Happy New Year

I'm hoping to post an update soon :( But for now here are a couple pics. Hope you all have a great New Year!

Update and Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope everyone had a great holiday and Santa was good to them...if not, it may be because he was VERY good to me!!

Santa brought me a Nikon D9O!!! I was so freaking excited I had tears in my eyes opening it, I can't wait to really get to use it. I've played around a little, but I feel like I'm starting back at day one, lol. I was so comfortable with the Fuji, knew the in's and out's. Now I feel like I have SOO MUCH more to learn, but I'm ready for the challenge, so wish me luck, and I promise I'll try to share what we get.

UPDATE ON SAMI: So..it was not the Chicken Pox. No sir, no chicken pox at all. It was far worse! Thursday night her rash continued to spread. She slept a total of about 4 hours throughout the night and Ian and I were up all night with her. By Friday morning her whole body was covered in spots and welts and swollen in a few places. Her one eye was swollen half shut and her entire face was one big blotch of red.

I called the doctor back first thing in the morning and they told me to take her to the ER. Ian had already left for work, so I called to tell him we were going to the ER and I lost it and was sobbing on the phone trying to tell him what the doctor had told me. He was about 2 hours away when I called him. I hung up, let Sami finish her breakfast, we got dressed and headed out to the hospital. ( she was acting fine, just itchy and swollen, she looked AWFUL, but was still smiling through it.)

The doctor called the ER to let them know we were on our way. We got in and signed Sami in, and took a seat, 2 minutes later Ian walked through the doors. I don't know how he got there so fast, but I was SOO grateful he did, by this time both of Sami's eyes were swelling and almost shut.

So anyway...long story-short, Sami was admitted and had to stay overnight. Had to have an IV, 3 or 4 rounds of bloodwork, 2 chest xrays, an attempted and failed catheter..horrible!, and they pumped her full of fluids, steroids and benydryl.

Everyone in the hospital came into see her. Mostly nurses, doctors, students, residents, interns, specialists...it was crazy, but they were good to her, just wanted to learn from her, since no one seemed to have any definitive answers.

In the end, she was diagnosed with erythema multiforme, brought on by an allergic reaction to the augmentin that she was taking for the ear infection. I'm not completely convinced that this is indeed what she had, or that the doctors are completely convinced, but it's the best guess and the only thing we have to go on.

Needless to say, she will not ever be having augmentin again! And now she is much, much better.

During our 48 hours at the hospital, Ian and I talked alot about Sami and day care and me working, and we decided that it would be best for all of us if I left work to stay home with her again. The last 2 months she has been sick every week with something new. I know it's not day care's fault and this is what happens when kids are around other kids on a daily basis, and some sickness is good, to build up her immune system, but...with 3 rounds of antibiotics for her first ever ear infection, and then this, we were pretty much done with sending her back.

So once again I am retired, and staying home with my princess and loving every minute of it.

Ok, that's enough for tonight, lol. Again I hope everyone had a great Christmas, I'll have to do another post for more about our Christmas...another day.

But here are a few pics...the one of Ian and the one of Sami were taken with the D9o

I'm not very photogenic...my eyes are always closed, this was the best Ian could get, after 3 tries, lmao!

My handsome Hubby!

The beautiful princess.

Our, not so little anymore, man.

Samantha Claus

I haven't been able to get a good picture of her yet, but she loves wearing this Santa hat! It's so cute. Her hat from last year is way to small so she's wearing the adult size hat this year, and she thinks she's just so cool with it on, lol. She dances around and I sing "Sami Claus is coming to town" She's in the Christmas spirit, despite her rough month or so.


Sami has been sick for over a month now!! It's down right ridiculous! She started off with a little fever and what seemed mostly like a sinus infection. When we went to the Dr. they said she had an ear infection. So, we get a 10 day supply of antibiotics, that were so awful tasting no child should ever have to endure that for 10 days!
Back to the doctor to re-check the ear..infection still there. This round did however, cure the sinus infection so not all was wasted. So home we go with round 2 of 10 antibiotics...this time it's Amoxicill*n, aka the yummy pink stuff.
Two weeks later it's back to the doctor for her 18 month appt and a re-check of the ears again.
Infection still there....take another antibiotic for another 10 days and we will see you in a month...that was Friday.
Monday night after being on the meds 3.5 days She starts a low grade fever.
Tuesday, still a minor fever, and a little diarrhea. Give her some Motr*n and off to day care.
Wednesday...Velcro baby! 101.7 fever, and climbing. Diarrhea. No interest in eatting. Fussy beyond belief and can not be left alone or put down. I decide to call in and stay home with her to save the day care from a very long exhausting day...not that Sami was going to let me go anywhere with out her on my hip, anyway.
This morning, fever's at 102, but she seems to be acting better, so loaded with Motr*n, off to day care we go.
10am I get a phone call from day care, Sami has had diarrhea twice, but seems to be otherwise acting ok, just a little fussy.
I decide to call the doctor from work to see what else we should be doing for her...leave a message with the nurse.
Call back at 12:30, the doctor wants to see her at 3pm.
Call daycare, she had diarrhea one more time and is now napping.
1:15, pick Sami up from day care. She had one little spot by her eyebrow, but I thought nothing of it.
Drive toward home and stop at the store to waste some time before her appointment, and grab some more Pedialite.
Back in the car I notice another few spots on her neck and cheek...look like some sort of bite.
Get to the doctors and I explain the fever, endless antibiotics, and diarrrhea to the nurse. As the nurse walks out, I lift Sami up, holding her in front of the mirror, I lifted the back of her shirt to find that her whole back was covered in a rash! Lay her down on the table, change her diaper, her whole BODY is covered in a rash!!
The doctor comes in and I'm like she Just broke out in a rash!! I mean like JUST! like she was fine when I picked her up from day care, now she's COVERED!!

2 doctors later, she may or may not have the Chicken Pox! She was vaccinated for the Chicken pox, but apparently she needs 2 doses and they have only given her one. Doctors say that if it is the chicken pox it should not be this bad since she had one dose of the vaccine. They are thinking it may be an allergic reaction to the antibiotics. So no more antibiotics, only tylen*l and Motr*n, and we'll see how she does over the weekend. She goes back on Monday, unless it's worse tomorrow or over the weekend, then we go back immediately.

So for now we sit and wait. She's so uncomfortable, but such a trooper. she wouldn't even move until the motr*n kicked in. It hurt to stand or walk. Some of the spots on her look like big welts and are swollen, the others look like bug bites.
I don't know what else to do for her :( She's been sick for so long now and each week it seems to be something different.

The good news....her ear infection is finally gone.

Christmas tree lighting...

Name Game

I know we still have plenty of time, but I don't think this baby is ever going to get a name. I have literally looked at thousands of names and can not find anything that we agree on. Every day Ian and I are texting names back and forth, trying to think about what to name this little girl and we have nothing! We go to bed at night discussing names, we wake up discussing names. This is so hard! Sami's name was so easy for us and came so natural. All the names I want are taken by close family members, or are too over used. We liked Samantha because it was classic and pretty and not overly used.
The names I have today, but are certain to change tomorrow, lol...are
Nora Grace
and
Jessica Mary
I also started liking Victoria the other day too. I had always said no to this one before, but the other day out of no where I decided I liked it. But Ian and I are big on nicknames and neither of us like Vicki or Tori, so Victoria is out :(
Ian likes...
Jennifer
Kelli
and
Keiran
I think I'm having the toughest time cause I want it to just flow right with our last name, so the K and C names give me too much of a kah sound together with the last name and anything that ends in en, an, or in, are also too much with the last name.

I never though this would be so hard. I'm pretty sure I have looked at over 5000, names by now, it's so frustrating. So any and all suggestions are welcome, first and middle names.
Oh, and I'm not a big fan of anything that ends in y or ie, lol. I'm being way too picky!

Here are a few pics from the last few weeks.

Sami and I with Sc00by at the waterpark.

My little belly bump...it's much bigger this week, lol.

Sami girl

Looks like....

Another GIRL!!! Or so we think. It was a little hard to tell due to her position, but best guess is to plan on a little sister for Sami and Scott.
So far she looks just like Sami did. Even had her little feet crossed just like Sami always did and still does.
Everything is measuring right on track...17 weeks 6 days, and a due date sticking with April 25th. She's very active and was dancing all around during the ultrasound today. So cute. We have no clue on any names yet. Ian says he doesn't have to think about that until around April 15th, lol. Something tells me it's all I will think about until then! We had a boys name on the list but nothing for a girl. I think we were both a little shocked. Ian's face was priceless, I wish I had brought my camera to take his picture. He says he knew it was going to be a girl, but the look on his face said otherwise, lol.

How I feel

I'm outta here!

Enough!!

Her expressions totally visualize my feelings today! Still fighting this cold. Just miserable and struggling through the day. Why has my beautiful, perfect little girl become this toddler that has turned on me? How can she be so sweet and helpful one moment and then the exact opposite the very next moment? This is such a difficult age and I'm getting more and more scared about bringing a new baby into this trying time with a toddler. Life is so frustrating as a toddler, and as a mother of a toddler, lol. Some how in the past month Sami has become deaf to the tone of my voice...the sound of my voice...anything that comes out of my mouth really. She doesn't listen to me, but not only does she not listen, it's as though I don't even exist. I'm not really here speaking these words. In her world there is no Mama's voice. Louder, more stern, abrupt, softer, quiet, whispers...none of it works. The child totally blocks me out! UGH!!!
This is our real struggle right now. She's growing too fast and wanting to be so independent. Time outs are not working. She'll do her time. She'll apologize and give kisses. Then she'll go right back 5 minutes later and we start all over.
Our nights have been exhausting. We get home, unload (diaper bag, coats, shoes, purse, lunch bag, dog, baby girl) I start dinner and Sami heads off to the playroom. She embraces her toys, all of whom she longingly missed all day, and all seems right with the world. Once dinners ready it's a whole other night. Dinner is a fight. She wants to do it her self, she's frustrated when she can't. She wants to feed the dog. She will throw food on the floor, for no reason, then ask for more. She's refusing to eat any vegetable other than carrots. All meats are questionable, other than chicken or fish. One or two real bites and she's over the whole dinner time deal. She drops her fork, pushes her food onto the floor and then the plate. Oh, how I long for a meal where I don't have to say the words "no!" and "we don't throw food" and "Patches has her own food, that is Sami's food"
From there the night usually proceeds in the same tone dinner left us in. Don't climb the stairs, don't hit the dog, watch where you're going, you can't jump off the couch, don't throw toys...yada yada yada. Then it's bath time....ahhhhhh. For the most part this is always fun time for both of us, with the exception of the occasional out of control splashing and the fact that she believes the bathtub is secretly an amazing water slide, which results in her slipping and sliding all over the place. After the bath it's round 3 and we fight to get her dryed, diapered, lotioned, and dressed. Then we brush the teeth (she's pretty good there, only fight maybe once a week on this, lol) and of course the hair, she can't go to bed with out brushing her hair. We grab the blankey and head to her room. I turn on the waterfall light show, she leans in and kisses me goodnight..........and my heart melts..... and all is forgotten with the day.
Tomorrow we start again, 6:30am.

It's amazing how that one little kiss at the end of the day can remind you of all the amazing, remarkable things she's done throughout the night that I was able to witness and be a part of and share with her. The smiles, the laughs, the amazement in her eyes when she looks to you because she's discovered something new. I'll cherish it all...always.

Late pics

Better late than never...right? Here are a few pics from Halloween. I couldn't get any good ones of Sami in her costume because she would just not sit still long enough for anything! She was so excited and did so well. She loved going from house to house and being out walking at night...even though she didn't get to eat any of the candy, lol. ( what a mean mommy I am :()

We have an appointment this Friday at the OB. Just a regular pre-natal exam. I felt the baby move last Wednesday for the first time! I think I was around 16-18 weeks when I felt Sami for the first time, this one was just barely 15 weeks!! Crazy. It was so crazy to feel that little flutter again, and I've been feeling it multiple times throughout the day everyday since. The 21st is our big ultrasound!! I'm sure I mentioned that before but I just can't wait!
Sami was sick last week and now I am sick (fever, sore throat, head ache, body aches...the whole nine!) and Ian is getting sick too and the daycare provider is sick as well...UGH! Thank God tomorrow is a bank holiday and I don't have to work because I don't know how I could possibly make it through the day. Pray that this sickness leaves us all tomorrow!!

My poor blog :(

It's so neglected around here. Things have really gotten away from me and life is just so busy that I don't have a moment to think, let alone blog.
Ian got his promotion at work. So he is now traveling a lot and out of town for 2-3 nights a week. I was going to leave my job, due to daycare arrangements (Ian was picking Sami up most nights and with his new job, he can't always be home to pick her up) But....my job changed my schedule to work around the day care schedule so all is right with the world.

So, I'm working full time, Ian is traveling part time, Sami's in day care...and life goes on. We are still trying to get into some type of routine around here to have some kind of order in our lives, but I don't see it happening any time soon. Hahaha.
We still have our house on the market and are still looking to sell, however there is no longer the stress of "needing" to sell the house now. Obviously, the market is not favorable to sell a home right now so needless to say we haven't had any luck in this market. We shall see what the future months bring.

Sami is doing great, growing like crazy and her personality is just exploding. She is SOOO silly and has such a funny personality. She is talking non-stop, but it's all babble and baby non-sense. She loves to try out new words though and repeat you when she can. Tonight she said "Shadow" it's so awesome to hear her try new words and repeat after us when she asks what something is. She loves her animals and will tell you what sound they make. For Halloween she was an adorable little lion and she would "Roooaaaarrr" when asked what the lion says. She LOVED trick-or-treating and was a real trooper going from house to house with her brother, who was her official "Candy Collector" lol. She has no idea that people we actually giving her candy, as she's never had any before. When we got back to the house and her cousins and brother were digging into their loot, Sami was overjoyed with having her good 'ol snack trap of animal crackers, lol. If only she knew...

The pregnancy is going well so far. I've been feeling fine, but don't really have time to even think about being pregnant, since Sami, work and the farm keep me busy at all hours of the day. We are scheduled for our next ultrasound on the 21st!! I can't wait! Hopefully, Ian will be able to make it, which I'm sure he wouldn't miss it for the world. So we're all excited to see our new little baby on the big screen.


So that's it for now, just crazy, crazy, crazy and busy, busy, busy. No time to think. No time to write. And no projections of anything slowing down anytime soon.

Pumpkin carving

Sami's Lil' Jack

Scott's Pumpkin

Looking for the perfect one...

I can't believe how big he is now!! OMG.

Cider donuts!!!

Mmmmm

She LOVED the animals!

Pumpkin picking