RSV

Scarlett has had what I thought was a "little cold" for about a week now, but I should have known with her bad luck, it was something worse. It started off as a nasty runny nose, and now it has progressed into her chest. Her cough sounds horrible! She hasn't had a fever with it, but we went ahead and took her to the pediatrician today to make sure it's not serious, and we found out she has RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) which apparently is really going around strong right now. Since there's no meds for a virus, it just has to run its course. She's been doing great considering. Mimi has been here for a few days which has helped keep her mind off of being sick. All the new Christmas toys are a great distraction too!

Mimi's bubbles were so funny!

Havin' fun with a new toy

This one is SO cute but still a little scary I guess!

See it's not so bad!

This one is a big hit!

This chair from grandma & pa is getting lots of attention!

First Christmas

Scarlett's first Christmas was quite a whirlwind. We traveled, she came down with her first cold, she "opened" a ton of presents, we saw a lot of family, and most importantly, we survived! And with all the stress and chaos, I neglected to take as many pictures as I would have liked. We enjoyed spending time with our families who all spoiled her rotten. Now we just have to find space for all the loot!

Doc Band #2

What I've been dreading since Scarlett got her first Doc Band became reality last Monday. She needs a second helmet. This means another 12 weeks and another $3,600.

Babies' heads grow very rapidly. Every other week when we go for check-ups, they shave out some of the foam from the inside of the helmet to make more room. Eventually there's no foam left to shave, and the helmet becomes too small. Usually, the plagiocephaly (flat head) has corrected itself before the baby outgrows the helmet. However, some babies grow out of the helmet before their head has been completely corrected, as in Scarlett's case. She has made a lot of progress which they are able to show us with their incredible technology, but she still has a little more to go.

At first, Chris and I did not want to put her through this for another 3 months and the cost didn't help either. However, the more and more we looked at her head, we realized it is still a little flat on the back and side. We knew that if we didn't go with the second helmet and she had problems later in life, we would never forgive ourselves. So, helmet #2 here we come. It takes 2 weeks to make, so she'll have a little break at least. And hopefully by her first birthday she'll be helmet free with a nice little round head to show off!

Standin' Like a Big Girl!

Scarlett can stand on her own pretty good now! She makes sure to keep a death grip on something supportive though. She can't get into a sitting or standing position on her own yet, but she sure tries.

She's pretty proud of herself too!

Trying to decide if she can go for the bear....

Success!

And finally a shot of the two teeth!

Peek-a-boo

Scarlett is getting really good at playing peek-a-boo. It's so fun to watch her learn these things. As I said before, she loves to play peek-a-boo (especially with Chris) from behind her door. Now she likes playing it from behind her towel after bath time. Here she is in action:

8 Months Old

If Scarlett could talk, her favorite phrase right now would be, "Put me down!" She loves to be on the ground and on the move and boy is she fast! She loves to get into anything she's not supposed to: she loves to open and close her dresser drawers; she usually makes a bee-line to her air purifier when we play in her room; and like all babies, she loves the door stopper. She loves her books, especially one called "That's Not My Puppy!" and her new Elmo chair, or anything Elmo for that matter. She also loves playing peek-a-boo behind the door with Daddy! Happy 8 Months baby girl!

Caught in the act

Ready for the snow

I love how she props her little feet up on the table

Sleepy girl

Trying to get a picture of those 2 teeth...with no luck!

Heartbreak Kid

Does the name Shawn Michaels come to mind when you read this post's title? Probably not! But if your husband is reliving his childhood by watching Friday Night Smackdown & Monday Night Raw like mine, you would have known that it's one of Shawn Michaels' wrestling nicknames and that he's one of the characters (yes honey, they're characters, they're not real) who wrestles for the WWE. So when Chris said he was ordering a onesie for Scarlett online, I should have known that it wasn't going to come from Gymboree. I do realize though that if we never have a boy, Scarlett will have to periodically fill in as my husband's son which I am ok with as long as I can slap a bow back on her within the hour! Here's our little wrestler showing off daddy's new present.

The son he never had....

Thanks for the shirt daddy!

Practicing her wrestling moves...

Scarlett's First Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving this year with my family, and Scarlett had a great time with Genga & Pa (my mom and dad) the day before. We even took her to Zio's, one of my favorite restaurants that I'm sadly deprived of in Texas. Thanksgiving day we were all at GG and G-Pa's (my grandparents). Scarlett's first tooth appeared a few days before Thanksgiving as well! But she will hardly let me look at it, much less let me take a picture of it. Then yesterday, tooth number 2 started making an appearance as well! In a way I'm sad because this is all just another reminder that she won't be a baby forever.

I have so much to be thankful for this year that it makes my heart heavy. I am so grateful to God for giving me such a blessed life. I am truly humbled by all He has given me. I am thankful to the point of tears that I am able to stay home with my baby girl each and every day. I know the time we are spending together is so important, and I couldn't imagine it being any other way. I am thankful that Scarlett has a daddy who loves her to pieces and doesn't even complain when he has to take over the night-time duties on the evenings I work after working all day himself. I am truly thankful for the life I've been given and the people who surround me.

"But I trust in your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me." Psalm 13:5-6

Thanksgiving 2008

Genga & Pa let Scarlett open an early Christmas present, the Elmo Chair!

The Legos were a big hit too!

Havin' fun at GG's

Auntie and Sweet Baby Lily

Mommy & Daddy

"Aunt" Sarah who will be having baby Jaxon very soon!

'Tis the Season..

to visit Santa before the lines are too long!

Tear Duct Surgery

As if the jaundice for the first week of her life wasn't enough, there was the meningitis at 8 weeks, and of course then the plagiocephaly which led to the helmet. Our poor baby has put up with so much in her short little life. And today it was a needle in the eye. I like to joke that we're still getting all her kinks worked out. This child has had needles in the worst places that's for sure...needles in her tiny ankles to test the jaundice, one in the spine for the spinal tap during meningitis, and today, one in the eye.

Scarlett's tear duct has been clogged since birth. Our pediatrician said they usually clear up themselves by a year, but Scarlett's eye seemed to be getting worse so we were referred to an orthopedic ophthalmologist. A clogged tear duct actually makes the eye water almost constantly and it also tends to get goopy often as well. We decided to go ahead and have it opened up now instead of waiting for it to maybe clear up on its own. The procedure was actually quick. They strapped her into a little papoose contraption and probed her eye with two sharp objects, one being a needle. I was horrified to see that her eye and nose were bleeding quite a bit right after and vaguely remember the doctor telling me this was normal...NORMAL?

We call Scarlett's bad cry her "hospital cry" because we learned to dread this type of cry when we she was in the hospital with meningitis. We haven't heard the hospital cry in a long while, but we sure heard it today. At least the procedure was super quick because just as I was about to lose it myself, it was over and I was able to hold her and console her and wipe away the bloody tears and nose. She actually did very good, and only cried for a few more minutes after it was all over.

I didn't feel so guilty for putting her through all of that when the doctor told us it was one of the most difficult tear ducts to unclog that's he's ever done, and there was no way it would have cleared up on its own. There is a 15% chance it will have to be done again, and knowing our luck, she'll be one of those few, but that decision won't be made for 3 more weeks. For now, she's doing great, sound asleep for the night, and I promise to keep her away from any needles for the rest of the month...well after the flu shot on Saturday that is......

Guard Kitty

One of our cats, Vito is very interested in Scarlett. He always wants in her room, and we have to shut her door when she's sleeping so he stays out of there. She LOVES him. Watching him is by far her favorite thing. She's gotten a hold of his fur a few times which he didn't really like since she was pulling and not petting, but he didn't hiss or anything. I think they'll be good buddies one day! Here he is guarding her while she's playing and then guarding her door while she sleeps!

7 Months

Scarlett is 7 months old today which is impossible for me to believe. Watching her sit up, play, scoot around, and explore is just amazing. We are especially enjoying her curiosity about everything. She is changing so much. We just returned home from a weekend trip to Chris's home town. Scarlett had lots of visitors and it was nice to see everyone!

Ready for a busy day after a good night's rest!

Reading Her Favorite Book with Mimi

Scarlett and her Cousins Jaxon and Emma...playing with them was a highlight for her! She LOVES to watch other kids.

Scarlett & Granddad

Scarlett & Grandmom

Great Aunt Carol

The Family

Finally Back Home & SOOO Tired!

Happy 7 Months Scarlett!