Happy 20 Month Birthday, Happy Thanksgiving and Continuing A Holiday Tradition

Thursday was Sophie's 20 month birthday!! Sadly, the poor birthday girl woke up from her am nap with a high fever and was sick the whole rest of the day on Thanksgiving. She was just sleepy and feverish and totally not herself. We gave her tylenol all day and tried to just let her rest and sleep. We were not sure whether we should take her out to her Nanny's for Thanksgiving dinner but her fever came down a bit and we decided to go ahead and bring her out since we had so much food we were bringing to the table. Unfortunately, she was just not herself when we got there and obviously did not feel well. She had a few moments of fun and activity but mostly was just not well. She didn't want to eat anything for dinner and was really just sort of melting down fast. So we left abruptly - left Mom O with all the dishes and didn't even get to have pie. We drove home and Sophie pretty much slept in the car and then went to sleep in her crib for the night. We checked her about every 15-30 mins and she was running a really high fever. At one point, the thermometer read 106. Not sure if that was accurate because it was hard to read her temp while she was sleeping but she definitely was running a fever between 104-106. We called the on-call nurse at her pediatricians office and around 1am, she woke up crying and shivering. We gave her more tylenol, put a cool washcloth on her head and held and rocked her until she was able to go back to sleep.

Then, on Black Friday she had a fever between 100-103 pretty much all day. I took her into the pediatricians office to have her checked out and they basically said it was likely a virus and just keep giving her tylenol. Last night we thought her fever finally broke. She ate a good dinner and it was down to 98 for a few hours before she went to bed. But this morning, it's up to 99.7 and she feels warm and definitely still isn't feeling good. She has no other visible symptoms although the Ped did say she had a bit of a sore throat and she thought possibly the beginnings of another viral rash. We're basically trying to just keep things mellow and keep giving her tylenol. Thankfully, she isn't running that super high fever anymore because that was just very scary. It has definitely put a cramp in a lot of our turkey day weekend fun (we were supposed to go out with my high school friends last night for the first time in a long long time, I was supposed to go black friday sale shopping yesterday, and most sadly for us all we were going to go to the Sesame Place holiday party this weekend) but of course Sophie feeling better is our top priority. We are hoping she is feeling 100% again real soon.

Her Grandma and Grandpa MacDougall are driving up to see her from South Carolina. Unfortunaely, last year when they visited around Thanksgiving she was sick, too. So, in keeping with our now annual tradition we will have a fun though low-key visit with Grandma and Grandpa while Sophie recuperates. Maybe a fun visit with Grandma and Grandpa is exactly what the doctor ordered.

We hope everyone had good Thanksgivings with their family and friends. We are so thankful for our little birthday girl on Thanksgiving and every moment of every day...

Grand Illumination

The holiday season has officially begun!! On Friday we had our annual visit to Peddler's Village for the Grand Illumination where they turn on all the holiday lights in the village and Santa arrives. We do this every year with our friends, and Sophie's godfamily, the Federwitz's. This year was Sophie's second Grand Illumination and she got to go in Giggleberry Fair this year and had a wonderful time playing in the ball room and climbing on slides and playing in the water toys. Unfortunately, she was so tuckered out from all the playing in Giggleberry that she slept through the turning on of the lights. Poor kid. But, it was still wonderful and much less cold than last year thank goodness. A fantastic time was had by all!

Impromptu trip to the shore

On Monday we decided to take an impromptu roadtrip to the beach with GG Mom to take advantage of the beautiful sunny warm day. We had a great time walking on the boardwalk and taking a stroll on the beach. Sophie even had her shoes and socks off and was sticking her piggies in the sand. Funny thing is that just like she did over the summer as soon as you put her down she would bee line for the ocean and walk right into it. She did that this time too and I had to pull her back and roll up her little jeans to keep her from getting soaked. At one point we were all sweating it was so hot up walking on the boardwalk.

We ate Mack & Manco's pizza for lunch and got candy at the wonderful Rauhauser's candy shop on Asbury Ave on our way out. Sophie even got her first Dum Dum lollipop which you might have think she had died and gone to heaven from that little ten cent thing. Every time she would take a lick, you'd hear a huge "Mmmmm" after. Too cute!! We really lucked out in having one more fabulous day and a couple of precious hours enjoying our favorite beach town. Only thing that would have made it complete is if Daddy had been there, too...

Sweet Sounds of Sophie

I have to tell you family and friends this story...

The other night Jim took Sophie up to bed as he does every night and put her in her crib and then he sits in the chair by the crib as she falls off into dreamland. This particular night he had a sneeze that he couldn't contain and didn't want to risk possibly waking or disturbing her but just could not keep it in any longer. So, he sneezed. And out of the darkness came this sweet little voice of a little girl simply lying in her crib who said "Bess You." Isn't that awesome? What a sweetheart. Jim thought she was asleep but apparently not yet or if she was the sneeze woke her up enough to give him a "Bess You" - ohhh it just melted me when Jim told me. I wish I had heard it too but even thinking about it still brings a smile to my face. Too cute...

Another funny story is that she was in her carseat and kept saying "Goa Goa Goa Goa Goa Goa" over and over and over again. I had literally NO idea what she could be talking about or wanting when I reached my hand back and realized there was a Grover book in the seat pocket that she wanted. So, Grover is Goa. And while Sophie is of course very advanced she is not yet demanding Indian food as I thought might be possible hearing her chanting "Goa" repeatedly.

Update:
M&Ms (but I stand corrected in that it doesn't sound like "am n' ams" as I
posted earlier but more like "am e gaa's")

Big girl eating

So, Sophie has become quite the little self-feeder using her spoon and fork. She asks for a fork at nearly every meal and is getting better and better at it every day. She is so independent that she also does not want to wear a bib anymore and rips it off saying "off OFF" even when I try to sneak one on when she's not looking. I don't care if she uses a bib at every meal but SOME things just sort of call for bibs... like applesauce, and yogurt, and spaghetti. But alas, little girl does things her way so what can I do??



Finally, today the 40th season of Sesame Street airs!! Happy Birthday Sesame Street!! What a wonderful show... Jim and I grew up on it and now we love to see Sophie discover it, too. Her favorite character is Elmo but she also likes Abby and she now says Ernie and Bert, too.

Say "Cheese"

Sophie has mastered the art of saying "cheese" when a camera is out and pointed at her for a shot. It's really too cute. She let me take a few snaps of her yesterday morning when she came downstairs and immediately wanted to start playing with her hats (several hats that Aunt Pat made for her) even before she had her breakfast. Then, when I was done taking a few pictures I put the camera down for a bit and then picked it up again and she said "Again? CHEESE!!!!" and started mugging for the camera. Come on, kid... Too cute!

On the word front I have to share these words that Sophie has been saying lately:
M&Ms (but it sounds like "am n' ams")
popsicle (but it sounds like "copaka")
umbrella (but it sounds like "umbrellya")

Last night I asked her what she wanted for dessert and I said "applesauce or peaches?" and she thought for a second and said "copaka??" Too funny! Wasn't even an option but she knew exactly what she wanted. I think the popsicle thing is because she is really teething lately. She constantly has her hand in her mouth and her arm is covered in drool. She's either getting her second molars (although it's a little early for those yet, I think) or else she is working on those canines but it's been weeks that she has been teething and it seems to show no signs of letting up soon. I did see one canine tooth break through but that's it.

Other than that we are looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend at home together.

First Peek

Behold Sophie's little brother or sister!!!

Note: there is only one in there... THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL THOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE PUBLICLY WISHING TWINS, TRIPLETS or QUADS ON US. Noonie Noonie NAH NAH to you!!!!

We don't know much more than the fact that there is only one (thank you thank you thank you) and that its heart was beating (thank you thank you thank you) and that it was moving it's little arms and legs all around (crazy). According to our What to Expect app on the iPhone the baby is a little over 2 inches - about the size of a lime! Pretty impressive considering last week it was only the size of an olive. Major growth spurt, kid - good for you!!

1st Trick or Treating

Sophie had a fantastic time going trick or treating for the first time. She loved walking around the neighborhood and watching kids in costumes stream down the streets. She didn't quite manage the "knock on the door, say trick or treat and and stick out your goodie bag" part but I did hear a few "thank you's" as we would walk away. What a great time we had and then after she got back home with her loot, she had a blast sorting her candy and making piles. It was really cute to watch her just sit and play with her sweet haul. Of course, we did have a little meltdown with a lightstick but other than that, it was a highly pleasant and fun first trick or treating. Can't wait till next year now!!!

As for getting that extra hour, let's just say it didn't happen for any of us despite our master plan (i.e., keeping her up later with Halloween festivities, a late dinner and bath). In fact she got up earlier than usual on even a regular day. Oh well... Hope you all enjoyed your extra hour of zzzzz's this am.