A Note to my Best Friend.

Happy Birthday my sweet husband. I am so priviledged to share my life with you. One hundred birthdays side by side would still not be enough time spent together. I admire and respect you more than the depths of the sea. I am proud to call you friend. I learn something new about you and us everyday, and in the process, I evolve a little more. You make me a better person.

I cherish the life we have created together. You are the backbone of this family. Your strength and faith astound me. I could not and would not want to any of this without you at my side, holding my hand. I look forward to growing old with you, and I can't wait until we have matching mops of silver and grey. Just imagine, us at the nursing home, in our matching twin beds, fully equipped with bedrails and nurse call buttons. It'll be bliss as long as we're there together.

Thank you for being a wonderful husband and father. Our children are lucky to have such a man in their lives. I love you.


365 days before. A lot can happen in one year!

Sick Baby

Just a quick update...

Lucy had a runny nose for a few of weeks. I wasn't too concerned, especially because she now attends nursery school (and is thereby exposed to many more germs) and it's about that time of year. Last week it turned into a big cold, complete with fever, congestion, and a hacking cough. The little appetite she normally has dissipated to nothing. After a few rough nights Charles and I took her into the doctor. Turns out our little girl has croup. In her case, a virus caused swelling and inflammation of the larynx and surrounding tissue. This led to her labored breathing and bark-like cough. Dr. Sullivan prescribed her an anti-inflammatory medication and assured us that the virus would pass eventually. She's only successfully taken two doses because her coughing is so extreme and violent that she occasionally vomits. It's been almost a week now since the symptoms first surfaced and fortunately her condition hasn't worsened. She seems to be on the mend.

As for the other little girl, she's doing great. I can't believe how active she is already. The kid never sleeps; she is constantly in motion. And she is so strong. I have crazy dreams at night she's kicked a hole through my uterus! I am really, really showing now and I've even had to purchase some maternity tops (per Charles' request). On Thursday her Aunt Sue said that instead of looking bloated, I now look pregnant. That's always refreshing to hear, so hooray for me!

Happy Belated Thanksgiving Everyone!

Minneapolis or Bust!

Thursday Goose and I spend the entirety of the day preparing for our extended weekend up north. Anyone with little ones knows that a simple weekend bag won't do; in order to ensure a smooth trip one must pack the entire contents of one's home, AND said contents must fit neatly into said vehicle to be utilized on said trip. We managed to clean the house, finish the laundry, plan outfits (and some meals), pack bags, and squeeze in a nap all in the course of the day. Oh yes, by we, I mean me. Here Lucy is laughing and clapping at me as I run through the house checking off my day's "to-do" list.



Road trips go something like this: Charles loads and unloads the car (and on pitstops fills the tank), Lucy sits in the back watching movies (shocking, I know), and I drive the entire way. This I don't mind because I prefer highway driving and road rules state the driver maintains control of vehicle speed and title of "Radio Commando". The way up was uneventful and pleasant. We drove four straight hours to stretch our legs and tank up in Clear Lake, IA. The next hour Charles actually spent in the passenger seat (as opposed to the captain's chair behind me and beside Lucy), and we arrived in Owatanna at the local Applebee's to dine with Grandma J and G-pa Dave. An hour and half after dinner we arrived at Iain and Katie's. The remainder of the evening was spent catching up and relaxing.

Saturday was a nice, lazy day. We got up and enjoyed a scrumptious breakfast cooked by Iain and Katie, then napped in front of the television for a couple of hours. The boys stayed back to play PS3, and the girls took off for the Mall of America. We went because in all my visits up north I had never been. Let's just say, it was fun but now that I know what's there I won't be returning anytime soon. It was so congested. I abhor large, pushy crowds.

We had dinner later that evening at Famous Daves and came home to watch 300. Ooh, that was good, but a bit scarier and bloodier than the movies I normally watch.



Stacy (Charles' cousin) and Peter stopped over on Sunday for a visit and they brought Lucy a couple of presents. As neat as we all thought they were, Lucy was much more fascinated with the wrapping. Go figure.



She's not quite into the Scanimation book yet, but the puzzle has been a hit since we came home. The cut outs are now scattered. It will probably take me months before it's in one complete piece again.




The Vikings weren't doing so well, so Charles, Grandma J, Lucy, and I headed to the neighborhood park. It was a perfect Fall day, and after gorging on the entire contents of the fridge and oven all morning it was nice to get out and move the legs a bit. I might have had more fun than Lucy, but you never know.



I love this picture. Lucy's favorite thing to do at the park is the swing. Can you tell? She and Grandma J had a heck of a time together.



Charles hopped into the swing next to Lucy and she thought it was the funniest thing. Below Grandma J, Lucy, and I in the swings. La tres Amigas! I have to admit, it has been many a year since my toosh has sat in a playground swing. It was F-U-N! A few times, I felt like my lunch was going to meet the woodchips, but it was completely worth it.



Speaking of woodchips, Lucy was a bit wobbly on the woodchips, and she face planted. As you can see, she wasn't phased.


Some one-on-one time with Pops...


Beginning the walk home....


Winding down the evening and enjoying and good book with Uncle Iain.


Iain and Katie, thank you so much for once again welcoming us into your home. We love you both so much and wished we all lived closer. Our visits are too few and far between. Hopefully now that you have the house all to yourselves, you can get some decent sleep!


We ended our trip with a visit to Auntie and Uncle Ralph's for breakfast before hitting the road. Grandpa Dean met us there and brought Charles many gifts; golf clubs and a manilla folder filled with report cards and school pictures. I was not surprised that this child delinquent could score such high marks. Also, if I knew my life wouldn't be in danger, I would have scanned some of his glorious pictures to share with you all. They were most definitely the highlight of my day. You gotta love hairstyles and glasses from the 70s and 80s. There was definitely a hint at some mullet action in one of the pictures!

I have to disclose though, the only, only reason I feel I can laugh and make fun is because my school pictures are not any better. Seriously, whose parents let their daughter run around with a moustache? I make the solemn vow, here and now, if either of my daughters meet the same follicular fate as I had in my youth, they will know and become allies with wax and bleach.


Auntie and Lucy. Uncle Ralph left to go bowling shortly after our tardy arrival that morning, so sadly we missed visiting with him. They gave Lucy a wooden alligator pull toy. They tried to find the annoying popping push toy (you know the one with the mulit-colored balls) but were unsuccessful. We were promised that once they found one, it would be one its way. Luckily for us, they don't frequent Babies R' Us.


I know it's not Thanksgiving officially, but as it is November, I feel I have to say that I am so very thankful to have such wonderful in-laws. They are fun, spunky, quirky, generous, spiritual, strong, sweet, gentle, extroverted, talkative, and the list goes on. There is something about everyone that I can learn something from. I love the childhood stories that they share (this time it was the smelly sock incident), and the memories of ones that have passed that will live on through our children. I always, always look forward to the time spent up north. I can't wait for Lucy and her sister to grow older and share in the special relationships with Charles' family like I have. They are wonderful.

New Do

When I went to pick Lucy up on Sunday morning I was not surpised when both my Mother and Grandma suggested Lucy needed a haircut. If anyone knows my Mother, they know she usually takes the scissors into her own hands to make the adjustments she sees necessary. Needless to say, I was surprised when my daughter came home with the same shaggy bangs she left the house with on Saturday evening.

They really aren't too much of a nuisance, especially when her hair is pulled back with a tie or barrette. The problem therein lies. She hates anything in her hair. I can fix her up all nice a pretty and not even 29 seconds later she is a disheveled mess. The whole idea was to live with the shaggy do until it got long enough to fall into place on its own. I only decided to cut her bangs when her own Father commented on how he hates the hair falling into her eyes. To no avail I've warned Lucy we'd have to cut her pretty hair unless she kept it tied up. It didn't work. You try reasoning with a 14 month old. So, with the votes in, three and a half to one, I've lost the battle but not the war.

Before...



After...
Oh yes, that thing about Lucy hating anything in her hair, well she also hates it combed, touched, etc. I knew this would be mission impossible if attempted while she was awake. I have to give myself a pat on the back for successfully accomplishing this task while she napped. Not too shabby, eh?

Date Nights and Autumn Afternoons

Saturday was momentous for us here in the Horton household. Mom and Dad had their first date since bringing Miss Lucy home from the hospital AND Lucy had her first overnight with Grandma Penn and Grandma Maly. Charles and I joked that we would be asleep by 9:00 PM (secretly we both hoped we would be). Instead, after an early dinner at Kona we drove around downtown looking at our old hangouts and reminiscing of our younger years. Then, as any couple spending the night away from their child for the first time, we came home, got in bed, and spent the remainder of the night in each other's arms... watching Con Air on cable television (until 12:30). What a night of romance! Joking aside, we had a great night and have already begun to plan our next escape.

Earlier that day Charles was at the office. I knew I would be missing Lucy later so I wanted to spend some quality time with her outside, away from the television. We had so much fun walking around and playing in the leaves. No matter where we were she tried to cross the street. Already trying to run away from home. This is going to be a problem.







I'm feeling good these days. We're just at the halfway point and the Spring will be here before I even have time to adjust to the fact there is a human being growing inside of me. Second and subsequent pregnancies really fly by. Maybe this is a good thing. I can imagine if I sat and thought about how fatigued and broke we're going to be after this baby is born, I might be second guessing this whole "baby-thing".

Speaking of baby, it is already so incredibly active that I can lay on my back and watch my stomach move up and down. As cool as this is, I have to remind myself the reason this is possible is because I have absolutely no muscle tone in my abdomen. Sometimes I'm surprised I can even hold myself up my abs are so weak. One word: JELL-O



And now, we can officially stop referring to the baby as either "It" or "Fetus Horton". We had our ultrasound and shock of all shocks, we are having a GIRL, a healthy little girl! As much as this does not surprise me (seriously can my family produce anything else?), I am excited to finally know. Right now she's about 13 oz. What a chunk!

We were rushed through the appointment, so we don't have the best pictures, but I did post my two favorites. According to her little profile, she already has the Khamphakdy-Horton lips. There won't be enough lip balm in the world for all of our mouths!



Here is the back of her head with a side view of her face. Her hand is in a fist up by her cheek. "Power to the People!"


So, that's all for now. We'll try to stay current on our posts, but hey, no promises!

Trick or Treat

We took Lucy to the pumpkin patch recently and after feeding the goats, watching the ducks, and going down a slide - we enjoyed a tractor ride to pick out a pumpkin - guess which 'winner' was Lucy's favorite? I guess I use the term 'favorite' loosely since we went very close to Halloween and I think it was the only whole one left. After driving for a very long time to the middle of nowhere to see clumps of disparate, rotten pumpkins, I thought of a metaphor for living in Liberty.


On Halloween, we walked downtown to the Liberty square where the shops were giving away free tootsie rolls to wanting children (one each). Lucy made it about halfway when she fell asleep and did not wake up until we were almost home. I thought some of the stores were a little chincy on their handouts given the fact that they charge $30 for a t-shirt that touts the local high shool football team (that has a 2-4 record and no chance for the state playoffs).


Good think that Nanthida was ordained as the backup candy collector - with us splitting 50% of Lucy's candy in order to provide that service. It was actually an interesting exchange when a 20-something person (not in a costume) was asking for candy. After throwing out an un-enthousiastic 'trick-or-treat', Nanthida would sheepishly nod to the stroller with a sleeping baby and nonverbally try to communicate that we were only gathering the chocolate for our 14-month old...which was usually met with a shot of suspicion and disbelief. During that time, I either looked the other way or tried to blink heavily (showing a physical disorder or emotional instability) in order to avoid engaging in any conversation. They don't teach that stuff in grade school.


Fortunately for us, the Liberty square is not that big. We actually had some neighborhood trick or treaters this year that we stealthily maneuvered around on the way home to not tip them off that we were home (and to not have to share any of our loot with anybody else). So - I hope you found this educational as to where to go - and not go - next year. So far, I have found that none of the kit-kats have been tampered with - but I am only halfway through my testing. I will let you know when I get further along in the process.


In closing, I wanted to share what Lucy's reaction was when I told her she would not be going to the Hanna Montana concert - she did not take it lightly. I consoled her by letting her know that Hanna Montana wasn't coming because her house burned down in the fires in California - and that is what happens to people when they are bad.

The Evolultion of CrAZy!

We've had a very busy week. Charles was out of town for work for the first time in a long time, Lucy had her first day of nursery school, and me, well I'm just trying to stay sane! Saturday my good friend/"cousin" Sarah Koehler married her one true love, Scott, in a beautiful and intimate ceremony . The reception was grand and there were many faces I haven't seen in years. It was great catching up with old friends. Unfortunely (if not predictably), I did not have my camera. So, no pictures...yet. I'll try to steal some from my big sis, and hopefully I'll post them soon!

Here's how blogging goes in our house. If I've been good, I'll have taken pitcures through out the week, and I'll write about the stories that accompany them. Nine times out of ten, I don't have my camera. And when I realize that it's about time for a post, I find myself snapping pictures of Lucy at any opportune (and inopportune) moment. Go figure, this post is no different than the many others that precede it.

Lucy loves her Disney movies. I can vouch for that. Earlier this week I decided I needed a break from Ariel, Cinderella, and Lightning McQueen, so I put in Moulin Rouge. The music and wild scenery entertained her and I was happy to be watching actual people act. After four consecutive viewings, I went out on a limb and put in Napoleon Dynamite. Here is what happened, and perhaps has a little to do with the following pictures.

Lucy glued to the screen...


About half way through the movie, she went running down the hall, without pants and hair tie missing.


Back down the hall, still pantless, but dancing this time.


Still dancing, still pantless (but did you notice she still has her shoes on?).


Crazy facial expression meets crazy hair, and cray pantless, dancing baby!


At this point Dad decided Lucy needed her bath and off they went, leaving me to finish Napoleon Dynamite by myself. I did not complain.


Still a crazy baby, but at least she's clean!

Saturday

What is going on? Two posts in a matter of a few days? I am a super-blogger this week for sure. Anywho, Saturday evening I went to Sarah K's bachelorette bash. As I was walking out the door, I went to give Lucy a hug and kiss goodbye. I thought she might be sad to see me go.

I had no more mouthed the words before she shut me out and waved me away. She looks absolutely distraught, doesn't she?

I had such a great time. First we went bowling. It is not for the faint of heart or weak of wrist. I came home feeling like I had been run over by a truck. It was worth every wrist, hip, and back pain I suffered. I even managed not to have the lowest score. I definitely do not take for granted any adult-time that I get outside of the house. We went back to Sarah's house for drinks before feasting on a delicious dinner at Blue Koi. Dessert was the last on the menu. Unfortunately, due to the graphic nature of those pictures, they will not be posted. If you can provide proof of age, I will be more than happy to send them to you.

When I was pregnant with Lucy, I waited until I was 30 weeks before I took any pictures, and believe me, at that point the last thing I wanted to do was pose for the camera. This time I'm trying to be better. This picture is at 16 weeks 5 days. We have our next OB appointment on Thursday. That's when they will schedule the next ultrasound where we find out the gender!

The baby has been kicking up a storm since last Friday. Lucy was kicking at 15 weeks, so Fetus Horton's (It's new name) activity was a little later than I anticipated, but too early for any real concern. It's only been since Friday that I have truly felt pregnant. I am afraid that the Fetus already takes after Lucy. They are both night owls, as they both feel it's time to party once the lights go out. Also, Charles felt Fetus kick for the first time last night. So, if you want to feel the baby move, I suggest coming over after 11 PM.

Fall is here!

Fall is definitely the favorite and most anticipated season in our household. We couldn't be happier that Mother Nature finally decided to give us some cooler days and nights. There's a chill in the air and the leaves are changing into wonderful shades of red, orange, and yellow. Soon there will be bonfires with weanie roasts and smores, hayrides, and visits to the pumpkin patch. I cannot wait! Hopefully this weather is here to stay, as I can't imagine slipping back into summer or worse, running head first into the beastly cold that is Winter here in the midwest.

Speaking of cold, Miss Lucy decided now would be the best time to shop for a new jacket. It's lined with a wonderfully soft fleece, and has cute embroidery and a faux fur collar to boot! She wore it for the first time on our nightly walk earlier this week. It kept her sound as a pound, and hey, we think she looks pretty cute in it.



With the recent drop in temperature, we've decided to cut our energy bill some slack and shut off the A/C. The only problem is, it gets super cold late at night and stays that way until about 4 in the afternoon. Yesterday we woke up and it was a chilly 66 degrees. All morning Lucy and I were bundled like eskimos. I know what you're thinking, "Turn on the heat dumb-dumb". Herein lies the dilemma, by late afternoon, early evening the house warms up to 70 and stays that way well after we've turned in for the night. Do I turn the heat on for few measly hours and pay the price (quite literally) or do we suck it up and dress like it's the middle of winter?

Instead of doing either, I decided the best solution was to go somewhere and steal someone else's heat. Problem solved, for yesterday anyway. We hit up the Center and Lucy played to her heart's content. I got to hit up some sale racks and found some good deals. Everybody wins!






Lucy's first driving lesson. I told her she wouldn't pass her driver's test with the one-handed approach.

Such a quick learner. Notice her hands on the ten and two, well as close as they could make it considering she doesn't tell time yet.

Charles and I were feeling quite motivated yesterday, so last night after our normal walking circuit, we logged in another mile or so. It was so chilly that we dressed Chubs quite warmly. The extra time in the stroller in addition to being nice and toasty must have lulled her to sleep because this is what we found when we wheeled her inside. When did she get so big? She's such a big girl now.

I couldn't resist a close up. She is so precious, especially when she's sleeping. Now I'm remembering another reason I didn't get much sleep when she was first born. All I wanted to do was watch her sleep, and not in that creepy kind of stalker way.

Lastly, a new development. Lucy is now drinking milk. It has to be watered down, but it's a start. She's drinking anywhere between 5 and 8 oz of Vit D a day. I picked up a lunch box for her to keep her milk chilled when we're out and running about. She loves it. When it's empty she carries it around the house. It's like her own little briefcase. Here she is getting ready for work. Lunchbox/briefcase... check, Boa... check, cellphone... check.