Kids Singing: Twinkle Twinkle Duet

A friend of mine's little girl is in the hospital so the kids sang her a feel better song.

Random pictures

Zoo Trip: Thanksgiving 2016

On the Friday after Thanksgiving Grandpa Bart, Emily, Lillian and Simon went to the Zoo! (Alan had to work.)  We hadn't been to the Zoo in a long time and everyone had a really great time. We saw the new polar bear exhibit and I included a video of him playing. We watched for a really long time. 

First time that Simon went into the climbing thing fearlessly.

Thanksgiving 2016 At Auntie Colleen's

Big Thanksgiving meal at Colleen's house. Good times!

She wanted a turkey leg... She figured it out pretty quick.

Their Model Poses

Weekend fun

Had a fun weekend of activities sprinkled with some family rest time. 

CCC: Pictures of Lillian

Attached are some great pictures of Lillian at school! 

Lillian Sleeping Late

For the first time, Monday morning, Lillian slept late. Alan and I don't set alarm clocks because for the past 5 years we have had small children that rarely sleep past 5:30, let alone all the way to 6am. Monday was the day we had looked forward to for years. On Monday morning Lillian slept.

A phone reminder woke us at 6:45 - time to put on shoes! Our 3 year old and 5 year old were still sleeping soundly in their beds. We are shocked. After a shower, it's 7am and STILL children are sleeping. Alan goes to wake Simon, he's used to getting woken and just needs a minute in bed to adjust and is up and getting dressed. Lillian is different. She never gets woken up. She refuses to get out of bed. Finally, Alan gets her out. She runs from the room yelling no... straight into Simons bed and curls back up to go back to sleep. After much cajoling and promises of naps and early bedtimes, she is finally dressed.

I guess being up in the middle of the night for a couple hours the past couple nights really has made her tired. Don't worry, early to bed for that girl tonight. But now we know... it's possible. One glorious day, maybe in the not too distant future, we might all sleep until 7am. On a weekend. What will we even do with all that sleep?

Another hospital visit for Simon (Hip Pain)

Poor Simon had yet another hospital visit... Is it bad that I've lost track of how many times this kid has had to go to the hospital? 

Thursday night I picked him up from school and he was limping. I asked if he fell, he didn't remember falling or jumping and getting hurt - he said it just started to hurt so he stopped running. Friday was a Teacher Education Day so Simon and Colleen and I were going to go to a museum but he couldn't walk when he woke up so plans were changed to a leisurely breakfast and cookie making at home. I carried him around that morning as much as I could, but every time I set him down he cried out in pain. He seemed totally 100% beyond the pain, but I was worried about a fracture or something in his leg so I took him to the doctor. 

They weren't sure what was wrong with him and suggested we go to the ER for x-rays, so that evening Alan took him to the Lurie's Emergency Room. We are unfortunately too familiar with that place! After many tests and much debate among the doctors, and of course many hours, the diagnosis was fluid in the hip, aka Toxic Synovitis. Which happens sometimes to kids after they've had a fever, though usually they still show the fever when the pain starts. The hip pain can last up to 2 weeks (he was better within a few days) and should have no long term side affects. Thank heavens. 

Cutie

Science Museum: Simon and Alan

Family Dinner

CCC: Pictures of Lillian

Attached are some great pictures of Lillian from Halloween!

Baseball lovers - GO CUBS GO!

Possibly one of my favorite photos of Lillian ever.