Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go!

We arrived safely in Minnesota on Saturday and had a quick visit with Dad and Joleen in Mankato before continuing north to the cities (Harlan stayed back with his BFF Lulu).  We have been enjoying our time relaxing and playing at Karen & Jim's (which for Asher and I feels like home away from home after 4 months of rooming in) and are very excited for Christmas with the Olsons on the 24th.  Sully and Asher are soaking up attention and loving having an audience and lots of open arms to hug and hold them.

I had my electrophysiologist appointment at the Minneapolis Heart Institute today and got great news.  The doctor is confident that my heart is getting better every day and that by the time we do a cardiac MRI in February it will be back to normal and I'll be able to stop the beta blocker.  If that is the outcome, I will need to do yearly holter monitoring and echos to make sure things are staying stable, but could go my entire life without a cardiac event.   The EP doc has also replaced my previous girl crush, Terri, and is at the top of my list of people I want to become best friends with... my first impression might have been influenced by her holding my hands and telling me I don't have anything to be afraid of (like those psychological studies where they make people walk across scary, rickety suspension bridges and then rate the attractiveness of the person on the other side- they rate them higher because endorphins are surging and heart rates are racing and they are relieved they didn't just die- it might have been like that).  But she is fantastic and I look forward to our yearly dates from here on out.

Other happiness...look at this guy.

Even more happiness... Julia sent a picture of her adorable son Parker kissing Asher's picture.  This makes my heart melt a little (and I cannot wait for these two little lurver muffins to meet!).

Grandma and Grandpa took the boys to Como Conservatory today while Ben and I went to my appointment.

Captain's Log

The Blair Witch view of road tripping with Asher.

When everyone in the car is sleeping and I am driving... the Christmas music gets turned off and the explicit rap gets turned on.

Cheetos and red gatorade. The perfect road trip snacks.

Super happy to be out his car seat for a brief moment.

Christmas Pageant: Part II

My Favorite

Asher tried to twirl off the stage and the program director had to guard the stairs...

Aaaaaand I couldn't stop giggling.

Christmas Pageant Videos: Part I

(I had to do them in short snippets to be able to save them)

Asher's First Christmas Show

Today Asher had his first Christmas pageant at preschool.  I have never been so entertained or so proud.  If someone said, "You can keep living your regular life or you can just relive these ten minutes over and over again for eternity" I think I would choose the perfect chaos of a dozen 2 and 3 year olds performing music on stage for their completely enamored loved ones.

Asher's biggest fan.

...in a nut shell...

So many tiny faces wondering "why am I up here and you are out there?"

Exit stage right.

We left straight from the show for Minnesota.

We do love our mountain.

Let's put Asher's basket of stuff right next to him so he can reach his books, that seems like a good idea.... This isn't even my first road trip, yet a rookie mistake.

Dear McDonalds Teenager, If I didn't think Ben would panic upon finding me absent if he were to wake up, I would drive all the way back to Raton, NM and make you drink a "decaf" coffee right now and see how you like it...

Yes.  The kid in Raton definitely, absolutely, 100% did not give me a decaf coffee at 5:30 p.m. when we stopped for dinner.  Which is a double whammy in that a) I am not sleeping tonight- for sure, and b) my heart is going thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump (is it illegal to give someone on a beta blocker caffeine? ...it should be).

Add to it that we are currently in Denver and our room is a whir of grunts, coughs, snorts, sneezes, farts, roll overs, cover kicking swooshes, dog collar jangles, and lip smacking.  All four of my boys (and the guests next door) seem to be sleeping restlessly and with me on what is the Blair-Equivalent of 10 double shot espressos and a pack of cigarettes, none of it is getting by me.  So I finally surrendered to a sleepless night, pulled out my computer, and huddled on the floor to send some work emails and lose myself in some people.com-ing (I know there are more important things happening in the world, but currently- as in 1:30 a.m. currently, when my brain doesn't do 'real life things'- the fact that Kourtney Kardashian and Justin Bieber are hooking up has me utterly captivated).  About fifteen minutes into this, Asher (who apparently can go into stealth mode whenever he pleases like a freaking ninja) silently climbed out of bed, crawled up behind me, and whispered "MOMMY".  Which scared the absolute bejeezers out of me, got my heart racing again, and reminded me never to underestimate my children.  I'm fine sitting here on my computer, everyone is totally passed out.   Except for that ninja one.  He has just been waiting for you to think he is passed out so he can give you a heart attack and snuggle.


Here is some catch up, our week heading up to the holidays:

This little guy.

This one went ahead and got pink eye on Tuesday just to make things more interesting.

(P.S. Trying to get antibiotic eye drops in a 2 year old is like trying to gradually submerge a cat in a swimming pool...while holding them in our arms...when they haven't been declawed)

Drawing for Baby Sully.

Now with flair.

My little left-handed fisherman.

Ho Ho Ho

You might be thinking, Bringing your friend, who also happens to be entrusted with your child's supervision, Kahlua for a Christmas gift...that seems inappropriate..

If you're thinking that, you haven't spent an entire day with Asher.  Renae has earned about a thousand mini bottles of kahlua both for being a dear friend to our family and for taking such wonderful care of our 'go go go go go go go' two year old who never takes a break.

We love you Nae -- Merry Christmas!

Sundays are for Snuggling

Asher reading to Sully

A Super Awesome Week

Grandma Karen is here :)

After deciding not to visit in December, I went ahead and got a heart thing so Karen reconsidered and graciously came down to help me get through the time in ABQ leading up to Christmas.  Thank you thank you thank you.

So excited to open presents from Grandma Dot and Grandpa Ed.

Crazy wall bugs.

A public apology

After whacking Renae & Dave's Christmas decoration with my car door my choices for making amends were a) let Dave write a post on my blog or b) make a public apology. 

So here it is :)

"Mommy broke the light.  This one."

"Asher fix it."

Editor's note:  After posting this I realized I didn't actually apologize.  I'm sorry I grinched your Christmas light line :)

Squeak