Dearest sweet Abigail,
You are 15 months and 9 days today. A lot has happened since the last time I wrote. I planned on writing to you when you turned 14 months but we were in the midst of your 1st sickness so needless to say, I had other priorities. Well my sweet girl, you finally got your very first fever at 14 months. I dreaded this moment since the day you were born. I’m happy we lasted as long as you did but boy, was it a doozy. It was bad enough that you started with a fever on Christmas Eve (that was also the day you took your first unassisted steps! More on that later…) so the holidays weren’t the best being that you weren’t feeling well at all. I hoped and I prayed that you would wake up feeling better each day but after a trip to the doctor, a few days on antibiotics, continued fever, a cough and a runny nose, you just weren’t yourself and you weren't getting better. You had been sleeping with me since the day you got sick and I noticed that your breathing one night seemed very labored and rapid. I tried not to overthink anything but if there is anything to be said about mother’s instinct, I knew something was not right with you. So…on December 28th, we took you to the ER where you had a temperature of 103.5F. As soon as the triage nurse started putting on your hospital ID bracelet, my tears started rolling down and they never stopped. A chest x-ray revealed that you had spots on your chest. You were diagnosed with pneumonia. After 4 (yes, four!) attempts at getting your IV in, a nurse from the NICU was finally able to do it. Each time they tried and you cried out, it was a like a puncture to my heart. I would have done ANYTHING to trade places with you but that’s the thing about seeing your babies sick….there is nothing you can do so you feel completely helpless. We were transferred to CHOC hospital early that morning at 3:30am and we were there for a few nights. I never left your side. Your daddy was there too and I know he was hurting, especially when he had to go home to an empty house each night. I know he longed for his girls. That whole ordeal really reminded me that life is so incredibly precious and I was so grateful that although you were at the hospital getting treated for pneumonia, there were so many other sick babies there with you that were much sicker than you. Life at the hospital is one I hope we never, ever have to get used to. It’s heart-breaking. Luckily, your personality started showing through so I knew the IV fluids, breathing treatments and antibiotics were helping you. We were released and your antibiotics and breathing treatments continued at home every 4 hours around the clock but your daddy and I did it with no complaints since we were so grateful to have you home. After a few follow-up appointments with your pediatrician (whom I LOVE), you were given a clean bill of health. I won’t lie when I say that I still get very paranoid every time I feel you’re a little warm or when you have a runny nose again or even when you let out a little cough but I hope that this feeling will go away and that the next time you get sick (because I know you will again), that it’s a normal little cold we can fight off at home.
When we got home from the hospital, you went through a phase where you were extra sensitive and you have even woken up crying in the middle of the night a couple of times. It breaks my heart to think that it’s because you are traumatized from being poked and prodded at the hospital but I know that you are my little trooper and going back to our routine at home has slowly gotten you back to normal now. How I missed your infectious laugh and personality throughout those days but I thank God that we made it through.
Leaving the hospital...you were so happy!
You are officially off the pacifier. I thought that would be a struggle considering you were so attached to it when you were in the hospital but just like every other milestone, you made it easy. Now your daddy and I just don’t know how to keep you quiet in restaurants or at church!
You babble all day long and it’s the best sound in the world. We still can’t believe we’ll be having actual conversations with you real soon. These days you are saying bye bye, ten and mas(which is “here” and “more” in Spanish), thanks, hello, night night and nice. We have been keeping up with our ritual of reading you a bedtime story every night and I think you’ve finally gotten to the point where you look forward to it every night. You follow along and point at each page. I truly hope you become a book worm like your mommy was when she was a little girl.
Your 1st pigtails!
We took you to Disney’s California Adventure for the very 1sttime (we’ve opted to take you to Disneyland in the past). I think you had so much fun. All I know is that your daddy and I had a blast. There is nothing like seeing it through your eyes. We can’t wait to go back!
Oh my sweet Abbie, we are having so much fun with you. We are incredibly blessed to have such a sweet, smart, beautiful daughter and I am so honored to me your mommy. I can’t wait to see what the next month has in store for us. We love you to pieces sugar plum.
Visiting Grandma <3 br="">
Making a mess with mommy's magazines :)
We love you Abbie!
3 comments:
I'm so sorry about the pneumonia! How scary! But glad she's all better and back to her sweet self!
Oh gosh, pneumonia! I can't even imagine how scary and traumatising that would've been for all of you, especially Abbie. What a little trooper, and of course, how gorgeous is she?! Cutest little thing. Sending love and hugs your way xx
had no idea she had pneumonia! how scary indeed! glad that she's her happy self now.
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