all is well

Just wanted to let everyone know we finally got our electricity back on. We finally got to go home in the afternoon on Christmas, and we had "Christmas morning" the next morning in our new house. We've been enjoying celebration with family ever since. Will post more when things slow down (and when the laundry is caught up).

Merry Christmas

We're postponing our Christmas celebration until we have electricity, but for all of you who are celebrating today. . .Merry Christmas!

Hope yours is warm and bright.

First Snowman

Yesterday, the PGE automated system said most houses in our area had restored power, so we packed up the kids that morning to take them home, hoping ours was one of the houses with restored power. The whole time we were packing up, Eleanor was telling us how much she wanted to make a snowman. I kept assuring her that as soon as we got home, she could make a snowman in our yard.

After traversing the icy/snowy/slushy roads, we found our street to be the same ghost town it had been when we left. Our neighbor who decided to stay there with his wife, warmed only by their fireplace, told me, "I told Grant I would call him when we got power." I explained to him that we had just gotten our hopes up because of the PGE message. We are still one of 62 homes in our area without power. I guess we just aren't special or dangerous enough yet. We turned the car around and headed back to Grant's parents'. The whole way, Eleanor was complaining because she wanted to make a snowman.

So, as soon as we got back, we convinced Uncle Alex to go out and help her make a snowman. I think Grant and I were both feeling too downtrodden to want to go play in the snow. Alex has been so good to us and the girls through this whole thing. I'm sure having us here puts their lives in disarray, but they have all been so kind. Alex plays with the girls and builds fires for us. He even put Eleanor to bed last night!

Eleanor LOVED making a snowman with Alex. He taught her how to do it, and she worked along with him happily.

I was a little concerned that she would get too cold too fast out there, but it was as if she didn't even notice the cold. Good thing she has her "Gracie coat" and her "Gracie boots." I looked out the window and saw her flop her tummy into the snow a time or two. Alex said she even sat down in the snow and said, "Look! I am making a bum."

Putting on the nose.

The finished product. How fun! Since then, that poor snowman has only been covered with more snow. I think he's cold out there.

After the snowman was done, she still wanted to play in the snow. She even stayed outside when Alex said he was going in to get warm for a bit. We tried coaxing her inside with hot chocolate or a cookie, but both offers were politely declined. A few minutes after that, though, she decided to come in on her own.

I'm moving to Arizona!!!

I am moving to Arizona or any other place warm and full of palm trees. Somewhere where my kids won't freeze to death if the furnace dies. Someplace where, less than a week after buying a new furnace, there WON'T be a major ice storm that comes along and kills the electricity in the whole house, taking away the ability for the new furnace to function, causing us to (yet again) flee to the ever kind in-laws' house for warmth after I just got done unpacking from the last time.In Arizona, we wouldn't be braving icy roads to leave our cold (and dark this time) house exactly a week after the last time we had to leave. We wouldn't have any doubt whether or not we would be home Christmas morning. We wouldn't be dealing with a power company who won't even give an estimated time of restoration because they're dealing with over 40,000 homes without power across the state. I've always said I love the rain and the trees, and I've never been too big on really hot summers, but I think I've changed my mind. So, if you need me I'll be unavailable. For the next several days, I'll be in Arizona (if only in my mind).

All I want for Christmas is a warm house (my own, to be specific)!!!!

Baby, it's Cold Inside!

We are finally home after a very memorable weekend and several days following. Saturday started out normal enough. We did some Christmas shopping in spite of the cold weather coming. Then, we got home and the whole family took a nap. That's right about when things got interesting.


As tired as I was, I was unable to sleep, so I got up and woke up Eleanor so she wouldn't sleep too late and not be able to go to bed. We were occupying ourselves while dinner cooked, and I kept feeling cold. I finally gave in and turned up the heat. When Grant and Phae got up, I was still chilled. I told him I had turned up the heat. Grant looked at the thermostat and said it was 62 degrees in the house --the temperature had never gone up after I set it. At that moment, it occurred to us --the furnace was broken!


We survived the night using space heaters in our bedrooms and a small fire in the family room fireplace. In the morning, it was COLD. Somehow, looking out the windows at the new fallen snow didn't have that magical effect it usually has at Christmas time. We packed up a ton of our stuff (I had no idea how long it would take for it to get replaced, so I planned for the worst), and headed to Grant's parents' house. We were going to stop there for lunch and then continue on to my parents' (they have a little more room and are getting ready to go out of town anyway). By the time we were done eating, we realized it wouldn't be safe to drive to my parents' house. Grant's parents were stuck with us, but they didn't seem too disappointed. They're always so welcoming, and they love any time they get to spend with their grandkids.

First thing Monday morning, Grant started calling about getting a new furnace. To keep the story short, I'll just say that after Grant making trips to our cold house during the day and me and the kids staying at his parents' and hoping he could make it back, we finally have heat in the house again. For a while, we were afraid we would have heat in the house and still be stuck at his parents' just because the roads were so bad, but the rain last night made it safe enough for us to hurry carefully home before things froze up again. Grant took the bus back to his parents' after being at the house all day so he could drive us home in my car. We are so grateful to have family so close that we can count on in an emergency and that we have all been kept safe. Now we just have to go get South Salem from the neighbor, and we'll have the whole family together again.

So forgive me for not posting pictures of the winter wonderland and my kids playing in the snow. I've had other pressing concerns.

Three Months Old

Phaedra is 3 months old!

• Phaedra started to giggle this month! Her first little chuckle was about two weeks ago. I was getting her into her jammies, and she laughed! I called out to Grant, and his response was, "Oh, yeah. She did that for me last night. I really had her going." (Of course.) I tried to figure out what I did to make her laugh so I could get her to do it again, but it was a one time thing that night. She has laughed for me quite frequently since then, but I still try to find new ways to get her to do it. I LOVE that sound.
• She gurgles and coos. She's a very animated little baby.
• She's still sleeping pretty much like she has all along, taking a while to get settled for the night, and then only waking to eat and falling right back to sleep. She even sleeps in most mornings, which is heavenly. The time between night feedings is lengthening, though. Some nights, she'll eat around midnight and won't wake again until 5 or 6am.
• She can roll from her back onto either side, but her arms stop her from getting onto her tummy.
• She loves to suck her hands, usually her fist or her two middle fingers.
• She's pretty good in the car as long as we are in motion or if she is asleep. Translation: I don't think she's very fond of the car.
• When there's something she wants to see, she's like a little owl, turning her head almost completely around to get a look.
• She's rather pleasant when I put her in her bouncer seat or on a blanket on the floor. As long as there is someone around that she can watch, she's happy as long as she isn't too sleepy.
• Sometimes, when she's in her bouncer while I make dinner or while we eat, she'll get flapping her arms and kicking her legs and jabbering at us as if she's just begging for some attention and interaction (and of course, we give it to her --who could resist?).
• She definitely knows her daddy. All of her focus is on him when he first comes home from work. She even goes to sleep for him better than for me at the beginning of the night.
• She lets Eleanor hold her a little longer before she gets upset. She used to not tolerate it very well.
• Many times, when I talk to her, she'll reach out her little fists to me so I can kiss them. When I do, she gives me a huge smile.

While Eleanor was napping this afternoon, Phaedra was sleeping sporadically. I was trying to get a little rest, too, but Phae kept waking up and fussing after sleeping for just a short period of time. Finally, I decided I'd probably be less frustrated if I gave up on either of us sleeping and just did something productive. So, I thought it might be fun to get some nudey pictures of Phae on this fuzzy pink blanket we have. I crooked her under my arm facing out, as she likes to be held, and went to the family room to set up. I put the blanket on the couch and decided to put her down to try to adjust the lighting on my camera before I took her clothes off. I set her down; her eyes were open. Then, as soon as she was out of my hands, her eyes drooped completely shut. So much for pictures! I got this picture instead and decided to take advantage of the situation and made myself comfortable on the other end of the couch. We ordered this couch a while back, and it seems like it has taken a lifetime to get here. It came today, and Phae is the first one to nap on it.

Here are some pictures from the last month:

Just us girls.

Eleanor wanted to hold Phaedra during her song before her nap. So, we both sang to her while we rocked.

This is the only picture I have of the toy bar on her bouncer. Lately, when I put it on, she gets so excited talking to the bird in the middle and grabbing for the butterflies. (In this picture, she's looking a little dozy.)
Joining Eleanor and Daddy for story time before bed.

The many faces of Phaedra: Here's a special treat for anyone who made it through this really long post, a few videos:

This one is a bit slow starting. I had to put the camera on my leg because if I hold it out in front of her, she's just too distracted. Eventually, she shows off her rolling skills and babbles a bit. I love how her coo is such a gurgle.