We went Tues. to go visit the Blue Bonnets. There is a town about an hour away that has fields and fields of the Texas flowers, so being a true Texan, you must get your picture taken! 
Gracie on the other hand, had sooooooo many good pictures! She's quite the little model.
For those of you that don't know, Gracie spent 48 hrs in the hospital (Sun to Tue) with a staph infection (MRSA) that caused cellulitis (an infection of the surrounding fat tissue). Friday, she started with lowgrade fever around 100-101*, which for her is no big deal since she's reached 105.5* before. She had a little sore on her diaper area, right in the middle upper portion that broke open and oozed. I wasn't sure if she was teething or what, so we didn't worry too much. Then Sat. her fever went up to 103-104* and a sore spread to the right inner portion of her leg, right in the crease. It also broke open and oozed, so again, wasn't too worried since it was draining out the infection.
We got up Sun. thinking that it would be better. I got her in the tub around 9 am to soak in the tub with Epsom salt, and her thigh was all red and inflamed. That had me worried. I didn't know if she was starting to get septic (blood infection) or what, but I knew it was bad. We went to an urgent care center, where I started to fill out the paperwork. They couldn't verify my insurance, so they asked if I still wanted to be seen. I told them it was my daughter and why we were there. They had the Dr look at it real quick, before my paperwork was even done, and told us to go straight to the ER, it was more than they could do. So on to the hospital we went. We got there at 11 and was finally admitted and in our room at 3:30. Bill met us up there with Ryan and we got Gracie settled in.
Since I'm a nurse, they thought it would be no big deal for me to help hold Gracie down for an IV. Let me tell you, it was very hard to hold back the tears and not lose it! That was my baby screaming at me for the pain I was allowing to be caused. Horrible, gut wrenching sound.
Sunday, she pretty much just layed around and didn't do much. You could tell that she didn't feel very well. Once we were settled in the room, Ryan and I went home where I quickly packed a bag for us, then we went to Wal-Mart for our 'supplies'. This hospital has the worst food, exactly what you think of when they say 'hospital food'.
Ryan quickly helped us open it up and get right to it. After all, that's what we got it for, right?!
On Mon., Gracie no longer had to have the IV going all the time, so we were able to play just a bit better, and go for walks. She was feeling better, and wanted to MOVE! She was such a trooper through it all. At night is when I would lose it. She would fall asleep in the bed with me, naked so we could do warm compresses on her leg/groin, and I would cry and pray. Why is she so sick? What have I done to make her so ill? When can she finally go a month before a major illness?
3 weeks before this stay, she had pneumonia. Before that a random high temp. Before that a couple rounds of strep throat and a UTI. I am tired of her being sick and I'm sure she is too. She maintains a wonderful disposition through it all, smiling and laughing. But as a mother, I want to protect her, keep her from all the bad in the world. She is so little, and she shouldn't have to go through all of this so young. So for all my friends and family out there, please pray that my little girl will get better and stay that way.
I will update more as it comes (and hopefully get her birthday stuff up, maybe tomorrow). Sorry for the lack of updates, but with all the illnesses its been a bit much, especially the house cleaning that goes with each illness.
For those of you who haven't heard, we added a new puppy to the mix (crazy, I know)! Meet Lucy, the yellow lab. She is now about 11-12 wks, cute as can be, but definately all puppy. The kids absolutely love her, so we put up with the puppy antics because of it. And she has yet to growl or snip at the kids, and Gracie is just a little rough sometimes, so that's a good thing, I guess.
I went a little crazy with pics, but Gracie, you are just too beautiful for words! I love you more and more every day.
You love to play patty cake and peek a boo, and you show it off to anyone at anytime.
In every way you are growing and learning, and letting me learn with you. I love you so much.
It's SNOWING!!!! Sorry for the blurry pic, but this is me and Ryan catching snowflakes on our tongues.
Ryan's first snow angel. His comment for all this snow is, "This is the most snow I have ever seen in my WHOLE life!" Oh, how quickly he forgot the FEET of snow in Wisconsin.
