Happy 2014

We are not NYE people. Back before kids and really even before we were married, we ventured out a few times but everything is always so busy.  It always scares me to be out during peak Holiday traffic hours, so many people who have been drinking and driving out.  Now that we have been married nearly 8 years and almost 3 kids later, staying awake until midnight is a challenge for us me. So much safer in our opinion and hang over free the next morning heading to get chocolate donuts. 

 

I braved slow cooking corned beef with cabbage, bacon, onions and butter on New Year's Day. The husband slightly turned his nose up at the idea only to be pleasantly surprised. It turned out amazing! We do a ton of meats in the slow cooker and outside smoker but corned beef was never one. I lost count at 3rd helpings. Whew! Of course we couldn't forget the corn bread and fresh black eye peas and jalapeños. This is a dish we will be doing again soon.

Adorable fleece liners for baby Hudson's cloth diapers.

Harper loves clothes and layering as many as she can wear.
Creates for a load of clothes a day for sure.

I believe this is the only item left from Christmas besides some Holiday coloring books.

We are supposed to be at GWL on Sunday as part of our Christmas to the girls. Sadly, we had to postpone it and our doctor agreed Thursday that it wasn't a good idea. Thankfully, our decision that left a certain 5 year old heart broken was reinforced by her Pedi. Unfortunately we hate going during Spring break, any Holiday or summer months so our days are limited as to when we take them.

 

We were back at the doctor on Thursday since the girls still aren't well.  Amazing that they can leave the house once since school was let out and have had so much trouble.  HG indeed was on day 3 of croup, luckily we had already started the steroids and breathing treatments.  Harper was still terribly congested but besides admitting her for oxygen and around the clock nurse care, there isn't much more we can do that we aren't already doing.  The hospital is far too full of germs.  We are constantly telling her to cough, blow her nose and keeping her upright as much possible. She is on her antibiotics, two allergy meds, once a day steroid (down from twice daily), every 4 hours she gets a breathing treatment, added a decongestant, vitamins, and probiotics. Whew, I think that is it.  Praying by Sunday, we are all better and the husband doesn't catch everything as we all get over it.  As for myself, I am recovered from my mild case of the flu but still on Tamiflu, my sinus infection and strep are slowly tapering away I can't breathe at all today thanks to my Z Pack, Zytrec and sudafed they have me on, Lovenox (blood thinners) are still doing their job wonderfully, but the Progesterone and ProCardia both suck and still having contractions hourly that sometimes hurt like the dickens. ha. I was on both with both girls so very aware of their side effects.  We will have to go in for a shot to stop my contractions if we can't get them under control for another week, I don't want him coming before then.  Another familiar thing. But, it always could be worse and I am incredibly thankful we are on the mend, baby Hudson measured 36w3d today (I am 34 weeks), there is modern day medicine to help clear up crazy annoying infections, my husband cooked cinnamon rolls for the girls this morning while I was at the doctor and that I don't pee myself every time I cough. :)

Harper making muffins that she believes are cupcakes.
Anything in a muffin tin is a cupcake in her opinion.
HG making chocolate fudge which turned out to be a bust.
Fudge is one of the easiest things to make and it didn't turn out for us.
It was the first time we have ever had issues with fudge.

We bought this stroller but in a jogging version a while back from one of our close friends.
It was only a couple of years ago, I can't remember if Harper was here or almost here.
After we bought it, we just couldn't figure it out.
The thing sat in storage until recently and finally the husband took a stab at it.
After flip flopping a couple of things, it is amazing.
A perfect jogging, neighborhood, park, fair, etc stroller.
Believe it or not, it is still brand new, they did not use it.
We let it sit in storage like many other things and super excited to use it once the girls are well.
The only down fall is that the sucker is heavy, maybe around 35 pounds but goes up to 98 pounds.

Harper is my summer baby born in the fall.
She would be naked with a beanie on 24/7 if we would allow it.
She swims in the bath tub daily with plain water, on top of her nightly bath time.
She likes it really warm, can't stand cold water to touch her belly.

Licking the bowl while HG tries to sneak a bite.
I think this is the only time they have shared anything lately.
I don't let them drink or eat after each other when they are so full of germs.

Camping out on the landing.

Cooking her pancakes, cereal and beet berry smoothie.

 

 

We have a busy day planned tomorrow, indoors still and away from people still.

HG and I are hoping to finish some of our meals for when baby Hudson arrives.

The husband asked me the other day how many I had done and I said only five.

We must get busy but luckily a lot of the stuff is easy to stick in double freezer ziplock and you thaw 24 hours before slow cooker time.