Enough talking....let's eat!

The Thanksgiving Report:

2 Thumbs UP (Libby LIKES!):
Mommy's Sweet potatoes, especially with cinnamon and marshmallows!!, Grandma Carol's Rolls (Mommy has a weakness for them too!), Macaroni and Cheese, Honey's Blackberry Salad with cream cheese topping, Dressing (i think EVERYONE voted this their favorite!!) and Granddad's super good carrot cake (because it's carrot color--not carrot flavor...but they're in there!)

Libby tolerates: corn, green beans, turkey, Uncle Ken from a distance (just kidding!)

Libby Loves to play with coke and water bottles! They make such fun noises when they pop and creak! Here she was just showing off for Daddy and Sugar.



Just looking sweet in my turkey day outfit! Ready to try some good food!


We are VERY VERY BLESSED to have such an amazing little girl in our lives! What a wonderful gift each day is! Something new and amazing everytime we turn around. Getting to see the world through her little eyes is magical! I don't know how someone so small can be full of so much life---or how much someone could consume mine!


I am such a lucky girl to have skeety, my chicken nugget, my parents, sugar, special k, ml & hs, the connells, and my nearest & dearest friends. I do lead a very charmed life thanks to you. Please know that you all hold very special places in my heart and I am thankful everyday.

From BAD to WORSE.....

So....After Libby's ER visit....Mommy spent the next night there....after tossing her cookies ALL night LONG!!!! (This is where we give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to Honey and Granddad for doing some 3 am babysitting! Thank goodness for you!!). I knew I was dehydrated and needed fluids, zofran and potassium apparently. When I got released I had Scott stop at McDonalds for Orange Drink. Oh my goodness!!! This was by far the BEST THING I HAVE EVER PUT IN MY MOUTH...... I thought I had died and gone to HEAVEN! AHHHH.......I would have done just about anything for a drink at that moment...but then one with SUGAR.....MY OH MY!

SADLY......All the EXCELLENT care I received the previous night BACKFIRED!! Scott got sick next, and Honey got a mild case too! WHAT A NASTY NASTY NASTY BUG! I've have tummy bugs....I've had food poisoning...TWICE....but I've never in my life felt like this. I SHUDDER to think about going through this again. I think the WORST is BEING SICK, and HAVING a SICK BABY TOO! Talk about Helpless.

From there....Libby improved and 3 days later went to her sitter's house. She contacted me at work to let me know her eye was swelling. I got her an appointment with her Pediatrician and Honey left work and took her. This began a 3 day in a row series of appointments!!

This is a picture that Honey took when they got home from the visit! Looks like poor Libby got into a boxing match!

As it turns out, Libby had a pretty serious condition. As a result of all her vomiting, she got Preseptal Cellulitis. Basically, this just means she had an infection of bacteria (probably moved up from her tummy--gross, I know, but it's allll connected) in her periorbital soft tissues/eyelids/sinuses that caused eyelid edema and pain. Poor thing had to get multiple Rocephin shots and 10 days of antibiotics.

We are VERY glad to have such an aware babysitter--this can be a very serious problem and can progress to something much worse. Thank you so much Amy for taking such good care of L!

In the midst of this, Scott had his wisdom teeth out and dry sockets (and with the tummy bug---i'm super jealous of all the weight he's lost!). I got laryngitis and bronchitis and possible walking pneumonia too. The worst of it being the COUGH i've dealt with for weeks! Poor Scott would probably live with 10 chronic smokers hacking all the time rather than the mess I've been doing. I think he's been amazed at the "ab work" I've been doing just from all the coughing....

Let's pray that we got all our wintertime illness' out of the way for the year. One good "shebang" and we're done. I think we've covered all the bases......

Quarantined!

Libby had her first trip to the Emergency Room a few weeks back. I was at work and my Mom said she had thrown up her lunch. She wanted to know what I wanted her to give her food/drink-wise for the rest of the day. Apparently Libby would go through spells of feeling well, and playing and then just wanting to be loved on and held. When I got off work and got her she was HOT! She had been holding down formula for a little while, so we thought!

I got her home and was walking to her bedroom when all HECK broke loose! Poor baby threw up again and again and again. I just froze in my tracks and patted her sweet little back. I tried not to move in an effort to keep it contained ON ME! Scott helped Libby and I, into my shower--clothes ON!! I figured it was best to not wrestle them off, but to just wash her, me, clothes--everything. She LOVED showering with me, but turned into a slippery butterball as soon as the soap hit her! ha.

We checked her temperature when we got out and decided she needed to go to the Emergency Room. With a baby under 1, Scott and I could have handled her cough, temperature, vomiting, OR diarrhea....but all 4 together were scary. Of course Saturday night at 7:30----there were a MILLLION little kids there!

This BAD MOMMY didn't even grab a diaper when we went in! I ended up with diarrhea ON my shirt a few minutes into our night there. LORD HELP US!

While we were waiting I had a 2 year old stranger climbing in and out of my lap---um hello! I can't very well turn a little kid away---but what was his dad thinking!!?? People never cease to amaze me. I could get on my soapbox here about some of the "reasons" kids were there and how they need pediatricians to see DURING THE WEEK....but that's another post. Enough ranting.

Libby was EXCELLENT during her physical exam. Didn't make a peep (TIRED??!! Dehydrated?!) She let her feelings be known during the nasal swab and urine catheter. In all fairness, the nurses worked super fast!! The WORST was the chest x-ray. If you've NEVER seen a baby get a chest x-ray....wow! It is absolutely painless...just CRAZY to watch. Libby screamed the entire time, because 1. i left her 2. she probably wondered what the heck was going on 3. she was exhausted and tired

It looks like a baby torture chamber. I googled this image and it's SIMILAR to what they used...but not exact. It's a free standing cylinder. Their little legs go in slots and then they snap them in the top with arms up overhead. NUTS!! Fortunately they work really really FAST!

THIS IS NOT LIBBY!

The ladies who did her x-rays let me stay in the room (behind i screen---Libby had no idea i was there, and was crying so loud she couldn't hear me....so I guess it did me more good than her!).

The doctor said she probably needed fluids but they were so backed up, they'd try pedialyte. Poor Libby choked down 1 ounce of it, and we were sent home. They said to bring her back if she started to vomit again. (Which she did---but so did I---and I had to have my own hospital stay!) In retrospect, I wish we'd just waited and gotten them....because she was so weak the following day and struggled to keep anything down. It's so hard to watch your child when they are sick. My heart really goes out to parents with children who have chronic illness' or serious conditions. God must give them strength that I can't imagine. THIS was trying enough!

Sadly...our week of "the little black cloud" does not end here. That's enough for one post!

Here's a photo of Libby while we changed the sheets on our bed AGAIN. The Sunday after our Lebonheur visit, she and I kept it low-key in the bed. Sadly, she started getting sick again and again. We finally got smart and put beach towels down everywhere. Everytime, she managed to get me and her both covered again---I guess she liked our fun shower! We did that several times! ha!

She actually was giggly in "quarantine"! It didn't last long. Mommy rescued her for more cuddle time (all this cuddling let to some super sharing of Libby's nasty tummy virus!) She had some HARD surface toys to play with and got to wear Daddy's tee shirt tied up in the back! It's tough being sick!

Let's hope this doesn't REPEAT any time soon!

Gobble gobble gobble....

Me and My trusty Steed! (This MIGHT be in Libby's top 3! She ADORES this horse, and she is too small to really get the full benefit of riding it---so maybe someday she might just love it more than milk, or paci's, or stuffed bunnies.....or Mamamama!)

My little turkey has got some rhythm! She loves to groove and bob her head to music (sometimes the music is ONLY in her head and no one else can hear it!). She also loves to SHAKE ANYTHING she can get her hands on. We bought these Elmo morroca's and she has so much fun with them. Rattles are for babies! Big girls get their latin groove on!

Ahhh.....The lengths I go to, in an attempt to get this child to 1. look at me, 2. sit/stand still for a second, 3. smile!!! In the ABOVE picture I let this runny nose child hold the camera case and I have a turkey headband on to get a laugh out of her---and keep her occupied for a second. She's laugh and giggle NO PROBLEM----it's the movement part that I haven't figured out yet! Thought I should share what Libby get's the pleasure of seeing. Lucky baby.

sooo big!

More Mac & Cheese Please! Libby may only have 2 teeth, but it isn't slowing down her food sampling. She is trying (and spitting out a lot!) of new foods these days! So far, she likes mac and cheese pretty good. Mommy goes really light on the cheese though! ha.


What was such a blessing.....is now such a curse. Libby and Wrigley have figured out there own little fun game with the dog door. She has yet to think about going "through" the door...I'm sure that day is coming.

Bet you can't get me......Come chase me around the coffee table! I LOVE this game!

WHEW! Tired girl! Can't sit still for long though....

Here is my BEE!! Mommy only turns it "ON" when I get really cranky! I LOVE it more than you can imagine. It sings and wiggles. It sings about me "BEE-ing it's little baby"

Clap your hands! Celebrate! I'm 11 months old! woohhoo!

It's been NUTS around here (that's the norm folks!)

Sadly.....Libby has attended 2 visitations, and her first funeral this month. (As a side note-Libby must have known how important it was to behave during the service as I have never in my life seen a baby so well behaved. It made this Mommy VERY proud that she didn't make a SINGLE peep for 40 minutes! Not ONE baby noise! Several people commented what an angel she was! I was very thankful- as I wanted to attend and had to take her along!)

Libby also had her first BIG illness and trip to the ER this month. YUCK. We're much better now! More later on all that!

This is a fun night playing with a stuffed bunny of Mommy's! Libby LOVES stuffed animals. I'm not a huge fan of them, so it only makes sense that she would be nuts over them. She has just a few that she LOVES. She loves a stuffed bunny from Sugar, and a bee from Honey and Granddad. The bee is the ULTIMATE when she's upset! She stuffs an animal under her when she sleeps and i remembered a flattened rabbit that I had from when i was a baby. Apparently, I had done the same thing and smushed to poor guy. I dug him out of the attic, threw him in the wash---and what to do you know-----he fluffed right back up! Suprised the darn thing didn't fall right apart! Libby wasn't overly impressed with him.....




Mommy!!! This rabbit is so OLD he needs CPR to bring him back to LIFE!! Maybe we can save him!!???

Nahhhnn....He's a goner....

Happy Veteran's Day!

MY FAVORITE VETERAN!!!

We just wanted to say Thank you to All our Veterans!

Did you know that it originally began as Armistice Day?

Did you know that President Woodrow Wilson is responsible for your special day??

And did you also know that the holiday is often celebrated by eating ravioli!?? (this is my kinda day!) This is because President Wilson invited 2,000 troops to the White House for dinner since he thought they'd be hankerin' for a home cooked meal! They were served......you guessed it....Ravioli!

The day is observed through local ceremonies, parades, and the closing of most schools, federal offices and post offices. (Bills can be delivered another day! But, fear not--your local pharmacist is on duty to take care of you!!)

We do appreciate all that you do. Your service to our country deserves more than just a day!

10 months!

Libby is such a big girl! Where has the time gone! Whew! She's cruising (crawling is only fun in the bathtub!), jabbering (mama, dada, nana, hi, baba, bye are still our favorite intelligible words-there is an assortment of chinese she speaks the rest of the time), eating big girl foods (we love mac and cheese, gerber spaghetti-o, baby yogurt, bread, sweet corn kernels, whole wheat waffles, cheerios, tortilla pieces, etc!), feeding and loving on the dogs, exploring everything, loving on her blue baby doll and her bunny, and playing with her baby friends.

Libby thinks she is so funny. Loves to clap, dance to music, still getting the hang of patty cake, squeals over wrigley, wants her rockey horse, plays peek a boo, sleeps with a blanket/loves to cuddle/burrow in the bumper and corners. Still loves to scrunch her nose and snort. Still is very skeptical of strangers and clings to Mommy-it takes some warming up to get this little one in your lap! Puts on a show given the opportunity, and likes to make sure she always has an audience. Giving up her pacifier on her own. Helps take her clothes off, helps put her shirts on. She LOVES her shiny red shoes. The first time I put one on--her face LIT UP!! Drinks from a sippy cup, but still takes a bottle 3 times a day. Still an AWESOME plane traveler! She has flown 6 times now and never had a problem! This past time she was awake for one flight and just had a fun time playing-no tears!! THANKFUL! (Like her Mommy, she hates to be in the car for long though. I think we'll avoid roadtrips and fly when we start traveling with her!) She has taken notice of Sesame street. Sleeping great overnight. 2 tiny teeth still. Full of life and the center of our life and hearts! Growing up much too quickly!

No Tricks, All Treats!

Thank you Honey for my pretty dress! You keep me so fashionable! How do you like my little pumpkin bow! Ms. Joan sent it to me! She is so sweet to think of me!
Wait?! What do you mean I can't EAT the candy??!! Saving it for potty-training? This is crazy talk! No SUGAR for the BABY!!???

My costume doubles as camo! Bet you can't see me!!

I'm a little punkin! Mommy said next year that all 3 of us will CARVE a pumpkin! She said the inside feels icky! This year she just drew a friendly spider for me so it would last longer.

Happy Halloween!

Libby dressed up as the sweetest little giraffe!

We had Honey and Granddad to our house for dinner and they brought one of her favorite treats-MumMums! Daddy cooked a yummy dinner (it would have been a trick if Mommy had cooked!) and it was time to hit the hay! Granddad took care of our one tricker treater, and we had to turn off all the lights and take the dogs upstairs. Libby has such an early bedtime (6:30) and the dogs are such loud mouth security guards--all the people walking by really got them worked up. I stuck a bowl of candy on the front porch. Maybe in a year or two we can enjoy the holidays a little more!

She Bangs, She Bangs....

I saw the funniest thing today..... Clip on bangs. Gross.

As a disclaimer: I will be the first to admit I have had various bad hairstyles over the past 29 years---crimping, french braids, perms, but I think the one style that has NEVER EVER been flattering is bangs. (to anyone reading this that wears them, loves them, and pulls them off---more power to you! I just can't. I'm just not a fan. They look messy and I have never seen anyone ever "style" them in a way that makes me ever wanna deal with them again) I had bangs on and off through elementary school and high school but now, a nice side swoop is perfect! ha!

Now, the clip on bangs have me baffled! Seriously, who do you think you're fooling! It's like the hair scrunchies!? (do they still make those?) I may be wrong (this has happened before) but I can't imagine they blend real well with your hair, or that they feel good to wear? I guess they'll market anything these days! Go take a look!!

http://www.hairextensions.com/product.php?productid=16195&cat=41&page=1