Monday, March 28, 2011

Jackson

So, there is a member of our family that gets very little attention on here (and to be truthful in general). This is for two reasons. First of all, he's a dog. So his day to day activities are not exactly newsworthy. And secondly, the poor thing hasn't been groomed in so long that we don't really take too many pictures of him, even though he is just about the cutest dog you'll ever meet. Okay, so maybe I am a bit biased. But as of today I am proud to introduce you (if you haven't already met him) to our newly groomed and our only boy, Jackson!
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Yesterday, when we picked him up the first thing I said to him was now he can sleep in our bed, which he NEVER does. And sure enough hours later as I am getting into bed here he comes. He puts his feet on the bed and whines to be picked up. I did tell him he could so of course I let him up and he crawls to the foot of the bed, walks a quick circle and lays down to sleep. And I think, "why?" Why when he NEVER sleeps in our bed does he come in tonight like it's an every night thing? Did he actually understand me when I said earlier in the day that he could? (I think probably every pet owner has been sure that their pet can understand every word they are saying at one time or another). Or does he know that I wouldn't have let him sleep in the bed before his haircut and bath so he didn't even bother trying? I suppose it's as Jay says, "He's just cold".


Ten reasons I love Jackson...

1. Look at that face!


2. He is able to ask a question with just one look.


 3. Jay and I have had him since before we were married. He was my first baby!


4. His playfulness




5. He's a great cuddle buddy.


 6. He looks cool even with long hair.


7. He lets me dress him up.







 8. He lets the girls dress him up.




9. He loves my kids.






10. Because he has always been right by my side...


Friday, March 18, 2011

St. Patrick's Day

For St. Patty's Day I wanted to take pictures of my girls in a patch of clovers but alass I couldn't find any :( so... I took pics in my mom's backyard instead...







Jena did not appreciate being set on the ground and I couldn't get her smiling despite Jane's best efforts.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Time and Time Again

So this title refers to how often poor Jena has been sick these last few months. Mostly it has ear infection after ear infection. Her usual disposition is something like this...


But it is not uncommon to see her looking something like this...
Then a couple of months ago I took her to the doctor after she woke up looking like this...
Turns out she had a terrible sinus infection and was placed on her third antibiotic in three months. And after that she was once again looking like this...
A month later (almost two weeks ago) I get a call from her daycare saying they had a confirmed case of whooping cough in her room and all of the babies now needed to be tested and put on an antibiotic. So I went that night and had her tested. She didn't test positive for whooping cough (Thank God!) but it turns out she had yet ANOTHER ear infection, her fourth in four months and also an upper respiratory infection and was once again put on an antibiotic and a steroid AND her oxygen was so low at that point that she had to have a breathing treatment.

Thank goodness we went in to get her checked out for whooping cough because I would have otherwise had no idea that she had the infection. She JUST finished that antibiotic last night and this morning I woke up to her looking like this...
I FREAKED out!!!! I took her in to the urgent care and as it turns out Jena is allergic to "sulpha" medicines which was the last antibiotic she was on. They gave her that rare antibiotic because it is the one they use for whooping cough and at that point the test hadn't come back to say she didn't have it. She has this rash now on her whole body and is on a new steroid and Benadryl and of course yet ANOTHER antibiotic because the ear infection is STILL THERE! Lord help this baby! And I have to say this through it all she has nothing but smiles to give.