Standing Around

Although still visibly sick, Indiana has been more active in the last couple of days. He has been standing on his own, without holding on to anything, as well as taking two or three tentative steps unassisted.

This is such an exciting time for us. He is very much on the verge of real toddler-hood. I had been calling him a mobile baby because he was only crawling and cruising, but I am afraid that euphemism is soon to be lost by the wayside!

(last bit... Notice the sweet Old Navy baby cargos, they have several zippered real pockets and are lined with full length attached long johns, we love them! Warm and toasty, stylish, and less than fifteen bucks! Old Navy has so most excellent baby and toddler clothing and their clearance racks are always something to swear by!)

Steadily Improving

We are improving everyday!

Yesterday he ate a whole chicken nugget (ok chicken star... it was carl's jr. after all) and a handful of french fries, as well as a whole cup of fruit and a toast triangle! It is great that he is getting his appetite back.

We are also fortunate that he loves medicine. He takes it with no fight, usually stopping what he is doing to take it. Perhaps he thinks it is food!

ghirardelli has ruined me

The evilness of Indiana's Aunt Moo!

Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark!

Yummy, but not conducive of the weight loss I plan for next year... yeah, yeah, I am ONE with the new year's resolution.

Making the Grade

I have few extraneous pictures running around, heck, I have thousands. Here are a few fairly recent ones that haven't, for whatever reason, made the grade for other postings. Indiana is almost better and I promise new pictures soon! In the mean time, enjoy this montage oh my two incredibly handsome, devilishly charming, thoroughly spoiled, totally loved sons.

I am not a "religious" person. I thank God, everyday, for the two wonderful souls he gave over to my care.

Harrison Ford

how Jedi are you?:: by lawrie malen

Is it really any wonder? A month or more ago we took a quiz for which action hero we were... You guessed it Indiana Jones. Naming our son as we did, and my preference for Harrison Ford movies, and quiz results... Some time soon my husband might begin to wonder if it is really Val Kilmer I prefer!?!

Sick Boy

Indiana convinced me to post a sick picture. Sure, he looks all happiness, sunshine, and light here, but don't let him fool you! He is having a tough time of it. You can see that his left eye is a little funky, and hopefully I had wiped his nose before the picture... It does look suspiciously shiny under there to me.

On top of being sick, I noticed that he got his second tooth through, too. And of course he is suffering the effects of antibiotics. So, basically he's just a runny, drooly, smelly, ill-tempered monster. Except for the diapers, he could be a teenager!

Christmas Pictures

Since Indy is sick, with a yucky eye, I wont be posting new pictures of him for a few days (I think I mentioned this). Instead, here are a few from our Christmas celebration...

Indy received some excellent gifts, however the "thank you" cards are a bit delayed due to his illness. His quarantine effects me similarly. He can't go out to the store with me. I don't want to expose anyone else to his illness by having them baby-sit. I just DON'T trust Chris to pick out thank you cards that don't suck. Cards aren't really a man thing (although when he buys cards for me they usually are perfect and designed to make me cry.)

A big "THANK YOU!" to all of you who have expressed your concern about Indy's health. He is getting steadily better, I can already see improvement with just the first three doses of his antibiotic. Seventeen more doses to go.

The empire (illness) strikes back

Indiana had a cold a few days ago, I may have mentioned it. He has gotten worse. Bad enough that I did the "freaked out mom" thing and called Chris home from work to go to the ER:

1) Indiana has a cold.
2) Indiana has an ear infection in both ears as a complication from the cold.
3) Indiana is running a fever due to the ear infections.
4) Indiana has caught pink eye from the little boy upstairs.
5) Indiana will be taking antibiotics and tylenol for the next ten days.
6) Indiana is in quarantine for the next 72 hours (from everyone but me).

His eye looks terrible so I wont be putting up any new pictures until it starts to improve (doc said about 3 days for that).

I have to call our apartment managers and tell them that we may have infected their daughter. Chris gets to go back to work and tell his boss's son that we may have infected their baby as well. I get to go upstairs and do serious bodily harm to the upstairs neighbor who shared it with us.

Can You See Me, Now?

One of the nice things about little ones on holidays? They don't mind getting lots of clothes in their packages! This is just one of the many adorable outfits he got. (This picture was taken with his blankets as a background in his crib... Not posed.)

Our Two Christmas Miracles:

There are a few people in my life whom I love more than most.

The two pictured here I love more than any.

Today, being Christmas Day, I want to take this opportunity to express my love to all of our family; the parents, and grandparents, in laws, out laws, steps, halves, children, brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, adoptees, everyone! This year I also want to give a special holiday hug to my best friend and her family. Melody, we love you (you and your folks and your daughter and your handsome husband the adoptees, just without the paperwork)! The first holiday without him will be the hardest, but he is here with all of us in spirit.

Tag, I am IT!

ok, here it is, im exhausted and will post normally again, tomorrow.


So, there I was, innocently reading comments and what do I find?? TAG!! (actually I am sort of flattered since it is the first time someone tagged me for anything!) Erin, better know as the diaper dame over at The Diaper Pail thought of me!

This is the plan:
Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot.

1. Queen of Spain
2. Becky
3. Ms. Mama
4. The Diaper Pail
5. the State of Indiana

(ta da, like so!)

Then select five people to tag: (this bit is harder...)
Jessica / Zachary
Hasan
the Leopard
Vicki (IF she ever blogs again)
Faira

(Yeah, that was sort of hard actually)

Now the Questions:

Q)What were you doing 10 years ago?
A)Ten years ago I was 21, so most of that year is fuzzy. I was running around stupid, mostly drinking a lot of alcohol and flirting with guys. I was making a lot of new friends. A few of them I am still friends with now. Still others I recognize in a tavern now and again. Then there are some who, even now, will walk up to me in the local grocery as if I am their best friend, carry on a five minute conversation, and walk away without me ever having a clue as to whom they might be! My number one son was 3 years old, and sadly his dad and I had been divorced for about a year.

Q)What were you going 1 year ago ?
A) One year ago, I was expecting my number 2 son. I was hugely pregnant and trying to figure out how we were going to get thru the holidays. My husband was still working at the newspaper, and he wasn't actually my husband yet.

Five snacks you enjoy:
chocolate covered cherries
nachos
pringles
granny smith apples
French fries

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics :
Faith (George Michael)
Laurie (dickey lee)
Band on the Run (Wings)
When I'm gone (three doors down)
Those were the days (Mary Hopkins)

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire :
buy my mom a BIG new house
college funds for both of my sons
buy myself a house
pay off all of our debt (we don't owe much but be nice to owe nothing)
support a local charity, although I don't know which one.

Five bad habits:
bite my nails
coca-cola
I go barefoot everywhere
I leave my wet towel on the bathroom floor overnight
I brag about my children A LOT

Five things you like doing:
bragging about my children
gossiping with my neighbors
playing with my sons
watching Gilmore girls on the telly
talking on the phone (to anyone!)

Five things you would never wear, buy or get new again:
parachute pants (wear)
beta-max tapes (buy/get new)
gold earrings (buy/wear... I am allergic)
thong underwear (wear/buy... I got TOO fat!)
banana clip (remember those? Implements of hair torture! Never again!!)

Five favorite toys:
computer (obviously)
ps2 (for my husband... It frees up the 'puter for me!)
anything on my bookcase
atv (although I no longer own one)
ski boat (ditto on the not owning from above)

445AM

It is almost 5 in the morning. We have not slept. Indiana slept, but his daddy and I are so excited to be having Christmas this morning (yeah, we know its Christmas eve, but work schedules make us do it early) that neither of us have been able to sleep.

Happy Christmas to those of my readers who celebrate it!

The Night Before Christmas (eve)

Since we are doing Christmas the day before Christmas, this is our Christmas eve:If he looks like this the night before... Imagine what he will look like in the morning when we actually open all those gifts! Lots of wrap, a few bows, some ribbon, and a little cookie smeared on his cheeks. Life is good.

Who's That Knocking at our door!?!

An hour ago there was a quiet knock at the door. One of our neighbors, an elderly woman whom we admire, said "honey, there is someone here to see Indy, he knocked on my door by mistake". Indiana hears the neighbors voice and crawls to the door, making as much noise at our feet as he possibly can. Who do we see sitting in our lawn chair on our porch? SANTA! Come to make a house call!!

Our neighbor works with a lot of other elderly people, as well as mentally challenged folks. This particular Santa is a friend of hers, who is"retarded". Santa was showing off his new costume for our neighbor while on his way to a Christmas party for Mentally and Physically Challenged children. Indiana, although not challenged in that way, was his first "visit-ee". Indiana sat happily on his lap and pulled at his beard, and we are thrilled to have gotten a home visit from a very special Santa Claus.

Indiana's Favorite Person!

Indy has lots of people in his life that he loves, and who love him. He recognizes lots of people on sight, but some special ones he even recognizes by sound! Yesterday, I took Indy over to play with Cheyenne (our apartment manager's little girl). While we were there, Grandma Donkey (who also lives in our apartment building) comes to the managers door on an unrelated matter. She did not know we were visiting. Indiana was in a position so that he could not see the door, but he could hear her voice. He dropped the toys he was chewing, and crawled at warp factor 10 across their living room to get to her. Where he broke into a big grin, grabbed her pant legs, hauled himself to standing and howled to be picked up! His favorite person remains, as with most babies, himself. He can look at, drool on, and talk to himself for HOURS. If it wasn't for mirrors, I would not get any housework done, ever.

Brother's Present is YUMMY!

Christmas is starting to taste pretty good around here! Jessica (my god daughter) came by bearing gifts for Indy. So he got to eat them (err, I mean open them)! Click on her name to visit her blog, see her handsome son, and of course wish them a Merry Christmas!

We will be opening gifts on Christmas eve, so while Indy has only 2 days to wait, the rest of you have to wait:

3 MORE DAYS!

(sorry to tease ya like that, Ducky, that isn't your gift he is eating!)

Cookie

Indiana, now that he has a tooth, is getting a more varied diet. Today he got his first chocolate chip cookie. He gnawed through about 2/3 of the cookie before grinding the rest into the carpet.

I have been tagged by The Diaper Dame to do a meme. I PROMISE I will get to it, but I wont post it for a day or two, as we are doing all the holiday anticipation things for the next few days. That does, however, give me a couple days to come up with 5 people to TAG. Be nice to me... Or it might be you. **

**edit/update: i have finished the meme, and saved it as a draft to post in a few days... let the suspense mount!

Special Gift

This year we will be giving each other many gifts, but none so special as each other.

Last night, as I sat at the computer, I heard this rustling, shuffling, crinkly sound. I raise my head like a prairie dog coming up out of its hole, and listen closely. rustle rustle rustle. I look around for a likely culprit; knowing that my husband is at work, and currently our only pets are a few tank-fuls of fish. rustle rustle rustle. Indy is no where in sight. rustle rustle rustle. I had forgotten to put the little stool back between the couch and wall and SOMEONE had crawled back there and was chomping on a package. He had a bow on the side of his head, and some ribbon wrapped around his leg.

I think Indiana is ready for Christmas.

Got my new hat on!

So, Indiana is learning to (gasp) SHARE. His first attempt at sharing has been quite successful! If only it hadn't been his cold germs that he decided to share with me, I would probably be a little prouder of the achievement! Both of us have the "Christmas Sniffles". I do not think that I have celebrated a single Christmas when I wasn't suffering from some sort of cold or worse. Perhaps I shared it with him. (Sorry 'bout that Indy.)

Today, we went up to Salem (that's the capitol of Oregon, for those of you who don't know... It is also the dwelling place of one of my favorite bloggers: Old Hoss). We got in a little last minute shopping! We got a video game for the "whole family". Indy got some clothing-type gifts. (At this age he is just thrilled about the wrapping paper, so I don't feel bad about loading him up on clothes)

Oh, and we got this hat. It has matching gloves. He wont wear the gloves. I LIKE this hat!

The telly is off; the music is on. The portable, waterless vaporizer is plugged in and turned on to HIGH! We are ready to settle in for a long, quiet evening of playing with toys on the floor until exhaustion overtakes Indy and we can go to bed!

Sleep Disturbances

Indiana was supposed to be asleep when I crept into his room this morning. Instead, I found him gurgling to himself as he fondles this toy and that. He squealed out a cheer when he saw me, and both pudgy little arms shot up into the air, in the universal "pick me up" sign. He has not been sleeping well of late, which means neither have I.

So, I am a little grouchy and in need of a serious snooze. For my friends and family it means I have been rather short with everyone and should probably apologize for my less than pleasant attitude.

What this means for my blog friends is that I wont be visiting tonight.

I am going to bed.

Reindeer Indy

Sometimes, when you get the PERFECT picture that just seems to capture the situation, and the spirit of the subject, well, there just aren't any words that would, meaningfully, add to it!

Indy got a new hat.

he appears to like it.

A lot.

It is almost Christmas, Indiana is in the spirit... Are YOU!?!

Spiderman

Indiana got new Spiderman pajamas today! I know, I know, I SAID I was going to wait on his pajamas until Christmas Eve, but I couldn't wait anymore. They are SO cute, and he was SO excited to model them for us! (can you see the cute little black spider-glider wings under his arms!?!?)

Psssst... What's under there, Brother?

Dakota came by and picked up his ornament today, that my dad and his wife (grandma and grandpa wood) had sent. Then the two boys spent some time leaning over the back of the couch investigating what is under the tree. Big Brother Duck played nicely with Indiana and his toys for a while before they headed home.
I love having Ducky visit. He started his Christmas break from school today, so perhaps he will see more of him for a few weeks.

8 days to Christmas!

I'm Ready, Can we Open them NOW?!

We plan on opening our gifts on Christmas Eve this year. "Aunt Moo" has to work on Christmas day, all day, and we want her to be here when he opens his gifts so that she can be a part of his first Christmas Celebration. This means that Indy only has to wait one more week!

I think he is ready for the gifts NOW!

Actually, you are right... These are (gasp) POSED photos. I don't let him get this close to the tree or the gifts, but he sure did enjoy chomping on packages and grabbing everything he could for the few minutes we were under there!! I look forward to watching him rip off the paper, and ignore the gifts!

So Much for my Tidy Home

Has anyone else noticed that children seem to be messy? This one has taken over a spot in my living room, he will sit and pull EVERYTHING out of the box, then look at me like its my fault the box is empty. He isn't happy until everything is back in the box, at which time he promptly empties it back out, strewing "objects de foot killers" across our living room. For some reason the only ones he really "strews" are the ones that will be painful when stepped on. I think it is an inborn sense in some children; well, at least in my children it is.

Shipping Packages

Have you got your packages ready to ship!?! The Postal Service has shipping deadlines posted!

Indy has been helping us get our packages ready! We have been running his little paint soaked feet across postal paper for days! We like to do special things to our packages, and this is a fun way to get Indiana involved in the holiday packaging. We soak a regular sponge in non-toxic, washable finger paint. Then we rub the sponge across Indy's feet, covering his handsome "piggies" in paint. Next we stand him up on the packages to leave the foot impression. Finally we set the package aside to dry before adding the address labels.

It's fun, creative, and special for our friends and family who are far away to get Indy's personalized package!

Grandpa Donnie!

Today is Grandpa's BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday,

We LOVE You!

Fishies

We got a new fish tank! A 55 gallon monstrosity for Dante! He seems to really like it. We moved the 35 gallon hex tank into Indy's room, and will be putting his gold fish into it. The tank we got came with some mid-sized blue groumis, which we will be putting into Indy's 20 gallon tank and giving to Grandma Donkey when she moves. (She is moving the week after Christmas)

So, with re-arranging for the new tank, shopping for the holidays and dealing with Indy's new teeth, things have been pretty busy. We have purchased all but a few stocking stuffers now, and are just anxiously awaiting the Christmas Break from school so that we can see more of Brother Duck. I love the Holiday Season!

Second Santa

We visited Santa again. Indiana just loves him! This time we got a great Santa with a real beard, and a great personality, whose wife dressed as Mrs Claus and gave us all candy canes! Indiana went crazy for his candy cane! He pleased us by again chattering at Santa. I think some kids instinctively know where the gifts come from!!

We did a little more shopping, buying stocking stuffers for Indy, and finally picking up a gift for my best friend. She is hard to buy for because I always try to get her something I would want, and it can be really hard to give up her gift! Ha Ha. We got a few other small things, and now our list is down to just 5!

13 days to Christmas!

same old same old

sometimes nothing happens interesting in a day. that would be today. I had a headache, Indiana was teethering, Chris worked... nothing going on exciting enough to mention. maybe tomorrow.

Teef-fies

(ok in English that's Teeth!)

Indiana's front bottom teeth are really coming through now. One is all the way through, and sparkling white, the other is still working its way painfully to the surface. He is just cranky and not feeling at all well. The past few days have been a sore trial and I find myself asking questions like "Why on earth did we have this child" and "can someone PLEASE go buy me a bottle of bourbon, PLEASE?" and the ever popular "do you think he will EVER stop crying???"

You Light Up My Life

We went and checked out some Christmas lights. Indiana oohed and ahhed in the appropriate places as he gazed out the window of the van. There is a Pepsi cola plant in Corvallis Oregon... Home of the Oregon State University Beavers! (about 15 minute drive from our home) that does a great drive thru display, including the redneck Santa.

There is a private home on Peoria rd (also out near Corvallis) which is lit up amazingly. The home has a private horseshoe driveway which you can use to drive thru their display (they encourage it, with entrance and exit signs on their fence, and candy canes at the end!).

We capped our visit to the lights off with a swing by my moms! I helped her set things up, but really she does it all herself.

None of these pictures really do justice to the joy we shared with Indiana as he viewed Christmas lights for the very first time, His dad, his aunt, his grandma donkey, and me.

Chronicles of Narnia

I borrowed this picture from fellow blogger Movie Bob to SHOUT out that my sister in law and I went and saw Narnia at the midnight showing. The theatre was packed, and no one was disappointed. It was wonderful. Indy and his daddy stayed home, and tomorrow Grandma Donkey will take Chris to the movie while I stay home with Indy. Its fair, but it means I cant talk about the movie until tomorrow. No spoiler from me, other than, if you were considering going.... GO!

Doggie Lovin!

With a title like this one, I am somewhat afraid of the "hits" we may receive, but I just cant come up with another name to show how much Ox loves Indiana. Ox is a big, over loved, over indulged, well fed, well cared for, spoiled rotten pit bull. He is soft and sweet and smells good. Indiana pats him and rubs him and giggles when Ox "cleans" him! This morning, when Indy just wasn't feeling well; those new teeth were driving him cranky, we went and visited Ox. Ox cheered Indy right up with a few well placed licks!

Remembering John

Twenty-Five years ago today, I cried along with the entire world as we said good-bye to one of the most influential musicians who ever lived. He tried to change the world with his music, and his voice. He spoke up, and spoke out. He was the driving force behind the culture of a generation. He spoke to the youth of England, of America, of the world with his message of peace. We still haven't learned the lesson he tried to teach us.


9 October 1940 -
8 December 1980

The Triangle

Has anyone else been watching the triangle on Sci Fi Channel? Tonight was the final installment, but they will be showing it again. Click on the words "the triangle" above to get more info on this awesome mini-series! If you have already seen it, what did you think? And if you haven't seen it, go to the site and check it out. It is so worth it.

a little more info...

A few of you may wonder about my disrespect of the local daily news. Actually, Indy's dad worked there for over a year and they treated him not very well. BUT, that isn't the reason we don't like the paper. We decided to order the daily paper a few months ago. Actually, I decided to order it and whined until Chris gave in (which is why I really hate them... Because he was right, I hate when he is right). We gave the paper our bank card number and they sent us home with a newspaper and a promise to deliver more starting the very next day! Four days later I had yet to receive a paper and the "democrap" herald had removed money from our bank three times. Needless to say we were furious. It took the "democrap" herald just over 2 weeks to refund our money. I received one newspaper. Now, occasionally someone will be handing the daily out for free up at the grocery, soliciting subscriptions. That's how we got the paper in this photograph, which Indiana happily shredded and ate.

Spoiled?

You Betcha!

Indiana plays on the floor admist a pile of his "things". He has his own toys as well as a daily paper that he gets to shred after i have finished reading it. He LOVES paper! Usually Indy gets to destroy the Daily Emerald, but for the next month the U of O will be out for Christmas break, so i don't know what paper Indy's daddy will be bringing home now. We do not sponsor, endorse, or receive our local newspaper, the democrap herald (no thats not a typo... the paper is crap).