Lottie's First Christmas!

Lottie's First Christmas didn't get off to a great start this year.  On the night of the 23rd, Lottie started getting a fever and a hacking cough.  We had our usual get together with my Dad's side of the family that night and while we were there, Lottie started feeling really warm.  We got her home and I checked her temperature which was right around 100.9.  I gave her a dosage of infant Advil and put her down to sleep.  Around 3:00 a.m. I heard her crying and went in to check on her.  She was BURNING up!  I mean felt like she was on FIRE!  I laid her down and checked her temperature and this time it was 103.6.  I alternated and gave her infant Tylenol to see if I could get this fever to break.  At this point I was wide awake and not going back to sleep.  I stayed up with her for the next hour and around 4:30 a.m. rechecked her temperature.  Thank God it had gone down a little bit to 102.3.  We eventually laid back down for a few hours and got up around 8:00 a.m.  I rechecked her temperature and it was at 101.9.  Thankfully Lottie's pediatrician's office is open on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  I called and made an appointment and got her in at 9:30 a.m.  I just didn't feel comfortable going into Christmas and the next few days not knowing what was going on with her.

While at the Pediatrician's office, he did a swipe with a very long q-tip up both nostrils to check for RSV and other infections - let me tell you - Lottie did not like that one bit!  Thankfully after 10 long minutes of waiting on the results, everything came back negative.  He felt that she just had a bad cold and the fever was present to help fight it off. 

The rest of the afternoon, I kept a close eye on her and the fever finally ceased!  Lottie played with Otis and Scooby (my sister's dogs).  She would laugh, then scream, laugh, then scream - I didn't know whether she liked them or not, still don't know.  It was fun watching her interact with them though. 

For the last couple of years, we've been going to my brother in law's parent's house for Christmas Eve cocktails and food.  He has two of the sweetest nieces who just adore Lottie.  Anthony's mom made stuffed banana peppers, chicken livers wrapped in bacon (GROSS - Steve loves them), shrimp cocktail, pasta fagioli and enough baked goods to make you sick (but oh so delicious).

Holiday Dress I bought at the consignment sale for $2.50

Tearing through tissue paper and wrapping paper - she loved it!

Standing up on her own for a few seconds - "no hands"

We got home that night and tucked ourselves in bed and waited on Santa to visit.  Lottie was so excited the next morning when she awoke (not really, but in another couple of years she will be!).  We passed out the presents and let Lottie go at it with the paper and boxes. 

Of course, my sister had to do the dog's stockings first!  Geezzzzz

Hurry up Aunt Amy!

New headbands

Lottie's new ball pit!!  (Don't you know those darn balls are all over the house now - awesome idea) 

And here we go......  She stopped caring about her toys and just wanted to play with the box!

Mom's new Panther headband!

Lottie's teletubbies sent all the way from England from her buddy Billy

Lottie's new alphabet train to help her with walking!  This train does so many cool things!

Here she goes!

After opening gifts, I put a breakfast casserole and hashbrown casserole in the oven I had made the day before.  We ate breakfast, cleaned and played with Lottie and her toys most of the day. 

Every Christmas night we make a ham and turkey and serve finger foods.  Then my two BFFs Ashley and Jeanette come over along w/ my second set of parents, Butch and Beverly.  We exchange gifts, eat and normally get into playing some sort of game.  I look forward to it every year.

More presents!

Christmas was so much fun this year!  Kids really do make the holidays!  I will remember this first Christmas always!!  I can't wait to watch Lottie grow this next year.  It is so hard to believe that she is going to be a year old in just a month and a half.  WOW!

A quick update on the cold - we still haven't been able to shake it - Lottie's cough has not gone away and now she's got the runny nose and sneezing to go with it.  We are going back this afternoon for a follow up appt.  Hopefully it isn't anything more serious than a cold.  Fingers crossed!

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!