W Girls!

My girls and I this evening!  Love these sweet things!!

Easter in the ER?!

Well, we had an eventful Easter weekend!  The girls and I were off for Good Friday (4/6).  Andy worked a half day and then came home and we packed up for a quick beach trip.  The weather was wonderful and we had a great time although we were not able to stay long due to the girls and I being so very fair skinned.   Here are some photos:

Arden didn't like the sand too much and was very happy to just sit on a towel in the shade and play.  This face cracks me up!

 Sweet Loren enjoyed playing with bubbles.

Arden and I just chilling in the shade watching Daddy and Loren play.

Two totally tired out Wingate girls!

On Saturday, we just hung around the house and did laundry.  Andy did some painting and yard work to try and prepare our house to be sold.  In the afternoon, we went up to church for the "Easter Eggsplosion."    Loren enjoyed the petting zoo and egg hunt.

Loren and Dawson just after the egg hunt

On Sunday, we got dressed and went to church and had a great morning celebrating our risen Savior. 

Arden stayed in the nursery the whole time with no complaints.  We fed the girls lunch and then put them down for naps as I cooked a few things in preparation for family coming over.  Our family arrived a little early and Arden's nap got interrupted.  She wasn't really acting like herself and was not interested in playing with her cousins.  Andy held her in his chair for a while and the next thing I knew, he was saying she was hot and she seemed pretty lethargic.  We gave her some Advil but the fever (103) was not coming down quickly.

Since another child from Mrs. Cheryl's childcare had been in the hospital with very similar symptoms and because her fever had come on so suddenly, I decided we needed to take her to urgent care.  We got there just as they were closing and although they were very nice, the doctor felt unequipped to diagnose/treat Arden.  She suggested we take her to the pediatric ER at Sacred Heart.  Needless to say, I was flipping out and trying to hold it together.

We got to Sacred and were seen pretty quickly.  They gave her some more Tyelnol and her fever did come down some more.  They suctioned her out with the electric suction device (She hated this!).  They then tested the mucus for RSV which was negative.  My poor baby then had to have a chest x-ray, catheter for urine sample, and rectal temperature.  Ughhhh!  I was traumatized and felt so bad for my little girl.  Ultimately, they said it was viral and to follow up with her  pediatrician on Monday. We did and Dr. Page agreed that it was viral.  I have been home with her on Monday and today (Tuesday).  Crazy!!!

Currently, I think Arden has pink eye and drainage from her right ear.  I am waiting on a return call from Dr. Page's nurse.  If anyone at all is reading this - please say a prayer for Arden (and Mommy too).  I am constantly reminding myself that this is a minor illness that will pass within a week.  There are so many other children who are sick with much more serious and chronic illnesses.  I vow to pray for them even more than I previously have.

I  close with a picture of a happy, healthy, Arden Lena!

 

A Princess in the House

Loren will be turning five on April 18th.  She has decided she would like her party at Triple Play which is a large warehouse with big blow up bounce houses.  (She LOVED the bounce house at Arden's party.)  Loren has chosen a princess theme.  What a beautiful princess Loren is.  We love her so much and I just can't believe five years have almost gone by since we were blessed with our first baby.

Like Jello?!

Arden has been fighting frequent constant ear infections for some time now.  Her pediatrician, Dr. Page said that she has not seen her without fluid in her ears since October!  Twice I have taken her in for unrelated issues and she has had an ear infection.  She was referred to an ENT doctor and we had our visit this past Thursday (3/22).  Without any hesitation, the doctor recommended PE tube surgery and we quickly got it booked for this morning - Tuesday, 3/27.

It really wasn't a hard decision because it meant relief for our baby.  The surgery was with Dr. Kevin Botts at Baptist and Arden did great!  She got really giggly and loopy when they gave her the medicine to "make her relax."  At one point, she had the whole surgery triage area laughing!  When Arden woke up from the anesthesia, she was pretty agitated and cried for almost an hour.  They told us this was typical but it was the most stressful part for us.  She is currently napping in her crib.  I sure hope she wakes up more content.

When Dr. Botts came out to talk to us after the surgery.  He said that everything went well and most of the time in the operating room was spent suctioning "goop" (his word) out of her ears.  He said it was the consistency of Jello and that the suctioning device had to be cleared out at one point!  EWWW!  Dr. Botts said that the Jello like material had been there from some time but had no actual fluid left so Arden's body had no way of getting rid of it.  That right there made us so pleased that she had the surgery.

Well, it is Sunday 3/31 and I am just now able to finish this post.  Arden is doing great with her tubes and has been eating and sleeping well and acting like herself.  She has a very runny nose though.

While we were home together after the surgery.  I tried to get some video of her walking.  She has been walking for about 2 weeks (so we will call it 12 1/2 months for the milestone.  This is about the same as it was for Loren.)  Anyway, I'm thinking the anesthesia may not have been all the way out of her system.  These videos crack me up.  I still need to video her walking.  She is making great strides (ha!) each day and I really think her balance has improved since the tubes.

On our way home from the hospital.  It took Arden a good hour and a half or so to calm down completely after waking up from the Anesthesia.  This was a brief moment of being semi-content.

1st Birthday

Oh my word, where has the time gone?  Just yesterday were bringing Arden home from the hospital.  She is now officially one year old!  Here are some photos from her first birthday party:

My one-one year old sweetie in her Birthday outfit.  She is even holding up her little finger indicating she is one!  My sweet friend Rachael made her special caterpillar birthday outfit.

Sweet sisters!  They love each other so much.  Loren had a great time at her sissy's party!

Caterpillar cupcake for the kiddos!

Yummy cake for the adults.  All cakes made Momma Bakes Cakes.

Arden and her friend Mason are only four days apart.  Amy and I had the same due date!

That's DEFINITELY MY child!  ha ha - this cracks me up!

The party was definitely a success.  As you can probably tell from the pictures, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" was the theme.  Poor Arden was a real trooper - she had been diagnosed with a double ear infection the previous afternoon. :(  She perked up just in time for the party but has been kind of puny since then.  It is currently Monday afternoon and I took today off from work to stay with her.  I truly hate that she is not feeling well but will admit that I love the special cuddle time with her. It has also left me with time to complete this post and put pics up on Facebook.  (She is currently sleeping on my lap.)

To aid my memory regarding Arden's illness:  She began to run a fever on Friday (3/2) afternoon around 12:30.  I was out of town for a FASP workshop and Andy and Mom took her to urgent care since the doctor's office is closed on Friday afternoons.  Arden was diagnosed with a double ear infection and prescribed Amoxicillin.  She seemed somewhat better Friday afternoon.  She woke up Saturday with a splotchy, oval rash.  I called the on call line and Dr. Mahaffey felt like Arden might have been having an allergic reaction to the Amoxicillin.  I agreed at the time and she certainly might have but currently I think she has a virus on top of the ear infections.  She has continued to run a fever when unmedicated. :(  Poor baby.

Also, during the few minutes Arden was feeling OK yesterday evening, she took about seven consecutive steps!!  I think she will be a walker as soon as she gets to feeling better!  She also began saying "Buh Bye" last week and I'm pretty sure I heard "uh oh" today. :)

Time flies when your babies are young!

Wingate Girls!!

Mommy getting some love from her sweet, sweet girls!

Time Well Spent

 I am, of course, behind on posting on here.  We have been pretty busy as usual.  Here are a few things I don't want to forget:

We bought a house! (1/16/12) Well, we agreed to purchase a house that will be built.  It will look very similar to this home.  We are so excited!  This will definitely be the house we raise our children in and grow old in.  The house should be ready sometime in July 2012.  We have been spending a lot of time choosing colors and completing paperwork for this.

We had Arden's ears pierced.  (1/21/12)  She only cried for a few minutes.  I must say they look soooo cute!  We also had Loren's done when she was this age or a little younger. 

I have been planning for Arden's 1st Birthday party!  Where does the time go.  It seems like just yesterday my water broke and she was born.  The theme is the Very Hungry Caterpillar.  I am all about the Pinterest now (just like most of the other ladies I know!)

My friend, Mandy, got married to her love and a fella we went to school with, John.  The wedding was so sweet.  They are both very happy and deserve each other very much.  It seems like their children have really meshed well also.

I think this picture is hysterical!  We ate at Village Inn after church with our friends the Millers.  I guess Arden was very tired.  Avery was such a good helper and told me that I could let Arden lean on her while I ate.  She also kept Loren occupied.

 Also, we are going on a "ski vacation" to Gatlinburg with the Millers in February!  We are staying in a neat cabin.  We bought some snow gear and I have also had some loaned to me.  I don't think that I will ski but I think Loren and I will definitely want to do the snow tubing.

Exciting times for the Wingate family!!!

The Big 10

Hee hee look at me!  I turned 10 months old on January 3rd!

Arden turned 10 months old a week or so ago.  Here are her latest stats:

• Arden, you are so fun and have such a cute personality.  You are generally a very smiley and happy girl.  However, if we take something away from you (such as Mommy's cell phone) you cry and scream loudly as if it is the worst, most terrible thing ever.  It is so cute to watch.
• Arden is crawling so fast now.  In the past week or so, she has begun pulling herself up to a standing position. (I'm gonna write 1/3 as the first time she pulled herself to a standing position) She has also "walked" behind rolling toys a few times.  Arden is anxious to get moving (and watches her friend Reece walk all day) and I wouldn't be surprised if she walked just before her first birthday.
• I took both girls to the doctor after Christmas for a little skin issue and Arden weighed 25 pounds!!!  (Whoa.)  Sometimes my back aches a little at night.
• Arden is wearing size 4 diapers, and wearing 12 or 18 month clothing.
• She is still eating five bottles a day - 4 five ounce breast milk bottles and 1 six ounce formula bottle.  She is also eating more finger foods like cheese, mashed banana, sweet potato pieces, and shredded chicken.
• I should have documented it on the blog before but we switched Arden to a "big girl" car seat about two months ago.  I want to get her ears pierced ASAP but it seems that there are never two people available to do it at the time we can take her to have it done.
• Loren continues to be an awesome big sister.  She keeps Arden entertained and helps Mommy and Daddy.

I've GOT to get working on FIRST birthday party ideas asap!

Where's Arden?

There she is!

It had been loose....

Loren had been telling us her tooth was loose. It seemed to get looser each day but she would not let Andy or I pull it.  On Thursday (12/29) morning, she seemed to be sleeping in later than normal.  When she came out of her room, she announced quite proudly that she had pulled the tooth herself - and then lost it!  After a little searching in her bed, we located the tooth.  We put it in the tooth fairly pillow that had been used by Andy and his younger siblings.  Loren had a dollar waiting for her when she woke the next morning.