I Don't Think She Will Ever

The "She's A Genius" post is followed by..."I Don't Think She Will Ever"...I totally note the irony.

Erin flat out refuses to crawl, eat finger foods, drink from a sippy cup/straw or hold her own bottle.  I'm 99% sure she'll be starting off college rolling to class with her packets of baby food and a bottle with me or one of her grandparents trailing behind to hold them!

She rolls instead of crawls.  She can crawl if she wants to, but so far refuses.  She'll get up on all 4s and will actually push all the way up to her hands and feet, then gets ticked, flops down and rolls where she wants to go.  We have all the motor skills required to crawl and everyone has even "shown" her how to do it, but still we get nothing!

When I try to feed her finger foods she gags and her eyes water.  She spits it out and makes the worst face ever.  The only thing I can get her to eat are the 1st and 2nd stage baby foods.  She refuses any and all finger foods including things off my plate like noodles and sweet potatoes.  (Keep in mind that sweet potatoes in baby food form is still one of her faves.)

She also refuses to hold her own bottles.  I see kids all over the place feeding themselves and Erin just sits waiting for us to peel her grapes!

I laugh only because Ye Olde Apple did not fall far from the tree.  Tommy is the world's pickiest eater (not counting Grandpa Louis) and we're both so head strong and stubborn.  Erin comes by all her traits naturally.  I know these things will come in time and I'm not worried because she can't do them.  I know she could do each and every one of these things, but just doesn't want to.  I'm sure this is just the first of many battles of will.  (Don't tell Little E, but so far she's winning the battle!)

She's A Genius!

Erin has been saying "Momma" and "Dada" for a while now.  Until recently, she would say them to anyone and everyone.  But today...

I was working from home when Gram and Pawpaw got home with Erin. (Gram had doctor's appt.)  I was in my room with Erin and Pawpaw.  They were walking out and I waved at her and said bye-bye.  She looked right at me and said "bye-bye" and gave a tiny little hand wave.  She said it just clear as a bell.  Daddy and I just looked at each other and started laughing.  She quickly followed that up with "Momma" all while looking right at me!  It really was a pleasant surprise.  And, of course, she won't do it again for a while I'm sure.

Gram got a good report at the doctors.  She went back to the Neurologist's office.  It was a follow up.  They are going to do some kind of nerve testing to see if the pain she has is chronic or if there is a nerve cause.  The stroke follow up all seems to be going on track.  Yeah!

A very good day!

Little Bunny Foo-foo

Erin and I played portrait studio today.  I got inspired to play with my new camera and equipment.  She was willing to be my favorite subject.  She did really well.  I tried to get Roxie in a couple of them, but that wasn't in the cards. 

You can't really see it in the pics, but the egg garland has glitter on it.  We were both covered in glitter by the time we were done.  It was even stuck to her after her bath!  In my mind, you can't see the wrinkles on the sheet I put up behind her.  Give me a break people, it's the sheet off our bed propped up on dining room chairs!  The only thing missing is duct tape!

Look out Olan Mills, Momma has her camera!

Eight Months Old

Time keeps marching on.  Erin is 8 months old today!  She's taking a celebratory nap right now.  We went to lunch and the ride home did her in.

These aren't birthday pics, but I thought they were just too stinkin' cute not to post.  Tommy had his "river" hat on Friday night for the Alan Jackson concert and he put it on Erin.  She looked so cute I had to grab the camera and take some pictures.  She didn't seem to mind it, but she didn't do a lot of smiling about it either.

Happy 8 Months!

Lucky Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all.  Erin has her green on today.  No pinching those chubby little legs.  I thought it was appropriate that our little Erin is actually a little erin in Irish!  So, I have officially made this her holiday.

We slept much better last night!  Hallelujah!  On the advice of a couple of people, I tried teething tablets for the first time.  I'm not sure what they do or how they work, but now I have to keep using them.  We slept too well last night not to.  Erin has been going to sleep at her normal time but then waking up several times because her teeth hurt.  I've been giving her Tylenol and Motrin, but these teething tablets are drug free.

I had to go to the doctor today.  I have a throat/sinus infection.  My allergies are really bad this time of year.  Because I'm still breastfeeding I am very limited on what I can take.  My throat was killing me and it wasn't getting better on it's own.  I had been taking Tylenol but even that wasn't making the pain better anymore, so off to the doc I went.  Now I just have to take my antibiotics and stay out of the pollen.  Easier said then done with all these pine trees.  Hello, we live in the woods!

Call Me Barney Rubble

I've been on a quest to find some cute new shoes for Erin.  Her feet are so fat and pudgy that I can't find any to fit her!  She has Barney Rubble feet!!  They are wider then they are long. 

We have a couple of pair that are super cute and they fit her well, but they don't go with everything.  Who knew there were like 40,000 different shades of pink!

We decided to go to Stride Rite today.  (Note to self, NEVER go to Stride Rite on a Saturday afternoon!)  We were measured and Erin is almost a 2 1/2 so she moved into a size 3 shoe.  I found the cutest little plain white sandals...that didn't fit.  I found another cute little pair...they didn't fit either.  So, this is what we have...more pink shoes that may or may not match what we're wearing.

 
The girl at Stride Rite was so sweet.  She told me that when Erin starts walking to come back in because they have shoes for "walkers" in WIDE and EXTRA WIDE!!!  Jeez!

More Pictures and More Teeth!

If you're friends with me on FB you've probably already seen these, but I'm sharing anyway. 

I got the camera out tonight because Tommy and E were so cute at bath time.  We have a little ritual.  I get the water ready and he gets her out of her highchair and puts her on our bed.  Tonight, he got on the bed with her and they talked and played before bath time.  I caught a couple of cute ones, but I think I was too slow. 

Erin splashed and splashed tonight.  We still don't have the concept down.  She splashes herself in the face and doesn't really like it.  It doesn't slow her down though.  She just keeps splashing. 

We had a rough morning here.  Erin woke up about 5:30 crying.  Her teeth were hurting and it was breaking my heart.  Pawpaw and I were up with her and gave her some Motrin.  I got ready for work and Pawpaw and Erin played for a while.  It must have really hurt her because the Motrin didn't even seem to slow it down.  She was crying when I had to leave and it just about killed me.  Not that she isn't in great hands with my parents here, but it was just hard to hear her crying and know I couldn't help.

On a good note, she took a nap shortly after that and woke up fine.  She's been happy ever since and they had a picnic in the front yard this afternoon.

Sandy Report

Momma had a follow up doctor's visit today to get some blood work results. I went with them to offer another set of ears.  (While we waited in the waiting room, Daddy was texting Tommy and Mark.  He was giggling to himself like a little kid.  I looked over and one of the texts was completely in Spanish.  My Daddy doesn't speak Spanish.  He was copying it straight off of one of the posters in the waiting room.  I'm not completely sure, but he might have accidentally sent them texts about PMS or Herpes or something.)

Anyway, Momma got a good report.  Her sugar levels are great.  She is still taking the insulin twice a day and will continue on that for a while.  The cholesterol medicine is working very well.  It's actually working so well that it brought down the good cholesterol too.  The doctor said the only way to increase the good cholesterol again is to start exercising.  Mom has high uric acid levels.  The doctor said this will lead to gout (like she needs one more thing wrong with her!) and told mom to drink at least 2 liters of water a day.  The high uric acid is probably what is causing Mom's joint pains.  She gave her some more meds for that and really stressed the importance of exercising.

All in all it was a very good report.  Everything is leveling off.  I can tell Mom is feeling better.  She's up and around more and playing with Erin in the afternoons.  She and Daddy have devised a plan for exercising.  She promises she's going to start walking more in our neighborhood.  They're starting off slow and will work their way up.  Her biggest fear is that she'll start walking and then won't have the juice to get back home.  I told her the worst thing that would happen is that she would have to sit down on the sidewalk while Daddy and Erin go get the truck. 

So, to any of my neighbors reading this, if you see my Momma on the side of the road, please stop and get her!  Or at least throw some Gatorade on her when you drive by.

The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship...

As you all know, Roxie is not Erin's biggest fan.  Until recently...

Erin started finger foods.  She doesn't normally put anything in her mouth except her hands or thumb.  So all of the food goes on the floor.

Now they are best friends!!



A tray full of puffs

Puffs after the launch

Roxie working clean-up. 

Have I told you lately how much I love Erin?

And her puffs?

Who Am I??

A little bit of Mommy...

A little bit of Daddy...

A whole lot of Erin...

I think she looks a little like both of us.

Ain't none of us had a lick of hair at 6 months!



A Day In The Life of...

I've had some aunts and friends ask me about my parents status and our living arrangements, so here's an update.

Momma and Daddy live with us part-time.  They are still shuffling back and forth to doctor's appointments and testings.  We're monitoring mom's food/meds very closely.  It just seems to be working the best having us all here under one roof for most of the week.  Four heads are better then two.

(Mom had blood work done last Friday and we go this week to get the results.  I'll be going to the results appointment with them.  More on that when I have it.)

Monday: Pawpaw/Gram & Max show up around 7:30 a.m. and spend the day/night.
Tuesday: Pawpaw/Gram & Max stay thru supper and then go home around 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday: the day off for Pawpaw/Gram/Max & Angela (and sometimes Tommy)
Thursday: Pawpaw/Gram & Max arrive again around 7:30 a.m. and spend the day/night
Friday: Pawpaw/Gram & Max stay all day and then go home around 7:30 p.m.

I thank the Good Lord everyday that we have this arrangement.  I know it helps me/Tommy/Erin in so many ways.  I think it's helped Daddy too in taking care of Momma and I know they enjoy every minute they spend with Erin.  Roxie is the only one cussing the situation and that's only because she has to guard her bowl more when Max is around!

Wild Thing, I Think I Love You...

Okay, I've been slacking in the blog dept.  We have a new computer program at work and we've all been called back into the office while we're learning.  So, I leave at 7:00 am and don't get home until 6:15 pm.  We eat, play with Erin, give her a bath then I start my nightly chores.  It makes for a really long day! 

I'm sure this has happened to every parent at some time or the other, but it's new to us.  Erin has been sleeping by herself upstairs for a while now.  We follow all the rules and put her on her back to sleep.  Lately rolly poly has been rocking all over that bed.  We put her down in one direction and when I wake up at night to check the video  monitor, she'll be in a completely different direction.  Sometimes I just lay there and watch her and laugh.  

She really gets going about 5:00 am.  It was cracking me up this morning.  She would roll around on her side and wiggle in one direction.  Then she'd arch her back and fling herself the other way.  I watched her do about 3 - 360 degree turns in less then an hour and never woke herself up. 

She must get this from her Daddy.  I can wake up in the morning in the same position I went to sleep in and the covers won't have a winkle.  Tommy goes to bed and Roxie and I are lucky we don't have to hold on for fear of being knocked to the floor in our sleep!  (In his defense, I might not move a lot in my sleep, but I talk, talk, talk...go figure!)