Hammock time

Poor Ella was sick yesterday - very low-energy, and running a little fever. Normally the girls have swim lessons on Tuesday, but there was no way she was up for it (plus we didn't want to get anyone else sick!). So Aaron took Maisie to swimming, and Ellie and I hung around at home. It was really nice out, so we sat and swung in the hammock, and took some pictures of ourselves with my phone.

Silly Ellie:

 Sick, sad, and snuggly E:

 This next one has us doing what Ella calls "monster teeth"... you jut out your lower jaw, show your bottom teeth, and go RRRRR!!!!!! like a monster.

 Monster teeth for me, pouty face for her!

A happier looking Ella... I really like this last picture.

Home!

So, our Ella was really, really sick.

She woke up early Tuesday morning with a high fever, so she and I were off to the ER while Aaron stayed home to care for Maisie. Ella had bacteremia, a bacterial blood infection. It was really scary, but she is much better after 2 1/2 days in the hospital receiving IV antibiotics. As you can see, her whole left hand and forearm were all taped up to protect her IV... she kept sucking on her hand and trying to get the tape off.

She had a really high fever, which is gone, and she finally seems like herself again - she wants to play and have fun, whereas when she was sick, she wasn't playful or laughing at all.

We are all so glad that Ella is home!

Finally!

Ella is HOME!

The Ella Update

As many of you know, Ella was hospitalized on Tuesday morning with what we originally suspected was H1N1... she had a high fever (102.7), cough, and runny nose, and was super cranky.

It turns out that Ella has strep. pneumoniae bacteremia - that is, her blood is infected with the bacteria strep. pneumoniae. She's doing a lot better since we brought her in. She was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, and is on IV antibiotics which are knocking the strep out like LL Cool J. Mama said knock you out!!

We've been alternating spending time with her at the hospital, me going to work, and someone being home with Maisie... and thank goodness for family - my Mom has picked Maisie up from school and fed her dinner the past 2 days, and I get home from the hospital to find Maisie playing happily with her Auntie Laura at our house. We're also thankful for my understanding employer, and my coworkers who are stepping up to cover my missed court appearances.

So right now we're hoping that Ella will be able to come home tomorrow (Thursday). Obviously we'd rather she were at home, but we want to make sure that everything's under control before we bring her home. The last thing we want to do is have to boomerang back to the Children's Hospital after being discharged!

We'll keep you all posted. And thanks for everyone's love, thoughts, prayers, and support. We truly appreciate it.

Illness/recovery

Sorry no posts for over a week, but poor Maisie's been dealing with an ear infection (and we've been dealing with poor Maisie!).

She was home from daycare Monday through Thursday last week, and got to see her pediatrician twice before she recovered enough to go back to school on Friday. So while we had some cute photo-worthy moments, like discovering the magic of Play-Doh on Tuesday, we also had lots of tears and complaining, which does not make for cute pictures.

Fortunately for all of us, the antibiotics her doctor prescribed worked their magic, and we're all back to our normal routines!

Lately Maisie has been very big on "helping." Sometimes she's really helpful, like when we're picking up toys and putting them away. Other times she's less helpful, like when I'm, say, vacuuming. When I'm in the kitchen, she always brings in a chair and wants to help with whatever I'm doing.

Today she wanted to help wash dishes! I ran some warm, soapy water, put in some spoons, bowls, and plastic cups, and gave her a sponge. She really went to town! She poured water into the cups with the spoons, and then poured it from cup to cup and back into the sink. She was incredibly focused and working really hard! It was very cute. The soapy water got everywhere, of course, but now the counters and floors are really clean!

All better!

Well, Spirit Week came to an early end when Maisie was sent home on Thursday with a high fever. So you can pretend that this picture is from either Thursday (mix & match day) OR Friday (pajama day), since my shoes totally do not go with those jammies.

(It is actually from today. Maisie really enjoys putting on my shoes and trying to walk in them. She hasn't been able to walk in them yet, though. My feet are just too big!)

So, Maisie had a very high fever on Thursday that we got under control with some ibuprofin. Oddly, she had no other symptoms... so when we got her in to the pediatrician on Friday, she was diagnosed with a mysterious "fever virus."

I left work early on Thursday, Aaron stayed home on Friday. We gave her lots of fluids, naps, cuddles, motrin, and TLC, and that combination seems to have done the trick.

She was fever-free by Saturday, and back to her happy, energetic self today. We even went for a walk around the block!

We are so glad our Maisie is healthy again!

On the mend.

Maisie's feeling better, thanks to amoxicillin and a lot of sleep.

She stayed home with Aaron today, but texted me to let me know as much.


Oh, and if you call Aaron on his cell and he can't hear you too well... it's probably not your phone or the connection. Turns out that baby saliva + cell phone = not good.

You'd think we'd have seen that one coming.

First ear infection.

Maisie and I are home today - she's got her first ear infection, poor little bug. But instead of a picture of sad, sick, unhappy Maisie, I will share a picture from happier times: yesterday.


She really loves her swing, as you can see. The tray has two toys attached: a mirror and a little fan-like thing with a pinwheel in it. Fascinating! Sometimes when she swings we'll sit in front of her and tickle her toes when she swings forward, and that always gets huge laughs.

Send good ear thoughts our way!