RSV and Class Reunion

What a weekend!
Wednesday night after a few hours of frustration dealing with an unusually cranky baby - we I decided to contact AK's pediatrician to see if we could get a late sick appointment. After nearly an hour of not being able to get through on the phone lines we finally got in touch with the nurse and she questioned us on AK's symptom's and said she would call back after speaking with our doctor to let us know if we should come in that night or just wait until morning.
We ended up at the doctors office just after 6pm, 3 lab test later we discovered our precious baby girl had picked up a nasty virus known as RSV. While this virus has the potential to be quite dangerous for very little ones - it is not as bad as it sounds or seems. The best way I know how to describe my experience with this virus is to call it a "glorified cold". Imagine the wost sounding cough and congestion you can think of and then imagine that coming from tiny AK. On top of the RSV she also had a DOUBLE ear infection! And if all that were not enough she has been teething, and we could see a whole row of teeth starting to bulge in her bottom gums. Needless to say AK was not a happy camper.  With RSV being so contagious we were told to stay home with her until the cough was not consistent and the runny nose was not constant - so here we are on Sunday still inside. I quickly came down with the exact same symptoms as my precious baby girl - which our pediatrician warned may happen. Matt had these symptoms close to 2 weeks earlier - so obviously we've been passing this around. Don't worry we are not going anywhere else until we get well - we want no one and I mean no one to get this junk. AK has been such a trooper through this whole thing - while there is no medicine to treat RSV she did get an antibiotic to help clear up the ear infection. We lifted the head of her mattress to help her drainage and allow her to breathe a little easier at night and I've added a regular size pillow to her crib to elevate her even more - She seems quite comfortable with her big girl pillow in her bed and it only proves more to me how fast she is growing!!
Speaking of growing up fast - my high school graduating class just celebrated our 10.5 year reunion this weekend. A Special BIG THANK YOU to my Mom for driving up so I could attend this even down in Dothan, AL yesterday.
For those of you that don't know my graduating class only had 15 people in it, so this was not your typical reunion. I would say close to half of us were in attendance for this cookout gathering. I wish I had a picture of the group to post today, but I don't - hopefully I can post it soon. We had the greatest time reminiscing about the "old" days. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I know that in the grand scheme of things 10 years is not a supper long time - but were really begin to feel "old" or should I say "older". It's really no surprise, but still overwhelming to know that we are all mostly married or getting married, and several of us have children. Its amazing have fast 10 years of your life can go by. While its been a whole decade it felt like it was just yesterday as we would start sentences with the phrase, "You remember that time..." It was as if our tight knit group never went 10 years without seeing each other. I am so grateful to my parents for putting me at Emmanuel Christian School all those years ago. Most people probably remember high school through the eyes of their clique, but not us - our entire class was the clique! It was so great to see everyone, meet their spouses, hear about their children and find out what everyone has been up to these last 10 years. I am proud to have grown up with such a great group of men and women!

Please keep AK and I in your prayers - we are staying in quarantine for 1 more day before we attempt to at least go back to my work and hopefully her school. We are getting a little stir crazy and would love to not have running noses and a yucky cough.

A Day At The Park

So with our extra free time on Monday, I was able to take AK to the neighborhood playground for the very first time! She normally sleeps so long in the afternoons that we never get a chance to do too many fun outside things! We put on her shoes, loaded up in the stroller and walked to the park. Thankfully the playground was unoccupied for our first visit. I held AK's hand as we walked towards the slide, I lifted her up and placed her at the top of the baby slide - she had an unsure look upon her face and didn't understand what we were doing. I proceeded to help her "slide" down and she fell back a bit, with terror in her face. When it was over I clapped my hands for her and said "YAAY" (she loves this positive reinforcement). I then put her back at the top of the slide - this time she was more prepared and ready to go. She did not fall back this time and excitement was written all over her face! When she reached the bottom, I walked her around to the giant steps leading back to the top - with great effort our little AK tried so hard to climb these steps - but those pesky new shoes just got in the way (she is still learning to pick her feet up more with the shoes...and I imagine they are a little heavy on her feet). I helped her to the top and back down she went! It didn't take her long to figure out she didn't need my assistance to go down the slide or that she immediately wanted to go  back up the slide!  She even tried to climb back up the slide a time or two. Check out the video of our big girl going down the slide and trying to get back up again!

The next thing we tried was the baby swing on the swing set. While I did take video of this you do not want to watch - especially if you get motion sickness easily! She really did enjoy the swing. I wasn't sure she was big enough to fit without falling through the let holes - but she did! She loves the feel the breeze/wind in her face so she was grinning ear to ear during the swing time.

I hope to have many more enjoyable days at the park with my precious baby girl as she grows.

Later that day we also played in our own backyard with Peanut and Lucy  - after a few trips oustide in one day AK quickly understood what the site of her new shoes meant - fun times outside! This morning without a fight for the first time - she let me put her shoes on her! When she saw her shoes and socks in my hands she lifted up her right foot for me to put socks and shoes on and then immediately lifted up her left foot! What a smart girl I have!!

Today's The Day

Well...today is the day. The day for what you may ask, the day to start this blog! Over the past year it has crossed my mind to start a blog - but in the midst of becoming a new first time mommy the idea continually got pushed to the bottom of the list of things to do. Facebook has been a great way to keep grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even cousins up to date on AK's rapid growth and development but blogging will be an easier way to share more details about the adventurous life of the Damato family. 

AK's first pair of "real" shoes

For instance, did you all know that AK hasn't crawled in about a week? Nope - she's a big girl now only choosing to walk or be held! Friday I took her for her first "real" pair of shoes. Did you realize baby shoes costs more than any pair of shoes I would buy for myself?! Anyway, I took her to the actual children's shoe store (there are not a lot of those around anymore...like when I was a kid...), they fitted her and we bought the StrideRite Walkers. I really wanted to be the cool mom that could have several pairs of shoes for my baby, one for every occassion, but this one basic pair will have to do for now! She does look mighty cute in them - I will try to capture a picture today.

We are both off work and school today to celebrate Presiden'ts Day - now that she has shoes, I am looking forward to taking AK to the playground here in our neighborhood. Hopefully she will enjoy a few trips down the slide and maybe she'll let me put her in the swing!

I have plenty more to say - but it will have to wait since our sleeping beauty just awoke from her morning nap!