ER visit

We spent the afternoon in the children's ER yesterday.  I had taken Addison to her pediatrician Friday because I noticed she had a few hives on her trunk & on her face & around one of her ankles.  Her Dr. said it was a reaction to the amoxicillin she'd been taking for 9 days for her ear infection.  She instructed me to discontinue to the medicine & said the hives may take a few days to subside.  I felt comfortable with that & we went about our normal day.  Friday evening she was exceptionally cuddly & quiet (if you read my blog frequently, you know the 2nd part is not my child).  Saturday morning she woke up & now the typical hives presentation had turned into giant clusters with a purple like appearance.  Her poor little fingers were swollen, her elbows looked like somebody had beaten her up & the worst part was that her feet were EXTREMELY swollen.  Again, I tried not to worry & figured it was just remnants of the antibiotic in her system.  Throughout the morning her feet started turning purple, she couldn't walk & acted like she was in a lot of pain.  Her skin was super hot & she now had a fever.  I contacted one of the ER physicians I work with, texted him a picture.  He said to dose her with some benadryl & Motrin, which I had already done.  A few minutes later I got a phone call back & he suggested calling her pediatrician's office, because he didn't like the looks of the pictures I sent.  After talking with the nurse she suggested bringing Addison to the ER.

She wound up getting diagnosed with something called Erythema Multiforme (minor). 

It's a type of hypsersensitivity reaction that occurs in response to medications, infections, & illness. In her case she has a hypersensitivity to amoxicillin. Basically it damages the blood vessels of the skin, followed by damage to skin tissues. Addison had most of the classic symptoms: joint pain/swelling, fever, skin lesions, fatigue & generalized ill feeling. Poor baby. The Dr. said it could last 7 days-3 weeks & that she'll look a lot worse before she starts looking better.  She said to expect every place where there is an individual spot to spread into a cluster, swell then turn purple/bruise-like. She seriously looks miserable.  The treatment is minimal as the illness is self limiting.  Steroids (although she didn't need any yet), benadryl & motrin.

I dosed her with motrin before bed last night & hoped she got a good nights rest. Philip & I both got up multiple times to check on her & she slept soundly through the night until 8:20 this morning. I was hoping that the swelling in her ankles & elbows would have subsided, but it didn't.  Now her wrists & knuckles are swollen. If you think about it today...say a prayer for my sweet baby girl.  She looks absolutely miserable & it breaks my heart to see her swollen feet & hands.   

Get Your Caffeine On: It's National Coffee Day

Flickr: Sean_Oliver cup up

If you are a java junkie like me...today is an exciting day! It's NATIONAL COFFEE DAY! I think that calls for a visit to a coffee shop with the fam.

Check out a few national chains you can get your free coffee/deals:


Dunkin' Donuts 16-ounce is discounting packaged coffee for only $5.99 at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants.

McDonald's is offering a free small McCafe Premium Roast coffee.

Participating Krispy Kremes Doughnut shops are giving away free 12-oz. cups of coffee.

After printing a coupon from their Facebook page, you can redeem a free small cup of coffee from Caribou Coffee.

According to Punchbowl.com, you can send a free Coffee Day eCard and then find out where you can go to get a free cup of joe.

What are you waiting for...get your caffeine on!

this week

This week...

I started a few Pinterest projects I have by dying to get working on//I caught up on some neglected Elle (so did Addison)//Addison took really really long naps...she has to be going through a growth spurt

Addison had an "ah ha" moment & anytime she saw the leash lying around she'd try to attach it to Hampton (even when he was in the crate)//Her Toms FINALLY fit; they are still a little big but SUPER cute & she can walk in them//Addison discovered that food is kept in the pantry...uh oh

Brueggers started brewing spice coffee (insert angelic choir)//We had several play dates & Addison was a great sharer

Two things on Tuesday

Today was exceptional & two things made me really really happy. 1) The weather was gorgeous which made for a fun afternoon at the park. 2) The new Mumford & Sons album was released. Pheeeee-nomenal!!! The park is so much more enjoyable these days since the weather has cooled down a bit.  Although we haven't quite reached "ideal" fall weather, I look forward to the 80's the beginning of fall in North Carolina brings.  Addison is LOVING afternoons at the park these days too.  As we strolled over she said "sss-ving, sss-ving" (swing) & clapped her hands.  She had tons of fun & wasn't scared of the slide at all.  Her hair was the perfect medium for the static the slide produced. We laughed hysterically at her silly faces & wild hair. The rest of the afternoon we danced around the house while I cleaned & listened to the new Mumford & Sons album.  It was a good day. 

once in a lifetime friend

"Jonesy" my once in a lifetime friend, met the summer before my first semester at Evangel.  Sarah & her husband Jesse went to college with Philip; over the years they lost touch but reconnected prior to Philip & I moving to Springfield.  Philip knew Sarah & I would get along great & he raved about her.  Our connection was instant & it felt like we had known each other our entire lives. We lived in the same apartment complex & we were inseparable: we had dinner together almost every night, ran together, grocery shopped together, worked together...I was even privileged enough to be by her side when she gave birth to her first son.  I couldn't have prayed for anyone as wonderful as her, especially being 21 hours away from home...she was IS like a sister.  She lovingly nicknamed me "Mean Jean" & I called her "Jonesy". We were as goofy as goofy could get, constantly cracking ourselves up with yo mamma jokes & random dances. I have had some of the best times of my life with her & Jesse.  As life does it moved Jesse & Sarah back to Indiana where they were originally from.  I can honestly say Springfield wasn't the same without her.  Thankfully we still had the phone & could still exchange our laughter & tears.  We didn't see each other for quite some time before Philip & I moved to North Carolina.  We met up one last time before we headed back & it was super hard saying goodbye (maybe because I realized how far away we'd be). Over the last 5 years we've only seen each other 1 time & that was 3 years ago.  Since before Addison was born we planned trips & talked about meeting up but life kept getting in the way.  FINALLY things worked out & just like old times "Mean Jean" & "Jonesy" were reunited.  Life has changed so much but thankfully our friendship hasn't.  It was like we've never been apart.  Life is changing again & she & her husband & two boys are moving to the Czech Republic.  I am so excited for what God has in store for them but I'd be lying if I said I am not sad. It was the hardest dropping her off at the airport this time...the distance is much greater than Indiana & NC.  It may be 3 years before we see each other again but I am reassured that it will just like old times.  For now we have Skype & the telephone.  I am so thankful for my once in a lifetime friend.

lately

 Lately...

•  Sarah visited from IN
• Addison learned to say "night-night"
• we've been eating a lot of green tomatoes...yum
• we got the proofs for Addison's 1 year photo shoot
• the weather was much cooler & required a hat & sweater on a morning run

•  I realized that I am a creature of habit & almost all my nail polishes are the same or in the same color family
• Addison discovered an empty diaper box
• We had lots of outside time
• I cut my wrist slicing eggplant on the mandolin
• several things I've ordered Addison came

•  I got offered to teach 2 spin classes (Tuesdays 6am & Thursday 6pm)

you know it's good when...

Summer is fading & fall is emerging.  It's bittersweet to welcome all things pumpkin, the crisp air, figs & apples.  Welcoming my favorite fall treats means saying goodbye to my summer faves.  Clinging to the last remnants of summer, I picked up a watermelon from the farmer's market last week. I've eaten it a million ways: grilled with shrimp & mint, made a marinade for chicken, added it to some drinks, frozen it...but my favorite way is plain all by itself. I am so glad I didn't pass it up because it was sweet, juicy & delicious.  You know it's good when you have to strip your baby down...clearly Addison enjoyed it as well. 

The watermelon is gone & the windows are open in my house this evening.  I guess it's time to embrace fall.

happy 12 months

Stats: 
Weight: 17.8 lbs
Length: 27.5 inches
Head Circumference: 43.5 inches
Diaper size: 3
Clothing size: 6-9 months & some 6-12 months
Her pediatrician said she is consistent & petite.  Although she is only in the 3rd percentile for weight & 5th for height, they correlate & she is steady on her growth curve.  
 
Teeth:

6...yes, SIX teeth! She has 4 on top & 2 on the bottom.

Appearance: 
She still has soft creamy porcelain skin, GIANT blue eyes & wicked long eyelashes.  Her hair is blonde as can be & gets thicker, longer & wavier by the minute.  Although she doesn't have much baby fat to lose, what's there is starting to fade.  Her little elbows & knees still dimple. She's stuck with those chubby cheeks.  She most definitely has lost her baby appearance & looks much more like a toddler.  She's still the spitting image of me as a child.

Personality:
I've said it monthly since she was born...she is a little social butterfly.  She's sure to greet you with a giant smile, a soft, raspy, "hiiiiiiiiiii" & wave.  Every morning she says hello to her owl mobile followed by a sweet kiss & "awwww".   She is SILLY & loves to make people laugh...an entertainer no doubt. She's bubbly & infectious! I know she is my baby so I am partial but she is honestly one of the happiest babies I've ever seen.  She is such a little explorer, examining every detail of every little thing.

Feeding:
She is fully weened & just finished the last of frozen breast milk.  She LOVES almond milk & coconut milk.  Does awesome drinking from her sippy cup & recently learned how to drink from a straw. She continues to eat EVERYTHING we give her & there isn't much that she doesn't like. Her new favorite snack is dried nori. She LOVES the popsicles I make her too. 

Sleep: 
Bedtime is around 7:30 & she wakes up around 7am, although the last 2 weeks she has been sleeping in until around 8:00 am. She still takes a morning nap (anywhere from 1-2 hours) & an afternoon nap (1 hour). Her sleep schedule is adjusting & appears that she's trying to weed out a morning nap.\\
 
Talking:
 She is talking up a storm. This was another area her doctor was impressed with.  She says: "all done", "flower", "ball", "apple", "ba-lu" (balloon), "Uh-oh", "vroom vroom", "owl", "oh no", "meow", woof-woof", "Ma-Ma", "Da-Da", "sat" (what's that), "duck", "den-den" (Hampton), "dog", "hi", "bye-bye", "puppa" (my Dad), "off","shoe", "Emma".

Stuff she is doing:
She still isn't walking unassisted but walks holding onto your pinky finger or a thread on your pants...she is so close! She is into everything & almost never sits...she is constantly moving. She helps pick out her headbands & clothes & assists in getting dressed. She is learning to feed herself with a spoon & brushes her teeth.  She loves to brush your hair. She loves giving kisses & blows them constantly. She puts her hands on her hips with her elbows bent & shrugs her shoulders...she is a total mess.  She holds up 1 finger when you ask how old she is. If you ask where your nose, eyes & mouth are she will point to yours & then touch her own. 

Likes:
She is super into noise.  She got a baby grand piano, xylophone & percussion table, drum & maraca set for her birthday & is glued to them. (It's the music in her). She is OBSESSED with balloons! Books, wooden puzzles & flash cards. She loves to play ball. She LOVES her friend Emma & gets so excited when she sees her.  She loves food!  She loves to cuddle & will lay with you for hours.  She is so sweet.  McQuacken & her Zebra blanket are always in sight. She loves to watch Sesame Street & the Backyardagains. She loves to pretend she is washing things. She loves to put things inside of eachother & throw!

Dislikes:
Not much has changed here: having her diaper changed. Having her face/hands wiped after eating. Being told no. Having something taken away from her.

this week

this week...

• We said "see ya next time" to Gram & Pup as they headed back to New England
• My heart was warmed daily when I glanced at white hydrangeas in a mason jar
• Addison's nap schedule was nearly nonexistent, I think she is going through some changes
• Dinner was fantastic everyday...grilled eggplant, roasted zucchini, scallops...yum 
• Addison found my makeup drawer & dumped out an entire new bottle of Mac foundation, tore apart a small package of tissues & broke my Benefit blush into a million pieces
• The house (well, upstairs) got an overhaul & each room is spic & span
• My friend Sarah booked her tickets for a trip to visit us...YAY
• I was able to do my first pullups without a resistance band!
• I PR'd on my deadlift...210 lbs :) 
• Addison graduated to a size 3 diaper, though they are GIGANTIC on her
• The power went out while we were shopping in Whole Foods

This week was definitely a recovery week. I worked a partial night shift, taught spin & abs this morning, cleaned the house & grocery shopped. 

totally obsessed

Addison is totally obsessed...well, really this statement could be finished multiple ways.  Obsessed with: Hampton, FOOD, climbing (the stairs especially), the computer/iPad/iPhone, my Fred Smith glasses (I am not fond of this obsession), bath time, balloons (she walks around the house pointing saying "ba-lu"), looking at HERSELF...I could seriously go on forever with the list. Because she is into EVERYTHING, the days of sitting at the kitchen table while blogging (doing anything really) & peeking around the corner to make sure she is playing contently are long gone.  These days I am barely squeezing in time after she goes to bed or a short one like this with her on my lap.  Her on my lap consists of her pounding on the keys, ripping my glasses off my face & diving off the couch

She is SUPER close to walking...literally walking side by side hanging on to a small thread on my jeans.  I'll be in even more trouble when that happens.  She has her 1 year visit, which unfortunately includes shots, on Monday.  I am excited to find out how much she weighs & how she is stacking up with other kiddos her age.  She is saying all kinds of new words but I am going to save that for Monday's post :)

a girl & her piano

Addison's big gift from Philip & I bought was a Melissa & Doug baby grand piano. She LOVES it.  She sits proudly on her little stool with her shoulders back pounding away nonsense on the little keys.

She nods her head up & down, throwing her arms up in the air when she is finished as if she has just played Beethoven's most complex.  It's super cute to watch!

the details

It's official....I have a ONE year old.

It started with a simple invitation printed on recycled kraft paper embellished with a lace doily & mixed style lettering.  

Her birthday fell on a Saturday & so naturally we had her party on her actual birthday.  It was held in our backyard, mid morning, under a 20x20 tent. In true North Carolina weather fashion it flipped from 80 degrees & breezy to 90+ degrees, extreme humidity & no breeze. I guess that's the price you pay for a summer baby.

We didn't have a theme but kept the decor simple, girly & shabby chic.  Vintage fabric banners, burlap, soft pinks & ivories, doilies, chalkboard signs, lace & mossy wreaths.

The mail box was adorned with a few soft pink & ivory balloons. There was a chalkboard sign directing guests to the backyard.  Each area was designated with chalkboard signs (games, food, etc).

The tent had tables for eating & an area set up especially for Addison.  Underneath a burlap "Happy Birthday Banner" that I made was a vintage wooden highchair that Philip painted a soft bubble gum pink.  The high chair was dressed with a banner I made with vintage sheets & fabrics.  In the same area was an old trunk from our garage filled with gifts for Addison. I decorated it simply with paper mache letters, spelling ONE,  that I modpodged scrap fabric & lace to. Addison received a floral slip covered arm chair from Pottery Barn from my mother in law which was perfectly in place for her to open presents.

The food & beverage tables were dressed with lacy tablecloths from my grandmother & the food table was adorned with another scrap fabric banner I made.  For adult beverages we had raspberry & lime infused water & pineapple & lemon infused water.  It was sipped on from grey & pink paper straws that accompanied burlap wrapped mason jars.  For the kiddos we had organic milk boxes & organic apple juice boxes.

We served hamburger sliders, scallop & heart shaped PB & J, mini grilled cheese sandwiches, hummus with vegetables, tortilla chips & fruit.  Sweets included frosted sugar cookies, animal crackers (frosted, chocolate & plain), carrot cake & vanilla cupcakes & bread pudding (made especially per my Grandfather's request).  For the little kids there was no sugar added applesauce & mandarin oranges.

There were about 16 kiddos (ranging from 7 weeks to 13 years old) & about 20 adults in attendance.  Several of those that RSVP'd didn't show up. Each child was given a gift bag with bubbles, sidewalk chalk, finger nail polish (girls), football (boys), play dough & a few chatskie items.  The bags were made by yours truly thanks to a little Pinterest inspiration. They were brown paper bags embellished with doilies & tagged with scalloped kraft paper & a worn chevron pattern with each child's name on them.

Addison wore the sweetest aproned dress from Janie & Jack with a matching headband (I am still kicking myself that I didn't get any pictures of her in it). For cake she wore an ivory ruffled diaper cover with matching bib with lace & embroidered cake on the front.

In true Addison fashion she gobbled up the frosting & couldn't get it in her mouth fast enough.  She was happy as could be opening presents, much more attentive than I had thought.  She received lots of music related gifts (baby grand piano, drums, xylophone), a few stuffed animals, some adorable outfits, wooden puzzles & various age appropriate toys.

Although the weather wasn't ideal for an outdoor party I am so pleased with how everything turned out.  She was a happy camper the entire time & I'd like to think that someday she will smile to know that we threw her a special first birthday.  She is our special girl & deserves nothing less. 

addison turns one

{the invitation}

{party tent}

{cake & present area}

{details}

{smash cake}

{cupcakes}

{the party}

{the cake}

{ready to dive in}

{sugar heaven}

{in a happy place}

{presents}