Boston's self portrait as an old man

Boston came home from school today with this picture he drew in class. It was the school’s 100^th day party they were celebrating today. He showed it to Krista and said “Look, this is a picture of me when I’m ‘100 years old’. I have toothpicks in my ears just like grandpa.” When Krista laughed he said “What? Grandpa’s old and he has toothpicks!” Of course we know he meant Q-Tips, not toothpicks. Pretty funny! He also made sure to point out that he is missing teeth and had wrinkles on his face. But, he does still have a head of hair. We had a good laugh!!! Way to go grandpa. You are inspiring your grandchildren!

She FINALLY did it!!!!!

A little background to this story first....

Sera got her ears pierced at 5.  So that became the magic number for getting earring in our house.  On Alexa's 5th birthday I asked her if she wanted to get her ears pierced.  Her response was...."NO WAY!  Why would I let anybody put holes in my ears that hurt on purpose!"  Since that time we ask occasionally and always get a no way.  She LOVES jewelry.  She has tried clip on's, stickers, anything to add the BLING.  Boston being the little brother, has recently begun teasing her.  He told her he was going to pierce them while she was sleeping.  She insisted she was waiting until 10 because then it wouldn't hurt.  Then on Monday Alexa walked in the door from school and said "If you take me RIGHT NOW I will pierce my ears"  I tried to talk her into waiting until we could go on a date.  No changing her mind.  So after piano off we went.....She pierced her ears!

Waiting

Getting ready for the first ear

Trying hard not to cry

Doing the second ear

Saying "ouch"

All Done!  

She is so happy she did them.  She wanted her birth stone (diamond). Only she wanted the bigger ones.  Smart Girl!

A New Years we will never forget.....

Can You guess?  We spent it at the Cardon Children's Hospital. Three days two nights and one surgery later we finally made it home.  So here is the story.........

On Tuesday the 29th Beckom was really crabby and by that night was running a fever.  My neighbor took a quick peek in his ears for me and they looked fine.  I just assumed he was teething or getting a cold.  That night was awful.   He was in a LOT of pain, high fever, and just miserable.  I called the pediatrician first thing in the morning.  When I went to pick him up if I touched his leg or but he would scream.  When I got to the Dr.'s office I looked in his diaper and saw a HUGE swollen red sore(the size of a silver dollar).  When I told the Dr she said normally she would sent me straight to the ER but she was going to let me try 2 antibiotics for 24 hours first.  After 24 MISERABLE hours of watching my baby in horrible pain I took him to the hospital at noon on New Years Eve.  My Dr called ahead and they took us right in.  He had MRSA in his left butt cheek that had abscessed.  By the time we got to the hospital his fever was 104 and the infection had spread to the size of a grapefruit.  They ran an IV (which blew and he had to have a second) and started iv antibiotics, morphine and admitted us to the hospital.  We had to apply hot packs for 24 hours before they did the surgery.  During all of this they wouldn't let him eat.  Finally at 9pm they offered him food.  After applying heat all night, they decided he was ready for surgery.  So again no food.  They took him back for surgery at 3pm New Years Day.  Poor kid was starving, in pain(when the morphine wore off)and scared, he also had to have ANOTHER iv.  The surgery went well.  They said they removed a TON of infection.  He got a new procedure done where they inserted a tube that we had to flush every 6 hrs for 24 hrs after the surgery.  After surgery he stayed on the morphine the entire night and slept pretty good(for a hospital).  By the next morning I was amazed at how much better his infection looked.  After 24 hours they removed the tube and let us go home saturday night around 8pm.  He still had quite a bit of pain and has to continue on a strong antibiotic.    He is doing much better now.  I have to clean and redress the surgical area 2 times a day and he is handling that better each time.  We had quite and adventure and a New Years we will never forget.  Leave it to this kid to give us one more adventure in his 1 year of life.  Its a good thing he was born with all this modern medical technology!

His brother and sisters and cousins sent him a gift with lots of notes and pictures and Boston gave him this bear that was his favorite when he was little.  Beckom loved it!

What do you do in a hospital with a starving, bored, baby in pain? Take him on a wagon ride around and around and around the hallways.  (He isn't falling out he sits on his side because his butt hurt.)

Finally, the first real meal in two days and they bring him fish stars???

So this next picture is for Frankie who made fun of me for taking a picture of the tube sticking out of my babies butt!!  I only wish I would have gotten a picture before the surgery too!

And that is the END of the story!

Playing in the Snow

The day after Christmas we took the kids up to my parents to play in the snow with their cousins.  The weather was great, we all had a great time, and the donuts and hot chocolate after made it a perfect day. 

Sera in her red hat not wanting a picture(already a grown up)

Boston couldn't go fast enough.  I think his goal was to get knocked off the tube the most

Beckom cried unless going down the hill, already learning from his big brother

Alexa was content to watch, giggle and go on the little hills

CHRISTMAS DAY

Waiting to open the first gift

Cute Sera with her new camera

My fashion diva wanted a sewing machine to make her dolls clothes

Boston and his boy toy

Sera sharing Boston's Dart guns

Beckom opening his gift

Santa brought everyone a beanie in their stocking

The new basketball hoop

Beckom loving his toy from Grandma and Grandpa

We had a Great Christmas.  I have a great family.  I have the best kids.  And an amazing husband.  What more could I ask for?

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve started out with Alvin and the Chipmunks Movie in the morning.  Then later in the day a yummy Christmas Dinner and Decorating our cookies for Santa.  Grandma and Grandpa Anderson , Uncle Chad, and Uncle Jason joined us this year.

Cookies for Santa

My kids always open up Christmas Pajamas

Don't they look cute?

Then we read the story of the birth of christ, family prayer, set out reindeer carrots, a magic key and off to bed.  But, not before Santa lands on the roof.  When we run outside to look on the roof, they come back in to find a note from Santa that tells them to hurry to bed and he will be back!

It makes for an early bed time.  This year I found them all snuggled together in Sera's bed.  It made my night.  I loved to see them all together.

Our Old Fashioned Christmas and All Dressed up

I am not done with all of my Christmas posts YET!  I got behind because obviously we were really busy....

All dressed up in their Christmas Best

SERA

ALEXA

BOSTON

BECKOM

 

We have a lot of Christmas Traditions at our house.  This year I added a new one and the kids loved it.  I called it an old fashioned Christmas.  At least as old fashioned as I get. ( I stole it from frankie's aunt)

We Started out eating Beef Stew and rolls by candlelight

We played a few old fashioned games after dinner,  watched "It's a Wonderful Life" and strung popcorn.

And to finish off the night we all slept in the family room together

We had a great time.  The kids really enjoyed it, and it is now added to our Christmas Traditions.