Oh, what a week this has been. We have been dealing with sick kids since Wednesday night. Talk about emotional and physical stress. Jared was home sick all last week too. It was good because I really needed the help with the girls.
Beate couldn’t go to ward council last Wednesday because she was sick, as usual. So I went for her. Jared stayed home with the girls since he was sick anyway. When we were on our way home I called him. That is when he told me that Anne had a fever. So started all the fun.
I took her into the dr the next day and got her medicine. Then that night Alicia started to have a fever. So on Friday she went into the dr too. We spent 2 nights at the Dautel house. The girls’ room gets so warm it wasn’t good for them to sleep there and Jared and I needed the help. They were all so good to help us. The girls got to help make Christmas cookies. Jared and I were able to rest when we needed to. It really made the whole experience to much more bearable.
Both Jared and I stayed home with the girls on Sunday. We started to worry that Anne might have dehydration. She had had a fever almost constantly for 4 days (Alicia didn’t seem so hard hit). Ray and Beate came over to see her after church and said that it wasn’t dehydration yet, but they worked on getting a lot of liquid down her. Once that happened she seemed to improve greatly. She has gradually improved since. I am now trying to get them completely well and back on their normal eating and sleeping schedule.
I finally have my husband back after a month of 12-14 hour work days and even one all-nighter. He had some major projects for work that he needed to finish. Tonight is the first night in too long where we can spend the evening together with some project looming in the back of his mind. I need to emotional break. So live is good again.
Yesterday was my latest dr appointment for the pregnancy. I am in my 33rd week and counting down. I talked to my doctor about possibly inducing me early. He said that if I started dialating (which is probably likely, since it is my 3rd child) he thinks it will be possible to do it 2-3 weeks early. My body is just in so much pain and I am becoming more and more drastically limited in what I can do. He checked the baby and the weight is really good, so that makes it even more possible. One problem is that the baby hasn’t turned yet. He said that it could take another 2-3 weeks. After that if it hasn’t turned then I guess we have to discuss options. So we need prayers that all progresses so that we can get this baby here in early January.
We had the traditional Dautel Christmas Eve dinner...cordon bleu and potato salad. It was delicious as usual.
In the Jensen family we have the tradition of all the kids (cousins and all) line up in age-order on the stairs before going in and seeing the gifts. Since our girls are the only Dautel grandchildren so far, here is the line up.
In English the shirt says: "Who are these children, and why are they calling me mother?"
They couldn't get enough of this vacuum. Anne spent hours using it last night.
I ordered these books for me at the beginning of December. Jared let me read the first one, but I had to wait for Christmas to read the other one.
I don't think I need to tell you how much both girls love this crown. Unfortunately, it got broken by Alicia this morning.
This was one of the biggest hits of the night. I think this will go down in the office with all the other instruments.
I love these matching outfits. Jared promised me that we can get professional family pictures taken after the baby is born. I think the girls will wear these.
Jared and I have made the goal to really focus on building our food storage. Ray and Beate got us started and Richy got us some things too.
Of, course they got a little creative with how they used them too.
Anne and Alicia love the piano at Gma's house. Anne will "lead" the music when Rike plays. Here they were both playing and singing.
Both girls got the chance to help Dad with the lights. I feel so bad. My girls always look so casual and never fully dressed when I put pictures up here.
Dancing to the Christmas music was another favorite of the evening.
Alicia never seems to be full. She is constantly scavenging for food. The excitement of last night didn't change that.
After we were done with the tree and taking a break Anne decided that she needed to "cut" our toes nails. She even covered our feet with "blankets". I love how she sticks out her tongue when she concentrates.
What a face. She kept putting on her Gma's glasses. 
where you like a different on each different Sunday. On the last one all 4 candles are burning. Beate has a tape of music that she has listened to on the 1st advent since she was a child. So we did the same again this year. We eat treats, talk and drink hot chocolate while we listen to the music. It was a nice way to end the evening.