Update

This is video 1 of 2. I know I've posted videos of her reading before but it just cracks me up!! She's showing some of her repeating skills here :)

Well I already posted this on FB but we took Ella to the dr. yesterday and her ear infection is GONE!! I'm convinced it was the natural treatments and not that antibiotic!! But the bad news is that now she has either strep for some sort of virus! She woke up yesterday morning at 4:30. At first I thought it was because I'd put her to bed so early the night before (6:30!), and she woke up happy. It was actually pretty funny. Rusty and I woke up to her saying "mama! mama? mama? where's mama?....." over and over for like 5 minutes. Finally after I guess she decided I wasn't coming, she started with "daddy? dada? where's daddy?" for about 5 minutes. Then I finallly went in there to see what was up. When she wakes up all happy and talking like that, I just KNOW she isn't going back to sleep. But when I went in there, I kissed her forehead and it was burning up! Sure enough she had a fever of 100.8, poor thing! When we got to the dr., she checked Ella's throat and said it looked pretty nasty. My dr. sounded pretty certain it was strep, but the test came back negative. She said though that a strep test can come back negative in the first 24 hours when it's actually positive. GREAT. She still has a fever and has been pretty miserable all morning, just laying on me.

Here's the 2nd video...more of the same but still pretty funny! I can't wait until she starts actually talking in sentences, I think she's gonna have a lot to say!

PS I think this will be my new blog look for awhile, I know I keep changing it!!

How to...

I came across this youtube video and it has changed my life! Ok, not really. It's not like I fold 100 fitted sheets a week or anything, but still. I figured I'm almost 30 (yikes) and I should probably know how to properly fold a fitted sheet!

www.domesticadventure.com/2009/12/how-to-fold-a-fitted-sheet-101/
(how do i get the actual video to show up on my blog, does anyone know? i tried but couldn't figure it out so this is the link to it)

I'm very excited because right now it's 7:45, Ella's sound asleep, my house is clean and I have nothing pressing to do! Yeah! This hardly every happens. Usually when it does happen I canNOT let myself relax and I end up mopping the kitchen floor or clipping coupons or something ridiculous like that. I just have a really hard time relaxing! I'll probably spend the rest of the time trying to decide how exactly I want to relax and by the time I decide, it'll be time to go to bed. I think there may be something wrong with me.

So, I think Ella may finally be over her ear infection! I don't want to jinx it so I won't say it out loud, I'll just type it. Wednesday of last week she was on day 6 of her 4th antibiotic and she was showing no signs of improvement. Desperate, I started researching anything and everything I could find relating to ear infections. By God's grace I came upon a blog of a new friend and she had a section on ear infections! That led me to find a little vitamin shop and get some garlic ear oil. There was a nutritionist there who also helped me find some probiotics with immune boosters. She also suggested that I switch ella to soy milk for awhile until the ear infection was gone. Within about 24 hours Ella seemed to perk up and started sleeping about 13 hours at night. Thursday we go to the doctor to get her ear checked out. I'm just praying they are better! Regardless of what happens with her ears, it just felt good to finally take charge of Ella's health and stop being at the mercy of the 5 minutes the doctor gives me every 2 weeks.

Saturday Ella started getting a little fussy again, this time it seemed to be focused in her mouth. Over and over she kept crying and slapping her jaw line towards the back. I worked up the nerve to stick my finger in her mouth and sure enough her gums were pretty swollen in the back-seems like her 2 year molars are coming in! I know it's a little early but she's always been a little advanced in the teething area.

Ok, well I'm gonna go start relaxing!

I bundled Ella up today to go play in the snow. I just wanted to take her out for a few minutes. I got her a sled at a garage sale over the summer and I thought she'd really like it!

Or not. I was so bummed! Hopefully she'll like it more eventually. This girl is NOT an outdoor girl! Oh well. Too bad it took like half an hour to get her and I both bundled up just to have to go right back inside. I did pull her around our patio and then carried her into our front yard, and then let her walk around the driveway. She screamed the whole time.

Ella's 15 month appointment was yesterday. It did not go so well. She was great in the waiting area, happily playing with toys, but as soon as the nurse came out to call us back, she started screaming and pretty much did that the entire time we were there. It was great! I'm not sure if this is typical or just my pediatrician, but we always get called back right on time (within a few minutes). We see the nurse, get measurments, etc., and then she says "the doctor will be in shortly!". Usually from that point we have to wait about 30 minutes for our doctor to actually come in the room. Of course Ella's already stripped down to her diaper and I can't really redress her since the doctor could come "any minute". I'd much rather just wait an extra 30 minutes in the waiting room with my daughter fully dressed, happy and playing rather than naked and crying! Finally I just put her boots on her so she could at least walk around.

So-here are her stats:

Weight 22 lbs 6 oz (40%)

Height 31 in. (62%)

Head 19.25 in. (98%) yup. she can't wear old navy tops because they won't go over her ginormous head!!

The bad news is that she still has an ear infection. Pretty sure it's the same one she's had since beginning of November, she just can't get rid of it, poor girl! So she's on her 4th antibiotic. If this doesn't work, there is one last antibiotic that is an injection that they can try. If that doesn't work we'll probably have to go the tubes route. Really hoping we won't have to go that far though!

Have you danced during lunch lately? We have!