A Knock on Wood and Valentines and No Pictures.

Today we left the house. It was a big deal since we've been home bound since our visit to the pediatrician's last Wednesday. Strep for both, with a side of sinus infection for Jane, and 1 ear infection for Emiline, her first. We just went to my sister's (who is moving in a week. A WEEK!!) and Jane gave Joey the Dora Valentine card she made him. We stayed longer then we meant to because we were going to stop at the grocery store and get the things we needed for our valentine's celebration, including stuff for cake. Jane has been after me to make a cake since her great grandma Ludlow sent her these copies of how to make different kinds of cakes, like a fish cake, a butterfly cake, so I thought we'd do that today, since, you know, it's a holiday and we're not sick!!

While at my sister's she said she overheard someone at church saying I'd been really sick for a really long time... like I was almost gravely ill. It hasn't been that bad, all though I love sympathy as much as the next person. Maybe I've been complaining too much on facebook. (I'm still trying to figure that thing out.) At any rate, here is our Sickness 2011 update:

As of today, Monday February 14, we are all doing so much better. We have had a lot of crap around here, at least one of us has been sick all year. My pediatrician seems to think it's all the going to the gym (and putting kids in babysitting there) I've been doing to keep my back healthy. Jane is super susceptible to upper respiratory issues and Emiline is so little that I won't be taking them to the gym at least til Spring...*sigh*

Jane has basically had a sinus infection since we got back to Minnesota. And I've been picking up their junk. Eric, luckily, has avoided it all until the nasty strep we got last week. It was really funny, I've been feeling really tired and worn out and like crap for a few weeks (and beating myself up over it) and finally Wed morning I woke up all bright eyed and bushy tailed and 100% better. I got so much done (and thinking, "oh! I wasn't lazy before, I was still sick!), but the girls where acting really sad so I took them in that afternoon and yes, they had strep, etc. We got our antibiotics and then at about 5:00 or 6:00 pm that night, it hit Eric and I really hard, too. It was really nice to have that day to feel like myself and get a bunch of things done (and get ready for us to be out of it again for awhile.) I think we've taken longer than usual to get over the strep, too, some because Jane and I have allergies to the best antibiotics, and maybe we're all run down. But we're almost there.

In the meantime, did you know that your supposed to throw away your toothbrush after strep so you don't reinfect yourself? Also, did you know you should boil your toothbrush after you've been any kind of sick so you don't reinfect yourself? Yeah. Good to know.

So Valentine's.
This extremely very long winter has made it imperitive in my mind to celebrate with gusto Valentine's day. We did our best this year. Jane and I made Valentine cards during Emiline's nap and sent a few out to grandparents. Turns out she really loves using the scissors (she can actually do a bit of cutting with my big honkin' ones) and using the glue stick. She still loves to color and draw, but I think she's ready for more. *sigh* I already have a little crafting pal! We made streamers for the ceiling fan, something my sister did with Jane a month ago and which she's been talking about since, and a few big pink hearts taped on the wall.

Then we went to my sisters to deliver valentine's and then we were going to go to the grocery store, but we stayed to long at my sisters. Luckily, I was able to talk Jane down out of that one and we averted a tantrum. Good thing we came home because when I did, there was a massive puddle of water on the floor around our "new" (awesomely cool comfy and cheep Goodwill) chair. Our ceiling was dripping water onto the chair and floor. Fun. Called the management, put the kids to bed, heard men on the roof scraping and kicking. Turns out the snow is melting too fast here with all this warm weather we've been having! (no kidding, 40 degrees feels like spring!! Jacket Weather!!) And several other apartments had leaks, too.

THEN we went to the grocery store. And thank goodness for Dora! Can I tell you how much easier (and more fun) it is to get my toddler out the door, even if it's someplace she wants to go, by telling her the three things we have to do and where we are going and singing:
"Come on vamanos!
Everybody let's go!
Come on let's get to i!
I know that we can do it!
Where are we going? Grocery Store!
Where are we going? Grocery Store!
Where are we going? Grocery Store!
Where are we going? Grocery Store!"

And yes we have to sing the repeat all four times and halfway through we have to trade off who sings the question and who sings the answer. And we can't sing it more than four times, either, we have to start over. She knows the whole thing and LOVES singing it! I'm surprised at how much I've enjoyed it, too.

We got a few fun things and cake stuff and then came home, made dinner (heart shaped grilled cheese sandwiches for the girls, and heart shaped grilled pimento, chicken, and cheddar cheese sandwiches for mom and dad, black currant sparkling cider (a lovely pink color) with heart shaped ice cubes, doritos (red), strawberries, and strawberry yogurt. I think we'll make it our tradition that each member of the family gets to pick something red or pink for the meal, something a little special that they like, and then share it. We also turned on our wedding playlist, which was fun and another tradition. Then we had cake with candles, Jane thinks all cake has candles, and then we opened presents! Yep, my mom sent some fun valentine things and it was just such a fun day. Why not, right? Why not find reasons to make things special and tell people you adore them? It was a really wonderful day. But no pictures...sorry. This post is more of a journal entry for me anyway. If you've read to the end, I'm way impressed and you must comment to make my jaw drop.