3 weeks later....

Life has been a whirlwind...it may take me a few days to catch up!

So I thought Ella did well with her antibiotic....about 4 days of being off of it....the symptoms started again....just as we were getting ready to head to Vermont...so I filled her up with some Benadryl Sinus and Allergies...and hoped for the best! I was giving it to her morning and night...and it was helping to "dry" her out so it wasn't turning into a sinus infection at least!

Josh got home Thursday around 1pm. He took the car in for an oil change before we headed to Vermont. Friday morning we were up and ready and out the door by 7:30am...we were hoping to leave by 7...so we were only 30 minutes behind schedule. Lesson learned - never drive to Vermont listening to the GPS, with a 2 year old, Memorial Day Weekend, and expect to drive it all in 1 day. This fancy new GPS is supposed to be able to detect traffic (how it does I have no idea) - and tell you which route is the fastest with not a lot of traffic....well we didn't like the route it took us...especially when we were in bumper to bumper traffic with a crying/whiny 2 year old! She did well for about 6 hours....after that it took everything in us to keep driving instead of just stopping. 13.5 hours later....we were in Vermont....oh and it rained almost the whole way up...and it was like a hurricane when we got to Vermont..I don't remember that wind blowing so hard! With a high of 43 degrees! Long story short....Josh said never ever again will we do that trip in one day (we left early on the way back so we could split the trip into 2 days!)

Saturday morning....Ella was up around 6:30 I think it was...it may have been a little earlier. Mama was tired! We all got up and went to the Echo which was fun!

Ella got to touch a starfish...She thought that was pretty cool!

 

Let's see...other adventures we had....Sunday...it rained again...we went to church, came back to the house and had lunch, the girls went to a baby shower while the dads stayed home with all the kids!, then church again at night. Josh gave a presentation about internet safety to the youth group and their parents...he did a great job...I was very proud of him! 

Monday - the sun came out!!! It was beautiful! We of course went to the Memorial Day Parade...with Ella we thought...hmmm this could be either really good or really bad...she's very noise sensitive...and of course....at a parade there are lots of noises! 

 

Ella and all her cousins had a great time! They were all wearing matching shirts! :)

After the parade...it was a birthday party for Ella (2nd Birthday) and the twins, David and Silas (their 1st Birthday)

 

Tuesday we went over to visit Cheri and Chace...which Ella wanted to take over all of his toys (sorry Chace - she's still learning to share!) We went back and had lunch and then started our journey back to Virginia. We made reservations in Edison, NJ. So this way we had a destination and knew it was going to be about 6 hours. 

Highlights of Vermont - Ella loved the cows. She would go down (with her new barn boots) and help call the cows ("hey girls!") - she is very good at doing this! She LOVED the golf cart - she got to ride all around in it. Her Nanny even took her one morning at 7:15am and they rode all around! Ella loved being outside...she kept wanting to "run"....over and over and over....which was great...she was using up energy!

On our way home - at our New Jersey stop....we were going to go to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner...as we were headed there....we passed a Rainforest Cafe...so I said well that would probably be more fun for Ella...so we went there instead...and yes...she found it fascinating! :) She had a great time there!

 

Oh and so the hotel was supposed to supply a crib for us - since we didn't bring a pack and play for Ella since we didn't know we were taking 2 days to come home....so it was supposed to be brought up to our room after dinner....and what do you know.... it wasn't...they were out....or really never had one...I don't know..we went back to the front desk and the guy and Josh went to every floor looking in their "supply room" for one...and nothing....so Ella slept between Josh and I....poor Josh got like an inch of the bed....as Ella kept moving towards him...kicking him, hitting him....hahaha....while I had practically the whole king bed to myself! :) Josh didn't dare move her as she was sleeping and he didn't want her to wake up and start crying...poor guy!

Next day - we headed home....it was still long...we left around 10:00ish...I think....and we got home around 5:30....still made for a long day. Ella was done. We got home and she just ran all around the house....getting all that energy out!

Well....that catches you up on our Vermont trip...I'll have to write again tomorrow to catch you up on our last week!

Early Birthday

The past week has been a normal week...Ella finished out her antibiotic and seems to have recovered well this time around! Josh had a whole 3 days off from school from when the last semester ended to it restarting again this past Monday...so he's back in the swing of things - 2 classes again.

Josh left on Saturday to go to Orlando for a few days...for a conference. So Saturday night...I partied at home...are you ready for it...I cleaned the floors, polished the hardwood floors, polished the stainless steel appliances and kitchen sink, and washed all the kitchen windows....whew...it was a good time! ;)

We went to church today...Ella and I...I got paged to come get her...but it was a false alarm...she had calmed down...so I left her in there...and I sat out in the lobby (there is a TV where you can watch the sermon)....just in case I got paged again (Ella doesn't really love the nursery) - and I was sitting towards the front of the church...I didn't want to keep going back and forth. Which was fine - she did well. Then we headed home. Grandpa and Gigi were headed over and bringing lunch!

Oh...this is a picture of Ella chowing down on some pizza Friday night...she's not at all like her Mama...she LOVES pizza!

So Grandpa and Gigi came over....and Ella might have a slight obsession of playing with her Grandpa...she was a little show-off and wanted to do everything with him (sorry Gigi!)

They brought lunch, a birthday balloon, and birthday presents for Ella!

 

We had a fun afternoon! Ella took a great nap after they left...while she was napping I made mini-cupcakes...for Ella to bring to the sitters this week. Since we won't be here Friday - I figured it would give the kids there a sweet treat for the week! And that was it for the day...Ella had a bath tonight, she's in bed now and I have a load of laundry going and I am about to go open my book and read! :)

Antibiotics - Round 2!

Ella's last day of antibiotics was last Sunday...by Wednesday she had all the same symptoms again...? It started out mild...but began to get worse...I thought maybe allergies? The pollen is pretty bad down here...but then I thought...hmmm I wonder if that antibiotic didn't work very well since it messed with her tummy so bad. Saturday she began coughing and was starting to run a low grade fever...so I thought well I might as well call the Doctor...so I spoke to a nurse and explained everything and she suggested that we bring her in to be re-evaluated. We saw the on-call Doctor...and oh they weighed her...she gained 1/2 a pound since she was last there 2 weeks ago...I was happy about that part...so the on-call Doctor checked her out....lungs were still good and clear...but sure enough...has an ear infection. So he wrote a prescription....for a different antibiotic. Yay! :) So far so good on this one! No upset tummy! However...Saturday night she was up until 2am with really bad coughing fits...horrible coughing...I thought on Sunday morning we might have to bring her to the Doctor for a breathing treatment...but by morning she really wasn't wheezing anymore...it was just a nasty cough. So I had a good 4 hours of sleep :) I had to get ready to go to church as I was serving in the nursery this morning...so Josh stayed home with the sick baby girl..she did take a little nap with him in the morning...and she went down for an afternoon nap around 2:30...and Josh had to wake her up at 5...she was in a deep sleep! I too had a good afternoon nap :)

Last night we went to a graduation party for one of our friends who just completed his Masters Degree...his parents held a little cook-out for him. It took Ella a little bit to warm up...but by the end she was giving out hugs and high-fives!

Yesterday morning - we took the puppies to the "puppy doctor" as Ella calls it..for their pedicures...and on the way there...I spotted a turtle in the road...I however didn't expect Josh to stop and pick it up to bring home....

 

We only kept him for a little while....we named him "Walker"...and then we set him free! :) Ella kept saying, "scared - I'm scared Daddy"...he was coaxing her to touch his shell...it took quite a while but she did finally touch his shell!

Ella got a little present in the mail...

 

Her Nanny and Grampy sent her some dinosaurs! They went to the creation museum and got a little present for Ella...she calls them "saurs" ....she can't say the dino part....and she does know that they "roar" :)

Well time to finish laundry...it's been a busy weekend....trying to get it all done before the week starts again!

 

Pictures Finally!

I figured I better post these while it let me! Ella and I got to do some coloring together last weekend - the girl loves to color!

She plays with her blocks pretty often - this particular time - she played with them for about 30 minutes straight. She would build a tower and then knock it over and build it up again.

Messy living room! When Ella plays - she pulls every toy out possible (and apparently got into her diaper bag and pulled out CLEAN diapers....at least she does help me pick up after making such a big mess!

Pictures!

Let's try this again....

STILL NOT WORKING! I'm going to have to get my "techy" husband to take a look at it to see why it won't upload!

Ella's off her antibiotic...so she's feeling better...YAY! Finally!

She has her moments of throwing a fit here and there...but she is such a good girl! She really wants to do everything by herself...sometimes good...sometimes makes more work for me! However she has such a caring little personality. When we leave the sitters she has to hug everyone bye and tell them bye. When she gets there she goes and hugs everyone good morning! When Josh leaves in the morning she has to hug and kiss him goodbye. She's even getting to the point if we are leaving a store...she has to tell the cashier bye. :)

We have a new game...Ella loves buses right now...due to "Wheels on the Bus"...so when we're in the car...we are on the look-out for buses! She yells BUS every time she sees one. Although sometimes it's really a truck that she sees....so I explain to her that it's a truck, etc.

We've had lots and lots of rain this week so far! This morning I pulled into the sitters driveway to drop Ella off...and it was just POURING....and you can't get a toddler out of the car holding an umbrella...just doesn't work...so I got soaked even though I had a coat....it didn't help...and then I had to go to work....looking like and feeling like a drowned rat. We even sat in the car for about 5 minutes as I was really hoping it was going to lighten up just a little! (it didn't!)

So Ella is going to be 2 in just a few weeks! AHHH! I can't believe it! So her big birthday present is going to be a tablet...I don't know what kind yet....I'm leaving that up to Josh to pick out....but we thought that would be a great thing to have before we do a 12 hour drive up to Vermont! As she can play movies on it and play games...so I put him on a mission to find one on Amazon.

It's getting close to bed-time for me..and I want to read my book some before bed....so I guess I'll try the pictures again another night!

Low-Key Weekend

I wish I could say the pro-biotics helps...but they didn't really...as least not from what I could tell....so we didn't venture too far from home as her poor little tummy was still not happy!

Saturday - I did get out to run some errands...I asked Josh if I could go to the new TJ Maxx...they just opened in a brand new location a few weeks ago...and I hadn't been yet....so he stayed home with Ella so I could go out for a bit on my own...which I appreciated! I picked up a few new shirts :) Then hit the grocery store. And picked up lunch at "cook-out" for a special treat. Then home again...home again! I took over "Ella-Care" while Josh retreated to downstairs to finish school work...it's the last week of the semester...so he's trying to get everything done....two papers, a quiz and a test. He pretty much stayed downstairs all day while Ella and I played up-stairs alllll day!

Sunday - it was the same. We didn't go to church....I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have let her in nursery with an upset tummy! Thankfully...today was the last day of her antibiotic...and now we can resume to normal life again! So Ella and I cleaned..she swiffered, I vacuumed, and she even helped clean the bathroom. It's so funny...she says "Helper Mommy, I'm Helper." She's quite proud to be able to help.

Oh...and I realized Friday night that I was covered in a rash....from MY antibiotic....it's been a LONG time since I had to be on an antibiotic...I think the last time was when I had a sinus infection in college...and I was put on amoxicillian....and I remember breaking out in a rash but it was also when I had mono and the Dr. thought maybe it was related to the mono....so I didn't think of it when the Dr. prescribed it this time around....well Friday morning I thought my neck looked a little red...but I honestly didn't pay much attention....Friday night...when putting my PJ's on...I went "Ahhhhh!" I looked like I had I don't even know what....there were red dots everywhere! Actually...just my arms, neck, chest, stomach, and back were covered...my face and legs were spared. Went to bed...and Saturday morning...I woke up and it was 10 times worse....so when I went to TJ Maxx...I wore a sweater with a high collar to avoid the rash peeking out! :) Tonight it's looking a lot better...has almost faded already!

A few pictures from the week...


Well apparently that feature isn't going to work tonight...it won't let me upload anything...I'll try again tomorrow!

Update

I feel like life has been a whirlwind!

Josh went to Virginia Beach last Monday - Wednesday. Came home Wednesday afternoon and then was was involved in a "man-hunt" and worked on that until 11:30 that night. Worked Thursday and Friday...he had qualifications for work...so didn't get home until Midnight Friday night....so needless to say Ella and I didn't see much of him last week...while he was busy working...Ella and I were both busy coming down with "something"....Ella's started on Sunday...coughing, runny nose, etc...I chalked it up to allergies..maybe a cold....Mine started Monday...the only thing I ever had was a sore throat...but by Wednesday I no longer had a voice...By Friday morning...still no voice...and I just knew that I had a sinus infection...so while getting ready for work...I was trying to decide if I should go in late to work...and go straight to the Dr...or go on my lunch break...so while I am thinking this through...Ella wakes up...I get her up...and she's got a fever....so guess I'm not going anywhere! I stayed home with her...and by the afternoon her cough was getting really bad...still had a fever...so I scheduled her an appointment with her Doctor...after a really long wait...which we actually left at one point..and went back...Ella was seen....and had a sinus infection, start of an ear infection and still a fever....The Doctor was surprised her lungs were clear with all the coughing she was doing...but they were! So started her on an antibiotic...I let her pick out a new coloring book at the store while we waited for her prescription to be filled...she LOVES to color...I buy the books with the markers that only color on the paper...she loves it! Finally home at 7pm....dinner, a little bit of coloring and bedtime (for us both!)

Saturday - I get up with intentions of going straight to the Doctor...I was able to be there by 8:45am...and had my diagnosis by 10am....Sinus Infection....of course! So off to the store I went to fill my antibiotic and get a few groceries for the week.

I'm tired of Doctor's offices! :) And co-pays, and getting prescriptions filled!

So I wish I could say Ella is better...I'll spare you details....but the poor thing...the antibiotic has done a number on her stomach...not a good reaction to it! I called the Doctor today and she said to give her yogurt (was already doing that) make sure she takes the antibiotic with food (was already doing that), and take some probiotics...so we stopped on the way home so I could get some probiotics....I mixed some in with her yogurt tonight...so I'm hoping that will help her! She thankfully has been in good spirits and hasn't been too bad mood wise.

Josh has been gone again this week....it's been a long week...I've been giving Ella a bath every night as she needs one...so by the time we get home, eat dinner, do a bath, then bedtime...Ella's been getting to bed between 7:30-7:45...then I've been cleaning, laundry, etc....then boom it's time for me to go to bed! :)

I've got some more photos/videos I need to upload...but I'll leave you with a cute one...Ella could play with her baby dolls allllll day!

 

She's really starting to put a few words together now to make mini sentences...Mommy milk please! or "baby sleepy go na-night". She is starting to learn colors...the top two right now are yellow and blue...she's got those down! 

They weighed her at the Doctors..only 23 pounds! :( I was hoping a little more...the Doctor didn't say anything bad about it...she has her 2 year checkup next month...so I'll find out more than...she's just such a PICKY eater...and a very light eater....she doesn't ever want to eat much.