Wednesday, April 30, 2008

We have a gritter



When I was a child, I used to grit my teeth. Dave gritted his teeth into adulthood. Over the weekend as I was holding M close, I thought I heard her grit her teeth. No way, not possible as she only has 2 bottom teeth. Well, on Monday as I was putting her down for her nap, I heard it again. I looked in her mouth and checked out her gums as I do everyday..nothing. I decided to put my fingers in her mouth, which I never do, and sure enough she cut one of her eye teeth. My first reaction was pleasure. Marlee has been quite difficult for the past couple of weeks and yes, I thought she was probably teething, but there has to come a point where every little holler and tantrum can not be blamed on teething week after week. So yes, M got her third tooth. She is going to have the silliest smile, her two bottom middle teeth and one eye tooth! As for me, I'm just so delighted to have my little angel back.
Look at that smiling face.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Graduation Day

We finally did it. Marlee has graduated from her infant carrier into a convertible car seat. Dave and I held off as long as we could because even though carrying her in the infant carrier was getting oh so heavy, I'm guessing 30 plus awkward pounds, it was so convenient. However, it was no longer safe since she had exceeded the maximum height and weight limit for the carrier.



Marlee on July 13, 2007. The day we brought her home from the hospital. I forgot how itty bitty she was.



Last time in her infant carrier - 9 months and 1 week old.


Her new roomy and plush convertible car seat. My bright flash explains the edible dopey face.

Isn't she such a cutie? Of course I am biased.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Green Thumb

Marlee would like to wish everyone a Happy Earth Day!
The bow is for you, Auntie Kristy

In honor of Earth Day I thought I would share some pictures of my garden. I use this word very loosely because it is not a garden at all...more like some veggies and fruits Dave and I planted in pots. Hey, I had to start somewhere! We planted our garden on 4/13.

So, this is my first year gardening and I started very simple. After doing some research about gardening in the desert, Dave and I planted:

2 tomato plants




squash



and strawberries





I completely expect and accept this first season of gardening to be a crap shoot. Imagine my surprise when a week after my fruit and veggies were planted, I go out to water and find this:



Yes, this is a strawberry already blooming. Actually, there are four strawberries blooming. Imagine my excitement. I don't think blooming is the proper word to use, but whatever. I think the proper word is yielding.

Well, I'm off to make strawberry jam. Yes, you read right, make strawberry jam. No, not with my four fresh bloomin' strawberries.
Yes, I am a cook, baker, and gardener extraordinaire (insert sarcasm here).

Monday, April 14, 2008

9 months..


My beloved daughter is 9 months old. Wow, how time flies. This time last year I was about 6 1/2 months pregnant and Dave and I were just beginning to work on our little girl's nursery. Which came out oh so adorable, by the way. I can't believe how fast another month has come and went. One year is coming around the corner way too fast. I am so not ready for that. As always, as much as I miss the tiny little baby that just lies still in my arms and lets out this little birdie cry when she is hungry, I am enjoying my daughter so much every. single. day. Marlee is just bursting with personality. I could sit all day and watch her little mind process things, so full of curiosity. I am also so happy that I have really taken the time to chronicle things. Not only do I post here, I have a calendar that I try to write something in weekly, and also a journal that I started back when I was pregnant. With that add all the pictures and video as I do not want to forget even one moment, although I know this is impossible. Dave and I were watching some of the video from when M was just home from the hospital and I got so emotional. I can't believe how much has changed, how much M has changed, over these past months. How quickly the little things are forgotten.
Okay, I am just documenting so many thoughts rolling through my head right now..enough.

At nine months Marlee Kay:
-weighs 21 pounds - 75th percentile
-is 29 1/2 inches long - 95th percentile
-wears a size 3 diaper
-still eats just about anything we give her, as long as it pureed smoothly. She still hates texture. This past month she was introduced to plums, green beans, oatmeal, apricots, peaches, blueberries. Her fav's seem to be prunes, yogurt, and sweet potatoes.
-cut her two bottom teeth (3/14)
-said Bubba (3/14) and Mama (3/15), but her choice of word is still Dada.
-started "scooting" - aka army crawl (3/29)
-took her first "actual" crawl, up on her hands and knees on 4/5. However, she still prefers the army crawl.
-sits up unassisted and can even go from laying to sitting on her own.
-is so curious. I could sit all day and watch her little mind process the world around her. Her little brain is always in constant motion.
-loves to be outside. When I open the back door and take her onto the porch, she starts flappin' her arms and legs and squealing with excitement.
-is so full of energy and is constantly moving, flapping, and scooting.
-is starting to love her lovey, Mr. Bear. Now when I lay her down for naps and bedtime I give her Mr. Bear. She gets the biggest smile and lays her head on my chest or shoulder with her Mr. Bear. It pleases me to see her find comfort and security in her little friend.
-loves showers with Dada. We take her into the bathroom and once she realizes it's shower time, she squeals with delight.

Snuggle time with M is few and far between. Occasionally when one of us is holding her, Marlee will lie her head in our shoulder. Dave and I both cherish these moments.
Another cherished moment..when she reaches her arms out for us.

I have started signing with her over the past couple of months. I have been doing milk, food and more. I am going to start incorporating mama, dada, book, and bed soon.

This past month we took Marlee on her first real fun outing. We have a built in saltwater fish tank that she absolutely loves, so we thought it would be a good idea to take her to the Shark Reef at the Mandalay Bay. She l.o.v.e.d. it. We would take her up to the huge tanks and she would flap her arms and legs and squeal with delight. So much fun.


Marlee Kay makes me smile every single day. Her laugh is contagious. Her innocence humbles me. She is the light of Mama's life. She is my life. She gives me purpose. She makes my life complete.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Splash Splish

Marlee's first swim!!



On Sunday the 6th, Dave took Marlee in the pool. Don't worry people, it's heated. As shown in the pictures, she loved it.




When she first got in the water, Marlee was hesitant. After about five minutes, she was loving it..splashing, kicking, and squealing. She kept trying to push away from Dada. Dada even blew on her face and dunked her. Marlee came up, looked a little shocked and scared, and then started laughing.



She's going to be a little fish, just like her Dada and Mama were when they were little.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Mom Tip of the Day

We had a visit from a police officer today. Can anyone guess why?
Early this morning Marlee was playing with the cordless telephone. The funny thing is every time Dave sees me give Marlee the phone he says you better make sure she doesn't call 911. Of course, my response to this is something like come on Babe, seriously what are the chances. Well, quite high as it happened today...
She is playing with the phone and after a couple of minutes it rings. The caller ID shows an unknown caller and, as usual, I don't answer it. After about a minute I decide to hit redial because I just have this feeling (probably Dave channeling me and thinking to myself who makes calls this early in the morning). Sure enough, the last number called was 9111. I go check the machine and hear this, This is the metropolitan police department. We received a 911 call from this number. If someone is there, please pick up. I am freaking out at this point. I call Dave and he tells me to call them back. But I don't want to. I feel so stupid. They will send someone out if you don't call.
So, I have to tie up the emergency line so I can let the dispatcher know it was an accident and I am an idiot. This is what I do and let me tell you, the dispatcher was so nice and understanding. I just explained that my 9 month old daughter decided to call 911.
About 30 seconds later I hear bang, bang, bang. Uh oh. You can only guess who was at the door, yes a uniformed police officer. I'm in my pajamas when I answer the door and kindly explain to the gentleman that the call was accidental and apologize over and over again for wasting his and the dispatcher's time. He was so nice and said that these things happen.
Let's just say I feel like a major moron. Like Dave said, at least we now know that if something were to ever happen our emergency units and quick and efficient. It took no more than 5 minutes before I heard the bang bang bang at the door.
Moral of the story, it does happen. No more phone for Marlee.
Stay tuned for Marlee's 9 month post. Yep, she's 9 months today! I can't believe it either.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

4.3.2

7 years ago today Dave and I were vacationing in Cancun and he asked me to marry him. We were staying at a hotel right on the beach and having so much fun as it was our first vacation as a couple (not counting a weekend trip to San Diego). We had just went out to dinner and went back to our hotel bar to have a drink. Actually, if you know me I am not a big drinker, or a drinker at all for that matter, but I knocked back a few while we were there. Dave had a couple of shots of tequila. I would soon find out this was in hopes that he would get the nerve up to ask me. He then asked if I would like to go for a walk on the beach. This is where he popped the question. I'll save you all the mushy details. Looking back on that perfect night, I don't think the proposal was something Dave had "planned" to do. Not that it means any less to me. He had no idea what he was getting himself into!

Fast forward one year to the day. We were again on a beautiful beach, this time in Maui, Hawaii, exchanging our vows. One of the best days of my life.
Happy 6th Anniversary Sugar. You are truly the best Husband and Father a girl could ever hope for. Thank you for being so patient, kind, and wonderful.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Benefits of Living in the Desert..or Not

Let me start off by saying (or writing) that I loathe going to the doctor. I avoid doctors at all costs and have not been to a doctor in 2 years. Of course this does not include my wonderful OB when I was pregnant and all the drama with Marlee's birth and postpartum. I mean just a regular ole' doctor.
One example of this, two years ago I had a bad cold that just would. not. go. away. After ONE month of misery, I broke down and went to the doc. I had a sinus infection and bronchitis. This goes to show you how much it takes to get me to the doctor.
Another example, I have yet to go back and get an x-ray done of my bladder, as requested by my OB and Urologist, due to the damage Marlee did when she was born. Mom, please don't yell at me.
I have a theory that my extreme dislike has to do with my childhood and rarely going to the doctor as we didn't have health insurance growing up. Yep, six kids and no insurance.

So, I broke down and did it. I finally went to an allergist.

A little back story..
I have had allergies for as long as I can remember. They have gotten increasingly worse over the past year and a half. Horrible, horrible allergies and sensitive skin. Dave is off this week (yipee)and he forced me to make an appointment. I am so glad I did.

So, as I said, I went to an allergist today. It was nothing like I expected.
After explaining to him my issues, he recommended we do a skin test. This would test for the 60 most caused allergies here in the desert. I thought they would just take some blood, um...nope. They poked me 72 times (60 to test for allergic reactions to environmental factors and the rest for food allergies).

So, I laid on my stomach and the nurse poked me with each of the allergens she was testing me for. She said "wow, you're already having a reaction to some of these". What happens is if I am allergic, I will develop a hive type irritation where I was poked.

Ten minutes later, the nurse comes in, takes a look at my back and informed me that I am allergic to almost everything they test me for (excluding the food). Here is what my back looked like when I got home..


Please ignore the fat back.

I would list everything but there's like 50 or so things that I'm allergic to.
So, the doc gave me a bunch of different nose sprays, eye drops, and medicine to try. He also suggests that I start immunotherapy.

Long story short, immunotherapy is basically a series of weekly injections (1-4 times a week) over the course of about 6 months, until I reach my "maintenance" dose. I will be injected with the actual allergens I am allergic to in liquid form. This in turn will build up an immunity to the allergens. Once I reach my maintenance dose I will keep receiving injections, just less often.

I go back for a follow up in three weeks. At this point, if I should decide, I will start the immunotherapy. You know me, first I have to do some "research" and put a call into my crappy insurance to see just how much this therapy will cost me.

Okay, so that's that. Everything you wanted to know about allergens and then some.

One more thing I would like to add. Why, oh why, does it take a diagnosis from a doctor to make my complaints valid?