It's been a long winter

I am officially ready for Spring to begin. What will I remember about the winter of 2006-2007? Weeks of poor air quality, frigidly cold temperatures, and most of all, sickness after sickness. Cameron and I both had more than one severe cold, Colby's had a chronic runny nose and a couple little bugs (he'll actually go down as being the most healthy out of all of us) and it's hard to remember the last time Kara wasn't stuffy and coughing. To top it all off, she came home from the doctor today with a diagnosis of RSV.

Though this post sounds negative, I'm actually writing to share how blessed the Richins family really is. Though we've had our share of sickness, we also have more than we could ever hope for. Cameron has a good, solid job that he loves (some days more than others-it helps when the weather is cooperating and he doesn't have to sit on a runway for 3 hours with a bunch of grumpy passengers who just want to go home, only to show up to a wife who's grumpy because he was 3 hours late). We have 2 kids who are so much fun and who teach us what's really important. I love that most of our family is close by who we rely on for just about everything. And besides the nagging winter illnesses, we are healthy. I feel lucky that Kara has RSV now, at 9 months, rather than 8 months ago as a newborn where it would have been much more serious. My dad is still with us (and feeling better than ever) after a heart attack that gave us a good scare. This winter may not go down as the best winter ever, but will hopefully not be forgotten as yet another season when we've been blessed with more than we deserve.

My Little Chef

Helping in the kitchen- One of Colby's favorite things to do. And when I'm not in a hurry, I enjoy having his help as well. The only major catastrophe in the kitchen so far was when Colby insisted on getting out an egg to crack himself (which he can actually do quite well for a two-year-old) and ended up knocking the entire 18 egg carton onto the ground. I was in a big hurry during this incident and had to head out the door. The huge pile of shattered shells and slimy eggs actually sat on the floor for some time until we got back and I was able to clean it up. Too bad I wasn't in the right mind to snap a picture.

Although I think Valentines is entirely over-rated, we did have a good time. Cameron left on a trip Wednesday morning so we celebrated Tuesday night by going to Olive Garden where we met Jeremy and Karla and their two kids Nolan and Macy. Jeremy was also leaving for a trip on Wednesday. It's nice to have a friend who also experiences the deep emotional wounds of a husband who flies on Valentines day. Colby and Kara got some Valentines books from me which, according to Cameron, is no surprise. He claims I am totally predictable since that's the only thing I get them. Hey- if you're gonna get too much of something, it might as well be books, right?

Overworked

Dear Mom,
I'm writing a letter to tell you that I am too overloaded with the things I have to do everyday. I'm exhausted.

The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is play in my crib until I'm bored playing with my glow-worm doll and looking at my mobile. If I'm up, I want everyone else to be up so I screech until you finally come to get me. Lots of times I am still tired because Daddy wakes me up at 6:00 before he goes to work to give me a kiss and sometimes he even wakes me up at 11:00 pm the night before when he's just gotten home from a trip. I know he misses me when he goes on his trips, but I need lots of sleep so that mommy will be funner to play with the next day.

Every morning, I have to try to lay still to get my diaper changed. It's so boring to lay perfectly still so I have try to wiggle as much as possible and roll-over just to keep myself occupied. If only you'd change my diaper faster! Then I have to eat breakfast which usually lasts 3o minutes or so because I am so hungry from not eating since 8:00 the night before. Boy do I like food. I can't wait till I get some teeth to chew everything you get to eat.

After I'm done eating, I have to spit up about 3 or 4 times all over the carpet and my jammies. It's a good thing you haven't put my clothes on yet. I like to save my nice clothes for when it's time for my daily blow-out. I think I still spit up because I am so busy crawling around the house and standing myself up on anything taller than me. It's a work-out and sometimes my tummy feels a little funny after all that exercise.

I have to take a bath with my big brother now and boy do we work up a sweat splashing water all over the bathroom. It's fun watching mom clean up all the water so that we don't slip when it's time to get out. You keep telling us to stop splashing, but it's so too much fun and deep down, I know you like it when we are having fun together.

Finally you put my clothes on and you make such a fuss about putting some sort of bow on my head. It's nice when daddy watches me because he doesn't think I need them. He says I'm beautiful no matter what I'm wearing which is why sometimes I am dressed kind of funny when you are gone.

By 10:00, I am exhausted from crawling around after Colby and from begging you to hold me, that I am ready for a nap. I'm so tired, that I have been sleeping for 2 whole hours! I must be growing if I need that much sleep. When I wake up, I am starving along with everyone else in the family. I'm too little to eat the same things as Colby so I have to wait so long for you to fix lunch for Colby before you can feed me. I just learned to pick up Cheerios with my fingers which helps to keep me from starving to death before it's my turn to eat.

After lunch, I am so curious and have so much to explore in my house. I am trying to learn what everything feels like with my hands, what everything tastes like, like leaves, stickers and little plastic things that my brother leaves on the floor. I'm also learning how to sit down softly after I've been standing, how to make toys work, and how to make lots of different sounds when I move my lips and tongue. And you keep me plenty busy by copying all the sounds I make and waiting for me to copy you back. I know you are trying to get me to make lots of new sounds. And I've noticed some weird hand gestures you've been making over and over while you say some words like "milk," "more," "eat," and "bath." I wonder if I were to make one of those hand gestures if I'd get something for it.

One of my favorite things to do with you is to play "This is how the lady rides" on you knees. I smile and giggle wait for you to do it again and again. I also like to grab any paper-like material when possible and tear it into pieces. Now that I'm in my good clothes, I usually like to create a huge mess by blowing out my diaper. It doesn't matter that you bought me the most expensive type of diapers to try to prevent this because I like to get dressed in another cute outfit that I was given from my cousin Mia. Really, I'm actually doing you a favor because I need to wear 2 outfits a day to get use out of all the clothes I've been given and the one's you think I have to have from the outlet mall.

After an exhausting couple hours of eating, pooping and crawling all over mom, I'm ready to take another nap. This is usually when Colby and I take a nap at the same time. I know this makes you happy, so I will try to keep doing this from now on.

When I wake up, it is usually time for someone to come over, like someone who comes to our house to get help with their speech, or to leave our house to go to many neat places. I love the grocery store because me and Colby have a fun time making lots of noise and drawing lots of attention on ourselves. It's fun to see the other people and the looks they give you. For some reason, we always end up leaving in a hurry. I wish we could stay there longer.

When we get home and it's around dinner time, this is when my brother and I start to get a little grumpy. We are both hungry while you try to fix dinner. I like to pull on your pants so you'll pick me up and Colby is busy begging for fruit snacks or cookies. I can tell you get a little stressed out, especially when you lose your patience. I think it's funny because this is when Colby spends the most time in the naughty chair. Life is a lot better once dinner is done and I get to eat. It's a good thing I eat pretty fast or else your food would be completely cold before you got to eat it.

I like to play some more after dinner, but mostly,I like you to hold me all night before it's time for bed. I like it when daddy is home at bedtime because you are much happier when it's time to put jammies on and read books. I like to eat one more time before it's time to go to bed. And when you put me to bed, I usually zonk out pretty fast because of the busy day I've had.

So, whatever could be done to lighten my load is greatly appreciated. Life is tiring. I can't wait to be a mommy like you and everything seems so easy.

Love,

Kara

9 Months Old Next Week

Is there a cliche more true than, "they grow up fast?" Kara will be 9 months on February 16th. Before my eyes, she is turning into a little girl, full of personality. She has learned to crawl and stand in the last month, requiring us to dig out our gate for the stairs and baby proof our house once again. Kara's a feisty little one and couldn't be happier about her new-found mobility. We have been blessed, a second time, with a screamer. It was cute the first time until the screech reached a near 120 deciBels which you'd think only dogs can hear, but is audible to anyone within a quarter mile. Be sure to pack some ear plugs if you're planning to be near us- it strikes when she's happy or sad or if she feels there is a dull moment. Her screaming is worth enduring if you get to see even just one of her double tooth grins which are plentiful and priceless.

It's just a fat lip, mom

Colby's latest fight with the floor. It occurred as he was attempting to carry a box almost bigger than him, across the kitchen floor. He slipped and hit his lip on the box as he went down. I knew this one hurt by the length of his cry which lasted almost 30 seconds. Most bumps and bruises are accompanied with a "shute, dang-it, man!" and are absent of any tears.

Colby's latest phrase of choice? When mom tells him to do something he says, "I not." I usually laugh and let him get out of what he doesn't want to do. Hey, he's just learned negation- What kind of speech therapist would I be if I didn't praise and reinforce his newly learned communication technique? Oh ya, I guess I'm his mother, not his speech therapist.

Polk-Dot Hats. Why don't they sell these in adult sizes?

And what does Kara think about sledding? She's just happy to sit in the snow and look cute. She did go on a few short rides with mom which she wasn't too sure about, but mostly just sat in the snow content on watching everyone around her. A few hours later with a red nose and cold cheeks, she's still smiling and willing to let her brother have another wild ride.

Sledding- is it worth the trouble?

We may have found our way of coping with the snow. Bundling up 2 kids to brave the cold, which actually takes more time then sledding itself, seemed like a one-time experiment until Colby turned dare devil and has decided that sledding is pretty cool. Despite the freezing temperatures and snow boots that are 3 sizes too big (thanks Trina, we love them!), Colby, in true wild-man fashion, zips down the steep hill on his tummy without a parent in site. Seriously, he's crazy! His cute giggle the whole way down kept us trudging up and down the hill numerous times and even got us to do it all over again a few days later.