Christmas in Paris--tons of pics

We had our Christmas in Paris with my fam in early January. It was lots of fun. Christmas has definitely changed in our house with the arrival and growth of our little ones. Its crazy and hectic, but was so fun.

Mom makes her yummy dressing for our big Christmas dinner. Kanyon helped Paw Paw tear up the toast.

"Hey Everyone!"

This Christmas thing is boring!

klp's scooting is always intriguing to other kids. We've seen multiple kids try to scoot when they're around Kanyon. Ideally we'd like for him to copy THEM, but whatever. Here is Landry scooting. I've said it before, but I think these two have a thing. They're buddies, they just kinda gravitate to each other.

My little boys getting ready to open their presents

I brought qsp's Christmas pj's but was too lazy to change him and now i'm sad. it would've been so much cuter. Mom and Dad kept their tree up until our Christmas celebration. It was more like a weeping willow by the time we celebrated! How cute is this bunch!

This basketball goal has been up in our living room since we were little kids. Despite the collapsed rim from too much dunking, its still fun for the next generation!

Uncle Clay chillin' with q

Consider this our Christmas card. Its the first family picture (other than the swollen face full of IV fluids in the hospital pics that I'd rather not show or look at)

sweet sleeper.

I stayed the whole week since I still had 1 week left til I could life klp. One afternoon me, Mo, and our kids went on a walk behind her house. Rachel was invited but her kids take marathon naps, so they missed the fun. Here we stopped to throw rocks over the bridge.

Aunt Mo and baby Quinn

klp and Nolan owning the kitchen!

cute little quinn with his eyes open!

cute boy pulling out ALL of the dirt.Not so cute!

cute little quinn with his eyes closed!

ROLLIN' with Quinn...get it? rolls. he's growing them.

out of order...this is us ready for our walk.

I didn't have the tray on the front of the stroller and klp leaned over and played with the muddy wheels the WHOLE time. We will FOR SURE be putting the tray on the next time we use the stroller!

We had a great time in Paris. Lots of things happened that I didn't get pictures of. Like my Quinn's first bball game (to watch his uncles play).

Things are going well here. It ain't always pretty but we're thriving! :) The worst thing is that I'm trying to not eat dairy and see if that will help with qsp's congestion/tummy issues. Its NOT GOOD. All i eat is dairy. Seriously, my food pyramid is more like a block. Equal amounts of BREAD and DAIRY. Its only been since saturday. I hear I have to give it at least 2-3 weeks before its out of my system. After that time, I'll start working it back in to my diet and see what it does. Hopefully nothing so I can eat mac and cheese again!!!!! BUT if it makes little q boy feel better, then I'll do whatever I have to.

I've been ignoring Kanyon long enough. He's been awake in his bed for quite some time, but I HAD to finish this blog! :)

Kanyon Ki Ki Ko Ko and Rosie Jo

I have lots to blog about, but Rachel just sent me these pictures of Kanyon and Roselyn from last week. They were too cute....they deserved their own post. Oh yeah...the title of the post....Roselyn calls Kanyon Kanyon Ki Ki Ko Ko. She has always called him Ki Ki, but we added The Kanyon ko ko this trip. Rosie Jo is just one of Roselyn's many nick names.

Roselyn doesn't have much respect for ones personal space:

But Kanyon doesn't seem to mind!

We were out eating and the spontaniously started hugging each other!

And playing..

and hugging some more

and a little more.

We are so very thankful for ALL of our cousins, but maybe tonight we're extra thankful for Roselyn! :) (even if she does invade klp's personal space on a regular basis!)

Reality: Day 1

So, some of you knew that today was my first day "on my own". I go to the Dr. Thursday to get officially cleared to lift my 30+ lb. son, but I'm close enough to six weeks. I have had a GREAT 6 weeks. A big huge world wide web THANK YOU goes to our parents. Both sets have been a HUGE help. I have seen both of our dad's change diapers, feed bottles, and rock Kanyon which is kinda funny. I think its been a while since they've had to do that. Both Mom's were ROCK STARS who basically took care of Kanyon and kept our tummies fed. In a "normal situation" I might could've been a lone sooner, but the fact that klp can do nothing independently and requires me to lift him even if its just up to the couch not to mention high chairs, crib, etc. I have also realized that the whole experience of the twins and all that followed has made me a completely different person (that's a whole blog on its own) and one of the ways is that I'm just NOT a risk taker. Its just not worth it to me anymore. So, even though I was ready to get back to "normal" several weeks ago, it wasn't worth the risk of messing something up with my surgery. And yes, I really was ready. As much as I love my mom and my mother in law and the rest of our families (and other people who have helped out) and how nice it was to have help and LOTS of it, I was ready to get on with what will become our new normal.

So, today I decided everyone in the Phillips Phamily was going to have a reality check.
Me: well, duh. I'm doing it all on my own.
Kory: Depending on how this transition goes, he may find that his wife isn't as cool and calm as she's appeared to be the last 6 weeks. And, there's a little more work waiting for him when he gets home than there used to be. Lots of KLP klp time. Luckily, klp thinks his daddy is the greatest thing in the universe.
Kanyon: "Uhhhhh Where's my non stop entertainment and play slaves?" He is gonna have to play by himself and fun with mom might get interrupted or cut short.
Quinn: "Why isn't Mommy holding me right now?" The last 6 weeks I held him LOTS. I wanted to. I've learned that about myself. I just want to hold my babies. Sue me. I'm not worried about spoiling or anything else. I think its too young for that nonsense. BUT qsp got a taste of what might be his new fate. A little more alone time, a little less mommy.

Going into this, I wasn't really worried. People adjust to new kids all the time. Kanyon does require a little bit more/different care than the norm, but for the most part, its not that big of a deal. BUT the feeding was what worried me. Kanyon's schedule is strict and I have MAYBE 30 min. of wiggle room with his meal/snack times and therefore his nap time. AND they last 30 min. AND I run the meals. I have to be right there engaged and actually doing this the entire 30 min. I don't have the luxury of throwing some food on a tray and letting him eat it while I do other things. I was worried Quinn would need to eat at the same time (which happened LOTS when we had our help, but luckily they could feed klp) and its still taking a good while to feed Quinn (I guess we're both still learning). I didn't now how I would work out feeding them both.

So how did it go?
GREAT! Quinn ate around 4am and never really went back to sleep good so neither did I, but that's OK. The timing of the eating worked great! I managed to feed both boys, get both boys asleep at the same time, catch a little nap, shower, get supper ready, feed Kory, get ready for small group and only be 9 min. late leaving. I did forget to eat breakfast (I LOVE breakfast, I NEVER skip it) and did it again at lunch. I wondered why I was starving at 4:30! And I forgot to feed Ollie. Other than that, I think we got it all done! I think the timing of the eating is going to be my biggest challenge and therefore determine how smooth our days go. We also didn't have therapy today so that was good. We have it tomorrow so hopefully I can throw the therapy schedule in with the feeding/nap schedule and make it work.

When I sat down to do this blog it was going to be short. Sorry. I don't even have pictures.

Bath Time and Sweetness

I did document qsp's first bath. Good thing since it took so long to get one. And for the record he HAS had another one since then.

you know how it goes...its pretty much THIS the whole time.

Gay Gay calmed him down with a warm towel

We went to church last week. I never got a picture until about 11 pm. that night. He wore the same outfit to church that klp wore his first time to church. Thankfully, he had no gas attacks during church! (the outfit really did fit (actually a little big) but it looks like its too small in this pic)

sweetness sleeping so comfy

sweetness in the recliner-How do you NOT take a picture when this is happening???!!!
Hey there little cutie. pure sweetness

SWEETNESS! Pardon me while my heart melts!!

We had Christmas in Paris this weekend and the boys and I are staying this week. By the end of this week I'll be close to being able to lift Kanyon. I should get cleared from my Dr. on the 21st. We're enjoying good times with cousins this week. I'm enjoying the last week of all of this HELP! Its been great, but I'm feeling the need to get into our little routine and figure out how this is gonna work for us. I realize that means more work for me, more fits for klp, probably a little more neglet for qsp, and more rescuing of the strung out wife for KLP, but I think we're ready for it!!!

Faces of Gas

Pardon the potty humor.
Yesterday Quinn was laying on my lap and broke out in one of his frequent gas attacks. I documented it. They go something like this:

mild discomfort

a little squirm and grunt

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

Screaming and face turning colors

**insert gassy relief**

Ahhhhhhh. Much better. Back to my limp, calm sleepiness.