Farm Animal Friday #6

This is Norman, the big-necked Belgian colt.  This was his awkward stage.  He grew into quite a magnificent horse, indeed.

The Night the Baby Slept

If you "like" my Facebook page, you may have seen me practically screaming from the rooftops about how excited I am that Claire slept nearly 12 hours last night.

That's right.  At 17 (and a half!) months old, my baby *just* slept through the night for the first time.  As in, didn't wake up screaming for me once.  And even better, didn't once wake me up with double-heel kicks to the face (oh yes, she has done that before).

Claire's preferred sleeping method.  ON MY PILLOW.  And no, I'm not asleep - I can't sleep like that!  I'm closing my eyes to block out the flash and secretly hoping it startles Claire into rolling over (it didn't - I had to move her).

Now, some of you just absolutely, positively cannot relate to this.  Your kids have been sleeping through the night since you were still counting their ages in weeks.  Maybe even in their own cribs, and maybe even in their own rooms.

For better or worse, that's not the case here.

When I woke up this morning at 6:40 AM, Claire's smiling face just inches from my own as she peered at me through her shaggy bangs, I was tired (it was 6:40 AM!).  But then, I realized...it was 6:40 AM!  Nearly 12 hours after I had laid Claire down in bed and tiptoed into the living room to watch Real Housewives.  And she hadn't woken me once all night long.

I know better than to expect a repeat performance.  I know so, so much better than that (my four-year-old doesn't consistently sleep through the night yet).  

But I'll take it for what it is.  A night of peace, for myself and for Claire.

And I will be very, very grateful for it.

Kickin' This Flu to the Curb

This week has been a doozy, as far as illnesses go.

Actually, you know what?

This whole last YEAR has been a doozy.

I don't think we've ever been this sick, this often.  In the last nine months alone, we've had two different flus, the kids have had eye infections and ear infections (several ear infections), and we've been visited by The Stomach Virus from Hell.  That on top of the standard head congestion/colds/sinus issues that are to be expected.

Poor little sickie.

I attribute all of this sickness to society and children.  We were *never* this sick when we lived out in the country - probably because we were rarely around other people, and we were hardly ever around other kids.  Now we live in the Suburbs.  Jack goes to pre-school several times a week and we play with the neighborhood kids on a regular basis (and they all go to school, too).  I guess germs come with the territory.

But whenever we are sick, I find myself being grateful for our health.  Grateful that is a temporary hiccup in our daily lives.

Big kid meds, little kid meds, grown-up meds, water!

Two trips to the Urgent Care (can't wait for that bill...), several sleepless nights and a house full of germs later, I am ready to kick this illness to the curb.  And I am lucky that we *can* kick this illness to the curb.

I hope in this new year (all fresh and bright and wide open before me...once the flu oozes out of our lives, that is...) we can find a way to build up our immune systems and get healthier.  I feel like we aren't being very respectful to our health when we're shoving our faces full of cannolis, you know?

Maybe it's the flu talking, but, I'm ready to make some changes.

I know there are a lot of food/health documentaries out there - which ones are worth watching?