Christmas Morning!

This year we spent the night again at Gamma and Papa's house on Christmas Eve so we woke up with them on Christmas morning.  Jordan had fun opening more presents and was excited to play with them all.  

Christmas Eve 2008

On Christmas Eve we had a nice dinner with my parents and my sister, Jacquie, and her boyfriend, Joe.  Lately, I forget to take pictures of everyone besides the kids so I have lots of pictures of Jordan and Alex but the rest of the family was there, too.  We played Bingo and then opened presents with the kids before they went to sleep.  After Jordan and Alex were asleep we played more Bingo while we waited for midnight to roll around.  At midnight we all did a toast and ate tamales.  We were also able to do video chat with my uncle in Guatemala.  It was fun!

Jordan was playing with a remote control helicopter that Papa Jack bought.  He loved to hold the remote control.  

Gamma, Jordan, (the remote control,) and Mamita

Alex and Mamita playing with maracas.

Time for presents!

Jordan did a great job opening his presents.  He was so excited to play with the toys right away.  We couldn't get them out of the boxes fast enough.  

A bowling set from Mamita!

Both boys got a set of bowling pins.  They had fun trying to knock down the pins!

...Until Jordan decided to just throw himself on the pins!
And, even more fun, playing with the box!  
He got this cool train set from Guise that he had fun pushing the buttons on.  

Jordan, the Artiste

We went to Gamma and Papa's house on Tuesday night just to be there a night early.  On Wednesday morning Jordan wanted to paint so I went down to my parent's craft room to search for paints.  I found this cool watercolor set and let Jordan go to town.  He did a pretty good job.  He liked to mix the paints and I had to help direct him to put the paint actually on the paper, but he did get some painting done.  He paints all the time at Patty's house, but this was the first time he had painted at home with us.  I think he's a natural.

Eating Cereal Like a Big Kid

Last week Jordan had cereal for breakfast.  He has had cereal before in his own bowl with his own spoon and he does pretty good.  This particular morning he thought it would be funny to drink the milk from his bowl.  I'm not sure where he has seen this, but he had it pretty much figured out!

You can tell he thinks he's soooo funny!

If you listen close at the end of the video you can even hear him slurping the milk.  It cracks me up!

Christmas Tree Close-Ups

Here are a few close up pictures from our Christmas tree.  It has been so fun to add ornaments every year.  Our babysitter, Patty, made lots of ornaments with Jordan this year that we added.  I love them!

You can see a picture of Chad and I the year we got married and had our first Christmas together (above).

Here are two handmade ornaments...one from this year, and one from last year when Jordan had his cool mohawk/Elvis look going on!

This year we added a fun painted pinecone (from Patty), a reindeer from Aunt Jane, a glittery hand (from Patty), and an ornament from when Jordan got his picture taken with Santa.  

Light Show

This picture was taken out of our front window while we were waiting in line for the light show in Vernon Hills.  The Cuneo estate has a light show every year.  We didn't take Jordan last year so this was his first time.  After being in the hospital we weren't ready to expose him to tons of germs so we thought this would be a good way to get out of the house but not have to get out of the car.  Jordan loved it.  He had fun looking for things and calling out what he saw.  I wasn't sure how much he would be able to see from his carseat but he had no problem.  It was fun!  

Mom driving up in front.
Jordan and Chad in the back.  Don't get any ideas, Jordan is holding a flashlight...

Secret Knitting Project Continued

I started this secret knitting project a while ago and I meant to be finished with it last week.  I am almost done.  I have about three more rows to go and then I have to figure out how to get it off the needles...I'm sure I'll remember once I see what I have to do.  It took me longer than I expected but it was worth it because I have fun doing it.  I love to see all the stitches line up.  I'll post when I'm completely finished.  You can kind of see the pattern in this first picture and a little bit more in the second picture that is closer up, except the flash was a little wild.  

Sleepy Jordan

I forgot I had this video and I think it's too cute not to post it.  I apologize a hundred times over for the shakiness...it was icy and the roads were still bad when we were driving home.  Jordan was so tired from the whole hospital ordeal that he just couldn't even keep his eyes open on the way home.  It was so sweet. 

Pictures from Our Hospital Visit

Jordan Blake...one day he's perfectly fine...

...and is taking pictures of Mommy...Cheese!!!

And the next day, he's in the emergency room going through H-E-double-hockey-sticks, but still being a really good sport.  

Chad and I were just saying today that it seems like forever since we were in the hospital.  I am so grateful for being able to forget the life we had while we were there.  I, of course, had my camera with me and had to take pictures.  It's makes me sad to see these pictures again, but Jordan is so cute at the same time.  He was adorable in his hospital gown.

This picture was after the IV was put in when we got up to his room in the Pediatric's ward.  He was so cute in the big hospital bed.  It made me realize how tiny he is and how vulnerable he can be.   In the bottom left corner you can see that Jordan is holding a helicopter.  This is a Happy Meal toy from Mcdonald's that was in Chad's car that Jordan was completely attached to in this hospital.  He had to have his helicopter almost everywhere he went.  

After he got his antibiotics through the IV they would disconnect him and he was able to go up and down the hallway and play in the play room.  He kept asking for us to push him fast!

Here's Jordan pushing the wagon himself...I just had to take the picture from behind.  I think it's probably the only appropriate age to take a picture of someone in their hospital gown from behind.  I'm sure he'll hate me for this picture when I show his first girlfriend.

Another butt shot...

Here's Jordan all smiles on the second day we were in the hospital.  He had a sponge bath and got to switch from his blue hospital gown to a yellow hospital gown.  Again, he's holding his helicopter in his right hand.  You can kind of see his paw of a left hand.  He had the IV in and then had a splint type contraption to keep him from bending his arm too much and then they covered it with a white gauzy glove to keep him from touching it.  He was confused by it but dealt with it really well.  He just made do.  

Jordan and Mommy.  

Daddy and Jordan.  

Woo hoo!!!!  We're going home!  Jordan was so happy to go home.  He was pooped though...and could barely keep his eyes open on the way home.  I think he was ready to get back to what was familiar to him.  

We are so happy to be home and to put the whole experience behind us.  Jordan saw the doctor on Tuesday and everything was looking great.  Right now you can barely see any difference in the color in the area where he had the infection.  It's still sad to me that he had to go through it but we survived and he really was a great sport and we were home in time for Christmas.  

I have been a freak about washing my hands since we went into the hospital.  I bought a giant bottle of Germ-X hand sanitizer at Bed, Bath, and Beyond with my 20% coupon for only $4.  I was never really too worried about germs before...but I don't need to go to the hospital again so now I'm uber-aware of washing our hands.  

Thanks to Gamma, Papa, Jane, and Jacquie for visiting us while we were in the hospital.  And thanks to all of our family and friends who were thinking about us, too.  It is great to know we have such a wonderful support from everyone!      

Snow Fun!

Chad was so excited to take Jordan out to play in the snow.  Last year, Jordan had a bodysuit type snowsuit and he wasn't walking so he couldn't do much in the snow.  This year, he has big boy overall snowpants and got to run around and climb hills with dad.  He loves it!

Beans, Beans, Beans!

One day we were here at home and trying to entertain Jordan when I remembered Kathy had posted Maddy playing with beans on her blog.  I found a random bag of lentils in our pantry and put them into a tupperware bowl for Jordan.  They didn't last long in the buckets, he had more fun pouring them all over the floor and on his head.  He was completely entertained for about 45 minutes.  It was fun to sit and play with him, moving the beans all around.  I agree with Kathy that this is a great idea, clean up is super easy, just sweep up all the beans.  I'm still finding random lentils here and there, but Jordan had so much fun.