Not another Ear Infection

This year Maggie talked us into starting a new tradition - the Edaville Railroad. They have a winter festival of lights and you take a train ride through the bogs and see all the lights while they play nice holiday songs. You can meet Santa and have hot cocoa & gingerbread men. In reality it was really cold, Shara wouldn't let me put her down, and none of us met Santa. We still had a good time. The lights were beautiful and there were so many kids. Shara had a good time on the train, which I thought she'd have have trouble with since she freaked a bit with the loud noice.

The next day, Sunday, I knew something was wrong. Shara wouldn't let me lay her down, she threw up when I tried to give her a nap, and was generally miserable. We got an appointment with the after hours doctor's office and after throwing up more all over daddy & mommy, the diagnosis was another ear infection. They put her on zithromax and the next day Dr. Walcott called me at work to say she wanted to see Shara for herself. She didn't think it was another ear infection and that it was viral. Turns out it was RSV with bronchiolitis. So no school for Shara for the week and nebulizer treatments 3x a day for a week as well. She also put her on a decongestant/cough suppressent.

Though Oma & Jidor didn't want Shara to be sick, they were really happy that they got to spend the week taking care of her. We were really lucky we didn't have to take time off of work, though she was acting not very sick after Monday, so it wouldn't have been that much of a hardship. It was good that her grandparents got to spend this time with her though. At work, Kristin said to think of it as their Christmas present.

She's been doing great with the nebulizer. I turned it into a little treat since she gets to watch the Wiggles while we do it. She's also been talking up a storm. She tries to repeat everything we say and her proununciation is getting much better. I'm sure it's the teeth, but it's probably also a developmental stage as well. We're really looking forward to the holidays and introducing her to lots of new traditions. We'll start tomorrow with the Hanukkah party at Bubbe's, then go to visit with Grandpa Bobby & Nonnie at Chris' for Christmas Eve, finishing the whirlwind tour with Christmas Day at Oma & Jidor's.

Teeth must make a difference

Now that Shara has her back molars she's been talking up a storm. Alan got her cute new words on tape, which is a good thing because neither of us can even come close to imitating it. She uses the same unpronouncable sound for tomatoes, snowman, mermaid, and some other things - it's kind of like nmeme and rolls out of her mouth. It's so cute! And yesterday she was doing a whispering voice with ssipppess like sounds and we got her cracking up by doing the same back to her - sppss in her ear, then sppss to daddy, daddy does it to mommy and then back to Shara. She was rolling!

We also went out in the snow and she couldn't really walk - bundled up to much. Alan suggested we get the sled - thank you Maggie. Told you we'd use it. I got good exercise running her around the front yard in circles. She also like going down the little slope to the driveway. She wanted more but mommy was ready to pass out so we went inside for blueberries and yogurt. She ate the whole bowl with her spoon - after fishing out the blueberries and getting really gooey.

Mommy also learned that we don't go shopping with Shara after she has any breakfast with maple syrup. She was off the wall. Wouldn't go in the front seat of the cart. Would barely stay in the back of the cart. I almost gave up and brought her home. She walked a little holding my had, until she tried to run away. I carried her a bit. It wasn't a very good time, but when we got in line, she got in the front seat and I had easy Shara back.

Thursday I got a call from daycare, just as I was checking out from Job Lot, that Shara didn't have a fever, but she woke from her nap and was really crying and not at all herself. I went to get her, making a doctor's appointment on the way. We went up to the doctors and it turned out to be an ear infection. She really was crying really hard but she stopped while we were driving. I put on some of Shara's music. She was wet when we got to the doctor's and I didn't have the diaper bag with me so I had to go in the trunk while holding her. I had just bought a rocking horse at Savers and I knew she'd see it, and she did and said, "rock rock". I told her to forget she saw it!

We got to the doctors office and she was miserable and tired looking but in better spirits. As soon as we entered the exam room she started crying again. I got her to stop by looking out the window and seeing the lights on the ambulance, the people walking around, the trees, etc. The nurse came in and had her throwing up mucus she was so upset with her taking her temperature rectally. We stopped that and switched to under the arm, but it was too late. After she left I calmed her down again and then it was time for the exam. More crying but not nearly as hysterical as before. So to put an end to this story, we went to Brooks to get the prescription and she was walking around the store looking at Elmo and wanting more Elmo. You'd never know she was sick. Talking to the pharmacy and giving our information I said, "Alan" and shara repeats back, "Alan", so I had to tell her that we call daddy daddy, not Alan, etc. But we did say it for daddy later and it's one of the few words she pronounces perfectly!