NEBS

Today I was put back in a place I dont like, giving my kids Nebulizer treatments. 4 of us 5 have a nasty cold. Sammie and I started it and then it went to Ali and finally Dash. Sammie, Ali, and I have all had a cough that gets pretty bad, but Ali's took a turn for the worst this morning(after a rough night of waking up 4 times). She was coughing so hard that I thought she was going to throw up. Her face was turning really red as she was coughing. I felt horrible for her. So I went and asked my mom her thoughts if she thought I should take her or not and she said she thought so. Part of me just wanted to wait it out since Sammie and I got worse before better. But I am thankful that I went and have now found out that these treatments are what she needs right now. She almost fell asleep during her first treatment at the Dr's office! And after her cat nap she was the smiley happy Ali that has been missing for a bit. Unfortunately the medicine wore off after 2 hours! I could tell the differance in sound as well as her crankieness! The pharmacist said she could only have the medicine every 6-8 hours where her dr today said every 4-6 and every 2 if need be. So I need to call and verify what I can do. My goal here is to get her improved even a little by Thursday so that she doesnt have to go on a steriod. If she's anything like Dash when he was on his, he was purely EVIL. I am very thankful this time around to be borrowing a mask that fits and honestly I feel better doing it the second time around since I am experienced, but I dont enjoy my kids having to have these done. But, I guess if it makes her feel and breath better than you will find me on the couch holding my baby girl watching God Made Me breathing through a duck mask(thank you donnie and tracy) and feeling better.
Thank you Jesus for never leaving my side :)

NUK

Ali is my nuk baby. She loves this thing more than either of my other kids. She is even particular about it. I tried switching her to a "regular" nuk, but she only likes her green

hospital issued Soothie. Thankfully I had a few left over from Dash and Sam. I was also able to find a pink and purple one at Kmart! I wonder if this is because she is my third and I had to push this on her more than the other two or if it is just her personality. I like nuks to an extent but I dont like my kids sucking on them all day. If they are content without it, then they dont need it is my philosophy. I am not looking forward to the struggles in the future when it is time to ditch the nuk(hopefully she weanes herself from it like Sammie did with her thumb). Right now she can put her self back to bed by finding it and putting it in her mouth! Oh well, each kid is differant and I will cross the nuk bridge when it comes. For now I will enjoy the benefits of one :)

Misc. Ali

This is one of my favorites!
ALL TIME FAV!

she fell asleep in her chair!

climbing around already!

Playing outside in the snow storm

First Snow

This snow is before the big storm of '09. The kids were ecstatic to see the snow and wanted to go play in it. So we did while Ali napped. We weren't out there long, but still had some fun.

All By Myself

The past few days I have not been able to snuggle the kids at nap time. This is something that I love and cherish. Yes I do usually fall alseep with them and house work doesnt get done, but I'll take it, because I am already not looking forward to the day in 2 years when Dash will be away at school all day.

So to start them for on their own naps, I put Sammie in her bed with some books to read and Dash in ours. The kids know that if they are still awake when I am done feeding Ali, I will read to them and then snuggle them. So when I went to check on Dash, this is how I found him:

this is the story he was waiting to read.

I am not ready to send this bundle of joy off to school. Thankfully I have 2 more years to soak up the naptime snuggles....now only if he will nap the next 2 years.

Sammie's First Haircut

the Before shot
Look how long it is!

Sitting like a big girl!

Eating her sucker! She only needed one!

Thank you Ms. Molly!

I have waited for almost 2.5 years to get Sammie's haircut. She was slow to grow and there finally was enough for me to have cut. I had cut Dash's hair last week and she had asked for her haircut. She was an amazing girl. She was a trooper and sat still. I dont think i have ever seen her sit this still unless she was sleeping!

Great Job Sammie, I am so proud of you!

Feeding Ali

Christmas Program

Grandpa and Grandma "Cracker" Cohan came to watch Dash.
this is the same look he gave us when he came out from having his circumcision done. Those poor puppy dog eyes!

"look i have bells, now come get me off this stage"

"really Ms. Nicole, louder?!?!"

From Dad's Eye

looking at Dion come up on stage

and I'm done!

Celebrating his job well done with Ice Cream at Mc Donalds after.

He drank the melted ice cream :)

Today was Dash's first Christmas concert at church and I was excited yet aprehensive at the same time. Dash is not a boy that likes to be center stage(shocking i know for those of you that know dash), he does not like loud, big, or something new. He likes what he knows and usually if it is out of his comfort zone it turns into a major meltdown. It becomes a fall on the ground only getting him to move by picking him up. He will usually cover his head and ears with a blanket preferrably his blue blankie. But today, he stood there like a champ. Did he sing, not at all. But he didnt cry. He just looked at us with his puppy dog eyes wondering what we were doing to him. All we could do was say, "great job" and give him 2 thumbs up! I think seeing us and knowing he was doing a great job kept him from melting down.

Thank you Nicole for all the work you do with the kids for their programs!

Christmas Trains

Sammie felt that if she closed her eyes she wouldn't be in the picture :)

Daddy and Sammie

"no picture mom"

Side B

Side A

Back

the train that daddy built.

daddy and dash

This year we made graham cracker trains instead of graham cracker gingerbread houses. I thought the kids would enjoy this so much since they LOVE trains!