LOOOK!

Hand in Hand

Little Piggies

sick days

Can we go out today Mama?

The Booger Monster

Still smiling even though she feels so sick

I miss you great outdoors!

9 month check-up

Sami's been sick so the 9 month photo shoot is on hold until she's feeling better and more up to it. Hopefully this won't last long.

Her check up went well. She's 17 pounds 6 ounces, I thought she'd be more than that, but that's what the scale said. That puts her just under the 50th percentile for weight and her weight chart looks perfect, she is gaining beautifully each time. Some how they screwed up her height on the chart. I swear when the nurse measured her she had 26 and 3/4" which I thought was low since at 6 months she was 26". Then when the doc gave me the chart they had her on there at like 29" or something that put her in the 75th percentile. So basically I don't know where she is with height, I told Ian we'll have to measure her ourselves again.

She did good at the office. No shots this time which was good. She's still sick and you can tell she doesn't feel good. Poor thing. She's all congested and coughing and is a snot machine on overdrive! I've never seen so much snot come out of such a small being. Her fever has finally broke after being 102 for 2 days. Now we are just keeping the Tylen*l going for her comfort. She has no voice left and when she does make a sound it's really raspy.

In good news, she's been sleeping!!! Monday night we woke her up at 11pm to give her more meds and she slept through to 6:30 when she woke up but soothed herself back to sleep until 7:15am. Tuesday night she woke up at 12:30 and was just not feeling well and restless for about an hour. I stayed up with her and rocked her, tried to nurse her, she just wasn't having it. she was sick and couldn't sleep. Poor baby. I finally rocked her and sang to her until she fell asleep and she slept until 9:30am!!!!

Last night she went down at 8:30 and here it is 9:20am and she's still sleeping!!!!! OMG! She woke up a few times coughing, but didn't cry and went right back to sleep. Then woke up around 7 and was talking/playing but didn't even sit up, just layed there and went back to sleep.
I woke up at 2:30am cause I had to pump, my body obviously was confused why it was allowed to sleep so long and my boob was about to explode! It hurt. I thought for sure she would wake up right after I pumped, but no.

So now I'm wondering if she is really sleeping through the night, or if her voice is just so raspy that I can't hear her crying at night. Either way the sleep is nice and she doesn't seem to be any worse off. I just can't believe that she slept through the whole night last night! I am in shock! Maybe it's the sickness, maybe it's a fluke, who knows.....but one thing's for certain....now that I told you all this, it won't happen again, lol.

Wish us luck.

Vacation Pics

Finally.
Here are some Vacation pics. We had a great time. The kids were great and Ian got to spend some time with his BFF. It was fun, relaxing, and just a great family time.
Sami is sick today, fever, runny nose, cough and drooling like crazy :( I thought maybe it was just her teeth coming in, but she's been clingy and just really down today. I've never seen her like this. I feel so bad for her.
I'll have to work on her 9 month post this week. Have to do some pics too. Until then, here are the vacation pictures.

Showing off our shoes, lol.

First Carosel ride

Feeding the ducks with Uncle Franky

My fisherman

Love this pic! He's my Huck Finn.

On the Boardwalk @ Kemah

We made it...

Made it to Galveston.
Sami did great on both flights. Even though we planned on being here around 6:30pm last night and due to delays we didn't get in until after 10pm TX time. Ugh, it was a LONG day. The kids did great though.
On the first flight Ian and I were separated. He sat in the first row and Scott, Sami and I sat all the way in the last row, lol. Sami was an angel on the flight and Scott loved sharing her first flight with her and wanted her to sit on his lap to look out the window, even though she didn't quite get the concept, it was cute. She sat quietly and played and just relaxed and sat still.
There was another baby, about a year and a half, that screamed the whole way :( poor thing. Ian kept thinking it was Sami and was coming back to check on her.

The second flight was late at night and she really didn't get any good naps in. She fell asleep just before we got on the second flight and then once we got on the plane there was some security thing and the whole airport was shut down until it was resolved...so again we were delayed. She woke up just before take off and was a little restless for most of the flight. She did good though. As good as an 8 month old who was up at 4am (OMG, why doesn't this child sleep) could do.

Does anyone else have a child with an extreme fear of those public rest room changing tables? Sami SCREAMS and shakes and is just terrified of them :( it's horrible. I had to change her on the plane in the lavoratory(they have a changing station in there, I was shocked by that) and she was so scared, it broke my heart. She was fine the instant I picked her up but while she was laying there she was crying and shaking and just so scared. In the first airport she was so scared on the changing table that she pee'ed all over! She never pees when I'm changing her and she was screaming and spraying everywhere! Oh, what an experience. Then I feel like everyone is staring at me like I'm torturing my baby, just because I'm changing her diaper.

So, anyway. We got in to the condo around 11:30 last night. Sami fell asleep in the car around 10:30 and was up at 5am...for the day! (oh, and she was up at 11:30, and 2am...lol, didn't want you to think she actually slept through the night, lol.) Needless to say, we're not leaving the condo today until after she's had a real morning nap. This girl needs to sleep!

So that's it for now...I'll try to update/record our vacation when I can. I didn't bring my cable for the camera so you'll have to wait until we get home for some pics :( sorry.

Wish us luck

This is a pic of her with her new Teddy that Daddy bought her for Valentine's day. She actually laid there looking at me with the camera as if to say "ok Mama, take my picture with my bear." It was really cute. As soon as I snapped it she was off again.

How beautiful is this face?
She LOVES her bath time. No more baby tub she is SO happy to be splashing around in the big tub. She loves the water, even when I dump it on her head, rinsing her hair, she just loves it.

She is starting to cut the top teeth. One has made it through and the other is oh-so-close.

This afternoon she fell while standing with one of her toys and now has a big knot on her head :( Poor thing! It broke my heart to see that big purple lump forming. I don't think I was th eonly one since as soon as it happened she was swarmed by me, Ian and Scott, all giving her kisses and rubbing her back. She soaked it up, but seriously it had to hurt. Poor Baby.

She's been standing on her own for a few seconds at a time and she has NO fear! OMG! This child is a dare devil.
We leave Tuesday for Texas, I haven't yet figured out how I'm going to get her to stay in our seat during the flight. I've got a bag full of tricks to bring but she just does not want to sit still these days.

8 Months

I don't know what I was thinking, trying to take her pictures. She Will. Not. Sit. Still!
Even E1mo couldn't persuade her to stay.

Playtime

I made Sami a tutu the other night. It was so much fun! It's not really done, I need to fill it in a bit but I have to buy more stuff first and I couldn't wait to try it on her so we put it on first thing in the morning, with her jammies, lol.
Daddy made her some puppets to play with too. She LOVES them! It's so cute. She was giggling and laughing at them all morning. She loves puppets and thinks they are just the funniest things ever, so when Daddy made her, her very own to play with and talk to she was overjoyed!

I didn't really capture the moments with the puppets. These pictures look more like she is afraid of them, but trust me she was in love with them. Laughing and smiling and just so happy to play with them and Daddy.

8 months

8 Months!
This picture was taken the same day as the video below, and it totally shows her personality these days.
At 8 months, she is trying to be very independant. Wants to walk, pulls up on everything, and is starting to state her opinion more and more. She doesn't like when you tell her no. She knows when she's headed some where she's not supposed to be. When I say her name she just crawls faster! LOL
She believes she can do it..whatever "it" maybe.
She plays with her toys and will keep herself entertained for quite some time digging through her toy box and playing with everything.
She still thinks Patches is just the funniest thing she's ever seen and continues to laugh at her all the time. She' s loving that now she can try and chase her, but Patch is just too fast :( She and Patches are having issues with whos toys are whos. Sami want Patches ball and Patches wants Sami's fishy. It's a struggle to keep the proper toy in the correct mouth, lol.
She's been "talking" non stop these days. She has just mastered "Da Da" so that's pretty much all I hear all day long, lol. She loves "Da Da Da Da, Ma ma ma, and Baba bbbbbaaaaaaa!" and she's learned how to screech like all little girls do so that is a favorie noise for her too.
She pulls up on anything and everything she can get her hands on and is starting to cruise all around. We got her a walker, but she doens't quite get it yet.
She is also VERY tickelish these days. Her neck her belly and her thighs are all high tickle areas, and her feet too, oh and back, and armpits...ok she's pretty much tickelish just about everywhere! her little giggles are an amazing source of happiness for all who hear them.
She is in love with her big brother and spent the majority of the weekend staring at him. Anything he says or does is funny, and she just lights right up when he looks at her. She literally will just sit in one spot and stare at him. It's pretty funny.
here's a picture of the two of them watching the Superbowl last night.

I'm planning on doing some 8 months pics of her, but just have to find the time. Hopefully I'll get to it this week...

Video

So much news

There have been so many things going on lately that some times I feel like my head is spinning.

Ian has gone green...

from this

to this

2008 Civic Hybrid

It's saving us financially, but he's pretty depressed about losing his truck. We loved that truck! It was really sad to give it up, but it was a financial necessity.

After trading in the truck, I realized 4 days later that I had left Sami's stroller in the back! OMG! I was freaking out! I stopped by the dealership and they sent me to their reconditioning shop and they had my stroller!! I was SOOO relieved.

Then there's this

BRUNO....I can't get that picture to move down here...

He's been missing for over a week now. His battery dies in his electric collar and off he went. I think this maybe it for the Bru. Patches was gone with him for over 24 hours, but she came back. (she always comes back) I've tried getting her to show me where they went and where Bruno could be, but it was no luck.

I have very mixed feelings about the whole thing. I REALLY miss my Bru, and I love that dog. He's my baby. But here's the thing...he's kind of a pain.

He jumps all over everyone. I've tried working with him, training him, but it just doesn't take.

He steals food the minute you turn your head. He will snatch what ever you have on your plate or in your hand.

He will still on occasion, very rare, but it's happened, marks his territory.

He's been having a bit of an attitude problem lately. He was snippy with me once last summer. Got in my face showing his teeth and growling and scared me. He's been snippy with Ian, but only when he's sleeping and we try to wake him up. Then a few weekends ago, he was snippy with Scott. I truly believe that he would never bite any of us...ever! But he has been getting more and more touchy and he gets loud, growling and showing his teeth and tries to get in your face.

So I'm not sure if maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Maybe he's gone for a reason. What if it got worse. Sami is moving around more and more now, what if he went off on her? What if he does bite? Who will be the victim? What if he hurts one of the kids?

All of these things are very troubling to me. I feel heart broken that he is gone, and heartbroken that he may not be back. I just wish that I knew he was ok. I know that he knows his way home, but he has not come back. And for Patches to be gone over night, I know that she must have been with him. I've looked all around our property, the neighboring fields, all our streets, but have not found him.

All I can do is pray that he is ok and safe and being loved where ever he may be.

I also have a video of Sami trying to walk, lol. I'll have to upload it later and try and post it tomorrow.

pics...

Here are a couple pics of her in the Mei Tai, front carry. Ian left for Jersey today, so I couldn't get any pics of her in the back carry. I still have to figure out how to get her in the back carry by myself.

She has been pulling up on EVERYTHING! All she wants to do is walk. I've been looking at walkers for her but haven't decided on one yet. Today I just saw one that is a shopping cart/walker and the handle is expandable for when she is taller. It's really cute! But I think I want to get her a ride on one....ahhh, decisions decisions, lol.

Updated: You can notice from the dark circles under my eyes that Sami has NOT been sleeping the past 3 nights! Not sure what her deal is, but I'm hoping it's over soon.

She's trying already to give up her second nap..or first nap really and combining the two. She used to take 2 two hour naps, now she goes down later in the morning and is sleeping for close to 3 hours. It is much too soon for her to give up one of her naps! I think we have to start from square one again and get a new schedule going.