Decorating

One nice part of staying home for Thanksgiving is that we got to put up our Christmas tree and decorations extra early. Bella seemed to be feeling better today so we actually put on regular clothes (we've been wearing pj's all day for several days now) and put the ornaments on our tree. As expected, Matea's completely fascinated by everything and can't keep her hands off the tree. I also came home from my work out this morning to find a partially opened Christmas gift under the tree. Bella's been extra grumpy during her illness and decorating seems to be bringing out a better side of her. I actually got some cute, smiling pics of her which doesn't even happen when she's feeling well.

Bella Update

It's looking like the antibiotic shot yesterday is working well. Bella slept well last night (we still haven't moved her back to her bed) and woke up asking for Cheerios this morning. She went back to the doctor this morning and she said she could hear crackling in Bella's right lung which is a good sign that the infection is breaking up and moving out. She's definitely feeling better today, only had a slight fever and spent some time playing. But she's still getting easily worn out and you can really see in her face that she's had a rough week. We're trying to get her back in her bed tonight and hope she'll sleep well in there. She's been sleeping in the recliner the last few nights, partly to help with her coughing and partly because she had been waking up Matea with her coughing and whining at night. Grandma got her some new movies so we'll be watching hour upon hour of "My Friends Tigger and Pooh Super Sleuths Christmas Movie" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" tomorrow.

It's pneumonia

I took Bella to the doctor this morning because we just couldn't keep her fever away. She checked her out and sent us for blood work, urine, and a chest xray. I dropped off Matea with Steve at work (what, you don't think an auto shop is a great place for a 16 month old to hang out?) and took Bella for her labs. She was really nervous about the chest xray and kept crying but was able to hold still long enough that we got good xrays on both views on the first try. The blood work was another story. She's been with me several times when I've had blood drawn so she knows enough to realize that a needle goes in your arm and that probably doesn't feel good. She was so upset, it took me plus 3 nurses to hold her down and get her blood. Not exactly the nurturing, motherly feeling I like to have. Picked up Matea from Steve, ran by Vons for more Motrin and by the time we got home, Dr. Teaford called and said the xray showed pneumonia in the upper lobe of her right lung. I immediately lost it, starting bawling on the phone with the doctor. I think knowing the seriousness of what's wrong with her, combined with questioning whether you've handled everything well as her mother was just too much for me. On top of that, tomorrow is the third anniversary of Grandpa's death so I haven't exactly been feeling warm and fuzzy anyway.
I took her in to check her pulse oxygen level (it was good, 94%) and get a shot of antibiotics. I still couldn't keep myself together emotionally and asked Dr. Teaford to please not write, "Mother is a big weenie" on Bella's chart. She goes back in tomorrow morning to be checked out again and then we'll just be enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday at home, letting our baby rest and recover instead of dragging her through the stress of traveling.

Holy Shnikes!

Bella's fever got up to 106.5 last night! Nope, that's not a typo, 106.5! We threw her in a cold bath for the fourth time in one day, of course she screamed the whole time but we got it down to 104.5. Gave her some Motrin when she got out (started alternating with Tylenol) and then her fever started creeping back up again. Called our doctor's 24 nurse triage hotline (so stupid that they don't have any kind of on call doc to talk to-we have to pay $30 to call a nurse for 3 minutes). Anyway, she said we needed to go to the ER because a fever that high could signal a bacterial infection. So, off we went. And damn if her fever wasn't down to 102.5 when we got there. The ER doc checked her out, said she was fine and sent us home. She told me I could alternate Tylenol and Motrin every 3 hours instead of the 4 I was doing and I really hoped that would keep her fever from spiking again (it seemed to be spiking in the last hour between doses). Got home at midnight, slept with her in the livingroom on the aero bed, woke her up at 3:00 for her medicine and the fever was gone. She woke up feeling like herself this morning and we couldn't be more relieved.
She was such a good girl through the whole thing, never once complained about not feeling well. Then at the hospital last night she said, "Mommy, I like spending time with you." Nice. Quality time at the ER. So I told her that as soon as she got better I would take her on a date with Mommy to see "Bee Movie".

Poor Bella

We've all been taking a long time to get over this cold but Bella seemed to be getting over it more quickly than Matea and I. Until Thursday night. She got out of bed at 10:00 with a 102.5 degree fever and woke up at 101 yesterday morning. She seemed to feel ok during the day but we could tell she was getting a fever again last night. Pumped her full of tylenol and she fell asleep on the couch around 7:30. Then, we woke up to her in our room at 3:00 this morning and she said she was trying to drink water but her body wouldn't stop shaking. Poor baby's fever was up to 104 degrees. We did our best to cool her down, gave her more tylenol and then put her back in bed around 4:00. Matea decided not to cut me any slack and woke up at 5:00, two hours before her normal time. Bella got up at 6:15 and her fever was at 104.2. I feel so bad for her but she seems to be holding up really well.
And before you ask why we haven't rushed her to the doctor...high fevers are very typical for Bella. She's actually been as high as 105 degrees before (her first and so far, only trip to the ER). And besides a little cough, there's really no sign of what her body is fighting so the doctors wouldn't really know what to give her medicine for anyway. So, we'll just have to wait and see.

One big turkey and one little turkey

First the little turkey. Matea had her 15 month well baby visit today and got the stamp of approval from Dr. Teaford-Hoffman. She's still a little peanut, weighing just over 21 pounds which puts her in the 30th percentile for her age. She's currently saying 10-12 words consistently, using 4 signs, and can identify 8 or 9 body parts. And Dr. Teaford was as tickled as we are that she points/looks at Bella when you ask her where her belly is. Bella went with us to the visit and I told her she might be getting some shots because the doctor mentioned that Bella was behind on a few during our last visit. She was so freakin excited. Couldn't stop talking about getting the shots and then getting a bandaid. Sadly, as I expected, the experience was not nearly as exciting as she thought it was going to be and she bitched and moaned at me about the shots all the way to Santa Maria afterward.



Ok, now the big turkey. Living on one income when you really can't afford to do it means that you eat what's on sale. And of course, right now that means eating turkey for the next two months straight (and apples and pears-we've made apple sauce, apple fritters, apple burritos). So this big guy is in my oven right now, treated with butter, lemon, and herbs. 15 pounds of yummy turkey for turkey and stuffing, turkey sandwiches, turkey wraps, turkey ummmmmm....out of ideas. Hmmmm, need to get more eggs for turkey omelets for the girls in the morning.

Thanks a lot Grandpa

I talked to my dad a few days ago and he asked how the girls were and whether everyone had been healthy. I told him we had been really lucky and both girls had only been sick once in the last year. Two days later, we're all sick. Damn him! Actually, Steve's not sick, he never is. In the 12 1/2 years we've been together, I've only seen him sick twice. He has some kind of freakish immune system. Anyway, here are some pics from today and yesterday.

Doesn't Bella's face communicate how she's really feeling right now? The second pic is how I found Matea in the recliner when I woke up this morning. Looks like she partied all night. Oh wait, she did. And the last pic is them right now, eating their second round of popsicles for the day.

Last ones, I promise

Yes, we went out of the house with him dressed like this. We only went to 5 neighbor's houses and 3 of the 5 wanted to take a picture. Then we went to our neighbors' church carnival and I swear it was like Jesus himself spoke to everyone there and said, "Stop and stare at the hairy man dressed as a big fat woman with nice boobies." Every time I looked up, people were pointing and starring at him and a few men asked if he was available. And lots of teenage girls talked to him and commented on his costume. What's up with that? We may have to retire this one.