The End...

I will tactfully close this blog and just say that we had some really good and memorable times but we will no longer be a whole family...

Sickness Update

So the kids are finally getting over their sickness. It has been a long 2 and a half weeks and I hope we NEVER have to do this again... oh wait, now Zach and I have colds! Ours aren't as bad as the kids' were though, so we are ok.

*Thanks to Dr. Miller for the antibiotics (even though they didn't really do anything)
*Thanks to Dr. Rod for the eye drops
*Thanks to my mom for introducing the chewable tylenol and ibuprofen for Boky (that liquid stuff is nasty and she hated it)
*Thanks for letting me borrow the humidifier, ours sucks :(
*Thanks to everyone for their concerns

We Made it through!!!

Pancakes

A while back I was watching Rachael Ray's show and they had this guy on there who makes pancake for his daughter, and they were so cool. He made flowers in flower pots, her name, etc. So he showed how to do it and I decided to try it night before last for dinner.

Basically you make your pancake batter but make it a little thinner, add food coloring, put it in one of those bottles that they used to have in grade school that hold ketchup and mustard. Then you draw on your griddle. It was quite fun, but my pancakes didn't turn out as fancy or as cute as they were on the show. Oh well... Brooklyn still loved it!

"B O" didn't make a K or a Y because I knew she wouldn't eat them

Zach's initials and a "heart balloon" from Boky.

Updated Pics...

Just a few recent pictures...

So So Suck My Toe...

I bathed Brooklyn and Tessa together last night (doesn't happen very often anymore because TJ splashes and Boky freaks) and I realized just how much Brooklyn loves Tessa. She is such a good big sister. Here's the story...

Tessa: gaaaa gaaaa mmmmmm [She is splashing and trying to get something in front of her]
Brooklyn: Mom I think she wants my toes
Tessa: [Leans forward and snatches a toe, and starts to pull it to her mouth] gaaaaaaaa
Me: Tessa you can't eat Sister's toes, they are yucky.
Brooklyn: [Reaches for the soap and starts scrubbing her feet] It's ok mom, I will wash my toes so she can suck on them


Brooklyn is so selfless when it comes to her baby sister. I just love how much she loves her. She is always protecting her and making sure she is ok. In fact, I hate to admit this, but when I am busy and trying to get one last thing done before I pick up the screaming 6 month old, Brooklyn is right there trying to comfort her and telling me "hurry up mom!"

I LOVE MY GIRLS!!


p.s. No I did NOT let her suck on Broklyn's toes :)

Sickness at the Grove house...

It all started with one pink eye...
now we have 4 pink eyes, two nasty coughs, 4 tired grove's, 2 bottle's of tylenol (one infant and one children's), 2 bottles of ibuprofen, 1 bottle robitussin, one bottle of eye drops for the 4 pink eyes, a humidifier, and two missed days of work.

I must say that through all of this Zach has been amazing! While I on the other hand have been a beastie! He took them to the doctor all by himself yesterday and went and filled the Rx. He took the day off so that I could finish working and finish up a project at my mom's. He rented movies for Boky and bought chocolate to help me cope.

Last night was less than awesome. I fell asleep early (9pm) and was awakened by coughing, snotty, sad kiddlette's at 2am. I stayed up with TJ til 6am and then finally just passed out on the couch with her on my chest and Boky laying right next to me. I know Zach didn't sleep well either but I closed the bedroom door so he could at least try to catch some ZZZ's.

Zach headed to work today and I took the day off. I can't believe he did this all day yesterday, it's 15:44 and I have all but fallen completely apart. I haven't even showered yet :(

Zach gets the MAN OF THE YEAR award just for yesterday, he is totally amazing with the girls and I don't know how he does it. Love you babe!

Fat....

Why is it that when I feel out of shape, fat, and like I should be exercising all I want to do is eat?!? I hate this feeling. Grr....

Gerber Baby....

Tessa is eating food! Mostly just rice cereal but we have been adding a little bit of banana and some prunes. She isn't a huge fan of the prunes but given her genetics if we only give her banana's she will plug up. She loves eating after the first couple bites. The first few times she would spit it back out and make funny faces, it was hilarious. I would feed her just to see her little face.

It is hard to believe but our little Tj will be 6 months this next week! Half a year old and still spoiled as ever!

Related...

Natasha Bedingfield - Strip Me

Not my most favorite music video, but I am in love with the song!

Rolly Polly Olly...

Not sure if that's spelled right, but you get the idea, right? Our round little TJ has figured out how to roll over!!! Most of the time she gets one arm stuck and gets frustrated but she can do it.

We are also trying to get her to sleep in her own bed, which is hard. I love snuggling my babies. Plus when Zach isn't home it's nice to have another warm body to keep me warm, and man is she a furnace! She does sleep in there more than 50% of the time now, which is a huge improvement. Brookyln seems to be adjusting to it well. She doesn't even wake up in the night when Tessa is fussing. She does wake up in the morning some times and says "Tessa be quiet, I am trying to sleep!" Don't mess with that girls sleep ;)

Fever...

Last week Brooklyn had a little viral bug and didn't feel well at all. We kept checking her for a fever and medicating her when needed. Now when she starts getting tired or gets hurt she wants me to check her for a fever. Funny girl. Tonight she said to me "Mom, let me check you for a fever." I must look how I feel, exhausted!

Cookies...

I had so much fun making cookies this holiday season. I don't know why I don't make them more often, they aren't that hard. Brooklyn loves making them too, mostly because of the flour and the stirring but hopefully I can spark an interest in cooking and by the time she is a teenager she will be able to make dinner ;)

Recipe for the best sugar cookies ever (modified because I didn't write the recipe down word for word)

Ingredients: 3 1/4 cups flour, 1 tsp soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup butter, 1 egg, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 cup sugar.

Mix flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl.

Mix bitter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in large bowl and cream for 2 minutes.

Scrape bowl and add sour cream and half of the flour mix, blend for 2 minutes.

Add the rest of the flour mixture.

Roll out to approximately 1/4 inch thickness and use cookie cutter.

Cook on greased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Let cool, frost, and decorate!

TJ's Stats...

We took Tessa for her 4 month check up (we are a few weeks late) today and she is doing very well! For length she is in the 73rd percentile (weighing in at 16 lbs 4 ounces)and for weight she in the 82nd percentile (measuring 25 1/2 inches). Her head circumference is 16.7 inches which puts her in the 75th percentile. She is pretty average in size I guess, which is good because I was worried she was over weight ;) The doctor laughed when he saw her chubby little thighs and said not to worry about her spit up problem because she obviously not starving. He did say we can try cereal but not to be surprised if she isn't ready because babies have a reflex in their tongue that makes them push everything out of their mouth until they get a little closer to 6 months. He told me to possibly add some vereal to her bottles to help her not spit up so much and to burp her more often. Its hard to believe that this little girl has been in our lives for almost 5 months. She is such a blessing and a joy!

Funny Words...

As you all know Brooklyn says some pretty interesting things, she always has her own opinion too.

The other day we (Me & Zach) were talking about what we were gonna do about Tessa. She has been so fussy and her schedule has been all out of whack, its getting frustrating! We were talking ans I said, "So what are we gonna do with her?"

Brooklyn promptly replied, "Maybe the monsters could take her, that would make me so happy!"

I don't think she enjoys Tessa crying in her bedroom at night. She is so FUNNY!