Happy New Year

I spent the last day of the new year hanging with my kids and my hubby. Well a big lot of the day Anthony was out looking for a new washing machine and dryer (our washing machine went out). They won't be delivered until tues. so we are still without for now. Thankfully blessed that I have a mom who is more than happy to do our laundry for us, dry and fold it so that we only have to put it away. She says she feels bad for me having to take it back and forth but I told her how much time it saves me that I only have to put it away (already folded).
Anyways, last night we ordered pizza, played games with the kids and watched a movie. We were going to watch the first Narnia (as we watched the second the other night) but redbox only has a really old cartoonish looking one so I went back up there last night and got kung fu panda. Which the kids and I thought was really cute. I don't think my hubby was too impressed but he sat through it with us like a good dad. Surprisingly after the movie like at 10pm the kids wanted to go to bed. Yes you read that right WANTED to go to bed so that is what they did. . .
I took a few pictures of my son in his super man jammies last night he looked so cute that I will share when I get them loaded on my computer. Not sure how they turned out but I got a few of Anthony and the girls snuggling together watching the movie also.
As I look back at 2008 memories come flooding thru my mind and although I wouldn't have missed that time in my kids lives for anything I am not so sad to see it go. 2008 brought with it so many challenges for me. As I entered 2008 I was already emotional and having a hard time unassumingly b/c of having a baby 6 months before and hormones being out of wak. . .but also the relationship between my husband and I had suffered partly b/c of not making time to nurture our relationship and partly b/c of some other decisions that were made. Regardless when spring hit it brought with it the knowledge of Severe life threatening food allergies as my oldest daughter was taken to the ER for having the tinest bit of a nut and spitting it out causing severe swelling and hives faster than you could blink. Also my son was diagnosed with multiple severe life threatening food allergies early June after months of throwing up, loosing weight, eczema and just plain being miserable. So now we have the allergist on speed dial and epi-pens in tow (ALWAYS).
Adjusting to your kids having severe food allergies is not as easy as it sounds. I am confident that I am over the highest part of the hurdle to adjustment but I am not confident that we are all the way there. I still mourn what my kids loose out on. Group functions where food is involved (unless all safe) is just not in my comfort zone. Caylea not getting to choose things that she wants or still being disappointed when she can't have something just because it was made in the same factory with tree nuts/peanuts. I don't think the disappointment on her face will ever get easy for me to see when she knows that everyone else can have it but she can't. Caden on the other hand is oblivious to all that the world offers. He for the time being is happy with whatever mommy gives him. I do realize that this will most likely change and soon I will have to explain and show him why he can't have something and he will have the same disappointed look on his face and I will have the same broken heart for my child that just ackes for them to be like everyone else. So that we don't have to worry about an egg or nut possibly killing them. Caden is growing and soon enough we will be able to attend functions and he will understand his boundaries that will bring with it a whole new set of challenges but at the same time allow us to live (and eat) with others still with limitations but all the same I know that there are some that love us and would protect our table from the worst of the allergies.
2008 also brought our first big family vacation to s. padre and San Antonio. We loved our vacation and had the best time. It was a time that we will never forget as a family. Caylea and Carolina are still talking about the beach and shamoo and I don't see them stopping anytime soon. I really hope that we will make it back to the beach soon. We will probably have to go to a different beach because the closest hospital to s.padre was an hour a way just not safe enough for me with my kiddos. I am sure there are lots of other beautiful places to visit. We truly enjoyed our vacation with our friends the Hoggs. We got thousands of awesome pictures between the two of us I will have to share a few of the beach pictures in a few days now that I am thinking about it. :)
I have a whole lot of hope for my year I wanna spend more time with my hubby, spend tons of time with my kids, loving them and watching them grow. I hope you hold as much hope for the new year in your heart as I do. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I have to get off of here we are suppose to leave for my mom's in about 30 minutes. Have a blessed New Year!