Updates

Last weekend, my brother Michael came over and in exchange for some computer part, checked out some electrical stuff in the house. He fixed a dimmer switch that was going a little wacky, and best of all, he put a light in my pantry! My pantry is the space under the stairs, which means its weirdly shaped and dark. Dark as night. A pit. He put in a fluorescent light and its like daytime in there. I LOVE it. It feels 100% more usable. Michael, thank you. We love you, and not just because you are handy with the wiring but because you are just a really great person!

This week has really flown by. The kids finished up their swimming class, Gwen got to bring cupcakes to school on Thursday to celebrate her birthday (which is on Saturday). I let her choose her own outfit for the day and this is what she picked



She's such a little doll :)

Elsa hasn't been well the past few days. Yesterday she woke up in a puddle of throw up and then had a bad diaper and has been off her game ever since. She threw up a few more times yesterday, but none today, so that is good. She just lies there, not moving, moaning every now and then. She wants to be held and to pinch me (a comfort reflex that I normally don't mind too much, but after hours of it, OUCH!). As long as she stays hydrated I'm going to keep her at home. If she throws up more or has more diarrhea, I'll bring her in. She's so little it wouldn't take much to get into a dangerous zone with her.

Ethan has been doing great on his reading lessons, though we've not been able to do any lessons this week. He's always putting letters together and asking me what word it makes. He also likes to sound out words he sees. I'm finding that with him a problem is that he likes to speed through things, and that with a little knowledge, he thinks he's an expert. Like his father perhaps? I kid, I kid.

So I'm typing this blog on my super duper new computer. My old laptop, she was used when we got her and she fought valiantly for me for nearly 3 years. She survived at least two near catastrophic latte spills and numerous keyboard replacements when Ethan and Gwen went through that period where they liked to pry keys off. My new computer is quite a bit larger... larger than even J and I expected, though its smaller than a regular computer. I got all sorts of fun things like a DVD burner and a big monitor and a big keyboard and Jason tells me that my video card (and other things I don't quite understand) are awesome. I love how fast it is... I don't have to wait minutes to load up various things! Unfortunately, not all my stuff is on this computer yet so I can't post the pictures I have from the past few days. Coming soon!

So today, with the sick baby (and my tummy not feeling so great right now either...), I don't know how I'm going to get everything done for Gwen's party tomorrow. She is going to flip when she sees all the little surprises we have for her. Her cake is going to be awesome, then we also got her a pinata, which she really wanted. Didja know that most pinatas these days aren't the hitting kind? They just have ribbons on the bottom that you pull which is rather dull in my opinion. J and I are going to examine it and see if we could still have the kids hit it with a stick because really that is the most fun.

That reminds me of my Mom making us pinatas as kids. It seems like she did it quite often! I have a funny memory of one time but I won't post it here because it might embarrass my Mom, but it involves using something quite unusual for the balloon that holds the pinata shape while you put the newspaper over it. Heh. My siblings probably know exactly what I'm talking about.

Ok, baby is finally asleep so I should work while I can :)