Playing In the Puddles

We were suppose to head to my sister's house today. Unfortunately Bry's car wouldn't make it past 20 mphs, so we were stuck at home. Since I have such a wonderful family, my mom and brother as well as my sister came to us! They drove through the rain and we enjoyed a lovely afternoon together in our cramped townhouse.
Once the rain subsided and my brother and mom were getting ready to go, my brother decided to take Moira outside. Of course, I thought nothing of it. I figured he just wanted to play with her a bit on the walkway.
I didn't realize she was barefoot.
I also didn't realize he was teaching her how to jump in the puddles,
in barefeet,
in our parking lot!

Uncle Joe-Joe teaching Mo how to jump in the puddles.






Mommy ruining the fun!

I guess you can tell my brother has no children of his own.

The Reason Behind the Gift

As you can see below (hopefully) is a slideshow. For Moira's birthday I decided to do something special. I figured how many toys or dresses does she really need? I used a great site called Scrapblog, which saved me a decent amount of money on paper, and other scrapbooking accessories. At first I was going to make a scrapbook, then it morphed into a month by month book, and then, somehow it became an alphabet book. Moira is obsessed with Chicka Chicka ABC right now, and so I hope that an alphabet book about her and for her will be right up her ally.
I just ordered the hard copy today, so hopefully it turns out okay.
ENJOY!

Moira's Birthday Gift

Let's see if this works. Apparently the other window just kept "reloading"!

Sigh of relief.

I don't know how else to explain it.
I can breathe a little easier now as Moira's CT scan is over. As I wrote about in my entry The Birthmark and the Bump Moira has what the plastic surgeon believes to be a dermoid cyst on her upper right forehead. We had an appointment at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHoP)this past Friday morning for a CT scan.
When we first met with the plastic surgeon, he mentioned a CT scan and casually mentioned that Moira would be sedated for the scan. He explained how it would be a low dose of medication and basically she would be in a light sleep, mainly because she could not lie still without it. From that appointment until this past Wednesday, I have been silently freaking out inside about the potential of Mo being sedated.
I know people, even children, are sedated day in and day out, for scans, and surgeries and all different medical procedures with little to no fanfare. I know in the logical part of my brain that this is true.
But in mommy brain, I was freaking out. What if she had a reaction? How would she handle the meds? What would she be like after? Would we lose a day or a couple of days as she rebounded from the after-effects? How would I handle her going under?
All that worry was for naught. My first glimpse of a different option came on Wednesday when a nurse called and let me know they could try doing the scan WITHOUT sedating her. Of course, my heart lifted as she mentioned the words without sedation. The problem, however, would be that she would need to be sleeping for them to preform the CT scan.
Yeah, that might happen! My kid who is literally running from sun up to sun down, would be able to sleep through a CT scan. HAH!
On Friday morning, just as I jumped out of the shower and was about to bathe Moira, the phone rang. It was a nurse, Ryan, (yes, a male nurse) who was in charge of the CT scheduling. He again reminded me that they could try to do the scan without sedation if she was asleep. His advice- keep her awake. Sit in the back of the car for the hour and 15 min. trip and keep her awake.
IT WORKED!!!!
We got to CHoP and spent a little over an hour and a half in the waiting room. Mo was a champ! She played and talked to other kids. We only ran into one hurdle. When Bry was checking in, we found out that the plastic surgeon's office did not send in the script. After a delay of about a half-hour, we were called in and right around 11she started to get a little antsy. We went into the prep room, met (the male nurse) Ryan, and waited for our turn. As I held Mo in my arms she started her "sleepy song". When she's tired she actually sings to herself to sleep. It's more of a hum, but it seems to be our indicator that she is on her way to dreamland. So she started humming and before Bry could remove his sweater, she was out!!! Ryan happened to walk by just as she nodded off and upon seeing that, he decided to get us into the CT scan STAT!
He took a blanket and I passed off my sleeping baby to him. We walked to the CT scan room, all the while I'm praying and hoping and wishing that she stays asleep. As they brought up a gurney from the ER for another child needing a CT scan, Ryan explained he was going in the lab to sit and we'd be next.
I continued to pray- stay asleep. STAY ASLEEP!
We were up. Bry and I put on the protecting aprons as Ryan successfully got Moira onto the examining table.
She didn't move or make a sound, even as they strapped her onto the table.
The other nurse explained that it would take about 10 minutes and off the went. Bry and I looked at each other and we both thought the same thing.
She'd be up in a minute.
We were wrong, as we watched the seconds tick on the clock, she slept. She slept through the entire 20 minutes she was on the table. Just as they undid the Velcro her eyes shot open and she looked menacely at the nurse. When she saw me she gave me a great big smile and I sighed a big sigh of relief.
She did the scan without sedation! I basically skipped out of there. Mo was famished and ate nearly an entire banana before we made it out of the parking lot.
The scan is over. I can breathe easy.
Now we have to wait for the results.

When it rains, it pours!

As I wrote yesterday, it was Moira's first birthday and it was memorable, but not in the warm fuzzy way. More in the craptastic, I hope never to repeat it, kind of day. I expected her first birthday to be different, but what can we do?
Today we had an appointment with the pediatrician. Yesterday between her morning nap and her 3 1/2 hour nap ON me, I noticed she had what looked like a pimple on her lip. I then tried to forcefed her yogurt. Currently, she is on day 5 of her amoxicillan prescription for her first ear infection. The pediatrician recommended we give her a daily yogurt for the acidopholus and to prevent yeast infections. (Yummy, I know). So, I'm in the kitchen, trying every different way I can think of to get my kid to eat the yogurt. I notice something in her mouth. I look closer at her tongue for a second.
Yup, there's something on it.
Something the size of small pea.
I call the pediatrician's office. They have a phone nurse. Basically, you leave a message "with your child's name, birthdate, and phone number and we will get back to you in a moment". I define moment as under 30 minutes. APparently, to them a moment is just under an hour and 35 mins. As I was holding Mo during her 3 1/2 hour nap, almost falling asleep myself, they call back. The nurse "thinks" it might be a fever blister. She tells me some antedote about how you can get them when you kiss, and how her and her husband get them, apparently because they kiss, but neither of her children have ever had one. As I listened to this wacko nurse tell me this story, I tried to imagine who Mo had been kissing.
Then I remembered, she's not a promiscuous teenager whacked with hormones, she's a one year old! She doesn't kiss anyone!!! Her defintion of kiss is lean in w/open mouth and attempt to suck your cheek.
I diagress, but the fever blister nurse thankfully finishes her story and offers me an appointment today.
9:45 we walk in (okay it was really 9:48, we were 3 mins late!).
9:50 Mo starts playing with the toys
9:51 Mo attempts to untie some other mom's shoe
9:58 Other mom & child go into office
10:04 Mo makes her way to the "healthy kid area" and gets two different compliments are her silver mary janes.
10:10 Have a nice conversation with the two receptionists about pregnancy cravings and cheeseburgers. (I craved cheeseburgers from Outback during my pregnancy!)
10:14 Still sitting, Mo starts to get antsy
10:25 Another sick kid comes in with his mom. Mom hands kid Nintendo DS.
10:26 Mo walks over to 5 yr. old sick kid and attempts to swipe said DS.
10:26:30 I grab my kid and apologize for sick kid with DS and mom.
10:28-10:38 Mo's getting crabby and starts whiny crying.
10:39 FINALLY, they take us in, weigh her 21 lb. 10 oz, and take her temp-no fever
10:41 Nurse Practitioner(NP) comes in w/Student First student checks out her breathing, mouth and ears. NP comes in a does the same. She's basically looking at the bump on her tongue and thinks it might be that Mo bite herself.
10:42 Picture this: I'm sitting in a chair. Mo is on my lap faced forward. I have one arm braced around her body, holding both her arms close to her sides. My other arm is around her head. NP is attempting to use the wooden stick and light to check Mo's throat. My kids starts screaming and spitting. Nice, huh?
10:43 It's not a bite. It's Coxsackie virus! Yum!
No wonder why my baby was so miserable. She has little white blisters on the back of her throat. Since it's a virus, there's nothing short of Motrium that we can do about it.
Considering all that happened with her, she is a much better mood today. Bry & I decided to have a re-do today of her birthday. We never got a chance to sing to her yesterday nor did she eat the Tastykake. We're doing it tonight! Plus, I think I might have to persuade Bry to stop at Rita's and get some water ice for her. I think that cool ice would feel good on her throat.
I do have a few pictures to share from yesterday, taken about 10 minutes after the Motrin kicked in. Her Birthday Mail

Fun in the wagon.
Her wagon and the balloons from Grandmom!

Happy First Birthday Moira!

Dear Moira,
I had thought your first birthday would be some magical day. I thought you'd wake up at 7:30, like usual with a glimmer in your eye and a huge smile on your face. I thought your dad would get up before the alarm and join us downstairs as we sang to you as you got your ceremonial breakfast tastykake. I also thought after that wholesome breakfast, we'd bring you into the family room and give you your gift- a radio flyer red wagon.
As they say Moira, things don't always go as planned. It's now 10:30 on your birthday and you are napping. Yes, you're napping this early because you decided to wake up just about every hour on the hour last night. Daddy took care of you from midnight until 1:30 and then you slept for about 2 hours. Once 3:30 came along, I was on duty. Just you and me on the couch in the family room, red radio flyer wagon waiting. Those 3 hours on the couch tossing and turning with you were in no way anything I had expected for your birthday. I especially did not expect you to start crying every moment I tried to put you back in the crib, when I thought you were asleep. Yes all 6 times!!
So as you nap, I debate whether to wake you up for Music class. I also have the opportunity to write you this birthday letter. You have been the best surprise of my life. You are the most fascintating creature I have ever met. Every day you amaze me with your personality and actions. I feel so blessed to be your mommy and look forward to many more, hopefully happier birthdays. Your daddy always joked that he wanted a dog, but I know you are the best thing, next to me, that has happened to him too.





The Tastykake is still waiting for you, whenever you do wake-up.
Love,
Mommy

quiche, photo shoots, and amoxicillian

The past three days have been quite eventful.
On Thursday we had another playdate with Mo's two girlfriends L & K. As I write that sentence I realize how ridiculous I sound. It sounds like Mo decided to plan a girl's night out with her friends, like she's fifteen or something. In reality, the moms that I went to the farm (yes, the farm where I allowed Mo to eat dirt) with and I had such a nice time together we decided to get together again the following Thursday. I also guess since we all are stay-at-home moms and our little girls are all under our watchful eyes we had to bring them too.
So that's where the "quiche" comes in!
I hate to toot by own horn, but I am make a mean quiche lorrianne. Thank you American's Test Kitchen. We had lunch together while the girls played in Erinn's beautiful home. Seeing Erinn's home made me jealous.
From the moment you walked in it just felt homey. We have seen over 50 houses thus far in our great househunt of 2009 and so the idea of having a home seems so far away and having a home as nicely decorated as Erinn makes me feel even more sad. I know, eventually we shall find something.
Back to the story:
We had another wonderful playdate. The girls get along so well. Running or crawling after each other. I really hope we continue with these outings as I can honestly see them playing together and becoming good friends.
On Friday, Mo & I made the trip to PA to visit my oldest and dearest friend Ashley. She had volunteered to take Moira's first birthday photos as she is starting her own photography business. We had such a good time, well at least I had a good time. I'm not quite sure about Ash as I never really realized how crazy it can be attempting to get a nearly one year to stay still long enough for a photo! Ash had a cool pink background set up which matched her party dress. We had balloons, a foam number one, her Moira's birthday book and a personalized party hat. All that wonderful birthday stuff to entertain her and what does Mo want to play with? The balloons? Nope. The number one? No. The book- No. Mo wanted to read a Sesame Street book and play with an Elmo phone, on the opposite side of the room.
God bless all those photographers out there attempting to get photos of toddlers! I am honestly surprised Ashley had any hair left on her head after my child! Mo did do great when we put the cupcake in front of her. She loved that icing!
After the shoot, Ashley brought back her son Aiden from the babysitters and Mo & Aiden ran around like crazy people! They were chasing each other as Ash, my mom, her mom, and I were talking. I guess we weren't watching them enough because Mo took a corner too tight and hit her cheekbone right on a dining room wooden chair.
She got a shiner! (Luckily it happened AFTER the pics!)
Saturday we noticed Mo was out of sorts. Usually she is on the go from wake-up to naptime. She started to cry and was all but inconsolable. For close to an hour she went from sobbing to full blown crying. Luckily our pediatrician has Saturday afternoon hours, so we went in. Mo made it 361 days without a prescription. She had a raging ear infection in her right ear and the beginnings of one in her left. My poor baby. No wonder why she had been waking at 6:30 the past 4 days!
So as I write this on Monday- Mo is taking an early nap. I think the past few days has left her exhausted. That or she's saving her energy for Wednesday.
April 1, 2009
Her first birthday!