No Day at The Park.

Almost Wordless Wednesday.

This is my Bench Monday Shot

(if I could ever sit down and learn photo shop, I might submit one, Ha)

I Love this One.

Who's Face is THAT??  I don't know. She's Crazy!

I soooo need to buy her a pair of shoes. 

This shot is so funny, I call it "My Old Man Shot"

(Bc she looks like an old man in those bibs with her stance like that).

She put her chalk down, and just went straight into that stance.

She buckled her knees, and stuck her back back, and threw her arms out with Gusto.

I have no Idea where she came up with that.

A little pouty.

A little Silly.

A big Smile.

Laughing

More Laughing.

"You want me to go down?"

Crazy Face!

Mama Wants a Brand New Bag!!

Oooooooooo.  Giveawaay, giveaway, giveaway!!!   Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!  Have you seen this giveaway from Hazel and Harlow????  Check it out on Tay's blog HERE!!!

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO excited for this giveaway!  I have a great handbag that my Mother-in-law gifted me for Christmas in 2007, but that is the only nice handbag I have!  I have used it straight for three years, and it has held up grandiously, but I have been wanting a new fabulous, lushus, to die for handbag for a while now. Sadly, if I get an extra money, it goes to the Pumpkin.  I LOVE to buy for her, but obvs, the money I used to have for such luxuries for myself, is now extended to her. 

I WOULD LOVE THIS HANDBAG!!  It is too GORGEOUS and SO PREFECT for FALL!!  Please, please, please!!! Sigh!!!  Ahhhhhhhh!!!!  LOVE IT!!  I can just smell the Suede and imagine myself running my hand over it, as I wait in line at some Fabulous, Posh store. While all the girls, waiting in line with me Ooooooo and Ahhhhhhh over it, asking me "Where ever did I find such a fabulous Pasion Bags of Argentina, 'Espuma Bag featured in Sand'!"  "The color", "The feel of the fabric," "So Perfect for Fall," I can hear them now.

Ahh, wake-up, back to reality. But seriously, have you gone over there yet, and checked out their fab designers????  What are you still doing here, listening to me rattle on and on about my imaginary bag!  GET OVER THERE NOW!!!

BTW, check these out too, whil you're over there!!  Ahhhhhh!  I would die for a pair of these. I have so been coveting a pair like these fab bracelets. I LOVE them ALL!!  Can't you just see them dangling on my arm as I hold my Hazel and Harlow presents 'Espuma Bag in Sand.'

LOVE THEM!!!  THANKS TAY!! 

You Let Your Child Eat WHAT???!!!

Yes, soooooooooooo, last night I let Nikolina have 1/2 a Cashew Nut, no more. She has had a peanut before by accident and nothing happened, so she was begging for one, and I let her try one. I know, I know, 1 1/2 year olds are not supposed to have NUTS, yes, yes, I KNOW, I KNOW. I get it. NOW I GET IT!! 

This was my end of the conversation that I had with my mother this morning when I called to tell her what happened last night.  "Yes, Mom, Thanks Mom, Yes, I know Mom, that 1 1/2 year olds are NOT SUPPOSED to have Peanuts at this age, bc their can be allergic, and their throat can close up, and restrict their breathing, and go in to anaphylatic shock, yes, I know that. Yes, I know it's serious, yes, Mother, I know. Why do you think, I lay AWAKE holding her ALL NIGHT LONG, just in case her throat DID start to close up, or some other horrible thing.  Yes, I gave her Benadryl. It's not like I shove peanuts down her throat all day long, obviously, in hindsight, yes, it was not a good idea. Yes, I did think that at the time I probably shouldn't have done it. Yes, I only gave her 1/2 a cahew, yes, I monitored her all night.  Yes, she appears better this morning.  No, Mom, I probably will not be giving her any more cashews.  Thanks, Mom, Love you Mom. Talk to you later, Mom."

I won't show you pics of the poor pumpkin, but you can kind of get the gist from this pic below.   She pretty much had them all over her tummy and legs. 

I, of course, called the Pediatrician, yes, at 12:30 AM (Yes, I am one of those), this was before we knew they were hives, when they were just starting. I didn't really want to over-exaggerate and take her to the ER, if she didn't need to go (obviously). But, on the other hand, I wanted to be prepared if she would need a shot, if for example her throat started to close up or her breathing became restricted. I mean, he's asking me if she seems to be having a difficult time breathing, and I don't know what to say. Of course, I am a mother, so I over-react, and to me, of course, I think she is going into shock. I mean, at this point, I am already fully dressed, have the pumpkin fully dressed, my purse and diaper bag on my arm ready to fly out the door to the ER.

Thankfully we have a hospital about 2 minutes from our house.  Of course, she also has a cold and a cough (she has one every three days now, love daycare, love it:), so her breathing and airways are already restricted and congested.  It wasn't until after I got off the phone with our pediatrician that the hives worsened and I discovered she did in fact have hives, and that she was having an allergic reaction to the peanut, we think. I had hives as a child a few times, and my dad has had them a few times as well, so I was familiar with them, where Josh had no experience with them. 

They are basically harmless, unless they are in a child's mouth bc they can restrict breathing/pathways in throat/mouth. But, Nik's mouth never appeared to have any infection, thank goodness. They are hjust a little uncomfortable, as they can itch.  It's basically your body's reaction to a foreign substance, such as peanuts, or an allergy, it's your body releasing histimine to fight what it thinks is an enemy.

Since I gave her the 1/2 cashew, I volunteered to stay awake with her all night to make sure that she didn't start haveing trouble breathing. Nik will not sleep on your lap, or on the couch or bed, unless she's EXHAUSTED.  So, I had to put her down in her crib. Obviously, we figured that if she was going to have a reaction she's have had it, but I was being cautious.  I already prior to her inflamation, had the baby monitor up to my ear, and I could very clearly hear her breathing since has a cold, her breathing is kinda heavy. I also went and checked on her a couple times earlier in the night, and rocked her in the rocking chair, while she slept in my arms.. It's hard not to wake her though, bc our door creaks everytime you open it, and she always wakes up. But, I would rather wake her up, obv, then something happen.  Josh had gone and gotten her at 12:30 AM and brought her into the bedroom, and that was when we first discovered the rash starting. 

We gave her 3/4 tsp Benadryl and tried to make her stay up to make sure she was alright. She was having a good time playing, reading, and doing puzzles, till she finally became exhaused around 2, and we let her sleep in the bed with us, or rather, she was so exhausted, that she was able to fall asleep in bed with us.  Finally around 4 AM, I started taking little 15 min cat naps, bc she appeared Ok.  I was so in "mommy ready/aware/awake/protect mode" that I don't think I even got the 15 min cat naps completely in.  By morning, when she woke up right before 7, her hives had gotten much better, but were still kinda bad around her legs. 

I would've loved to stay home with her, but I have already used all my vaca (yes, I have to use vaca when my daughter is sick, stinky, I know) staying home with her in the Spring when she was sick frequently (love daycare:), and for other things, and she's in perfectly good spirits, so we just told our daycare provider to be cautious.  We are going to continue to give Nik the Benadryl until they are gone, per the doctor's instruction.  Hopefully, we have seen the worst of it, and YES, NOW I KNOW, NEVER TO GIVE MY CHILD EVEN 1/2 A CASHEW, no matter how bad she acts like she wants it.  Lesson Learned.

Nikolina says..."

I think...

That I...

Don't like Mondays.

Maybe, it's because I'm tired...

Or, that I couldn't find anything to wear...

And, that I miss my Mommy...

Oooo, Maybe

Tomorrow will be better."

Indian Summer.

(My Fav)

(Picking Flowers)

(Second Fav-My Sunflare...Eeek, Love It!)

(Cheesing)

(Hi'Ya)

(Marching...)

(Pouting, but love the clouds in this)

Last Saturday, Nik and I headed out to take some photos.  We left a little early, and I'm afraid we were hanging around for a bit with some harsh light, and Nik got pretty fussy right before my perfect light hit, but I did manage to bribe her to humor me for a few shots with some juice.  It was a lot of fun, and we got some  cute shots.  Tried to get her to wear her Hello Kitty Rain Boots for the shots, but she was having none of that.  And yes, that's a McDonalds Toy that she's holding. I bought it for her when I purchased a diet coke there one day, and I pulled it out of the car in an attept to bribe her as I neglected to bring anything else along with us.  Hubs cleaned the garage, and when we came home we went out for Barbacue at an awesome eatery we have here in town.  Where Nik had some Lemonade in a Big Girl cup, sat in a Big Girl Booster and you can see a smidge of Barbecue on her left (right view) cheek.  Mmmm Good.

Hey y'all-Not sure if you know this, but Julianna, over at a A Blonde Walks Into A Blog is having some health concerns.  If you can, head over there and offer her your support.  She is always so supportive and positive for all of us, I'm sure she's appreciate the love. Keep in her in your thoughts and prayers.

Love to all.