Wrong Diagnosis

What we thought was chicken pox was not cured in the amount of time it should've been so we took a trip to the doctor. Our pediatrician's NP said she doesn't think S ever had chicken pox, but an allergic reaction on top of her eczema which then became infected. So, on Tuesday we got to start on 2 creams for her skin as well as an antibiotic. Since her appointment was right before lunch we bought yogurt, and a corndog for her while we shopped and waited for her prescription to be filled. She has been a trooped through it all and rarely complained about anything.

helping mom shop :)

We got to watch a friend's kids for a few hours while she went to the doctor on Wednesday. So, I had 5 kids 8 and under. We had a pretty good time...sugar cookies, playing at the park, and in a teepee we borrowed from Nana that morning. 

swinging

Trying something new. She laughed and laughed while she swung this way.

Turns out the antibiotic that S was prescribed was really strong. For several days (despite us feeding her yogurt) we heard a lot of "tummy owie". Which sometimes resulted in just needing snuggles. I'm not going to complain about that though. It's rare that she wants to just snuggle in and cuddle :)

We had such great weather on Saturday that we couldn't help but get out in the yard and work on our gardening spots. Brett found a worm for S to hold. She was pretty excited about it, and watched with complete contentment while it wound its way back into the ground.

Saturday night I went with my sister to dinner and the General Women's Broadcast. Brett wanted to do something special with S while I was gone. They made pudding to share together after dinner, and had a fun dinner at home. 

Helping stir the pudding

I have been dying for S to wear this dress. It is the one I bought several weeks ago for my brother's wedding. We aren't going to be in church on Easter Sunday because of General Conference so I thought today would be perfect. She loved it, and kept kissing herself in the mirror. She gladly obliged for pictures I wanted to get :)

Our Week

This was the perfect way to start off Monday morning. I love when I get to see views this beautiful of Timpanogos right from our window. I often don't have time to grab a camera that quickly, but made sure to this morning. 

Sometimes it is all I can do to get Scarlett to eat something for breakfast, but other mornings its like she is ready to eat Thanksgiving dinner. This has been one of her favorites for the past little while. She seriously will eat half of this pan herself.

German Pancakes

S had been sick (which we thought was the chicken pox, but later found out isn't) and some friends stopped by with a fun few things for her. She was beyond thrilled to have bubbles, colors (aka coloring book), and fish crackers. It is fun to me how something so small is so fun for little people! 

Once S was better we had an outing to see the dinosaurs. It was all she talked about to Brett when he came home that night. I love that the museum has windows at heights for little people that they can easily see everything.

checking out the dinosaurs

playing in the water table

"petting" the dinosaur

digging for fossils

ice cream at the ice cream shoppe after

We have been working on finishing the wainscoting in the bathroom since the beginning of February. We ran into major problems with the pedestal sink and being unable to get the fittings off so we could put the wainscoting  up. S loves to be part of everything we do, especially projects. However, she hates loud noises...thus sitting on the bathroom floor with dad plugging her ears while we worked :)

Bathroom project...now just to caulk and paint.

We also took time on Saturday to get some outside work done. Our raspberries were more than ready to get pruned. S was completely happy to play and have fun while we worked. I couldn't miss the opportunity to pull out my "real camera" to get some pictures of this cutie pie!

sidewalk chalking

standing on her head while coloring

Life Around Here

S really wanted to play at the park on Monday afternoon. I have a friend who is expecting and has 5 kids, 9 and under. The 9 year old could've cared less about the park, but the rest of them were happy to come with me. S's current favorite loves are slides and swings. She is finally willing to do them all by herself. 

climbing up to the slides

S got up from her nap super happy and wanted to do "big hugs". We had to get a picture of us...even if it is super grainy.

She is beginning to think the park is an everyday thing. She had a fit yesterday about going to the park, and it wasn't worth the tantrum to say no even though I should've been fixing dinner. There was a boy about 3 years older than her who was swinging next to her. She just giggled and giggled at how he was swinging...which caused him to laugh at her too. It was pretty cute.

slides

At the top of the big slide. She kept saying "help you! help you!" Since I couldn't reach her hand she walked all the way back down.

Spontaneous family outing for fried ice cream. Scarlett just kept saying, "Like it! Like it!"

Thursday I got a phone call from my mom in tears that grandma had fallen and had really bad skin tears. I didn't want my mom to have to be there by herself and I was already in the car on errands so I told her I'd come be with her. When I got there they hadn't even let my mom back to be with her yet. Eventually my dad got there and played with S in the waiting area so I could go back with my mom and grandma. I didn't do great. Grandma looked awful and I was instantly queezy. She was purple all the way up her arms. She had 3 skin tears about the size of racket balls all the way up her arm. We were there for a few hours, grabbed some things for grandma from home, then it the road to be able to beat rush hour traffic. You have to love S's dress ups. Who knew errands would turn into a trip to see great-grandma.

playing with grandpa

S decided that she was not going to ride in her stroller on the way to go visit a friend on Friday. I just gave up and ditched it by the mailbox...grateful that we live in a safe neighborhood :)

Despite immunizing Scarlett, she came down with chicken pox. I keep thinking that she is about over it, but then I see a new dot. I'm praying we are over this soon because I am SO over being stuck here. I don't want to contaminate anyone else so it's not like I can even go to the grocery store. Bah!

We had a baby shower for my sister in law on Saturday. She is expecting mid April. It will be fun to have another cousin on Brett's side. The next closest to S on his side is 3 years older than her, but lives in Oregon. Her closest cousin on Brett's side in the state is ten years older than her...and she adores him!

Why I Blog

I have thought a lot about why I blog. I'd say at the moment it is 90%  because of commitments to birth parents. Sunday is my normal blogging day, but was way to full this week to fit any time in to blog.

Often when I sit down to blog I look through the pictures taken during the week to try to decide what to blog about. This week I've been terrible at taking pictures....maybe because of all the gross weather we've had. The snow finally came. Our driveway got plowed for the second time this year. We have really needed the moisture, and  I'm going about to start complaining about it.

We renewed our Thanksgiving Point membership this week and went twice. We love that place! I'm not sure how long we will continue to get a membership there, but we'll enjoy it while it lasts. Both days this week we spent at the Museum of Natural Curiosity. I love all of the fun hands on things that they have for a wide variety of ages to enjoy.

Every time we go she loves the wheelbarrows....along with just about every other kid.

She has fun swishing the "water" around and watching the bubbles in the washer.

We did away with paying for cable close to a year ago. We have recently started watching Cut Throat Kitchen. They had the challenge of making jambalaya with extra challenges thrown in. I have always loved when my mom made it for us, which inspired me to make it for our family this week...even if it meant a special trip to the grocery store.  

new jambalaya recipe

We have a wedding coming up in our family in about 2 1/2 months. There are several colors that they bride has chosen to use. I thought this dress was prefect for Scarlett. I really wanted something with sleeves since we will be outdoors for everything early in the day and late in the evening and wanted her to be warm enough. I sent pictures to my mom and sisters which ended up in me going back to buy for the rest of the nieces. They all would've bought for themselves, but this was a dress that was sold at outlets only...thus me making another trip up to the outlets. I was happy to do it for my sisters!

S's dress for Ben and Holly's wedding

Saturday was a seriously busy day for our family. I hope to not have that many crazy obligations in one day again! We started the day at 7, with me cutting Brett's hair...it was much needed! I have been doing it for years...so if you see spots that are missed you can blame me :/ Then Brett had to be at Stake Baptisms by 9. As soon as he was done he came home and changed so we could go to an adoption open house sponsored by the LDS church and put on by adoption.com They are the most searched site and lots of success for birth parents looking to place their child(ren) for adoption. Now we get to start a large part of this all over again. If I'm being honest I should say that I should be working on it now. Their website has a lot more things for us to add than we previously had on itsaboutlove.org When we came home we needed to go to the youth fundraiser. They did a car wash and had 3 professional photographers from the ward volunteer their time to take family photos. Brett put S down for a nap while I took both cars up to get washed. We had a 5:40 appointment for pictures. It was a very long day to say the least. At least we got some happy faces out of S. That will be something to hopefully update our adoption blog with :)

Brett was having a youth discussion on Sunday and we needed refreshments...so while Brett put S to bed I ran to the grocery store. I hadn't made these in ages, but they are fantastic. We call them monster cookies. They have all the things you love in cookies in them...peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chips, m&ms. Plus, for my gluten free friends, you're set! 

Monster Cookie dough

Laryngitis

I swear, normal spring weather cannot come soon enough. I started to get a cold mid week (if you can say started since the cough hasn't gone away since December). I finally ended in laryngitis today. I guess I really should count my blessings because I used to get it on a regular basis (for a full week annually while teaching school).

I just looked back at pictures from this week. They have something to be desired. Maybe because its' been SO much colder that we've been inside a lot more, and not done as many notable things. Looking back it just seems like Blah!

We went car shopping last Saturday, and somehow the key ended up in Brett's pocket...which meant that I had to take it back to the dealer on Monday in between piano lessons. We grabbed lunch with Brett since we were passing by anyway. We ate at an Asian restaurant. S was obsessed with a cat they had sitting on the counter when we walked in. She kept turning around while we were eating, wave her arm, and say, "Hi, S!" It made us both smile watching her. 

We made dinner for a friend who was sick that  night, and were going to go on a walk. S insisted on this hat, and kept repeating "Grandma made! Grandma made!" She requested to wear it multiple times this week :)

A hat from Grandma :)

One day S got up after a really short nap, and I really wanted a nap. I was beat! So we laid down together...don't let her fool you. She is very much awake!

pretend sleeping

We went over to visit S's aunt one day this week. They have lots of animals (4 I think). S loved their dog, and came home repeatedly calling her dog Meg (their dog's name). She would bring it to me saying, "Mom, touch it. Meg. Soft."

S's "Meg"

I was pretty convinced that S just had a blocked duct. It had been a bit gooey for a few days, but one morning she woke up and it was both eyes. I immediately called for a doctors appointment. Turns out it was pink eye. We have been washing hands lots, and she has had to have drops 4 times a day. Honestly, its been a lot to keep up with. We have to do it for a week. I will be grateful when we're done!  

Entertaining herself while we waited (45 minutes...ARG!?!)

S and I had a little us time while Brett worked on the bathroom Saturday morning. S despises loud noises so it made sense for us to do a little something before nap time. We opted to paint fingernails. She was pretty excited! 

fingernail painting prep

We also spent some good quality time with family on Saturday. It was my dad and nephew's birthdays this week. We went up to my parents. My sister rented a bounce house for the kids, and had a movie going as well. There was something all the kids were happy to do :)