9 month check-up

Reese had her 9 month check up today and appears to be almost completely back to her normal self after her bout with RSV last week. Once again, you look at her and think she is petite, but by no means does she look like she is hurting in the baby fat area. The numbers would have to disagree though. She is now in the 7th percentile for her weight, 20th for height, and poor girl's head measures in the 80th percentile. You should see her Daddy's and brother's, it's genetic. She managed to lose 9 ounces since her last weight check last month, but mind you, she was sick for a week, she is a VERY active little girl, and even chose to sleep 13-14 hours straight a few nights this last week therefore missing a feeding each day. I don't know really what else to do. If she sleeps 13-14 hours a day then that leaves me approximately 10 hours to get in 3 meals and 4 bottles which makes her have to eat every 2 hours. That's what we are already doing so I don't know what else to do pack on the pounds. Oh, and forgot to mention too that her CBC today shows she is anemic. So our plan for now is to try to supplement as much as we can (even though she doesn't always finish the bottles she takes now), add one more meal to the mix during the day, and start her on poly-visol vitamins. We go back in one month for another CBC to check her iron levels and another weight check. If she has gone down any further then we will have to look at doing some further blood test to make sure there is not an underlying physiological issue. 

In the meantime, Mason and Reese are really starting to play more together. It makes for cute photo opps...like this one in the laundry basket. I just put her in it and they did the rest.

Our Christmas

My dad's response to this picture was..."cute baby, weird shoes." I happen to think that these are the cutest baby shoes I have ever seen. Coming from a pediatric physical therapist, it means a lot to buy my not yet walking child a pair of shoes. I could not pass them up, actually I did but I went back and got them because I couldn't stop thinking about them. Silly I know.

 We had a wonderful and simple Christmas this year. No traveling, no going crazy cooking for hours on end in the kitchen, no late night present buying or wrapping. Thank goodness due to Reese being sick. By the time Christmas Eve night rolled around, she was feeling well enough to get right in the thick of things with Mason unwrapping presents. Who needs snow to make angels? All Mason needs is wrapping paper.

Yes, those are matching candy cane pj's. It will be our tradition every year for them to having matching pj's until I can't find them big enough anymore.

My mom even made a short surprise visit on Thursday and brought the firetruck tent, which was a huge hit. Everyone had to spend a little time in it per Mason's request throughout the day. He even has his couch and DVD player that used to be in his man cave now residing in the fire truck. This time around girls are allowed.

Back to "Normal"

It is amazing to me how easily Reese went back to her "normal" sleeping pattern after being so sick all week long. Like I said earlier, Reese started feeling bad on Friday last week and every night since then we slept with her in the recliner in her room. Every night Gary and I took shifts sleeping with her inclined, suctioned her, medicated her, and just cuddled her, and for every nap too. So it came as a complete shock last night when I laid her down at 8, because I drank way too much water before settling down for the night with her, and she never made a peep until 7am. That's right, she slept 11 hours last night by herself. She also put herself down for about 5 naps today too, and went down by herself tonight at 6. With Mason, I can remember him taking several days to get back on a schedule once he was sick. But "littles" has spoiled us tremendously. So I guess you have surmised that she is feeling better after the RSV spell. Still running a low fever with a nasty cough, but otherwise as happy as can be. She crashed on us on Wednesday, but after a "quick trip" to the ER she was doing better and has been showing more improvement each day.  It was nice to be able to cuddle with her this last week since she is quite the mover and shaker when she is healthy. Anyway, I'll post more pictures later. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! 

RSV

Well it turns out that Reese actually has RSV. She is not wheezing yet so we are keeping an eye on her at home. Unfortunately it's hard for her to breathe and eat at the same time so she hasn't been taking in as much milk as we would like, but not dehydrated yet. So we will be staying home for a while and cuddling as much as we can. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Tis the season...

for the family to be sick. It always happens either before a holiday or before traveling. Thank goodness we hadn't planned on driving anywhere for Christmas this year. Mason started last Monday with a high fever and other symptoms you probably don't want to hear about. Two pediatrician visits and one x-ray at the hospital later, it was determined he had a bad sinus infection (that was Saturday). Well Miss Reese couldn't be left out so she started with her fever on Friday. And not to be outdone, I too had to get in the action. So far Gary is the only one who hasn't been affected. 

Here's a funny conversation with Mason the other day:

Mason:   Where's Daddy?

Me:   At work.

Mason:   You going to work Mommy?

Me:   Just for a couple of hours.

Mason:   Am I going to work today?

Me:  (laughing) You don't have a job.

Mason:  Yes I do.

Me:  What's your job?

Mason:  Miles and Jack. (the dogs)

Me: Your job is taking care of Miles and Jack?

Mason: Yes

Me:  Then yes, you're going to work today.

Just another day...

at the Kearns household. Mason has been sick since Monday, so obviously is not very photogenic today. Which is ironic considering he took about 500 pictures with my digital camera today. He is quite the photographer. He apparently wandered around the house taking pictures of items he thought were interesting. He opened the pantry and took pictures of the food items, he opened the back door and took pictures out there, and he took pictures of his potty, only to name a few. It was quite funny to scroll through the 450+ pictures and see what was captured. 

A girl and her accessories...Reese loves her pacifiers when she sleeps. We have about 6 now that stay in her crib just so she can find them easily if she stirs in the night. When she falls asleep she usually has one in her mouth and one in her hand, but when she wakes up she looks like this.

So far this is the only picture I have of her new and only teeth. She finally got them at 8 months, 1 week. 

Sweet cheeks

This picture was too cute to pass posting it. There's no story...just a cutie patootie. 

Trash trucks & Baby Jesus

We have been trying to make sure that Mason understands that even at 3, Christmas is more than just getting presents. When you ask him whose birthday it is at Christmas he first says either "his" or "Daddy's", but if you ask him again he says it's Baby Jesus' birthday (which comes out as Baby Deedus). So cute! 

So this was our extended conversation tonight after the typical "whose birthday is it" question...

Mama: What do you think Baby Jesus would want for his birthday?

Mason: A trash truck too.

Mama: A trash truck just like you.

Mason: No, Baby Jesus want a blue trash truck, I want a green one.

By the way, that's all Mason has asked for Christmas...so easy. We have decided to simplify this year and let me tell you, it has been kind of refreshing. I know that in the near future he will start asking for everything he sees in the store and at Target, but now, he is happy with his Doodle Pro, trash trucks, and crayons. 

Stuck, tights & Charlie Brown

While getting dressed for church on Sunday, I heard a little whimpering from the living room. I came out to find this...

I have no idea how she managed this by herself. And of course, as any good parent would do, I went to find my camera first, took the picture and then freed her.

Today was the first day to drop Reese off in the church nursery so I could listen to the message uninterrupted, or so I thought. She made it about 20 minutes before they called me to come back and get her. Those 20 minutes were better than nothing though. I don't know why, but I woke up Sunday morning with the sense of urgency that I had to be at church that day. With travelling and illnesses, we haven't been for about 2 months. Sad to say I know. So I got the kids ready and we headed out the door 5 minutes after the service already started. Again, getting there late was better than nothing. What a good message it was too!

Sunday also marked a major milestone in my raising a little girl...TIGHTS! I broke down and bought a pair of black tights for her a few days ago I saw on clearance. I have to say it is the cutest thing! I may have to go buy some more.

Where was this shirt when Mason was Charlie Brown for Halloween?

Elf Yourself

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Kuddos to Dad

I have mentioned before that my dad can fix just about anything. Well, over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend he fixed something near and dear to my heart (more like my hair). He fixed my Chi hair straightner. Apparently, I had dropped it one time too many and broke something in it. I had tried a couple of things with no success, but of course my dad fixed it in about 5 minutes. I told him he better watch out because everyone with a Chi knows how precious they are and he might get bombarded with "Can he fix mine too?" if I post it here.

Spiders

My mom will get a kick out of this post.

Growing up, my sister and I thought my mom was fearless. She killed bugs and spiders, rode on midnight trailrides on her horses, watched scary movies, shot at rats after dark in the shop (have I mentioned we lived out in the country)...you get the idea. It turns out she wasn't fearless, she was brave.

I had no idea that my mom was afraid of spiders. In fact, she lets out girly shrieking sounds when she tries to kill one and it turns to run towards her. I was speechless the first time I saw this happen a few years ago. Actually, I was speechless because I was laughing so hard. Our conversation went something like this..."What's wrong? (remember we are now laughing), I hate spiders!, But you were never afraid of them before. Yes I was, I just didn't want you two to know it."

So I wonder what Mason and Reese will look back on and think... "wow, mom was brave!"

Just catching up

I don't know what caused this face, but apparently it was very exciting. If there were a couple more pictures to follow I sure it would show him flapping his arms, that's what he does when he is really happy or excited...which is better for us than screeching like a girl.
I'm pretty sure I have almost this exact pose with Mason and Miles when he was about 8 months old too, except in a different house. They still really do favor each other as babies, but I think she is looking more like a girly girl.

Reese is finally getting her first teeth at 8 months old. They broke through on Monday but for several days before that she apparently liked to feel them with her tongue, hence the hilarious picture below. Then it became a trick because we can ask her to stick out her tongue and that's what she does now.

Everyone always asks if Reese is "always this happy" when they see her because she is a very happy baby out and about. Well, I always say yes, as long as she's not poopy, tired, or hungry she's the happiest baby in the world. However, patience is not a virtue of an 8 month old baby girl when she is ready to get out of her high chair. We have had the pleasure of seeing this face several times and she even has an adorable little yell that goes along with it. So, yes she is ALMOST always a happy baby. It's great for laughs though.

Rebel for a Cause

I am a blog peeper...I love to follow blogs of complete strangers (and friends too). I have found some truly amazing women, inspirational stories, tear jerkers, and funny laughs from these strangers. One that I follow very closely is my charming kids. She has truly had a miracle happen with the birth of her little Stellan and has decided to pay it forward with an organization that is amazing, although heartbreaking at the same time, String of Pearls. She has put together an amazing prize package for a raffle to benefit String of Pearls and two other charitable organizations. If you are even remotely interested in photography, it is well worth taking a peek.
Just look for the Rebel for a Cause button to the right and check it out!