When you sing, you begin with do-re-mi

The Von Trapps called. They want Gretyl back.

Lately, Tessa has been...

Celebrating

Practicing her surprised face

Playing games on pbskids.org

Taking care of Baby Brynn

Smiling

Making Play-Doh cookies

Making "snow angels" in the house

Making her mark on the world our walls

Eating cheese and crackers

Every day, I tell her to stop growing. Every day, she tells me she will keep growing. It's a harsh reality for me. Not only that, but also, I can no longer put words in her mouth. She has more than enough to say. The other day, she informed Eric and me that when she is 3, she'll go to preschool (true) and when she is 4, she'll go to college. Hmmm...not so much. On Valentine's Day, she told me that her conversation heart said, "Don't be naughty" after I told her mine said, "Be mine." I'm sure there's a market for those.  

Happy Friday!

Fun in a fort

Last weekend, this was Tessa's incentive to stay in her room at bed time. If she came out, the fort came down. We really wanted it to stay up, and even gave her a second chance, but to no avail.

Tessa has started doing "homework" just like Daddy. Only her homework usually consists of playing Candy Land or with a puzzle. I could handle that homework. While Eric is studying to be a principal, apparently Tessa is studying to be a Minosaur. Wish us luck with that.

Eric ditched his book to join the ranks of the up-and-coming Minosaur.

Christmas part II

Tessa chats with Grandpa and Thomas

Chillin' on her gorilla, which she named Greta.

Playing blocks with Matt, John & Natalie

Tessa & Thomas

Tessa, Matt and John's signature pose. I'm pretty sure Tessa is always in the right arm, and John in the left. I'll have to review the collection.

The cookie crew

Fun with sprinkles

Cookie crew part deux

Tessa was super excited about the Disney Princess kitchen from Matt, Natalie & John.

Cutie patooties

Proud Daddy and happy little girl


Thanks for a great celebration, everyone!

All I wanted for Christmas was a tonsillectomy?

Well, Tessa got it, and then some. Adenoids were removed, too...BONUS! (Sometimes I wonder why God made us with all these extra parts that, evidently, we can live without.)

Back to topic, Tessa is recovering well after her surgery on Dec. 28. I accompanied her to the OR, where the nurses had chosen Disney princesses to display on all the screens. (Because Disney princesses make everything better.) Tessa was too scared to notice them. It took the anesthesiologist, two nurses and myself to hold her down. But, most important, the surgery itself went well, and we made the best of the overnight hospital stay.

Today was Tessa's first day back at the Y, and all the kids were excited to see her. She'll be done with the amoxicillin after tomorrow, and hopefully the pain medication soon. (Don't tell her I told you this, but the plethora of bacteria makes her breath smell like dog food.)

Post-recovery room

Tessa was happy to have visitors.

No, she didn't vote in an Iraqi election. Back at home, she finger painted with the set she received as a get-well gift from Matt, Natalie & John. Thank you!

Breakfast: popsicles. Lunch: popsicles. Dinner: popsicles.

A holly, jolly Christmas

 

We had a grand ol' time celebrating Christmas with Mima, Kory, Aaron, Jessica, Tammy, Dave, Klarissa and Klysen! Oh, and our K-9 family, Tommy, Lola, Greta and Max. Pretty sure Tessa loved every minute of it (minus a few barking episodes and being told she couldn't go home with Aaron, Jessica and the pups). She was thrilled with all the gifts, both from family and Santa. She must have been on the nice list.

Christmas Eve Mass was eventful — We sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus, heard an Indian Christmas carol, and saw fireworks afterward. A moment that our entire congregation will remember, though, was when Eric was praying with his eyes closed and Tessa said during the silence: "Wake up, Daddy!" Snickering ensued.

We hope you all had a very, merry Christmas as well!

Strep strikes again {edited}

 
Tessa stayed home on Wednesday, and I took her to the doctor yesterday because she has been coughing a lot and complaining of a sore throat. She has strep throat again — the third time in two months. When the nurse did the throat swab, Tessa coughed up blood. It was awful, to say the least. She's on two different antibiotics for 20 days. Her doctor recommended she see the ENT specialist, so he can determine if she needs her tonsils taken out. The nurse set up an appointment for us, so we'll probably see the doctor who did her ear tubes. However, we pray it doesn't come to that. {It came to that. Tessa's adenotonsillectomy is scheduled for Dec. 28.}

She's such a trooper through it all. Ever since she was a baby, it has been difficult to tell when she's sick because she's in good spirits despite how icky she feels.

Christmas kickoff...with Mima & Kory!

On our way to Falls Park to see the Christmas light display! Tessa sang
"Old McDonald" most of the way.

Tessa loves this snowman. We had to drive by it 17 times, and then she had to say goodbye. And she wished him a merry Christmas. He was quite spectacular. Anyone have a spare 10 foot lighted snowman we can borrow?

Kory sings Christmas carols for Tessa. She enjoyed it. Really. We all did.

The popover debacle. The oven mysteriously turned to 500 degrees on the clean mode and locked the oven door. We thought we were doomed. But then...

...after Tessa told us to wait and let the oven cool before we tried to open it again, we had popover perfection!

Every time I tried to take Tessa's picture with Kory, she would flash this pouty face. I am not Tyra Banks, and we have no hopes and dreams of Tessa ever appearing on "America's Next Top Model." Good grief.