December 2017, Week 3

Sunday, December 17

After going to bed late Saturday night/early Sunday morning, we got up and showered and went to go get our boys. I may have been a little eager to get to them by Sunday am. After we got home, we had lots of couch snuggles. Luca was up all night on Saturday with a really bad cough so Sunday was low key, monitoring his cough. 

"Mom, let's lay like this. Like bunk beds."

This series of photos caught Luca mid cough- but Jack's face kills me so I am posting anyway.

Monday, December 18

Luca was on break from school this week, but was still recovering from a nasty cold and cough that just wouldn't quit. Since his cough had turned into a more dry croup like cough it kept us up all of Sunday night. The cough was so bad that he vomited multiple times as well. I wasn't sure if he had a stomach bug or what was going on so I cancelled Jack's therapy session and made a doctor's appointment for Luca. At this point, he had been sick for over two weeks so I figured we better get him checked out and I also wanted to make sure he was breathing ok. Earlier in the month I caught his cold and had the same cough, mine though required me to take my inhaler. I was afraid that since his cough had changed, he might be feeling what I had felt. His breathing sounded very labored Sunday night, so he was back in our room and I stayed up most of the night listening to him. 

This guy was still feeling great! Didn't catch the cold Luca or I had!

Luca didn't eat much since he was so sick. Jack, however, had no issue shoving all the food in his face. 

Tuesday, December 19

This picture perfectly describes our entire month of December. We went through so many boxes of tissues, I lost count. Luca went through 3 boxes in one night so I ended up giving him rolls of toilet paper instead. After getting up 3 times in one night to "I need more tissues!" I was desperate! 

Luca wasn't feverish, but was still pretty congested and not feeling great so I told my dad not to come. To avoid spreading germs, plus when my babies are sick I like to be the one to take care of them. 

This guy, still healthy as can be! Praise the Lord! 

I will never get tired of seeing him walk across the room, pick up his water cup and drink it. 

(Also, you can see on our tree in the background that my dad also bought Lee some shotgun shell lights.)

I am not so sure why I have so many pictures of Jack eating. Probably because it is the only time he is still long enough for me to snap his picture? I think I was also excited because he was eating so well- sweet potato fries and apple! (Both new foods for him.)

Luca drew this and it is my favorite drawing ever. 

Since I told my dad not to come watch the boys this day, that meant that I would be working each night after Lee got home from work. Not ideal, but at least that way Lee would get to be Luca's caretaker if I couldn't be. I am so grateful for a job that allows me such flexibility. 

While I was working, Luca started to play his "instruments." As I was working I could hear him say, "I need to play down here so mom can hear too!" Sweet, thoughtful boy. 

Wednesday, December 20

This day we drove up to the chiropractor in the am. I was determined to get Luca feeling better and also to keep Jack and me healthy. After the chiro we just hung at home. 

Evening work visitor, needing a momma hug. 

Thursday, December 21

Waiting for Pops to arrive, playing our favorite ball game in the front hallway. 

I worked all day and I just love when I hear "Momma!" and look around my computer to see his sweet, smiling face. I can hear the pitter patter of his feet as he is coming/going and that sound is one I pray I never forget because I love it so much! 

Auntie Sarah arrived just in time to see Santa drive by on the fire truck! 

These two are so blurry but I love the excitement in them (for all four of us, haha!)

Gosh, if only I were more expressive. 

We loved seeing Santa and the fire truck that had a ladder on top.

Dark, poor quality photo but all 5 of us are in it!

Both Luca and Jack LOVED this. Jack was squealing with excitement and was really upset when it was over. He stood by the door for quite a while wanting to go back out after we had come inside. Luca loves fire trucks so I think he was more impressed with the lights and sirens than he was Santa. 

Friday, December 22

Luca has started to ask me out on dates. I had planned on taking him earlier in the week to see the movie The Star my friend told me about but he was sick. Since Luca seemed to be feeling a bit better and Lee was off this day and Sarah was in town, I decided I would take him to see it this morning. Luca decided he wanted Auntie to join our date so it was the three of us this time. When we got in the car for the movie, Luca asked if we would get snacks. I told him I had packed him some snacks so when we got there he could have those. To which he told me that when you go to the movies, you buy gummy bears there. "Because that is what you do." Ok then, I guess we will be getting some gummy bears at the movie theater. 

We got to the movies at 10 am for the 10:40 showing to find out it was already sold out. The next showing was at 1:10 and the only seats left in that one were in the very front row. I wasn't sure what to do because that's a lot of time to kill, Jack woke up this day and he wasn't feeling great so I didn't want to be away from him for too long (his body fought Luca's cold so hard! I think it was a trip to the doctor's office that did him in), and also, the front row of the movie theater is the worst. But, the potential look of disappointment on my boy's face if I told him we had to go home? Front row it is! To kill time we ended up going to visit Luca's favorite toy store (with the strict disclaimer no asking for any toys, which he abided by beautifully), ran to Target and got the gummy bears (breaking Luca's movie going protocol just a tad), grabbed pizza for lunch (per Luca's request), then made our way back to the theater.

Started out needing Momma's hand of comfort...

...but ended by being "brave."

Taking a quick dancing break- when there is music we will stop and dance. Almost always.

The reclining seats definitely helped the front row experience- as long as you laid as far back as you could. Luca was not interested in putting his seat back. 

Holding hands with him is my absolute favorite.

The movie, in case you are wondering, was SO good. Luca loved it, and Sarah and I did as well. I cried a few times, it was really well done. A lot of times Hollywood distorts or changes biblical stories when they make them into movies but this one felt pretty accurate. I mean they included some details the Bible leaves out, but they did so tastefully and how I imagine things could have happened. I can't wait until the movie comes out because I would like to buy it and watch it each year as a new Christmas tradition. 

After we got home, we just hung out. After I put the boys to bed, Sarah and I picked up my mom and went back to Target to finish last minute Christmas shopping. It was a late night, but it was a lot of fun to be out with my mom and sister. 

Saturday, December 23

This morning was a rough one. Lee went with my mom to help her with a secret gift for my dad, then he ran out to do some secret shopping of his own and Sarah went with my dad to his church. Jack woke up this day and was pretty sick- fever, runny nose, cough, not really sleeping, etc. Jack was also extra feisty. He has entered into the stage where he likes to hit Luca in his head and occasionally pull his hair. I think him being sick/lack of sleep made it even worse because this am, it felt like all I did was follow him around to keep him from hitting Luca. We spent the day at home, just hanging out with our sick babies. 

Since Jack wasn't sleeping well but was so tired, I held him during his afternoon nap to try and guarantee he got some sleep. It worked for a bit, holding him upright definitely allowed him to breath a bit easier so he did doze in and out of sleep on me. And I didn't mind those snuggles one bit. 

The little brother, pushing the big brother on the lawn mower. As you can see, the fever and cold didn't seem to slow Jack down at all.

Neither Luca or Jack were really eating and Jack wasn't drinking a lot. Which I really don't like since seeing him dehydrated is not something I ever care to do again. Thankfully, he drank enough and didn't get to that point. (We basically followed him around all day long and kept offering fluids to ensure he drank.) 

After the boys went to bed, Sarah and I made peanut clusters and Oreo truffles for Christmas Day. Then I finished wrapping presents. I apparently don't have any pictures from that. I was so, so tired by the end of this day. Multiple late nights in a row getting ready for Christmas after a week of working at night after being up at night with sick babies, was really beginning to get me.