Happy 2012!

Getting ready for Colonial Day at Grace's school!

Lily with some stickers Emma put on her head.

Yikes! It has been a LONG time since I have posted! Must have been the holidays and the month long illness that plagued our house.

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years despite the fact that we were sick : / Emma came down with the flu in early December, Lily picked it up and transfered it to Grace, then Gianna came down with it during her visit and Sherman caught it a few days later. As soon as everyone gets better, Lily Mae comes down with croup which landed us (my mom, Lily and I - Sherman was still sick) in the ER on New Years Eve. Croup is so scary! Lily had a couple of really rough days and nights. Emma contracted a mild version that lasted about a week. So we were basically a house full of sickies from 12/1 to 1/8! Praying for a healthy 2012~ however sickness is bound to happen with little kids. I have been really trying to keep everyone healthy because being sick is exhausting for everyone.

Lily turns 10 months old tomorrow! Where has the time gone? I can't believe she will be one year old in two months! It feels like just yesterday we brought her home from the hospital. Lily is keeping me busy - she is SO active. She is constantly moving: crawling, pulling up on furniture, rolling around, trying to walk with the baby walker.... the girl is everywhere! Perhaps that is also the reason for my lack of blogging. Having two babies that are everywhere and into everything makes it hard to find the time to blog :) I'm definitely on high alert and trying to keep everyone safe!! Lily is so sweet and we have found our groove. Poor little girl was waking up so much at night and was a bit fussy during the day. Lily's flu bug in December brought us into the doctors office which proved to be an eye opening appointment. Lily had not gained a pound in over three months (just a couple ounces). I had always been worried about the lack of "fat" on her body but, she regularly spit up the breast milk so I thought she was getting enough. Wrong! The doctor suggested trying out formula and as much as I didn't want to yet, it was in the best interest of Lily. I began to gradually give her formula and she did not protest. She gobbled it up and the extra calories are letting her sleep longer stretches and she is the happiest baby! She is on 100% formula now, Gerber solids and snacks and she has already gained weight! She is so much happier. With all the energy she expends each day she needed more calories than I could give her.

All the girls had a wonderful Christmas! Santa definitely spoiled them this year ;) I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a GREAT start to 2012!

Excuse the random pictures but I am writing this on Grace's computer and all the Christmas pictures are on my computer so I will have to post them another time.