I have many, many things to blog about, but we've also been quite busy for the last two weeks! Add to that our computer is having problems with the ports, so I can't upload any pictures or videos I've taken, and my blogging has significantly slowed down. ;)
Some quick writing-only updates:
Christmas Eve:
This year I didn't go to the service because both kids HAD to be in bed, asleep, before we would have been home--early travel the next morning. Jonas went, though, and played the cello. I wish I could have been there! Next year, next year. :)
Normally we all go over to my parent's house on Christmas Eve for a big party, but this year we had the event at our house so Jonas and I could participate--because the kids being in bed at 7 was a non-negotiable.
We had a GREAT time! My parents (plus Dan, Eric, and Lauren), the Horsmans, and the Kahnkes came over and partied the night away. The food was insane, as always. Pregnancy makes me so annoyed around holidays because I literally can't fit as much food in my stomach as I am used to, so my planning is all off when it comes to how to attack the holiday buffet food!! Oh, woe is me. ;)
My family is great--when they were all leaving they said we should just go to bed, and they would come back later and clean up the house/do the dishes for us. Real love, folks! We totally did, too--left everything right where it was and went to bed.
4:00 a.m. came quickly....
Christmas Day-December 30th:
Our alarms went off at 4:00 a.m., and Jon Horsman (bless his heart...) was at our door by 4:25 to get us off to the airport. 4:25 on Christmas morning, folks. Early morning airport runs are one of Jon's "gifts."
The poor kids were just a mess when we got them up. Emotions were bubbling up and out of them via every possible method. Poor Finn was crying silent tears...they were just rolling down his cheeks...as I tried to get him dressed. He was SO tired still. :)
We made it to the airport just fine and had no issues at security, etc. I had packed a backpack full of wrapped presents for each kid (all dollar store, etc. type stuff...nothing big or fancy) to keep them occupied on the planes and in the airports, but I wasn't sure if the TSA would allow them through. Two years ago, when we were also going out to DC for Christmas, I remembered them saying that nothing wrapped could go through. Maybe things have relaxed since then? Anyway, what good are X-RAY machines if you can't see through wrapping paper, right??? They got through just fine. Layla was WAY into the gifts, and Finn was slightly amused by them.
The flights went okay. Layla was terrified of take-off and any bumps along the way, but she relaxed a bit during our second flight. Finn loved every second of flying and wanted to go faster (????)--he even yelled "BWAST OFF!" during take off. :)
The BAD news was that I got sick mid-way through our first flight. I could feel myself sinking farther and farther into that "don't-touch-me-or-breathe-near-me-my-stomach-is-upset" mode. So, that's not super helpful when traveling with kids. I held the barf bag the entire second half of the trip, willing myself to NOT throw up on an airplane. We landed in NC (to switch flights for DC), but I had to use the restroom on the plane while everyone was exiting the plane. Then I threw up again in the airport bathroom. The only "pass" I get in this whole thing is that I look/am pregnant, so people aren't automatically freaked out to be by me (even thought hey SHOULD have been!)--they just see a sick, pregnant lady. So, slight positive there, but the downside?? I had a HUMAN inside of me who was moving and KICKING my stomach when I needed everything to be very still!!! Gah!
I felt so bad, because here we are, showing up for Christmas day festivities with the Schaefers, and I'm sick as a dog. :( I threw up three more times that evening at the house where we were staying, and after that I remembered DRUGS. I started taking Zofran every 6 hours, like it was my job, and it changed my life. Again. I hadn't been able to keep anything, even water, in my stomach for 24 hours, so I was so glad to be able to keep something down--and NOT end up in an ER in DC for dehydration!
I felt much, much improved the next day, but poor Jonas came down with the same thing too--although he didn't seem to be quite as incapacitated as I was. Finally, three days into our stay there, we were ALL healthy and feeling fine. I was so glad the kids didn't come down with anything while we were there, and that no one else in DC seemed to get the bug as well!
We really had a great time with our Schaefer family! It was just very low-key, hang out, relaxing time. We/I took the kids to the parks nearby several times, and we even went on the Metro once just so Finn could go on a "train." He loved it, of course, and Layla freaked out initially--of course. :) I forgot my camera, and still couldn't get my Flip camera working by then, so I have no personal recordings of the trip!!! It KILLED me. However, Laura sent me some pictures from her phone, so I'll post those soon.
It was just a really nice time of being together as a Schaefer clan. :)
New Years Eve and New Years Day:
On New Years Eve we went over to my parent's house for our traditional family fondu dinner, then the kids opened presents after we were done. Renee got some great pictures from this time, so I'll post those as well. Fondu is a really, really great tradition guys--especially with the home-made sauces my mom makes. :)
We headed home around 7:30 to get the kids to bed quick, then the Horsmans and Lauren came over to spend the night. It's now officially a "tradition" since we've done this two nights in a row! It's so much fun to have a house big enough to easily fit anyone and everyone you might want to have for a sleepover! We were all rather shot on NYE, although we did all make it until 12:00 a.m. We celebrated the ball dropping in NYC, drank some fun drinks, sand a lovely rendition of Auld Lang Syne (seriously. We sounded pretty good.) and then watched YouTube funny videos until bedtime.
In the morning we had coffee cake, eggs, bacon, OJ, and coffee...made a fire...and had a little dance party or two. We stayed in our PJs all day, watched Despicable Me 2, and generally enjoyed ourselves and family.
The Horsmans went home around 3:30/4:00 and we hung out the rest of the day--Jonas playing with his legos, Layla and I playing a game, and Finn enjoying all of his pirate gear. We read new books before bed and had the kids in bed by 7:00. Jonas and I were seriously in bed by 8:00/8:30 as well. Sleeping never sounded so good. :)
It's been a DELIGHTFUL holiday season, and we'll still go strong with it until January 6th, when the kids will open their stockings. Then the tree will come down (mostly so it can be collected for free by our trash guys...), and we'll start gearing up for our next event... ;)
