Sicky Beans

Starting on Jillian's birthday, sweet girl got a cough.  We pulled out her nebulizer that night and started her on her breathing treatments. The next day, she started complaining of a headache and she had a little fever.  We took it easy that day and Neal and I worked out keeping her home on Tuesday because her fever wasn't going down (and actually started getting pretty high.) That night, she started throwing up and was just pretty miserable.  She hardly slept that night, so I made her an appointment first thing that morning.  She hadn't even stirred in bed by the time we left for her 10:45 appointment and slept the whole way there and as much as she could in my arms.  We were seeing a new pediatrician, who was great - she checked her out and she tested positive for the flu.  As we were waiting on that test, Jillian, fell asleep again, this time on the table.  When the doctor came in, I told her, "I have never seen her so sick!" I guess hearing that I was so concerned, she had another listen to her lungs, and suspected pneumonia.  She was sending us for chest x-rays and just as I was exiting the exam room, Jillian threw up again, this time it was more concerning because there was blood (sorry for the graphic-ness).  The doctor sent us right to the ER.

Once we got to the ER, they got us back pretty quickly and started her on IVs, and did chest x-rays.  With all of that, they decided she did have pneumonia on top of her flu.  They gave her some meds and fluids and told us we would get to go home soon. Sadly, Miss Jillian looked, acted, and felt no better after all of that, so they decided to keep us overnight.  It was scary, but I was so glad they did.  That night was pretty rough - her fever spiked higher than it had before and she was in tons of pain - her head and her feet mostly.  Between the nurses and my sweet friends who came up to be with me for the evening so Neal could take care of Meredith, we got her settled for the night.  She slept pretty fitfully until about 5:30 and then she finally seemed to find relief.  Luckily, by lunch, they told us she was ready to go home!  Uncle Neil was already on his way with a Happy Meal, that she scarfed down! And then, we took her downstairs to the Build-a-Bear in the hospital.  She made her new friend, Cookie, the bunny!

So thankful for this great hospital near us that takes such good care of sick little ones and their mamas and daddies!  And for great friends and family that prayed for us and took care of us!

Family Day for Jillian

Jillian's birthday fell on a Sunday this year, so we planned a fun family day after church to celebrate.

Of course, no birthday is complete without our birthday girl sleepover!  So Saturday night, the girls joined me for a movie and sleepover.  Here we are showing off her last night as a 3 year old!

 All of the dolls joined the sleepover too!

The next morning we went to church and came home before lunch to open presents!

 She begged and begged for this play-doh set and was super excited to receive it!

After presents, we had the birthday girl's requested lunch: McDonald's and then went to the zoo!

 Sister time with the zebras

We, of course, got to spend lots of time watching the hippos.  This time, she decided to name her favorite friends at the zoo.  So now you may call those hippos, Mustard and Senley.

 We were so excited that the hippos gave us a treat and came out to say hello to Jillian on her birthday!  Seeing them open their mouths so wide was a definite highlight for my hippo lover!

 Time with the Meerkats is a must for this family too!

Me and the girls after a fun day!

After the zoo, we took the girls to Petsmart because we had a few things to pick up to ready our house for our puppy that we were getting the following weekend, and then went out for Pancakes and Frozen Yogurt!  Needless to say, we had an amazingly fun, but super tiring day!  

Love you Beans!

My Sweet Jillian is 4!

I am sure I could look back at every birthday post and it would start the same....How can she possibly already be 4? Oh, and how about this line that I am sure I have overused but it is only because it is true.  I simply can not imagine life without this sweet, silly girl in our lives!

Some of the greatness that is Jillian as she turns FOUR!
-Everyday, there is something that she brings up by saying "When I am a driver...." this often ends with something like"you can wear my shoes!" (because I guess she figures if she gets big, I get small?) Whatever it ends with, she must equate "being a driver" with being so grown-up!
-She wants to be a hippo firefighter teacher when she grows up.  Not sure how all of those work together, but....
-She loves the color purple but blue is a close second.  But really if you ask her what her favorite color is, she will say "purple, and blue, and pink, and green, and yellow.  I like all the colors"
-She loves to laugh and make us laugh
-She still prefers to have me carry her around to walking anyway
-She goes through crazy hair phases - so for weeks at a time, I must give her two braids, and then she can't leave the house without a headband for a couple of weeks, then there were the pigtails (notice this phase was at birthday time), followed by our current phase of "all down." If I try to deviate from this, she gets very weepy and tells me "she looks different" and begs me to do it her way.
-She loves to give "squeeze hugs" and will run after me even after I have hugged and kissed her good-bye because she just wants one more
-She marks time by "after this rest"
-She adores her sister and loves to be with her as much as possible.
-At the same time, she is super independent - she loves to do what she likes to do.
-She is so go-with-the-flow (except when you are talking about hair styles). She just makes life easy!
-She loves to sing - anything!

We love you sweet Jillian Mae! Happy Birthday!

Celebrating turning 4!

Later on that night, we had hamburgers and hotdogs at Gigi's house! Jillian asked for La La Loopsy decorations, so we found plates and napkins and made her a chocolate chip cookie cake!

 Yum!

Gigi and Papa got Jillian a "brudder" for her Bitty Twin, Laura. She named him Luke.

 She loved her zoo playset from Landon

Such a happy girl!

Pump It Up Party

Jillian has been asking for a Pump it Up party for over a year.  And actually, when you asked her at any point when her birthday was, instead of answering that question, she would just reply "pump a dump." So, then one day, I was talking to my friend, Jennifer whose boys are just a few days younger than Jillian.  We try to make sure their parties don't overlap since we have similar friends and she said that they were doing Pump it Up.  So, we decided, why not do it all together!  It was so much fun and so much less stress on the mommies to be plan it together!

Jillian was so excited about her party, that the night before, we found her asleep in bed already in her party dress!

 Jillian loved for me to slide with her - and I HAD to keep my hands in the air

Our friend, Katie, got there and she was a great substitute for a tired mama!

Meredy having a blast

 Jillian and I raced through the obstacle course

 Several kids talked Gigi into doing the hurricane simulator

 The party kids!

 Happy Birthday to Jillian!

 Jillian and the birthday boys, Ethan and Grayson

 Yum chocolate cupcakes!

 Jillian and some of her favorite girls

 Post-party hugs with our family!

 Ok, Meredith, you can be queen now!

Kindergarten Zoo Field Trip

I was so lucky to get to go on Meredith's class Field Trip a few weeks ago - it was a beautiful, slightly chilly day, but it was so much fun!!

Sure we went to the zoo, but the highlight of the day was the school bus ride!

 Meredith and her friends from her class

 Me and my kindergartner

 Meredith's class with Mrs. Hoelscher

Being silly with Addie