The week in photos. . .

I am not a morning person, and I am just not a great mom before 9 a.m., but especially if I've only had 6-7 hours of sleep, which is often the case lately. So in an effort to honor a promise to myself to start getting more sleep (a commitment which should probably last about 3 days, if I'm lucky), I'm skipping the lengthy blog post in favor of a "Week in Review" photo presentation. Enjoy!


We dug out a bag of stuffed animals today to see which one would be the most huggable. Keller decided to hug them all at once!


Marley's new favorite toy--a nice sturdy beer box! I'm thinking about using one of these as my official entry photo for 'Mom of the Year'.



We had some really beautiful weather earlier this week and stayed to play on the playground when we picked Keller up from school. Marley is finally learning to smile for the camera, and I actually got one shot where all 3 smiled at the same time!







I loved this shot of Marley watching Dave through the front door. When I left for work on Thursday evening, I saw her sweet little eyes watching me through the bottom pane of the window in the door, too. So cute!


The old soap beard trick. Never gets old in our house.


The kiddos dragged a blanket into the kitchen and had a good time rolling around, snuggling, and making faces. For a few minutes. Then they started fighting. I'm only including photos from the good part here, of course!



Casey is way into Legos right now. Seems to go in phases in our house. But right now, almost every available surface is usually covered with various Lego creations of his. I love the proud smile, where the top lip disappears and everything!



One of the best parts of having Dave work from home is that he gets to do special stuff with the kids that he would miss out on if he was working somewhere else. Sure, it means he puts in extra time at night, but I know the kids and I really appreciate having a daddy who can be there for these things. Today he chaperoned Casey's field trip to Milwaukee's Custard. Here's Casey enjoying his treat.

The non-squeaky wheel . . .

Casey is the one out of our three kids who never complains about physical ailments, aches or pains. He can be down and out, sick as a dog, burning with fever and will still insist "I Okay Mommy." He is a sensitive guy, who gets his feelings hurt easily and loves to be snuggled, rubbed, and just generally baby-ed. But he rarely ever talks about anything hurting or making him feel sick. Yes, I am laying some groundwork here . . .so as not to come out looking like Worst Mom of the Year at the end of the story. So, last Sunday when we got back from "Mass-a-knuckles" Casey was a little out of it and tired, but we all were, so we didn't think too much of it. Until 2:30am on Monday, which is the time he crawled into our bed and gave us the sensation of sleeping next to a very, very hot water bottle. Poor guy had a big fever, which lasted off and on until Tuesday. He had two terrible nights of sleep (which of course means that Dave and I endured the same), and then after the fever broke he had a runny nose and cough. Mind you, all along he kept telling me that he is just fine. He HATES taking medicine, so even giving him Tylenol for the fever or some children's Nyquil for the cough involved serious bribes and deal-making. Other than his nose running like a faucet and having a night-time cough, he really seemed okay until Sunday morning, when he woke up with no voice at all.

Here's a video of Casey's voice, and this wasn't even at the worst point. Background soundtrack provided by: Dave & Keller watching the UNC basketball game and Marley wearing her squeaky shoes.


It was so cute at first, but when he still had no voice on Monday morning, and added a little case of pink eye and a rash on his bum to the list of symptoms, I finally decided it was time for a trip to the doctor. As I went over his symptoms with the pediatrician, I could see the wheels turning in his head and I was certain that when he left to go run the strep test, he would also make a quick call to Child Protective Services to see exactly what they consider to be 'neglect.' Turns out Casey has: a sinus infection, strep infections in his throat and on his bottom, pink eye, and laryngitis. Wow. Way to go, Holly. Great job earning votes for "Mom of the Year." He is on Augmentin now, which tastes like ground up chalk with a tiny hint of gross fruit punch flavoring added in. He cannot stand to take it. When I got to work tonight, I looked down at the front of my clothes and saw little splotches of medicine on my shirt and pants from the Battle Royale showdown that took place during his evening dose of medicine. I just cannot believe that he was not laying on the floor, moaning and groaning about how awful he must have felt through all of these ailments. I have long believed that men in general tend to be a little bit whimpy when it comes to being sick, but Casey may just be the guy who blows my theory out of the water!

Marley got a little 'bling' last week. After saying "HER name is Marley" and "SHE has been home two months" and "SHE is a girl" for the past two months, we decided Marley could use some sparkle. She wears pink, dresses, pink dresses--it doesn't matter--people still automatically assume she is a boy because she has no hair and she's not a super-girly looking girl. Well, actually her hair is growing in pretty nicely (although a bit crazily with a pattern that I haven't quite figured out yet). So, Casey and I took her to the mall last Thursday afternoon and got her ears pierced. Casey helped me pick out some cute pink flowers (which, by the way, I couldn't believe the variety of piercers now--when I got mine pierced many moons ago, you could only get silver, gold, or birthstones). She cried for less than 2 minutes, and hasn't minded them at all. Now if someone calls her a boy again, I will probably go ahead and punch them in the face.

Marley's 'sparkle'

Keller started Track on Sunday and it was so much fun. It's a huge program with over 300 kids from ages 4-15, but very well-organized and he seemed to like it a lot. He did long jump, sprints, and relays Sunday, and will cycle through other track events throughout the course of the season. His first meet will be sometime in April. He is also playing baseball this spring. He and Casey are both doing a baseball camp every Monday afternoon right now in preparation for the season, but Casey won't be playing yet this year. He has swim lessons starting next week. He is very confident in the pool, and Keller swims like a fish in any depth of water, but I am a little unsure about how I'll manage all 3 kiddos at the pool this summer. I figured Casey could benefit from lessons, and my nerves may benefit from knowing that he can swim in 5 feet of water, rather than him just thinking he can ;)

Keller's warm-up lap at track:


The boys at baseball camp last week:


Here are a few other random photos from the beautiful weekend we had here.

"Mass-a-knuckles" . . .

Last summer while we had the fam at a music festival, I dropped our name in a bucket to win a weekend getaway. I am no fool--I knew that this made our name, address, and probably blood types available to the marketing company who was offering the prize. I decided to do it anyway. . .either feeling lucky or maybe had a few too many beers that day. Regardless, we got a call a couple of weeks ago offering a chance to go stay at Massanutten Resort (or "Mass-a-knuckles" as Casey so adorably--and adamantly--calls it), about 2 hours from here, for a "free 2 night stay." We had already gone to the water park at the resort last May, and we knew the kids would love a visit there as well as a chance to go snow tubing on the mountain, so, we scheduled it for this weekend.

Other than paying resort prices for food (think $10.99 for a frozen pizza) and having to endure a 90-minute tour/sales pitch for a timeshare at the resort, I am happy to report that despite multiple hiccups and glitches in our well-laid plans, the kids had a fantastic weekend and were pretty much oblivious to said hiccups and glitches.

We spent three hours at the water park, which was Marley's first experience with swimming pools and hot tubs. She loved it! It's hard to believe that this little girl was once so incredibly terrified of the bathtub that she would stand in the bathroom, still fully-clothed and scream at the top of her lungs as soon as I started to fill the tub. I admit to only giving her 2-3 baths the entire two weeks we were in China, and we had to bathe her in an infant tub for the first couple of weeks home. She has come a long way baby! She loved being in the water, and felt comfortable enough to repeatedly push my hands away when I tried to hold onto her as she walked along the seat in the 4 foot deep hot tub. She did have two moments which made her relative inexperience with water apparent--both involved her seeing something interesting on the bottom of the kiddie pool and deciding to take a closer look by just bending over and sticking her whole head under water. A little scary for me, but she came up laughing, so I guess this summer at the pool should be quite interesting. I have to add that she finished the night of swimming with a diaper full of edamame poop (so incredibly gross, I just had to mention it) and a case of hives. She appears to have pretty sensitive skin, which the orphanage director mentioned on the day after we got her. I'm guessing the chlorine and chemicals were too harsh for her skin, but regardless, it all cleared up within an hour or two of being out of the pool. Dave and the boys did all of the big slides and tubes, and went whole hog the whole time, as usual. They are really lucky to have a dad like Dave who never sits on the sidelines, has lots of staying power, and encourages them to make the most of their time. He is perfectly content to be running up the stairs with them and following them down the slides, with his reward being the crazy, insanely happy grins on their faces. Keller has a decent gouge in his knee and a badly bruised shin--evidence of a good day in the life of Keller. Casey was so worn out that he fell asleep on the way back to the condo and I had to carry him (all 42 pounds) up the stairs, during which time he gave me a big sloppy kiss and mumbled "I wuv you." Too cute.


Here are Keller and Casey, being oh-so-patient as they waited for Dave & I to get ready.


Marley had a lot of fun hopping around in these hanging swing contraptions:

I just think this picture is funny because it looks like she is plotting to catch one of the water droplets that is frozen in the picture!

Marley got to try out the adorable monogrammed ladybug cover-up from the Canady family. I swear she's in there . . .

See, there she is!

Keller cheesing it up after swimming

We had three happy, but worn out kiddos (and two very worn out parents) on the way back to our condo



Marley was too small to do any snow tubing. She needed to be 36" tall, and is coming in at around 30-31" right now. Maybe next year? But maybe not, I suppose. She's a peanut. I took Keller & Casey to hit the tube hill for an hour, then Dave brought Marley over and we switched. Keller was in his normal dare-devil, thrill-seeker form and was almost insistent that he would be riding his tube down the snowboard terrain park rather than the tube area. And when it was his turn, he had the friendly guy at the top whip his tube so it spun in circles the whole way down. Casey and I went down with our tubes tied together the first time and it was so cool to look back at him and watch his face while we flew down the hill. There was definitely a bit of apprehension there, but also evidence of a healthy dose of adrenalin.

Casey was sooo excited to go backwards on the tube! I had gone down ahead of him, but before I went, I asked the guy at the top to try to give him a really gentle spin to get him moving in the wrong direction, so to speak.

Waiting for his turn . . .

Flying backwards down the hill. . .

Love it when a plan comes together. . .


Here's what happens when I say "Smile nicely, please" . . .



And here's what happens when I say "I'm serious, guys. Smile NOW."


And here's what happens when I say "Oh nevermind, I guess I just won't have any nice pictures of you guys to look at when I'm old"

(A little guilt never hurt anyone, right?)

Marley got to ride around in her fancy new Kelty carrier (we got rid of the old one when "we" were so sure we weren't having any more kids!)


Here's a shot of Keller from today's snow day. Casey was asleep with a raging fever, Marley was napping, and so Keller and I set off into the wild white yonder. I think I may have knocked my brain a tad loose trying to show Keller how to use this snowboard-type sled we bought last year, but it was good for laughs anyway.



I'm off to dive back into my book about the Johnstown Flood. I have never had much interest in history, but am truly fascinated by all that went down before, during, and after the flood. I grew up in the J-town area, but hardly knew anything about the flood until something sparked an interest in me recently. This is the third book I've read on the subject in the past two weeks, and I've ordered the DVD of the PBS documentary on it. I guess that makes me a member of a very small and as yet unnamed club of Johnstown Flood junkies.

"Making the cut"

From time to time, I feel inspired to write a blog post that is a bit more cerebral and a bit less "here's what the kids did this week." Because I know that most of the people who read my blog are family and friends who really want all of the kid-related stuff, I'll add another post very soon with pics, videos, etc. But tonight, I want to let my inner writer have free reign. I still believe I will someday write a really kick ass book that will be read by many, but until then, I'll just put some bits and pieces here when the mood strikes. So here it goes . . .

One evening after we had spent time with some friends, Dave commented to me that it is very hard to get into my inner circle. He said that I can be reluctant to work at friendships if they don't feel 'just right' to me. His comment guided me toward introspection on the topic. Am I too quick to judge? Do I shut people out when they could be adding something to my life that I am missing? What exactly are the parameters I use to decide who is 'in', who is 'out', and who is 'way out'? I began to form a metaphorical perspective on the topic, the rough draft of which follows.

"Making the cut"

Throughout my life, I've wielded various knives, tools which have carved, chiseled, and sliced away the friendships which I've found unfulfilling or unhealthy. Those remaining have formed a tightly-woven net from which I continually bounce back after a fall. The relationships that have made the cut are with those people who are most precious to me.

As a young girl, a dull plastic knife rested on the table as my busy hands mixed and molded the ever-changing pile of playdoh in front of me. Likewise, my circle of friends melded together, pulled apart and came back together slightly changed. At the end of a day, a week, or a school year, even those pieces which had been mindlessly trimmed away could be easily reincorporated.

As a young woman, the cuts were made with a butter knife. It was relatively painless for friends to cross back and forth across the blade, and many friends existed on each side of the divide. Forgiveness came easily, though forgetting sometimes did not. I met some of my dearest lifelong friends during this period in my life, but did not necessarily see them as such at the time.

As a woman, the knife I used developed a serated edge. It usually took a few swipes in each direction to make a clean cut and decide which side someone belonged on. The number of people I counted as true friends was getting smaller. I began to think more carefully about who I chose to spend my time with, which friendships were effortless, which were worth effort, and which could never offer what I was looking for.

As a mother, I seem to have chosen a much more sharp, smooth-edged tool, with one clear dividing line—-how someone treats children, especially mine. After a swift slice, it is almost impossible to get back in. I don't feel like I can truly be myself around someone who doesn't accept my kids for who they are. When I feel like a friend has passed judgement on one of my children, it is nearly inevitable that the friendship will begin to feel strained and unnatural over time. On a larger scale, I don't trust anyone who doesn't value children the way I do, who doesn't look at a child in need and feel some sense of responsibility, who doesn't feel like children are owed as much respect as I believe they are.

My hope is that time and experience have given me the sense and compassion to know when I need to reach back to that grade school table and pick up the most gentle of knives rather than quickly slashing away out of hurt or anger.

Another week has flown by and all is well at the Huffman house. We were a night late watching LOST this week, so tonight is my dedicated Greys Anatomy night. Sorry for the short post, but the DVR is calling. (Hey, cut me some slack, I watch 3 total hours of TV/week)


Keller getting ready for his first ice skating adventure.

He did pretty well for a first timer . . .Sorry for the sideways video, if anyone knows how to rotate a video, drop me a line!

Our beautiful Marley enjoying a warm sunny day

Casey goofing off in the tub

I very bravely allowed Casey and Marley to play in the tub together tonight

Marley runs now--Look Out!!

And, she can finally get herself up to standing in the middle of a room. Yeah--we won't miss the "eh-eh-eh-eh" noise she always made when she was stuck on her bottom and wanted help getting up, immediately.

A truly Happy Birthday for Marley Rae!

We got a call from the neurosurgeon's nurse practioner at 8am this morning. All of Marley's MRI & CT scan images were clear! We were so relieved and excited. What a fantastic way to start off her 2nd birthday. We also got her Certificate of Citizenship in the mail today, so that was kind of a neat thing to receive on her birthday. We had a yummy dinner of orange chicken, fried rice, and shu mai dumplings, followed by cheesecake. A few pics . . .

Keller showing Marley her new monkey from Grammy

Keller teaching Marley how to play the piano he picked out for her (a.k.a. distracting her while Casey opens one of her gifts!)

I bought this hat a couple of years ago and I've been insisting that everyone in the family has to wear it on their birthday. I love Marley's look, kind of like "Are you kidding me?"

Marley dancing in her new jammies from Grandma Nancy

A short gratitude list and some other stuff

Nice title, right? What can I say? I can't be eloquent all of the time. Ok, so I kind of dropped the ball on the idea of a weekly post of five things I am grateful for. I have a good excuse. . . three kids! But, I want to get back to it, so here's my short list for this week. I'm grateful for:

1. A great first report card. Keller's first ever report card was really, really good! The academic stuff is important and we're excited and proud to know he's doing well. . .but let's face it, Keller is a one-man circus in terms of high energy stunt performances. We were happy to see high 'marks' on behavioral stuff and to read such positive comments from his teacher about his behavior. She even called him 'delightful.' All I can say about that is "Whew."

2. Dave. I received some heartbreaking news on Tuesday night that one of my former students passed away of brain cancer. I knew her well and had visited with her at home a few times after her tumor was removed and while she was undergoing treatments. I did not know she had taken such a turn for the worse and can't believe that she is gone. I came home and sat on the couch and cried. Dave knew that what I needed from him was just to hold my hand and to agree with me when I said that it sucked and was totally unfair that this funny, sweet, dedicated single mom had lost her battle with cancer.

3. Miracles. I can't go into details here, as it's not my place to share someone else's wonderful news . . . but a very special child who owns a piece of my heart has finally found her family.

In other news . . . Marley had her MRI and CT scan today, and we hope to hear from the neurosurgeon tomorrow to hear what his impressions are from the scans. She did very well with everything. I was able to stay with her until she was completely under anesthesia. It was unimaginably (is that a word?) hard to give her a kiss and walk out of the MRI room once she was asleep. She was under for a total of about 2 hours. She was fussy and hungry when she woke up, but has been a pretty easy-going little gal since we got home. I am hopeful that there won't be any surprises when we hear the results, but whatever we learn tomorrow doesn't change anything. She is such a blessing and we'll do whatever needs to be done for her.

Here are a few pics and videos from the past week. I swear, Marley is a really smiley gal, but she does not like to smile for the camera. She is much more interested in rushing over and looking at the pictures on the camera!

Marley pulling up in the crib. She's an ace at it now, but it was hard to get to this point. Look how proud she is!

Marley rocking out with Keller's RoboQuad

Hanging out at the playground at Keller's school.

Keller's creation of the day. He loves to take apart broken electronics and make things. This is something he called "Auto Cart" and was a spy camera. Gotta love the imagination! I found Casey unscrewing a screw from the back of our home PC the other day, so we had to have a talk about the difference between broken and functioning electronics!

Casey after he 'licked the beaters' from Marley's birthday cake

Marley feeding herself her birthday cake