A Crazy Week

Since we returned from North Carolina, life has been crazy!  Before we got home, Cooper started with a really nasty sounding cough.  She never had any other symptoms so I didn't rush off to the doctor.  After a couple days, I decided to take her since Trenton and I were going out of town.  I couldn't get an appointment with her pedi, so I took her to my GP who said she had pneumonia!  He put her on some fairly strong antibiotics and told me not to worry. (Right!!!)  A couple days later I wanted to have her rechecked so I took her to her pedi, who said she did NOT have pneumonia and just a cough that sounds bad.  We are staying on the antibiotics just in case.  I made Cooper stay home from school all last week and she had cabin fever so bad.  She was so excited to go back to school today and is really looking forward to her Christmas Program tonight at the church.

On Saturday, Carsyn Grace started in with the fussiness.  She never cries, so I knew she didn't feel good.  After a couple hours of her being fairly hysterical, I took her to the Children's ER.  They said she had a cold and maybe a small intestinal blockage.  For the past two nights and yesterday, she has been a hot mess!  Coughing, fever, runny nose, pulling at her ears...so I am taking her back to the pedi today and praying it is something antibiotics can clear up FAST!  Mommy needs some sleep!  I forgot how much it sucks having a sick baby.  Cooper is old enough now that when she feels bad- she just wants to lay on the couch and watch movies.  Not so much for Carsyn and I am exhausted!  Praying she and everyone in our house will feel better and stop passing around these germs!  I have disinfected our entire house a million times and because Carsyn puts EVERYTHING in her mouth- I pretty much walk around with Clorox wipes.  Fun times!

Otherwise, we have been having a great time.  My parents came up and watched the kids last week while Trenton and I went to Nashville.  We went to dinner with some people from his work and Trenton was recognized for his leadership skills.  It was a big deal for him and everyone went around the table praising his contribution to the company and I was so proud.  He deserves the recognition.  We were able to go shopping and sleep in a little bit.  It was nice for us to have a night alone and I appreciate my parents coming to help with the girls!  I love Nashville and want to go back and do some exploring and more shopping.  The mall there was the bomb!

Saturday was Trenton's work party.  After the ER, our babysitter came over and stayed with the girls while Trenton and I went to a super nice dinner.  This is the first time I have ever used a babysitter at night and it went really well.  My friend Carrie introduced me to her babysitter and we have been using her since.  She is fabulous and experienced and not easily frazzled.  Carsyn pretty much refuses a bottle and was fussy when we left, but when we got home both girls were asleep in their beds.  (Both woke up and were up most of the night about ten minutes after she left- go figure!)  But we were able to get out and had a great time.

Finally, Carsyn has had some milestones lately.  She has been saying dada like crazy and this makes Trenton excited to no end.  She also is changing positions (i.e.- from sitting to her belly) without totally faceplanting into the ground.  And she now weighs over 20 pounds!  We ordered her big girl carseat and she is going to start using it ASAP.  I am sad because she falls asleep in her carseat and this allows us to go out to eat and run errands without having to wake her up.  We need to get on a stricter napping schedule.  I ordered her the same carseat as Cooper (different pattern), but the Britax Marathon- it is expensive, but it is the best safety wise and also super comfortable.  I can't believe she is almost 8 months old!  She just gets cuter everyday.  She has really started losing that baby look and I'm starting to get a glimpse of what she will look like as a toddler.  Very exciting!

I will post in the next day or two with pictures from Cooper's Christmas program.  Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season.  We are so excited to come home next week and see all of our friends and family!

*Update* Poor Carsyn has a blister on her eardrum and that is what has been causing her so much pain. They also tested her for strep because her throat was red, but that came back negative. So we will wait it out and hope she feels better soon!!