Mmm Pops

When all else fails to make a sick little girl happy…

there's always a homemade chocolate puddin' pop in the freezer.

Today actually seemed to be a turning point for Little Miss Sicky. She still has a horse voice and coughs up a lung, but at least she seemed to smile today and enjoy her toys again. Although she's now sporting a head bruise and knee scrapes from a random energy burst running along the sidewalk. Ugh- the girl can't seem to catch a break. My poor girl. Thank God she seems to have inherited her daddy's tough skin.

Our thankful weekend

How cheesy of a title is that?

Go figure what this little post is about… our Thanksgiving weekend! Ding ding ding.

What I should call it is Our thankful weekend that turned into a bout of the flu that has us housebound. But that just seems too long.

That's right. Thanksgiving came and we had a fantastic time and then somehow as if I'd set it on timer, along our drive home, I grew increasingly sick. I'll get to that in a minute.

The Thanksgiving weekend was actually fantastic. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Cheyanne and I headed to North Carolina to be with the Giant's family. Up and on the road by 5:30am to be giving hugs and greetings by 10:30am.

Here's my one picture with her from the whole day.

I don't know where my shy little girl went, but she was very much replaced by Miss Sociable all Thanksgiving. Something just switched in her because she became a whole other child. She didn't meet a single stranger in the family crowd. I am so proud of her! My how time has changed (even since September at her birthday party when I couldn't leave the room without her by my side). She was like "MomMom who?"

I was the worst at taking pictures all weekend. I didn't even bring my camera out until everyone was almost gone Thanksgiving night. Oops. That would be why I have about 30 pictures of just Chey by herself (and Sunny the dog). Exhibit A.

Doggy up. Baby up.

 Doggy down. Baby down.

Chey even learned the right way to give puppy her treats.

Puppy kisses!

Doggy begs. Baby begs. HA!

That girl cracks me up.

It really was a nice trip away from home. We spent time with family that we just don't get to see enough. And with grandparents that have gotten increasingly feeble over the last year, it was really important that we got up there to spend some time.  This trip only reminded how thankful I am to be in my beautiful family. We are so blessed. The Giant really has some of the best aunts and cousins in the world. I'd say we are both pretty lucky in that department. Here's just one of those great cousins who Cheyanne instantly adored. Yay for Mary!!

End of photo dump…

Anyways.

We stayed in NC an extra day which had me on the road home early Saturday morning, again 5:30am. As I said, along the drive home, I somehow got sick- quickly. I left the grandparents house feeling just fine, sleepy but fine. Three hours in, I thought, "Hmm, I'm so stiff." By the time I stepped out of the car at home, I thought, "Lordy is it nap time yet? My joints are killing me and I have got to lay down before I fall over." We finally got to take an afternoon nap and I woke up with a throbbing throat and body. Yeah, that's not fun. Within 24 hours, I was doing everything I could to not receive The Worst Mother of the Year Award. At one point, I was laying with my back on the floor while my daughter crawled over me, trying to keep my eyes open long enough to see that she made it to the other side without banging into the wall, only to be thinking to myself "Stay awake. Stay awake. Stay awake." I'm not sure if I was successful or not. She seemed okay.

Well, today is Wednesday and its the first day I'm starting to feel a little like myself again- despite my creepy old man from Family Guy voice. For the first time this week, we've been eating veggies. Don't judge. We survived this long. Now fingers crossed, I'm on the up and up and baby girl will keep healthy and flu free. (Say a little prayer please).

My cute cheese ball that kept me "entertained" during my puniness.

We missed Daddy all weekend but thankfully he was able to call and speak over speakerphone to the whole family at one point. I think that made everyone's Thanksgiving a little better. I know it did mine. This time last year, I was yet again clinging the phone in hopes to hear from him. Not much has changed, huh? Well, maybe just a few thousand miles.

Looking up

You might think this is just the face of a messy girl after lunch.

But, I see a girl eating her first meal in seventy-two hours after a very yucky bug has had her down and puny. This first time being sick has kicked both of our tails these last few days- something I'm not looking forward to again any time soon.

I now completely understand the saying "when you hurt, I hurt" because I truly felt her sickness. Seeing my baby weak and miserable is the last thing I ever want to see again.

Pi.ti.ful- especially during our early morning trip to Urgent Care yesterday when her temperature hit above 102. That's right. 102+. Thankfully, with some regular doses of Tylenol and Motrin, we're back down to 98 and things are looking up.

Ever need a good w(h)ine?

Today, I need one. All I want to do is whine.

I'm sick. I feel like crap. I have a cold, the first one I've had since before I was pregnant. I'm also literally cold. It's dreary out and that makes me want to whine more. I'm lonely. I'm tired. No. I'm exhausted. I'm stressed. I miss my husband. I can't kiss on my baby girl. Whine. Whine. Whine.

Phew... well that made me feel a little better.

We haven't done much of anything today. I gave as much energy as I could to baby girl, who was in no short supply of energy herself. Of all days, she didn't want to nap much today, so we played the most that I could until I about crashed. At that point, I finally gave in and laid out her blankets and play mat and every toy I could possibly find that would keep her interest for more than 2 seconds. I laid on the ground next to her play area fit for a princess and "supervised." I told myself I was helping her learn to entertain herself. It had nothing to do with the fact that I felt like I was being stabbed in the throat every time I swallowed and really just needed a little break.

But, in reality, who has time to be whiney for long when there is this little cutie around to keep you going?

Somebody please

tell me why at 5 o'clock in the morning, my beautiful but crying 3week old daughter only calms down when i hold her tight and do squats? My thighs are now burning! And there is no cheating this girl. She knows! She could be solidly asleep but the minute I stop, she wakes up? Where did this come from? I've tried swinging. I've tried her usual bouncing. I've tried rocking. I've tried a mixture of all three and pretty much everything else physically possible. nope. Nothing works. Man my thighs are going to look killer if we keep this up. All kidding aside, I'd stay in that squatting position every day for the rest of my life if it meant Cheyanne wouldn't be feeling like this ever again.

Its not been a good day for us here in This Wood House. Peapod is battling some tummy, congestion, and reflux issues. Has been for a couple days. But today it has escalated to a whole new level. What we thought yesterday might be a insatiable baby in the middle of a growth spurt seems to definitely be more of a refluxy baby with choking tendencies. I spoke to her pediatrician and we have an appointment in the AM for him to take a look at her. And let me tell you, a fussy baby is not fun. But more than that, a fussy baby that seems to be in pain and can't breathe has spun me to a whole new level of scared and stressed. Seeing any baby in this much discomfort is the pits, but seeing my baby like this is hell. She can't tell me whats wrong so here we are playing doctor and watching her closely to figure out anything that would make her feel better.

My night/morning thus far for recording purposes:
Crying baby? Check.
Spit up covering outfit (mine and hers)? Check.
Spit up covering outfit change number two? Check.
Our first explosive poop while consoling a coughing/choking baby? Check.
Said explosive poop covering the bassinet? Check
Niagra falls like urination while consoling a coughing/choking baby? Check.
Surprise spit up covered couch pillows (two)? Check.
After late night phone call with the pediatrician on call, discuss with husband if we should be heading to children's hospital emergency room? Check (not yet necessary and hopefully never will be).
Unfastened diaper eruption all over everything in 6 inch radius including third pair of pajama pants? Check.
Sweet nuzzle into my neck attempting to calm down and just as I lean in for the kiss, a burp more appropriate for a forty year old man is let out followed by lovely spit up on face? Check.
One hour of sleep while husband took over and sat in the steamed bathroom with baby to help ease her breathing? Check. And thank you.

So that's been my night thus far. My poor baby! I can't think of anything worse than to see her so uncomfortable and not know how to fix it. Our doctor's appointment in four hours can't come fast enough.

my sweet baby trying not to choke anymore

herz so pitiful

at least its not the picture of the bassinet...

_____________________

I just noticed that this is my 100th post. Crazy. I had hoped to do some special post for my 100th. Too bad. Maybe for my 200th instead.

I have survived!!

I've missed you blog and devoted bloggies! This may be a long post (maybe about a lot of nothing, but I have lots to catch my thoughts up on).

My life for the last week in fast speed- "Cough. Cough. Croke like a 70 year old smoker man. Cough. Choke. Croke like a 13 year boy going through puberty. Lord just take me now. Cough. Cough" What I thought were preggo-induced allergies from all this pollen apparently evolved into a horrible chest cold. Today-finally- I'm starting to feel like a normal 25 year old gal again, and sound like one too WOOHOO!

Due to the whole coughing up a lung and not wanting to be around little Winter with whatever I had, I sadly missed my cousin Kevin's daughter Katrina's 5th birthday on Saturday which was such a bummer. Not so much that I missed a bunch of crazy wild screaming 4&5 year olds hyped-up on sugar (even though I totally did miss seeing that), I missed the family get together. These days, I think because I've been so used to seeing my cousin practically every other weekend for- well since I moved to college in 2003 minus a few months here and there- I hate missing them. The parties and gatherings have gotten fewer in the last year, obviously with Winter's health concerns, so I cherish the times we do all get together more than I used to. And as the time comes closer for Hubs and I to move away, whenever that may be, well it just makes me appreciate my family more. The older I get, and the closer I get to the reality of starting my own family, I realize more and more how very blessed I am with my family. Naturally, I'm a pessimist- which I have always termed "a realist." I stress. Its what I do. I fight the black cloud hovering above tooth and nail, but sometimes it just wins. But that doesn't stop me from trying to conquer it daily. The Giant-eh-he's more of an optimist. Let's just say that height is NOT our only major difference! You know how some people get married and just somehow morph into the same person in two bodies-- yeah-- that's not us. But that's for a whole other time. Back to me. :)

Instead of birthday partying, I did a little shopping on my own while Mike played golf. I might have even snuck into Babies-r-Us for a little baby dreaming too. But, no I did not buy anything! My superstitious side has surfaced again. I am refusing to buy anything baby yet because one- for practical reasons- we don't have anywhere for extra stuff right now and two- for superstitious reasons- the minute I buy something pink- a little peepee is going to pop out of nowhere on her and then I'm just up a creek covered in pink. Its the same logic as its bad luck to try on a wedding dress before you are engaged--which now that I think about, I might have done. Denny? Mom? Well I'm not sure and I guess I got engaged either way, but anyways... no baby buying until at least next week.

Sunday was a fabulously sunny chilly day on a bridge. We met up with my "adopted brother" as I've always refered to him Mikey who is also now the father of our god-daughter Jessica. the pictures below are of our "fishing adventure" which included very little adventure and even less fish. It was chilly but we held our ground on the James River Bridge, keeping our poles in the water without a single dang bite! Hadn't been fishing since I was a kid, well I can't really even say I fished. I was more of a bystander. I sure as crap didn't touch the squid bait, nor did I even put my own pole in the water...hmm... well I took a picture holding it so that counts right? Me and my flipflops in 60 degrees over choppy water with a cold and no voice-genius. But, I guarantee we'll be out again sometime soon. I will catch a fish- I mean on my line on the pole I don't put in the water, or bait, or reel in. But it will be mine ;).






AND, I almost forgot the most important part of my sick week! MY DAD WON!!! YAY Dad! As I mentioned in a previous post, my dad was rerunning for his position as Chairman of the Roanoke Valley Republican Committee. It was a hairy race with a lot of interesting challenges, but he nailed it! I mean-shoot-my family don't raise no losers- if they did, theyda named us Dr. Quinn and Medicine Woman. (Name that movie! Anyone?) Sorry- but really- he is amazing. He won 3/4 of the vote! You can just call him Landslide Bailey! Big applause to everyone involved cause it definitely was a team effort. Grassroot elections sometimes get overlooked, but they truely are the foundation of our political system. It takes about ten time the effort to get a vote in grassroots just because people don't understand or appreciate the process. Wish I could have been there Dad! I'm so proud of you Skipper. ;)