New Year, New Blog

I have come to be unhappy with the lack of cuteness to the wordpress blogs, thus I have moved over to Blogger.

http://theduranimals.blogspot.com/

Visit us here from now on!

Stupid RSV

breathing treatment 🙂 ah, that feels better

So I feel like I have to document the Ellie’s first illness.  I knew this was coming since she goes to daycare and all, but I didnt know it was going to be this severe.  Here is the timeline breakdown:

December 2 – Ellie starts daycare (I swear she sounded congested after the first day)

December 9 – congested, dry cough, stuffy nose

December 15 – still congested etc; called nurse and she said not to worry unless Ellie has fever

December 17 – 102 fever, +RSV (common cold for us, serious for small children) aka freak mom out!!!!  At this point, we are trying everything for her – cool humidifer, saline drops in nose, nasal suction, Vicks rub on feet, Vicks plug-in in room, Tylenol round the clock.  Ellie has mild retracations.

December 22 – lower lobe congestion, RSV has invaded her lungs for real now!  started really beating on her chest to get all that nasty stuff out.  Although counterproductive, I am sure, I am giving her Benadryl at night to help her sleep.  Temp 100.4

December 24 – VERY congested, worried to nurse her and gave bottle instead so she wouldnt have to work as hard to get milk.  Ellie seems “air hungry” during night, so we took her to Cooks Urgent Care.  +Bronchiolitis and bilateral ear infections (UGH!!!!!)  She got deep suctioned (like down her trachea), a loading steriod dose, a breathing treatment and had a temp of 101.  Sent home with an albuterol inhaler, steriods, and antibiotics.

December 28 – finally no congestion or fever. YAY.  Poor Ellie.

I am praying against the long term effects RSV can have on her lungs.  I am praying that she does not suffer from asthma as a child, as this often happens following RSV.

waiting room at Cook Urgent Care

Ellie’s First Christmas

Merry Christmas Ellie Belly!  Mommy and Daddy love you sooo much and apparently so do your grandparents and Santa.  Here’s what Ellie got for Christmas…..

ring stacker, animal blocks and ball things, jungle book dvd, penguin blow up play thing, highchair, money, bedtime noise maker, books, elephant stuffed animal, cookie monster stuffed animal, jump a roo, playmat, christmas record player, activity flower, first Bible, 20 dr suess books, doll, play phone, clothes…..whoa….i think thats it.

She was still getting over RSV and newly diagnosed ear infections, so she didnt feel very good.  Poor baby….but thats for another post!  I feel so blessed this holiday season to be mom to this very special little girl…

A Year ago….

One year ago I was pregnant but did not know it yet.  I thought it could be possible but I didnt find out until January 12, 2009.  Jon still had his job at BK and we were as happy as could be.  On one thought, a baby was far from our minds..but on another thought, it was so close.  Little did I know how much our lives would change over the next few weeks.  Jon lost his job but then we found out we were expecting.  Our faith was so tested between Christmas and New Years but then the Lord blessed us with a child.  9 months later I held that bundle of joy and felt the Lord’s peace, presence, and protection all around us.  I cant believe how much things have changed in one year.

My big girl….

….is so big that not only is she sleeping through the night, but she is sleeping in her room!  Yay and hallelujah!  Since she is sleeping so well, I figured it was high time that I start putting her upstairs.  No longer does my lazy excuse of  “I dont want to climb the stairs” work.  I mean, it isnt like I am getting up every 2-3 hours to feed her anymore.  She goes down between 9 and 10 is sleeps til 7:30.  So, in her room she went.  No more sleeping in the pack n play in our living room.  Now if only Jon could figure out a way to make his gameroom and XBOX not be so close to her room.  Since she has been sleeping up there I have basically forbid (forbode, maybe???) him from playing at nightime.  I’ll be darned if she starts waking up at night again and it is due to freakin XBOX!

What if….

Ok, so many of you know that I have Ellie on an alternate vaccine schedule.  On Tuesday, I took her for her DTaP and Pneumococcal.  I planned on bringing her in at 3 months for HIB and Rotavirus.  Basically, her 2 month vaccines were slpit up.  I read the great book by Dr Sears and modified his schedule.  I wanted Ellie covered for what she is most at risk for —- > pertussis and pneumonia/meningitis.  HIB for things like pneumonia and meningitits was “less necessary” because it is less likely to get this bug than the bug that is prevented with PC.  Rotavirus causes gastroenteritis and to be honest, I was still up in the air about her getting that one.  On Monday night I prayed and asked for “advice from God.”  I am here to say that He answered and I felt at peace about giving DTaP and PC.  I also knew that I would take the same approach to the 3 month visit for shots —- just ask God.

Ellie was a bear on Wednesday.  She was fussy and just not herself.  I was up late with her and she seemed inconsolable. Eventually she fell asleep and she still slept through the night.  I just kept her up on her Motrin (not Tylenol because of something I read somewhere about it being metabolized in the liver and therefore decreases the amount of vaccine toxins that your body is able to eliminate) and vitamin C to aid in the elimination of those toxins.  Today she is better, thank God. 

Anyway, so today at bible study I felt this pulling at my spirit to ask this girl if she vaccinates her children.  Her answer was no, that she does homeopathic vaccinations.  I am very interested to learn more about this 🙂 And hope to learn more next week.

The reason I want to know more about this isnt because Ellie was fussy but it just really opened my eyes to how bad these things are.  I still feel at peace about the decision I made on Tuesday, but it made me know even more that with each vaccine I was going to have to make the choice that was right for us at that time.

But then I find myself playing the What If game….what if Ellie gets rotavirus and I could have prevented it.  What if she has a reaction from a vaccine that I could have prevented by not giving that one.  It has become a vicious and very trying cycle for my brain.  At the end of the day, all I know is ……

1.  I trust in God to lead my path

2.  I make the decison that is best for us at that time

3.  I have to listen to my gut – which afterall, I believe, is the Holy Spirit tugging at me

4.  (From a wise friend)  Ellie’s life is already mapped out by her Creator.

Play Dates and Daycare

Ellie is a pretty good traveler so this makes for perfect play date opportunities.  She loves going to Wendy’s house to play with Hayden.  They are about six weeks apart.

She especially loves to hang out in Hayden’s My Little Lamb Swing.  It is so cozy and comfy…better be for $150.  Ellie has also been on a play date with Stella.  Stella’s mom, Jaime works at Cook along with Wendy and I.  Her little one is 2 weeks younger than Ellie.  It was nice to get together with these two mommies and talk about all the stuff that goes along with mommyhood – the good and the bad.  Here is a picture of Stella and Ellie.  Sooo cute!

Ellie has also visited Brooklyn.  She was a baby that I took care of when she was in the NICU a year ago.  She is so big now and was very jealous of her mommy holding Ellie.  That same day, we ran errands with Wendy and Hayden.  Ellie wasnt too happy at this point, but it sure is cute seeing both of the babies in the car 🙂

Ok, last but not least.  About a week ago, I called the leader of a small group at church.  It is a group for new moms and I figured it would be great to fellowship with other women from church.  But I guess secretly, I hoped she wouldnt call back because then I would have to face my fear of dropping Ellie off at daycare.  Our church has childcare everyday for the parents who are attending small group.  It really is nice because you can drop off at 0930, group lasts from 10-12, and then you dont have to pick up until 1.  It gives you time to run errands or go out to lunch with the group.  So, a sweet girl from the group called me and helped me get over some of my anxieties.  She told me how great the ladies were in the Teddy Bear room and how they would take such great care of my little one.  She even told me to call her when I got there if I was having trouble…so sweet.  On Thursday morning, I took Ellie to the church and started crying as soon as I walked up to the door.  The lady asked me for her name and I couldnt even mutter the word ‘Ellie.’  I just handed her the sticker that was printed off at the check-in kiosk.  She understood and then said “now, can you tell me your name?”  Ha!  Good thing some of the tears had stopped.  I told her all about Ellie…how she liked to be swaddled, she likes the swing, when she might be hungry…all of that.  I handed her over and it was awful.  I had to go out in the car and cry.  I was so distracted that I almost forgot to go back inside and fill out all of her paperwork.  I wiped my eyes and after all of that, it wasnt as bad as I thought it would be.  I went to group, I went to lunch and picked her up at 1.  She was fast asleep.  Oh, I was so thankful to see my baby!  I know next Thursday will be easier and then hopefully taking her to real daycare (when I have to go back to work) will be ok.  Here she is, being dropped off at the Teddy Bear room.

Family Pictures (thanks to Jana)

More so now, pictures are priceless!

 

 

 

Ellie behaved…sort of, as you can see.  Ha!  Love it.

Our current set-up

Ellie’s basinette….so close to mommy!  So this is our current set up and who knows how long it will be until I actually put Ellie in her room!

Ellie naps here during the day with her noise maker on…tuned to ocean.  And at night, she is here…..

                                                                                                                                              

I dont leave a monitor on during the night because her crying wakes me up.  Of course, for the past few nights she has only gotten up once or not at all!  I am hoping this lasts but dont want to get my hopes up…just seems too good to be true.

And, what makes our world go round???  This is the motherboard, the control station, where all the magic happens….

Complete with burp cloths, Colic Calm, Medela breast pump, nasal aspirator, water, baby monitor, hand sanitizer, The Vaccine Book, baby organizer (where I keep track of when she eats, what side she eats off of, her poops & pees, and sleep), and pen selection.

I’ll eat you up, I love you so….

Ok, so who wouldnt want to hold this precious baby girl 24/7???

I do! I do!  And thats exactly what I have done since October 4.  This is when her colic started and so I just held her!  Well, the habit was formed.  It became to where I could not put her down for 1) Fear of unstoppable crying 2) Fear that she would wake up and/or 3) Because I love her so!  She became a baby that would cry after about 5 minutes of not being held.  She went from being content in the swing to hating it.  She went from being able to sleep on her own to falling asleep on me only.  What a trying cycle.  I will admit it is all my fault.  In the beginning (of her life), I would nurse her, swaddle her, lay her down on the feather pillow and pat her to sleep.  I was always afraid to leave her alone when she was awake and trying to fall asleep because I feared she’d suffocate on the pillow or not be able to fall asleep and start to scream.  After 18 days of pretty much holding her day and night, I decided to listen to Jon.  Oh and the day I could not pee in peace was a turning point too.  So one, I decided to listen to Jon and two, I  learned how to use the Miracle Blanket.  I swaddled her in this contraption and let her be.  She was silent and slept/napped for three hours.  I began to put her down for two naps a day and I put her down before she was overtired.  I let her cry a bit and grit my teeth through every minute of it!  But it works.  If she is not hungry or wet, she usually falls asleep in 10-15 minutes.  It was so hard, at first, and sometimes still is hard to let her cry, but I know it is worth it.  When she takes her two naps/day, she sleeps for 6-7 hour stretches at night.  Whoa!  That is awesome.  Now if only I could make myself get up and pump at night.  I know I have to to keep my supply…so that is the goal tonight!  The moral of the story is I just want to do what’s right for Ellie even though it is hard!  I’ll eat her up, I love her so!!!!