thoughts on a sunday

The Sick Sunday Band serenaded me with Christmas songs while I laid in bed today.  That blue thing is NOT a recorder- it's a clarinet!  I won't make that mistake twice.  As always, Ellery does pretty much anything with Ariel in her hand. . .including play the clarinet.

• We're back home after spending almost three weeks in Utah.  It was probably my best trip yet and I was excited to introduce everyone to little Layla.  

• I was so nervous to fly to Utah alone with the three kids, but the flight there was AMAZING.  The plane was almost empty and we had rows and rows of empty seats around us.  Layla slept the whole time and it was a quick flight.  The flight home, with Brian, was another story.  Waiting in airport.  Packed plane.  Tired, hungry kids.  Two delays.  Stop in Reno.  Rude male flight attendant.  Nice captain.  Behind schedule.  Holding Layla the whole time.  Granola bars for dinner. Nine pieces of "luggage".  On the bus.  Off the bus.  Stress.  Carseats loaded back in the car.  And finally home at ten thirty p.m.  

• The captain was pretty much obsessed with Ellery and she was chatting him up like I've never seen. They were best friends.  He kept calling her a cutie patootie, which she thought was just wonderful.  

• I am so glad we got to fly home- it was wonderful.  But it seems like whenever we fly someone (or all of us) comes down with something.  Ellery seemed fine all day- even on the plane- and then we walk in the door of our house and she suddenly has this horrible, barky cough.  I thought she might die during the night.  Now we're all sick. . even Layla.  She has a horrible barky, raspy cough and cry and I am so worried about her because she's so little.  Hopefully it will go away in a day like Ellery's yucky cough did.  

• That means we all stayed home from church today.  I hate that.  

• McKay said to me the other day, "I wish I was Santa.  No!  I wish I was Jesus!  Jesus has a lot of powers."  Um, yeah.  He does, but. . . 

• The other day I was driving in the car with my kids and one of my cub scouts.  You have to know this kid- he is the best- very enthusiastic about everything.  He's so cute with my kids and him and Ellery are BFF when I go visiting teaching over at his house.  Anyway, the conversation turned to babies. . .probably because of Layla.  Steven said that he was going to be a dad someday and he told Ellery and McKay that they would be parents one day too.  He then said, "You know Ellery- birth can be painful."  I was dying.  It still makes me smile.

• This week I have been making Ellery go to the bathroom ALL by herself.  My sweet, yet stubborn daughter got used to me assisting her completely while going to the bathroom.  Trying to break that habit. . .because I know she can do it herself.  She is not thrilled.

• Layla is most definitely a mommy's girl.  And I keep forgetting to say that she's not mean anymore.  I told you all she was mean, and everyone who met her expected her to be mean.  But she's sweet now. . .except to one person.  Her and Brian still struggle.  

• Speaking of my poor husband he just finished his last clinical at OHSU.  Now on to Kaiser Interstate.  He had a pretty crazy week once we got home and was pretty much going non stop for three days.  Non stop!  He was so exhausted at the end of each day that he fell asleep several hours before me.  

• I'm happy to report that aside from one online final, he has a whole week off before he starts his next clinical rotation at a different hospital and no more class work. . .ever!  I'm hoping that the stress will ease up a little bit now that classes are over.  

• Even if it doesn't ease up, I am confidant that I am being taken care of.  I feel an increased strength. . .most days. . .and feel like I've been blessed with the ability to take on more.  Grateful for that.

• All of the sudden I now like wearing pajamas to bed.  Brian is confused.

• Tonight Ellery is wearing gloves to bed.  Her fingers were "squishy" which is apparently quite uncomfortable. . .painful even!  And as a result she had to bite her fingers. . .which resulted in more pain and uncontrollable whining and tears.  But gloves are the magic remedy for squishy fingers.  Who knew?!

• Our Christmas tree is up!  We didn't put one up last year because we were in Utah for Christmas, so it was fun to get it all decorated.  McKay and Ellery are having a blast playing with the train and looking at all the ornaments. 

Happy Sunday!