My Christmas Wish List: Part II

So, I am absolutely drooling over this

wool felt cloche.

Love it, love it. But....

....truthfully....how often would I wear it?
I fear not often enough.

So we had better move on to the next item on my list:

a single strand of pearls.

The same beauty and sophistication as the hat but much more practical,
don't you think?

My Upcoming Performances:

The Mid-Columbia Symphony presents

A Christmas Holiday Concert

November 29, 2009

Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick, WA

Ticket information: 509-943-6602 or adm@midcolumbiasymphony.org.

Begin the Christmas season with a spirited family concert including a full orchestra, traditional carols, singers, soloists and a sing-along for all ages. Featuring the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers.

and....

The Oratorio Chorus and Orchestra presents

Handel's Messiah

Saturday, December 5th at 7:00 p.m.
Monday, December 7th at 7:00 p.m.

Central United Protestant Church, Richland, WA

Admission is free

Thanksgiving Thoughts

I do not know what tomorrow will bring, or next month, or next year. But I do know that on this day my life is perfect. I am surrounded by my happy little family and I have everything I have ever dreamed of.

Today I am grateful.

Sick Duckling

Elisabeth is sick again.
She's going in this morning to get some blood work done.
Poor little thing.

I am grateful for her pediatrician.

My Christmas Wish List: Part I

Bowler Camera Case

Dear Donald,

It can be found here.

Merrily,

Lisa

I am grateful for [not-so] subtle hints.

Battleship

I am grateful for Milton Bradley.

Authentic

My friend, Kristen, tagged me as a True Authentic Mom.

Thank you, thank you.

And now I am supposed to share 5 things that make me....Authentic.

Here goes:

The ringtone on my phone is

Hannah Montana.

I say the word 'potty' about

100 times a day.

Most household chores can be

accomplished with

a 32 pound child on my hip.

My purse is stuffed with diapers,

baby wipes, and burp clothes.

I let my children express themselves artistically,

even when my nose is the one to suffer.

[photo courtesy of Lorelai Leigh.]

I am grateful to be a True Authentic Mom.

Thanks for the honor Kristen!

***I tag Heidi, Katie, April, Josephine, and Rachelle.

The Quilt Goes To.....

Misty!

I'll get it to you right away :)

Warmly, Lisa

Good Intentions

"I cleaned the [bathroom] mirror with the hair
detangling spray because I thought it smelled good."

-Lorelai

I am grateful for good intentions.

Fit for a Princess

Welcome to Alexandra's new bedroom.

We used the same quilt and pillow sham from the original girl's room....but I purchased a new purple comforter for added warmth.

Once upon a time I saw the idea of decorating with embroidery hoops; simple and inexpensive. I just love how it turned out.

A few weeks ago the new Pottery Barn Kids catalog arrived. While thumbing through I came across this magnetic tree. I fell in love with it and ordered it immediately; it was exactly what I needed to spice up that big purple wall.



The color of the tree tied in perfectly with the room and the round shape blended well with all the colored circles on the wall. Can you tell how much I love this tree? I want one in my room too...



Alexandra received this purple corduroy storage bench for her birthday last month. It makes clean up a breeze....

And now....a story and a giveaway:

When I was pregnant with Elisabeth I purchased the green and purple quilt and pillow sham pictured in the room. Actually, I bought two twin sized quilts, two shams, and one crib quilt with the vision of all the children in a room together.

As planned, all three girls did share a room, but it was while Elisabeth was using the cradle and Lorelai was still sleeping in the crib-turned-toddler bed.

I never ended up using the second twin size quilt. It is in fact still in its packaging.

So.....

Does anyone out there want a beautiful, purple and green, twin size quilt for their little girl?

If so, just mention it in the comment section. If more than one person is interested in the quilt a winner will be selected tonight and announced tomorrow. Pillow sham included (sham is not in the original packaging, but in like-new condition). Also availaible upon request is the crib quilt (lightly used). Purchased from Company Kids.

I am grateful for.....that tree.

Also a part of The Upstairs Makeover 2009:

• Lorelai and Elisabeth's room

Still to come - The Home Office

A Pianist is Born....

Lorelai Leigh's

1st piano lesson.

November 18, 2009

I am thankful for Lorelai's musical ear.

A Little Sibling Rivalry

Last week, my brother David and my sister Jennifer went to Disneyland for the day.

David posted a picture of the two of them on Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters:

David won by quite a bit, which got me thinking.....

I quickly went searching through our vacation pictures from last August to find the one of Donald and I on the same ride.

Take a look at this:

Not only did I beat Donald (and crush my siblings scores) but I was playing with a handicap; do you see Elisabeth's head popping up by my shoulder? She was sitting on my lap.

So I guess what I am trying to say is....

I've got skill.

And since we're on the subject of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters I thought I would post this picture of the girls competing against one another:

Lorelai won.

I am grateful for Disneyland.

About that 32 pounds....

There were several comments yesterday inquiring how I manage to put weight on my little Elisabeth. The secret is in the genes; my family makes big babies. My siblings and I were all in the 9 to 10 pound range and Elisabeth wanted to carry on the tradition. At birth she weighed in at 9 lbs 5 oz....and that was 2 weeks early! She was enormous compared to her two roommates in the NICU. One weighed 2 1/2 pounds and the other was just over 1 pound. Elisabeth looked like a giant.

Also, there is a trend of height in my family. My grandfather stood at 6'6'', my father at 6'4'', my brothers are all in the 6'2'' to 6'4'' range, and my sisters tower over me (I'm the shrimp in the family).

So yes, Elisabeth takes after my side of the family. And that is fine...except that it might have been a little easier if she were in the tenth percentile like Alexandra. Easier on my back, that is. But life isn't supposed to be easy, is it?

Now to discuss Elisabeth's diet. She doesn't know how to chew and can't tolerate much texture (or she'll vomit), so most of her meals are in the liquid form. She does however love vanilla yogurt. In fact, vanilla yogurt is the key to getting fruits and veggies in her tummy. We mix a bowl of food with about 50% yogurt and 50% Gerber fruits or vegetables. It's the only way she'll take food. No yogurt, no Gerber....those are her terms and we stick with them.

A Look at Elisabeth's Daily Intake:

She takes either formula or a nutrition drink by bottle. However, if liquids are too runny she immediately aspirates, so we thicken it with rice cereal. She will not eat the rice cereal on its own though (it makes her vomit).

We buy Elisabeth whole milk yogurt to mix with an assortment of Gerber baby foods. Usually she has a fruit in the morning and a vegetable in the evening. Elisabeth will not eat fruits or vegetable unless it is mixed with the yogurt.

Elisabeth's favorite meal is yogurt and peas. My mother-in-law, Susan, and I always chuckle at what an odd concoction it is. In fact we find ourselves making little rhymes about it. One night we got a bit carried away with our 'Yogurt and Peas' poem and came up with verse after verse after verse. Unfortunately, many of those verses have escaped my memory at the moment, but here was the opening:

Yogurt and peas,

Yogurt and peas,

Please do not tease

About yogurt and peas.

It's good for your head

And it's good for your knees.

So I will say yes!

To more yogurt and peas.

Silly, yes.....but I recite it to her everyday and do think she is becoming quite fond of it.

So my question is this:
How do you take your yogurt?

I am grateful for nutritious foods.

New Wheels

Elisabeth is getting big. And by big I mean long. And heavy.

She is just less than 32 pounds. And 32 pounds can be a bit exhausting to carry around all the time. Especially when that darling 32 pound child is still somewhat like an infant and doesn't offer much help or support when you go to lift her.

So we decided (along with her therapists) that it was time to start thinking about a wheelchair for Elisabeth; something that will offer her good positioning and support.

Last week we had a man come out to the house to show us a selection of pediatric chairs. It was like a mini fashion show....Elisabeth trying on the chairs to see which fit her best.

In the end we went with The Kimba:

We will also be ordering the high-low base [see right pic] for the house. Once we attach her seat to this frame we can adjust it to any height, so we can roll her right up to the dinner table and [more importantly] the piano! Elisabeth will love it!

Hopefully someday Elisabeth will walk, but really, I'm just not sure she will. Either way, we love her and will make sure that she is provided with everything she needs so that she can enjoy life to the fullest.

[Elisabeth in her soon-to-be chair. We ordered it in green, only because they didn't offer a pink or purple. Go figure.]

I am grateful that soon Elisabeth will be able to sit at the
piano and play the day away.

A Little Nest

[ A tree in my front yard.]

I am grateful for the beauty of the earth.

Check, Check, Check

So far:

• Cleaned entire house, top to bottom.
• Took Lorelai to meet her new piano teacher.
• Dropped off boxes of food for Salvation Army food drive.
• Washed loads and loads of laundry.

Next up:

• Head out to the mall to start Christmas shopping.
• Family movie night.

I am grateful for a productive Saturday.

A Bit of Whimsy

Welcome to Lorelai and Elisabeth's new room.

This room is filled with pieces both old and new. The fairy mobile is something that I inherited from a previous generation and the Eiffel Tower's are mementos from Lorelai's 1st birthday party.

I used to push this buggy around when I was 5 years old:

This Kirsten doll was a gift to me on my 10th birthday and the tea table belonged to my little sister, Jennifer. The tea set was purchased while on vacation this past summer:

This is the crib that both my sister and I slept in as infants, and now Elisabeth is my 3rd daughter to use it. The perfect bed for my little queen, don't you agree?:

I promised you that I had another use in mind for the flower pom-poms (remember them from the children's birthdays?). They made the perfect wall art. I love the way they pop against the soft yellow walls:

The children's library.
Easy access to all their favorite books encourages some quality book time:

Lorelai's pink tufted storage bench makes the perfect window seat and offers a wonderful place to stash away all of her toys:

A few more pieces of furniture from my past; I can remember sitting at this table as a child and coloring to my heart's content. The chair shows years of wear, but if you ask me that adds to its charm:

Lorelai's new sleigh bed.

It has such a classic feel and it blends well with the 'antiques' in the room.

We also purchased new bedding. I loved that the fairy print was delicate and feminine without being cartoony. Next to the pillow is my favorite childhood bear, Gunderson. I fell asleep many a night with him tucked under my arm. The yellow blanket at the foot of the bed was crocheted by my older sister, Kristin. The perfect, cozy blanket on a chilly night:

And the perfect finishing touches to the room?

Two beautiful little girls, of course!

I am grateful that this room turned out just like I imagined.