Here we go again

So I thought that my next blog post would be chronicling some part of my pregnancy. Well I was wrong. Tonight we did a shrimp boil for Father's Day and we had a complication. Peyton refused to eat anything because it was too spicy and Landree ate hers and Peytons because it was so good. We noticed Landree's face turning red but we weren't alarmed because she sometimes turns red when she deals with spices because her skin is so sensitive. Well it got worse and started spreading so I pulled her out and washed her down. Then the hives popped up and I gave her benadryl. She started complaining that her face was getting bigger but we didn't notice a difference. She did start coughing and that was when I made sure the epi-pens were out of the package and waiting. Luckily the benadryl worked.

So here is what we had for supper
Shrimp
Red Potatoes
Corn on the Cob all boiled in a pot of Zatarain Boil. I then added some of her safe butter to the potatoes and corn.

I rechecked all packages and Brian knows we didn't have any cross-contamination since he cooked it all. So it's looking like we might have a new allergy. Shrimp of course is the obvious suspect. It could be a random spice but I'm really hoping not because food companies are not required to list individual spices. Our allergist had us wait until she was 3 to try shellfish and fish and so far she has been okay. This was her 3rd or 4th exposure. But I also know it can be the 1000th exposure before someone shows a reaction too. I'll call the allergist in the morning and see where we go from here. We have an appointment the last week of July so I'm sure we'll just wait until then.

Here is the only clear picture I could get of her tonight. I had to use a flash because neither one of us could seem to stay still so the color in the picture isn't quite as red as it was in person and this was before the hives started. I like to take pictures as we go along in a reaction so I have a better perspective because sometimes in the moment they seem worse than what they really are.
Ignore the tongue

Announcement with a TMI Warning

Okay so a couple of days after my last post, Brian and I found out we were expecting a new addition to the family. It was a very unexpected development in the Craft house especially having been told at one point by doctors that we may never have children. I just hadn't been feeling well for over a month and had even told took a few tests over the Easter Holiday. Of course they were negative but I just couldn't shake the exhaustion and nausea. I even told a few friends if I didn't know better, I would swear I was pregnant. Well I obviously didn't know better because I was pregnant. About a week after I found out I started my normal 24 hour a day morning sickness. I didn't plan to tell the girls until I was out of my first trimester. We didn't with Peyton when I was pregnant with Landree and I just wanted to protect them as long as I could. Well that only lasted until I started puking and Peyton decided I had the Swine Flu and of course Peyton is a worry wart like her momma and decided I needed to go to the hospital. So after we saw the heartbeat on ultrasound, we went ahead and told the girls. They are excited and all on board now. Landree named it Baby Bob- no we don't know the gender- and everyone else has picked up on the name. The girls kiss and hug Baby Bob every night and Landree asks every day if the baby is big enough to come out yet. December will be a long way away for poor Landree.

Yesterday we went for another doctor's appointment and she asked if we minded waiting to see if the ultrasound tech could get hearttones. I wanted to say Lady, I would sit here all day for a chance to get a glimpse of Baby Bob. She said that since I was past 10 weeks (I'm 11) if we got a heartbeat then we had a pretty safe and secure pregnancy. Well we saw a heartbeat so I feel a little more secure and was able to breath a little better.

Unfortunately I am in the First Trimester slump still. I am exhausted and puking a lot. Okay so here is where the TMI starts and I'm warning you if you read the blog for the next year or so you will be getting TMI about me and the baby I'm sure. I somewhat thought I was coming out of it towards the end of last week but I was wrong. Sunday night I had really bad heartburn and Brian remembered I used to make and drink a glass of chocolate milk before I went to bed when I was pregnant with Peyton so I tried it. At 3:30 that morning, I woke up puking. Ugh- who does that and it was certainly a first for me. Yesterday evening I somehow puked some through my nose and then had to deal with a nosebleed for awhile. Note to self- stomach acid is not meant to go through the delicate passages of your nasal cavity. See I warned you- TMI. My prayer is that this follows the girls and my puking rally will be done by 14-15 weeks.

We do plan to find out the gender if we can but that won't be until sometime in August probably. The girls are going back and forth whether they want a boy or a girl. Brian of course would love a son but also says he knows what to do with girls so that might be easier. I really don't care. I would love for Brian to get to experience having a son but then again he is such a great Daddy to our girls that I would love to see that big ol' man wrapped around another baby girl finger.

So I hope that explains my absence for the last month or more. I have been tired but I also didn't want to put it all over the internet either if something went wrong. Some of our friends know but a lot didn't until yesterday. So if you're just finding out here, don't be upset with us because we really weren't telling everyone yet- pretty much just family and those that might have to deal with my puking.

UGH!!!

So the pig flu- oh excuse me they now want you to call it H1N1- has hit the school district 2-3 miles down the road. They are closing Comal and New Braunfels school districts until May 11th and this is State Testing week. They have to be concerned if they are shutting down in the middle of state testing. You know it is only a matter of days before we get a case in our school district. So several years ago I got freaked out of the bird flu. I calmed myself down and worked through it. I haven't been too concerned about this pig flu. It really has kind of come out of no where- I had no time to get myself prepared. Yah I know that it has not killed anyone in the states but it is in Mexico and I am awfully close to Mexico. I got concerned enough yesterday that I bought 3 weeks of groceries. I'm trying to decide if the girls are going to gymnastics and dance tomorrow because half the kids go to Comal school district. Sigh.... how do I balance keeping my kid's safe and not being an alarmist?

I am going to stock up on Diet Dr. Pepper first thing in the morning. There is no way I am spending a week plus in this house without caffeine.

2 Years Ago Today

We became Texans. Okay maybe not Texans but residents of Texas. We signed the contracts on our house, the movers delivered all but one missing box, had new furniture delivered, and started our new adventure. We didn't know what to expect and were hopeful we had made the right decision. Peyton entertained the movers with an array of dress-up clothes since it was the first box they found. Landree was a new walker and loved running up and down the foyer surprising Brian since she didn't walk before he left a month before. We almost doubled our house size and didn't think we would ever fill it up.

Now two years later, we know that moving here was one of the best decisions we have made for our family. The girls are doing great and we have some how figured out how to fill this house- not always with what I want. Peyton's school is better than we could ever have imagined. We have great friends and a wonderful church family.

Here are the girls just a week after we moved. They have changed and matured so much in that time.

Landree saw it and asked why we had pulled all her teeth. I guess she didn't realize she wasn't born with them.

Sugarlips is Six Today

Six years ago today, I was sitting in Little Rock with a one month, one day old child eagerly awaiting the call that my new niece Jaycee Marie had been born. Instead I got the call the God had blessed us with a boy. Gosh doggit I was already in turmoil that I was not there and now the whole family was in an uproar and I wasn't in the middle of it. My wonderful In-laws went by and took a picture for me so I could at least see him. He was so tiny and looked like a wrinkly little old man. Of course there was no name for him and my husband takes great joy in telling people that he gave them the name Jayce. I have always used his full name, Jayce Carter and he has grown into it. When he's being ornery I call him Sugarlips- don't ask me where that started, I have no idea but for now he allows me to call him that. The world has not been the same since he came into it and he's only 6. He's so stinkin' cute with stinkin' being the key word there. Here is Jayce Carter in all his glory riding my 70 y/0+ uncle's back last summer, living up to the double name.

Dance Pictures

Peyton had pictures for her dance recital tonight. Daddy wasn't home so I took quick pictures before we went. She started doing poses

I have no idea where that one came from.

I finally got a good one from her

She did great!

Landree did great during gymnastics today. The trampoline built into the floor was her favorite part. Afterwards, the coach told me that she thought Landree was a good fit for gymnastics. She also asked me if she smiled all the time or was she that excited about class. I hated to tell her that she is usually that happy. She did ask if Landree was fearless. Sigh, Yes she is fearless. The coach said she never hesitated when she asked her to do anything like some first timers do. She also said she was persistent and just kept doing everything over and over again. I told her that she was quite a climber and into everything. The coach told me that children like that were usually great at gymnastics and the structure and focus of gymnastics would help. We'll see.

One discovery I made today is that Landree is built very differently than Peyton was at three. I some what knew it but having her in Peyton's old leotard just proved it. It's a little snug in the bottom and hopefully she'll fit into the one Peyton wore the next year- if I can find it. Here were a few shots before we left this morning.