Pajama Jammie Jam

Celebration recently got a new library just down the street from us. Tonight they hosted a children's pajama jammie jam. Vera picked out her jammies and even sported pig tails for the occasion.  It seemed like every little one in the neighborhood was there. Vera had a blast dancing, saying hello to a random grandma, reading and looking at new books, and hanging out with her buddy. 

They were to short to stand at the tables, so Ve and Charly just plopped down on the floor and got busy 

BFFs. They both look so innocent and yet so ornery at the same time. 

Vera proudly displaying her finished product. She insisted on helping me cut the shapes out. She had to have her hands on the scissors the entire time and was telling me to "cut mom cut". Hopefully Vera will learn to love her local library and become an avid reader. 

Hand in Hand

Veve and Charly do absolutely everything together. Everything.  Vera constantly points out Charly's house and things that she likes. Not to mention that they now both say "No Way"! You know a friendship is special when they love to hold hands and are willing to share candy with each other. I love that they will go to preschool together and grow up close. 

Veve and her "key"

A Visit from Baby Shea

Our friends Ed and Lisa stopped by for a day on their way back to Atlanta. It was so nice to catch up with them and meet their sweet, cute beyond words, baby Shea. She was just one of those babies that made you smile and she had the most gorgeous complexion. Vera loved having a baby in the house and was very sweet to her; I can only pray this means she'll be that way with her sister when she arrives. 

New friends just holding hands. Shea was so sweet and just rolled with  the flow. 

Attempting to get Vera to sit still and look at the camera.  I love Shea's arm on her shoulder.

Matthew and sweet baby Shea

Vera's lean in hug

Let's read this book Ve

I can't wait till the Ng family comes back and we can snuggle baby Shea some more!

Liam and Veve

Vera has a love hate relationship with her buddy Liam. As long as he doesn't attempt to touch her Mickey and Minnie Mouse figures, they're buddies and good to go. They never sit still, but blue lollipops after a well eaten dinner slowed them down for a few minutes. 

I love the slight lean in Vera is attempting

Future prom dates?

Feelin' Fine

It took three days, but Vera finally was feeling better. She only had a tiny fever and was actually eating food again. We still made her take it easy today, but boy could you tell she felt better.

Checking herself out in her Minnie Mouse outfit and fancy pants shoes. 

Yes, she wore the dress out to lunch and then to Babies R Us to get rails for her big girl bed. She was showing Matthew her blue tongue. I love a fully charged, healthy Veve!

Fever Watch...Day 2

Veve still woke up with a high fever and general yuckiness. She just wanted to snuggle with Daddy. 

Enjoying their juice boxes together; she just loves her Daddy so. 

Time for a temperature check. At this point still  a high fever, but coming down ever so slowly. 

Again with the puzzles. 

By the end of the day Ve was feeling like a car ride despite her fever.  Matthew pushed her all over Celebration for some fresh air.  

103.7

Vera is a good eater and a high energy kid. I should have known something was up yesterday when she didn't eat her favorite Mickey Mouse pretzel at the Magic Kingdom (usually she has it devoured in less then five minutes) But she was acting fine otherwise, so we just carried on as usual. That evening at dinner she kept pointing to her throat and saying "ouch". Matthew asked her where it hurt and she practically put her entire hand in her mouth . After a quick temperature reading, which came back at 103.7, Vera was tossed into the car and taken to the doctor. Luckily the doctor let us in just as they were closing the practice for the evening. After examining Vera the dreaded verdict came in...possible strep throat. We picked up her antibiotics and headed home for the evening with one sick little girl.

After battling a 103 degree fever all night, when Vera woke up she just wanted to sit in our bed and play with Daddy's computer. She was to weak to even lift her head up off the pillow. 

A serious battle ensued to get the medicine and Tylenol down Vera's throat. We eventually won, but had to give her a jellybean in the process. The Tylenol kicked in for a brief thirty minutes and Vera was able to play with her new puzzles from Daddy. It didn't last long though, and she was back to resting on the couch. Her temperature, even with Tylenol, hovered at 103.5. It made me so nervous that I called Matthew multiple times at work. 

Faking a smile for Daddy before he left for work. She is not the type of little girl to sit still; it makes me so sad. Darn strep throat, you are ruining Ve's day and weekend plans. With a high fever she has barely left the couch all morning/afternoon. 

I could barely get Vera to drink fluids let alone eat anything. Around lunch time she started asking for popcorn. After first attempting strawberries, bananas, and noodles, I caved. I figured a little bowl of popcorn is better then an empty stomach. She just sat there and watched episode after episode of Little Eisenstein's; I want to poke my eyes out with a blunt object when that theme song comes on. 

Unfortunately I had to take Vera to Publix with me. She got a "sick little girl" balloon out of the  trip so she was a satisfied camper.  I had a small panic attack this afternoon when her fever remained abnormally high. Thank goodness we live next door to a fabulous pediatrician. She gave me some great advice, and further diagnosis Vera with Adenorvirus. It's a nasty virus that causes super high fevers for four to six days. I hate that for Ve, but at least I know what it is and what to expect going forward.   I hope she starts to feel better soon because I get so stressed out when she doesn't feel well. Her little sick eyes make my heart hurt. There is nothing like having a sick child to remind you to be thankful when they are healthy. 

MyGym Outtakes

Vera loves going to her gym class. I am convinced that it has made her stronger and more confident too. She's learned to wait her turn and to play and share with others, all from one little gym class. 

Just relaxing on the "big deal of the day swing"

Vera's hands go up! 

Taking a ride on the speedy cruiser 

After her big jump into the ball pit

My little Spud Web taking a shot. What form!

Mom stop taking pictures, you're embarrassing me !

Swinging with all the  boys on the "big deal of the day" swing 

Walking the balance beam. She usually does better then this, but this was a new worker helping her and she wasn't  so sure of her yet. 

Tossing the balls through the moving target. She was surprisingly good at this

Swinging like a monkey

Just having a grand old time running and climbing on everything. She was preparing for a belly-flop through the hoop here. It was a great day at MyGym 

A Great Weekend

I love the weekends. Matthew is home to hang out with us and life is as good as it gets. This weekend was no exception, even though Matthew was not feeling 100%.

Eating her well balanced dinner of strawberries, green beans, and pizza.  Can you believe she actually ate the green beans and strawberries before the pizza? 

Then we headed to Downtown Disney to let Vera run around since it has been pretty cold outside.  She loves Mr. Potato Head and you get to build your own here. They have every Disney piece you can imagine, and the best part...it all stays there and you leave with NO small pieces. 

Vera freaked out and ran across the way to see Mickey and Minnie. She loves them and calls them "my Mickey". We better not move away while she is still in her Disney phase of life. 

Matthew surprised us and took us to breakfast on Saturday  Here are my two favorite people  enjoying their meal. The sun was in Ve's eyes and she wanted to wear my sunglasses. Hollywood star, I think so. 

And then we went to IKEA for a new mattress, some drawer organizers, and a few other fun things we didn't know we needed. Vera was helping us test out the mattresses by "sleeping" on them.

 Vera also made my day by sitting through the entire church service and not making a peep and/or squirming around like she had ants in her pants. She HATES going to the nursery, and was as good as gold in an effort to not have to go there. Just made my day. All in all it was a quiet, relaxing weekend. 

Heading to Mama Lucy's

We were lucky enough to head back to South Carolina to visit with friends and family the other week. I was really bad about taking pictures, but Matthew did capture a few on the way there.  

Vera insisted on helping with the luggage; she pulled our suitcase the entire way to the check-in counter with Tutu held tightly in the other hand. 

We just had to stop and get a picture with Vera's favorite princess...her "white"

"Weeee! I'm going to grandma's house!"

Just Another Day

The other day after church we decided to go to the golf course for brunch. Vera was so excited to play outside afterwards she just took off running. Such a happy little girl 

Dancing in the gazebo and taking a bow after her twirling performance.  What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. 

My Funny Valentine

Valentine's Day this year was a little rough simply because Vera was running a slight fever and just not her normal, spunky self. We were going to go to a Disney character dinner, but decided to reschedule until Ve felt better. Despite a semi-sick little girl, a trip to the ENT, and a trip to the dentist, we still did up the day right. 

Vera and I walked downtown and shared a giant cinnamon roll at the local bakery. She must be my child because she went straight for the center of the roll with the most icing. 

Ve did a great job of helping me set the table before Matthew came home from work. Vera was even visited by  Cupid and got some new furniture for her  Lil' Woodzeez house. Guga sent her a new raccoon family to go with it too! Not to shabby if I do say so. Vera was so patient and left the table alone until Matthew got home for our special dinner(chicken burritos per his request).

Vera insisted on wearing her pink and red tutu all day. She marched, in the rain, down to the neighbors  who graciously gave her a chocolate bear, Valentine's Pez dispenser, and more cookies then you can shake a stick at. She was in heaven . Here she is holding up her loot. 

Biting the head off of her chocolate bear. She then had biters remorse because she took off the Bear's eye. Live and learn Veve

My little Sweetpea

Yeah for a holiday that gives out candy! 

Using our heart straws to drink out of Mom's fancy glass. She kept saying "Ahhhh" after every sip

"Dad, you gotta try this"

Vera has been working on painting a picture for her Daddy for days, this is the result. I attempted, multiple times, to get her to put a white hand print in the middle, but she adamantly refused. Matthew took it for his office at work minus one tiny hand print. 

Matthew is really good at listening and coming up with thoughtful gifts. I fell in love with a painting  I found on Etsy  that was almost identical to the picture Matthew recreated for me on his computer. It shows Indiana and South Carolina and our wedding date. I loved that he made this for me; it means more then anything he could buy. Not that I am sneezing at the roses and my rain slicker because they are awesome too!  I had a wonderful Valentine's day and a even more wonderful family to spend it with.