Advent conspiracy!

Happy 5th Birthday Nicholas ~ Lots of pictures!

And she huffed, and she puffed and after a mere 27 hours, she pushed him right out!
This was taken shortly after his birth - I was a zombie, like you couldn't tell! It was incredible! The love that exploded in that room was nothing short of the miracle of a child ~ You'll notice I was able to have Kiki put lipstick on me!

Daddy holding his son for the first time...
At home, first bath...

Party time - FIVE YEARS OLD 11-20-03!!!

Kissing Papa ~

Bouncing with Grandma ~

Uncle Jim, Auntie Kiki (my sister), Nick, and cousin Christina (Beana)~

Yaya and Papa (my parents) ~

She's a devil! What fun!

Let's cut this cake so I can get the heck outta here! This was the first year I didn't make his cake, the guilt!!!!

Daddy, Nick, Mommy.... awww...

Ketch-up post ~

My kids - it still kills me to say something like, "I'm upstairs with the KIDS". For the many of you with more than one child this seems small, but it's a wonderful BIG change in our home!

The weather outside is frightful... well, not really. I've begun listening to CHRISTmas music and I couldn't resist the cliche! It's getting pretty cold in New England, like 39 degrees cold most nights but in the fifties during most days (can't complain). But darkness hits real early this time of year here..... like 4:30 PM, yes in the afternoon. Here's a sampling of what's new at our house with TWO kids.

In health news; Tessa, Nick, and I are doing really good. My energy is getting very close to normal again! Woohoo!

This video is for Antie PQ - We made 12lbs of meatballs! It was a fun family event! ALL hands were washed well and Purell'd, no worries.... Everybody but Tessa got in on the fun of rolling!

I'll throw it at your face; you WILL NOT THROW IT AT MINE!

Tessa: "I just put a frog in your undies, heheheh......"

Behold the beauty of this girl - no jokes - she is amazing, inside and out!

Tessa's first half day of daycare! Good for me, fantastic for her. It's been three months since we returned home with Tessa and we felt she was ready to start interacting with other kids and Nick at pre-school! She did AWESOME and they LOVE her there! She still needs some work with things but she continues to blow us away with her adaptability. But don't ask me about naps or bedtime! No, just kidding, she's ok with them, but it's really the only time she shows any protest. And it's slight at that!

My baby girl in her first winter coat!

GO SEE AMY BOTTOMLY BY MONDAY!

Go to Amy's blog for more information on how YOU can participate!!!

Comment on the montage here!

Gross. Germs, germs, and more germs ~

Everyone is still sick! Upon return from Ethiopia you may remember that I fractured my tailbone the next day. Then I got a bad sinus infection. All seemed fine for a couple of weeks and then we all got really sick again, coughing, fevers, chills, sneezing etc. I had it more than everyone else but they still couldn't get rid of their coughs. My extreme fatigue and inability to carry on with everyday activities quickly went on from one week to the next until I saw the Dr. who thought whatever it was should pass soon. Well, it didn't and after having fevers on and off and exhaustion after six weeks I went back. Malaria test = negative. Chest X-ray = negative. TB test = negative... So after some bloodwork they found that I was positive for two different forms of Mono! I was glad for something to come back positive. So more rest is in order and I feel like I'm on an upswing!! Things are slowly getting better.

This past Thursday I brought the kids in for another check up for Tessa (shots etc.) and they were worried about Nicks persistant cough. Poor Tess had what many of your kids have had or are still having which is endless tubes of blood drawn and lots of immunizations! She failed both hearing tests which was not a big concern to the Dr. but we'll go see an ENT specialist to make sure. We have to do more poop samples because she was positive for a couple of different "things" when we came home that were treated. And they did the TB test on her as well...

After mass today we had to go by the Dr.'s office for the PPD to be read. I knew the answer by looking at her forearm and by the research I did on TB when I was tested. I was right... Tessa Bezu has Tuberculocis. They sent us to the hospital for a chest X-ray and we'll talk to the Dr. tomorrow about the course of action for her.

Everything I've read looks like it's most likely the latent form but either way she'll take medication for 6-12 months to eliminate all traces of it. The thought of all thoses harsh antibiotics is not something I want her to have to take, but it is what it is.

On a happy note, in my down time I've been working very hard on a video montage of the past year +. I'm really happy with it and will post it in a couple of days or so!

And if you're brave/stupid enough to enter through the doors of our home, be safe, wear a mask! :)

Most of the leaves are all gone now in New England... and it is pitch black by 5:30 pm! You know what that means.... bring on the Christmas music and decorations!!!

Two words!

Double mono!

No wonder I've been in bed so much! That's all for now....

She's still si*k!! C'mon, enough already!!!!

Tell me these look like they're handmade and very well thought out costumes!!! Ok, I'm a Halloween loser parent! I get a big fat "F" in the department of the holiday fun. I must first admit that it's always been a holiday that never meant much to me - I don't know why, it just hasn't! Plus, drum roll, I'm still F*ck**ng sick ~ It's a good thing the windows are closed because I'd like to jump out of one but I'm too fatigued to unlock one!

Nick insisted on this Optimus Prime costume that is about two sizes too small and shows a huge wedge in the back and all of his junk in the front is squeezed in like he's a Russian dancer or something. I was literally in stitches and emailed close-up shots to MP and my sister (and others.) I don't dare show them on here and I swear I'm not a crazy lady - it's just so funny and something you'd only expect to see Will Ferell do as a joke in a movie! Poor little guy, he's going to hate me for allowing him to wear it someday... And he thought he looked so cool that he wants to wear it next year. Hey, it'll be double the laughs when it's smaller!

Awww...

I'm in my costume too~ I was dressed as a Dave Matthews fan (I went all out and put on a cap for the look) who stayed home to pass out candy! ;) What a LAME mommy!

My excuse... Everybody, say it in unison..."she's STILL SICK!" More to follow on that!

Grandpa's birthday dinner!

The Princess Tessa Bezu~