Virus Be Gone

in my last blog I told y'all how Ainsley had gotten a virus. well, it was hand-foot-mouth disease. it's a nasty, very contagious virus she caught from one of her sweet friends. She took it like a champ. her first spot came up on her foot on wed morning when my mom was watching her. Then the spots came out on her hands, her lips, and her throat. We gave tylenol and motrin around the clock for days. we made a  "magic mouthwash" that coated her sore little throat. She did so good. The virus was gone. hallelujah.  Then, at work Tuesday, my temperature kept crawling up. It hot 101.9 and I was like 'what is going on'. I had woken up with a sore throat. I was chilling and sweating and felt so nauseas. I got tested for strep, it was negative. Adults rarely get HFM, so it really couldn't be that...the next morning, spots started popping up. on my hands. and throat. Of course the girl who had a beazoar would get HFM. Today, my hands are covered in blisters. all in my creases, all on my finger pads. all over the bottom of my foot. my throat is killing me. Soo, we are alternating tylenol, motrin and using a little stronger "magic mouthwash". I felt sorry for little A when she had it, but I didn't know how sorry I should have felt for her. This is awful. I can't remember a time I have felt all around just miserable. when I bend my fingers it feels like pins are stuck in my skin. when i step on my foot, it feels like I am stepping on pieces of glass. And whoever said they don't itch? Lied. 

end of pity party. but it's my blog so I'm allowed.  But for any of you whose children have had HFM, love on them. It sucks. 

Racing

Yikes I have been bad about blogging this month. Philip gets on me all the time about it.  But it has been a crazy busy few weeks over here! 

cold mornings = booties handmade by Aunt Deb! 

thanks for the jammies Grandma Joy! 

Ainsley got a little virus that knocked her down for about 4 days. poor little thing. She is on the mend though and feeling so much better:) 

I have started a bible study called BSF (bible study fellowship). It is an international, interdenominational bible study and I am absolutely loving it. I will post more on this soon. 
This past weekend the family took a trip to Putnam Park Race Course right outside Indianapolis. Philip raced his car and Ainsley and I cheered him on :)

Philip really wanted me to ride with him. I had been telling him I would think about it. Well when Ryan came up on Sunday, I really had no excuse. Now we had someone to watch A while I rode with Philip. 

my guest bracelet 

philip strapping me in. too tight, i might add. 

I couldn't lean forward for picture, I was strapped in too tight!!! 

here we go!! 

I made it around the track 3 times. He uses his GoPro (that his awesome wife got him) to tape each race. So the video of me is funny. If you could hear the commentary it would be funnier. I got super nauseas when he would brake around the turns. at one point I was pulling up my pant legs and my sleeves (they make you wear long pants and long sleeves!) because I was getting hot and nauseas. SO 3 laps was good for me. He got me off the track before I got really sick. Just in case I did get sick, I wore Philip's helmet and he wore Ryan's. Ryan wasn't about to have puke all over his helmet:)  So I am proud of myself for doing it. I didn't love it like Philip does. I'm not really even sure I enjoyed it that much. But I enjoyed being a part of something he loves to do. And he enjoyed getting to show off a bit;) 
I hope everyone is doing well and for those who actually read this I will be much better at updating, I promise :) 

Nailed It

In my brief time I have spent in the 'Mommy Club' I have learned a lot. A lot about myself. A lot about my husband, my daughter, priorities. But I have also learned a lot about other people. and how they treat you and the decisions you make. It's like the way someone chooses to raise their child is the right and only way. and if your decisions are different from their's, you are wrong and your child will suffer for it. 
Being a mom is hard. You don't need people tearing you down or making you question yourself more than you already do. You need people who encourage you and lift you up. Not that you do what you do for the praise of others, it's not about that. It's just about someone telling you that you aren't making all the wrong decisions. Philip is very good about telling me 'you're doing a good job'. or ' i know today was rough, but Ainsley and I appreciate what you do for us'. One little sentence means a lot. 
in 7 months I have realized how judgmental I was pre-Ainsley. Because let me tell ya, I don't judge now. I have realized that every mom, every dad, every family- has to do what is right for them and their family. And that is unique to each person and to each family. What is right for one isn't necessarily right for another and vice versa.  I read this blog this morning and was like 'she nailed it'.  *there is some cussing in this blog, but I think it is appropriate;) *
CLICK HERE to read it. 

Birthday Recap

Well, turning 31 wasn't so bad:) I had such a wonderful birthday weekend.  If you remember from this blog, last year's birthday was pretty amazing. We found out we were having a girl and used my birthday celebrations to surprise people with the news.  oh, and philip planned a surprise trip to the bahamas:) So it would be hard to top that birthday. 

But this year was just perfect and full of all of the things I love. Philip was off work all weekend. We got to have dinner with good friends on Friday (i didn't get a pic because dinner with 3 kids is crazy). I have such good friends who care enough to celebrate my birthday. Mostly because they know I love birthdays:) :) 

Birthday Flowers from Ainsley :) 

Saturday we spent the day at the pool and grilling out. Dana stopped by to say happy birthday and say hi to Ainsley:) sadly it was the last pool day of the season :(  Sunday we went to church, had a lazy family day, and then had a date that night. Philip took me to Jonathan's and it was delicious. I love their lunch menu but had never been there for dinner before. We will definitely be going back! 

throwin up gang signs

off to church! 

Monday we spent the day in Georgetown. Philip worked on his car and trailer while the girls played in the pool and got things ready for the cookout that night. 

pre cooked

cooked deliciousness 

We had my annual birthday cookout with the traditional birthday menu: bacon and water chestnuts, special hot dogs, marinated chicken, baked beans, salad, fruit and cake/homemade ice cream. My dad grills to perfection and my mom's ice cream is life changing. needless to say calories were not counted yesterday.  We ended the night by playing mafia, which always proves to start some fights and relationship problems. But man, what a fun game:) To those of you who voted me out first round first game (you know who you are), I will get my revenge. 

got a little scared at the singing

bff since high school 

donielle!!!! 

In true 'Amanda fashion' we will continue celebrating the rest of this week. We have dinner with some good friends wednesday night and dinner with Grandma, Aunt Ellen and family on Thursday, and then birthday lunch with Joy on Tuesday! love extending my birthday!
Each year I am reminded how incredibly blessed I am. This year was extra special because I got to spend it as a family of 3. I have the best friends anyone could ever ask for. My family is the most amazing family in the world. I am so grateful for each person in my life, each one of them adds something so unique and special to my life. I never want to take that for granted.  This year, I am so thankful. God is so good. 

7 months!

This month has been a month of lots of firsts for our sweet baby.  First time at the beach, first time at the lake, first real car trip. We are absolutely loving getting to experience all of these 'firsts' with her.  We are so smitten. Seriously smitten.  

weight/height: we didn't go to doctor this month, but she is growing like a weed :) 
size: she is in 6 and some 6-9 month clothes. I packed up her 3 month outfits and teared up a bit when I did it:(  she is wearing size 3 diapers during day and night.

nicknames: bean, beanie, monster, stinker, big girl, Sugar Bear (nana), Jo Jo (Pop) 

physical: she still has gorgeous blue eyes and long eyelashes.  her hair is sort of a strawberry blonde.  still just two teeth on bottom but we are convinced another is coming somewhere. she is chomping hard on anything she can get her hands on. 
eating: we have tried several new foods this month. we can now add to her list: squash, pears, green beans, acorn squash, zucchini and yogurt (who even knew they make baby yogurt?!) she LOVES pears. but really she just loves baby food. i am convinced she only takes part of her bottle because she knows I will make her cereal when she does that. I am still making her baby food and even managed to keep this up in FL and in MI. (*disclaimer- I do not think making baby food makes you a better mom or that store bought baby food is bad for the baby. I just actually enjoy making her food for her) she got a taste of her Daddy's key lime ice cream in FL and she got a taste of Papa's icing off of his cinnamon roll in MI:)  her appetite has decreased quite drastically this month, so I do what I can to get her to eat. 

yogurt?!

our deep freezer

sleeping: she still takes her nighttime bottle around 730-8 and then sleeps until 730-8. she followed this pretty well both in FL and in MI and we were impressed with her. white noise- it is magic. she will take a little nap in the morning wherever she happens to fall when she's tired:) and she naps in her crib for her afternoon nap. she now gets mad and fussy when she gets tired in the afternoon. 

bed.head.

play: oh my goodness so many fun new things! 

• she is reaching for everything she sees. if something is farther away she reaches as far as she can, sometimes pushing herself forward, or backward, to get it. 
• loves grabbing/pulling hair. hard. 
• she is doing great with 'tummy time' and pushes up with her arms. she has started to pull both her knees under her chest, we keep waiting for her to figure out this crawling thing. 
• she moves herself around in circles to get a toy or her paci. she is rolling from both sides and from back to stomach and stomach to back to get around. girl is on the move! gone are the days where you sit her down and fold laundry. last time I did that i put her on the blanket and came back and she was stuck between coffee table and couch. 
• she has always rolled her little feet around in circles when she is sitting. her music teacher comments on it every week. but now she is rolling her hands around too. it's the funniest thing. 
• she has become more vocal. she is starting to work on trying syllables. mostly BaBa and a few M's in there. Philip is working hard on the Da-Da:) 
• she now sits in a highchair when we go out and in the front of cart at grocery and stores. makes life much easier. 
• while in MI she discovered her shadow. it was the cutest thing ever watching her try to touch it and see it move when she moved. haha 
• she is laughing so much. it is the best thing in the world. 

 

 

 

first time down the slide:)