Watch out, She's on the Move....

She's been on the move for about 1 and a half weeks now, and it's way fun!

It's a crazy life...

Don't ever travel with Will and I, your chances of something going wrong increase by 90% if you do, they have done studies, it's true! 

Remember when we traveled from Switzerland to America and had to sit on the run way for 3 hours before even leaving, well we had a similar situation on our way to California, but worse! Board the airplane, get comfy, taxi out to the run way, sit and and sit and sit for 4 hours before them telling you that the weather is too bad and they are canceling the flight and taxi back to the gate. With just Will and I this would have been a little annoying, but with an almost 6 month old, it was a bit much....always us, always something, remember 90% chance of something going wrong...it might actually be 100% now that I think about it more. We got off the plane, I ran to the United counter and waited in the long line. When it was my turn, they kindly rebooked us the next day with Delta in the morning, but required I head to the Delta counter to get my tickets. Upon arriving to the Delta counter, the lady 'kindly' informed me to go back to the United counter as she told them she is no longer taking United customers as they are too booked! Thank you United (have I mentioned how tired I was by this point). Back to United I went with a not so happy face (hard to imagine I know:).....after I cut in line, complained a little, they were quick to give me new tickets for the same flight the next day. We picked up our bags that had gone from the airport to the plane and back again (shortest distance ever traveled for those bags on a flight) and awaited our ride home to now find a new car rental as we had lost ours (another long story). 

Once we finally got to California it was amazing, we didn't have to wear gloves, or scarves, or hats, or bundle Mayla up just to go out the door. We saw some close friends which we have not seen for almost a year and really enjoyed our time with them. We got to go for a boat ride (and yes, Mayla does like the boat, phew), see the west coast, walk on a beach, eat seafood, and take many stroller walks. That was the good things of the trip, the bad part came towards the end when Mayla needed to go to the urgent care center, followed by the ER.....the day before we left. 

Saturday night she started a runny nose, that lead into coughing, then followed by a fever. The fever came and went and all the while Mayla seemed herself....until Monday night. She didn't sleep and was the most cuddly she has ever been, this alone means big trouble, this girl normally doesn't hold still long enough to give her a kiss. Tuesday morning she woke up coughing uncontrollably and had a temp of 102.2 (Praise the Lord I brought the thermometer along), and off to the urgent care we went. We were the only ones there, filled out the paper work, and waited. The wait was shortened drastically when Mayla started coughing so hard that she was then puking all over the waiting room, that was the last straw for me and I just broke down, it got us in a room right away though. They tried to get all Mayla's vitals, but Mayla was screaming by this point and not such a big help, my heart was breaking for her and I was once again placed in the completely helpless position of being a mommy, watching her daughter suffer. Due to Mayla's high temp and her being just under 6 months, they sent us to the ER. En route I was praying that Mayla would fall asleep as I knew she would need a quick refresh of energy for the next round of tests that would be coming and thankfully she got in a 15 minute cat nap. 

We walked in and were the only ones there, once again another blessing. They got Mayla weighed right away and off to our room we went where they started monitoring her vitals right away.  A scene we are very familiar with. The beeping machines brought back a lot of memories as I cuddled my little girl on the big patient bed. They wasted no time and the doctor was in checking her out in a flash and recommended a series of three tests. First up was blood work. Will had to hold Mayla's arm out completely straight while they tried to find a vein and I held Mayla. The nurse finally found one and then had to prep the area. Mayla is a VERY strong child in many ways but very strong willed, and does not like being held at her will, therefore the screaming was ON just from us holding her down. The screaming then intensified when they jabbed her with the needle. Now, I have a habit of not looking when the needle goes in, but after to see if there is any blood coming through the tube, and I have a really bad history myself of having the most horrible veins to get blood from, and more often than not, a second poke is needed. So naturally I looked down and saw no blood coming through the tube and my heart broke, the next thing i saw was also an all too familiar sight, the nurse moving the needle all around to try and 'find' a vein. Being the one that was holding Mayla, I felt like I was part of the torture team and all I could do was tell her I loved her, and it was going to be okay. I wonder at what age she can understand my words and think to herself, 'nurse jabbing me with needle, moving it all around in my arm while you and daddy pin me down, not thinking everything is going to be alright here mom!'. 

When I saw the blood finally flowing, i was so relieved. Just when we got her calmed down from that episode, another nurse came and got us for a chest x-ray. As we walked towards the room, I thought,  'this shouldn't be soooooo bad,' we helped with one before and she cried a bit, but it didn't seem too traumatic. RIGHT....I was not ready. They put Mayla up-right in a harness that had two holes for her legs (almost like an infant swing at a park). They then enclosed her in this cylinder tube with her arms in the air. She was NOT a fan. Daddy's job was to pull Mayla's arms up while I held her onsie out of the way and tried to sing soothing songs to her and not cry as hard as she was. It felt like the two pictures they took, took an hour, it was torture. Back to the room we went and as soon as she calmed down from that episode, it was time for test number three, a nasal swab. That just sounds bad, huh...it was! They grabbed Mayla's head while I held her, pinned her in place and stuck something about 2 inches up Maylas nose and left it for 10 seconds. DONE....and I was wishing I had taken the "DO NOT DISTURB" sign from the hotel so I could put it on the outside of her ER room. It was time for Mommy and Mayla to nap! I laid motionless as my daughter laid passed out across me, I was emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted, this is NOT how one should feel on Holiday! I needed to sleep, but could only pray...."For you are God and I am not...." This is a truth that I know, I believe, but I was having a really hard time and playing the 'why' game. Why her again, why must she suffer again, why must this happen while we are away from home. The more I played the game though, strangely the more peace I had and began to say, 'Why not us, use us Lord!  John 6:33 "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." He plain out tells us, life WILL be tough!!! But how are you going to respond in those moments! We don't get to choose our struggles in life, but we can choose how we will respond to them, a lesson that continues to be on the class agenda for the Ellis family! 

One of the worst things about Mayla having pneumonia (besides the coughing and fussiness, and fevers, and lack of sleeping, and runny nose, etc) was her serious HATE for medicine. I even asked the doctor if he had an antibiotic we could stick up her bum as I would much rather do that. Once again, our strong willed daughter, and if SHE isn't putting the medicine in her mouth, forget it. She closes her mouth, puckers up, whips her head from side to side , grabs your hands, and screams at the same time, talent I know.  Medicine has even made it back around her neck, in her ear and on one occasion, in her eye, DREADFUL! I wonder if it's more stressful for her or me....Even the grape flavored and cherry flavored stuff that 'most' babies like, forget it. She gags and almost makes her self puke. I was glad the day the antibiotic was gone and no more fever meds were needed. 

So that was our unforgettable Cali trip. We went to San Fran too, but spent the day and a half there  in our hotel room:( maybe next time! This little fire cracker of ours sure does keep life interesting for us, as if Will and I alone don't do a good enough job at that! 

We are now almost fully recovered....almost! Mayla's cough is getting better each day, however Will and I have caught a little something, and after I've battled it for 5 days, I'm feeling better, but now Will is on the downhill slope and we are praying he gets over it fast and doesn't share it back with us! I'm thinking our bodies are rejecting America...not sure if it's the food or the weather or the lack of walking we do!

Mayla had her 6 month check up yesterday and everything looks good. After examining her for 5 minutes the doctor picked her up, looked at us and said, 'who wants her back, i'm exhausted!' She is NON STOP movement and into anything and everything she can get her hands on. I see me starting coffee in my very near future:) We adore her spunk, and are falling more and more in love with her each day. She is on the verge of taking off crawling, and it's exciting, but scares me at the same time. Her favorite things at the moment are paper, my blue water bottle, magazines, baths, Sophie her teething giraffe, strings on my sweatshirts, and the legs of table and chairs. Her least favorite things are any type of food, finishing bottles till they are empty, breastfeeding longer than three minutes, taking medicine, and sleeping for long periods of time at night. 

Next appointment on the schedule for Mayla is her cardiologist appointment end of April, it will be interesting to see how it differs from what we are familiar with.

Could be some exciting things coming the next couple weeks, we'll keep you posted. Until then, we pray many rich blessings for you and your family.

Will, Keri, and M&M

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