Project 365, Day 30, January 30, 2009

001, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

My mom and I have been spending the evenings sitting on the couch watching TV. My mom cross-stitches and I'm usually on the computer. My mom is such a crafty gal. Cross-stitching and sewing...she makes beautiful things w/ her hands. Owen asked her who she was making this for and she said, "Hmm..I'm not sure. Maybe you." And Owen says, "Nah...too girly."

25 Random Things about Me

A lot of you know that I spend A LOT of time on Facebook. This is going around facebook and it's kind of fun. The idea is to list 25 Random Things about Yourself. So, take a look at my list and tell me how many of them are a surprise to you. Who knows everyone of these? A lot of you that read my blog are GREAT, GREAT friends. Did I surprise you? Then, do your own list. I want to see your's!


1. My three children were born in three different states (Illinois, Colorado, New York).

2. My husband and I have been "together" since I was 14. There has never been another.

3. I ABSOLUTELY believe that my mom is the best mom in the world.

4. I had plastic surgery when I was 10 after a horrific bike accident.

5. Even though my husband works for Anheuser-Busch, I HATE beer.

6. I could watch Broadway musicals all day long.

7. I wish I could sing or dance well.

8. I watch the news and read the paper every single day.

9. I love cheesy reality TV (American Idol, America's Next Top Model, The Biggest Loser, Project Runway, The Bachelor).

10. Sometimes I truly believe that my husband is a better parent then I am.

11. I update my blog (http://bauerfamilyof5.blogspot.com) daily.

12. I feel completely overwhelmed w/ three children.

13. I am NOT an outdoorsy, "roughing it" type of gal. Camping? NEVER!

14. I stay up too late every night (at least 11 pm).

15. My dad is the smartest person I know.

16. I dream about moving from Baldwinsville constantly.

17. I miss my family desperately.

18. I weigh 35 pounds more now then I did when I got pregnant w/ my first baby (CRAP!!).

19. My fave drink in the whole world is a vanilla diet coke from Sonic or Steak and Shake.

20. My 2 brothers are over a foot taller than me. (6'3 and 6'4).

21. I can slalom (waterski on one ski). At least I could back in the day.

22. I love statistics and useless facts.

23. I am SO sad that I haven't scrapbooked in over a year.

24. I am terrified of death. For myself, my children, and all my loved ones.

25. I have never been high or used recreational drugs of any sort.

Snow day - action shot

001, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Another snow day today for the boys. It's weird, because although we probably got 6 or so inches of snow the roads were fairly clear most of the day (see the street). It seemed like a fairly steady light snow all day...not usually enough to cancel school. I think maybe it wasn't as big of a storm as anticipated. My mom and I worked in the basement most of the day: going through tupperware, organizing clothes, and the like. Trying to decide whether to get rid of all the baby gear or not......
Before the snow today we have received 110 inches of snow for the year and we still have 3 more months of snowfall. EEK!! This has been a really hard, cold, snowy, YUCKY winter. The snow drift at the end of our driveway is close to 6 feet tall. The boys sled down it. Here's a live action photo of Owen tumbling down the hill.

Project 365, Day 28, January 28, 2009

006, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Owen standing in the road in front of our mailboxes. The snow drift is starting to cover the mailboxes. This means it is approaching 4 feet.

Project 365, Day 25, January 25

015, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Celebrating Eddie's 35th birthday on Sunday.

Project 365, Day 26, January 26

038, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Owen had two teeth pulled yesterday. I don't know the name of the teeth they pulled, but they were the two next to the top 4, one on each side. This of course means he missed YET ANOTHER day of school. This means he has missed the last 8 out of 10 days!!! OMG! Anyway, he did wonderful. They put him to sleep w/ an inhalation mask AND put an IV in, but the whole thing took, literally, 15 minutes and then about another 30 minutes for him to wake up. They sent us home w/ Tylenol Codeine. But, I never even filled the prescription. He took Motrin once and bounced off my walls the rest of the day. All of this to prepare for a future of orthodontics and beautiful teeth.

Catching up!

053, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

I've told you that I've been taking photos every day, and I just haven't had a chance to post them. I'm going to start backtracking today. Slowy....but surely. I discovered a new tooth in my cherubs mouth today. It's in a weird location. He still only has three on the bottom, but this isn't the fourth tooth on the bottom. It's in the back on the bottom...skipping two tooth spots. I almost missed it.

Project 365, Day 27, January 27, 2009

047, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

My mom bought the cutest outfit/book combo for Henry. It's a book for Henry and matching jammies all wrapped into one. The set she brought for Henry is the The Pigeon Loves Things That Go and matching Pigeon jammies. SO CUTE! Henry is REALLY into moving transportation vehicles, primarily buses. And, everytime we see one he moves his arms in a circular motion and I have to sing "The Wheels on the Bus go round and round...". Which doesn't sound so bad, but I sing it, like, 500 times a day!!!
These cute jammie/book combos are sold at my SIL's store, www.kateslullaby.org. I know they also have Pinkalicious among others.

8 glorious hours

Eddie and I spent 8 glorious hours together alone today. My mom kept the kids, put them to sleep, and survived. Even better...she thrived...and said it was a piece of cake. It's great to hear this because she's watching the boys for us for a long weekend in April and I don't want her to backout on her offer :). Eddie and I went to see Gran Torino tonight and it was really, really good. Kind of slow at times, but overall, very, very good. I let Eddie chose the movie and I'm super happy we didn't end up at Mall Cop. We would have if it started a different time....
Then we went for dinner and Target (it actually makes for a decent evening when you're doing it sans kids). Eddie tried to talk me into parking in the back of Sam's parking lot just like old times (catch my drift), but I told him I'd get too cold. it's freezing here!! Better luck next time, babe.

Technical difficulties

I'm having trouble getting my photos on the computer. Please forgive me. I WILL catch up w/ my Project 365 before long and then you will all be bored w/ the numerous, numerous posts.
I worked yesterday evening and Eddie called around 9 to tell me that my mom was throwing up. No...I'm not kidding. Super big bummer, because Emmett had his last soccer game this AM and Owen had all his games and my mom couldn't come because she was still stuck in bed hovering over a bucket. Emmett still had diarrhea once today and Henry...three times (day 10 for him). HOPEFULLY...this will be coming to an end. Now. My mom does feel better this evening. And, I even think she might be well enough to watch the boys tomorrow, so Eddie and I can go out (by ourselves!!!) for a dinner and a movie. I took the boys to piano today and after we picked up a birthday cake for Eddie. We walked in singing happy birthday and ate cake and ice cream and opened birthday presents. Better late than never :)

Busy

Grandma's here and that means I'm flitting around like a butterfly. Less time to blog. So forgive me if I'm not as up to date as usual. As I said, last post, I'm going to try to update w/ the photos one evening. But, it won't be tonight because I have to work. It's been 2 weeks since I've been there. I SHOULD make an appearance every now and again :). We're headed to the mall today to redeem Gymbucks and get Emmett new shoes.
Oh...had to pick Owen up at school yesterday. He lasted until noon and then had a stomach ache. Once he was home it wasn't long before he was bouncing off the walls. Then, he was super bummed that I wouldn't let him go to yoga. I think he was tired and this GI bug is lasting a long time. My stomach still hurts off and on and Henry is still having diarrhea.

Grandma's here!

I'm not sure who's more excited, me or the boys, but Grandma's here!!! Oh, and Eddie's super excited too, because when Grandma's here I'm not calling him 100 X a day, and calling him constantly starting at 5 pm saying, "WHEN ARE YOU COMING HOME???" We picked here up at the airport at 9 pm last night and snuggled and talked until 11 pm last night. Today was a super lazy day, I STILL couldn't take the boys to school. Owen spiked ANOTHER temp last night and Emmett was still having diarrhea. I had to take Henry back to the pediatrician, too, because he's having MORE diarrhea (5 times today) AND he's still not eating or drinking tons. The poor little guy has lost almost one pound. Not surprising, I suppose. But, it was AWESOME not having to drag all the boys to the doctor. AND, tomorrow I'm going to the store and Target BY MYSELF!!! My mom said she's not leaving the house in this weather, so I can run around and do whatever I want. BY MYSELF! I repeat, BY MYSELF. Yeah, for my mom!!! So, I'm going to try to catch up w/ my everyday posts and pictures. I have been taking the photos just not posting them.

She's en route

My mom is on her way. She was supposed to fly to Charlotte and then to Syracuse, but due to bad weather in Charlotte her flight leaving St. Louis was delaying which made her miss her flight from Charlotte to Syracuse. So (thankfully) the folks at the St. Louis airport re-routed her and sent her from St. Louis to Philly to Syracuse. Arrival at 8 pm tonight. Yipee.
We're hanging in there. Owen and Emmett both stayed home today, but are feeling better. None of our stomachs are 100%, but I remember the last time we had the stomach bug it took a long while to recover. Poor Henry has STILL had 3 diarrhea diapers today and isn't really interested in eating or drinking. AND, the worst part....my throat is hurting again. Really hurting, in fact. I'm wondering if the strep isn't dying???
Oh and in my panic to clean my house so my mom doesn't get sick, my washing machine sprung a leak and my laundry room is filled w/ soapy bubbles. Things can only get better, right?

Can't wait until tomorrow :))))

Mom's coming!!!! Tomorrow!!! YIPEE! Today was a better day, but still not great. Owen didn't move from the couch all day. He had waves of nausea off and on and thought he was going to throw up, but never did. But, lots of diarrhea. I'm praying that this is as bad as it is going to get for him. Henry never threw up. He had about 6 episodes of diarrhea. But, he kept food and pedialyte down. So, that seems like an improvement. Eddie entertained Henry most of the day, and I spent the day SCRUBBING our house down. I opened up our windows (thanks for the suggestion, Becky) and scrubbed floors, bathrooms, EVERYTHING! I so don't want my mom to get here and get sick. I'll have to keep Owen home from school again tomorrow. He has only gone 2 times out of the last 6 days.

One better, one worse....

Henry woke at 5 this AM. He was neither poopy nor wet. Good news. Bad news. He hadn't peed in at least 10 hours, but he hadn't pooped in 7. As the morning has progressed, he seems to be feeling better. He's only pooped once. And, he's had quite a bit of pedialyte and a half banana. Hopefully, he'll only get better from here.

Owen came running in my my room at 5 this AM saying he was going to puke. He didn't. But, he did have diarrhea. He has still not vomited, but he has waves of nausea off and on. Hopefully, this is as bad as it gets for him. But, it means I still can't send him to school tomorrow. He will miss yet another day. 5 out of the last 6 days Owen hasn't been in school.

Eddie, Emmett, and I are still sticking w/ toast, bananas, and Cheerios. Recovery is slow, but I'm down 4 pounds in 2 days. One super fun benefit :)

My mom arrives tomorrow (yipee!). But, I'm a bit panicked about her getting sick.
MUST FUMIGATE!

One final note: My kids are watching Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I CAN'T believe I'm letting them watch it. (In my defense, it is rated PG). Owen, my sweet little guy, doesn't like it. He said people are hurting one another. Emmett said he LOVES it.

Update #2

Henry fell asleep in her arms as much as I tried to keep him awake to push pedialyte on him. He puked again and pooped 3 more times before that. But, I was able to push 100ml of pedialyte down him and the actual volume of poop and vomit wasn't huge, so I'm feeling OK. At least until tomorrow. Going to bed now, because I'm sure we'll be up in the middle of the night pushing fluid and changing diapers AND it's not like Eddie and I are healthy to start off. Did I mention it was Eddie's birthday today?

Update

We are forcing Henry to drink Pedialyte via syringe w/ great hopes of avoiding a trip to the ER. As the night goes on it looks more and more likely that we will have to go there. UGH! He has had 20 diarrhea diapers today and 2 vomits. Not good for a 23 pound baby boy. He's kept down a total of 6 ounces. The only thing making me wait is he is still acting happy. I've been on the phone w/ my Aunt Mel. She says he needs 180 ml of pedialyte in the next few hours to avoid an IV at the ER. We're working on it.

From bad to worse to bad again...

A 48 hour recap:

1/16/09, Friday -

4 pm - Eddie gets home from work (early!) and was planning to take Owen to soccer practice. I'm all like not so fast, love bug, I haven't left this house in five days. I'll take him to practice. And, after practice, I went to a pampered chef party. It was super fun. And, I was so thankful to get out. My stomach didn't feel quite right at the party, but Henry was still puking and having diarrhea and you know how when you are around people puking you feel like you're going to puke just by default? So, that's how I felt.
11pm - Asleep.

1/17/09, Saturday -
4 AM- horrible stomach ache.
5 AM- vomiting started
5 Am-1 pm - vomiting, diarrhea, vomiting, diarrhea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
Eddie took the boys (all of them) to the soccer center in the AM for Owen's game (which I hear after the fact, from other soccer moms that called NOT just Owen and Eddie, that Owen had his best game ever. Figures since I wasn't there. Anyway, Henry hadn't had vomiting or diarrhea since Friday late afternoon, so Eddie took him along.
130 pm - Eddie arrives home w/ the boys. Emmett puked at the soccer center. Henry had a massive diarrhea explosion.
135 pm - Emmett climbs into bed w/ me.
135 pm-4 pm- Emmett pukes, diarrhea, pukes, diarrhea, etc.
4 pm - Eddie pukes. Climbs into bed w/ Emmett. I head to the couch and try to hold my head upright for long enough to care for Henry.
415 pm- Henry pukes again. He (and I) continue w/ the diarrhea.
Between 415 pm - 5 AM, Eddie and Emmett continue to vomit. Henry has TONS of huge poopy diapers.
Owen and I sleep on the couches. Owen complains about his stomach and holds a bucket for a while, but never throws up (yet).

Things seem to be a bit better as I write this at 345 on 1/18/2009 -

Eddie, Emmett, and I haven't puked since about 5 AM. The diarrhea continues but not as bad.
Owen still isn't sick (yet). And, everyone has had bland food and kept it down (except for Henry). We have even started fumugating: doing some laundry and cleaning dishes. My big concerns now are Henry, who is still puking and having diarrhea 4 days later. He's already had 8 diarrhea diapers today and 1 vomit. It's an awful lot for a baby. AND, he's only had 6 ounces of that diarrhea formula (Isomil DF). He won't drink Pedialyte. He hates juice. And, I'm wondering how much longer he's going to be able to continue like this. We may be back at the pediatrician's tomorrow. Further concerns: all of us (me, Emmett, and Henry) stopped our antibiotics for strep because we couldn't keep them down. We were only on them 3 days. Not quite long enough to completely kill the bacteria.
It's really challenging to take care of the whole family while your sick. Especially w/ a baby who can't care for himself. These are the times that we miss our family MADLY! And, I know how much we mention we LOVE our dear Hourihan family neighbors. But, once again, they are wonderful! Miss Sue has made two trips for us to get more diarrhea formula, diapers, 7-up, white bread, etc. So, even though we don't have famly nearby. Dear neighbor DO make a difference. We've had 9 continuous days of sick in this house. Here's hoping things get better.

All blog posts are on hold

until I can hold my head upright for more than 3 seconds. The GI bug has found me.

Bad news.

More puke. More diarrhea. Courtesy of Henry.

This is why my laundry isn't done.

I found a new blog that I can't stop reading. it's Matt, Liz, and Madeline: Life and death. all in a 27 hour period. Anyway, it's written by this guy named Matt about and to his daughter, Madeline who is 9ish months old. Anyway, his wife, Liz was killed by a blood clot in the hospital one day after her c/s. Horrible. But, it's a really fun blog about a single dad trying to raise his daughter. If you don't mind if your laundry gets done, check it out: www.mattlogelin.com

And finally, some good news.

1. Owen's at school....and has remained there for 2 hours!!!
2. Emmett IS going to school today and I don't have to drive him (thanks, Jen!).
3. Nobody else has vomited (yet :))
4. Nobody else has diarrhea (yet :))
5. Henry has not vomited again (yet:))
6. Henry was only up 2 or 3 times last night.
7. Henry kept water and Cheerios down this AM.
8. Henry has had diarrhea 5 times this AM, MUCH better then 5 vomits.
9. Henry is sleeping now :))
10. Mama bear is going out tonight (to a Pampered Chef party).
11. Friday Night Lights premieres tonight (if you don't watch this show....you are so missing out!) Watch it. It's fantastic.
12. Grandma will be here in 4 days!
13. Eddie's off on Monday.
14. TGIF!!!!!!

Does he look sick?

009, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

This is bath #1 this AM, but the Project 365 incident posted below. Little guy LOVES his bath. A nice change of pace from the other two.

013, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Henry loves to wash his own hair in the bathtub.

016, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Project 365, Day 15, January 15, 2009

017, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Sorry for the extreme gross out photo. And if I weren't doing this Project 365 "day in a life" project, I wouldn't have posted this. But, this was my horrible, yucky day. I thought today was going to be better. I pushed Owen to school this AM. He was no longer contagious and even though he said his ear was bothering him. I was all, "YOU MUST GO TO SCHOOL!!" Guess who got a phone call from the school nurse one hour later?.....ME! Eddie brought him home from school. Then, around 4 pm. Henry puked (gross out photo). A whole lot! I had a feeling he was sick, because he had diarrhea three times after waking up for a really short nap AND it didn't smell right. You know the smell I'm talking about. This is his first puke experience. Does it have to be the same week we all have strep???? UGH! My stomach is hurting now, too. And, Emmett went to bed w/ a puke bucket at his side. I'm not sure where my kids got this wonderful puke bug, because they haven't left the house (minus the doctor's and Wegman's) since Saturday, so that must be it. Here's looking forward (but hoping not) to another week without fresh air.

Hey New Yorkers...need a laugh?

A friend passed this along to me today. I'm not sure if it was passed on to her from a friend of a friend or if her friend wrote it, but it made me laugh. It's definitely appropriate right now, since we've had over 100 inches of snow and a lot of snow is in the upcoming forecast. I think we're only supposed to get 1-2 feet by Saturday morning, but just northwest of us has a forecast of 24-48 inches. YIKES!

Gotta love Upstate New York:
>>
>> Aug. 12 - Moved into our new home in
>> Upstate NY. It is so beautiful here. The hills and river
>> valleys are so picturesque. I have a beautiful old oak tree
>> in my front yard. Can hardly wait to see the change in the
>> seasons. This is truly God's Country.
>>
>> Oct. 14 - Upstate New York is such a
>> gorgeous place to live, one of the real special places on
>> Earth. The leaves are turning a multitude of different
>> colors. I love all of the shades of reds, oranges and
>> yellows, they are so bright. I want to walk through all of
>> the beautiful hills and spot some white tail deer. They are
>> so graceful, certainly they
>> must be the most peaceful creatures on
>> Earth. This must be paradise.
>>
>> Nov. 11 - Deer season opens this week. I
>> can't imagine why anyone would want to shoot these
>> elegant animals. They are the very symbol of peace and
>> tranquility here in New York. I hope it snows soon. I love
>> it here!
>>
>> Dec. 2 - It snowed last night. I woke to
>> the usual wonderful sight: everything covered in a beautiful
>> blanket of white. The oak tree is magnificent. It looks like
>> a postcard.
>> We went out and swept the snow from the
>> steps and driveway. The air is so crisp, clean and
>> refreshing. We had a snowball fight. I won, and the snowplow
>> came down the street. He must have gotten too close to the
>> driveway because we had to go
>> out and shovel the end of the driveway
>> again. What a beautiful place. Nature in harmony. I love it
>> here!
>>
>> Dec. 12 - More snow last night. I love
>> it! The plow did his cute little trick again. What a rascal.
>> A winter wonderland. I love it here!
>>
>> Dec. 19 - More snow - couldn't get
>> out of the driveway to get to work in time. I'm
>> exhausted from all of the shoveling. And that snowplow!
>>
>> Dec. 21 - More of that white shit coming
>> down. I've got blisters on my hands and a kink in my
>> back. I think that the snowplow driver waits around the
>> corner until I'm done shoveling the driveway. Asshole.
>>
>> Dec. 25 - White Christmas? More
>> freakin' snow. If I ever get my hands on the
>> son-of-a-bitch who drives that snowplow, I swear I'll
>> castrate him. And why don't they use more salt on these
>> roads to melt this crap??
>>
>> Dec. 28 - It hasn't stopped snowing
>> since Thanksgiving. I have been inside since then, except of
>> course when that SOB "Snowplow Harry" comes by.
>> Can't go anywhere, cars are buried up to the windows.
>> Weather man says to expect another 10 inches. Do you have
>> any idea how many shovelfuls 10 inches is??
>>
>> Jan. 1 -
>> Happy New Year? The way it's coming
>> down it won't melt until the 4th of July! The snowplow
>> got stuck down the road and the shithead actually had the
>> balls to come and ask to borrow a shovel! I told him I'd
>> broken 6 already this season.
>>
>> Jan. 4 - Finally got out of the house. We
>> went to the store to get some food and a god damn deer ran
>> out in front of my car and I hit the bastard. It did $3,000
>> in damage to the car. Those beasts ought to be killed. The
>> hunters should have a longer season if you ask me.
>>
>> Jan. 27 - Warmed up a little and rained
>> today. The rain turned the snow into ice and the weight of
>> it broke the main limb of the oak tree in the frontyard and
>> it went through the roof. I should have cut that old piece
>> of shit into fireplace wood when I had the chance.
>>
>> May 23 - Took my car to the local garage.
>> Would you believe the whole underside of the car is rusted
>> away from all of that damn salt they dump on the road? Car
>> looks like a bashed up, heap of rusted cow shit.
>>
>> May 10 - Sold the car, the house, and
>> moved to Florida. I can't imagine why anyone in their
>> freakin' mind would ever want to live in God-forsaken
>> Upstate New York.

Beth and Christian Brunelle

One final thing...

I can tell from reading my facebook account that school in my hometown of Eville, IL is ALREADY canceled for tomorrow on account of cold weather. So, I'm hoping and praying that school is NOT canceled here tomorrow. Owen hasn't gone all week and will probably be OK to go tomorrow. Emmett can't go since I didn't start antibiotics until this evening. Anyway, according to theweatherchannel.com Bville, NY is supposed to be quite a bit colder (then E'ville) tomorrow w/ a wind chill of -13 at 6 AM. And, an actual temperature of -2 (before wind chill!) on Friday morn. In addition, we're supposed to get a bunch of snow again tomorrow. So, I'm kind of bummed thinking school is going to be canceled. BUT, then I just heard from a reliable source that it has to be a wind chill of -24 before they actually cancel. AWESOME!! School: here comes Owen :)
I'm supposed to work tomorrow. I'm only working one shift a week these days and tomorrow is the day, but I won't be going. My strep and Emmett and Henry still sick. Work will be a no go. I'll try again next Thursday :)

Just for fun.

Henry weighed in at 23 pounds 3 ounces today (13.5 months)
Emmett weighed in at 50 pounds and 44 inches (5 years and 4 months)
Owen weighed in at 55 pounds and 48.5 inches (8 years and 2 months)

Project 365, Day 14, January 14, 2009

010, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

My poor, poor little guy, Emmett, has been an absolute terror the last week or two. His behavior has been rotten. He's had a hard time controlling his emotions and he's been absolutely wild. In addition, he's been complaining about his legs for the past week or two and he's been sleeping TONS, but acting like he constantly needs a nap. So because Owen and I came down w/ strep, I made an executive decision to take Em to the pediatrician today (I told you we are there ALL the time). He's not complaining about a sore throat. Has no fever. Has no headache. But, I'm taking him anyway. And, guess what??? He has strep. Poor guy. I knew he wasn't himself and he was getting in trouble CONSTANTLY, which is so unlike him. But, it took Owen and I getting sick, before I put two and two together. Poor, poor (beautiful) guy.
Oh, and I had her look at Henry today, too. He has a nasty nose and just started coughing. And, guess what?? He has ANOTHER ear infection (his 4th after tubes). SHEESH. Antiobiotics for everyone.

Sickness update.

Owen finally fell asleep last night around 11 pm STILL complaining about his ear. We both woke around 330 AM. More Tylenol for Owen. Had to flip his pillow, because his pillow was soaked w/ pus junk from his ear. I had a monster headache, so I got up and take Motrin. I feel like poop this AM. My throat hurts, my head hurts.....I'm going to my doctor this AM. I'm taking Emmett in too, he's already complaining about his legs.

Falling apart at the seams

005, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Don't let this photo fool you. Nobody at our house feels this good. It was taken a few days ago. Owen's eardrum has now ruptured and is leaking sticky, pus fluid out his ear. Which should make him feel better...relieving pressure in his ear. But it's not, and he's laying on our couch which I'm sure is where he will remain until we go to bed. No doubt he'll be up all night. I've been giving him Tylenol and Motrin, but he's still miserable. Emmett has been complaining about his legs hurting for days. I've been ignoring it, thinking it's growing pains or something. But, for the past week or so he spends a portion of the day scooting around on his bottom, because his legs hurt so badly. Today, he complained in the morn, scooted on his bottom in the night and complained off and on about his ears. In addition, his best buddy, Troy, the one whose photo I posted earlier, has scarlet fever (which is caused by strep). So between Owen and Troy, Emmett is screwed. Guess I'll take him to the doctor tomorrow (good-bye another $25.00). And, my throat and ear are starting to hurt. My head is killing me. It may be psychosomatic, or I may be at the doctor tomorrow (good-bye another $25.00). Fun, fun times at our house. I good think of many other ways I'd rather spend that $75.00!

The clean basement party

Henry going for a ride yesterday.

Project 365, Day 13, January 13, 2009

004, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Here she is......DR. PURNIMA! Our love...our home away from home....
We absolutely adore her. And, since we are there ALL THE TIME, it's good to love her. So, we were back to see her today. Today is day 2 of keeping Owen home from school and day 4 of complaining of a sore throat and headache and ear pain (the ear pain just started today). His fever was only 100.1 last night and he was 99.3 this AM. So, he didn't really have a fever, but I kept him home anyway and decided to take him in.
Parenting mistake #657,933: Owen has strep throat and an ear infection. OOPS! Guess I should have taken him in a few days ago....
Henry leaps out of my arms to go to take Dr. Purnima ALWAYS. When we're in the waiting room and he hears her voice, he gets super excited. I love this photo of the two of them.
But, Owen didn't get started on antibiotics until this afternoon. (Wegman's has FREE antibiotics until the end of March - I'll be getting a lot of use out of that offer). This means that he won't be able to go to school tomorrow either. And, it's supposed to be super cold on Thursday and Friday. It will be just my luck that school will be canceled on those days and Owen will have been out of school all week.

My big dipper

019, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Henry LOVES to dip his food. Ketchup, dill dip, milk, anything he can think of. Here he is dipping tater tots into ketchup. Notice he is using his left hand. Eddie and I think he might be left handed. He does almost EVERYTHING w/ his left hand.

017, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

My big boy. Sitting (kneeling) at a big table.

008, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Owen was home today from school (see below). A few pictures of how we spent our day. Playing chess..

009, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Coloring...

Project 365, Day 12, January 12, 2009

025, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

I had Owen home sick today. He didn't have a fever, but he was 101 again last night and you know, you're supposed to keep them home 24 hours after a fever...so I did. And, most of the day I felt like he could have gone. But around 5:00ish, he started to complain again about his throat again. We'll see how the night goes and tomorrow AM but I may have to take him to the pediatrician tomorrow. I don't mean to be cheap....but,. I am :) AND our co-pay went up, so if I don't have to take him to the doctor I'm not gonna.
Anyway, we spent a good portion of the day in our basement (I'm STILL in my pajamas from this AM...oh, that's kind of embarrassing.) cleaning. When we FINALLY got the basement cleaned, the boys set up a soccer area. This photo is of Owen stopping a shot in goal.

Yikes!

Just heard on the news that Syracuse has had 94 inches of snow so far this winter. This is more then double what we typically have at this point. That's good to know, because it seems to me that we have had a LOAD of snow on our ground for...well...FOREVER! I'm glad I'm not going crazy. And, it always seems to me that we get more then Syracuse. And, it even seems like our neighborhood gets more then the village of Bville. Maybe I am going nuts......but when I say my prayers at night, I always include our snow plow service. I'm ready for summer.

Our Christmas Card Photo

My Christmas Letter 2008

In case my Christmas letter just lost in the mail on the way to your mailbox, I'll post another.

Greetings Family and Friends,
In keeping with tradition, our annual Christmas letter is going out late. It’s now evolved into a Happy New Year letter. Unfortunately, I don’t have a good explanation for my delinquency except to say that three children has, all of a sudden, increased the chaos level in our household exponentially. My New Year’s resolution is not to lose weight or spend less money, although these would be nice things. My resolution is to be the first Christmas letter you receive next year. Wish me luck.
Our life changed when Henry turned 11 months (in October). Before this, he was a great baby and we were organized (kind of), busy (but not too much), cool, calm, and collected. He has since turned into an absolute handful. These days I feel like it would take more then a super sized life preserver to stay afloat. But, I know that life changes quickly and although the days are long, the years go by fast so I’m trying to relish our chaos and enjoy it. Here’s a quick synopsis of the Bauer family in 2008:
Our baby (Henry) turned 1 in November. When he’s not climbing on the table, emptying my cabinets, or playing in our toilets, he’s cuddly, loving, and silly. He’s SUPER busy and is SO close to walking, taking 5-6 steps at a time. I’ll be thankful when he is walking, because the amount of time he’s spent crawling on the floors of McDonald’s or the sports center is absolutely disgusting. At home, he often wants to be carried, but anywhere else he likes to be down (once again, crawling over disgusting floors). He has mastered a high pitch scream anytime he wants attention (which is pretty much all the time) and loves to show it off at restaurants, grocery stores, or church. I try to explain it to the poor people around us by saying that he has two older brothers and has to scream to be heard. Unfortunately, people still hold their ears and give us dirty looks. I’m not sure his future involves playing well with others, because his big brothers give him anything he asks for (which is everything). His only words are “uh-oh”, “no”, and “hot”. He uses these appropriately all day long. Does this give you a glimpse of our day? Despite all this, we’re going to keep him (for now).
Emmett, our middle man, turned 5 in September. He is in his last year of preschool and has made his first real friend. He also played indoor and outdoor soccer this year, and scored tons of goals. He continues to play the piano AND hardly ever argues with me when I ask him to practice. He’s quiet and sweet and usually says, “OK, mom.” when I ask him to do something. I am aware that this won’t last. At his 5 year check up, we found out that he can’t see well (not my proudest moment). He now wears glasses and is thrilled with all the things he can see that he didn’t know he was missing. He learned how to make the “th” sound just recently. So, Thursday is no longer “fursday” thus taking with him any last remaining glimpse of a baby.
Owen turned 8 in November and is in the 2nd grade. He’s going to be an absolutely excellent litigator someday. He argues with me about everything, including but not limited to: the color of the sky and whether the world is really round. Interestingly, he usually has a fine argument. He exhausts us with his quest for knowledge and non-stop chatter. He’s very, very bright, and his teacher just recently asked us to consider skipping a grade with him (as of now, we’re not going to). His current fascination is tornado and hurricanes. He’s like an encyclopedia about them and can tell you the name of different hurricanes, the year they hit, where they hit, etc. He still loves soccer, but if he can’t be a professional soccer player someday then he would like to move to Kansas and be a storm chaser. Owen loves doing Mad Libs and puts the word “fart” or the derivative of in a few spots in every story. Then he giggles uncontrollably when he reads it back to me. I wonder how long this potty humor is going to last, but then I look over at Eddie who’s also laughing hysterically and I’m preparing myself that this may last FOREVER!
Eddie and I celebrated our 10th anniversary in August with a boating trip with friends (and Owen and Emmett). We’re hoping that by our 25th anniversary, we have more then 12 hours alone…together….consecutively. Eddie coached Emmett’s outdoor soccer team and has formed his own “Team Bud” soccer team. I’ve watched him play and I can vouch that they really do spend a full hour on the soccer field. But, then they spend a couple of hours after “supporting” Team Bud (if you catch my drift) in the parking lot. I’m a Wednesday night widow. It’s not so bad. He has a great time (but not team J). Eddie is still working for Anheuser-Busch and although, Baldwinsville still hasn’t captured our hearts, we are thankful that he has a job that pays the bills (and health insurance) and that I don’t have to work full time. With the changing economy and AB buyout, our future is uncertain. I am still working a little and driving kids around a lot. I have good friends, a husband that I love, and kids that are well behaved (at least in public) more often then not. I get lots of hugs and kisses and a shower at least every other day. Life is good. I spend a lot of time updating our family blog, http://bauerfamilyof5.blogspot.com. Check it out if you have a spare moment. I hope this upcoming year gives you lots of reasons to smile. I hope we all remember how blessed we are. And, I hope that through the chaos, we remember how short life really is. Most importantly, I pray that through each holiday season, my children learn (and remember) more and more about the real reason for Christmas. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Sorry, Robin.

You got cut off in this photo. Not in the real one, just on my blog post. It cuts off the right side of my photos for some reasons. So, I'm going to post another so everyone can see how beautiful you are!

Special Day

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Today me, Kim T, and Amy D. hosted a baby shower in honor of one of our dearest friends, Sheila. Sheila is having a baby GIRL (after two boys) in early February. This is the same Sheila who lives two houses down from me and watches my boys til Eddie gets home when I work. This group is my closest and dearest friends in Bville. Love them all! She got a WHOLE LOT of pink stuff and very little practical stuff. It was too much fun to buy pink :) Can't wait to meet this baby girl!

Sheila and I

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And...

For the record, Owen sleeps NO better when he's sick. You might think that after playing soccer yesterday for 3 hours w/ a high fever...he might be tired. No such luck. He fall asleep at 830 last night and was up by 515, still has a fever. He doesn't sleep when he's sick either, never has.

It's official!

My baby boy is a walking.....

Project 365, Day 10, January 2009

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Owen is sick today. He was awake a good portion of last night (as usual...the yoga hasn't helped, yet). He ended up sleeping in his sleeping bag next to our bed (as usual). Emmett was on the other side of the bed in his sleeping bag (as usual). But, he was complaining of a headache and sore throat. This AM, he continued to complain but also had a fever of 101. But he BEGGED, absolutely BEGGED, to play in his soccer games today. I think his exact words were "the team needs me!". And, he was bouncing around the house despite his complaints. So, we relented. I took him and Emmett to piano lessons at 9 and 930 and then we were at the sports center by 1030. We stayed at the sports center from 1030 - 530 pm. Owen played 3 games and Emmett had one game and one practice. Owen played like a soccer superstar. He had absolutely fabulous games and ran the WHOLE time. At no point, did he look tired or complain. But immediately after the third game (at 530 pm), he crashed. He could hardly walk out of the place. And by the time we got home, he had a fever of 102 and was miserable. Poor thing. If you are keeping score, that would be parenting mistake #657,932. I should not have let him played today.

Project 365, Day 9, January 9, 2009

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OK...so, this photo was taken yesterday but I didn't get a chance to blog it. So, technically my Project 365 is still on track :).

Henry....attacking the aluminum foil. Thanks, buddy.

PS Thanks for the super cute Colorado State t shirt, Aragon family!

Project 365, Day 8, January 8, 2009

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This is a trick photo. Can you guess what it is? Go ahead...guess. The answer is below.

Does this help?

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Ready for the answer??


Emmett is standing on his yoga mat. Owen and Emmett took their first kids yoga class tonight. Let me backtrack. When I took Owen in for his 8 year check-up we discussed his sleep habits. He still fights bedtime EVERY night. Gets out of his bed numerous times before falling asleep. Then, falls asleep late. He gets up many times during the night, sleeps w/ his brother, wakes early, etc. etc. He's going to have a sleep study done, too, just to make sure there is nothing biological going on. But, I doubt there is. He has trouble shutting his mind off. So, she recommended yoga for him. (Isn't she wonderful?). Owen was less then thrilled. Anyway, I found a yoga class for him (8-12 year olds) and Emmett decided he wanted to try it, too (a class for 4-8 year olds). They picked out their own yoga mats yesterday and today was the day. On the way there (Emmett's class was first), Emmett said he was really nervous. And, when I tried to leave him in the room, he freaked out and was crying and saying he couldn't do it. But, I asked the teacher if he could lay his mat next to hers and he DID IT! This is a major accomplishment for my middle man. And, best of all, he had an absolute GREAT time. He wanted to know if he could go again tomorrow. Owen's class was next and his, because it was older kids, was much more serious. Em's class had a craft and snack at the end. Owen's was very much like an adult class (yes...I used to do yoga...when Owen was new and we lived in Eville. yes, it was mainly because the teacher was HOT and he gave great massages...but still...I know what an adult class is like). Anyway, you get the picture: candles, chanting music, dimmed lights. And, no snack or craft. But, Owen LOVED it. He said that they are going to learn 108 Sunshine poses (or something like that). The did the dog pose and the rock pose. And, he said she rubbed their backs while they were in the rock pose. He said it was super relaxing. Of course, he still had trouble falling asleep when we got home, but all in good time, right?


BUT, while my children were finding their inner peace my stress level was out of control while there. It's not a studio conducive to chasing very active one year olds. It's two stories and the boys class was on the main floor. There was no where to sit (or wander around down there), so we went upstairs where the adult classes were going on. And, of course, there was a class going on and the door was shut, but I'm quite sure they could hear Henry's infamous screaming. There was a store selling yoga stuff and a little cafe up there. He knocked down water bottles and trash cans. He pulled shirts off the rack. He found a huge metal buddha VERY interesting. He soaked himself in the water fountain. There were lit candles and smelly stuff. A bunch of young, healthy, all organic people walking around looking at Henry like he was from a foreign planet. I think they were trying to be nice, but he definitely interrupted their inner om. I can't try to entertain him there again. After Emmett's class, I took Emmett and Henry home to Eddie who was off work by then. Next week Emmett said he would be OK if I left him there and came back. I hope that's true. Because, my experience was the polar opposite of relaxation.

As requested....

The website where you can turn your blog into a book is www.bloggled.com (thanks for that info, Allison). It also has the capability of "backing up your blog" or saving it to their site, so just in case you accidently deleted it sometime you could retrieve it. Has anyone done this? Thoughts?

So??

Has anyone out there got my Christmas card/letter yet? I haven't heard....

Weird.

I just found my blog post about Owen's visit to the orthodontist on an orthodontic blog site, goldbamboo.com. WEIRD! How did they find my blog?

The benefits of big brothers.

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Henry LOVES hitching a ride in anything he can find. He particularly loves laundry baskets, tupperware, blankets, sleeping bags, or one of his push toys. He climbs into a laundry basket (or one of the other things) and hollers at his brothers w/ a "UHH.." and LOTS of pointy fingers until they come over and push him. Then his brothers are committed to pushing him around the "loop" (the circle through our kitchen, formal dining room, formal living room, and entry) until Henry decides he's done. Because if they should stop before HE'S done, he will scream and holler at him until they start to push him again. So, thankful for big brothers w/ lots of energy, healthy backs, and kind spirits.
BTW....Henry was riding around in the laundry basket on his back. Cold chillin....

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Hitching a ride in the laundry basket.

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Getting a push on the riding toy.

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Being pulled on a blanket.

Project 365, Day 7, January 7, 2009

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Club Penguin is my boys new favorite on-line computer game. Does anyone else's kids play this? It's kind of like webkins, I think. You can play for free or pay $6.95 a month for a penguin that you can dress, buy "pets" for, etc. So, both Owen and Emmett have their own penguin. If you have kiddos over the age of 4ish...., give it a try. www.clubpenguin.com. It'll guarantee LOTS of quiet time, for you :)

PS Those are Owen's fingers.

Who me?

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I know you may be thinking, "Why am I letting him completely tear up my pantry?". I'll tell you why. It's still easier to pick up the pantry mess in the evening, when the kids are asleep then try to cook dinner w/ him on my hip. So, he tears up the pantry (and looks REALLY guilty).

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Isn't he beautiful?

Project 365, Day 6, January 6, 2009

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Henry's bright idea for today: crawling into my kitchen cabinets. Impressively, he fit completely inside. I think the best part is the one leg sweatpants hiked up.

Almost there...

Henry walks 5-6 steps ALL the time now. From couch to couch, from couch to chair, from person to table, etc. WHEN will he take the next step and be a complete walker?

Project 365, Day Five, January 5, 2009

003, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

Henry demands ALL of my attention these days. So when he's napping I try to spend some time playing w/ him. I wish it could be longer, but unfortunately, I also HAVE to do some things that are super hard to do while Henry is awake. Like laundry, dishes, showering.....
Anyway, Emmett's current favorite thing to do is to play games. And, he's really into Blokus. It is fun. Eddie and I sometimes play when the kids are sleeping. The other game that we've been playing is Uno Flash. My mom got it for the boys for Christmas. It's nice when the kids move to the age where you can play games besides Candy Land, Chutes and Ladder, Memory.....

Emmett's first friend

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Here he is by popular demand. The one you've heard so much about. This is Troy. Troy is Emmett's first "real" friend. And, when I say "real" I mean that this is the first friend that he chose. Before Troy, Emmett's friends were kids of my friends, friends by default (not that he doesn't love those kids....because he certainly does). But this is the first friend that he chose without my influence. And, what makes this even more exciting is that Emmett is quiet and shy and doesn't make friends quickly. This is his third year of pre-school and this is his first friend. Last year at his parent-teacher conference, his teachers told me that he still didn't participate tons w/ the kids. That he kind of stood on the side. And, some of those kids were in his class two years in a row. This year, they tell me is different. They say (and one of his teachers is the same as last year) that he and Troy are a "perfect fit". That Emmett leads Troy (who is younger then he). They say that Troy is as nice and kind as he is. They say that because of Troy, Emmett is more confident AND they even play w/ other kids. I'm so happy for him. Are you ready for the best part of this relationship??? They live (honestly) 4 houses down from us. What is the chance? And, his family is super sweet. We have had LOTS of afternoon play-dates. Next year they will do kindergarten together. Yeah, for friends!

Hmmm..

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It's not enough to send toys, spoons, and sipee cups down the furnace vent. Henry thinks that maybe he should try to go down, too.

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Henry: yep, I'm pretty sure I could fit. Let's give it a go.

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He didn't fit. BOY! That made him MAD! Should have captured a photo of the tantrum that followed.

Project 365, Day Four, January 4, 2009

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Out w/ the old and in w/ the new. We cleaned the house today of any evidence of Christmas. It's a sad, but good feeling at the same time. The last month was SO busy. I'm looking forward to slowing down.....
Where to put our Christmas tree is always an issue. Thankfully, my good friend, Sheila (who lives two houses down) has woods behind her house. Eddie drags the tree to her woods late at night....careful that none of her neighbors see...like a thief in the night. Our $8000.00 a year that we pay in taxes doesn't pay for tree or leaf pickup. If we lived in the "village" of Baldwinsville, we'd pay $9-10,000 a year for taxes on the same house...but by golly, our tree would be picked up! Oh, and we'd also have Baldwinsville/city police patrol. How very necessary. (that's sarcasm...)

Emmett and Henry playing peek-a-boo under the bathroom sink

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Where's Emmett?

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Are you in there, Emmett?

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There he is!

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He found him!

Project 365, Day Three, January 3, 2009

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Henry's favorite "game" these days is pulling off the "register cover" thing on our kitchen floor and throwing things down this furnace duct. A few times a day we reach down and pull out his "surprises". You would be shocked at the amount of stuff we pull out at any given time. This is Owen pulling out a spaghetti stirrer from it. We've also found shoes, sipee cups, food, and our REMOTE CONTROL! He gets super frustrated when he tries to shove big things down it that don't fit....like his toy bus. It's hysterical. And, I'm hoping the novelty will soon fade.

Project 365, Day Two, January 2, 2009

001, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

So, I've failed the challenge already. I didn't post the photo I took yesterday. In all fairness, I DID take this photo yesterday. I just didn't post it, so does that count? Anyway, Owen and Emmett have been hard at work making a store in the basement. They have set up "aisles" and have tagged all their toys. Gotta love creativity! The prices are a little steep. Anyone want a plastic grocery cart for $100.00?

Project 365, Day One, January 1, 2009

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OK...it just occurred to me that "Project 365" is probably named such, because it's supposed to be done for a whole year, NOT a month like I'm doing. But, I'm going to start small and see what happens. So, technically I'm doing "Project 31". Here's my first photo. It is a photo of my err...office. I mean, kitchen table. But, around my laptop is my Christmas Card stuff. They are done! My letter is on the screen. Now technically, they aren't all in envelopes, yet. But, the address labels are done and they are printed out. I have to sign, stuff, and stamp them and then I'll be ready to ship em out. It won't happen tomorrow, because I'm going to take the boys to the Kidz Club to play in the AM and then I have to work in the PM. So, hopefully they will be in the mail by Monday. You might ask why I bother if they are so much stress?? But, the truth is I like to do it. I like to write the letter. And, I like to look back on them year after year. I'll post my letter and picture on here in a few weeks, just in case yours got lost in the mail :)

Wee Squeaks

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Originally uploaded by megan bauer

Henry got some new shoes (size 6!) from my brother and sister-in-law's store, of course. They are SO much fun. They are "wee squeaks" and they squeak every time he takes a step. Which is REALLY cute now, but may at some point become irritating. Henry is SO close to walking. For the past week he's taking 5-6 steps by himself. So, so close. (BTW...that's Emmett screaching in background!)

Project 365

Most of you know how much I LOVE scrapbooking, but w/ the addition of Henry my scrapbooking stuff has gone untouched. I know that there are other moms of 3 (and more) that find time to scrapbook. I'm not one of them. If you are...please share your secret. Anyway, a college friend of mine (her blog is on my list as me and em) is doing a Project 365. Becky Higgins (scrapbooking guru) created this idea, and essentially, in a nutshell, it's about taking a photo everyday and scrapping it. It's supposed to encourage photos of day to day stuff. The mundane stuff that someday we will remember. So, since I won't be scrapping again anytime soon, I'm going to try to post a photo every day in January and blog about it. I'm hoping that someday, my blog, will be my memory book. Anyone else want to give it a go?

YIPEE!

Dear husband (that I previously complained about) got the wireless printer hooked up! YIPEE! Geek squad canceled. Happy New Year letter should arrive by Valentine's Day.

Uncle Jay explains

The year in review:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWiXy55OHyY

Just in case you've been under a rock :)

Christmas Card Stress

OK...so my goal for these past two days, with Eddie off, was to get my Christmas (now New Year) letter done so I can send it out w/ my Christmas cards. This is only possible if we get our printer hooked up wirelessly. I tried to work on it over Christmas, but the wireless printer we bought wasn't feeding paper. I had to return it and get another, but they were, of course, out of stock. So, I had to wait until this past weekend to get a printer. Now, we have a printer that feeds paper but my "computer guy" hubby can not figure it out! SHEESH! He has literally worked on it for 6 hours. I just called the geek squad. They are coming tomorrow AM to put it together. FOR 150.00 + tax. That's more then the printer cost. OMG!! But, I don't have another option. MUST GET CARDS OUT!