Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Dear Hen and Zizzle Zazzle, 
Christmas!  Christmas! Christmas!  Fortunate doesn't describe it.    This year was a celebration to mark our lives moving forward...past the years of struggle, doctors and disappointments and into the years of raising our two wild things.  Our tree went up a couple of days after Thanksgiving and while Skittle is oblivious to what is happening she loves the lights and paper flying as presents are unwrapped.  Henry on the other hand you were SOOOOO excited and couldn't wait for Christmas to arrive.  Hmmm...I am trying to figure out here what I want to tell you... I don't know at what age you'll want to read some of this blog so I'll tread carefully.  I took you to the library again this year to see the Santa presentation.  It was fun, and you got a sort of weird picture with Santa.  We also saw Santa at the Children's Museum and got a cute picture that I need to scan.  You've really started stepping up as a big brother.  You helped Hazel open her gifts by carefully putting her hands on the paper and holding gently as you pulled the paper.   

You held her closely so we could get some nice pictures by the tree.  

You also wanted her to have matching Christmas jammies with you so I took it a step too far and dorked up the entire family in red.  I could not resist with the three into four factor.  

Santa Claus brought all types of wonderful surprises for you.  He went to town on Spiderman fun with a web shooting action figure, under-roos, and super tuff crime fighting sweatshirt.  You like wearing the under-roos and exposing it from under your shirt and zipping around the house to defend against crazy stuff, like Laser Baby.  

You got a backhoe building thing, a mummy to excavate, a constellation bug light, a book of Curious George tales, a whoopie cushion, a giant floor puzzle and some Pit Droids.  Grandpa Tim sent you a cool inflatable globe and binoculars!  

Skittle, you got a cute little treasure chest that plays music when you put the coins in, a book, "If I Could Keep You Little," a pretty little outfit and some other fun baby play things.  You just kept smiling and smiling and smiling.  

The best present this Christmas came from Mommy and Daddy.  Mommy sewed a tent for you, Henny, and Daddy and I built you a framework.  It was made to sit just behind your bed to make a little snuggle pit cave, as you like to call it.  The inside has planets on the ceiling and back wall and a side wall has a map of the United States.  YOU LOVED THIS!  Just seeing the pipes you screamed, "PIPES! Alright!" 

You went to business when we started putting it together.

We put some Christmas lights inside and some pillows and blankets and you holed up there the rest of the day even having Daddy put a movie on his table for you to watch.  I am so excited about this.  Daddy and I want one for ourselves.   

You also took your jobs seriously this year of passing out the presents and keeping the paper in a nice pile away from the goods. 

Once the presents were all discovered you were able to play in the big pile of paper.  

Next year will only be that much more exciting as you begin to understand more and more around you, thought you're already pretty with it.  I so love sharing Christmas at home as a family.  And Santa told me to tell you he loved the cookies!  
Love, Mama    

Christmas Excitement and My 400th Post!

Dear Peep-St. Nick,
After a rough week leading into the Christmas holiday Daddy began recovering from pneumonia and the hospital mishap and returned home late on the 20th.  It took a couple of days to feel sort of normal again at home.  While we recouped Grandpa Tim and Trish took you to Wonder Lab with the annual pass they bought you for Christmas.  We are so excited to use it!  We reworked Christmas a bit this year.  We went to Grandma Jean's on the 24th for our traditional brunch and Grandma P and Bahboo joined us along with Auntie Krispie and Currie.  We opened presents, had some pie and came home.  It was a nice low key Christmas and we will meet with Grandma P and Bahboo later in the week.  We received such cool and thoughtful gifts.  Grandma LaJean bought you a very cool garbage truck, which you just happened to play with ANY time we were around the toy aisle at a store.  Your aunties came in with some exciting new toys; popsicle makers, a play dough dessert and ice cream pumper, and a baking kit just for you with an apron and utensils.   We were very proud of how you showed gratitude.  We were happy that absent was a sense of greed on your part.  

Henry helped Aunt Krispie play Santa to deliver the gifts.

 

Eating all of the special treats his aunties brought to share.

Conducting Silent Night for his aunties.

Playing hide and seek with GG.

Reading the Run Away Squash with GG.

Ready to eat GG's homemade apple pie. Yum!

  On the 25th when it was time to open our presents together you were excited to see all the gifts but you were not at all interested in opening any.  We said, "Henny! Those are your presents in the middle!  Open them up!"  You said, "Nooo.  I got my presents already."  We had to beg you to open yours.  When you finally did you showed so much enthusiasm it was the most fun Christmas in a really long time.  

New Toy Story boxers got as much excitement as your very own red guitar, although you wanted to sleep with your guitar and your pluck (pick) and the undies you did not.  You loved Mr. Potato Head, all the cooking toys, and you gave us exams with your doctor's kit.  

I had taken your old unfinished table and made it to look like a half stove/ half hibachi and drilled knobs into the side.  You pulled off the blanket with the skills and posture of a distinguished bull fighter, swiftly and cleanly.  We heard a gasp and, "Uh, uh, uh, uh hibachi!"  All of the gifts were as big a hit as the last.  

  We have a hunch that you're not really buy the whole Santa Clause story just yet.  You watched tons of holiday movies and we went to visit Santa a the mall but you sat on his lap stiff as a board.  After you opened all your presents you said thank you Mommy, thank you Daddy, without solicitation I might add.  We played the old line to the t but you weren't biting.  That's okay.  Santa or no Santa your energy makes for a great Christmas, not to mention we are all incredibly grateful and happy to be together to try to get back to normal after Daddy's hospital visit. 

  After all the gifts were opened we were pleasantly surprised that you took to our tradition of watching A Christmas Story as many times as it could show in a day.  We played with toys, ate some chili, played diving board into the blue blanket, you chewed on Daddy like a zombie baby, took a nice long bubble bath, went for a drive to see Christmas lights, and you passed out on the kitchen floor on our return.  It was wonderful having a relaxing day with my two favorite guys.  

A shark emerged from the tub!

 Christmas the last few years has been all over the place in emotions....this year it was Daddy's unexpected illness, last year just before and just after Christmas Mommy's grandparents both died, the year before Mommy's free spirited aunt Judy died and the year before we got our first call from our friend and your birthmom J, a joyous occasion for certain.  I know everything will always turn out okay as long as team Thompson can stick it out together, nothing is going to stop us.   I can't wait until next Christmas!

Love, Mama

SHOT to the Heart, Mommy's to Blame, She gives Love A Bad Name!

Dear Henry,

I took you for your second round of shots today. I wasn't looking forward to it for many reasons. The last round you were not quite yourself for about 4 days afterward, not to mention the pain it causes you is not super appealing. It went well, you had Nice Nurse and she loved on you a bit before giving you the oral vaccination. While I should have been happy that at least one of these vaccinations was not a shot I hated the sense that I was lulling you into a false sense of happiness and well being.

She pushed the plunger slowly into your mouth and Mommy felt sick as she saw you smiling and talking as if to say, "This is sweet Mommy. Thank you!" Your precious baby smiles all gummy and wet about to be wiped off of your face with the harsh sting of the leg shot.

I put you down so I could get up in your ear and start shshhhhhooshing you... and YOWSAH!

You started screamin'. It lasted about 30 seconds to a minute and then you chilled. You laid there looking at me with your pretty baby blue/greens shocked.



I put you in your car seat and we headed to the license branch. You seemed good. We arrived home, you started to fuss a bit. Mommy laid you on a blanket on your tummy and went to the bathroom. I thought you might like to play when I returned so I set your bowling pin up and left sock monkey next to you for company. I came back and even in your anxious state you had knocked your bowling pin down with your head, rolled over, and fell asleep. I wasn't in the other room more than two minutes and you accomplished all of that, grumpy and all. I'm glad that you were sleepin' it off but this didn't last long. An hour or so later you started wailing! and wailing! and wailing! a high pitched sucker punch scream that made me feel as if my ears were pouring blood. Mommy tried to hold you, gave you acetaminophen, feed you, reasoned with you but for 45 minutes nothing was doin'. I called the doctor for advice. There really wasn't any advice except if it continues for 6 hours there might be a problem!!! 6 hours!!! I think my ear drums would have shriveled and my brain explode by hour 3.

About minute 50 a UPS package arrived and it was some new handmade blankies from Greatest Auntie Linda. I spread out the duckie blanket and put you on it. I fixed you a bottle and came back and you were asleep! Hallelujah! You've been off and on with happy sad for last couple of hours but you're still the sweetest thing I've ever held. Mommy is so happy you don't have to go get stuck again for a few months.

Love, Mommy

Hank Says Thanks

Dear Friends and Family,

I asked Mommy to write this on my behalf because I can't talk, type or truly verbally communicate just yet. I am seriously working on it so wish me the best. I appreciate all of the people thinking about me and taking the time to make, send, and spend their hard earned money in this hard economy on lil' old me.

Sincerely, Henry T.

Henry's recent gifts have been a lot of fun, beautiful and thoughtful. Cousin Amy, who lives quite a distance away, sent a really cool robot thing that you can hide away little treasures inside of and push the hand and it lights up and makes noises and a little pee pee tent sponge thing so I can stay dry during diaper changes. Henry really loved the sounds of the robot and wanted to eat the hand.


April visited from Germany and brought you a wooden toy with a fun bell in the middle and a zip up snuggle sleeper that keeps your legs under control.

Grandma LaJean's friends at church knitted you a beautiful little blanket which Henry likes to stretch out on when Daddy gets home from work.

Her buddy at work made a crib size quilt with robots on it. It looks great in your room and you'll love looking at the patterns! Baby will forever be warm and comfortable in style!
Just as I was writing this some cozy blankies arrived via UPS from Greatest Auntie Linda, one with duckies, another with baseball stuff and another with doggies and bones. Hank was CRYING A HIGH PITCHED SCREAM due to his second round of shots today and I couldn't console him at all! I sat Henry on the duckie blanket fresh out of the box and he fell asleep. Thank the heavens for Greatest Auntie Linda and the duckie blanket! Which arrived just minutes before I was about to freak out. Henry does not normally cry more than a little waaaah alarm to eat, this is only if I don't get to him quickly enough. I feel a little frazzled.


I wanted to give an honorable mention to a gift featured in one of the first post, his snake, bought by Doug and Peter. Henry has started wrestling it a bit. I came back from the bathroom yesterday to find him with the tail wrapped around his head with the snake's head sitting on his feet so he could kick it to get the bell tongue to ring. So Cute!




So many thoughtful people sending us love!

Thanks to all,
Lisa, Steve and Henry