Cocoon

A few nights ago Oz was getting very fussy and just couldn't find a way to settle down and be happy. I grabbed this big IMMENSELY (like so much so that you can't believe it) soft comforter we have and wrapped him up in it on the floor while I folded laundry. He loved it, calmed down and now it's become a nightly ritual. Tonight he sits in his "cocoon" while he watches his favorite movie, "Baby Miracle - Jonah and the Whale".

Oz & Sable

Where Shall the Baby's Dimple Be?

Over the cradle the mother hung,
Softly crooning a slumber song;
And these were the simple words she sung
All the evening long:

"Cheek or chin, or knuckle or knee,
Where shall the baby's dimple be?
Where shall the angel's finger rest
When he comes down to the baby's nest?
Where shall the angel's touch remain
When he awakens my babe again?

Still as she bent and sang so low,
A murmur into her music broke;
And she paused to hear, for she could but know
The baby's angel spoke:

"Cheek or chin, or knuckle or knee,
Where shall the baby's dimple be?
Where shall my finger fall and rest
When I come down to the baby's nest?
Where shall my finger's touch remain
When I awaken your babe again?"

Silent the mother sat, and dwelt
Long in the sweet delay of choice;
And then by her baby's side she knelt,
And sang with pleasant voice:

"Not on the limb, O angel dear!
For the charm with its youth will disappear;
Not on the cheek shall the dimple be,
For the harboring smile fade and flee;
But touch thou the chin with an impress deep,
And my baby the angel's seal shall keep."

-Josiah G. Holland

There Was a Little Girl

There was a little girl, she had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead;
And when she was good, she was very, very good,
And when she was bad, she was horrid.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Valentine's Day

Hopefully yours was filled with:

parties,



cards and presents,
















luvey decor,



lots of yummy food,







plenty of smoochable faces,



and just a little magic.



Happy Valentine's Day!

xoxo and some extra luvs

Have Mercy

2011 why are you so terribly heartless?

So far you've:

1. Broken Jeff's leg.
2. Broken Jeff's front crown.
3. Broken our dryer (which Jeff did awesomely fix).
4. Knocked down half of the fence on the back edge of our yard.
5. Caused a mysterious ailment to come over the vacuum.
6. Poured buckets of snow and cold on us.
7. Canceled school so often that the littles will NEVER see Summer break (although I do admittedly love a snow day).
8. Caused my bedroom window to leak because of all the ice in the gutters.
9. Sickened us non-stop and with all manner of sickness.
10. Made my home what I now call the poop central. The number of tremendously poopy, leaky diapers I've dealt with in the last couple weeks is INSANE. The other day Oz was nearly up to his neck in poop. Gross? Too bad, at least you're not cleaning it up.

It's #9 that's taking the worst toll on me. Last winter, we got sick maybe once. Right now 3 littles are sick, Rome's the worst and the WORST patient as well. Today he's taken to moaning and crying and groaning and moaning and crying some more. Also, Rome seems to be very much like my brother Spencer in that he has NO ability to whisper or keep his voice down (something we've all been requested to do however by him, Rome, several times). My heart goes out to the poor kid, 3 days of fever is no good or fun. But to be honest, all the moaning has got me a little sick of the sickie.

2011, please oh please just leave us alone.

Brothers

Stories From the Street: Broken Leg

It was a drunk looking for a fight that led to the broken leg. Jeff and another officer (plus the other officer's brother who was there for a ride-along) were taking this guy down and in the melee somebody accidentally came down on Jeff's leg. It could have been anybody, but we blame the drunk.
He broke the fibula, and really it's the best break he could have - as far as leg breaks go. It's a "load bearing break" meaning he didn't need a cast and could ditch the crutches as soon as he felt OK to.
It's been a month and he's been off the crutches since the first week. He returned to work pretty much right away on limited duty - working in the station. He actually loves that he's not out on the street in the cold. He's doing really well but we're all anxious for, as Capri put it the other night, "Everything to go back to normal. No more sick people and Daddy's leg not being broken".

Right NOW

How about you?