luck next time, but Hannah was still cute!

One year ago

One year ago today was Hannah's due date. I spent most of the day at Barton Springs with Mom, Dad, and Mattie. It was HOT, HOT, HOT that day!

Today my life is quite different. Obviously, I tolerate the heat better and can get up out of a chair more easily! I also now plan everything I do around naps, meals, and bedtime. I never go anywhere without my arms full of baby, diaper bag, toys, snacks, and any number of other baby trappings. And I wouldn't trade a thing about my life today for my life one, or even two years ago.

Hannah is an absolute joy. She is a very happy, inquisitive, busy, and pretty little girl. She is learning so much right now. She's starting to walk, is using a few words, and mimics all kinds of things. Last night she started saying uh-oh after dropping things and making me pick them up repeatedly. I can point to my nose and tell her what it is, then ask, "Where's Mommy's nose?" and she will gleefully point to it. (I know she's not quite sure what "nose" means yet, but I love that she understands that pointing at my nose just then makes me happy!) One of Hannah's favorite things is to "talk" on the phone. I can't even move the cell phone in her vision least she scream till I give it to her. Then she will turn it, examine it, and jabber away.

One week from today Hannah will turn one. I can't imagine my baby being a whole year old! I am so proud of her and of the life Pete and I have made with her.

One year ago

Swimming pool

A few days ago I bought Hannah a swimming pool. This was one of those "new mommy moments" where something seems really obvious and easy, but isn't. I thought I'd buy a swimming pool, put some water in it, put the baby in it, and we'd all play. Nope, not so easy.

First of all the box said it needed a level surface. Well our yard is a slight incline. No big deal, it would just be a little deeper on one side, right? Wrong. It's a LOT deeper, and the pool bulges on that side.

Next, you are supposed to spread the bottom as smoothly as possible. Well that sounds easy, but it really isn't. And those wrinkles are hard to get out with even a little water in the pool!

Then there is the water itself. It's in the sun, it should be warm, right? Nope. It's not. It takes a lot longer than it seems it should to warm up!

And there is the baby who likes to pull up. Once I finally got her into the cold water she wanted to pull on the side, which ment the side bent down and the water spilled. Ahh the fun!

Still, we like the pool. And I think we will like it more in a month or two!







Time to get out!


Isai's method was to swing until he was hot, run and jump in the pool until he cooled off, then run back to the swing to warm up. Good method!