April Already...

Where is the time going??? I always have the best of intentions to post on a more regular basis, then life happens! Super quick update as I am getting to the end of my night and still need to pay some bills, feed the cats, put a load of clothes into the dryer but I can hear Abby starting to cough.... And that leads me to my update: Abby has yet another ear infection!!! UGGGGHHH! I am always amazed at how wonderful she is, happy, playful, loving, until that 102.5 fever hits (and as always it is in the middle of the night--go figure)! Then it is all down hill from there! Bless her little heart! It was Thursday night when the latest fever hit and I knew right away that it was an ear infection (she had asked me to itch her ear earlier that day but I didn't think anything of it until then). So off to the Dr. we went. I can't say that I was happy to hear that she would need to go on an antibiotic (yeah, he said it was pretty bad) other than the last time the other Dr. over wrote her Rx (2 bottles instead of 1) and I still had a full round left. Other than having what I needed on hand, this is poopy! Little Peanut has been a bit clingy on both Friday and today, though Saturday was great--go figure! I just hope this works itself out soon because Mommy and Daddy are going for a little get-away soon....

Art, Family and Yummy!

Here is a weekend update, short and sweet:

I think that I forgot to post about Abby getting her top left front tooth a week or so ago...ooops!!

Abby brought home her first work of art from school on Friday (which is proudly hanging on the fridge)...



Just incase you can't tell it is a footprint snowman. LOVE it!!!

I found out the hard was that Bra World by Oakland Mall no longer exists...Ugggghh!

I decide that i can't take much more of the winter-blahs without saying/doing something that I'll regret. So to the tanning bed I went :) Boy how I have missed you tanning bed! Keep you lectures to yourselves please--I know the risks and have decided that this is the only way to make it (and I am lecturing myself as I drive to and from said appointments).

We had a great visit with Uncle Tom and Aunt Amanda yesterday. Lots of playing, dancing and laughing.

Pics to come...

And we finished our weekend with a busy Sunday full of conducting singers at church, dinner with Nana and Papa, and Abby's first trip to Coldstone...







She refused to eat it until I gave her her own spoon and then she was unstoppable!! She was double-fisting with a Timbit, so cute!!

And that was it (well now I'm off to do some grocery shopping...)! Hope you had a great weekend!

Spring Please Hurry

Hello! I know that I have been neglecting the blog since returning to work...I'm still trying to find a groove/motivation to get it all done without much success. I will get there, I will get there. Here are a few updates:

Well, we are all still sick! It seems like every time we think we are getting over this chest cold, two days later we wind up with a cough again! Both MJ and Abby have been on antibiotics with no luck so it seems that we just have to wait for May and the warm weather to get here.

Abby has had a better two day at daycare after a rough two weeks. A double ear infection, cold, crazy hives and teething will do that to a one year old! When I picked her up today the new girl raved about how great she was today. I pursued to tell her that this is more our "normal" Abby over the supercranky Abby that has been around for a few weeks. I'm not too sure she believed me...

We had Abby's 18 month check up last week and her stats read like this: 10% for weight (17 lbs 11 oz), 25% for height (29") and 50% for head (18.4"). She truly is a Peanut--but has come a long way from the little 7 lbs, 20 inch newborn that came into this world a year and a half ago! I think she might be hitting a growth spurt, that or she is making up for the lack of appetite these last few weeks. When I put her on the scale this evening and she is up to 19 lbs 2 oz! On the right track...

In more Abby news, she is cutting her 5th tooth! This time it is the top-front-left tooth. I'm so nervous about this one because I know that these will change her looks forever and I'm just so used to my little Abby just the way she is.

MJ is enjoying his student teaching. I can't believe that he has less than five weeks to go and then he will certified!!! Wow, the last two years have gone by so fast and have been filled with change. All of it great though, just perfect!

As for me, work is...um...well....hummm. I guess the jury is still out. On one hand it is nice to get out of the house but on the other I'm struggling with the everyday tasks (cooking, cleaning, working out (oh wait, I've always struggled with that one) feeling like I get enough time in with Abby (and MJ), I'm sure you know the rest of the list). I just keep telling myself that I will adjust to my new normal in time.

This is for the birds....

I was hoping to post some Christmas updates today...lots to share...but our day has been full of vomit!!!! I was in denial this morning--chalked the first two up to phlegm overload--but after Abby's fifth wardrobe change I am starting to wonder if this is her first case of the flu. I'll keep you posted...

Update:

Well, Abby got sick six times that day and I had to call the Dr. office because she couldn't keep a thing down--not crackers, not water. It was so sad to see her little face each time she would get sick, she just didn't know what was going on and it seemed to scare her a bit. It broke my heart each time. It is amazing that you really don't care about cleaning chunks out of the carpet (when you have all that hardwood that she could have vomited on....) or all the laundry you'll have to do when your baby is getting sick. You truly just want them to feel ok.

Abby seemed to be doing better around dinner time (hadn't thrown up in over 3 hours) and she was starving so I let her eat some crackers and such. Well, needless to say we had a visitor in our bed that night because about 3 hours after going to be her sheets were covered. The next day she was fine all day, other than being a sleepy little girl, but she yet again got sick in bed. Poor thing!

Thus far, I was in the clear. Come New Year's Eve, I was going on day two w/o getting sick so we went ahead with our dinner plans. Gramps and Grandma D came over to Abbysit while we went out for a nice adult dinner with friends. Just about the time the appetisers came it hit me like a ton of bricks out of NOWHERE! I have to say that I can't remember the last time I got sick in a public bathroom (maybe because I had had a bit too much to drink then...just saying...) and I never want to do it again! YUCK! Well, we didn't get to enjoy that meal, in fact I didn't get to enjoy any meal until dinner the next day :( So much for not getting this one from Abby!

I do have to say that this was an easy tummy bug--no fever, no body aches, no headache, no chills. It really could have been worse. I just look at it this way, I got my diet off to a good start! Happy New Year to me....

Floaties

And I'm not talking about what you use in the pool.....

As you may know, Abby has had some poo issues this week. Well, tonight while giving her a bath she managed to let a few "floaties" loose. UUUGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Needless to say, "bath-time" quickly became "chore-time" for Mommy.

Love for Our Pediatrician

Well, little Miss Abby has managed to pick up a case of the liquid-poos from somewhere. Whether it is a bug or a side-effect of a pending bought of teething, we are not sure. Anyway, I called the doc. the other day to see at what point we should come in or start giving her Pedilalyte to keep her hydrated and played a little game of phone tag with our favorite nurse. I haven't been all that worried since Abby has had rather wet diapers so I didn't follow up with the last message.

Well, at 8:02 this evening our phone rang and it was the doctor's office. I picked up the phone expecting to talk with Nurse Nancy, but much to my surprise it was Dr. Dean Moscovic himself! He was calling to check up on Abby, to see how we were doing. We chatted a few minutes about her butt-flu (he laughed at me for calling it that, but said he might have to steal that description) and told us not to worry too much, as there seems to be a bug going around.

I have to say that I thought the days were long gone when the doctor a) remembered the patients he saw that week b) had someone follow up on pending issues or c) called himself to see how things are going. I am truly impressed! Thanks Dr. Moscovic!!!

Nine Months

Nine months have passed oh-so-quickly!! Abby is not growing a whole lot physically--she is still able to wear her 6 month Carters clothing but I'm putting her in her 9 month stuff because I am SO VERY SICK of her 6 month stuff--but her repertoire of skills are almost multiplying by the day! Here's what is new in the last 30 days: She is clearly waving "bye-bye" with out a doubt, pulling up on things without assistance, has graduated real/table food, is pushing up onto all four and rocking...crawling is in our near future, she has been healthy for more than 2 weeks for the first time since Christmas which also meas that she is sleeping through the night again (Sooooo happy about that!), has developed what we call a "scrunchy" face and took her fist swim class.

Pulling up to her favorite toy:

Almost there....


Standing tall!

Squirmy-worm:

Just has to coordinate movement now:

Determined:

Making it hard for Mommy to get a good picture:

The world must feel better without socks...

Break time:

Just practicing...

Got a good one, finally!!

Abby and Peanut at 9 months

Bed Time

For me!

I am headed off to bed this very moment because I deserve more than 4 consecutive hours of sleep for a change!!! Abby is fighting yet another cold and a case of the snarphs (if you are keeping count this is number, um, 4 or 5--I've lost count myself!!) which means she is coughing like a banshee and not sleeping well. Last night we were up from 1 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. at first due to the cough, then she decided that it was time to eat and play--not cool.



Anyway, I put Abby down at 7:30 and now I am headed to bed...lets hope she sleeps till at least 4!!!!!

SafeMama

Once upon a time, I was a Nalgene toting girl. I thought I was doing the right thing by avoiding the typical 20 ounce bottles of water and using my large, colorful, reusable bottle instead...

Then the news of BPA exploded and I freaked out! I started reading all about BPA and shortly realized that it is a scary, chemical-filled world out there and BPA is not the only chemical we should be worried about. The list of endocrine disrupting chemicals is oh-so-long and the issues they cause are even more scary (in short, they mimic hormones and may cause major problems over time). I did a lot of searching on the Internet for information on what products help limit my exposure to such chemicals, but had a hard time finding a site that compared products side by side. Then one day, Emily pointed me to SafeMama.com and I have been hooked ever since!!

Then I became pregnant and the worry launched into overdrive! Not only am I responsible for keeping myself healthy but now everything I rub on my body will in some way make it to my baby (chemicals in lotion soaks in to the skin...shower gel on body winds up in the mouth of a nursing baby) AND I'm also responsible for the products I put on her once she is born...I decided that I can not eliminate our exposure but I can do my best to limit our exposure by being an informed consumer.

I do have to give this warning: Once you start reading labels you may freak out as well. You are not a bad person. You may have a few decisions to make (what are you willing to give up, what are you able to spend, what do you think is something you should avoid, etc.).

My everyday favorite "Cheat Sheet" is the Safer Skin Care:

And because Lake Keliann is growing with each April Shower (which means 'Sketer season is almost upon us) I found this one tonight:

Be sure to visit SafeMama for Sunscreen and kiddie pool info too!

Double Down

I'm happy to report that in less than 5 1/2 months Abigail has officially DOUBLED her birth weight and now weighs 14 lbs (and 2 ounces). This is a fun milestone that I didn't realize I would take time to celebrate, but hey, why not?!!

Five Months Old

Abby turned 5 months today and I can't believe how fast her little life is flying by! In less than one month, she will be 1/2 of a year old....how is this so? I guess I will deal with that when the time comes.

Here is Abby and Peanut on her 5 month birthday:

That's right--Abby learned to sit up this past month as well as finding the letter "B". Here is a little video of her new skills:

Other accomplishments of this past month that I did not get a chance to blog about:

*Laughing out loud--I came home for work and Abby and Gramps greeted me at the door. Abby gave me a big smile along with a verbalized laugh!! Usually she would just give a "huh" and a smile, but this time it was a full laugh!

*Her second cold/case of the Snarphs--Christmas Eve came with the gift of a cold, the snarphs, and cough. The cough has managed to hang around and now we think it is part of the teething process

*Digression--her great sleep habits have gone by the wayside due to the cough as has her ability to roll over...so sad!!! She is back to her newborn schedule of feeding every 2/12 to 3 1/2 hours because her cough wakes her up and then she realizes that she is hungry and won't go back to sleep w/o feeding (and sometimes coughing til she pukes). During all of this, we laid off of tummy time due to the drainage and she has since forgot how to roll over. Oh well, it will come back sooner than later.

Snarphy

Do you ever get that head congestion that settles in the back of your throat/nose that no matter how much you blow doesn't go anywhere but still manages to drain into your throat? You know that yucky, phlegmy, makes-you-cough-and-sniff-all-time head cold. Yuck!

Well, this is what Abby came down with this past week. It is so sad to listen to--when she lays on her back it all drains down the pipes and makes her cough, or worse gag and dry-heave. I keep trying to suction it out, but nothing will come. I know it is in there because most of the time you can hear the snot/phlegm catching in that place that is not really your nose or throat. This is what I have started to call a Snarph. Poor Michael heard me talking to Abby about her snarphs and being all "snarphy" and did not realize that it is something I completely made up. The funny part is he had been referring to her "snarphs" to other people and needless to say, they had no clue what he was talking about...Sorry Michael!

Anyway, I took Abby to the dr. and he did the flu test just in case (never thought it was the flu, but better safe then sorry I guess...). I'm happy to report that she is flu free but still fighting a case of the Snarphs with the help of a decongestant ;)

What a Difference a Day Makes

Well, by Friday evening I was feeling pretty good! No, I'm not 100% yet, but my sore throat is gone, most of my coughing has subsided and my stuffy/runny nose is to a manageable level. I am so thankful that this summer cold did not stick around for long!

On another note, I started the cutting the curtain last night and hope to get at least 1/2 (if not all) of the sewing done today. I am on a mission to get the nursery "done" in the next two weeks. By done I mean curtain sewn and hung, random items put away, dimmer switch installed and maybe the bumper cover sewn. We'll see if I can get it all done in time without killing myself!

I have been out and about this week searching for some misc. items such as baskets for the living room, something to wear in the hospital (that looks good enough for visitors to see me in, has easy access for nursing, doesn't cost too much and is something I won't get attached to in case it gets ruined) and decorations for the nursery. I would like to say "Thank you" to Michael's for the basket (FINALLY), Marshall's for the CHEAP night gown and robe, and Target for the new knobs for the dresser. MJ and I had talked about getting something different b/c he did not care for the ones that came with the dresser, but I had little hope of finding something we liked that did not cost $7 each. Here is what I found for $4.99 each:

Love them!

Being Pregnant Really Sucks...

...when you are sick!! I am not one to take meds. in the first place, but when you are preggers and CANNOT take something (other than Sudafed or Robitussin--which do not help), being sick REALLY SUCKS!

My throat started to tickle late Saturday night, but I figured it was from all the talking or perhaps just allergies. On Monday, I noticed that I was getting stuffy but chalked that up to pregnancy-land. Then Wednesday night I started to cough a little...uh-oh! Today, well friends my nose is stuffy and runny at the same time (joy) and my throat is SUPER sore from all the phlegm-producing-coughing that I have been doing.

All I have to say is "poor MJ". Why "poor MJ"? I am snoring like an old-man and I'm sure he is not getting much sleep. I offer to sleep on the couch (or perhaps he should sleep there if he does not want to hear me all night long) but being the trooper he is, he just tells me that I am being silly. Bless his heart!