Everyday's a Snow Day When You're a Baby

Looks like we left central Oklahoma just in time. We managed to avoid the actual blizzard conditions that the beginning of this week brought to most areas of the state. No blizzard here...just temperatures cold enough to freeze your brain. And make a baby sick. Yes, after all of my bragging about a healthy babe, she has succumbed to the inevitable. Boo. Sad face. Tear. We took her to the doctor Thursday to figure out what was causing the crankiness, runny nose, and ear pulling. Now this is where we realized one of the awesome perks of Riley's job....he made us our own appointment at one of the doctor's clinics that he manages. Score!! So Hallie met her daddy at his office and all three of us waited for the doc. Hallie realized that offices are for doing business and so that's just what she did....her "business". And stunk up daddy's office. Hallie's crankiness and restlessness was escalating as the minutes ticked by. That girl took squirmy to a whole new level! She made sure to leave a path of destruction behind......

Riley and I found out that taking a cranky baby to a new doc for the first visit is definitely a two person job. Between the fits of restlessness she did manage to break my heart with these sad eyes.....

I hate to say it but I think Hallie is just as dramatic as her momma. She was milking all of the attention she was getting by being very high maintenance....

"Thank you father...my arms are much too weak right now to hold that big bottle."

 She didn't fool us for long...because soon she was back to ripping paper and doing pushups on the exam table...

"Hurry up and write me a script doc...I've got some nappin' to do at home"

The doc sent us home with a prescription for an antibiotic to treat what looked like the beginning of an ear infection. We also discovered that she has some eczema...we are definitely going to have to double up on the lotion to battle her dry skin in this cold weather. And speaking of cold weather....OMGoodness I am so over winter!!! I am so over the big patches of ice everywhere. I am so over having to torture Hallie by putting a coat on her. I am so over not being able to take strolls outside. Where are you springtime??? The Fannings are ready for you!

In other news lately.......................................

Happy Birthday Nanny! Tuesday night we celebrated Nanny's birthday with pizza and cake....Papa Bill, Aunt Katie and our friend Kelly and her two daughters were there. And oddly enough, all of Nanny's birthday presents doubled as Hallie presents! She requested a baby jumper for "Nanny's Home Daycare" and got plenty of books to start a nice collection for Hallie and future grandkids. Somehow Aunt Katie always has dinner duty with Hallie...and she always finds someway to occupy her and eat dinner at the same time. Impressive!

Fresh, yummy goodness

The birthday girl with her favorite little lady

Although we haven't had snow days this week like the rest of Oklahoma, Emmi has been cooped up inside and is definitely showing some signs of cabin fever. Most notable...she runs laps like a racehorse when she comes inside from being out in the snow. But all of the snow and ice has made her feel pretty cozy as well.....and she's decided to take naps using Hallie's boppy....

Something strange has happened. All of our children (human and furry creatures alike) have had a change in appetite this week. Hallie has been maintaining her strength with a steady diet of octopus.....

And Emmi satisfied her craving for some cold hard cash....

6 hard-earned dollars we will never get back ;)

We definitely miss the sunshine and 70s that last week brought. Please come back lovely weather! Hallie and I enjoyed our trail walks very much.

Since it has been awhile since my last chatty blog, I have yet to talk about Grammy's latest hospital drama. She went last Friday for an innocent checkup with Dr. Nelson and ended up back in a hospital room. On her cardboard bed. With her cardboard food. Her mission was to lose the 10+ pounds of water weight that she had gained over the past two weeks. And that is just what she did. Most of the time she was in the hospital was actually because she was stuck there. The weather didn't coordinate well with her discharge from the hospital so she finally went home on Wednesday night thanks to my uncle David coming to pick her up. The good news that came out of her hospital stay: probably no need for heart transplant talk like the doc was talking about last week. We made sure to go spend some time with Grammy and Gman last weekend at her second home. Thinking back, Hallie may have been starting to get sick that day because the only thing that made her happy was being naked and laying down on her back. Well, I take that back...everything made her happy when she first arrived...........

Grammy's girl

Grins for Gman

"I've missed you guys!"

Well, I'm back to working momma status. I was getting a little bored being cooped up in the house the previous week and a half. Even though I had plenty to do with unpacking and getting settled and all, I was as restless as Hallie wearing a coat stuck in her carseat. Although work has been a pleasure this week, the personal aspect of life hasn't been in working order. I really don't want to dwell on the drama of daycare so I won't. Back to work. I love my job! This Tuesday I spent getting acquainted with the people I would be working with. Each and every one of them made me feel extremely welcome. Such friendly people out this way! The second half of my first day was spent seeing three patients. I was so ready to get out on my own and get started. I definitely feel like home health is where I fit in the world of physical therapy. The weather was somewhat of an obstacle that day and the frigid temps didn't make getting in and out of the car too enjoyable. BUT I love the flexibility and I love my coworkers already! I will be working for Woodward Home Health as a contract therapist and also doing some outpatient therapy at Northwest Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab with my boss Aaron and friend Matt. Things that I have learned from work this week: 1)This is a very small town. Everybody knows everybody. 2) I need to remember to take my coat off when I get to a smoker's house. 3) Elderly people love weenie dogs. 4) I can in fact function in an outpatient clinic despite not having a lick of experience in one. 5) I have a horrible sense of direction. 6) Murry (my car's name) is an all-star in the snow and ice. 7) I understand why my mom's car always looks like a gypsy mobile by the end of a week of doing home health...my car is now filled with trash, coats, files, pens, and cups. 8) After a week in home health and outpatient, it is evident that I had the most unglamarous of all PT jobs at my previous setting. Incontinence is somewhat a thing of the past. Lol. Overall, I am a very happy therapist right now. I've found my niche! Except I think I knew that all along...I guess I just wanna be like my momma. Bring on week #2!!!

I just asked Riley what he wanted me to say about his job. He shared a lot of great answers with me so here is Riley's mini blog:

"It's going well. I really like it."

There ya go folks. He is full of details! Joking aside, he really is enjoying his job and finally getting everything in order and organized. Each day it seems he deals with something new and challenging which is exactly what he has wanted. His second job is also going well. What is that you ask? Being Hallie's favorite person in the world of course. Daddy ranks #1 for sure!  

It's Friday night and we are finally sitting down and actually RELAXING for once this week. Despicable Me is the movie of choice tonight! I don't even want to take the time to write about all of the hard parts about this week because frankly it makes me want to punch the wall. All that matters right now is that my little family is safe and happy...not so healthy but we are getting there.