Brooke: Ear Tubes

Our poor Brookie has had several ear infections in her first year. The average baby has one, she is on five or six, depending on how you count. When she got her ear infection over the holidays, we knew that when we went back for her recheck we would get sent to a pediatric ENT for evaluation. This past Saturday we went to the ENT to find out she had yet ANOTHER ear infection. Needless to say, the ENT highly recommended that she get tubes. She constantly has fluid in her ears, which makes her hearing muffled. Plus, she is in constant pain and is becoming resistant to antibiotics. Putting in tubes does require surgery in which she needs to be put under (luckily, it is gas, not IV) so tomorrow we are heading to Lurie's Childrens Outpatient center for her surgery. I won't lie, I am nervous and feel terrible because she get so upset anytime she sees doctors and cries now. I will just be glad when it is all over and we can have snuggle time!!! 

Happy Birthday Seany!!!!

Happy Birthday Little Bro! We love you!!!!!

Our Winter Break: Part 2

As everyone is well aware of, every month we have a Kramer/Malic date. For December, we decided to do something over our break since the Kramer's also had off of work. Katie had the great idea of going to this place that basically was a big indoor playground that included an indoor carousal!! Genius!! It was only $4 for Blake and the rest of us were free. Blake and Raegan LOVED running around and burning off some energy. They rode the carousal 5 times and we got there right when it opened so it wasn't super crowded. 

Brooke and Weston

They are really excited to play!!

Blake was amazed!!

He is trying to figure out how this thing works!!

Even Brookie got a ride!

After the play area we headed to Red Robin for lunch, yummy!! Both kids fell asleep on the way home, that is the definition of success!!

Our Winter Break: Part 1

From Christmas Eve through New Years daycare is closed, thus we have to figure out stuff to do during our winter break. Luckily, both Louis and I had off of work the entire time so we got lots of good family fun. Blake really loves to do art and projects, especially making superhero masks. I had to make about 10 before he found one acceptable enough to wear. Ugh, I wish I was more creative. Haha. 

With Brooke getting more mobile and needing more of our attention, Blake has been wanting to get our attention even more. Thankfully, Uncle Sean got Blake a Chuck E Cheese gift card for Christmas. Grandma Malic watched Brooke for us and we headed there for the first time. Blake was way more entertained by riding the little "rides" versus playing games. Also, Chuck E Cheese was way cooler when Louis and I were little, haha. 

Monster Truck ride

Horsey Ride

Attempting Skeetball

Riding a rocket ship

Riding with Chuck E. There was a big Chuck E walking around that Blake spent half of the time chasing and keeping a safe distance while being totally fascinated. He finally gave him a high five before we left. It was a fun way to spend some Blake time!!

Brooke 10 Months

I can't believe that I have to start planning a 1st Birthday soon, tear! This past month Brooke has done a LOT. She has mastered crawling, she is climbing stairs, she can pull herself up to a standing position (and stand alone for a few seconds) and she can "walk" by using the chair in the kitchen and pushing it. She got another tooth (5 in total), and is saying "mama" and "dada" and waves hi and bye. She got to experience her first Christmas (she gladly let big brother open all of her presents!). She did get another ear infection and so we have an appointment with the doctor in a few days to decide if she needs to get tubes, poor girl has been on antibiotics forever. She wants to be in the action all the time and has figured out that if she wants something she just crawls to one of us and starts to whine. Haha. We also moved her from her baby carseat to a bigger carseat to make it more comfortable. 

Our Christmas

This year we started off by spending Christmas Eve at my parents house. We had a nice meal and the kids (that included Louis, Me and Sean) got to open one present. 

Brookie was teething and had an ear infection so she wasn't really into smiling. 

We used Papa's computer to track Santa. Blake wouldn't stop staring at the screen!!

Christmas morning Blake woke up to find that Santa brought him a "little kitchen" just like he asked for!!

Brooke was also really excited for all the presents

And Santa made good on his word to get Blake a "big shooting gun". This thing is crazy!! Oops. 

My attempt to get the kids to sit and look at the camera in front of the tree... Oh well. 

After we cleaned up and enjoyed the presents from Santa we headed over to my parents house to continue the celebration. 

Blake was VERY excited to get his own bag of pistachios. Haha. It is the little things. 

This is Blake telling me to get Brooke off of him and away from his toys!!

Blake "teaching" aka taking over Brooke's new toys

My attempt at a family Christmas picture 3 out of 4 isn't bad. #tryagainnextyear

The coziest way to spend Christmas. On the couch watching a Christmas movie

The next day after a quick visit to the doctor for Brooke (to get her back on medicine for her ears) we headed down to Flossmoor for the Malic side. 

Hey Blake, show me your new sword... 

Brooke riding Louis' old rocking horse

Oh look, it is a Christmas miracle, a picture of Louis and I. 

This year was so much fun. Blake was totally into opening presents (in fact he opened pretty much everyone's) and was so excited for Santa. We made cookies and watched a zillion Christmas movies. I bet next year is even better when Brooke can get more into the holiday spirit. 

Random Malic Happenings

The month of December is definitely always a busy one!

Yep, that is a rare picture of Louis and I, haha. A few years ago my parents started a tradition of going out to a nice dinner as our little Unti Family Christmas dinner. We didn't take the kids so we could have a relaxing night out but luckily Grandma and Grandpa Malic were willing to babysit!

(P.S. Why does my head look so fat compared to Louis'?)

Blake is very insistent on his wardrobe it is exclusively t-shirts and sweatpants. He refuses to wear long sleeve shirts lately... 20 degrees doesn't stop him. 

I always try to do some Christmas crafts with Blake. Last year we colored ornaments and so this year I decided to do something similar and do stain glass window ornaments. Blake loved painting them!!

Uncle Sean had Brooke try on her sunglasses! That girl is gong to love the beach!!

We have been plagued with some winter sickness. Louis had a pretty bad case of the flu last week and so all of us are taking medicine to not get sick. Poor Brooke has ANOTHER ear infection as well. Fingers crossed everyone is feeling better by the time Santa arrives!!