Oh.My.Gosh.

So, we haven't disappeared. I do have a VERY good excuse for being such a bad blogger. Our computer has had some issues and it was just too frustrating and, at times, impossible to try and do anything on it. I have been using my phone to email for the past three weeks because the computer has been such a headache.

On top of it, there have been a whirlwind of activities leading up to Christmas and I literally just have not had thirty minutes to just sit at the computer. I'll try to make up for it by posting tons of pictures. Some may be out of order depending on if blogger will cooperate with me or not!

This is from Lauryn's Christmas (oops..."Winter") Party. (Although I love that there was so much Christmas celebrating going on at her school...even the songs at the school Sing-Along were Christmas songs and not just songs about snow or presents!)

Ok...out of order already. Anyway, now this is a picture of Allie right after her Christmas program at school. I so wish I could figure out how to put video from my video camera on here! She sang every song (loudly) and did all the hand motions! Back to Lauryn...they decorated gingerbread houses last Friday. I was able to come to school with Allie to help out. Lauryn was very generous and let Allie help her with her house. It was the highlight of Allie's week! :)

The "winter" party was on Wednesday. The kids did more Christmas crafts than I have ever seen in my life! These trees were one of my favorites. I'm trying to figure out how to store it each year without it being destroyed in the attic!

Again, Allie tagged along and Lauryn was happy to have her there.

Excited much??

Right after the party they participated in a school-wide Sing-Along. It was adorable and so cute to watch Lauryn "perform". She is very animated and very serious when it comes to performing in front of an audience. The cafeteria was packed...parents were lining up in the hallway outside the cafeteria and watched through the windows when there was literally nowhere to sit or stand inside.

Allie had her Christmas party on Thursday. I got there early to help the other moms set up while the class was outside on the playground. As the kids walked in, I had my camera up and ready to take her picture, but decided not to since she was SOBBING. Yes, crying her eyes out reaching for me.

She was crying that her arm hurt. That was it. Her teacher said she didn't see any scrape or bruise and just figured she was upset because she was missing me.

I took her to the table to eat her pizza and goldfish. It took about 10 seconds to figure out what was going on here. She was only using her left hand to eat (she's right handed) and she kept crying about her arm. I asked her if she fell down and she said, "No...someone pulled on my arm and now it huuuuuurts!!!".

I had an instant flashback.

Sure enough, her elbow was dislocated. Apparently if it happens once, it is very likely to happen again. She wouldn't even let me touch it. Here she is putting on a brave face, but really, really hurting.

I sat next to her while she ate and called the nurse at her doctor's office. While the party was going on around me. (Could this week be ANY longer at this point???) A few minutes later, one of the other moms came over and asked if she could help. She said her daughter does this all the time and she knows how to fix it. I hesitated, but she was extremely confident and even described what she was going to do, so I told her to try.

In about five seconds, we had this face:

God's timing at work, again! Thank goodness she was at the party and really knew what she was talking about! It saved me a trip to the doctor and a co-pay. Not to mention...we got to stay for the party!

Playing Bingo! Eating the bingo "chips"!

Decorating her cookie!

I am still amazed at how instantly she was back to herself again. I have never had that type of injury, but it must hurt like crazy. Her teacher felt soooo bad that she didn't realize that she was really hurt. I'm so thankful I happened to be at school within five minutes of it happening. I hate to think of what would have happened had it been a normal day and they thought she was just "missing" me.

Lauryn is officially on Christmas break and we have a week full of fun and relaxation planned. We are anticipating Christmas day and can't believe it's almost here! I'll be sure to blog again soon....

You should see the other guy

Honestly, this child is going to single-handedly turn all of my hair gray before she turns 5.

She tripped and fell and bit right through her lip. We weren't sure what to think since this was our first "major" lip injury. Thanks to some quick professional advice (it pays to have friends in high places...thank you! :) I calmed down and realized that she will be fine.

But considering that this is the child who has seen two ER visits in her lifetime (yes, she is ONLY two years old) I figure I have reason to panic slightly when she's injured.

She cried for about 2 minutes and then daddy made her a milkshake for dinner and all was right with the world.

Randomness

Just a few things here and there.

The other night Brent and I were in the kitchen getting dinner ready. I heard shrieking and squealing at volumes so obnoxiously high that they could only come from a 4 year old little girl. I poked my head into the living room to find Lauryn running around in circles looking like this:


I asked what she was doing and she happily let me know that she was just playing "ski racer".


Yeah, I don't know either. But it kept her busy long enough for us to finish making dinner.


In other news, we have officially joined the chipped tooth club. Allison has somehow chipped the corner on one of her front teeth. I have no clue when or how it happened (how's THAT for great parenting?!) but it's chipped, plain as day.

It is pretty small, though, so it wasn't worth taking a picture of because you can't tell unless you really look closely. But I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise considering this is the child who has had two ER visits before the age of two. Granted one of them was not her fault and the other was a freak accident, but still.


We were at the zoo Monday with friends when we stopped for a picture on the Komodo dragon statue. It wasn't until later when I was going through the pictures that I noticed Little Miss Allison striking a pose. Is it just me or should I be worried?



Finally, as Allison quickly approaches the two year mark we are seeing lots of changes in her. She is really communicating better than ever and it seems like she learns a few new words every day. She and Lauryn have a good time together. They are sweet to each other and can make each other laugh like no one else can. And they both share a love of dolls, princesses, and each other, which is all you really need in life.