More couch fun.

singing

jumping

Miller boys

Watching Little Einsteins. Check out Cal's gnarly black eye!


Sammy squeezed onto the pile.

Couch jumping

As the temperature plummets I am thankful for indoor winter activities. :)

Romo

Grandma bought this jersey for Sammy but it fits Freddie very well. And he looks really cute in it!

Gingerbread House

Gingerbread House, originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

Sledding

Let's go!, originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

Jacob took the boys sledding this morning. They were all very excited. More pictures up on Flickr!

Sammy, my silly little love.

Yeah, check out Freddie on the table in the background.

Our blanket of snow.

Mostly for our Texas friends and family to see.

Checking out a Sammy-made ornament.

Tree, originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

I knit those pants and Freddie spent a good time "cleaning" the floor in them while we were home yesterday.

I'm sick.

I'm sick., originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

But improving rapidly. If your little one gets Chickenpox I recommend the Amber Teething Necklaces - they've really made a difference in the inflammation! Really!

Get an Amber Teething Necklace here: Inspired By Finn They have some for adults, too.

Scene from a sick day.

Go away. I feel itchy., originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

More pics on Flickr. Click above.

Day 2.5, Homebound due to Chickenpox

But all in all I am *very* thankful that my children got Chickenpox the old-fashioned way. I've been reading up on the virus and the vaccination after being throughly disappointed by it's failure to work in Sammy (and Mo's boy Will), not to mention the boys getting sick two weeks apart.

From what I'm read, it seems like the vax merely delays the inevitable. Chickenpox/Shingles is a strong virus that keeps coming back, in many forms, and unless your body has naturally created it's immunity (ie getting the Chickenpox) you will need to keep getting vaccinated and vaccinated for Varicella (Chickenpox/Shingles). Isn't that convenient for the drug manufacturers? Seems people who have received the Varicella vaccination are *more* likely to *get* Shingles, and get them younger. Boo.

If you are interested in reading more, check out this website: Inside Vaccines: Varicella (chickenpox) Very interesting!

Chickenpox, Round Two

Nearly two weeks after Freddie was diagnosed with the Pox, Sammy comes down with them. AND the most annoying part - Sammy received the vaccination at his one-year well-check. And his spots are WORSE. SO annoying. SO frustrating. SO unfair.

A day and a half into it and I will say that having the Chickenpox at 4 is a little more challenging than at 18-months. Go get yours early, folks! (stupid dumb vax, what good is pumping chicken bits into their bodies if the dang shot doesn't even work?!)

Toddler

We've had this boy child since late April of 2007. ... haha Just thought someone might want to see the toddler on top of aforementioned Rug. He looks pretty cute in the Cowboys hat and Longhorns t-shirt Sammy's outgrown. (Sheesh. What hasn't Sammy outgrown?!)

Rug

We've had this rug since we first moved to Minneapolis in October 2001. It's moved state-to-state with us, and been a lovely accent to every home along the way. Sadly, the rug is showing it's age and wear, and has been impossible to keep clean lately. But I cannot find anything like it, and honestly don't want to part with it. If you have any ideas or suggestions how to make an old rug new please let me know. I'd really appreciate it. I love this thing.

All done!

These are the longies (knit pants) I made for Isaac. They were meant to be for his birthday, but I just got the yarn in last Monday. (It's 3-ply Purewool in the "Paulina" colorway.) The colors are *perfect* for Christmas. I hope you love them, Leah! :)

"Felizmommymom"

No, Sammy, it's "Feliz Navidad."

It the great Rodriguez male tradition he is making up words that don't make sense in English or in Spanish. :)

Christmas Tree, 2008

Thanksgiving with Grandma and Papa

Jacob's parents traveled from Texas to spend Thanksgiving with us. They went with us to Edinborough Park on Wednesday, ate a delicious meal (prepared in advance by Boston Market and heated at home by Jacob) on Thanksgiving, out shopping with Jess on Black Friday, and Christmas tree hunting Saturday. All in all a very fun visit! Sadly, there was no snow on the ground, nor super cold temperatures for their amusement, but at least Freddie came down with Chickenpox to spice things up. ;) Oh, and Jacob got to watch UT demoralize the Aggies on Thanksgiving Day with his parents, just like old times. :)

Here are a couple of shots from Thanksgiving Day.




argh! my camera cut off these pictures -- I'll post to Flickr soon so you can see the entire shots... grrr...

Freddie has CHICKENPOX!

Officially diagnosed today. We noticed a spot here or there on Monday, by Wednesday he was covered in them, and today we took him to see the doctor. Getting chickenpox at 18-months has thus far been a relief 1.) because he has a mild case and doesn't seem bothered by them at all and 2.) because now he's immune without having to get the vaccination (yay). Maybe did we a few other parents a favor by taking him to Edinborough on Wednesday... ?!?? If anyone else would like to come over and expose yourself, he's contagious until he stops breaking out in new spots (about a week).

bad lighting, but there's a lot more pox all over this poor boy

Ready for outer space.

This is the space suit Sammy came up with this morning. That is two IKEA buckets, a guitar strap and a dog collar.

A WIP for baby Gage!

Lookie Holly! :)

Here's where I'm at at the moment. One leg, one side of the gusset finished. Working left leg.


And here's a better shot of the colorway.


What do you think?!

He's so anxious.

Not nearly enough, nor cold enough to warrant shoveling, but still Sammy cannot resist.

Santa arrives at Bachman's!

Yesterday morning we took the boys to watch Santa arrive in a reindeer-pulled sleigh at Bachman's (a local posh gardening center).

Here's a picture of Santa giving Sammy a hug!


I did not get any pictures of Santa arriving in the parade because I was holding Sammy up so he could see. :)

Here are the boys waiting for parade to begin:
Cool guy.


"I'm sick. Why am I here?!"


A beautiful spinning display.




Sammy (and the other kids) liked watching it go around.

Clever and Creepy Sammy

Creepy Sammy:
While at dinner the other night (a family-friendly salad bar place) Sammy leaned forward over the booth divider to speak to a little girl about his age. He said something along these lines, "Hey little girl. I'm Sammy. Look at me!" Already trying to pick-up/impress the ladies.

Clever Sammy:
After naptime Sammy emerges from his room requesting an ice cream cone. I told him it was too cold for ice cream (ha! like I even believe this is possible).
He said, "We can just go through the drive-thru."
Me: "Dairy Queen doesn't have a drive-thru."
Sammy: "Not the Minnehaha Dairy Queen. The one by where they make the cars."
Me: "Do you mean the Dairy Queen down the road from the Ford Plant in St. Paul?"
Sammy: "Yeah, the Dairy Queen in St. Paul."

Yay!

Yay!, originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

I know it's blurry but you can see how utterly happy he was and I love it. Happy Birthday, big guy! I love you!

Sammy's Pool Party!

Sammy sliding, originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

Sammy had his 4th birthday party today at the YWCA pool. It was a great location and a very fun party! Check out the rest of the party/birthday pictures in the Four! Flickr set.

A hat!

A hat! , originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

Sammy finally got his own knit hat from Mommy for his birthday. And he looks so handsome in it that this picture must be blogged. :)

From Sammy's camera

dinner, originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

One of the 400 shots on Sammy's new camera. I'll upload more later, but I've started a set on Flickr just for his photography. More to come!

Happy Birthday Sammy!

Today our sweet little dude is four. We went for pictures yesterday, and he chose to have the "4" in a picture with him, he was *so* excited for his birthday! Last night, he could barely fall asleep. He kept calling for me to ask if it was his birthday yet.


He seems so grown-up. I cannot believe this is the same boy who was *just* a teeny-tiny, six-pound, yellow baby!


We love you, Sammy. To the moon and back, forever and ever. ...just promise you won't grow up too fast!

Cody and Ashley's Birthday Visit!

Cody and Ashley drove down last Saturday to do some early celebrating with the (soon-to-be!) birthday boy. I didn't get any pictures of their visit BUT luckily the Lindseys gave Sammy a new, kid-tough, digital camera for his birthday and he took pictures! He has a TON of surprisingly good pictures. I just need to find where he stashed the camera to protect it from Freddie. ha!

Second snow.

Our second snow sighting this season actually stuck around for a little bit. It's not much, but more's coming...

Sammy wanted to shovel so bad! (please excuse the goofy expression!)


Our friends from preschool came over this morning. Here's a picture of Mo and her eldest daughter, Ivy. Will (who's in Sammy's class) did not want to be in a picture, and baby Ruby was just waking up from her nap.


And here's Freddie, all decked out in his snow gear (minus snow boots 'cause he doesn't have any yet) for the very first time. Last year he was still in baby bunting snow attire! Where's my baby gone?!

Self-diagnosis

This morning Sammy told Jacob he had an ear infection. On and off all morning as we were getting ready he would complain that his ear hurt, so I gave him some Tylenol. At 9 am instead of taking him to preschool we went the Target Clinic (awesome, in case you were wondering!), and it turns out Sammy does have an ear infection. He's had one dose of Amoxicillin thus far and already seems to be feeling better.

Happy Birthday Sweet Hannah!

Pretty birthday girl!, originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

We had so much fun at your party and what a beautiful day it was! So glad you like the hat and scarf!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!, originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

More on flickr!

Happy Halloween!

Rod jack-o-lanterns, originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

Here are pictures of our professionally carved jack-o-lanterns -- by Jacob! Aren't they so great?!