Different Bottles Than 2006

Dan and Grace
Billy and Abby
Jeremy and Landon

We had our annual Christmas dinner with the Bowers and the Hoylands tonight. The scene was a little different from last year. Last year it was beer bottles all around . . . tonight it was baby bottles all around. It's a really cool and blessed change!

Mom and Daughter

I love this picture!

Blowing Bubbles

Mommy, Gabe, and Grace spent the morning at Grandma and Papa's house. One of Gabriel's favorite things to do there is to blow bubbles.

Grandma's Magic Touch

Evening time is Grace's fussy time. She gets tired but has a hard time settling down and sleeping. Last night Grandma got Gracie to take a little cat nap that improved the little girl's mood tremendously.

Doh!

Gabriel has been playing with Play Doh with his developmental therapist, Mrs. Dawn. Today she gave him a Play Doh Fun Factory for Christmas. He loved playing with Doh at home with Mom and Dad. Thanks, Mrs. Dawn!

Santa's Little Helper

Grace Smiling

Grace has been smiling for the last week or so. They are truly smiles in response to interaction with other people and not just gassy faces. I have tried so many times to get her smiles on camera, but they are so fleeting. Here are a few that are close to the real thing.

Grandma's Christmas Tree

After many tries these are the best two pictures that we could get of the two kids sitting under the Christmas tree.

Cookies??

While Mommy thought Daddy was watching Gabe, Gabriel opened the kitchen gate, took his stool into the kitchen, and was trying to reach cookies on the counter. I guess Mommy needs to find a better place to keep the Oreos.

Puckered Up

That lower lip stuck out is just hilarious! It makes me feel so sorry for her!

Tuckered Kids

After a fun morning and a yummy lunch, the kiddos were tired! They both slept all the way home . . . ah . . . the peace and quiet!

Lunch at J. Gumbo's

Gabriel LOVES cajun food and anything with rice. At J. Gumbo's he ate crawfish etouffe'. He also sat at the table and ate his lunch with a "big boy spoon." Go, Gabe!
Daddy and Grace

Mommy and Gabriel

Grace's Build-A-Bear Experience

Hungry Grace took a bottle while we built our bears.
A full tummy and new bear!

Build-A-Bear Workshop

Mommy and Daddy took Gabriel and Grace to the Build-A-Bear Workshop this morning. Before Gabriel was born, Mom and Dad made a chimpanzee for him. Grace did not get her Build-A-Bear before she was born, so we thought that Christmas would be a good time for her to get it. It was a fun outing, especially for Gabriel. Once he found the bear that he wanted, he would not give it up to be stuffed or to pay for it. He was too fun!

He was quick to find his favorite bear!

He kissed his bear's heart.

Gabriel told the lady who stuffed his bear, "Thank you."

He gave his new bear a bath.

Daddy helped Gabriel make out the bear's birth certificate and give the bear a name. Gabriel decided to name him "Jake."

Then he left the store a happy camper!

Papa's Hat

Watching Elmo on Sesame Street while sitting in his Elmo chair and wearing his Elmo shoes.
While Grace was in the hospital last week, Gabriel stayed with Grandma and Papa. Elmo was thinking about hats on Sesame Street, so Grandma and Papa gave Gabriel a hat to wear.

Graeter's Ice Cream

We went to Graeter's for ice cream last night after dinner. Mommy loves their seasonal flavors at holiday time (peppermint, egg nog, pumpkin --- YUMMY!) And we needed a fun outing as a family! Gabriel enjoyed sharing with Mom and Dad.

Wiggle Worm

Grace is quite a little wiggle worm. When we left the doctor's office this morning, she had wiggled her head back and forth until her hat conpletely covered her eyes. She stayed like this all the way home and for a few more minutes at home. It didn't bother her a bit! She reminds me of the character on the Fat Albert cartoon.

Going Home

Grace was discharged from Kosair yesterday evening. They did some deep suctioning of her nasal passages and monitored her heart rate and oxygen levels overnight. She started nursing better after her nasal passages were suctioned and she could breathe better. They sent us home with a nebulizer for her. Her cough has loosened up some. She is still not nursing as well as before she was sick. She is still vomiting after coughing fits. We are happy that she seems to be breating better, but she is still a sick little girl. We will go back to see the doctor on Monday.

Kosair Kid

Last night was not a good night. Grace has not been eating well, coughing a lot, and throwing up. Denise took her to the doctor today and they sent them to Kosair. Grace has RSV. It is not the worse thing she could have. If the RSV test had come back negative, they were going to do a spinal tap!!!!
They are keeping her overnight for observation and suctioning her out. If we had one of those vaccum pumps at home, I think that is all we would need. She is still running a fever but when I left tonight she was breathing better. The other RSV kid in the room was much worse and they were sucking out his lungs not just his nose and had him on O2. Hopefully they will come home tomorrow.

Einstein Gym

Grace laid in her Baby Einstein Gym tonight. She seems mildly interested in the toys dangling around her. She also kicked the blue elephant toy. It was probably an accident, but it was still cute.