Christmastime

We got our Christmas tree today. It was pretty great!






--post from my iPhone

Neighbors...love them

Yesterday our amazing neighbor, Lea, came over with this rad blanket that she's been making for Clair since before she was born. It is really colorful and hand crocheted and reminds me of something very vintage my mom would have stored in a box for safe keeping. I wasn't there when she dropped it off but I guess that it's just full of old yarns that she used on her own families blankets. I'm so excited to use it. Gifts like that make me feel loved...




--post from my iPhone

Changing area

I've been trying to figure out what to do with the little area we decided to use as a changing station in Clair's new room. I've had the toy chest set up with the changing pad on top but it's just too low for my pregnant self and it's also too hard to lift a lid everytime I want something...especially if Clair's laying on the lid!
So, I've spent the last three weeks looking for an affordable changing table and, after narrowly missing one on Craigs list for $35 dollars on Friday, I decided to hunt down an alternative solution today...
And here it is:






It's a little makeshift but I think it'll work! I got the bottom unit and the shelf at target and then cut a board we had hanging around the house to place on top for the changing pad.






Clair can say "hoo, hoo, hoo" like the owl. It's her only animal noise so far so I decided she needed a few to look at while she's hanging out in between changes.

--post from my iPhone

Ahh, the chicken pox...

--post from my iPhone

The Pox

The chicken pox have invaded our home. I honestly never thought that Clair would get the chicken pox, not that they are that big of a deal, so I've kind of struggled over the fact that she was exposed. By me, of all people. I, evidently, broke out in a case of the shingles a few weeks ago. This, I have since learned, comes on due to stress and looks like lots of little bug bites all together. After two or three days, the "bites" begin to look like they are filled with liquid and then crust over, much like little chicken pox. However, due to the fact that most of us were very young when we had chicken pox, I'd never seen them with adult eyes so did not know any of this. Anyways, I did show the rash to my obgyn and she indicated that it was no big deal.

Then, yesterday we took Clair to the doctor because she was getting red bumps all over her body and she was diagnosed with the chicken pox. I am all at once, upset with my obgyn, not worried at all because it's just the chicken pox, upset at my obgyn, really bummed because it IS the chicken pox, and generally just kind of shocked that so many people didn't know the symptoms of shingles, including myself, enough to diagnose it at first glance. After researching, it was very obvious that I had all the symptoms, insane fatique, confusion in my mind, pain, accurate red rash on only on side of the body...

So, anyways, we have been very busy enjoying life and travelling like crazies so I guess now it is time to slow down and smell the dirt in my backyard since I don't have any flowers to speak of. Maybe I'll blog more. Maybe I'll knit a bunch of stockings. For sure, I'll play a lot with my little girl.

Oh, and, to top off the awesome news above, I found out today that a girl I sit two desks down from is out with the swine flu...fantastic!

All in all, Clair's doing great. She's happy as a little clam, just covered with red spots. I think she's too young to know what itching is.

Quick and dirty

So, the quick and dirty life update. We spent last weekend in SLO with Jenn and Kevin and I hae just a few pics on my phone. I'll have to post up an album or something later. Clair was a super cute doggie and Abbey was Piglet. They were rocking the poofy stomachs and had a good time hanging out at all the various pumpkin events we took them to. Of course the adults had fun too! Love the avila barn.




Clair's hat. I knitted. The guys played farmville...Jenn was working.



Hanging out in the park...nice shadow Cara.


First time on the swings. Loved it!

While we were in SLO, Cody and his friends dressed up like cowboys and were disappointed by the stingy candy givers. I guess they got like one tootsie roll a house. I think that might work when you're 3 but not as much when you're 17. And Cody went hunting for quail. We get to share in his bounty later this week

We've been going 90 miles an hour since we got back, birthday party, small group, work, groceries....the usual. This weekend Clair and I are hanging with some girls from church while Ricky and Cody go hunting. Bring me a deer please boys!

--post from my iPhone