Blackstock Life: December 2007

David and I have been so entertained by Collin and Sarah Kate lately. And although we enjoy talking with one another about the funny things they do, I'm not convinced that our conversations will be enough to make me remember everything. Here's Collin's latest prayer:

(to set the stage, we're all at dinner, with hands folded in the manner most pleasing to Collin on this particular day, and David has started to pray- when Collin interrupts with eyes closed tightly)

"Dear God, thank you for all the bessings that you give to me...and God (pleading) I just really want a helmet. And maybe a firetruck (that's a new one...oh no!), but I REALLY want a helmet."

Then, turning and looking across the table, whispering,

"Dad, what do you want?"

Apparently, sitting on Santa's lap and telling him what you would like to get for Christmas is okay, but for those of us with divine access it doesn't hurt to place your list at the feet of the Father, either. Great faith...the theology will be hammered out later I guess.

And our precious Sarah Kate is changing by the day. She has started to roll over, babble, and respond (good and bad) to those around her. She loves her brother, and gets so excited to see her Daddy come home. But my favorite, VERY FAVORITE, thing about her right now is her smile. It is one of those smiles that completely takes over her entire face and it comes at the most unexpected times. It never fails that when she's crying in the morning for me to come and get her out of bed that when I peek over the crib to say hello, she busts into her sweet little smile, and immediately stops crying. It absolutely melts me. She is so easy-going and patient with us! What a blessing!

And on a brief parental side-note: here are seven words that you NEVER want to hear your two-year-old say: "I want to watch Yo Gabba Gabba." AGHHHHHHH! I don't know if that made me more afraid for Collin, or myself.

Those four acronyms pretty much sum up the last few days at the Blackstock house. Collin has been under the weather since last weekend, and because he is such a loving brother, he shared his little cold with his sister. Come to find out, his 'cold' is RSV for her. Still, we're keeping things in perspective- she's able to rest and recuperate at home which is a huge blessing! And typical of our sweet Sarah Kate, she's still laughing and smiling between coughing spells! She also decided to cut her first tooth. Wish I could post a picture, but I can't...BECAUSE IT'S IN THE SIDE OF HER MOUTH:

Yes...I actually had to LOOK UP which tooth just came in- the canine, I believe (M on the diagram). I guess I won't know for sure until I see where all the other ones come in. Is that freakish? Anyway, when I found the thing she got so excited. She looked at me as if to say, "Now you know where to put the Orajel!" Ooops. I guess I just figured the front two would be the first- then again, she has been full of surprises ever since she's been here!

So we add Orajel to the long list of medications that are being dosed out at our house between the two kids. SK has her list of daily meds for both of her refluxes, milk allergies, etc. and toss in some nebulizer treatments, and Collin's laundry list of "candy medicines" and we're a regular pharmacy- a feeling so many of you can sympathize with, I'm sure.

The odd thing about all the illness is that it has given David and me the time and the opportunity to be in the house, just hanging out with one another all weekend. It has been so nice. Friday night we made Collin his first cup of hot chocolate and watch a Christmas movie with him. It was so much fun! We've gotten more sleep than usual, had all of our meals as a family, watched a lot of football, and played more with Collin than we've been able to in a long time. And Sarah Kate has gotten her fair share of TLC as well! It has actually been "just what the doctor ordered." (that's almost too cheesy to even put in there- but oh well)

So, don't remind me that Christmas is only a little more than two weeks away. Right now, we're enjoying house arrest and remaining blissfully unaware of how much there is to be done!

Also, I'm really playing catch-up with pictures here. Yes, there is one of SK in her Halloween costume (how sad!)...the others are more recent. If you want the best though, go see my friend Sarah's photography blog. There's a link from her website at http://www.sjphotos.net/ She took some pictures of them recently and I was so thrilled with them! She is truly amazing at what she does. I've always known she was talented and creative, and then she started photography and has taken her talents to the next level!

Here are the pics as promised...

Our sweet little butterfly!