We're out of Stickers!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL!!!!!! 

 

St. Patrick's Day 2012 & Happy 2nd Birthday!

We have had a very low key St. Patty's Day.  We did leave the house once, not for a parade....just a trip to Lowe's.  What can we say, we're fancy people.

 St. Patrick's Day means a little more in the Courter family.  It means......

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KENDAL & PIERSON!!!!

Ella was excited to hold the sign, but quickly wanted to see if all the colors were flavored.  Fanny celebrated the twins birthday with a nap.  

The rest of the day was spent playing, eating & watching the NCAA Tourney!!  

Here are a few pictures of the World's Cutest Irish Baby....

 Sheer Excitement

Green shirt....check. Bow...check. Busy Ball Popper....check.  Pants....Um, it's St. Patty's Day, who needs pants!

If you're cute & you know it raise your hand!

We hope that you had a great St. Patty's Day as well and that you're brackets haven't already been busted.

Party Planning meets Mommy Guilt

2 facts:
1) I have a very strong guilt complex, I always have. 
2) I have a baby

These 2 facts combine to create a NASTY case of "Mommy Guilt".  I probably need to throw another fact in there....I have women issues.  I know I'm not alone, lots of us do...you might.  Why do we do this?  Why do we compete with each other instead of embracing each other?  Why do we tend to cut each other down, even if only in our heads, instead of build each other up?  Why are we not Champions for other women?  Why do we not stand in the gap for our fellow women when we all know we're each fighting some kind of battle & could certainly use the reinforcements!  Well, whatever the reason, I don't like it & I'm not playing that crap anymore.  Mostly because it's stupid and exhausting but also because I have a daughter and I don't want her playing that crap either. 

Now, with my guilt complex, my women issues and my mommy guilt, I'm planning a party.  Not just any party.....A 1st BIRTHDAY PARTY.  Oh goodness.  I wanted to throw Ella a wonderful yet tastefully simple party.  No theme.  No gifts.  Easy enough right?  Wrong.  I felt myself having to explain why I wanted this, why this is what I thought was best.   I shouldn't have to justify why I want to throw my daughter a simple, themeless birthday party just like another mom shouldn't have to justify why she wants to throw an over the top (so to speak), all out celebration theme birthday party. But that's exactly what I was doing.....comparing Ella's party to every other party I've seen, or read a blog post about, or a friend was planning.  Seriously? 

I have been stressing about this party for weeks!  Searching pinterest for just the right thing for Ella's party.  The perfect decoration that matches what I have envisioned in my head.  Justifying, to only myself at times, why this was best.  Then I realized why I feel so guilty, why I want everything to be perfect.  When I came to my realization, I sat down and wrote to my daughter.  Several weeks ago I created a blog where I write to her (and her siblings to follow) so if dementia claims my mind, as it did my mother's and her mother's, she knows the stories, she won't have to wonder.  I didn't want to share the blog, but I'll share this post.  Maybe someone else is going through this or something like it or maybe you'll just end up knowing me a little better. 

So I'm trying to quiet the mommy guilt and the women issues.  Trying to be kinder to other women, but mostly trying to be kinder to myself.  I think I'll be a better mommy when I don't feel so guilty about everything.  I think I'll raise a healthier daughter.

In the end, when all the parties are history and the themes are just faint memories, isn't that what we're all trying to do.....raise healthy, happy adults with strong character that will contribute something to this world?

Yes, I think so.

RSV = Remember Sleeping on Vacation?

Because we're certainly not doing any sleeping these days!  Ella was diagnosed with RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) today, poor girl is miserable!  It's really hard to see her like this, there's not much more heartbreaking in life than to see your child hurting and not being able to fix it.  My parents used to tell me this all the time....I finally get it.

I hate RSV for 2 reasons:

Reason #1  ~  RSV makes Ella look like this

Instead of this

Reason #2  ~  I don't get to see any of this for A MONTH!

I hate not being able to go see my Mom, but I can't risk infecting her too.  She is just as vulnerable to this virus, if not more so, than Ella is. 

So, keep us in your prayers.  We are all sick (Ella shared her virus with Mommy & Daddy), tired and pathetic looking, but at least we have each other to cuddle with! 

Oh & if you have any tips on what helped your kiddos when they had RSV, don't be stingy, we'll try anything!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Signing Day 2012

Curse you cows milk!

Well, Ella had her appointment with the allergist today & we now have answers. Drum-roll please....Ella is allergic to cows milk.  Highly allergic.  As in, we now own EpiPens allergic. 

They did a skin test to determine this and Ella was a ROCKSTAR.  Seriously.  I know everyone thinks their kid is fantastic, but Miss E literally laid on her stomach holding her burpie (her beloved burpcloths) while the nurse administered the possible allergens.  Ella's reaction to this:  giving the nurse an over the shoulder confused look each time.  While we were waiting the 20 minutes to analyze the results, in my opinion the worst part, she just laid on her tummy sucking on her organic, milk/gluten/whatever else free sucker.  Meanwhile, her back was blowing up like a red balloon!   She did not cry once.  I've been through allergy testing.  It blows!  Didn't phase her one bit.  Okay, now I'm being one of "those" parents, but I'm one proud mamma.  Here are a few pictures of this mornings adventures. 

 Don't even THINK about taking this sucker, sucker!

 TWO minutes into a 20 minute test.  Um, yeah....pretty sure I already know she's allergic!

 Just kickin it with my apple sucker

By the time the test was over & the nurse came back in the room, the entire right side of Ella's back was completely covered by hive whelps.  I wish I would have thought to take a picture!  So, long story short, if you see Ella out & about, please keep your cheese to yourself!  

Hard to keep up

Wow, this mommy stuff makes it hard to be a productive adult!!  Why did no one tell us this?  Poor Ella's baby book is a disgrace.  We have no idea what day her 1st, 2nd, or 3 tooth came in.  We were just SO EXCITED, and sleep deprived, we never thought to put it in the baby book.  Pictures are just stacking up on top of her baby book, waiting to be placed carefully inside.  This blog, that was supposed to be our backup, isn't shedding any more light on the questions we have either.  And if all that isn't enough, now I'm behind on the blog too!  Ugh.  Multiple Mommy Fail.

Well, since the last post, Scott & I have had out 1st weekend away from Ella.  We had a lot of fun at the AFCA & AFCWA convention in San Antonio.  We saw a lot of good friends and had a great time just the two of us.

 

I highly recommend The Contessa Hotel if you stay on the Riverwalk.  Loved it! And if you have kiddos with you, they get the living room (pull-out couch or tons of room for a crib) & 

you have your own bedroom.

The Alamo.  I'd never been before.

 

Coach T & his Bearcats at the Bearcat Social

We sure missed our little girl though!!!  I felt guilty about leaving her, but I knew that Scott & I needed time to just be a married couple and I was assured that Ella would be so happy when we got back that all would be good upon our return.  Um, not so much.  Ella was FURIOUS.  She literally shook with anger and would not look at us for an hour!  We fed her and gave her a bath and she was better but it took TWO DAYS before she was back to her happy self. 

 Her happy self is SO AWESOME!

We leave for Mexico in a few weeks and Lord only knows what she's going to be like when we get back!  This trip was 10 years in the making, so not going is not an option.  For those of you doing the math in your head, no, I did not know Scott 10 years ago.  Scott & his college buddies started this & this girl is reaping the benefits!!  Woot woot!!!  Scott's parents are coming to watch Ella, so this will be such a great thing for her.  She won't remember it, but she will have such a great time being loved on by her Grammy & PaPa, and what a wonderful gift to be able to spend time with them.  Scott and I are excited to finally be going on a vacation where we don't have to do anything; no wedding, no convention, nothing.  Just the beach, the two of us & friends. I'll let you know how she does.  We might end up being "those parents" who Skype with their kids while they're on vacation but man, I'm Irish, which means my kid is Irish too & we hold grudges.  *Lucky Scott*

We do have an appointment with Ella's allergist on Thursday, so at least we'll have a gameplan on that front before we leave the country.  After two severe reactions, her pediatrician wanted to see what's going on....so do we.  Hopefully we can get things figured out for her! 

Ella Update is coming soon.....she's changed so much!!!