It Is So Cold In Minnesota!!!

We've managed to keep ourselves warm here in the cold of late - today at 12noon it was -8 (and I think we're in the warm part of the state). I don't know if it ever got any warmer than that or not, and we didn't venture out to feel. But I suspect it probably stayed right around there. It was such a pretty sunshine-y day too! The kids and the adults in this house are starting to get cabin fever - we're all pretty much driving each other crazy these days! I was just commenting last night how I was really wanting some snow for Thanksgiving - a mere 2 months ago - and now I can't wait for no snow and some warmer weather (not over 80 degrees though).

So we had a birthday party for Olivia and Zachary on Saturday. We'll have to post some pictures that other people took because in the excitement of it all Scott and I never remember to take any pictures! Someday we'll wish we had. Lucky for us, Grandpa and Grandma LOVE to take a lot of pictures! The kids had a blast at their party. Lots of kids as usual, and lots of noise and running and playing. Maddie had a pretty tough day though - thanks to teething! So a fun time wasn't had by her! It ended with her having a full melt-down and finally screaming herself to sleep after everybody left. Poor baby - we hate to make them cry to sleep, but we just didn't know what else to do for her by that point!

Maddie's had a not-so-fun couple of months. Just before Christmas she got sick - then recovered, but decided that she needed to maintain that "Mommy needs to hold me all the time" closeness. So that's been kind of tough. And then all the kids got the stomach flu right after New Year's, so not fun. And then sometime during then she started teething again too. So if not a sore bottom, then extremely fussy, or crying if Mama's not holding her, or crying about every little thing, and after a little while nothing makes it any better. I discovered that she's cut a couple of bottom middle teeth and then some of the molars came through. Painful times. The good news about this is she's been feeling better starting Tuesday! Yea!!! So now I am not required to carry her at all times (although a lot still), but she has also developed this wonderful and fun personality, which is a great reward for putting up with all the teething. So we've been giggling and playing and she loves it when I chase her around the house and catch her or tickle her. It's been a good time - I'm hoping this "phase" will last a long time, if it is even a phase...

posted by Elena