Merry Christmas

Tomorrow we are packing up and heading north to my parents for Christmas. It turns out that my new job includes more than a week off at the holidays (the University is closed December 24-January 2). This means that all of us will be in Oshkosh for our usual Christmas eve and Christmas day festivities, Karl will have to go back on Monday to work a few days and Ally and I will stay until Thursday or so. I have a basketball game on January 1 so we need to be home in time to allow me to get ready for the game even though the university is closed. We are really looking forward to some time with family and hoping for good weather and a cooperative child on the drive.

We wish everyone a very happy and safe holiday!

Jillians

Uncle Corey comes to visit on Sundays so last week we went to Jillian's to eat and play. Jen came too and had a very competitive game of air hockey with Karl. Ally just liked to run around and look at all the flashing lights in the arcade. Disco Duck was her favorite game because it involved stomping on colored buttons. We all played basketball and ski ball and came away with 250 tickets. We are saving them up for a big prize some day!

New Teeth

Teething is a vicious cycle. Ally has only had four teeth since before her first birthday but all of a sudden new teeth are popping up all over. The entire lower right side has decided to come in all at once, including her molar. The left side has also started to swell and her molar has surfaced and yesterday I could see the two top teeth next to the center ones breaking out. Its crazy! It always seems like her worst teething happens in conjunction with a cold (pediatricians say coincidence but I disagree) so its very tough to tell whats causing her crabbiness and waking during the night. We have been treating with baby orajel since the herbal tabs that were so wonderful have since been recalled. Seems to work okay for short spurts but it doesn't do much for the swelling. She used to like the teething rings but now she is far to busy to just sit and chew on those. I just keep expecting to wake up to a smiling mouth full of teeth soon!

Holiday Greetings from the Kraebbers

Tree Decorating

I put up our Christmas tree the other night after Ally went to sleep and yesterday she helped decorate it. I had put all the lights on and the colored ornaments but I wanted her to help hang her special ornaments and our stockings. She was so happy to see the lights and she loved touching the colored balls. She helped put up Baby's 1st Christmas from last year and the new Baby's 2nd Christmas that I bought for her. We also added a New House ornament since we had one from 2006 when we bought our first house. Its not a huge tree by any means but it works for us and Ally likes it. Some day I want to have a real tree but until the dog and the child can be trusted with it, we will stick to this fake one.