October 4, 2010-In Training?

October 4th, our friends Gargi and baby Maya came over to help cook and set up for Monday Night Football. Kennedy immediately fell into the 'Big Sister' roll.
As the mommies prepared dinner, Kennedy helped Maya with her snack.

She thought it was great fun to feed Maya- and Miss Maya played along.

The girls also put their new 'baby sister' in their play stroller and pushed her around the living room. We weren't concerned for Maya's safety, as Kennedy sits in the stroller all the time- so we knew it was plenty strong enough for Maya.

Look at the joy on Madison's face.

They talked for weeks about having a new baby sister after Maya's play date.
I wonder if they would love a permanent sibling as much as they do one that goes home at bedtime.

Last fall I took this photo of Madison.

Just like her mama used to do-Madison made individual beds for each of her animals.
Like mother-like daughter

Apple Picking-October 1, 2010

Back in October, Madison had a field trip to Tehachapi to go apple picking.
Parents were encouraged to go and siblings were welcome so we made it a day.
Kennedy wore Mommy's old name belt.

When we arrived at the apple orchard, the kids had a small instructional lesson from the orchard owner. Because it was near the end of the season, he said any trees were free for the picking- and sampling was encouraged.
We had our choice of red delicious and golden delicious- typically not our favorites- but we went to town picking anyway.

Madison had some help from the director's 13 year old son- Mr Dominick. He was one of our helpers during vacation bible school and the girls just love him.

It didn't take long for her learn the twist and pull method.

Kennedy had a little help from Miss Jayne.

She had a bit tougher time pulling her apples off the tree.

After her lessons from Miss Jayne, Kennedy moved onto the golden apples

she managed 'all by herself'- (see Miss Jayne holding the branch a little lower for her?)

she was so proud

when all the bags were full, the girls stopped to let me take a quick photo

then we grouped all the classes together.
Madison settled under a tree with some of her friends- they are so cute all lined up together.

Madison's teacher managed to snap a photo of Mommy with the girls before we walked over to our picnic lunch site down the street.

After picking more apples than any small village could possibly consume- we walked down the dirt road to another small orchard. They had a nice outdoor picnic area and plenty of running room for all the kids.
The girls woofed down their lunches and took off playing with their friends.
Kennedy stood at this fence post and watched the kids run in circles past her.

She stepped up, then down, up then down- what felt like a hundred times.

Doesn't she look so grown up?

Madison loved running across the field with her classmates.

After a few minutes of free time, the orchard owners fired up their old circus calliope.

It was beautiful and perfectly maintained

It reminded me of Main Street at Walt Disney World as a child.

After marching to the music, the kids were back to running-Kennedy looked so sassy

So much energy- so much fun

and determination-that's Madison's friend Maddison reaching for her

When the kids were thoroughly worn out, it was time to head back to school

but not before an impromptu game of ring around the rosy while we waited in line at the potty

ashes, ashes we all

fall down

Miss Jayne stayed with Kennedy and her little friends while Mommy took Madison potty.
When we returned, Kennedy was rocking and sharing her teddy grahams with some new friends.

On the walk back to our car, the girls posed for a few photos

Kennedy was less than thrilled about her sisters 'love hold' on her neck

It was such a gorgeous day picking apples. We loaded into the car just as the storm clouds rolled in, and drove home in the drizzle.

We're hoping we are still here next fall so we can catch the season a little earlier.

Possession

Madison: 'Daddy, Kennedy gave me her cold today'

Matthew: 'I think she gave ME her cold, too'

Kennedy: (with furrowed brow and raised voice) 'No-MY cold'

Usually the girls argue over toys. Now Kennedy wants to argue over croup. What a day.
Oh, and it appears the girls are officially Polish.
Last night there were very few coughs coming from their room. A few barks from Kennedy, a few barks from Madison (unfortunately). Today, however, the coughs were much worse than last night- as was Kennedy's runny nose.
It appears our Polish girls didn't get the memo-croup is supposed to be worse at night-not during the day.
Thus far tonight-coughs seem to be increasing. Seems tonight may be a rough one.
Matthew is already in bed, too. He's keeps asking if adults can get croup.

Thursday

It's 46 degrees outside, and it's Thursday.
My girls have been asleep just over 2 hours. Not breaking news on a normal day.
2 hour naps are pretty standard.
Today, this is huge.
Kennedy woke up yesterday afternoon feeling warm. Really warm.
I took her temperature and learned she had a fever of 104.3!
After dosing her with children's tylenol cold (the thick snot has been pouring out all day), getting her a tall glass of cold apple juice, and getting her shirt and snuggle blanket off- I realized she had the shakes. It took a bit of convincing, but she agreed to a bath-only in Mommy and Daddy's giant tub. done. As I put her in the tub, I noticed her lips turning blue and her fingertips looking Smurfy.
She settled into the luke warm tub and started 'swimming'.
Shortly there after, Madison woke up in tears. She sat on my lap and said, 'Mommy, growing up makes me so sad'. Because Little Kennedy woke up fevered, and sickness is on the brain, I thought she said THROWING up makes me so sad. She clarified, 'No, Mommy-growing up makes me so sad, because I will go to heaven soon.'
Let me explain- as the girls laid down for naps, I told them both it makes me so sad they are growing up. My little babies are gone, they are such big girls now.
I told Madison growing up isn't a bad thing, and she doesn't need to be sad. I explained God will take her to heaven, and Mommy to heaven, and Daddy to heaven...etc...when he is ready and we don't need to be sad. Then asked if she wanted a cookie. Perfect distraction-
Back to Kennedy. After several trips back and forth between the bathtub and potty seat for false alarm 'tee tee' and 'poops' trips, her head felt much cooler so we settled into pjs, dried out her ears, and reassessed. Down to 100.1 and more snuggly. In fact, Daddy picked up Thai food for dinner on his way home from work, because Kennedy clung to Mommy like a Koala.
The evening was calm, girls went down for bed with little problem, Mommy braced for the worst. 4am came, and a tiny cry came from their room. Kennedy's little voice was all but gone, the coughing started and the fever was back. In a big way! 105.1! More tylenol, stripping the pjs, skin to skin snuggle with Mommy, more cool water, and a little more sleep- the fever broke again.
A local friend pulled some strings and got us into her pediatrician, a close family friend of theirs, only to learn our little one has croup. As the doctor put it- Kennedy has the best (this was not a compliment) croup cough he's heard in a long time. He said with that strong of a bark in the morning- our night tonight will be rough.
Steroids for the inflammation, tylenol and motrin for the fevers, cool mist humidifiers, steamy bathrooms, night air- all the usual suspects- and pray big sister doesn't catch this highly contagious virus. Doctor says 3-4 nights of this, and we are on the front end- the fevers should stop, but the coughs will continue.
Mommy was hospitalized as a baby with croup. Times have changed since, but it doesn't make the fevers and coughs any less frightening.
Now 2 and 1/2 hours into naps with over an hour since the last coughing fit- this seems promising. The number one side effects in toddlers taking this steroid- mood/behavior swings which lead to decreased sleep. Let's hope tonight is just like this nap!
Pray for our sweet girls.

the joy of LOVE

I know most Lovely Little Blessings readers know about or read my other blog.
This is likely redundant for you, but bear with me.
Lately, um- the past 6 months or so, we've really settled into desert living as a family.
The house is coming together, kids are {now} settled in school, a routine is forming, we are getting comfortable.
This is a problem.
See, we really don't know how long we are going to be here. We kind of thought (in the beginning) we would already be out of here my now.
For now, instead of stressing about whether or not this could be our last month, or next month could be our last, or the next, etc, etc- we are leaving it where it belongs- in God's capable hands.
He has a plan- and we (I) feel like I'm starting to understand part of my role in it.
This month-my friend Emily introduced me to a free online photography course called the joy of LOVE. I've been blogging my daily assignments over on my other blog, but since the people I love most and focus my lessons on are the Matthew and the girls- it seems only fitting family and friends from here know to jump over there for a peek.