Lately

My students started back to school last Monday, and my first week was exhausting! I have been sick every night, and working like a mad-woman all day long. This year my conference is at the very beginning of the day, so the remainder of my day is back-to-back-to-back math classes. It's definitely different! I do like being departmentalized though, and only teaching one subject.

Hopefully my "evening sickness" goes away soon. I was sick until 16 weeks with Blake and am 15 weeks along with this sweet baby. I didn't turn far enough to the side in this picture, but am definitely sporting a bump. On Saturday, we went to Lone Star Music Fest downtown. We all went for the first few bands and then went home for Blake to nap, and Tim and his brother to cook hamburgers.
I was planning on going back for awhile in the evening, but wasn't feeling good. Blake and I had a girls night in, while the boys went back to meet up with friends for the rest of the bands. While we were there, Blake was a very busy bee.
Thankfully it wasn't crowded at all in the afternoon because Blake spent the entire time walking around. She loved going up and down the stairs and looking at the water fountain. She didn't stop the whole time we were there!
This past week Blake has really begun to talk more. She is starting to mimic many more words, and babble lots of new words to us. She also loves calling for her daddy. She started yelling "Daaa, DaDa!" in HEB today when he ran back to the produce to get the squash we forgot.

Family Reunion

We went to visit Tim's parents in Frisco this past weekend for a family reunion. The Rodriguez Family Reunion included Tim's grandma Petra and her brothers and sisters, and all of their kids, grand kids, and great-grand kids... alot of people!
I don't think you can tell from the pictures, but each family wore a different color shirt to show who belonged to who. I think there were 5 or 6 different colors. Petra and Co. wore blue!
I actually remembered to take my camera and I swore I was going to take lots of pictures. But it was soooo stinkin' hot (104, which is hot but normal... but then add lots of humidity and it's MISERABLE!) so I hardly took any. I'm borrowing a few of these from other picture-takers! Blake didn't know what to think of all the people so she wanted me to hold her the whole time.
We were both dripping in sweat shortly after arriving. One cute thing was that Blake noticed everyone in a shirt like hers. She would point to their blue shirt and then to her own almost every time.
It was good to see everyone again!

ER

Caution: Long post meant for my own record!

Blake woke up with a 102 degree fever on Friday morning. She had no other major symptoms, so we just started Tylenol, and took it easy. I called the pediatrician's office later that day just to check and see if I was doing everything I needed to. After her fever climbing to 105 the next morning, and then easing off and climbing again Saturday afternoon, I called back to the doctor. I was reassured as to what other symptoms to look for, and to keep pushing the fluids, taking cool baths, and alternating Motrin and Tylenol. We were doing all that, and were told that unless other symptoms arose, the fever was just Blake's body fighting off an infection. (I know, but still not any less scary!) By 9:00 Saturday night, I checked her temp again and the thermometer just read HI. The manual stated that meant any temp over 107.6! We jumped in the car and went to the ER.

Blake was started on an IV, had chest X-rays, urine and blood samples taken, and received a Tylenol suppository. Poor girl! Her temp was 105.8. The doctor said in a baby this age a high temp means one of 4 things: strep throat, urinary tract infection, pneumonia, or a viral infection. All tests were clear, so that meant it is a viral infection... meaning we have to let the fever run its course and continue what we were doing treatment-wise.
Bonus, with our hospital in construction right now, they turn off the AC on Saturday nights! So already hot pregnant lady, holding a miserable very hot baby, in a hot room... I was sweating like a pig. Luckily we had a great nurse, great doctor, and great support from one of my mom's friends who knows the ER and everything in it from her job... we were taken care of very well, including a fan in our room that was a lifesaver! The IV and suppository brought Blake back to herself, and we both cheered up. Thank God that Tim is such a calm, cool personality because I was emotional!

We got home at 1:00 AM, and Blake's temp has not been back over 99 since then. We're due to go to her regular pediatrician either tomorrow or Tuesday to check on her and see what the culture results say. We're staying in and taking it easy today.

Next Day: Blake's temp climbed back to 103 degrees the next day. I stayed home from work on Monday. By Tuesday, the fever was back to a normal temperature. Thank goodness!

Ready to Go

Blake and I were getting ready to go run some errands today. I was making sure I had my phone and keys and all, and I asked Blake if she was ready to go. This is what I saw when I looked at her. She had to get her water, purse, and daddoo! I love the way she holds her purse: she either has her arm bent like this picture with her elbow up or her arm straight up in the air so the purse doesn't slide off her shoulder. Too cute!

We got a slush too, and I had one content little shopping partner.

Lately

With the school year fast approaching, I have been soaking up as much Blake-time as I can get. I haven't been feeling well with my morning-sickness-that-starts-in-the-afternoon-and-lasts-all-through-the-evening... but I'm taking nausea medicine which does help. I say it all the time, but the older Blake gets, the more fun she becomes!
She is really starting to talk more, and she makes me laugh all the time. One funny thing she does is makes noises out of the right side of her mouth only, like if you ask her what a dog says... she says "oof oof" out of the corner of her mouth! One new word she has been saying alot lately is "uh oh."
Blake loves to cuddle up at night! Blake is also pretty helpful around the house. She loves to wipe off tables.
And she helps unload the dishwasher with me. She loves to grab the dishes and she hands them to me one by one. It definitely makes it more fun for me!
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Blake loves other kids and really loved Yui when Travis' friends from Japan came to visit. She would hold her hand and walk with her all around, they rode a horse together and played together. Yui and her grandmother would give Blake sweet little kisses and pats, and of course showered her with gifts. I will have to dress Blake up in her outfits and take pictures with her toys.