Even superheroes have to go to the ER sometimes, right?

WARNING: SOME GRAPHIC CONTENT

Jack's first visit to the ER was Sunday. This was a small miracle in itself to me, considering how daring and adventurous he is with climbing and exploring. We should have made friends in there months ago! But I definitely didn't expect his first blood-gushing accident to happen during Church.

He heaved himself onto a piano bench during Sunday School, the bench tipped forward, and he cut the back of his head open when it collided with the underside of the piano keyboard. After lots of paper towels; a bandage from the ER-nurse who goes to Church with us; and a friend's willingness to take care of Cat for the foreseeable future; Ben, Jack, and I headed to the ER.

Jack acted like nothing was wrong and was walking around greeting everyone in the waiting room until it was our turn to be seen. After 2.5 hours and 4 staples (which didn't sit so well with the little superhero) we headed home, expecting the worst. But after he slept it off (from 4:15pm until 6am) he was completely fine--apparently no lingering side effects! Let's just hope the removal of the staples goes as well.

(Not such a good picture, I know. But it's harder than you'd think to get a picture of a specific spot on the back of a toddler's head!)

Post-Christmas Snow Storm in Southeast Georgia

The day after Christmas, Ben's brother John brought his family up to our house to hang out for a few hours. As a surprise for everyone, my sister-in-law, Sarah, wrapped a box of tissues for each cousin to open, and then use as snowballs!

5 boxes x 200 tissues = LOTS of fun
(and LOTS of fluff that we were all coughing up for a little while. But totally worth it!)

Cat's first snow angel:

Cousin love!

Jack's Tribute to Kevin Mallone (yep, he did it himself, but he needed a little help walking):

(For any non-Office viewers out there, you won't regret watching this video. You'll see the Kleenex Box Shoes around 0:55.)

A Few More Christmas Pictures

Cat's last day of school before winter break. They all wore PJs and watched "Polar Express" and drank hot chocolate, then parents were invited for a Holiday Party. After we ate more very healthy food, the class did a small musical presentation. Jack sat right down with the class as they prepared, and even grabbed an instrument. He wants to be in Cat's class so bad!

The Sunday before Christmas. This is the best picture I could get by myself, since Ben had already left for his meeting.

The first thing Jack touched Christmas morning was a small board book with a few musical buttons. He was more into that book than anything else for a while. He would push a button, dance to the music, push a button, dance to the music, push, dance, push, dance.
(He did take notice of other gifts... eventually.)

Couldn't resist including this picture... we love this hat that's about 3 sizes too big. It doesn't really matter when you only wear it 5 times during the whole winter, right?

The princess was nestled all snug in her castle...
Whenever we asked Cat in the last several weeks what she wanted for Christmas, at the top of her list was "a real princess castle." This was the best we could do, but she loves it! She even slept in it during her nap on Christmas day, and all night Christmas night (along with the pillow pet and blanket pet Grammy gave her).

Gettin' Down at the Holiday Concert

The last week of school before winter break, the Pre-K kids at Cat's school performed with the 4th and 5th Grade Chorus. Cat did a great job, entertaining not only during the songs she was supposed to, but during the other ones too. She just couldn't keep her awesome dancing moves to herself. This is what she was doing every time she didn't have "choreography" or something in her hand to shake. Good thing she was front and center!

This is Cat after the concert with one of her good friends.
Don't you just love the Rudolph shirts?
(Check out how small Cat's foot is compared to her hands...)

Luvin the Library

A few weeks ago, our library had a couple of great activities. In the morning, the local paint-your-own-pottery place had the kids painting ornaments, and they will fire them and bring them back for us to pick up at the library in a week--for free! Cat was very focused painting her star the entire time, and Jack was pretty well occupied painting as well. When Jack finished painting one side of his mitten ornament, I turned it over and put his hand print on the back.



After the painting was over, there was a small puppet show, and this was my first time witnessing Cat raising her hand to be a volunteer for something like this! She was chosen as the very first volunteer and had to hold the hula hoop while a balloon dog leaped through it. She was laughing the whole time, but she did a great job. I think Pre-K has gotten her all the way out of her shell... she just needed a little more coaxing for situations like this where she doesn't know anyone

The things they learn in Pre-K.

"I can write my name in cur-fish!"

Cookie Monsters

Tonight one of my friends came over to bring some delicious Christmas goodies. I decided to leave the kids in the house while I walked her out to her car. When I came back in the house a few minutes later, this is what I found:

I couldn't stop laughing. At least they were happy!

And they were good enough to save a few crumbs for Ben and me.