The Past Week

It seems like I have a bunch of random pictures I need to catch up on posting.  Last weekend my mom went on a "Walk to Emmaus" and she couldn't have her phone with her for 72 hours.  My MIL was there as well as a server, so she was able to have her phone.  I sent her pictures of the girls every day so she could print them out and give them to my mom.

Saturday night we met the Davises out for hamburgers.  Annabel and Daddy enjoyed watching some basketball while we ate.

We went on a stroller ride at the park Sunday afternoon..

Annabel discovered how to suck on her toes...

Monday was a school day and a dance day.  I got this picture of Adeline at breakfast.  She's growing up so fast!

Wednesday we stayed home and played all day.  I made an indoor spider web for Adeline to practice some fine motor skills.  First she colored the bugs...

Then she rescued them from the spider's web...

That afternoon the weather was beautiful so we played with sidewalk chalk while we waited for Daddy to get home from work.

Friday afternoon I was so excited to incorporate peanut butter into Adeline's snack.  It was a big hit!

This weekend Nana & Pappy came to visit!  We ate out lots of yummy food, played outside, went to visit the ducks at a nearby pond, and shopped.  I was bad about getting pictures, though.  The only one I got was of Annabel trying out the swing for the first time.

For my birthday back in September, I got a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse gift card.  Jon and I have not had a date night since before Annabel was born.  My parents kept the girls last night so we could go out for a nice, quiet, delicious dinner.

I got these texts from my mom while we were out..

Today was bittersweet.  My parents took Adeline home with them to Texas.  My in-laws will bring her back to us on Friday, unless she gets homesick before then.  We were so sad to see her leave for such a long time, but I know we'll get lots done and maybe even catch up on some rest this week while she's gone.  I think Annabel misses her dearly already, though.  She has been quite fussy all afternoon and that's just not like her!

My mom sent me this text while they were traveling back to Texas.

We're going to miss our big girl this week, but our little girl will get lots of attention!

God Answers Prayers

We've had a week of medical issues here at the Richey house.

Last Thursday night Annabel's heart started racing.  To our knowledge, this is the first time it has happened since the day she was born.  I happened to be out to dinner with friends celebrating Shannon's soon-to-be arriving little girl.  Jon called me in a panic, but I reminded him of the maneuvers we're supposed to do to get her heart back to a normal rate.  He did this and all was fine.  We checked on her and prayed all night that her heart wouldn't go into another fast rhythm while she was sleeping.  I called Little Rock first thing the next morning.  The doctor she normally sees was out that day, but I was able to talk with a nurse who corresponded with her doctor via email to find out what we needed to do.  I was fervently praying that they would not freak out (because this would have freaked me out even more) and that they would increase her dosage of medication rather than increase the amount of times she has to take it throughout the day.  Both prayers were answered!  The nurse told me this was very normal because babies grow so quickly and so much in the first year.  That it was just time to up her medicine and that it was nothing to worry about.  She also just changed the concentration of her medication, so we still only have to give it to her 3 times a day just like before.  I felt a sudden wash of calming over me after this that can only come from Jesus.  I knew He was looking out for us.  I know He loves Annabel even more than we do and I have a peace that all is going to be fine.  Anyway, they sent a heart monitor for her to wear for 24 hours this week to make sure the new medication dosage is doing its job.

Poor baby had to wear this big contraption for 24 hours!  However, another answered prayer.  It didn't seem to bother her at all while she slept.  The only time she got mad at it was during the day yesterday.  She has turned in to quite the roller and every time I'd put her down, she'd roll over on to her tummy then get mad that this was pushing in to her chest.  We go for her appointment in Little Rock next Thursday.  I'm hoping that since she wore the monitor this week that they won't send us home with another one again next week.

And moving on to our next baby.  If you all forgot about this, back in November we had Adeline allergy tested because she had had a couple reactions to peanut butter.  She tested positive on the skin test to a peanut allergy.  They sent us home with instructions to avoid all peanuts and tree nuts and to get a blood test to test the severity of her peanut allergy.  Well, it was December before I got around to the blood test.  A few weeks later we got the results back that she tested NEGATIVE for any peanut allergy.  Not at all what we were expecting!  I was so excited, but still very hesitant.  The allergist suggested we come in for what they call "the peanut challenge."  So we did that today.  Talk about a long, drawn out process!  They started with touching a tiny bit of it to her lips, then waiting 20 minutes.  At that point she had a few red streaks on her neck.  The allergist asked if I was ok with proceeding and I felt comfortable doing that since we were in a controlled environment with lots of doctors and nurses around.  They then gave her 1/8 tsp of peanut butter and waited 30 minutes.  By this time, all the streaks were gone and she was asking for more.  We continued this process by doubling the amount every 20-30 minutes until we got to 2 teaspoons.  She had ZERO reactions (besides the red streaks that we think might have just been her scratching from dry skin).  So we have to watch her for 24 hours and then we can start adding peanuts and tree nuts in to her diet!  Yay!  I'm so excited and I know this is a God thing.  I can't wait for my girl to experience the deliciousness of peanut butter!

Isn't it amazing that God listens to our prayers about medication dosages and peanut butter?  He loves us so much and that makes me want to shout with joy!

Annabel is 5 Months Old!

Today Annabel turned 5 months old!  Time gets faster & faster.  Slow down!

She wasn't too smiley in these pictures today because I took them right after she woke up from a 3 hour nap.  I think she was a bit still out of it.  

What is Annabel up to at 5 months?

• Sleeping with her arms out of the swaddle!  Woo Hoo!
• Sleeps 12 hours at night with me waking her at 5am for meds & a short feeding
• If she does wake in the night, she puts herself back to sleep eventually
• Takes two naps a day; morning & afternoon
• morning nap 30-45 min
• afternoon nap 2-3 hours
• Eats a solid food at supper
• has been only eating cereal 
• tried avocado tonight, but wasn't a big fan; we'll keep trying, though
• Thinks her big sister is the funniest thing ever
• Adeline lives to make her laugh.  She does stuff we tell her not to do just because it makes Annabel laugh.  I told Jon we better get used to it because they're going to be ganging up on us like that their whole lives.
• When Adeline was this age Tulip was the one that could always make her laugh.  I don't think Annabel even knows Tulip exists.
• Is grabbing any & everything she can get her hands around
• Has started grabbing her feet lately and trying to get them in her mouth as well
• Can prop-sit
• Can push up on her arms when on her stomach
• Can roll both ways
• Sometimes sleeps on her side now
• Loves to stand in your lap or in the exersaucer
• Nurses 6-7 times a day
• Wears size 2 diapers
• Wears 3-6 month clothes

Annabel, you are our beautiful little sweetheart and we love you so so much!

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Happy Valentine's Day!

Today was full of activities and full of love!

My day started at 2:00am when I woke up from a bad dream. Every time I wake up in the night I look on the monitor to check on the girls.  I found Annabel wiggled over to the side of her crib with her face pushed up against the bumpers.  I quickly went in there to move her, but by the time I got back in bed, she had wiggled back over.  I went back a couple more times with the result being the same each time.  Eventually I woke up Jon hoping he could offer some advice.  He moved her once and she was back against the bumpers before he made it back down the hall.  He said, "she's going to keep going there because that's where she's comfortable; just don't worry about it."  That's a lot easier said than done.  By 3:30 she was in a position that I felt was safe, so I went back to sleep until 5 when I gave her meds and nursed her.  At that point I just stayed up and worked out & got ready for the day.  Not long after putting her back to sleep she had made her way back over to her favorite spot.

 I hope tonight goes a little more smoothly!

I snapped a few quick shots of my girls in their matching heart PJs before Bible Study.  Here's proof that getting a good picture of them both together is quite difficult...

While I was in my Bible study, Adeline made this for me in her class!  How sweet!

After Bible study, some moms from our play group met up at a local nursing home to pass out Valentine's.  It was such an awesome experience.  I just love the elderly and miss them so much from when I used to work with them.  I had so much fun.  Adeline loved passing out the Valentine's she made too, but was still a little nervous.  She wanted to pass them out, but wanted to keep a hold of my hand at the same time.  Annabel got lots of attention as well.  Everyone kept saying, "Let me see that baby! Oh, look at her smile.  What a happy, pretty girl she is!"

The kids (minus Annabel & Elsy Kate)...  Westin, Adeline, Parker, Payton, Zach, & Colson

Adeline kept some stickers for herself and entertained herself with them on the ride home.

During naptime I made these cupcakes I found on Pinterest.  Oh my word..to die for!  I am not much of a baker, but I do have to brag on these.  They were pretty easy, but more difficult then the "back of the box" recipes I usually follow.  It's a brownie mix on bottom, then strawberry cake, then vanilla icing.  Yumm-o!

Before Jon got home I quickly made this little Valentine for him from the girls..

The table I set with all our Valentine goodies...  See the two pop-up cards?  Jon made those himself!  I married in to such talent!

Annabel had her 3rd wardrobe change of the day due to a blow-out.  I found this onesie my grandmother  made for Adeline.  It says Queen of Hearts on it.  Perfect for today!

This is what Annabel got from us for Valentine's.  Her very first little jewelry box.  We got Adeline one just like it on her first Valentine's Day.

And Adeline got a hi-chair/swing/carrier for her baby dolls.

All in all we had a very good Valentine's Day, but I'm exhausted and looking forward to my cozy warm bed.  Goodnight!

Mid-February

Wow!  I can't believe it's already the middle of February!  Time seems to fly by and there's always something I should be doing, so blogging tends to take a backseat.  So here I am again, blogging about a whole week or more at a time.  Oh well.  Let's start where we left off...

This happened last week.  I had to share because it was quite hilarious.  I pulled off 1 paper towel, stepped into the living room to wipe Adeline's mouth and then I start to hear this rumbling sound.  I start to think we're having another earthquake...but no.  It was just an ENTIRE roll of paper towels unraveling to the floor!

The girls and I were invited to my old work's potluck on Wednesday.  It was Mexican-themed.  I baked cookies and took them on a Joe T's platter.  Too bad nobody there has ever eaten at the best Mexican food place in the world, so nobody appreciated my platter as much as I do.

I'm loving this little Valentine decoration my parents got me.

Now this is what I just can't get over!  I can't believe my baby is old enough to be prop-sitting already!

And my other baby thinks she is so grown up with her cool sunglasses, but she's still my baby too.  I love that she still sucks her thumb and snuggles with her Ace.

The girls got a Valentine package from their Pappy & Nana on Friday.  We opened it up and took out everything, then Jon and I put Annabel in her jumper so we could start dinner.  We heard Adeline say, "here you go, Annabel" and she had taken over both their cards, Annabel's rattle, and her view-master so they could enjoy their new toys together.  It was so sweet!

Shane, Juliet, & Murry came over for family night that evening.  A cold front was coming through and it was frigid outside!  We made yummy vegetable stew.  Annabel & Murry enjoyed hanging out together.  They even held hands a few times.

 Pretty blue-eyed Murry

 Adeline looking through her view-master..upside down :)

Aunt Juliet brought over all the supplies for making Valentine sugar cookies.  She and Adeline did that while Jon and I put Annabel to bed.  I could hear Shane & Juliet laughing hysterically at one point so I came in the kitchen to check it out.  Adeline was snatching up the cookies as soon as Juliet could cut them out and stuffing them in her mouth.  No telling how much raw cookie dough she ate!  

Then of course she had to eat some of the finished products as well!  I love that my girls will grow up with at least one aunt, uncle, & cousin nearby.  They are going to have so much fun over the years!

Saturday it was 20 degrees or less all day.  Jon got out and ran a few errands for us, but I stayed home with the girls.  We rocked for a little while and I snapped a picture of my two thumb-sucking babies.

 My first baby girl 

The big news here this week is that on Friday night Annabel decided she wanted OUT of the swaddle.  She was bucking around the crib like crazy and kept getting her face up to the bumpers.  So, we decided to free her arms.  It was tough all day on Saturday and she fought her naps because she just couldn't calm down enough to sleep without being swaddled.  But by Saturday night she got the hang of it and was sleeping peacefully.  I love a sleeping baby with their arms up over their head.  PRECIOUS!

Sunday, we went to church as usual.  We got a picture of our two girls in their matching heart dresses.

Sunday evening we went to a party to celebrate our friend Hailey turning 2!  I think both girls had a great time.

Today we woke up to snow on the ground and even more falling from the sky!

However, school wasn't closed, so we braved the weather to take Adeline to school so she could enjoy her Valentine party.  And so I could enjoy some peace & quiet with Annabel.  

Adeline screamed at me the whole way to school because I had put Ace in her backpack rather than let her hold him (because I didn't want to be trying to get him the backpack standing out in the snow in the parking lot).  So when we got to school and I asked her to stand by her table for me to take a picture, all I got was a scowl.  A teenage attitude already!

I hope she's in a better mood when she gets home!