It seems like lately all my blogs seem, well, heavy? Ok, the cowboy boots while sleeping on the floor was not heavy, but seriously, all the trips to the hospital, sickness, runny noses, need I go on?? So to change it up a bit, here is some of the fun, normal, day-to-day awesomeness around the Hunter house.

We went to a baby shower for an awesome friend. April is due April 4th with a baby boy named Elias. We could not be more happy for her.

April is the sister-in-law of my good friend Heather. So baby Elias will be Lina's cousin. Julie was so excited to go to Lina's house for the "girl party" She got to sit and eat with her good friends Lina and Anna. No, Julie is NOT wearing lipstick....must be from the punch.

Julie and I have both been exploring our inner artist. Me with my sewing and her with her painting. I got these awesome little ceramic animals at Target. She had a great time.

She was very serious about it.

She figured out how to sleep like a normal person....well, a normal person who sleeps in a sleeping bag on their bed with Loretta and a horse....

Julie showed her brother the joy of tormenting the dogs through his bedroom window. Every time it has been quiet in the house lately, this is where I find them....better than swimming in the potty!

We have had friends for lunch.

And Andrew Justin Hunter has fallen in love. I kid you not, when Audrey Opal was here this morning, he could not keep his eyes, hands, lips, or slobber off of her. At the park, he brought her sticks and rocks. At home he brought her toys and his sippy cup. He is smitten! His shirt was wet from drooling over her! Ok, he is actually teething big time, but just look at that face!

Ok, there you go. A cheery, day-to-day Hunter Blog. Phew, much better!

Yes

Yes, she is asleep. Yes, she is on the floor. Yes, she is using a book as a pillow. Yes, she is wearing cowboy boots with her jammies. Any more questions?

Normal

Julie is back to normal. and to prove it, here are some of the funny things she has said lately.

Just now, I put her down for her afternoon "rest." I could hear her in there talking. She was saying "I wish I could go to sleep but there is no one rubbing my back...."

This morning we were getting ready to go to the park and she was in her room talking on her phone. I stuck my head in and said it was time to go. She nodded at me them proceeded to say into her phone, "I have to go, my mom is making me go to the park."

We went for Chinese food with my mom on Friday. Little did we know it was Chinese New Year. So they had dragon dancers coming down the aisles in those big suits. She was not to excited about them at first, but then she said "Memere! Those are not real dragons! They are wearing shoes! Dragons don't wear shoes!!"

She is painting right now and she just asked me to paint too. I told her that I didn't have a paint brush. She said "then we need to go to the store and get you one!"

In the car just now she said, "I miss my Daddy so much!"

Ahhh, it is good to have her back.

Quandary

So, I really want to show all the super fun baby shower gifts I have been making, but since all of my awesome friends who the shower gifts are for are awesome enough to read my blog, I can't show them...and it is KILLING ME!! AHHHH!!

So instead, I will share some adorableness.

Julie decided that she didn't want her picture taken at the zoo.
But eating her Valentines candy was ok. Yes, she is still very pale from being sick. It got a little better after being out in the sun that last few days.
The big man and his Memere. He was a happy boy! Candy and Memere, what more could you ask for!
The bag lady on the way to Grandma's this morning...yes, she actually brought all these bags!

Where to start?

On February 1st, we went to Julie's school to pass out cupcakes for her birthday. She was still napping, so I woke her up gently, and she felt warm. We figured with all the excitement of her birthday she was just sleeping hard. She was not herself as we were leaving school, really grumpy and tired. When we got home, she crashed on her couch. We took her temperature and it was 104.3....not good.

We treated her with Motrin the next two days, her fever fluctuated based on when we gave her the medicine.

On Wednesday, February 3rd, we brought her to the Dr. He said to keep up with the meds and keep an eye on her.

On Thursday, February 4th, a cough developed. We brought her to the Dr and he ordered blood work and a chest x-ray.

On Friday, February 5th, we got the results of the blood work and x-ray. Both were negative, or looked normal. But, considering the Dr called us from home on his day off, I knew he was still concerned. He had already called the house and spoke to Memere and found out how Julie was. Then he called me and said that if there was not an improvement by noon, to bring her in again.

There was no improvement, in fact, she got worse. Not eating, playing, talking, nothing!

So at 2 pm, we went in. Her oxygen level was very low, at 85 (Dr's get worried at 90!, it is normally 98-99!)

Off to the hospital we went. We got there, they hooked her up to an IV to start battling the dehydration that was becoming very obvious. the started her on oxygen through a nose tube and breathing treatments. She was diagnosed with Viral Pneumonia.

Soon she got shaky, and was having episodes of "night terror" style wake ups. I get that way from medication, so they switched her off the albueteral and she did much better.

Saturday February 6th there was not much change. Her oxygen had stabilized with the tubes in. But she was still shaking a little and we were having a hard time waking her. I asked the nurse about getiing her some pain meds, since we couldn't get her to take anything orally. She said there was a pain reliever they could give her through the IV.

Sunday, February 7th she was doing so much better! By early afternoon, she wanted to get out of bed and play! She ate 3 Popsicles, which is more than she had had in 4 days. She was talking and playing and was allowed to be taken off the machines long enough to run around a little.

Monday, February 8th we took her home! She was ready to get home and have a bath!! After 3 nights in the hospital she was one stinky girl!!

Now, she is back to normal. Even her cough is pretty much gone. Her energy is still a little low, but she is happy and normal.

We had to go to a follow up and Julie was worried they were going to send her to the "hopspital" We assured her that they wouldn't and we hope that we will not have to go through this again...ever!

Julie Bess

3 years ago today, at 10:08 pm, the beautiful Julie Bess came into this world.

She amazes us every day with the things she says and does. Her heart is bigger than herself and she will be smarter than us before the year is out!

We love our Julie Bess, happy birthday big girl.