January Blues

This month has seriously been the longest.month.ever. I can't believe it is finally January 31st...and I'm hoping tomorrow brings a better, healthier February to our family. We're still battling illnesses, taking multiple trips to the Dr's office, and staying up all night with babies. But today I was reminded by mom that the Lord never gives us more than we can handle, and that "this too shall pass."

Hold on. Seriously. The daycare is calling...

That is where I was yesterday, but today it is February...and I'm still there...we still have sickness running ramped through our family. The daycare was calling to say that Tanner was running a 101.4 degree fever. So, I left my office, called the Dr.'s office and took her in. And, she has RSV. My poor, sweet, little girl. We've been up for about 4 days now, or at least it feels like we haven't slept at all. But, our precious little girl just smiles. So, again today, I'm going to remember healthier, more sleep-filled times. She has seriously spoiled us...she has been sleeping through the night since she was about 8 weeks old. And, since I'm still behind, this will be a 3 for 1 post.




Get well soon sweet princess!

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17, NIV)

Eventually, Maybe, Hopefully...

To be perfectly honest, I'm tired; well, tired doesn't fully encompass my state of being right now...let's try exhausted, and maybe if it's in italics it will somewhat get my point across! I know women are biologically designed to be multi-taskers, and most of the time, I feel like I handle this gift fairly well. But right now, today, I don't feel like I am coping. I'm not complaining...I asked for this, and I'm grateful for these kiddos, but I'm just trying a refreshingly honest approach to writing about motherhood. Within the last week and a half, my oldest precious baby, TJ, turned 7; our youngest infected us with the stomach virus which first started with her, traveled to me, then to Tristan; Tristan began pulling at his ears, so on to the Dr. since I had to take off work anyway...double ear infection and strep throat; better check the baby since we are already there...double ear infection and thank the good Lord, no strep; sinus infection for me; antibiotics for all 3 of us and did I mention how fun and easy it is to give antibiotics to a 3 month old?; fast forward to Friday, TJ gets hit with the stomach bug...up all night until 4 a.m. every.thrity.minutes. Oh wait, did I also mention how antibiotics mess with a baby's bowel system and I have 2 on antibiotics. I've never seen so much poop, dirty laundry, and throw up in all my life!

All of this throwing up, rushing around, rarely eating a warm meal...I should be skinny. Why am I not skinny? Oh, I think I vaguely remember swinging by McDonald's at 7pm on my way home twice last week when Thomas had away basketball games. And, I somewhat remember using my right hand to scarf down a Big Mac, while nursing a baby using my left arm, and I'm sure I was using the assistance of my big toe to pick up something off of the floor for my needy middle child.

Mental note: Need to choose Subway, not McD's!

I feel so overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done at home and even at work that I'm on multi-task overload, so today I choose to remember Christmas. The precious excited little faces on Christmas morning, the beautiful Christmas Cantata Service at Church, and fun time spent with family. Maybe I'll eventually get caught up...in everything...but until then I shall sink back and reminisce:

Christmas Eve Dinner








Leaving food for Santa and his reindeer:





In Christmas PJ's ready to be nestled all snug in their beds:



Christmas Morning Smiles:

Anatomy 101

Are you a college kid struggling to keep up in your Anatomy class? Well, just come on over to the Hill house and study with us! Most days, I feel like I'm one of those people on the Discovery channel, walking around with only the goods covered (if you're lucky), while people stare at me. Except for these people are in my own house...I am not sheltered from the humiliation by a television screen! I cannot seem to go to the restroom, take a shower, get dressed, or heck, brush my teeth without little peeping Tom's peering around a corner or grabbing at my legs.

I feel like a cow most days. Not that ever feeling like a cow is a good thing, but I guess I mean that in the best possible way. I am still feeding Tanner, and since starting back to work, I have to use an electric breast pump. At home, anytime Tristan hears me tell his Dad that I need to pump, he runs as fast as his little legs will go to the bathroom, asks me to "cose" the potty, pulls himself up on the lid and sits eagerly awaiting me to turn it on. Once I turn on the pump and the methodical rhythm starts sounding, Tristan grins and begins bouncing up and down saying "dance, dance, dance!" Wow, a breast pump/radio...how cool is that?!

Since bringing Tanner home from the hospital, we've had several "teaching" moments. The first diaper change TJ watched, he was curious, so he asked "Where's her peepee...I see her balls...but, where's her peepee?" Balls?! Who wants to explain that one?!

And certainly not the last that I could share, or the least, here are a few videos for your enjoyment. I wanted to remember how Tristan sounds so sweetly and the cute way he says words, so I recorded him naming body parts:


After my video, TJ wanted to do the recording and ask Tristan to name his body parts. See if you can catch the difference in what I asked vs. what TJ asked! And I just love how excited Tristan gets at the answer ;) I guess I should've waited until he was out of the bath tub!


Hysterical. You're welcome.

Holiday Happenings

Well, Christmas season is in full swing, and we are bustling around like the crazy people we are!

We've had school Christmas programs (don't look so excited TJ!):



We've had church Christmas programs with hilarious pictures to show:



We've had class Christmas parties with good, quality ,Santas:



We've had lots of fun at the Merry-go-Round:



And, most importantly, we've been blessed to spend it with each other:

"I key eww!"

Disciphering a 20 month old's speech is like playing that game where you read the card of words that don't make sense together, but when read out loud and quickly, sound like a phrase that makes perfect sense. I'm only going on a few hours of sleep today, so I can't remember the name of that game right this second...maybe it will come to be by the end of this post?! But, Tristan is really talking now. Sometimes I think he is just talking to hear himself (sounds like another Hill-boy I know)! Most of the time, I know what he is trying to say or what he wants. But, I'm hoping I disciphered wrong the other night! I was giving him a bath, when he looked at me with this (kind of) creepy grin, shot his little arm towards me, and said "I key eww. I key eww. I key eww." Say it out loud to yourself...did you come up with the same thing I did? I totally think he was saying "I kill you!" Look at this sweet face:
It doesn't say, "I'll kill my mommy," right???

Come to think of it, he does try to get me to leave his baby sister in the car when I get home. The other day, I took him into the house first, and when I turned around to head back to get Tanner out of the car, Tristan closed the garage door, stood in front to guard the exit, and said "No Sissy!"

Being the oldest sibling, I always thought the "middle child syndrome" was just a made up thing for needy middle children (sorry to middle children that I'm offending right now)to get more attention, but I'm beginning to think that maybe it's a real syndrome!

Oh, I got it! The name of that game is Mad Gab! Knew it would come to me. Well, I lied. It didn't exactly come to me...I googled it! I'm tired. Forgive me.

Halloween in December

You've surely heard of Christmas in July, so what's not to love about a little Halloween in December?! Still playing catch up, but don't want to miss posting about the cute costumes.

TJ decided to be a vampire this year:


Tristan loves Elmo, so we went with it:


I tried for a few days to get him to try on his Elmo suit, but he didn't understand he was supposed to wear Elmo. He just carried it around like his other Elmo. Once the Trick-or-Treating started, he realized that he got to have lots of candy if he wore Elmo. As I've mentioned before, Tristan loves to eat...and just discovered that he is a choco-holic! I think we've found his new favorite holiday!

Tanner was some sort of cat...not sure if it is supposed to be a leopard or cheetah, but I don't think either are grey in color?!


Happy Haunting!

Catching Up...

Well, Miss Tanner is here...and I'm playing catch up! I think this is going to become a permanent state for me! My house needs a catch up cleaning day; I started back to work this Monday...and am definitely playing catch up; my social life (not that there has been much of that anyway) needs some girl-time catch up; and my husband and I pass each other running from one end of the house to the other and we could most certainly use the catch up time! But, we wouldn't trade this time in our lives for anything...as we already realize that it is flying by way too fast. Our little girl is already 6 weeks old and I am just now getting around to blogging about her for the first time! So without further a do, here she is...our little Princess:
I decided to start my maternity leave on Friday, the 14th to get everything in order (you would think I might have already been prepared since she was so late already...nope). I started feeling random contractions throughout the day, but nothing regular. I even went to the first half of Thomas' football game. I started getting uncomfortable at the game and noticed the contractions starting to become regular, so I headed home, hoping they wouldn't progress before Thomas finished his game. He called immediately after, and I told him he needed to head home! So, after being 8, E.I.G.H.T., days late, I figured she would make her big appearance quickly...not so much. After 14 hours of labor...all night long, no drugs, no sleep she finally showed up! Tanner Emilee was born at 10:08 am on 10/15. She weighed 8 lbs 2 oz and was 20" long. And all was forgiven and forgotten (well, not totally forgotten)! The first thing the doctor said was "Big Girl!" She immediately ate for 45 minutes straight!

Here are a few more pictures taken by Jessica Mitchell Photography of Tanner at 5 days old.