Sleepy Moo

Saline nasal drops...

are great for getting those baby boogers out but poor little Monster sure does hate them. She started crying and screaming and then Sadie dog got very upset that she was crying and had to get involved. Sadie tried to lick away Monster's tears but that didn't seem to soothe her. Nuk-nuk (pacifier) finally quieted her down.

I think Monster is mad at me now because of those drops - I am the bad guy tonight.
-Marie

Lazy huskies on the couch

Dancing time

These dogs are crazy cooped up in this house...Bella is dancing with Ian.

Sadie begging

Weirdo

Ian's first attempt at french onion soup...

It is as good as it looks!

Blue Elephant

Moo's favorite sleeping buddy

Poor sleepy sick Moo!

Snow storm was a bust

But Ian stayed home sick anyway. Probably a good thing that the snow didn't stick - we would have been miserable outside shoveling and clearing the cars. We are all fighting a cold - I have it the worst, then probably little Monster, then Ian with his super immune system. Been laying around all day, sleeping and fighting this cold. Little Monster is hanging in there, and I have been giving her children's tylenol and using that nifty nasal aspirator. You wouldn't believe me if I told you what I was able to pull out of her little nose! Gross but intriguing. I won't post pics!
-Marie

First cold...

First cold...
Well we all have a cold...even poor little Monster. I think one of Ian's coworkers passed it to us. It's a bad one.

Daddy with his two favorite girls

Hailey dog and little Monster

Sadie watching over her charge

She is the best dog ever! Protects her non-furry sister.

Buddies

Best buddy

Dinosaur baby

Eating little blue elephants

More teething

Strangest dog position

More

Teething relief

Finally a break

This child has been a serious handful the past two days. She must be teething and it is truly a miserable time. She hates cold teething rings, gets frustrated with her nuk, and can't seem to hold a room temp teething ring in her mouth-then gets mad when I try to help...

Gotta be teething

Cranky baby...

Must be teething. What a miserable experience for all parties.

Silly face

Clawde's baby

He is obsessed with her, tries to sleep next to her, smells her, and sleeps in her crib (not while she is in it though).

Victory!

Now monster can stretch all the way in her new mini crib. The moses basket has been retired early.

Nap

Assume position now SLEEP!

What is wrong in this picture?

Besides the dog with the glowing eyes (Ginger), could it be Franz the cat who has stolen Sadie's dog bed?

Wise little owl

Eating ellie

the dirtiest diapers...

I have changed over three very dirty diapers in the past 6 hours...poor monster has diarrhea for the first time in her life. She is acting normally, which is a good thing, and eating her normal amount. We called the PED and she recommended giving her some pedialyte and making sure we wash our hands very well so we don't keep giving back this stomach bug. Hopefully it will run its course over the next few days.

I can't wait for Ian to get home and take over diaper duty!

-Marie

For Buck...

Notice the extreme laziness of the husky...

My bed...

Good morning

Spoiled Sadie chewing a bone...

...that Mom is holding for her. Lazy husky mutt.

Thumb sucker

Eating in front of the tv...

...just like her daddy! darn kid is watching tv while I am trying to give her a bottle. Really gonna restrict this in the future so she doesn't pick up daddy's bad habits.

More Hans...

Hans bathing the baby

Can you see the patch of wet hair where he was licking her?

Tummy time isn't the greatest...

A necessary evil to build those crawling muscles!

La hora de la fiesta...

Party time...Monster is enjoying her Putumayo childrens' music CD. Mommy is going to play her music every afternoon to jumpstart her singing/dancing career. We really like the Littlest Birds and No More Monkeys from Animal Playground...

Monster talk

Bath time for Monster!

So cute!

Sleeping in

This can't be true...

...or I need to enter rehab for a shoe addiction.

Sadie's lair

See her head poking out on the left? She is guarding a bone.

Valentines gift to Moo...

...from Daddy.

Heart bum!

Check out those red shoes!

Happy Valentine's Day, sleepy Moo!

Little Monster Moo is taking her morning nap. We had hoped to take her and the dogs to my parents, but it looks like we are going to spend the day at home instead. Instead, my parents are going to my sister's for birthday cake for my nephew today - Leif's birthday is Wednesday. We weren't exactly invited and we had repeatedly been told that birthday cake for each of the kids would always be on the actual birthday (no matter how inconvenient that was in the past), long story about that one....soooo, here we are!

Dogs are disappointed - Ginger keeps looking up at me for a sign that she is going for a car ride. Instead, Ian is playing in the backyard, throwing snowballs and running around with the dogs. Hailey is the only dog that doesn't play. She is getting too old for that kind of play and the cold.

Well, someone just woke up and is giving me lots of smiles. I think she wants my attention - little diva! Fortunately, she wakes up really happy 90% of the time!
-Marie

Wii baby

Yes, she is watching the tv screen while he plays. Mommy is not pleased with this behavior.

Ian's idea of quality time with the baby...

He is playing wii - super mario bros.

Not waiting til cool!

Ian doesn't like it, so looks like more for me and you, Mom!

Mmmmm....banana bread

Email to Septa Customer Service...

Signal problems prevented the R6 Norristown from continuing along the tracks after the N. Broad stop. Instead of backing up and allowing passengers to depart at the N. Broad station, a station on the designated line, the train backed up to the Wayne Junction station, a station not even on the designated line. We were then stranded there, told by train conductors to either to wait on the train indefinitely until the problems were fixed and then the entire line was cleared with countless other trains in the queue ahead of us or get off the train at Wayne Junction. Already delayed over 2 hours and not knowing when or if I would make it to my station, East Falls, I had to walk almost 3 miles in the freezing weather through snow-covered roads and sidewalks. This is completely unacceptable customer service from Septa. Passengers should be given the opportunity to depart at previous stations on the line, not stranded at unfamiliar stations at an even greater distance from the originating center city location. This disregard for customer welfare is completely unacceptable.
Ian Musselman

What I wanted to say: Septa blows! (this is the edited family friendly version of what I was saying on my walk home through some of the finest parts of North Philadelphia in the freezing cold)

I really need to go back to work...

I am just not cut out for this...staying at home all day by myself. It is particularly bad because of the snow - can't take the car out anywhere because it isn't completely dug out and who knows if the spot will still be there upon my return. So I sit here...all day...every day...my mind is slowly rotting away...I either need to find a job or I need to move somewhere else...neither seems to be a viable option right now! Totally rethinking living in Philly...

I am waiting for Ian to get home - he left work over 2 hours ago but there are problems with the train line (of course inept Septa at its best) and he is now walking over 2.5 miles from an alternate station not even on our train line. Don't even get me started on my hatred of Septa right about now! Annette is being so demanding today, and I really wanted Ian home at a decent hour to give me a break. Not happening...

What is that saying from Seinfeld? Serenity now, serenity now...
-Marie

Blue elephant and nuk save the day...

A little fussy (needing a nap) until nuk and blue elephant soothed all. The elephant was a gift from a very kind person at Penn. She loves it!

Happy 3 months, Little Monster!

It is unbelievable that Annette was born 3 months ago...she is sooo big now! 3 months isn't very long at all, but it seems like this little one has been with us much longer than that. Well, I guess technically she was with us for 9 additional months... She still has the hiccups multiple times a day, just like she did when I was carrying her. She is a talker, such a little talker.

She has pretty much grown out of her Moses basket. I had really hoped to make it longer using that as her bed. We broke down and bought a mini crib to keep in our bedroom (the full size crib from our neighbor wouldn't fit in the room). It is shipping now, and I am hoping it is here by Tuesday as scheduled, or this little bean will have nowhere to sleep! We would like to keep her near us in our bedroom for as long as possible - through at least 6-9 months when the risk of SIDS finally decreases - we are in no hurry to have her leave our little nest. Between the 5 dogs and 2-3 cats that sleep in our room any given night, we love having the little monster close to us as well! The more the merrier, right?

Well, happy 3 month birthday little monster, you are such a little angel!
-Marie

Morning talk with blue owl

She's awake!

Someone doesn't want to wake up this morning

Berry scones hot out of the oven

And Bella the baking assistant.

My work from home assistant

Laying down on the job.

Lots and lots of snow with nowhere to go!

Pathfinder cleared off as best as possible in case we need to get out.

Poor taurus only has a bit of blue peeking out...totally plowed in.

Please take us outside...

...we can't stand being apart from you for one second! Darn velcro dogs!