Let it Snow

Finally some snow that stuck….

but it wasn't sticking around for long.  Since it was going to warm and rain before the next morning and the snow would be gone when we woke up, the guys decided to head outside while it was still coming down and play for a bit.

Construction has taken over the sledding hill but the boys managed to find a small patch to sled down.

Best news of the season:  Hans likes snow!  He wasn't a fan last year.

Hoping for a few big snowstorms this season.  If it's going to be cold, it might as well be snowing!

(Thanks to Charlie for taking pics since Mama was inside SICK! And she's still sick.  Awful timing since there is too much holiday fun to be had!)

3rd ER Visit

Third time's the charm….and for Stitches.

The last photo before his little face is changed!

Friday night bath time and shenanigans turned into a bump and a fall and then blood…everywhere.

In pjs at the hospital with M&Ms to help ease the pain

I knew when I looked that it'd need stitches although I texted a photo to a few folks asking for a second opinion hoping someone would say just to seal it up with a butterfly bandaid.  No such luck.

Freddie cried more than Hans.  He had given Hans the pump that sent him to the ground with his head hitting the bed frame along the way.  The guilt was a lot for him to handle.  "I don't want my brother to go to the hospital."

Charlie stayed with Freddie and helped him understand the mistake, and off I went in the freezing downpour to the hospital 10 blocks north of the tram stop.  Hans was born here and he's visited the ER here before, so we pretty familiar with the process.

It was a busy night in the ER, of course, and we opted to wait for a plastic surgeon since it is right smack in the middle of his head, so it was a long night.  The surgeon heavily encouraged me to leave the room as "mothers tend not to handle things like this so well," but I stayed with my H-Man.  He was given a dose of meds to "take the edge off, and then his arms were bound before getting a anesthetic injection into the cut.  An orderly held his little head straight, and I think both he and the doctor were anticipating screaming and resistance from Hans, but he just winced a little as I held his hands under the straps.

A few breakfast crumbs with my sutures

We were home about midnight and Hans was still up and raring to go.  He hasn't complained much about the sutures and hasn't fiddled with them at all.  He sees the doctor again on Friday to have them removed.  Thankfully 2013 is just about over so I don't think (crossing my fingers) we'll have any more trips this year, but 3 trips in one year for Hans and all before he is 3 years old seems like plenty enough ER visits for this little boy.

Visiting Santa at Macy's Santaland

In our house Macy's = Santa.  There's no concept of shoes or the cellar or dressing rooms.  Macy's is where Santa stops after arriving at the Thanksgiving Day Parade and making a short stop at Radio City Music Hall.

We went on a rainy Friday morning and got there not long after opening, right around 9am.  There was a little bit of a line, longer than we expected, but nothing crazy.  Ir was just enough waiting for us to spend some time in Santaland looking at the displays.

Freddie remembered a lot from last year.  That makes me happy.  I am fairly certain Hans will remember the trains next year.

One of Santa's elves leading us to Santa

When it was out turn to see Santa his elves made sure to quickly brief Santa so he could call them in by name.  Before he noticed the boys waiting in the doorway he asked the elves if Freddie and Hans were going to stop by, and then there they were walking up to his chair.  Magical!

The boys settled in to Santa's lap and listened to his recollection of seeing their names on the "good list" and he told them how proud he is of their hard work to be good boys.  Being on the good list stuck with Freddie, as he's mentioned it several times since seeing Santa.

Freddie asked for a remote control submarine and Hans asked for a train.  The elves need to get cracking and figure that out.  I know Freddie saw that submarine in one of the 100+ catalogs that has come into the house over the last few weeks.  And we have trains and tracks for days, but Santa is all about saying "yes" so another train it will be for Hans.

Waiting for the puppet show

After saying thank you to Santa and picking up our pictures, we went to the Macy's Puppet Theater and saw "Yes, Virginia: The Musical."  This was out first time seeing the seasonal puppet show.

I explained to Freddie the story of Virgina and clarified during the show that "The Sun" was the name of the newspaper, so I think he followed the story pretty well.  I thought Hans was just enjoying the puppets but after the show he told me "The girl was sad," so he picked up more than I realized.

We got to see Mrs. Claus before leaving, which was a treat, and added a new dimension of wonder to Christmas.  We haven't talked about Mrs. Claus very much, but she's got a place in our Christmas story now.

I love our Santaland tradition.

Radio City Christmas Spectacular

It's definitely a family tradition now.  I learned last year that this is something Freddie doesn't want to miss.  

I wish getting everyone dressed and out the door with tears from everyone wasn't part of the tradition, but apparently that is just part of the deal with little boys and evening outings.  But the pain doesn't last long as we step out into the crisp winter air in the city and we're surrounded by Christmas.  

Lights and decorations are everywhere and the boys want to stop and check out every single detail.  We indulge them of course.  This is what is so fun about the holidays!

Hans has been every year, at 6 months, 18 months, and now at 2.5 years.  I was worried last year but this year I knew he'd be a pro.  He bopped his head to the music for the entire performance with a death grip on his pretzel and the other hand in the M&Ms.

Thankfully Freddie didn't have any issue with sitting in the balcony.  After our recent concert experiences at the Lincoln Center I was worried he'd be afraid.

I LOVED Freddie and this performance.  He remembered so much about it and we were able to talk about it lots before even arriving.  He pointed out details throughout the performance, laughed at the jokes, and was amazed at the dancing.  His favorite part is still the Rockettes dressed as toy soldiers.

And now that we've seen Santa is in the city we can now pay him a visit at Macy's!

The Tree

This year we headed into Queens with the car to hit up Home Depot for a tree.  It was craziness.  The boys didn't care.  There was lots to keep them entertained.

Freddie picked our tree.  I went with it even though the poor thing is pretty dry and lopsided.  It made him happy and that's really what the tree is for.

The boys each got there own little tree for their room. Tiny things are just irresistible to tiny folks.

After it was filled with lights, candy canes, and the handful of ornaments we have it was perfect.  The fact that Freddie fell into the tree and it came crashing down leaving candy cane bits, needles, and water everywhere hasn't detracted from the perfection or our love of having two little boys and a 7 foot tree in the house.

Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin

So, all the recipes for this one say it's supposed to taste like hashbrown casserole.  Well, don't make it to substitute for hashbrown casserole because it is NOT an adequate sub for cheesy potato yumminess.  It is an ok, healthy side.  We had it with pork chops.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small yellow onion, cut in half and very thinly sliced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more if you like it spicy
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Poke holes in the squash and place on a plate in the microwave for 15 minutes, turning half way through.
2. In a medium sized skillet over medium heat, add the butter, onions, red pepper and thyme and cook until the onions are slightly brown in color. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds.  
4. Scrape the insides of the squash and combine the squash, onions, sour cream and half the cheese together and mix well. 
5. Place the mixture to a buttered baking dish and top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake at 375º for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

Enjoying the rain

Nothing like mixing up a school morning and tromping out in the rain for a hot chocolate.  Hot chocolate!  Rain boots!  Umbrellas!  On a Wednesday before school!

And even crazier would be that snowman cookie as dessert after breakfast.

I'm thankful I push myself to do these simple extras.  I forget how something so simple is so exciting for these guys.  And I even have to laugh when this happens…

Put him back together!!!!

Thanks, United

Just as I had finished complaining about the mediocre experience we had with United, who doesn't have pre boarding for families with young children and seems riddled with overzealous, bordering on obnoxious, gate agents, our pilot popped out of the cockpit upon hearing Freddie's polite request for wings fall on deaf ears with the flight attendant.  

I'm sure the folks behind us waiting to deplane weren't too pleased with this type of costumer service that had two little boys and the bags blocking the aisle, but maybe one day when they have their little boys they'll get it.

Sitting in the cockpit soothed the whining brought on by predawn departures and long plane rides.  I have two happy little boys who would love to fly United again.

Thanksgiving

I'm behind on posting and behind with photos.  Life is clicking along at Just off Magazine.  And for that I am thankful.  I am so thankful to be busy shuttling a stick collection around in the stroller.  This life filled with tiny shoes in the middle of the floor and stickers all over the bathroom wall is so exhausting and full.  The amount of joy my family brings me is overwhelming at times.  Life feels so good right now that I often think "Please let it stay just like this."