Aichele's Out West: Odds and Ends

It has been a somewhat rough start to the New Year as we have been battling quite an illness around here. Silas got sick at the end of our Chicago/Iowa trip and hasn't been able to kick it. We were hoping to avoid the dr's office, but we ended up taking him in because the severity of his cough and his breathing. The dr indicated it is only a virus and prescribed some steroids to try and open up his airways to hopefully heal him quicker. Now, of course, Nathan has it also and it is very hard to see such a young baby sneezing and coughing, but I guess that is the nature of the beast! Oh well, this just reminds us of how thankful we should be when we are healthy! This also helps me to be even more thankful that I can be at home with them instead of trying to figure out who has to stay at home and how many days can be missed at work, etc. I'm doing my best to get them healthy with naps, feeding and much rocking.

This brings me to the next topic. We got a new chair! Yeah! I've always wanted a rocker/recliner big enough to hold two kids and comfortable enough to hold a sick child all night if needed. As much as I love hand me downs, garage sales, craiglist, you name it, I really hoped to be able to get a new chair so that I knew who had sat in it, cleanliness, etc. Well, as a late Christmas gift, we purchased one. First of all, we paid all of our January bills all ahead of time (yeah for us!) and then looked at where we were at and then looked at the amazing after Christmas sales and went for it. I don't regret it one bit! It has come at the perfect timing and what a blessing. I have been able to feed Nathan while reading to Silas and we all fit perfectly. Now Silas asks, can we rock and read. I say "anytime!"

I will attach a few pictures of us enjoying some Christmas gifts. Silas got a Thomas the Train puzzle from Grandpa and Amma Shippy and he really enjoys having us help him put it together. My favorite...I mean Nathan's favorite gift...is the Bumbo seat. When we are playing on the floor, he sits right up in it and likes to watch Silas and I play. Aunt Carla introduced us to the tray that goes with it and so if I put toys on it, he enjoys looking at them. It won't be long until he's grabbing for them and playing with them. He's changing by the day!