Josie Updates & EEK my last Halloween give-away!!

We went back to the doctor's office as a follow-up to Monday's appointment. If you remember on Monday, Josie actually slept in my arms because she was so sick. Today, she was constantly climbing on the step stool attached to the examining table and wanting to explore everything that she shouldn't be touching. Yep, she's much improved.

We are to continue breathing treatments with the nebulizer twice a day until we get SNOW (which in West Michigan could be anytime). Our doctor is convinced Josie actually has asthma based on her history and that it's induced by fall and spring allergies. We also noticed that Josie had a red rash around her neck and truck and our doctor thinks she's allergic to amoxiciliin and we've switched antibiotics. Overall, she's doing so much better. Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes. My little 29 pound beauty is definitely on the mend.

I have to mention that throughout Josie's illness, Emma has been such a big helper to her little sister. She's going to be a great Mommy someday.

Late Saturday night (my glue gun tends to get a workout until 11pm some nights), I worked on an alternative art project for Halloween. 

(*Be sure to click on the image to enlarge)

I took bingo cards, wooden letter beads (found at my local dollar store), vintage Halloween postcard images, and made a few Halloween ornaments and gift tags. I antiqued them by soaking them in strong tea and let them air dry.  I'm seriously a girl with a thousand craft projects all going on at once.  If you'd like a chance to win everything pictured above, just leave me a comment by Saturday, October 17th at 5:59pm.

Happy Halloween and best wishes with my last Halloween give-away!!

Many thanks & Updates on Josie...

Thank you for all the words of encouragement and support over Josie's pneumonia. I can already see a BIG improvement since we started breathing treatments, steroids, and antibiotics yesterday.

She's crabby today (which is much better than having her just laying around). She's tolerating her breathing treatments and yucky medicine with bribes. At this point, I don't care if candy canes become part of her dietary staple as long as she does her treatments.

While Josie was napping Saturday afternoon, Chris worked on the Halloween tree. This is always my favorite decoration. This year, my tree includes owls sporting my Halloween party hats. Be sure to click on the image to enlarge.

This tree is right outside of the girl's bedroom and when Josie woke up from her nap, she informed me that the tree "was soooo beautiful." I would have to agree.

Over the weekend, Chris also worked on the front porch decorations. Can you tell which part of the porch is my favorite (hint...the garland with black tulle).

We're just getting warmed up. Get ready for decorations overload!!

Pneumonia blues...

We're singing the blues in our house.  Josie was officially diagnosed with pneumonia.  Chris and I are too familiar with the signs because we've gone through this before with Miss Josie.  After getting the x-rays back, it was confirmed.  We're back to nebulizer treatments and antibotics.  I always get a little nervous about respiratory illness considering all the work she's had done on her heart. 

I knew my little spicy one was under the weather when she fell asleep in my arms while we were waiting for the doctor to read her x-rays. We need our little girl healthy for all our upcoming Halloween celebrations!!

Pneumonia crud...

Nothing like squashing our back-to-school excitement than having Josie sick with pneumonia. Her right lung is pretty full of fluid and we started azithromycin and albuterol breathing treatments yesterday. For the most part, if Josie is allowed to give her baby dolls some of her breathing treatment, she'll tolerate the noisy machine. We'll go back to the doctor's office on Friday for another chest x-ray to look at her lung and her heart size. With her newly repaired heart, we can't take any chances on fluid build up and congestive heart failure. No daycare this week. You know Josie isn't feeling well, when she asks to go lay down. Chris and I are taking turns staying home with Josie. The timing stinks with school start-up. It's moments like this, that I really struggle with managing work and motherhood...big sigh.



I'm happy to report that Emma had a fabulous first day of fifth grade. She also endured the 92 degree heat of soccer practice (it was a record heat day in MI). Her uniform is a bright neon yellow this year (grab your sunglasses...yikes). Her first game is this Saturday (Chris's 40th birthday). Go EMMA!

We had hoped to attend a local organization (Chinese Culture Group of Greater Grand Rapids) to celebrate the Moon Festival with Josie on Friday. I'm really disappointed to cancel, but we just need to build up Josie's immune system again. We'll have to do our own Moon Festival as a family.