The Week from H-E-Double...well, you know...

Almost one week ago today, I noticed some new visitors in Miss V's mouth.  Two of them in the center of her bottom gum line.  (Because, hey, why do one when we can have two?)  That's right - teeth!  Of course, I'd heard all the stories about fever, drool, not wanting to eat as much, and diarrhea accompanying teething, which is why I didn't start to get concerned until late Friday when a junky cough started developing.  And then said cough turned into a runny nose and vomiting lots of mucus.  As much as I have tried, "Spit it out!" just doesn't work with a 5-month old.  No, good old fashioned puking it up is how one so little gets rid of all the excess boogies in her system.  And, of course, you know one of those episodes had to occur in the swing while I was in the kitchen so it meant she was covered (and choking), the swing was covered, because of said choking I had to pick her up so I was covered and the rug got a lovely new spot added to the corner.  Sunday was also the beginning of the blowouts.  Y'all, I have never seen poop like this.  Poor Bibsy had to be thrown into the bath a couple of times because it was everywhere.  I have also decided that we would be using disposables until this part of the fun cleared up because dealing with a sick child was enough - I didn't need to be cleaning out a cloth diaper every time I turned around. 

We went to the doctor early Monday morning and the diagnosis was...are you ready?...this is exciting!...a really bad COLD.  :o|  Um, what?  I mean, I was thrilled that her ears were clear, that it wasn't the flu or RSV, but a cold can cause this kind of misery?!  And there is pretty much nothing we can do for her.  It just has to run its course.  We can sit with her in a steamy room to help loosen the congestion and we can put a pillow under one end of her crib mattress to help with the drainage but other than that, nada.  No decongestants.  No baby neti pots.  (ha!  I would try it!)  No cough medicine.  I did finally pick up some Vicks Baby Vapo Rub to see if it would help a little. 

I can tell Baby Bibs is on the mend, though.  She's been a milk fiend today.  If she could talk, she'd be saying, "Mommy, gimme all that milk NOW!" in her best growly voice.  She's also rolling onto her tummy, which she hadn't been doing at all earlier in this illness.  I guess lying on your tummy while sick isn't so comfortable.  I know she's still sick because she took an almost-two-hour nap this afternoon which she NEVER does.  And she still has that cough that makes me wish I could take it away and do all that coughing for her.  It breaks my heart to hear that ugly cough come out of her tiny little mouth.

Of course, I thought I'd share some pictures from today since V is feeling a little better.  :)

The best things ever.  They have helped me tremendously this week.

 Yep.  This face has pretty much been par for the course.

 She has started sucking her bottom lip - maybe because of her teeth?

 Tummy time today, complete with extra drool

5 months!

My apologies.  I took these pictures on V's 5-month birthday but have been slow in putting them up.  Possibly because my birthday (the big 3-5 aka "advanced maternal age") was two days later and then we've been dealing with a sickie (post about that next).  Without further ado, the 5 month pictures!

Chillin' at my home spa because, you know, 5 months old is hard work

Mid-sentence, I think

Mom?  Being your guinea pig model is kinda boring

Posing for the camera

I have these chill poses down pat, y'all

Close-ups of the ice and snow

Click on these pictures to enlarge.  The crazy detail of this storm is amazing!  Thankfully, we're kind of digging out.  Church was canceled today because of a burst pipe, which flooded the parking lot.

Welcome to Indy in the Winter!

What to do during an Ice Storm...

Make brownies!  :)  I ate so well today that I can have TWO tonight (per my WW points).  Hooray!  Here is the recipe:
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted
2 Tbsp. water
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa (such as Nestle or Trader Joe's)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease 13x9-inch baking pan.
Combine sugar, butter and water in a large bowl.  Stir in eggs and vanilla extract.  Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; stir into sugar mixture.  Stir in nuts (if desired).  Spread into prepared baking pan.
Bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky.  Cool completely in pan.  Enjoy!

4 Months!

How can this be?  She's 1/3 of a year old already?!  I was looking at hospital pictures yesterday and I can't believe how much Vivian has grown.  She is now proficient at rolling from back to stomach (mostly trying to get a look at herself in her light-up snail) and, boy, is she a talker!  She's also discovered squealing which I'm sure she loves because it gets a response from us.  :)  Poor girl is going to be devastated when she ends up not being the center of attention one of these days.  For now, we'll spoil her.  ;)  Without further ado, the pictures!

Mmm...fingers... (usually accompanied by lots of drool)

Smiling at Daddy (she looks so grown up here!)

Turns into laughing at Daddy

Turns into laughing uncontrollably at Daddy (he is one funny guy!)

Turns into "I think I'm done now"

The light-up snail is my favorite

Just chillin' in my Bumbo like a big girl!

 Sorry for the wonky formatting.  Blogger is not playing nicely today.

Breakfast for Dinner

I love to cook but, unfortunately, having a baby doesn't leave a lot of time for me to flex my gourmet chef muscles.  I've taken up making this dish probably once or twice a month and we love it!  I use about half of an asparagus bunch and break the stalks into one-inch pieces.  Place the pieces into an 8x8 Pyrex dish and pour water into the dish until you have about 1 cm of water in the bottom of the dish.  Cover the dish with plastic wrap and microwave for 2 minutes.  Slice button or baby portabella mushrooms.  Heat 1 tsp. of olive oil in a non-stick skillet.  Add mushrooms and saute until lightly browned.  Add steamed asparagus pieces and saute until warmed.  Scramble 5-6 eggs in a separate bowl and pour into skillet.  Dot with 1 oz. goat cheese, if desired.  Sprinkle dried thyme, rosemary, pepper and salt onto egg mixture.  Now, let's be honest, this would be a lot prettier if I could make it look like an omelet.  However, I'm not that fancy, so it basically turns into scrambled eggs with veggies.  :)  But it still tastes good! 

The skillet after sprinkling the spices

The scrambled egg mixture

The finished product with a little bacon on the side.  YUM. :9

Off the Charts

At V's last pediatrician appointment, we were told her height was in the 99th percentile and then the doctor corrected herself and said, actually, she's off the chart for height.  Which would explain why my just-turned-3-month old is wearing 6-month pj's and they are the perfect length.  Le sigh.  I apologize in advance, little girl, because those pants with long inseams don't kick in until you hit J.Crew size.  :)