Hello MidJanuary: Just Some Randoms.

This kid is FINALLY back at school after SIX snow days in a row right as Winter Break was ending. It was nuts. He's getting back into the swing of things and so glad for it. 

He and Lucy weathered the 24-hour tummy bug right before school let out for Christmas. But since then he's been healthy as a horse. Knock on wood. 

He's been super into drawing his own comics, talking all of our ears off, and reading the Bone graphic novels lent to him by a coworker of Joe's. Joe and Noah--- both reading graphic novels lately..... So crazy.

 

Lulu-Bell-- well she is currently under the weather. The above photo is from yesterday and is basically what she's done for two days straight. Doc says it's just a cold, but man... she is dragging. He nose is a faucet and her appetite is down and she's just pretty pitiful. 

She also had that tummy bug with Noah last month, and it freaked her out, poor thing, to start retching and not know what was happening. 

When she's not under the weather, she is talking more and more and more, and her words are so well-said and cute. She angles for treats and cookies and "balls of yum" (peanut M&Ms, haha) as much as she can, and adores milk and carrying around at least 3 toys at a time. She's as darling as she looks in her photos--- I wish all of you could get an hour with Lucy at her peak cuteness. It's amazing. 

 

And this goopy baby is just coming OUT of his sickness from last week--- coughing and letting out prodigious amounts of snot.... And after 4 days of fever, we finally took him in, to find out he had STREP. Poor baby!!!! But as it always seems with strep, just two doses into his antibiotics schedule, he was feeling nearly 100% better. He had barely ANY snot today, so I think we're in the clear for a while with him. 

Meanwhile, he is just as curious and trouble-seeking as my last post talked about. Just exhausting to keep track of all the time, but guaranteed to be in some kind of pickle if he's not kept track of. Just today, every time he got to the stairs to try to climb them, he'd laugh  in glee and barrel up the stairs, getting at least 2 done before I could scoop him up. And every time I scooped him up, he'd laugh some more. Like it was the BEST game. No, Quinn--- NOT the best game. ACK. 

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And as for me, I've been trying to keep my big camera out and available more this month... and it's been working. The above three pics are from three different days, all just random shots during our days. Nothing super rare or spectacular about the images I'm capturing... but it feels good to be doing it.

I'm continuing to fight the edgy post-holiday cold winter blahs over here. Lots of okay and good times, but also more grumpy or trapped or crabby moments than I'd like. I'm not sure what the fix is.... beyond just waiting it out.... 

It's a lot of repetition right now.... the routines and cycles of tidying, cleaning, nap schedules, laundry, work, etc. A lot of the same 5 comfy outfits getting worn. A lot of comfort eats just to change up the everydayness of the everyday.... a lot of restlessness....

But also a lot of just watching my kids be themselves... admiring things they do or say, or basking in the smiles they give or the cute tricks they learn... 

And a lot of going to Joe to be hugged or held. It's one of my favorite comforts right now.... long, EXHALE hugs with my sweetheart... who just GETS it.

Lots of Disney cartoons--- we got a slew of them for Christmas. Lots of Frozen on iTunes (thanks, Mel!).... Lots of little "post-holiday" cleaning projects, just trying to get some order back one corner at a time.... Lots of diaper changes. Medicines administered. Chapstick put on. Lots of wiping the same ook off of the same high chair three times a day. Lots of trying to get up the energy to put together yet another meal.

A little bit of wishing: wishing I was still that crafty girl from two years ago. Wishing I had already saved up for our summer vacation and for a new camera. Wishing for just one day a week alone. Wishing for 68 degree days. Wishing for no middle-of-the-night wake-ups from sick kids. 

And so yeah... That is us. Oh-- and Joe: he's back in the routine, too. Back to work at UMSL after a week break for the holidays (so great!)... Back to waking up early and helping Noah get ready for school. Back to coming home ready to take a kid off of my hands and help where he can. He's in some pretty solid routines of his own. I don't think he gets as itchy as I do from it all. He's a homebody and is easily content. I love that about him. And those hugs--- yeah. I really love those hugs these days. 

Okay, for real now, that is us. Not exciting in the LEAST. But hey. Whatever. I think only 5 of you still read along anyway. Who am I gonna try to impress? Right? :)

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Hey! Comment if you're above and beyond my 5 readers and tell me what kinds of posts you want to see from me. I am trying to blog once a week for SURE, and I'd love some suggestions. No, really. I would LOVE the homework. Give me some focus for the next couple of months!!