A full night's sleep!

The coughing has stopped at our house! Well at night at least. Ella's cough is completely gone. Josh's is almost gone. Mine is gone at night...during the day I still have a decent cough....but I do think it's finally starting to get better (today being the first day I didn't have a coughing fit!)

The princess and me....

Ella is quite the talker now and is saying all kinds of funny things...

Last week I was putting her in her car seat and I said, "Ella you are as cute as a button." Her response, "I know" (pause) "pretty too." Well she has self-confidence! Actually after this picture she grabbed the sides of her dress and she was dancing around saying, "I'm cute." Silly girl!

I made dinner this week and we had tacos...well let me start over...I normally just buy the taco kit and make tacos...well I didn't pay attention and I apparently just bought the box that had shells...no sauce or seasoning....so I had to create my own seasoning...healthier I know...but it was lacking a little in flavor...I used black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and a touch of salt. I was impressed with my quick culinary thinking! ;) Anyway....Josh had a few tacos and I made a little taco salad....and I had fixed something different for Ella. Well she took one look at our plates and said, "what you have?" "What's that?" So I told her that Daddy and I were having tacos. She said, "I like tacos. I want taco too!" I've tried to give them to her before and she never wanted it....so I made her a taco....with the soft shell....and she ate the entire thing! Guess she does like tacos!

This past weekend it was pretty rainy....so it was kind of a bummer weekend...we didn't get to do anything fun outside. On Saturday we went and got Josh's hair cut. Which Ella and I went inside to the Barber shop too. Well the lady barber let Ella pick out a "sucker" - I guess that's what they call lollipops in the South! I do believe it was the first one Ella has had (that we have ever given her) - it was one of the real small ones...well she was in 7th Heaven! So I let her have it in the car...and I watched her like a hawk while Josh drove :) We went and checked out a house....it was already under contract....but we thought it would be fun to just go see. It was up a side of the mountain....literally. It's not really a place I would ever want to live (now that I have seen the drive) but it was a really pretty drive. Just too far away for me. There were some beautiful houses up that way though! Saturday afternoon I had a baby shower to go to. So Ella and Josh both had naps that day...Josh let Ella sleep for 3 hours! She didn't wake up til 5pm! Sunday we went to the early service at church so Josh could get back to go to a shooting competition with his friends after church. Then Grandpa and Gigi came over in the afternoon....well Ella and Grandpa played and played and played....that's her new favorite playmate! :) By 5:30 that afternoon she was rolling on the ground saying, "I tired." I think Grandpa wore her out!

This coming weekend Ella has a birthday party to go to for one of our friends...I'm excited about it! I think she'll have fun. They are going to paint pumpkins.

Sickness All Around!

Pneumonia for Ella. Bronchitis for Mama. A cold for Daddy.

That has been our life the past 10 days!

We ended up taking Ella back to the Doctor last Monday. As her cough was really not getting better at all and actually getting worse. So I called first thing Monday morning and brought her in. The Doctor listened to her lungs for like 3 minutes straight (which felt like an eternity trying to keep Ella quiet and calm). She FREAKS out at the Doctor's office. Does NOT like it. So he listens to her lungs and says..."well she has pneumonia." He did however say thankfully it was caught early and she wasn't going to be hospitalized for it. He put her on an antibiotic and said she had to be at home for 48 hours. Oh just great! So I took her to get the prescription filled....and she got to pick out a whole pack of stickers for being a good girl (well kind of a good girl) at the Doctors. Josh took the rest of Monday off and Tuesday off to stay home with her. I brought her back to the Doctor this past Monday for a follow-up visit. Everything was good. Her lungs cleared up. We have started her on an allergy medication regimen. So now she gets Zyrtec everyday. That is something we are going to have to do for Spring and Fall as apparently she is going to have allergies in the spring and fall as that is when the complications start up for her.

Last Monday I started out in the afternoon with a slightest cough....it slowly progressed over the next few days. By Thursday I was hoarse. And Saturday night I couldn't take it anymore. I went to a walk-in Doctor's clinic as it's hard for me to take off during the week to go to the Doctors. I got told...sure enough you have bronchitis. So I started my antibiotic regimen. Today was my last day of it. However, I'm not quite sure it worked. I am coughing almost just as much as before! We'll see how the next few days go!

Ella has discovered that the top comes off of her table and it turns into a LEGO TABLE!

It's her new favorite toy. She keeps says, "Daddy wanna play Lego's with me??" How can you resist that?

Well I am ready to go read a chapter in my book and call it a night. I'm so tired! I've been so sleep deprived these past few weeks! Lots of coughing in our house!

Fall Fun!

I love Christmas...but not really a fan of winter....but I LOVE fall and wish it would stay like this for months!!

Josh came home around 9 on Friday night. Ella was up around 6:50 on Saturday morning...I was hoping for at least 7! She still has a pretty bad cough. It's mainly at night and then when she first gets up. Then if she starts running around and getting worked up it flares up and she gets to coughing. So when she first got up Saturday there was lots of coughing and I kind of waited a bit to see how she was going to do...and it slowed down...so we made plans for the day. We decided to go to Drumhellers Orchard Apple Festival. We got there probably about 10:45 - it's about 20 minutes north of us. They had live music, all kinds of vendors, bounce house for kids, apple slingshot, and a hayride. We bought tickets for the hayride (but missed the sign that you had to buy a ticket to get a pumpkin - so when we got to the pumpkin patch we just "posed" with the pumpkins!). We'll be going to another festival in October so we'll be sure to get one there. Ella wasn't too disappointed....she had fun just walking around picking them up!

We got lunch there...Ella had a hotdog and some chips, Josh had BBQ chicken, and I had a BBQ sandwich. We sampled the cider and called it a day!

We then went grocery shopping. Then came home for "resting time" for everyone! Ella took a 2 hour nap. Even Josh and I laid down and slept for about an hour! I was so tired from the week getting up with Ella every couple of hours...one day this past week my alarm was set for 5:00....I remember turning it off...and apparently I went right back to sleep! Oops!! I ended up sleeping for an extra 40 minutes....my morning routine went right out the window...I was rushing around to get ready. I made it to work on time....but I was so exhausted all day...I had a few people ask me if I was ok...I think the couple of weeks of 4-5 hours of sleep each night was catching up to me (if you know me - you know that I need 8+ hours to function well!). I am so happy that last week is over!

Last night we got invited to a bonfire/fall party. It was held at one of our friends grandparents house. Ella got to roast a hot dog over a fire (yesterday was hotdog day!)

Ella said the fire was HOT!

She got to hit a pinata!

And then she got to collect the goods! A little bit of candy and some toys. She came home with some stick on tattoos - which her Daddy helped her put one on today! On her hand...it's a "sticker."

Then we all posed for some pictures....the girls being cute....the boys being silllllly!

We stayed til 9....past Ella's bedtime...and she was getting cranky...so we headed home....her coughing got bad around 12....and I was up til about 1:30 with her. She stopped and we all were able to sleep for a bit...and she was up at 6:50 again! I thought she might sleep in a little....but no.

 Her coughing was bad this morning so we ended up staying home from church. Josh said he didn't want to bring her to nursery with that cough as we'd end up getting called out anyway. So we watched church on the computer!

I did lots of cleaning today....and lots of laundry! We just laid low. Ella took a 3 hour nap. She got some honey cough suppressant tonight, Vicks on her feet, humidifier on, propped up on 2 pillows....here's hoping for a good night!

Ohhhh....Ella really likes Veggie Tales....we were sitting at lunch today and Ella says...."look Mama, Bob is wearing sunglasses."

On Veggie Tales....Bob is a tomato. Josh and I cracked up laughing...she's observant!

Pictures

This was the picture I tried to upload last time. So yes...there she is...playing on the tablet. It was early one morning...and it was cold in our house...not time to turn the heat on yet...so she asked for her jacket :)

Let's see...Josh is in Maryland this week for training...so it's Ella and I for the week. He left Sunday...however Friday night he went over to a friends house to help on a car...and then on Saturday he was there from 9:30-6 working on the car...then left Sunday...so we haven't seen much of him! Saturday...the little girl picked out her own outfit...

She was very proud of herself! And we went to Target, the grocery store, and to the bank. :) Ella took a really good nap...after 2 hours I did go wake her up as I was afraid she wouldn't go to bed at night! Oh and Saturday morning....we all slept in....til 7:45!! I could believe it! I woke up to, "MAMA!" I thought ehh probably around 6:30-6:45...and then Josh says...wow she slept late....and it was 7:45...that's the latest I have slept in at home in quite some time! I got a solid 10 hours of sleep....it was fantastic....it's probably been the only night I have slept through the night in the past 2 weeks. Poor Ella can't shake this cough....it's only at night...of course. So she keeps having little coughing fits through out the night..some nights it's worse than others. I'm up with her usually every 2-3 hours...I feel like I have a newborn again! And I'm beginning to feel like a sleep deprived zombie! :)

Sunday we went to the early service. Josh left for Maryland after church and Ella and I headed to the lake. Grandpa was working...so Ella and I hung out with Gigi. We did go visit Grandpa at the store after lunch though. Ella was excited to play with all the tiggers....and Big Bear...

After going to see Grandpa at the store....we stopped and had a little Sweet Frog....

 

She only ever wants to eat out of the blue cup....which is the biggest size....of course. So I'm sure I put way too much in there...but Ella was loving it!

She slept on the way home...and was super grumpy for about 30 minutes after coming home....she didn't get enough sleep....but it was ok....I just let her do her own thing for a little bit until she got over being grumpy. Then she was just fine.

Tonight we talked to Josh on the phone...Ella was doing a great job talking to Josh. I had to prompt her a little....but she could get across what she wanted to say. She was telling Josh that she was coloring a picture and it was of a rainbow, Bella, and Brinly. She told him exactly what she had for dinner. She told him what she did today. I was impressed at how well she remembered and could really tell him about everything! Then the temper tantrum started when I started talking to him on the phone and she no longer held the phone...I mean on the ground screaming, pounding her fists on the floor....wow! She got sent to time out until she could say she was sorry. Which she did and then changed her attitude.

Whew....yes only 8:40....but I slept horrible last night and my alarm is set for 5am. Time for bed!

Technology!

Once I am able to - I will upload a picture (it won't let me right now) - it's a picture of Ella playing on the new tablet! Josh just got a new tablet for work....and he has put a few apps on it for Ella...well she LOVES it! Of course we have to limit her time on it or else she would be on it all day (and it already starts!)

Well....we're on cold number 1 for the Fall season! I hope it this isn't a picture of what's to come! She started it about Tuesday....by Saturday her cough was really bad....so to give me peace of mind...we called the Doctor. Thankfully no infections...just a really bad cough. She got a good 3 hour nap in on Saturday and a 2.5 hour nap on Sunday....so lots of rest, liquids, and quiet playtime! Of course it was such a gorgeous weekend this weekend and we couldn't really take Ella anywhere. We did go to little Mom and Pop bookstore in downtown Lynchburg Saturday morning. Josh was hoping to find some older books...but they didn't have what he was looking for...but he did find, "Voices of 1776"....and get this....on Sunday afternoon...he sat out on the back deck for an hour or so reading his new book. I couldn't get over it! Ella joined him with her chair and just sat out there talking to the puppies. We just left the door open and opened up all the windows to let in all that nice fresh air! I did a little housework and then joined them.

Ella's feeling a little better...a little lingering cough...Mama's tired...I was up with her multiple times last night when she was having little coughing fits in the middle of the night.

I need to record her talking...she's really putting words together and forming sentences. She plays a counting game with Josh...he will tell her how many markers to bring him and she will count them out and bring them to him. Her ABC's are coming along...she can't say them all...but can say quite a few of them if you sing with her.

She's so funny...if she wants to go do something...she will say..."I go to my room right quick." Or..."I go get baby right quick." Haha...it drives Josh crazy to hear her say, "right quick." I however find it funny and cute. She'll grow out of it and speak properly soon enough! :)

Josh is on a panel for church this Wednesday night. They had a state trooper come in last week and do a presentation on internet safety. This week it's a Q&A session to follow up on what was presented last week. I'm looking forward to hearing him and the other people on the panel.

Well this Mama is tired and ready for bed!

Summer isn't over yet...

Well it may already be September 9th...heading into Fall...but with our weather at 86 degrees today - still feels like summer!

Last week was a pretty normal week for us. Monday off and then work for the rest of the week. Friday night Josh and I were both in bed at 8:30 each reading a book. Yes - Josh who said that he was never going to pick up another book after finishing school - read a book. A book about a boy who was on the USS Constitution. His interest peaked after we went to Boston and toured the ship. I actually admitted to him that I might read it....although he said it wouldn't be my type...no one dies, no love story, no tears! So maybe I have gotten wrapped up in my books before and cry at the end...of course I get teased!

Saturday was a busy day. We did errands in the morning and got home around 1pm. Ella went down for a nap. I threw some laundry in..and get ready for this...I went for a run/walk. It has been since 2010 (I'm pretty sure) since I last ran outside. My "before Ella" times. Well...I only did 1.5 miles...about half walking/half running. By the time I got home I was ready to collapse! :) And my body (2 days later) is aching oh so bad! My legs are soooo sore! But now the first step has been taken and I need to keep at it! I went over to a friends house for dinner/dessert...we had a little girls night. So Josh got to stay home with Ella! They had pizza and colored. :)

Sunday was a pretty rough day for Ella. It all started out at about 8:45am. She ran into a chair...just not paying attention to what she was doing. Smacked her cheek right under her eye....we had to put ice on it...a welt swelled right up on it. Then we went to church....I had nursery this Sunday...so I was in with Ella....well some little boy...grabbed a book and ran right over to Ella and smacked it down right on her face....I wanted to smack that boy! Poor Ella was screaming crying. I got her calmed down...and 10 minutes later she tripped on something (her own fault), fell, and bit her tongue...and it bled. Poor thing. She's cutting two bottom teeth and they are bothering her bad. She had her first night of Puggles on Sunday night (Awana's class for 2 year olds) - I thought she would really like it...well she screamed and cried and they finally had to come get me because she wouldn't calm down. She will usually cry someplace new - but only for about a minute and then she'll play just fine. I think it was just a rough day.

A few pictures from our Sunday up in Vermont a few weeks ago..

 

Don't you just love Ella's face in the big family picture....not even cracking a smile!

Relaxing Weekend

Josh and I both had work on Friday. I worked 9-5 and he had to work noon to 8pm. Saturday, Ella had us up at about 6:50am. I got up with her and got breakfast ready and then Josh came up. After breakfast he got ready and made his way downstairs to finish up the bathroom...so all the trim painting, touch-up painting, and sealing the grout. While Josh started in on that...Ella and I went shopping! Actually grocery shopping. However we did stop at Target and Ross...I'm on the look-out for some fall shoes for Ella...she can't wear sandals in the cold weather! However...I didn't find any bargains...so I'm still on the look-out.

Josh spent the majority of the day downstairs working...on Sunday after church we picked up a few things to make the bathroom compete...like a shower curtain, and the mirrors...someday we want to put a glass door in instead of the shower curtain...but that's not in the budget yet! Finished product...

On Saturday night we did have a little thunderstorm. Ella wasn't really a fan...but she kept saying..."shhh it's ok Bella....don't be scared....it's just noise." Hmmm....apparently she does listen to Josh and I. :) She still was insistent that we all sit together on the couch...

Bella is there too...but she's buried under the covers! (Hiding!)

Monday - we spent the entire day at home. Which was actually kind of nice. We've spent the last 10 days or so on the go...it was nice to have a relaxing day. Josh did hang up a picture for me...above the door.

 

 I made pancakes this morning....as we have some maple syrup all the way from Vermont!  Ella helped me yesterday make cookies...and tonight she helped me make brownies...

She is all about helping mom bake!

We found a new favorite for Ella...watermelon! I never buy it because I don't like it. However, she had a taste of it up in Vermont and it quickly became a favorite! So I now have been buying watermelon. She is still in love with pizza too....as a matter of fact that is what she had for lunch and she was loving it!

Josh and I made a budget today...exciting stuff huh!?! That is how we spent our Labor Day :) Now that we have a Masters Degree to pay for...figured it was time to be wise and see if we can pay it off sooner.

That's been it...and tomorrow begins another week at work (almost...only 4 days!)