7 quick takes Friday

The Christmas Vacation Recap

-1-

Our Christmas was lovely and picturesque, filled with cookies, cocoa, carols, and the Christ Child.

Except that Travis was sick with bronchitis and L had the croup.  And it was just two days ago that I remembered to put Baby Jesus in the stable.  And L and I finished out Jesse Tree last night.  And we had to watch Santa Claus is Coming to Town a kabillion times. 

-2-

I think that movie (Santa Claus is Coming to Town) might need to be lost for a looooong time.  When it comes to the propagation of the myth of Santa Claus, well that movie is a class one offender, and the song that Jessica sings is SO annoying!  We can keep Frosty the Snowman, but I think we're going to need to buy some better Advent/Christmas movies.  I'm thinking the Veggie Tales St. Nick movie and a few CCC movies. 

-3-

JF has had two cookie swallows in the last week.  The few swallows he had looked good - no aspirations - but mostly he refused to take the bottle.  The feeding therapist says we will continue with his thickened feedings and do another cookie swallow at six months when we introduce him to spoon feedings.

-4-

JF also had a follow up appointment with the developmental pediatrician.  We have been warned by everyone and their brother that Dr. M is very pessimistic, Mr. Gloom and Doom.  So the fact that he was fairly positive with us makes us feel pretty good.  His thoughts on JF:

- very tight hamstrings (PT gave us stretches.)

- reflexes / reactions are "brisk" and maybe too big (this might be "his brain still settling down")

- he moves around a lot (we don't necessarily agree with this, but he thinks it's "just him, ADD showing itself now, or his discomfort from his eczema")

- the MRI looked very good, but we don't know what the brain looks like deep down - what connections are made or not made, how the nerves are linked, etc.

- his eczema and cradle cap are horrible, the worst Dr. M's ever seen maybe (we've been battling those things for awhile and had just gotten a stronger prescription from our family doctor, which seems to be working really well)

-5-

Travis and I celebrated our Fourth Wedding Anniversary on December 30th.  (Yay us!)  And to celebrate we went to a cabin that a friend of ours owns on some old farm land by the Illinois River.  It was so great!  We went four wheeling and got stuck in the creek.  Watching my husband get us unstuck made me so glad I married a manly man.  :)  He made us a yummy shrimp pasta dinner while I baked chocolate chip cookies.  We watched The Town in front of the fire and then hit the hay. 

-6-

JF was "conditionally baptized" last Sunday during Mass.  It was beautiful and over 60 friends and family joined us to celebrate JF' life and the Sacrament.  After the Baptism our priest raised JF up to show him to the congregation.  While everyone smiled and clapped, JF waved.  It was so cute.

-7-

Pictures from the Baptism have made me realized that it is time for me to loose weight.  I am the fattest I've ever been in my life and I hate it.  I made a list of the top five reasons to loose weight.  Here goes:

#5 - I'm pre-diabetic.

#4 - My family has a history of heart problems.

#3 - My children deserve to have a healthy mom.

#2 - My husband is a keeper and I need to keep him.

#1 - When God fashioned me He did not intend for me to weigh this much.   He wants me to be healthy and beautiful, able to enjoy life fully.  That's not possible when I'm obese.

Wish me luck, folks.  It's gonna be a bumpy ride!