Feeling better!

Just a quick update to let everyone know that Rosalyn is on the mend, Yay!

She is not 100% better, but definitely getting there! She still has a low grade fever, a little stuffy nose that kept her awake most of last night, and a decreased appetite.

She did eat more today however than all three previous days combined! Today, she ate: 2 bites of chocolate pudding, 1 slice of cheese, 1/4 slice butter bread, 2 mandarin orange segments, 1/2 of a gerber meat stick, 2 bites of rice with mushroom gravy, 2 bites of tuna salad, and about 1o cheerios! She also had about 2 cups of liquids. She ate nothing on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday so today was a huge improvement! Anyone who knows Rosalyn knows that she loves to eat, so it has been odd to see her refusing food!

We did take her back to the pedi yesterday...she wanted to see her again in the office after our ER visit in order to make sure she was improving. She told me that the blood work done on Saturday indicated her body was fighting both a bacterial and a viral infection simultaneously which helps explain why she was sooo sick.

The good news is that she is feeling a lot better and I am sure that tomorrow will be an even better day!

Thanks for the prayers!

ER Visit

We had a not-so-fun-filled-day today.


Rosalyn never really got better after going to the doctor and starting antibiotics. The infection on her leg improved markedly and she did seem to feel better at times and her fever went down after getting Tylenol and Motrin around the clock (only to spike up again after about 5-6 hours). Her decreased appetite continued along with being lethargic and not herself in general. Each day she seemed to get a little sicker with brief moments of seeming like she may be getting better.


Yesterday, along with the ever present fever, she developed what looked a little bit like pink eye and she vomited. She has also had a light rash at times. One look at her and it was obvious she was miserable. I decided to wait it out one more night...it was a loooong night, believe me. She was up for much of the night, but finally fell into a fitful sleep.


When we got up this morning, she was burning up with a 104 degree fever and was totally lethargic and nearly limp laying on me. She refused to eat or drink, much less take any medication. Her breathing seemed a little labored to me and her heartrate was 190 (about double what it should be). I tried not to freak out too much, because I know that sick, feverish babies do usually have high rate and labored respirations...but it is different when it is your baby!


I immediately called the doctor and told her Rosalyn's symptoms. She was very concerned and instructed us to go to the Texas Children's ER to be seen right away. My mom and dad came over to help me take her. Jason works nights, so I convinced him I could handle it because he needed to sleep.


We arrived at the TCH ER and we were quickly seen. Her vital signs were the same at the ER as at home. Our nurse immediately gave her more Tylenol and the doctor ordered some tests...blood count and cultures, urine analysis and cultures, and nasal/throat swab for a Adenovirus (basically, a respiratory virus). Thankfully, the nurse that was taking care of Rosalyn was wonderful...she quickly and easily did the blood draw, throat/nose swab, and catheterization...seriously took her just a couple of minutes to do all three things. Poor Ros did not like it one bit, but her nurse made it as quick and easy as humanly possible. I held her little face in my hands and sang to her through the whole process while she cried. Once it was over, she quickly forgot and it was as if it never even happened.


Finally, the test results came back...urine test was ok, blood test was mostly ok but white count was high, Adenovirus test was positive. So, Adenovirus (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/80926/what_is_an_adenoviral_infection.html?cat=5) is the culprit. I had already "diagnosed" her with a respiratory virus of some sort, but I always think it is better to be safe than sorry, so a hospital visit was necessary. Adenovirus is a virus that often affects little kids and it can range from very mild to severe. It can cause ear infections, pink eye, rashes, extremely sore throat, nasal symptoms, respiratory symptoms, diarrhea/vomiting, and high fevers. She basically has had all of those symptoms...poor girl! Since it is a virus, there isn't much we can do other than push lots of fluids and reduce her symptoms by giving tylenol/motrin/benadryl. After her heartrate was down a little (to 130) and her temperature was down, we were allowed to go home. Thank goodness! We were SO ready to get home.


Adenovirus is extremely contagious, so I hope we haven't infected anyone else. Virtually all kids get it at least once within the first few years of life.


Every 6 hours, I am giving her 1 teaspoon of antibiotic (have to continue because of her leg infection), 1 teaspoon of Benadryl, 1 teaspoon of Motrin, and 1 teaspoon of Tylenol.


She is in bed asleep...praying she will stay asleep because she needs it!


Hopefully she will be feeling lots better in the next few days!

Zucchini Tomato Tart...

This recipe is really yummy, so I wanted to share it! It is also fairly healthy, very easy, and inexpensive. It serves 6 as a side dish and 4 as a main meal (it makes a delicious, light dinner with green salad, rolls, and fruit). Jason even likes it!

Zucchini Tomato Tart

3 large zucchini, scrubbed and sliced into very thin rounds
3 large tomatoes, washed and sliced into very thin rounds
1/2 small onion, chopped into very small pieces
1 frozen deep dish pie crust
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup light mayonnaise (fat free just doesn't work for this recipe)
1/3 cup parmesan/Italian blended cheese
1 tablespoon light margarine
1 teaspoon dried crushed basil
1/4 teaspoon salt (really to taste, I use about 1/4 tsp though)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 slices turkey bacon, chopped into very small pieces

1. Bake the empty pie crust in a 450 degree oven until it is browned.
2. Saute the zucchini and onion together in the olive oil until they are very tender, nearly translucent.
3. Arrange the zucchini/onion mixture in the browned pie crust.
4. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on top of the zucchini/onions.
5. Mix together the mayo, cheese, margarine, salt, pepper, basil, and bacon.
6. Spread mixture evenly over tomatoes.
7. Place pie pan on a cookie sheet and bake until bubbly in a 425 degree oven...usually about 30 minutes.
8. Allow to cool off for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
9. Enjoy!

Note: This recipe is the light version, which I personally think tastes great! If you want it to be a whole lot more fattening, you can double the sauce ingredients (mayo/cheese/margarine/salt/pepper/basil/bacon) and use the full fat ingredients and regular bacon.

Sick Face...

Isn't that the most pitiful face ever?!?!?

Rosalyn is actually feeling better today. She ate/drank a little better and her fever has been lower today, hovering around 100-101. She has also played a lot more, which is always a good sign! I have been guilty of letting her watch way too much TV since she started feeling bad on Monday...she can now say Dora, Diego, Pets, Bill, Blue, and she can sing the "Blue's Clues" song. It seems her antibiotics are kicking in, so hopefully she will be much better tomorrow. She did start having diarrhea today, but fortunately Daddy was on diaper duty when it happened! She also has a pale pink rash slightly raised rash all over her back and belly that I am keeping a close eye on...it may be a slight antibiotic reaction, but as long as it stays like it is then no big deal!

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

No Zoo Today :(

We did not get to go to the zoo today because our little pumpkin is sick. It came on rather quickly although she was showing some signs of being sick starting yesterday morning. Rosalyn has an ear infection in both ears...the left ear quite severe. She is coughing some and has a runny nose. She also has developed a skin infection on her left leg caused by an ant bite. Add to that her teething pain and you have one very unhappy baby girl. She has had a high fever since last night and hasn't eaten or drank anything. We just got home from the doctor/pharmacy and I dosed her up with Clindamycin (her antibiotic for two weeks), Tylenol, Motrin, and Benadryl...hoping all that given together will help her feel better fast. She is asleep in her bed now which is good because she really needs the rest. She has been so miserable today...it breaks my heart.

Please pray that the medicine will work quickly to clear the infection so that she can eat/drink/sleep comfortably. Also, pray that her antibiotics do not cause diarrhea/yeast infection since that has been a problem for her in the past.

Thanks!

Never say Never...

Today, I did something I swore I would NEVER do...

I bought a baby leash for Rosalyn.

I already feel guilty and I haven't even put it on her yet! However, we are going to the zoo tomorrow and I need a safe way to allow her to walk and explore. So, I decided to bite the bullet and buy a "child safety harness." She hates the stroller usually, but she is not old enough to totally get the concept of holding my hand and staying nearby. She does very well sticking by my side for a while, but then gets excited and dashes away in the blink of an eye! She wants to be so independent, but she is not aware of dangerous things like child molesters, cars, and wild animals...lol! I am hoping the leash will work and I won't get too many stares from people who think I am nuts :) .

I will update tomorrow and include pictures of my precious little "pet."

Here is the leash link:

http://www.safety1st.com/usa/eng/Products/Travel/Travel-Safety/Details/1956-48382-Child-Harness

Date Night!

Tonight, Jason and I went on a real date!

This is quite significant because we have been on exactly 3 "dates" since Rosalyn was born in August 2007:

Nate and Tami's Halloween party October 2007
Houston Rodeo March 2008
Dinner and a Movie June 2008

She stayed with the grandparents each time.

We just haven't felt any real need or desire up to leave her...we are both already away from her plenty of time each week for work (20 hours for me, 40 hours for Jason), so why add more? We are strong supporters of "attachment parenting" I suppose you could say. We both completely 100% trust my mom to take care of her exactly as we would, so that's not the issue. Nana already keeps her several hours a week and is totally familiar with her normal routines and behaviors. We just honestly, believe it or not, don't get tired of her and don't want to "get away" from her. She is only going to be a baby for such a short time, know what I mean?

So, anyway, (after much work), I convinced Jason that it would be fun to go out alone tonight! He is actually a little more hesitant than me to leave, probably because he is already away from her quite a bit due to work. It was a lot of fun, although it was really strange not having Rosalyn there with us. By the end of the evening, we both were missing our baby "Snuggle" and ready to get home. She, of course, was having the time of her life with Nana and Papa. She loves them so much and they adore her like no one else. Ros did find Nana's lipstick in her purse and cover her face with it (I will try to post picture tomorrow!).

We are planning to start having "date night" every other Saturday.

In case you were wondering, we went to: Sears to look at grills and pick up Rosalyn's latest photos, Saltgrass Steakhouse for dinner, the mall to get Jason some new shorts and me some new make-up, and then to Ben and Jerry's for ice cream on the way home.

Rainy Day Play :)

We had a terrible storm this evening, but after it cleared up the sun was shining (barely) so we decided to let Rosalyn go play in the puddles! She enjoyed herself immensely! Here are some pictures...

Yes, she is wearing pajamas at 7 pm. The same pajamas I put on her at 7 pm last night...I worked all day and apparently Daddy doesn't see the point of wearing "real clothes" if you are staying home all day, lol!

She wouldn't actually go into the water that much...mostly just looked at it and stomped her little foot some. She did think it was great fun even if she was a little prissy about it!

After playing for a while, we came and took a nice long warm bath and played in the toy room for a while before bed. It was a fun night!

On a side note, Rosalyn is teething (all 4 "vampire teeth") and it is making her fairly miserable at times. Please say a quick prayer for her that these teeth will pop through soon so she can feel better!

Chick-Fil-A Meal Make-Over

Rosalyn and I eat lunch at Chick-Fil-A every Thursday. It is our little treat and something I look forward to doing with her each week while in the midst of our usual errands. As we were eating today, I was mentally comparing the meal I currently eat when we go there vs. the meal I used to eat pre-Weight Watchers. The amount of WW points, calories, fat, etc in the used to eat meal is ridiculous! By the way, I've lost 15 lb since I started Weight Watchers in January...I am so much happier with myself now! I would like to lose 5-10 more lb.

Anyway, I decided to come home and do a little research on my current healthy Chick-Fil-A meal vs. my old unhealthy Chick-Fil-A meal.

So, here it is...

Old Unhealthy Meal:
Original Chick-Fil-A Breaded Chicken Sandwich with Cheese and Mayo
Medium Order of Waffle Fries dipped in Polynesian Sauce
Fudge Nut Brownie
16 oz Sweet Tea

Calories: 1700
Fat Grams: 87
Fiber Grams: 11
WW Points: 40

Yikes!!!

New Healthy Meal:
Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich with Extra Veggies and Mustard/Ketchup (No Cheese or Mayo)
1/2 Small Order of Waffle Fries dipped in Ketchup
Small Fruit Cup
16 oz Unsweet Tea


Calories: 475
Fat Grams: 11
Fiber Grams: 12
WW Points: 10

Not Bad at all!!!

I didn't calculate the difference between the cholesterol, sodium, etc. but I am sure that the healthy meal still wins majorly in those categories as well!

In case you are not familiar with the WW program, foods are assigned a points value and you have a limited amount of points to eat each day. I get 20 points to eat per day + 35 extra weekly points that can be used all at once, not at all, or spaced out throughout the week. So, as you can see, with the old unhealthy meal, I was using all of my daily point allowance + more than 1/2 of my extra weekly points on just one meal...insane! Now, with the new healthy meal, I am only using 1/2 of my daily points allowance! Much better!

No wonder I had gained weight, lol!

This is Rosalyn's usual Chick-Fil-A meal: 1/2-1 chicken strip dipped in ketchup, 3-4 waffle fries dipped in ketchup, a few bites of veggies from my sandwich, 1/2 fruit cup, 6 oz 1% chocolate milk. It is her favorite place to eat lunch!

Anyway, there is my nutrition lecture for the day!

Big Step Today...

This morning I enrolled Rosalyn in part-time preschool for this coming fall. She is going to go two days/week, Monday and Wednesday, from 9 am-2 pm. Her first day will be August 31. I am going to work on Mondays and Wednesdays only starting this fall. So...I will drop her off at preschool at 9 am, be at work at 10 am, and Jason will pick her up both days at 2 pm. On Mondays, he is off work so he will have her the rest of the day until I arrive home at 9 pm. On Wednesday evenings, he has to work so he will still pick her up, but then my mom will take over from 5 pm until I arrive home at 9 pm.

I am excited and I have no doubt that she will absolutely love it, but I am also a little bit anxious. However, I have plenty of time to fret and look for cute napmats and lunch boxes. When we got to the church this morning to sign her up, she immediately squealed with delight and ran to the play area with the other kids and never even looked back at me...the teachers were totally amazed that she has never been to daycare. Research would say this is a sign of healthy attachment, but I wish she would at least act like she might miss me a little, lol! I watched her for a few minutes from the hallway and she was so happy and excited to play with the other kids. She is such an independent little girl and quite a social butterfly. It surprises me, because that is so not me, but I suppose it is just one more reminder that she is really her own person with her own unique personality. Sometimes as a mom, it is easy to just think of your little one as an extension of yourself.

We met her teacher and saw her classroom. Because of her late August birthday, she is going to be the youngest in her class. I hope that won't cause any issues, but we will cross that bridge when we get there!

So, anyway, thats our big news of the week!

Easter 2009

Here are a few (ok, so really 14) Easter pictures!

She was still half asleep in this picture and seemed

amazed that I was sitting her front of a treat basket!

So, Mommy, I think I could definitely get used to having chocolate eggs for breakfast. Not bad at all, much better than applesauce and oatmeal!

Rosalyn was utterly uncooperative with picture taking this year.
She refused to allow a decent picture in her dress!

Posing with Nana

After church..at the Easter Egg Hunt

Dragging poor Pop around (I don't think he really minds, lol!)

My sweet girl...I love her more than words can say

(even if she does look mad at me in this picture)!

Hunting for egg with help from Daddi-o!

Taking a little break...

Counting her eggs.

Sweet laugh :)

Finished looking for eggs.

Exhausted baby on the way home!

Saturday before Easter

Here are a few pictures from the evening!

Rosalyn "helping" dye the eggs

The finished product..they look hideous!
Easter dress all ready for tomorrow!

Easter Basket all ready for tomorrow!

Easter Week Festivities

Here is what I am doing with Rosalyn this week...

Books of the Week:

"An Easter Gift For Me"
( http://www.amazon.com/Easter-Gift-Me-Crystal-Bowman/dp/0310711592 )

"Pooh's Easter Basket"
( http://www.amazon.com/Poohs-Easter-Basket-RH-Disney/dp/073642301X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239065658&sr=1-1 )

"The Runaway Bunny"
( http://www.amazon.com/Runaway-Bunny-Margaret-Wise-Brown/dp/0060775823/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239065759&sr=1-4 )

Song of the Week:

"Jesus Loves Me" (I substitute her name for the word "me")

Planned Activities:

Sunday 4/5--Easter Egg Hunt @ Jason's Dad's Church (see pics below)
Monday 4/6--Bake Easter Cookies (see pics below)
Tuesday 4/7--Color Easter Pictures
Wednesday 4/8--Indoor Easter Egg Hunt
Thursday 4/9--Go to Pet Shop and Look at Rabbits
Friday 4/10--Make a Rabbit with Cotton Balls
Saturday 4/11--Dye Easter Eggs
Sunday 4/12--Open Easter Basket, Go To Church, Family Easter Egg Hunt

Animal of The Week:

Rabbit

Key Words of The Week:

Jesus
Rabbit
Egg

Saturday 4/3

Can't believe I haven't posted in over a week! Here's what's been happening at our house since my last post...

Friday--I worked all day
Saturday--Visited Mamaw Kelly in Liberty
Sunday--Church
Monday--I worked all day
Tuesday--Took Rosalyn for a check-up/I had Bible Study that night
Wednesday--Took Rosalyn to have pictures made...she was terrible!
Thursday--Went grocery shopping
Friday--I Worked all day

And that brings us to today! We are having a mostly lazy day around the house today. Rosalyn and I have been playing and waiting for Daddy to wake up. My brother, Alan, will be here later this afternoon for an overnight visit. Not sure what we're doing this evening, but I'm sure it will be fun!

Here are a few pictures from Thursday evening...