All In A Week's Time!

Wow, what a week last week was.  Tuesday, we felt an earthquake that happened in Virginia, but was felt all up and down the east coast.   Living on the east coast, especially the eastern shore of Maryland, I never ever woulda thunk that I would feel an earthquake.  What an unsettling feeling.  I was at work in my office, with the door closed (doing my daily milkin', if you really want to know) and all of a sudden I Feel like the floor is moving.  My blinds were shaking. I hear rattling.  I thought at first- Is a train going through?  WAIT there is no train nearby!  It felt like my house when the train is going by...but just more dramatic, I guess.  Then it wasn't as bad, but it still was moving my calendar pages... then I thought I was the dizzy one. I wasn't sure what, if anything had just happened...or if it was just in my mind. 
I had to finish milkin' so my door was still closed, but I thought I could hear other staff talking outside my door but couldn't tell if they were talking about what just happened.  At first I thought it was just me.   Then I tried to use my phone to call Abigail's pediatrician (she had a fever earlier that day) and my phone wouldn't work-  it had reception but it beeped this weird beep and said the connection had an error, or something like that.  I had never seen that message come up before.  I knew something was going on.  Shortly after I finished up and opened my door, went out on the dialysis treatment floor and the nurses were saying "check out the news, there was just an earthquake".  (there are televisions above each patient's chair so we can watch the soap operas- oops I mean the news if we need to)  SERIOUSLY!?  It was crazy.  I guess the actual earthquake happened in VA....but it was felt all over the place.  I never thought that would have happened in a million years...quite scary, to be honest.

And to make matters worse, we were already keeping eye on a hurricane that had just started to form... headed straight for North Carolina and up the coast.  Good ole Irene...
Working in dialysis just makes bad weather seem even worse, and makes me worry a heck of a lot more, because we usually have to plan ahead of time and try to figure out whether to reschedule the patients or just play it by ear and hope the weather won't be as bad... this hurricane was supposed to hit HARD so we ended up juggling around the schedule to ensure that all of our patients got in before the storm hit hard.  We have a great team where I work, so things got done, but it's just a big headache in the process!! And part of MY job is ensuring that the patients have transportation to get to their treatments, which can be headache in itself.  But I will save that ranting for another day :)  Everything worked out, and we brought in patients on Friday afternoon/evening so that they didn't have to come out Saturday mid morning/afternoon. 

Ryan was able to get home Friday evening a lot sooner than normal which was great.  He helped me prepare for the storm, making sure we had food, water, etc.  To make a long story short... the hurricane came, and went.  It didn't hit us nearly as bad as it could have been... and for that, I am thankful.  I have Auntie Deb and Uncle Richard who live right on the coast of NC, and thank goodness they didn't have damage to their home either.  I know not everyone was fortunate, but I am just glad we were spared from the devastation that it very well could have been.

For Ryan, Abigail Camden and I, it was a great weekend spent cooped up in the house.  We didn't go anywhere the entire weekend from Friday until Ryan had to leave Sunday afternoon (which is the worst part of the week for me). It was nice to have a reason to not leave... we don't do that often.  Typically we are running errands, going out places just to get out, etc.  We had good quality family time together.... haha.  I spent most of it reading The Help (great book by the way) and Ryan got in some quality video gaming.  And Abigail...well, Abigail just got into a little bit of everything!

Speaking of Abigail... She's been teething- all last week she had a slight fever off and on, but nothing worth going to the doctor for. I did call them because I wasn't sure what to do... I never had ever had to buy her medication so I had no idea what I was doing!  I gave her ibuprofen a few times throughout the week which helped... some mornings she would be burning up, she was so hot. The meds seemed to help break the fever. Most of the fevers were just borderline.  She didn't seem fazed by it, except she has been waking up at night again... it's not too big of a deal because she tends to go back down after I nurse her for a few minutes...  I don't think it's that she is hungry, but she's like me and once she's awake, she is awake and hard to go back to sleep and nursing just helps her to settle back down I guess.  I don't know what I will do when she isn't breastfeeding anymore! I won't think about that :)  As much as I hate pumping... I  continue to do it for the good of my daughter and will continue as long as I need to.  Plus I can't imagine how much money I have saved by not having to buy formula.  Isn't it expensive??

Anyway, back to the teething- she has been getting her top teeth in!  The one is starting to make it's way down and the other has just broken through.  She tends to get them both at the same time.  She hasn't really been cranky, just waking up more often. 

This weekend coming up is Labor Day weekend... already??? Where did the time go?  Originally I wanted to getaway with hubby and Abigail to Lancaster or somewhere...but we decided to head to his moms house for the weekend instead. Trying to save money that we don't have, haha.  I am hoping to skedaddle from work a little early on Friday so I can get up to Sykesville by 6 at the latest..pick up hubby and head to his moms, which is a little over 1 hour from there, up in PA.  Not sure what the weekend will consist of, but we will drop Ryan off at the academy and head back home on Sunday evening. I will save the getaway for our anniversary/my birthday week, or whenever Ryan has off sometime around those dates. 

Speaking of Ryan... after this week ends... he will only have (drumroll please).... THREE WEEKS LEFT!!  Yay!  Yes, in one way, this past almost six months has gone by fast.... except when I am in the middle of the week (like now) and it feels like it's creeping by.  We still have NO clue what barracks he will be stationed...and he has no clue when he finds out.  We are hoping and praying he finds out soon.  Once we know, I will definitley let everyone know.  Just praying for anywhere on the Eastern Shore... I really would hate for him to have to commute across the bay bridge every day.... that would be terrible.  But we will see what happens, with time.  God has a plan- I have to remind myself of that.

Well, I guess I have rambled enough...  Abigail sometimes walks like a monkey now... like she wants to stand up.  It's rather cute.  I forgot to get camera batteries at the store, so I haven't been able to upload my pictures or take new ones.  I will definitely do that soon. 

That is my update- sorry it took me forever! Just so much going on all of the time!  Toodles.

10 Months Gone By

My Sweet Little Girl,

You are such a BIG girl now!!  You are just too cute.  You are really really growing... too fast, in my opinion.  It seems every month you are making leaps and bounds... literally!! 

Let's see, in the past month... I think you have managed to get into every nook and cranny of our house!  You love pulling up on EVERYTHING you can manage to pull up on, and you are quite the crawler now.  Boy you can motor across that floor.  If I am in the other room, I hear you plowing along, and next thing I know, your face is popping around the corner to where I am.  You love to be where I am.  And I love to be where you are. 

You also love to get into the bathroom.  You have discovered toilet paper now.  I have to admit, you certainly make me chuckle.

Lately, you have started standing on your own...very briefly.  It's so cute.  Sometimes I will work with you to get you to stand, or you will just simply let go of whatever you are holding onto, for a few seconds.  Then plop! Down you go on your behind.  At least it's nice and padded, since you have a fluffy butt.

You LOVE my cell phone.  You have your own toy phone, but it's not good enough.  you play with that, but then when you see mine, you want it.  I gave you my old cell phone, so that entertained you for awhile.  Then you went back to wanting mine.

And if you want something...boy you do everything you can to get it.  Sometimes we sit on the couch, just hanging out, and all you want to do is climb up to the top of the couch, or climb to the end table... you are a monkey!!

Have I Ever told you how much I love you?  I want to tell you that every single day of your life.  I hope you grow up to never forget it. 

You are doing so great, with everything.  You eat well... you are still eating baby food, but you are eating more and more table food.  You LOVE cheese.  Any kind- whether it's shredded or little pieces of sliced cheese.  You just love it.  You basically eat whenever I put in front of you.  You are also still breastfeeding, which I don't think you will stop anytime soon... Mommy is proud that we have succeeded with it this far.  We will go as long as you want. 

You still miss your Daddy throughout the week, but boy you enjoy spending time with him when he is home on weekends.  I bet you can't wait until he done with this training and we get to see him every day again!

You are back to your normal sleeping pattern again...thank goodness.  You sleep sooo well.  Sometimes you might wake up in the middle of the night, and I nurse you, and then you fall right back asleep until morning.  Mommy doesn't mind that... as long as you are not up fussing all night!

Speaking of fussing... you are cutting a top tooth right now!  And Mommy wouldn't be able to tell, because you are NOT cranky at all! In fact, the tooth has already broken through the gums and the only reason I know is because I could see and feel it!  You are such a tough little girl!!

I can't believe in a few short months, you will be one year old.  How in the world has the time gone by that fast?  AHH.  Soon you will be talking!! You are not quite talking at the moment, but you sure can babble.  I can't wait until the moment you say dada and mama.  I think my heart will melt. 

Well my little girl.  You are growing up so fast.  I cannot wait to find out what is in store for us the next few months!!

Love Always,
Mama

A Second of Standing

Abigail has been pulling up (on everything!) for quite awhile now.  Just recently, maybe in the past few weeks, she has started to stand on her own for just a few seconds.  Not all of the time, but every now and then we can get her to do it. She is also starting to let go of things she is holding onto, when she is playing and whatnot, for a few seconds at a time.  Until she realizes she isn't holding onto anything and she reaches for something again!

I guess to some people it doesn't seem like it's that big of a deal, but to me it is.  She is still learning to get her balance without holding onto anything, and once this happens- eventually she will be taking steps!! What huge milestones she is making. 

It is just crazy!!! Last night I was "practicing" with her and she stood for a few seconds, then plopped back down on her hiney, and then one second later, she was standing again, ON HER OWN! I was flipping out, haha.  She wouldn't do it anymore after that.  I really thought maybe I was seeing something that really didn't happen! But she really did do that. 

She is just growing up too fast!

Top Toofer

Finally-  Abigail has started cutting a top "toofer"!  She has had her bottom two teeth for quite awhile now, with no signs of the top ones until recently.  I saw this past weekend where it looked like the gums were splitting, now you can see the tooth starting to come through- and can feel it too! It doesn't seem to bother her at all.  In fact, I never would have known if I wasn't looking for it.  I have such a tough little girl.  She must be like her mommy. 

I have been lucky so far, while nursing, that I havent' gotten bit  by her(knock on wood that it won't happen after I write this).  I have heard from others who have gotten bit that it is NOT pleasant.  I am hoping Abigail's nursing will continue as it has been all along... without biting.

The Pooping Chamber

(Reader Beware- the following post is about poop).

Abigail loves to poop.  What baby doesn't?  It is actually quite humerous to watch her when she is pooping... well maybe, it shouldn't be.  But to me it is.  She grunts and groans.  Her face turns red... she makes funny noises...poor thing.  Again-  it shouldn't be entertaining, but it is. 

It seems that EVERY single time I place her in her highchair seat.... she starts to poop.  Especially when it's dinner time.  She could have just pooped 15 minutes ago.... and then as soon as she starts to eat, she poops again.   So I have started calling her highchair seat the "pooping chamber".  I don't know where I came up with that.

I guess what goes in must come out right?  She has to make room for her dinner as soon as she starts eating her dinner. 

But it's so frustrating sometimes! As soon as she starts to eat really well....she starts to poop.  And she starts the grunting.  And the pushing.   I am not sure if she is constipated or not, but I've heard that apple juice can help with constipation so I try to give her some of that in her sippy cup.  She really doesn't drink much from her sippy cup so I don't think that's helping much.  Like I said, I am not sure she is completely constipated, I think it is just difficult for her to poop when sitting up in a chair!

Regardless,  it is sure humerous......I know it's pooping time when she gets that look on her face at dinner time!



Cell Phones

Abigail has been obsessed with my cell phone for a few months now.  When I say obsessed, I mean it.  If she sees it, she HAS to get to it.   Even if that means climbing over me and trying to crawl onto the table.  If she cannot get it, she has started this whining business.  Mommy doesn't want whining to start already!

I was given a toy (Elmo) cell phone from a friend that she loves to play with, but it's just not the same for her.  She has to have MY cell phone. 

So yesterday I decided to give her my old cell phone, to see what she would do.

It seemed made her happy and content.  She crawled around with it all over the house.  Everywhere I looked, she had that phone.  Usually in her mouth, of course. 

So I wonder if she will still want my phone.  For right now, my old one makes her happy.

Uh-Oh!

So this is what I found when I walked into the bathroom recently....

I am surprised that Camden wasn't right up in there with her, getting in on the action!

Weekend Home

I've been in somewhat of a funk lately where I just want to stay home, for the most part.  Usually I just love being on the go, but lately I just want to be home, which is quite unusual for me.   Maybe it's a bit of the hot weather and I just don't have anywhere I really want or need to be.

I did go out with an old friend once last week, we checked out Hobby Lobby, a new store that recently opened in town... talk about a HUGE store!! I love their selection of scrapbooking materials, mostly the stickers, they have brands that Michaels doesn't carry.  It seems to carry a lot of Christian decor items... and was playing Christian music over the speakers... I notice things like that.  Plus they are closed on Sundays.  There are not many businessess these days that are closed on Sundays.  Anywho, My friend and I checked out the store, and then had ice cream.  It was good times :)

Ryan was able to come home this weekend...  It felt like forever to get to Friday for me!!  What a long week last week was.  Tuesday we got blown away at work with news about the future of our company...  Not sure if it's good or bad.  We are trying to stay positive about this news, but we don't know much about it yet...  I am sticking to my "rock", and not going anywhere,  that is all I know.  Well, unless I am let go.  Hopefully that won't happen, but we never know... I won't go into details because we really don't know much yet.... but it was just a complete surprise and it threw us for a loop last week, as they say. 

To make matters worse, last week was the last week for our clinic manager, who was a GREAT boss to me.  I will truly miss her... Dawn was just wonderful to work for.  She was the one who hired me, and she just kept our unit close, and kept it going.  She is moving to Florida, she couldn't pass up the opportunity and I don't blame her.  However, there is no replacement at the moment.  It. Is. Going. To. Be. Interesting.

Not quite sure how much I will be liking the changes to come.    But that is what life is full of, right?

PLUS I am getting just a tad bit anxious about where Ryan will be stationed once he graduates.... he is hoping for the barracks located right in our town, or the barracks that  are within 30 minutes away... he is hoping to find out soon, but it seems like "soon" is so far away.  I know it's not really, but sometimes just feels like it!

Anyway, back to what I was saying at the start.  The week seemed to drrrragggg on.  Maybe it was because I hadn't seen Ryan since almost 2 weeks before... maybe it was all of everything going on at work... maybe it was just me.  Who knows. 

Friday finally came.  Yay!  Ryan surprised me and didn't call me right when he got out of the academy at 2:45- which is SUPER EARLY, by the way.  He was HOME by 5:45!!  I was super excited!  He usually doesn't get home until 8..... sometimes 9 or later.  So It was soo nice to see him before dark!

Of course, he is such a busy body, and came home and immediately went to work, cutting the grass, so he wouldn't have to do it come saturday morning.  He thinks ahead :)

But it was soooo nice to have him home at a reasonable hour on Friday night!  Of course Saturday morning rolls around, and he still goes and does yard work again!! But it took him a lot less time since he had already gotten the grass cut and that out of the way.

So we spent a wonderful weekend together... just doing nothing.  A few errands, but mostly just stayed home.  Sometimes it's nice just to be home and just.... be.   I love those moments we have together.  I love just sitting and watching Ryan interact with his daughter.  The daughter he had a difficult time "getting ready" for, when we were discussing having children a few years ago...  The daughter who adores him, and whom he adores.   

Yea... she totally has food all over her face that I forgot to wipe off!!

                          

This is NOT the greatest picture, but I was trying to get a "family" shot of us hanging out on the couch!

He is just a wonderful daddy.  I know he misses Abigail terribly when he is away during the week, but at least she won't remember this stage in life.  We are glad to go through this now, and not when she is older.

It's just a stage... preparing him for what is to come.   In seven short weeks, he will be graduating, and will be a state trooper.  Hard to believe.  I can't picture him wearing that Stetson!! I guess I will have to picture it on graduation day when he's right in front of me!

Well, I really don't have much else to talk about, other than just us having a wonderful weekend together.  I truly miss my hubby during the week, but we are doing okay :)  I am taking it one week at a time.  And that's about all I can do. 

Looking Out

Abigail is into so much these days.... she really has been discovering a lot of things lately. 

Most recently, it's been the back sliding door.  When I let Camden outside, Abigail has realized that now that she can crawl over and look at Camden through the glass door.

Sometimes she will just crawl over and look out now even though Camden is inside the house.  Not quite sure what she is looking at but it occupies her!

She loves to bang her hands on the glass. (well, she loves to bang her hands on anything!)

She can pull herself up and stand kind of holding onto the door or curtains.

(Of course Camden had to get her nose in the picture, as she usually does.  She is just as nosy as Abigail and myself!)

We haven't really been outside much this summer due to the heat and humidity, but I am sure once the weather is a little cooler (and she will be walking then) she will want to go out with Camden!!