Catching up...

The Princess is was napping. The patient is sleeping. The Sound of Music is on.  I'm blogging! Scroll down....I think I'm up to 4 new posts and a couple more to go.

The Patient

Ben now has a new ACL thanks to his doctor and his own hamstring (the doctor took part of his hamstring to create a new ACL in his knee).  As I figured might happen, he had a hard time with the anesthesia part of the surgery. He was 2nd to last patient to leave the hospital (after 8PM) and his surgery was over around 12:30PM.  He's doing better each day, but he spent his first few days at home like this....

We put the gate up to keep the kids out. (We quickly learned that they didn't have the need for personal space like he did.)  Ben still has to spend 4 hours a day in this machine that bends his knee and stretches his hamstring.  He joked that it'll be his most relaxing Christmas vacation ever...lots of reading and movie watching.

Christmas Program #2

The Handsome Man had a Christmas program at school. Unfortunately, it was on the day that Ben's ACL surgery was to take place. We missed it. But my parents and sister were able to go and take pictures for me (and all of you).  The Handsome was pretty excited to be one of the three Wise Men. And I'm pretty sure he did a great job. :)

Christmas Program

The Princess had a Christmas Program at the weekly Bible Study I attend.  She should have been here....

But instead she was here.... on my lap...with her blankie.

She never made it to the stage. She was *that* child who ran out of the aisle, crying, straight onto Mommy's lap.  Oh well....maybe next year she'll make it to the stage. :)

Novem-beard

It is what you think....grow your beard in November.  Ben's co-worker decided it would be a good contest to see who go the longest without shaving. The only time I've seen anything close to this much facial hair on my man is after a long week + of camping. But this is one month....

He's still quite handsome, but I prefer him sans-facial hair. He did finally shave and is back to his handsomer self.  (And, in the end, the contest fizzled and there was no prize. Darn.)

Wow-zers a of week(s)

I'm not really sure how to describe the last couple of weeks around here. Wow-zers is all I can think of. Or maybe just crazy. That'll work too.  Here's a quick update:

Around November 15th, we got a call to foster a for a little boy who is almost 3.  It's a long story, but he didn't come until Friday, November 18th.  The state did tell us he was developmentally delayed and neglected, but the social workers actually didn't know how severe his situation was.   By the end of the weekend (in which he cried all the time), we knew that he needed more time and attention than a mom with 3 young kiddos could give.  We let the social worker know and it took them a while to find a new home for him.  Eventually they did find a better place for him....a foster home with no other children so that he can get all the time and attention he needs and deserves.

In the meantime, the Princess turned 2 on November 19th! Pictures to come soon. 

Then, the Princess decided that a super high fever would be a good way to culminate her birthday. Poor girl had a high fever and a nasty looking throat for days. We ended up staying home for Thanksgiving because she was still running an above normal temp. :(  She's all better now, but she forgot how to get herself back to sleep so she's still waking up about twice each night.  Hope that changes soon tonight.

The little foster guy will be going to his new family in a couple of days. Of course we're getting used to him, and him to us. But we know this will be good for him. He needs 16 hours of early intervention therapies a week and needs to see 6 doctors in the near future.  I just don't have enough hours in the day to do all that he needs.  The more attention he gets, the more progress he'll continue to make.

Oh, and I nearly missed the most exciting part of the last two weeks.....my niece was born last week! We drove down to see my sister and her growing family yesterday. I'll admit that I pretty much monopolized the baby-holding time. I just couldn't help it.  She's too cute!

Sweetness

Earlier this month, my sister had her 2nd sweet baby girl.  I had to share my niece-holding time this year with her cousins! They loved holding her (wouldn't you?).