Christmas

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. We did. The kids were excited and fun, as expected. Christmas eve was also fun. My mother, a friend of John's (named John) and the Varney family all came over to celebrate. We didn't go overboard though so Christmas morning didn't come too early. The kids woke up at 7am but John & I were up at 6am sort of waiting for them to wake up. I think we were more excited than they were.
There were a lot of presents even though there were a lot less than in years past. Next year remind me not to buy too many stocking stuffers, they got tossed aside pretty quickly. Also, next year remind me to have Christmas dinner at 3pm not 1pm. It made for a looonnnngggg day. Finally, remind me to give Brooke a nap (well, next year I suppose it will only be Lexi napping). She didn't nap AND had stayed up until 10pm the night before so she crashed hard at the end of Christmas. Otherwise everyone had a good time. Nina & Poppy stayed for the duration! Papa John came on Saturday and was able to get some time with the girls on his own. He gave Brooke a digital camera which has been a HUGE hit.
John & I took yesterday off and lazed around, went out to lunch and just regrouped from all the fun. What a great idea that was - I highly recommend it. Tomorrow I'm taking off by myself to lie in bed all day because I can! Today I'm at work but that's not too bad because it's quiet and I can get things done.
Pictures as soon as I can!

Merry Christmas everyone!

I am trying to wrack my brain for posts about the kids - strictly but they haven't really done anything insane lately so there is not much material there. They are being awfully good due to the threat of Santa's list but I fear that may back fire in January. Cupid can be a mite mean, can't he? I think in the Vallier house he'll have to have a basket or something. A basket of note Mom's and Dad's send to him when the kids are good and bad. Then right before Valentine's (I know I'm reaching here) he counts them up and if the goods out weight the bads.... well you get it. That's kind of a tough sell even to a 3 year old. Now the Easter bunny we can work with.
Last weekend my father and Karen came and brought the kids their gifts. Barbie pool. Kids love it - floors are really clean lately! Barbie car, I want that car, bigger of course but I want it. Barbie herself, of course, and the Little People farm. I also love those Little People. They are like the new weebles.
Anywho, I am venturing to say that Brooke is going to bed without much cajoling. There is still a couple trips back for hugs and kisses and one trip to the top of the stairs to make sure we'll check on her but overall the whole thing takes about 5 minutes vs. 3 hours.
This week we have a LOT coming up. Christmas party on Friday night, Papa John on Saturday, Sunday is Christmas eve which means Santa, I mean Yia Yia, comes over. Then the big event!! All the hullabaloo for the initial reaction to the tree and stockings and stuff. I'm as excited as they are I think.
Have some eggnog for me and enjoy your people this holiday season!!

Nevermind.

I had some unexpected support from family members over the weekend so the blog is back on!! I am going to try to keep it to kid stuff though from now on (which is what you all want to read about anyway)!
An update on Brooke - she is fine and shows no signs of trauma after "Dark Monday" as I'm mentally referring to it (though technically it was Tuesday). Alexis' nose is still running. She did throw up again on Wed. night but Supermom was out cold after taking Nyquil and didn't even know it until the next morning when I noticed "a little something" on her pjs. Gross I know. Reality.
Moving on, this weekend was crazy as usual. Clark (John) Griswald has decorated the house to rival Fenway Park. We've got white lights, we've got purple lights, we've got green, red and blue lights. We have an inflatable santa, a white lite reindeer, a multi-colored christmas tree flag pole, wreaths, candy canes, you get the idea. It's AWESOME. I'll get pictures soon. The kids love it.
We went to my aunt's Christmas party this weekend. Talk about decorating! She out did herself. She and her boyfriend, Bill, live in Marblehead right in the neighborhood where I grew up. It was a treat to go back. It was a fantastic party with really great people and tons of food. Santa Claus even came (John Zanco) and gave the girls presents and checked them off his list (which was really impressive - names of kids and their Christmas wishes all written out). Brooke was especially overwhelmed with seeing Santa and of course we got it all on tape! Everyone was super good with the kids (who were angels honestly) and it was one of those parties you hated to leave. We stayed until 10:00 though so we were really troupers!!
At Yia Yia's the kids flipped again at her decorations - moving ornaments, tiny critters just for them, blow up beds, special movies and Brooke got to sleep over in Yia Yia's bed. We all stayed over and Mom made me "monkey balls" for breakfast, and coffee, and let me use her make up. I was in heaven.
We got home (with our goody bag from Yia Yia of course) and the day flew by in a flurry of arts and crafts, swinging and napping. Great weekend all around!

Last entry

I am signing off in blogger land. It's become more of a chore then a joy. For those who have enjoyed it thanks for reading!! Keep in touch by e-mail.
Lisa

ER - Concussion

So it's been a harrowing 36 hours. Let's start at the beginning shall we?
Alexis - Monday night(by night I mean wicked early Tues. morning like 2am), up coughing, then vomiting. Somewhere in there I heard a huge thump. As I was just getting up from Lexi's bed to get her out of the crib (coughing again) I figured I had knocked something off the bed.
Nope.
"Waahhhh! Mommy, Mommy!!" and thump, thump, thump of Brooke footsteps.
"What, what" I asked
"I fell out of my bed."
I picked her up and soothed and checked her head. She was OK and coherent. She lied back down and went to sleep.
Back to Lexi - I took her in to our room where she puked all over me. We took a shower (3am). I tried to get her back to bed but the minute she laid down she'd cough until she threw up.
I finally gave up and brought her down to the couch to watch a show - thinking at least she'll be upright for awhile. This seemed to be working aside from the exhaustion (mine).
Now (3:30am) I hear Brooke get up - oh sh*t I think, she heard the tv and wants in on this. NO way. John intercepts her and I can't really hear whats going on over Dora repeating "Vamanos" three hundred times.
All is quiet (except Dora, she truly never shuts up). Then. Thump, thump, thump. Now Brooke is throwing up. John sounds like he's doing a good job of being calm but I know the inner John is freaking out so I go to see what's going on. She is pale, throwing up, fell on head - calling the Dr.
100 questions - off to the Emergency room.
John stays with Lexi who goes right back to sleep for him after we leave, the little stinker.
Brooke throws up 3 more times in the car and she tries valiantly not to make a mess but it doesn't work.
We wait for 1 hour, get a CT scan, wait another hour, move to a room, get a brief Dr. visit, wait again, finally get the dr. back saying the CT scan was normal and she'll continue to toss her cookies for the rest of the day and to slowing increase her food intake. Of course, Brooke is dehydrated and starving so this doesn't go well but we did it and now it's the next day.
So what was your day like?