So Glad...

Tonight is the finale of Dancing With The Stars, and I have to say, I am so glad! Don't get me wrong, I am happy that Mr. Mustard has work and loves working on the show. But I am glad I will get to see him again! I haven't seen him hardly at all in months.



He's done a lot of shows like this over the years, and it really never gets easier on me. I am so thankful for the breaks when the shows end. They give us time to recharge. This season of Dancing was particularly intense, and I am just so grateful that after tonight, it's going to be behind us!



Mr. Mustard has been gone so much that he has barely seen Ginger since she was two or three weeks old. So, that's what I'm most thankful for this upcoming Thanksgiving. Getting to spend some time together as a family. I know these girls miss him as much as I do, and that's a lot.

Mystery Solved!

After all these years of visiting The Tin Man, Paprika finally figured out why he is crying.

It took a lot of listening, and a lot of talking...



It turns out he "has a boo-boo and he needs a band-aid to make him feel better." Paprika got right to it and fashioned a band-aid out of leaves for him.




She kissed him, and told him it would be okay.



But then when we left, Paprika noticed he was still crying. I didn't want to be the one to break it to her that sometimes there are things you just can't fix with a band-aid.

Little By Little

Ginger is feeling better. Not all better, just better. And I'll take it! We were cooped up inside all yesterday because Ginger was feeling so sick, so today I knew we had to get out!

We went to our favorite rose garden. It was exquisitely beautiful!



Paprika had the best time running through the gardens playing pretend. She has quite the imagination. Everything is magical to this little girl.



Ginger laid on a blanket in the grass. She was laughing at Paprika. Anything Paprika does, Ginger thinks it's the best thing ever!



Then we hit the playground. Paprika "fed" the horses many times, and had lots of fun planning her getaway. She'd say things like, "I'm going to the store to get some ice cream. Go, horse, go! See you later, Mom!"



Meanwhile, Ginger was taking it all in and enjoying the scenery.



We were there for a long time, and it got really chilly. I hadn't planned on being at the park for so long, and I didn't bring enough warm stuff for Ginger (or myself).

Paprika insisted that Ginger wear her sweater because "it's too chilly for Baby Ginger, and I want her to be nice and cozy and warm and snuggly."

So, if you've ever wondered what a 5 month old would look like wearing a 4T sweater, here ya go!



Then Ginger got really sleepy and she looked so pathetic, I had to take a picture.



And then about two seconds later, she fell asleep.



And she slept and slept so nice and cozy and warm and snuggly in her 4T sweater.

5 Months!

Ginger is now my big 5 month old! She turned 5 months old at Disneyland on Wednesday. She is so strong. She can scoot all the way across the floor on her back by digging her heels into the carpet and pushing. She flips easily to her tummy, but still isn't a big fan of flipping from tummy to back. She did it that once, and that was it.

All yesterday, I could tell that Ginger was coming down with a cold. Last night around 9:30pm, it got much worse. I was up with her all night. She was crying inconsolably, having a hard time breathing because of all the congestion. She would fall asleep for about 2 minutes, then wake up screaming from not being able to breathe. I held her all night, and around 7am this morning, Mr. Mustard came in and gave me a two hour break so I could catch a few precious moments of sleep.

She is so stuffy, and miserable. We have the humidifiers going, and all that good stuff. I am hoping it passes quickly.

I'm considering taking Paprika out of preschool for awhile until we can all get healthy again. I know the constant stream of germs from school is contributing to all this sickness. It's getting to the point where it's not worth it anymore! But, the school is really wonderful, and I know Paprika gets a lot out of it. It's also been wonderful for me to have the school - since we don't have family nearby and Mr. Mustard's work schedule keeps him very busy most of the time, it has been like a lifeline for me.

What to do? Maybe I will just start spraying Paprika with sanitizer when I pick her up from school every day. Or dress her in a disposable plastic suit every morning before school. Any other ideas?

The Homestretch

5 days until the big season finale. I am soooo excited! Mostly because it means we'll be seeing a lot more of Mr. Mustard after next Tuesday. Can't wait. I am so proud of him. :-)