Monday, July 28, 2008

Another sad goodbye

Our dear friend Karen moved to Chicago this past weekend. We are so excited for her to be moving to our favorite US city, but were sooo incredibly sad to see her go. We first met in Rome and roomed together or very close ever since. In fact, for the past year she's been living about 100 steps away! She has been such a great friend and we've been able to support each other greatly over the years--she went with Eli to pick out my engagement ring, we carried her down the stairs when she broke her leg, she loved Emily like her own and has been our only babysitter. Not to mention she's been my workout buddy for the past 2 years! We've had lots of good times and it just wont be the same without her. We wish her luck at her new job as junior paralegal at an immigration law firm in downtown Chicago!



Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Marie's Wedding and Gulf Shores Beach Trip

Last weekend we went to Mississippi for my oldest cousin Marie's wedding. It was just beautiful--they were married in the cathedral and had the reception right across the street at a Marriott. We had so much fun out on the dance floor! Almost the entire extended Harkins family was there, close to 40 people!






From there we all headed to Gulf Shores for a family reunion at the beach.






Uncle Paul distracting his niece from the long car ride






Packed in tight just like the good ol days







Nana and Uncle Larry tasting puffs...yum!



Jumping the waves

One of my favorite little girls Clare with her cousin Mary Clare
Father and Mother of the Bride relaxing

Jacob, Mary Clare, Grandaddy and little Em


Noah--he's "not afraid of the waves, just afraid of lightening and thunder and monsters"


Emily's first taste of the beach (literally...she loved

to eat the sand!)


The infamous Shock Rocker


Looking for shells


Every beach trip needs a little fantan
Sad to go home...but happy to see Daddy again!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Emily's Progress

Eli and I are just amazed at Emily's growth this past month in all areas. She's crossing the threshold of being a tiny baby to asserting independence. Not only is she able to sit up all by herself, but she can roll around to get to where she wants to go. We can tell she's going to be a pistol and getting into everything very soon--the doctor said she was one of the wiggliest babies she'd ever seen!

On the way back from our 4th of July weekend we got stuck in traffic for several hours (we left at 4 and got to Dallas at 12:30!) and poor Emily suffered the most. She was exhausted from the weekend and the vacation sleep schedule and just wanted to be in her own bed...so she cried. The whole way. And her face broke out in eczema, and swelled up so much that her eyes were almost shut. I took her to the Doctor on Monday and it is now apparent that the steroids she had been taken are ineffective (some kids just don't respond) and the eczema on her arm is not eczema, but a STAFF infection. Eli had staff in his leg during college from playing rugby and he couldn't walk. But our brave little Emily toughed it out for 2 months. So new cream, new antibiotics that fight the "unfightable" strain of staff. When we got home i put the cream all over her body to ease the itch of the eczema. Then Emily started to rub her eyes. And scream. Her body was having a crazy reaction to this cream too--I should have known. So the redness started at her eyes and went to her head and then down her entire body. I called the doctor again, afraid that it would spread to her airways, and got the ok on Benadryl. So I went 75mph in a 30 to get to Walgreens, ran in with Emily screaming and her body red and swollen. I can just imagine what the customers were thinking. During all this crying she managed to learn how to say MAMA!!! Of course she knew my most vulnerable time when I really wanted to make her feel all better, she has to go and say mama for the first time and make me crumble! Let's just say that I'm definitely initiated into motherhood!

These are the beginning stages when it wasn't really irritating her...

Anyway she's recovered now and after paying $400 for creams that didn't work, I'm moving to fish oil. Wish us luck! The nutritionist came yesterday and Emily weighs 15lbs! She's still below the growth chart for 11months, but for her gestational age of 8 months she's on the 15% yay!!! More importantly her height to weight ratio is between 25-50% which is PERFECT. All of a sudden she's fitting into 3-6 month clothes and some 6-12 month clothes...we may even move up to size 3 diapers soon. I think this growth spurt is because of her wonderful eating habits. At each meal she eats from 3 food groups, and she still nurses very well. Ridiculous!! The next thing we know she'll be crawling and eating independently!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

4th of July

We had a very fun weekend with the Danzes in Fredricksburg and out at the Rock! Here are some of the pictures...more to come:)




Grandma and PaPa and the Horseraces

The Lemieuxs










Great Grandpa going up in flight in a similar plane 50 years after his service in the Air Force. What a July 4th treat for all kids and grandkids seeing Grandpa in action! (video below)


Climbing Enchanted Rock


Uncle Marty and Hejjo at the Rock


Emily's first fishing trip


She caught the first 2 fish!


Great Grandma and Emily

Aunt Joan and Great Grandpa

Cousin Leah and the delicious food!

Emily really loves Gwendolyn

The newest addition Aidan



Eli's childhood home in Taylor

Isn't it beautiful?