Fun with the Girls

This weekend we went to mall to run an errand so we let the girls play on the playground.  Look at this picture of Kaitlyn.  This is the Hello Kitty that goes with her everywhere now.  Look how resourceful she is - doesn't let it occupy her hands!

I snapped some pictures of the girls sitting on the bench grandma got for Christmas.  It kind of looks like a touching moment, but i think it lasted all of 30 seconds before Kaitlyn hopped up.  

Hailey has started blowing kisses.  It is so cute but hard to pick up in a picture.

We took a walk today.  Kaitlyn asked Hailey if she would hold her hand.  I tried to get it to work, but I think Hailey just thought Kaitlyn was trying to take something away from her.  

And when Kaitlyn wasn't looking, Hailey got in her car.  She really liked it!

Sweet Sister Moments

Kaitlyn, the Photographer!

Last weekend, Kaitlyn was using my phone to take pictures while we walked around Costco.  She got some good ones.  In the first few pictures, we didn't know what she was doing.  

More Illnesses

January has been a rough month for Hailey.  It started with a runny nose.  Because of her viral induced asthma, I am always worried when her nose starts running.  We were doing suction and I had the nurse at school watching her closely and listening to her lungs.  We had done some extra abuterol treatments and were keeping a watchful eye.

After this went on for a couple of weeks, I alerted the nurse that I felt like we were at a key point - either she would kick it and we would get better or she would take a turn for the worse. On Tuesday, January 7th the daycare called and said she had a fever.  We had just gone to the pulmonologist a few weeks prior and he indicated that he was not pleased that we had already used steroids this winter.  He said that you get one big illness a winter but we had already had it in December.  He did not think that was good so we changed up her maintenance inhaler.  So when I got he call from the daycare, I hung up the phone and called the pulmonologist.  I talked to the physician's assistant and her advice was to make sure Hailey was seen that day by a doctor.  So if she couldn't get in with her pediatrician, we should go to urgent care.  RSV was going around and that is more dangerous in asthmatics.  I hung up the phone and panicked.  Eric was in the UK and they couldn't fit her in at the pediatrician (it was already almost 3pm).  I was terrified that they would send me to the ER.

We were surprised when she got a positive flu test at the urgent care place.  Other than the fever, she was acting OK.  She played quietly in the doctor's office and he indicated that is not typical with some of the flu that was going around.  He prescribed tamiflu.  They normally don't give it to kids her age, but she is high risk (boo!).

Tuesday through Thursday went OK.  Hailey continued to stay pretty happy.  A flu diagnosis meant she could not go to the Get Well Place at the daycare.  My mom and dad were a huge help and watched her some each day so I could go into work for a little bit and to also help me with Kaitlyn duties.  On Friday we went back for a follow-up at the pediatrician.  I saw the PA and she was a little concerned that Hailey didn't sound that great.  She sent us for a chest x-ray.  Based on those results she indicated Hailey had a viral lung infection.  I guess that is the problem with the viral induced asthma, one illness often leads to another.  She prescribed an antibiotic but I indicated that I really wanted to avoid steroids again.  It had only been 4 weeks since she was on steroids.  So she gave us an aggressive plan with the inhalers.  I was to do breathing treatments every 4 hours, 24 hours a day.  Yikes, especially considering Eric was still in the UK.  On Sunday if she hadn't improved, we would need to consider steroids.  

The middle of the night breathing treatments went better than expected.  She went to bed around 6:30 and I woke her up at 10 for the first treatment.  She hardly moved.  Thank goodness we aren't doing the nebulizer anymore and we are using the spacer.  Much quicker! It looked like it took her a little while to fall back asleep, but she layed there quietly and listened to her music box.  Then mommy went to sleep.  I set an alarm for 2 and another for 6.  Yuck.  By the 6 am treatment, she cried a little.  I think she was done with mommy waking her up!  Trust me kid - mommy didn't like it either.  Daddy was home for the Saturday night treatments and we traded off.  Much better!  And good news - she was doing much better on Sunday.

I followed up with the pulmonologist on that Monday and he was super pleased with how she sounded.  We had made it through with no steroids!!

Here are some pics from the ordeal.  This is the first day at urgent care:

Poor, sweet girl napping at home while home sick with Mommy:

Waiting to be seen by the PA at the pediatrician:

Hailey's 18 Month Appointment

On January 15th, I took Hailey for her 15 month check up.  We were a bit past due.  First the doctor needed to reschedule.  Then we had to because Hailey was sick.  The visit went well.  She is 40% in her weight and height.  She had lost some weight, but Dr. Mitchell thought that made sense because she had been sick.  She asked lots of questions (is she walking, does she feed herself, does she use a pacifier or bottles) and I was pleased with the way we could answer.  Really the only thing we weren't doing that we should is brushing her teeth.  Bad mommy - I'm not sure what my phobia is with brushing their teeth.  Maybe it is just because we have so many other things we have to do that I just get lazy.

The most eventful part of the visit is I found out for sure that Dr. Mitchell is retiring at the end of the year.  She said right now she is part time and is not supposed to see sick kids.  She said she already was on full disability.  I'm not sure what that means but it doesn't sound good.

Here she is in the waiting room.  Such a cutie

January is Here

The holidays have come and gone.  It was nice to spend some extra time with the girls but I always feel like it is nice to get back to our routines.  Here are some pics from the last couple of weeks.  Here is Hailey being silly at Aldaco's.

On a Saturday trip to Costco, Kaitlyn asked to sit in the cart.  Next thing we knew - she was laying down and using Hello Kitty as a pillow.  Quite unusual for her.

And here is Hailey trying out ice cream at Chesters.  She liked it but of course she wanted to feed herself.  A little messy!

I always grab the camera when I see the girls playing together.  It is rare as Kaitlyn is having a hard time sharing these days. 

And man, look at this girl out like a light.  She sure can hog up our bed.

And how cute is this? She fell asleep on the couch when grandma and grandpa were babysitting. She didn't even wake up when daddy came home.  This was the night he got back from the UK - he went for a week!

Here is Hailey at the doctor's office last week.  Poor girl had the flu!  She was showing how smart she is and trying to put on her coat.  It was on the wrong arm, but she definitely knows how to put it on.

And here she is enjoying some mac n cheese.  It was all over!  We went from the chair to the bathtub!

This girl amazes me everyday.  She got on this by herself and was walking/scooting it along.  Kaitlyn was never into stuff like that. 

Murder Mystery

Over the Christmas holidays we hosted a Murder Mystery with the gang.  Kaitlyn played in our bedroom while it was all going on, but afterward we took some pictures and she got to join in.  Such a cutie.