This post was brought to you by the letters EEG and RSV

There are sooo many pictures from Christmas I may never get them uploaded. But I will try to get a few on here soon. We had a lovely time. More details to come.

But in the meantime here are some Good/Bad things that have been going on:

- Good thing: My sister had a birthday where she turned 19.
Bad thing: That means I am getting old.
Good thing: We celebrated at a japanese grill. My first time at one and it was yummy!

- Good thing: We celebrated Christmas a week before with my side of the family. We had a wonderful time. I am so blessed to have wonderful parents, and the best sister, brother, and sister-in-law. It was nice to spend time with them.
Bad thing: Weedends are too short.

- Good thing: Christmas eve was a holiday off from work. We watched Christmas movies, visited with a dear friend, and had hot chocolate. Kase even baked me my favorite cookies to satisfy my sweet tooth. He is so sweet. We also got to put out presents for the baby under the tree. That was fun.
(Not so) Bad thing: the baby likes wrapping paper/bows more than presents. Oh well. Still cute.

- Good thing: Christmas day was spent with Kase's side of the family and we had so much fun. Lots of homemade pizzas and visiting with family. Kase's mom got an XBox Kinect (I think that is what it is called) and just FYI I am so out of shape, I only played like 3 little games and what should be my ab muscles were sore the next day! So worth it. (SuperDeb, I need to come play some more!)
Bad thing: Christmas is over.

- Bad thing: The day after Christmas Kase and I were both suppose to teach at church.
Good thing: It was suppose to snow. I felt bad praying that there wouldn't be church, so instead I prayed that there would be more snow.... and there was... and church was canceled.... and I got to stay home all day and snuggle my baby instead of teaching. Nice.

- Good thing: My Mom, Dad, and Sister came up to visit. It's so nice to have them here. I took Monday and Tuesday off to do some shopping and to take Eliza to her doctor appointment. Nice to be off work.
Bad thing: Taking Eliza to the doctor.

Short Story:
-Tuesday morning Eliza had her EEG test at Children's hospital. On Monday night, she started running a fever and coughing. She was pittiful and kept wanting me and making these sad little noises. She needed to be drousy for the EEG, which she was because we kept her up late (as instructed) plus she woke up EVERY hour during the night PLUS we woke her up early (as instructed). She was also hungry becaus we weren't allowed to feed her for 4 hours before the test. She did so good though and wasn't a grumpy monster like I thought she would be.

For the test they had me lay on a bed next her her. They wrapped her in a sheet where she couldn't move. She didn't like that at all. Then they wrote with a red pencil all over her head marking where each of the 22 electrodes should be placed. She didn't like that either. Then they put the electrodes on her and wrapped her head like a mummy. She looked like this:

Then she fell asleep just like she was suppose. What a good little baby. They tracked her brain waves for around 20 minutes or so. Then we had to wake her up and get her to do her "pose." Then it was all over. Poor little thing. Then she looked like this:

We won't know the results of the EEG for a week. After that she ate and we went home and took a good nap.

THEN I decided to torture her some more and take her to the doctor for her cough/fever/runny nose. And guess what... She has RSV. (Brianna stay away!!) I don't really understand what that is but I think it can keep babies from breathing good and then they have to go to the hospital. Good news is Eliza's oxygen levels were good and I just have to keep an eye on her and make sure whe doesn't get too weezy or a fever that is too high. Oh and she has a double ear infection. Yikes. She has never really been sick before so I guess she decided to go all out.

Bad thing: RSV. Sick Baby. Icky Tests. That was a long day.

Good thing: Eliza slept sooo good last night. My parents are at my house today taking care of her while we're at work.

Bad thing: I have to work.

Good thing: I am off on Friday!

Good thing: I get to spend New Year's Eve with my hubby and my baby.

Christmas pictures coming soon!

P.S.
Last wednesday Eliza started saying "Da Da" she has no idea what it means but it is super cute. She also has her 3rd tooth!
She is growing way too fast!
But I am glad she is growing.
And for my memory she weight 16 lbs even at the doctor yesterday.

P.S.S.
Ok I am done now. Sorry for the long post.

P.S.S.S.
THE END

10 days and Random Thoughts

Did you know that Christmas is 10 days away!!! How crazy is that?!

I don't feel very Christmasy this year for some reason. I have listened to the same christmas cd over and over just like every year, I have put up our christmas tree, I wrapped most of the presents, and attended a christmas movie party at a friend's house (quite fun), but it doesn't really feel like Christmas. I can't figure it out.

But this weekend we will be celebrating my little sister's birthday, have Christmas with my side of the family, AND have a christmas party with Kase's side of the family so hopefully that will do the trick and make it feel Christmas-y around here.

Now I just need to get rid of this cold.

I love traditions and I want to make some new ones with our little family. But I don't really know where to start. Eliza is too young to know what is going on but I really want to think of some good ones for when she is old enough. Any suggestions?

I plan on reading the christmas story on christmas eve and watching christmas movies while eating delicious goodies all day long. I think that would be a good tradition to keep.

"It's a Wonderful Life" is one of my favorite Christmas movies. Kase thinks it's really boring. I use to think so as a kid but my mom loved it so we would watch it anyway. Now I really love it and it makes me think of my mom. My tradition will be to make Kase watch it every year. ha ha.
What are some of your traditions?

Did I mention that I have a cold? Yuck. Eliza is snotty too. This morning we snuggled back in bed and slept an extra couple of hours. It was soo nice. I love snuggling that little baby. She likes to put her face on yours. And sometimes she'll stir awake just to make sure you're still there and then she'll fall back asleep. Love her to pieces.



Well that is all for now. Hope everyone is feeling Christmas-y!

6 Month Check-up

Eliza had her doctor's visit today. On the way to the doctor she started crying and I couldn't see her in the back seat (yes we need one of those mirror things). I tried to comfort her and couldn't figure out what was wrong. Then I realized that her little beanie hat had fallen down over her eyes and she couldn't see. Oops. Sorry kiddo.

The doctor said she looks great. She weighs 15 lbs 9.5 oz and is 26.5 inches long. She's right on track for all of her developmental stuff and is even ahead on some stuff.

She did so good at the doctors and with getting her shots. She looked so cute sitting up all by herself on the table.

We took a video of Eliza's "pose" (as seen here) to show the doctor. She looked at it and said that our baby is really weird and that she has no idea what is going on but we should be really worried. OK I AM KIDDING! Sort of.

She did say that she thinks it is just a comfort thing and that it is a good sign that if we touch Eliza during "posing" she stops. BUT she said just to be safe we're going to get an EEG (I think that's what they called it. It's a brain scan or something another.) Just to make sure that there isn't anything weird going on.

UM WHAT!!!????

That sounded really scary. And as we left the doctor's office we were both really worried. But driving home, I had a very peaceful feeling come over me. I am 99.99999999% sure that Eliza is just fine. She is just a weird kid with a lot of personality and that is her "I am tired so I am going to my happy place" pose. But just to be sure we will find out.

So she will have this test on the 28th. And it doesn't sound very fun. And I think I will probably cry a lot because we have to keep her awake 2 hours past bedtime and wake her up 2 hours early and not feed her for 4 hours before the test and then watch them scan her little bitty brain. sighhhhh....

Poor little girl. But she is still really cute. And I think that everything will be all right.

Waiting in the cold waiting room at the doctor's office.

Firsts: Green Beanie

This past Sunday Eliza tried her first baby food: Green beans.
For some reason I thought she would think they were tasty. This is what we found. ..

Before her first bite:
After:

Turns out she is not a fan of green beans. No matter how much I tried.

But she tried them. And that is what matters. Then Daddy made her feel all better.

Next up: Peas....

Firsts: Food, Bumbo, and Jumperoo

Over Thanksgiving weekend, Eliza had a lot of first. She tried her very first bite of cereal. And yes we took tons of pictures and video taped it. We are those people.

She was really grumpy before the food...

But she decided quickly that she may like this after all....








She also finally got a bumbo.. this weird chair thingy that helps babies sit up. I got it at a consignment store for a really good price. She likes it a lot.




And finally, she got her christmas present from us, a jumperoo. (Like a walker only no walking and all jumping.) It is the first purchase we have ever made in the big item department that invovles pink, but we got a GREAT deal on it and it's cute. She loves it. Not only does it help her jump, but it helps her squeal a lot while playing with all of the toys.
Good thing she is eating cereal. She will need all those extra calories for all the jumping and squealing she plans on doing.

Totally worth it.

Recap of Thanksgiving

Every year we alternate Thanksgiving and Christmas between Kase's side of the family and mine. We do this because my family lives kind of far away (especially when you have a little one) and it would be too much to travel to both on the same day. This year, we spent thanksgiving with my side of the family.

Eliza got to spend some time with her grandpop.... who looked a little like santa clause.....


She also got to spend some time with her memaw and great-memaw. Four generations..... three of which are Martynes....

It was hard because my memaw has alzheimer's disease and she couldn't really remember who we were. But she loved being around Eliza. She kept saying how beautiful she is and how she could tell she is a good baby. My mom said that my memaw hadn't smiled that much in a while.

It was Eliza's first thanksgiving and while she didn't get to eat any turkey, she did get to sport really cute mocassin's that my sister made her.


My dad grilled the turkey....soooooo.... good.... nice and smoked....

I had to keep Kase from devouring our child as an appetizer...

That is because I was saving her for desert....

It was a wonderful thanksgiving.

Eliza.... 6 months on the 6th

Eliza turned 6 months on the 6th. It is hard to believe. While this will probably be boring to most of you, I want to remember what is going on with Eliza at this age so here it goes.

At 6 months she:

- squeals a lot.

- makes a fake coughing noise... sounds like an evil laugh.

- loves to touch faces, pull hair, and give mommy kisses.

- has her 2 bottom front teeth.

- can sit up by herself for a little while before falling over.

- has become attached to us and afraid of strangers.

- still loves the dog

- loves to take her medicine and vitamins.

- smiles a lot.

- still hates rolling over.

- is getting better about tummy time if you bribe her with your cellphone or tv control.

- still does her weird 'pose' thing. In fact, I think she does it even more often. :(

- loves to eat oatmeal cereal.

- does not like green beans.

-loves taking baths.

- reaches for one toy over another instead of just grabing whatever.

- goes by Eliza, Ellie, Junebug, bug, booger, Ellie bear.

- loves to sleep with us.

- likes when we sing to her.

- makes us laugh everyday.

Our weekday schedule goes something like this:

If she wakes up before 6 and doesn't go back to sleep, she gets to sleep with us. Which sometimes means Kase has to go sleep elsewhere because she takes up a lot of room.

6:30-7 nursing time.

7:30 (should be but I am late sometimes) drop her off at daycare where she plays, eats, naps all day. I head to work where I miss her all day.

5 pick her up. She is tired and happy to see me.

5:30 nurse, eat some cereal and nap.

Randomly: playtime, bathtime, storytime.

8:00 diaper change, lotion, medicine, vitamins, p.j.s, nurse for bedtime.

9:00 in bed hopefully.

Weekends we sleep in. We play, nap, shop, play, eat, nap, whatever really. I try to nurse and not use bottles to keep up supply. So far so good. We just started baby food yesterday. A post to come on that soon.

It is getting hard to get a good picture her. In these first photos she has hat hair and her lounging clothes because she hates to change clothes.

These next photos she has green beans on her face. oops.

It is so fun to begin to see her personality emerge. We love her so much. She goes to the doctor on Friday so we'll see what her stats are and find out about her crazy posing. Funny girl.

Stats:

15 lbs 9.5 oz

26.5 inches long

Noggin' size: 16.6"

Thankful

There are so many things that I am thankful for this year. I am thankful for:

a wonderful husband who takes care of me and loves me even when I am grumpy...

a sweet beautiful baby girl who brings me so much joy everyday....

family that loves us and supports us....

friends who I can call family....

wonderful co-workers and job....

a clean house thanks to my husband (see above)....

the knowledge and truth the gospel brings me....

delicious food that I will be chowing down on tomorrow...

and lots more!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

All Is (becoming) Calm, All is Bright

Time is flying by so fast around here. I can't believe next week is THANKSGIVING!!! WHAT!! That means that Christmas is not too far away. In fact, this year Christmas is exactly one month after thanksgiving. Exactly.

I always wait till after Thanksgiving to put up the tree, and decorate for Christmas. I don't have a lot of my own Christmas traditions yet. But one that I do have is sending out Christmas cards usually (hopefully) at the beginning of December. Which is like oh... I don't know... 2 WEEKS AWAY.

This year, with a new baby, I am sooo looking forward to sending out picture Christmas cards. We have never done it before and now I am so excited to finally send one out with our cute little Eliza showing off her cute self. I love getting other peoples cards with pictures, and I hope they will love getting one from us too!

I have heard about Shutterfly from a lot of people and they have the CUTEST christmas cards. I am so excited to pick out which one we will use. I can't decide if I want to do one with the whole family or just the baby or maybe even a picture of both!

There are several cards that I really like. Like this one:

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/perfect-paisley-christmas-card?sortType=1&fa=2&storeNode=93476


And this one:

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/most-wonderful-time-christmas-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&fa=4&storeNode=93476

And who could resist this one if they have a little santa of their very own:

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/oh-ho-ho-christmas-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&fa=4&storeNode=93476

PLUS while I was shopping around I found that you can make calendars. They have some cute calendar themes and I think they would make good gifts for say.... yourself, or family. I kind of want to make one just for me to have at my desk at work.

Calendars are here: http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/wall-calendars

Anyways. If you want to pick out your very own Christmas cards go here: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards

I can't wait to get a cute picture taken and get our cards sent out. I always scrapbook other peoples picture cards and I love to see how the kids grow over the years. So cute.

Check them out and send me a Christmas card this year!!!


Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly http://bit.ly/sfly2010

5 Months

Eliza turned 5 months old on Saturday.

I can't believe it! Time is FLYING by!!!

We had our own little photo shoot with daddy there to make smiles.

Eliza At 5 Months Old:

- Gives us really huge smiles, but giggles are not so plentiful yet.

- LOVES to eat her toes.

- Loves to snuggle and sleep with us but she sleeps in her crib.

- She is sleeping through the night... most of the time.

- She loves to put everything in her mouth and drool on everything.

- She loves the dog and wants to pet her, talk to her, and smile at her.

- She squeals now and has a new high pitched scream reserved for late night diaper changes.

- She gives you huge open mouth kisses all over your face. Especially in the morning. It's nice because then you don't have to wet your face to wash it because it's already wet from drool.

- She loves to hold hands and have her face touched as she falls asleep.

- She still hates tummy time and rarely rolls over.

............AND....

She now has 2 teeth!!! Her bottom 2 center teeth just popped through last thursday. I haven't been able to get a picture of them yet because they are still really tiny and she won't be still. Those teeth are going to make those open mouth kisses of hers a little more tricky. My little baby is growing up.

We love her so much and can't wait to see what she does next!

Visiting

Last Tuesday my brother John and his wife Leah came to visit. We went out to dinner and Eliza got to spend some time with them.

She takes after her aunt Leah in that they both look good in pink....

and she takes after uncle John in that they both have similar hairstyles.

We had a great time visiting with them. Come visit again soon!!!!

10.10.10

On October 10th, we had the pleasure of attending some of our friends lovely wedding. It was victorian themed. The bride even made the wedding dress! We had a really nice time and it was a very sweet and special day.

Our dear friend Holly was sister of the groom and got to wear a super awesome dress with a super awesome bustle:

We had so much fun.

Rolling Over and QUESTION!!

This will mostly be boring to everyone but grandparents. It may even be boring to them too. BUT if you are a parent or know anything about babies, at least skip to the last picture because I need your advice.

About a month ago, (October 11th to be exact) Eliza rolled over for the first time. She did it several times in a row and I haven't been able to get her to do it again. I caught one of the times with the camera.

YAY!!!! She did it!She HATES tummy time. She just cries and screams until you pick her up.

Maybe one day she will decide to roll over again. That would be nice. Just saying. No pressure or anything.

Eliza has a "pose" that she does when she is tired. It looks like this:

Right arm bent, left arm stretched out behind her, legs crossed. Not sure why she does that other than being tired and upset. Any one know anything about this?

Ghosts, Bats, Witches, Pumpkins, and Sharks

For Eliza's first Halloween, she had a lot of cute clothes to wear. Her uncle John and aunt Leah L-O-V-E halloween. So they bought her sever super cute onesies which I L-O-V-E-D dressing her in. We prepared for Halloween by wearing these several times....


There is a super cute witch on this one: She also had special P.J.'s just for the occasion. They had bat feet:
We went to our church's trunk-or-treat. So fun. Eliza was the only shark there. I was a scuba diver and Kase was a life-guard. Our car played the Jaws music. You know. The duh duh. duh duh. duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh music:

All that sharking around wore her out: For actual Halloween, Kase was on a boy's trip with his dad and brother. My parents and sister came to visit for the weekend. Eliza loved her Mummy....

And her aunt Melissa.... And her Memaw.....

And her Gran-Pop......

My parent's and sister packed up and left before halloween evening. But Eliza and I loaded up and went to visit Grandma SuperDeb. She made us yummy chicken and dumplings and we relaxed and visited for the evening. I wanted to get pictures of Eliza with SuperDeb, but she (Eliza not SuperDeb) was WAY too grumpy. She was probably mad because she can't eat candy. ha ha. We had a wonderful 1st Halloween together and were so glad when Kase returned home later that night.

I am excited for future halloweens!