Christmas in the NICU

So we have this little family tradition of a Christmas picture in our matching Christmas jammies.   But this year our little buddy Brian is stuck in the NICU - so we went to him.  

We broke a few rules to get it done (like the number of people in a room and no kids except siblings), but as Emily put it -- what are they going to do - kick Brian out?? Ha! 

Charlotte kept trying to grab her cousin.  

This was Elise's first time meeting him too.  She kept saying "He's so cute and little!!"

Merry Christmas!

Christmas In Pictures

Our Christmas in pictures - in no particular order...

How I spent a lot of my time...

How Charlotte spent a lot of her time...

Elise painted a picture of Ollie.  And wrote his name herself!

Charlotte took a little nap on Grandma's bed...

Nick and Elise both got flashlights for Christmas.

Best dad ever right here.  

Again - best dad ever.  Totally did the Easy Bake Oven, which turns out is not so easy.  We may have had a minor emergency needing flashlights and half-cooked cupcakes.  

Elise has now mastered Wii bowling and baseball.  

She was SO excited to go to the Lake.  Right before this picture she whispered into Lambie's ear to "smile for a picture!"

Baby in a bumbo. 

And a random collection of video clips...

Merry Christmas everyone!

Coming up...a giant family NICU visit!

all about elise

We've got quite the grown-up four year old over here.  She refers to us as "you guys" and says things like Charlotte "is just not interested in that bottle, mom" and knows all the words to 'Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer'.  She spends her days building forts, "snowman golf courses" (see video below), and cutting and taping anything she can find.  She's very busy.  

HCS Preschool Christmas

Today Elise's class had a little Christmas program today.  

Just a 15 minute little thing where they sang a few songs. 

It was the cutest.  She knew most of the words and everything.  

I took a couple videos for the grandparents that couldn't be there:  

Merry Christmas from HCS preschoolers!

a little picture update

We've been having quiet time in her room on sundays. 

 She insisted she wasn't tired at all.  

We went to visit Santa.  I can't even believe the cuteness.  

Forts.  Every day there are forts.  Oy.  

Seriously the happiest baby ever. 

See?  She loved watching me wrap presents. 

Grandpa Goote stopped by with a donut for Elise last week. 

She's a lucky girl. 

She even doesn't mind tummy time.  This girl's head will not be flat. 

We had our friends over for a Christmas party on Saturday and the girls slept over at the Lake.  She plays hard over there.  

instagram update

Life is busy at our house these days!

Here's a few pictures from my phone the last couple weeks.  

charlotte {3 months}

Charlotte is three months old!

Unfortunately she spent her three-month birthday with a cough and cold.  She's kind of lost her voice and when she cries she sounds sort of like a kitty.  It's so sad.  I caught her in a (medicated) moment of happiness today so I went with it.  

This girl smiles all the time, loves her sister, and before she got sick, was sleeping 7-8 hour stretches at night.  Now we hear the poor thing cough/cry in her sleep.  (My PICU nurse sister Lauren says it's nothing to be worried about though since she doesn't have a fever -- for all you worrywarts out there.)    

hello monday

yep.   this pretty much sums it up today. 

I'm kind of impressed I got a shower in already.  

Sweet Charlotte is sick.  She's a coughing, snotty, really sad baby.  It's heartbreaking.  

I'll try and post some more pictures soon!