The Sickest Month

Grandma and Grandpa left this morning after extending their stay by two days because Sloane is sick again. Then, last night, she cried and cried and cried and was inconsolable. It turns out she has a double ear infection. Luckily, this is something common and will be taken care of by a ten day course of antibiotics, but last night was the rottenest night yet in what has been a truly rotten month.

So far in November, Sloane had a cold that lasted 10 days and culminated in her having to be put on antibiotics. Then, she got a stomach virus that left her dehydrated so that we had to spend a day in the ER getting IV fluids and being poked and prodded. That stomach virus finally passed the day before Thanksgiving. After being well all of two days, she caught a cold that has now developed into a painful double ear infection.

Last night, she cried until she could cry no more and then slept fitfully in my arms for one hour long increments before starting the whole process over. I, needless to say, didn't sleep at all.

Poor little baby.

Teddy Bear with Rosy Cheeks

Showing Off Those Peepers

Giving Thanks

Dear Lolli,

On this day, your daddy and I give thanks, most of all, for you. You have changed our lives in countless ways and all of the changes have been for the better. You are a perfect child - sweet, easy going, smart, charming, funny and just wonderful. We could not have asked for anything more. You have made us a true family and have given us both so much. Thank you for being the most amazing person that we have ever known.

We are grateful for each another. Our life is very close to the way I wanted my "grown up life" to be and we're so lucky to have found one another.

We are grateful for our supportive and loving families and for the fact that you will grow up knowing and being close to both sets of your grandparents. You are lucky to be surrounded by so much love.

We are grateful for our wonderful and interesting friends. Without them our lives would not be as full.

We are grateful for our health and that of our loved ones. This horrible trip to the emergency room last week brought home the fact that it all starts with health.

We are grateful for our jobs and the lifestyle that they provide to us. We are happy to have our craptastic ninety year old house with all its faults and all its charms.

We are very lucky to be able to give you all the things that you deserve.

Love,
Your mommy and daddy


(first sippy cup at Thanksgiving dinner)






(getting ready to go to Uncle Pete's and Aunt Maria's house for Thanksgiving Part 2)




(with Great Aunt Ann, Grandpa Boris and Cousin Ryan)


(playing Godzilla with Daddy)

Cutest Hat

We'd been eyeing this adorable hat from BlaBla for a few months and yesterday, it arrived as a gift from Grandma and Grandpa.

Pediatrician Update

We had a well baby visit with Dr. Coy today. Thank goodness Sloane was finally well!

Sloane handled her vaccinations with only one little scream and a single tear. She was such a trooper.

She weighs 17 pounds even, which is definitely less than she weighed before the stomach virus, but is still 52nd percentile. Her height is off the charts (greater than 100th percentile) at 28.75 inches, and her giant head is also off the charts at 18 inches. The better to house her brilliant brain, right?

Dr. Coy said that she is right on target developmentally and everything looks good. We can start introducing meats in another month, and we can drop one formula feeding per day and add more fruits, veggies, infant cereal and yogurt into her diet to make up the calories.

and lo, we saw that it was good

To make up for nearly 10 days without pictures, here's an overabundance.

No more sick, Mommy! No more sick!





Playing with Photoshop




You can see how skinny she's gotten on her stomach flu imposed diet




Daddy's girl










Just because the cheeks aren't as big, doesn't mean they're not just as edible and delicious


I'm gonna get you, sucka!




Cutie pie






Bathing beauty (she's too big for her baby bath tub, but doesn't sit well enough to be in the big tub unsupported and she's too slippery to hold unless I climb in with her)

7 Months

Dear Lolli,

Today you are 7 months old. It's been a tough month for all of us. You started the month with a vicious lingering cold and had to be put on antibiotics, and you had to finish the month in the ER with the stomach flu.

All in all, this has been a month of milestones too. You started solids and loved it. You especially loved sweet potatoes and pears, making "mmm" sounds and crying for more. You also started sitting up and standing holding on to the side of your crib. This is the month that your funny little laugh filled the house. You and Daddy discovered the blankie game, and you and I discovered the "mommy's going to eat you" game. Both make you laugh uproariously.

There aren't any pictures from this past week because you've been so sick, we haven't had any time to take pictures. But you're still our best, most wonderful angel. Even while sick, you've been cheerful and sunny.

You're the best little girl in the world.

Love,
Mommy

Worst Day

Spent the day in the ER. Short and sweet -- Sloane is going to be fine, but they ran numerous tests to rule out more serious illnesses.

I tried to be strong, but a piece of me died every time they stuck and needle or a catheter or otherwise tortured my baby. It was horrible. All I can say is that I'm so glad she's too little to remember this. I, on the other hand, wish so desperately to shut the images of her crying and looking at me with questioning eyes out of my head. I just want to forget this day ever happened.

Roman Vomitorium - a poem

Lolli and Mommy have the stomach flu
Whatever goes in comes out forcefully
Mommy has a fever of 103
Daddy grimly follows
Mop in hand

Pretty in Pink

This morning:


Not ready to wake up after falling asleep in the car on the way home from day care:


A close up of the edible cheeks:

Hey, where are my pants??

Get Up, Stand Up, Stand Up for Your Rights

Now we're definitely in trouble...

This is how we talk when we talk about love

Lolli is doing much, much better after two full days on the antibiotics. Thank you all for your kind emails.

Lately, she has done this really lovely and endearing thing where, when I am cradling her and giving her the bottle, she will reach up and stroke my cheek so sweetly and so lovingly, it just breaks my heart.

Then, she usually pokes me in the eye and laughs really, really hard.

Yeah, I love her.

Our wonderful housekeeper, Isabel, knitted Sloane this pretty sweater. It's too big, but it's so adorable, we couldn't wait.

Hip-Hop Dance Party - Sloane Style

Despite the third visit to the pediatrician this month, this weekend was actually a fun one.

Saturday morning, we bundled up and headed to the pediatrician. Dr Coy doesn't work most weekends, but her partner Dr. Gabarino suggested antibiotics because the lingering cold had turned into something bacterial. He likened it to leaving a dish with standing water in the sink - for a week or so, it's ok, but after long enough, it starts to get scummy. So, now the poor little one is doubly tortured - first, by saline drops and the aspirator, which she tolerates about as much as if I was poking her in the eye and now, by the nasty bubble-gum flavored antibiotic which she expressed her displeasure at by spitting it directly in my face after the first dose. Nonetheless, we have managed to get her to take it twice a day, and hopefully, the antibiotics will kick out the yuck and my poor baby will feel lots better.

While at the pediatrician, I jumped at the chance to weigh my little monster as my shoulders and arms have really, really been protesting lately. Just two weeks since her last visit, when she clocked in at 17 pounds, 15 ounces... she weighed 19 pounds and 7 ounces. The first one was in the diaper only and this one was fully dressed, so I'd say 19 pounds even is a fair estimate.

The rest of the day was spent playing games and dancing with Sloane. Sloane absolutely loves to dance and squeals with delight everytime we play any hip-hop (her current favorites are Mary J. Blige, Sean Paul and Shaggy). She shakes her booty and laughs maniacally. It's super adorable.

Today was spent much in the same manner, except we got bundled up and "helped" daddy rake the yard.

After the excesses of Halloween (250+ pictures in one week!), I only managed to snap one decent pic this whole weekend. Sorry.


(she's singing:
Let's get it crunkapound
Have funapound up in this dancery
We got ya open, now ya floatin'
So you gots to dance for me
Don't need no hateration, holleration
In this dancery
Let's get it percolatin', while you're waiting
So just dance for me)

Twick or Tweet

We had a ton of trick-or-treaters, and met a bunch of our neighbors that we hadn't met before, and generally had a great time sitting on the front steps with Lolli the Funky Chicken handing out candy. Then, I went to put her to bed and when I came back we had about 40 or so kids all at once and boom, just like that, we were out of candy at like 7:45 pm and had to hide in the house with the lights off. Oh well, now we know - three bags of candy is NOT enough.