11 weeks (jan 13-jan 19)

She hates her weekly photos. Maybe when she feels better.

My messy girl.

 Giving Daddy loves.

My girls and I on Valentine's Day. Love them to pieces.

Well, this week seems so be going slightly better. The snot is still invading my poor child's small head making it hard to breathe. When does it ever end. Saline, bulb syringe, hot shower....it is only a quick fix. I can't do it anymore. We aren't getting many pictures because life is just so crazy. I hope it starts to get better. Although Addie is sick she still manages to smile and coo. I think she would be a great sleeper if it weren't for the snot making her cough. So frustrated!!!

For Valentine's Day we didn't do much. Izzy had a party at school and came home with a bag of loot. That is all she wanted for dinner. Mark had to work late, but he gave his girls roses, chocolates, and champagne. He also made sure to tell me how much he loved me and that sometimes that gets lost in all this craziness. He also told me how much he appreciates all I do. I thought that was really sweet.

Hope everyone else had a great love day.
Ariann

Week 10 (jan6-jan12)

This is Addie at 10 weeks. I just can't seem to get a good weekly picture. She's always so crabby when I try. She isn't always crabby.

Sisters

Izzy looking like such a big girl at Colt's 1st birthday.

Izzy writing Colt a message on his table message board for his birthday.

Birthday boy! Poor little guy didn't feel good that day either. That's the pits.

See, she's not always crabby. I love these smiles.



Monday I stayed home with Addie to keep up on her breathing treatments. She doesn't seem to be getting much  better, but i'm sure it doesn't happen over night. She actually seems to do well during the day and the evenings are the worst. She gets full sinuses and really congested and has a hard time coughing the mucus up. We have had to do the baby heimlic maneuver about 6 times on her and it freaks me out every time. She coughs and then asperates her mucus and can't breath. Thankfully it has come up every time we hit her back with her up side down. I can't wait until it is all over with.

Her tummy seems to be doing great. We started her on full formula and she had a couple of rough days and now things are smooth sailing. She is eating four ounces again and is even going 3 hours between feedings. She is going to be a great baby once she can breathe again. She is such a doll.

Izzy is her usual fun loving self. Before bed we say the "Now I lay me down to sleep..." prayer and when it ended Izzy said "Come in." I said, "Izzy it is Amen. Can you say Amen?" She said, "Yeah, come in." I thought it was so cute I just left it at that.

I hope you are all healthy and that Spring comes soon so we can get the kiddos outside and get ridof all these germs.

Ariann

9 weeks (jan 30- Feb 5)

Just can't seem to get a good weekly picture.

Addie's bandaged arm after our first trip to the ER. Poor thing was poked and prodded.

 

Daddy giving Addie her breathing treatments. She often falls asleep during her treatments which is nice for us.

 

Our beautiful little girl. She is growing so fast.

Well I was wrong. Addie wasn't at her worst. On Sunday of her eighth week her fever kept climbing. I called the nurses line and they told me I couldn't give her any Tylenol until she was 12 weeks. So I just watched the fever climb. At about 7 O'clock Addie felt really hot. Her temp was 100.4 and we were off to the emergency room at Children's hospital. By the time we got there her temp had risen to 101.3. That emergency room was a mad house. We were there from 7-midnight. Izzy was such a trooper and supportive of her little sister. They checked Addie for bladder infection and bacterial infection and nothing showed up so they said it was just a virus. They gave her Tylenol and sent her on her way. I could have given her Tylenol too, if they would have told me babies at 8wks could have it. Addie continued to have a 100 degree temperature through Tuesday. Finally on Wednesday we were able to take Addie to daycare fever free. She still has a lot of congestion and coughing. I really hate this time of year when the kiddos get sick.

On friday morning at about 3 am I woke to Addie having chest retractions. She was shaking her bassinet with each breath. I called the nurses line and off to the ER again. Twice in one week. A new record for the Brown family. ER doc said that the chest xrays were clear and she had brochiolitis. Then a few hours later the pediatricians office called and said Addie's sputum cultures came back positive for RSV. Ugh!!! Can this child please catch a break? It stresses me out. So now we are doing breathing treatments. So far I don't think it has helped a ton, but it may be a little better. Her congested nose isn't helping.

Mark is still working away on the basement, but it is moving along slowly. He worked on the trim this weekend with our good friend Brandon Hoy. He is very talented and Mark was ecstatic to have him help. Thanks Brandon! Next is paint and carpet. Can't wait!

Sunday I tried to watch the Super Bowl with the family but I couldn't make it. My sleepiness won out. Addie's nights seem to be worse so needless to say we aren't getting much sleep. I'm ready for summer please.

Addie's tummy is getting  better. We move to full formula on Feb 9th. Wish us luck. Right now she is  only eating 2-3 ounces because she is sick, but I hope it can only go up from here.

Hope you are all well.

Ariann

8 weeks (jan 22-jan 29th)

This picture was taken late in the week because we were traveling for the funeral.

Addie was full of smiles starting this week. They started to disappear as she got sick.



Izzy loves taking baths in the sink at Gamma and PopPop's.

I told you how Izzy is over mommy taking pictures. This is the type of response I get now when I say, "Izzy, look at mommy and smile."

 

Well, it's been another emotional week with the Brown's. I thought 2012 would be better, but those cards haven't been dealt yet. Monday Mark went home because his dad had fluid around his heart. He was in A-fib and they were going to do a cardioversion. They were concerned that after they did the procedure that he may have to be on a ventilator. Bill came through the procedure with flying colors. A few hours later Trish was calling to let Mark know his dad had passed. I just don't understand. The visitation was on Thursday and the funeral was on Friday. Bill finally looked at peace.

Sickness is going around the Brown household. Izzy has a horrible runny nose and cough and has had a 101.4 fever. She started getting better at the end of the week. Addie is starting to get it at the end of this week. I hate it when little ones get sick. She has a temp of 99.4 and isn't eating well. I just pray we are at the worse of it today. It just breaks my heart to see her sick. She's already been through so much already. We still are only on 3/4 formula. February 9th won't come soon enough.

Addie has been really smily starting this week and cooing like crazy. She definitely brightened people's spirits this week.

Izzy is such a little girl. She is already giving me the "What mommy?" when I give her the look of death for doing something wrong. I have my hands full. She is such  a good little sister though.

Hopefully week nine will be better.

We love you Bill. You will be missed.

Ariann

Week 7 (Jan 16th - 22nd)

My baby girl at 7 weeks. She is doing better. 

The girls on Addie's first day of school.



All the above pictures are me messing with my hobby on a Sunday afternoon. I have a harder time getting Iz to smile at the camera. She is SO over it!

The sweetest toes you've ever seen.

Izzy hard at work with her stickers.

Well, Monday was my first day back and everyone did very well. It was a little easier the second time around dropping off my newborn. I guess because I knew Addie was in good hands and there was something about big sister being there. It was nice getting back to work and communicating with the outside world and seeing familiar patients. When I dropped off the girls, Izzy was a little upset that I was leaving Addie behind. She told me I needed to take her home and started crying. So sweet. Already watching out for her little sister. The ladies at daycare said Addie was an angel and did just wonderful. I was glad to hear that, not only for my pride, but because that meant my little Addelyn was starting to feel better.

We went to the doctor on Wednesday an she told us the blood and mucus c0uld last for months. Ugh! Not what I wanted to hear. We are going to try 3/4 formula for 3 more weeks and then try full strength. Can't wait until we can give full calories so my poor girl isn't so hungary all the time.

Izzy is doing great. Words keep coming out of her mouth that amaze me everyday. She told me I don't have to worry the other day. We are spraying safe spray at night and that seems to be helping. She has slept in her room all night this week.

Friday cousin Kya came to hang out and help us with the girls. Mark and I both had to work on Saturday morning. I was a little worried because Addie is so needy and Izzy wants you to play all the time. They are a lot of work for one person, but Kya did great. Thanks cuz, love ya.

Talk soon,
Ariann

Week 6 (Jan 9-15th)

Well, we've made it to six weeks, but it's been alot of this. Definitly good birth control!

Daddy and Izzy before school. They were both dressed in black and ready to face the world.

Me trying out my photography skills again. I just wish I could get my Photoshop skills down as well.

Big sister in action!

Addie hanging on the couch. Se was watching what Izzy was doing.

Rare occasion. I got a little smile for the camera. She hates when I take her picture.

Love ya!

Well, we are still working on Addie's tummy. We have only made it to 3/4 formula and symptoms do not seem to be getting any better. We go to the doctor on Thursday to see what is next. The Elecare formula we have her on is the most broken down. Where do we go next?

One bonus is that she is sleeping longer at night. Monday she actually slept through the whole night. Tues and Wed night she slept from 9:30p to 4 am. That being said I don't think I will be able to go back to sleep when work starts so I will be up from 4 am on. Ugh. Just have to tell myself this is a small time in my life and it actually goes very quickly.

On Thursday the doctor told us she thought Addie was heading in the right direction. She is sleeping through the night and fussiness had decreased. But I feel it still isn't right because she has runny and mucusy poops. That is not normal. How long do we put up this this before we decide we are tearing her intestines apart? Also she still had blood in her stool.

Mark's mom came up and helped me this weekend so I could get a few things done before I had to go back to work. It was nice to get out of the house.

And my dear Izzy. I just love her to pieces. I know there are days she just wants my open arms and I am with Addie. Izzy does well and tells me, "Mommy you need to feed the baby." God love her.

We will keep you updated next week.
Ariann

5 weeks (Jan 2-8)

Five weeks and counting.

Sleepy time.

My precious little girl.

Sisters!

Izzy drew these smily faces. I thought that was good for a two and a half year old.

Playing! She will never keep a clip in her hair.

Jungle gym time.

My fancy work. Needed a last minute picture for the Hastings Tribune.

I feel like this being a mom to a newborn is a lot of work. I don't remember Izzy being this hard to handle. I love my time with my baby, but I just thought I would be better at it the second time around. We took Addie to the doctor on Tuesday and smiled and said everything was better and that night it went down hill again. She was fussy and you couldn't put her down. She has a diaper rash that I've been treating for a week that won't go away and well, all hell has just broke loose again.

I took Addie back to the doctor again today (Thursday) because she was fussy and when she had a BM brown liquid came with it and I knew she had blood in her stool again. Sure enough the doctor confirmed it. She said that sometimes a baby will build up a sensitivity to the formula after a week to ten days and Addie was right on target. So now she is drinking only pedialyte for 24 hours and then we start mixing it with another new formula. It is called Elecare and runs a whopping $40/ 14 ozs. But, I guess if it makes her feel better that is all that matters. We can just cut in different places.

Day one of Pedialyte went great. Day 2 we mixed one part formula and it was awful. She was hungry every hour and a half and screamed bloody murder if she wasn't fed that second. Day 3 we did half and half, not much better. Day four 3/4 formula and we are finally starting to maybe get somewhere. She is eating about every two hours instead of every hour. But she still cannot just hang out. She has to be held constantly.

My parents came this weekend to help because I was going crazy.

I go back to work on the 16th of January and this needs to be figured out. Lord knows you don't want to send them to daycare with a diaper rash either. Hopefully her belly gets better and she won't have this diarrhea causing diaper rashes. If it isn't one thing it is another. I just have to keep telling myself it can only get better from here.

Izzy is having problems sleeping again. It is a chore to get her there and once there, she isn't sleeping through the night. I feel so horrible for her that her mommy time is limited. I went to the store the other day and wanted some me time so Mark took the girls. Izzy wanted to come but I told her that if she stayed with daddy I would get her a surprise from the store.  Mark has been amazing at helping me and giving Izzy attention that I can't give. When I got home from the store she asked me what her "purprise" was. Her little words melt my heart and always make me smile.  Love her lots, hope she doesn't remember this when she is older. We also had an interesting incident this weekend. She was playing in her room and came to me and  said the boy was talking to her. I was really confused because we have no boys in our house. She said there was a boy in her closet and he was scaring her. This started late Saturday afternoon. She loves to read books and play with toys in her closet and wouldn't even go near it. When I went to check on "the boy," Izzy made me turn off the light and shut the door. A few hours later I we were playing in her room and I wanted to see if she still remembered the boy. I asked her to go get a book and she started to and then stopped dead in her tracks and said she didn't want to because the boy scared her. At this point she is starting to freak her mom out too. So, PopPop went in her room and told the boy to go away and not to come back. Izzy didn't invite him and so he shouldn't be here. From then on she will go in her closet, but everytime she does she says, " I can get my books now the boy is gone. I'm not scared anymore." Now I freak out every time I go in her room. Hope it was just a REALLY active imagination.

Talk soon,
Ariann