Life With Our Little Ladies: Christmas Cookies, Sick Girls and Charlie

As sad as the sight of sick girls is, these pictures are sweet reminders to me of how little and precious our babies are. Oliver is the most faithful little buddy taking care of his girls when they are aren't feeling well.

It's always a good day when Uncle Cory calls and decides to spontaneously comes to visit.

crafts with Uncle C

Throughout December, thanks to a virus and some nasty ear infections, we visited the pediatrician four times and urgent care once. If there was one picture to sum up the week before Christmas, it would be this one. We were feeling pretty toxic already, but then when we showed up to the doctor and got masks...

Dr. K gave us a nebulizer shaped like a dog to help Abby with her terrible cough. So...we did what we do to all animals (real or not) in our house, we named him. Meet Charlie. It's much easier to convince you children to cover their face with a mask and inhale patiently for a while, when your nebulizer is a dog named Charlie

Lindsay and Mike stayed at our house for a night while they were in town for some meetings. The girls barely allowed Lindsay to get out of bed before they were passing out books for her to read. It's no secret that Abby and Ella love visitors.

Without as much time to bake multiple batches of cookies this year, I opted for a brand new recipe. It seemed easier than picking just one of our many favorites. Thankfully, these Red Velvet Crackle Cookies were delicious! I'm adding them to the master list.

One afternoon, Joe took Abby to the store with him and at the same time Ella and Ollie unexpectedly fell asleep on my bed. In the rare moment of unexpected free time with little else to do, I decided to play with my new volumizing velcro curlers. The house was totally quiet and I enjoyed a good thirty minutes of curling my hair and doing my makeup while watching Beat Bobby Flay on the Food Network. Of course, the minute my hair was all set, Ollie decided he needed to go out. Hey hey neighbors!

the before

I was getting some chores done around the house before taking Abby to her friend's birthday party. Then, Abby and Joe came home and had a little laugh over my head of curlers. About ten minutes later, Abby came into the kitchen and in her most serious, but loving voice asked, "Hey Mom...you're going to take those out before we go to Kendall's, right?"

It was so sweet, but also the first time Abby ever showed any sign of "I might be embarrassed if you come like that". I had to play along for a moment, but I never expected her response to get even better.
M: Oh...do you think I should?
A: Ummm....yeah....I really don't think it's appropriate.
Then, Joe and I collapsed in a pool of laughter! :) I love this girl!

The after. Abby approved of me leaving the house like this.

When you are sick, you just need your momma.

Umm, excuse me missy, I know your toes are some of the cutest around, but this is still yucky!

Our big scare came a few days before Christmas, when Ella's fever skyrocketed to 105 with another hour and a half before she was due for more fever reducer meds. Joe took her to Urgentcare while I stayed home with Abby who had a more manageable fever. It turns out Ella's fever wasn't caused by the virus at that point, but a double ear infection. That wasn't a fun afternoon, but it was the start of some answers to our prolonged sick days.