The Blairs: January 2011

Friday, January 28, 2011

My Water Project Fundraising Page

Hello Followers,
Just thought I'd give an update regarding the water project. I've made my first contribution towards my $1,000. Here's my fundraising page:

http://thewaterproject.org/community/profile/kristen-blair

Thanks again for your support. I have such a great feeling about this!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Ouch....

Caroline has her first skinned knee...AND...because I'm a first time mom I took a picture of it!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

I'm so incredibly scared to be posting this BUT...

I'm going to anyway. I realize that I only have 22 followers, but let's face it numbers really aren't important...are they...hope not? Regardless, the 22 people that do follow me are incredibly important people...they are my peeps...friends...amigos...pals...mates...a few lucky ones I consider my friend family (definition - those people that are so incredibly important to you that you choose them as your family despite the lack of blood relation). I believe you get the picture.

So my 22 followers, I'm putting myself out there...I'm looking for accountability...support...love.

As many of your know, I have been a dedicated reader of Kelle Hampton's blog, www.kellehampton.com. By dedicated I mean a blog stalker. I check her blog EVERY SINGLE DAY and when there is nothing new I get rather upset. So I've been inspired by her latest fundraiser. She managed to raise over $100,000 for the National Down Syndrome Society in honor of her daughter Nella. And my source of inspiration for my act of "paying it forward."

Recently my friend Megan went to Africa for vacation, strange I know but if your lucky enough to have Megan in your life you know this is simply the norm for her. She has been posting about her trip on her blog (http://themostboringplaceonearth.blogspot.com/) and I've been faithfully reading all about her trip. Her pictures are amazing and the subject matter is humbling.

So enough procrastination...clearly I'm stalling...after reading about Megan's trip, the daily struggle to obtain drinking water and looking into all of those children's faces (the last one was the hardest on this momma) I have decided to do something with my 2011. I am going to spend it saving...

I know, I can hear the gasps from all of my 22 followers...strange for me to utter those words. My hope...no my plan is to raise $1,000 and "purchase" a pump for a well somewhere in Africa.

I have made this decision simply because God has blessed me in excess...I have a wonderful husband...beautiful daughter...fabulous friends and family...an education (that sometimes I use and sometimes I don't :) ). I am incredibly lucky and quite frankly it's time for me to pay it forward...and I'm paying it forward in the form of clean water.

I would love to exceed my goal with your help, but what I want most is accountability from you guys. Help me to be strong and stay focused on my goal. It's not like it's a million dollars but hey everyone has to start someone and I'm starting with a well pump.

I plan on using this organization...
http://thewaterproject.org/

So friends please help me be accountable. I really want to be a part, albeit a small part, of helping to get clean water, a basic need I most certainly take for granted, to as many people as possible. (I'm also hoping this will help with my ridiculously unhealthy addiction to smocked clothes for Caroline).

I'll post monthly updates once I figure out my The Water Project page.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Imagination Day at The Climbing Tree

Today was Imagination Day at Caroline's school. They were going to dress up as whatever they wanted and go to the church gym for snacks, face painting and games.

I had no idea what to dress Caroline as. I received lots and lots of good suggestions but none really worked out. I tried Megan's suggestion of a rainbow unicorn but Caroline kept taking off the cone/horn and she was incredibly bothered by the yarn tale. Then I attempted a hula girl. My daughter, the goat, attempted to eat the grass skirt so that was a no go. Then we settled on a fairy and it was on with the wings and tutu. Here's the results. I can't wait to see if they painted her face when I get home today from work.

This is Caroline and her favorite teacher Ms. Karen, she was a birthday girl...I don't get it either

Having her breakfast like a big girl as her classmates watch on like hawks. I would too if they knew how good my, from scratch mind you, homemade banana bread really is.

RSV...pretty rough stuff

On our long New Year's Eve Weekend Caroline started to get rather sick and was coughing something terrible. As the weekend wore on I grew more and more concerned. So I had Kyle take her to the doctor's office Monday morning for an early appointment I had set. I really didn't think much of the appointment. I thought at the worst we would get antibiotics and instructions to commence the dreaded breathing treatments yet again. Well at 9:30 I look down at my phone and realize that I had several missed calls from Kyle as well as several text messages from him. I called him back and he informed me that Caroline was being admitted to the hospital because they thought she had pneumonia. Well I dropped everything and ran out of my office screaming explanations of where I was going. I don't think I've ever driven that fast or said as many prayers. When I arrived at the hospital Caroline looked horrible her skin was so blotchy and she was so lethargic. I had never seen her like this and I can honestly say that this was the scariest moment of my life.

So after blood tests, snot testing and chest xrays it was determined that Caroline did not have pneumonia but in fact she had RSV. This meant we were quarantined to our hospital room. A rather larger hospital room but a hospital room nonetheless. So, as can be expected, my mom was on the road. She joined us for the first night in the hospital. The goal for the night was to allow the antibiotics and steroids to work and to avoid Caroline's oxygen dropping below 90 so that we could fingers crossed leave the hospital Tuesday morning. So we all piled into our respective beds...and Caroline was not having sleeping in her cage. So it was in the bed the two of us went. Well around 9 Caroline's levels fell and she had to be put on oxygen. It was horrific. They had to tape her face so that she wouldn't pull the tubes out of her nose. It was 100 times worse than any of the shots so far. Well we knew that we were in for another night at the hospital because once she was put on oxygen they required her to stay another night in the hospital so that they could monitor her levels once the oxygen was removed.

In the morning her levels improved, as they do with kids low at night good during the day, and they removed the oxygen. This was, as you can imagine, a leg flinging fist flying fight (side note, since she had an IV she had a splint under it which was wrapped with that tape like material they wrap your arm in after you give blood..so said fist is quite power now).

Well, Kyle was great and went and bought all of our meals. His girls weren't going to subside on hospital food. We survived an entire day locked in a hospital room unable to get out and move about and Caroline only had about a 4 foot area that she would walk in because she was attached to her IV and the oxygen monitor. It was the most relaxing day I've ever had. I can't even count how many melt downs there were and boy did they last and last. I, having the easiest child to date, have never experienced screaming and crying that is unsootheable. I was sweating in places that I can't even write about from the stress of the situation. There really isn't enough Yellow Tail to make me forget that horrific day. With that being said, it was completely understandable behavior for Caroline to exhibit in those situations. My aunt has said that Caroline probably thought we were all crazy for not realizing that we were all being held against our will and tortured. BUT we made it through....

So the second night, levels were a little iffy but we made it through with no oxygen and we were able to leave Wednesday morning all tired but excited. We were jumping up and down and Caroline was clapping it was the best moment EVER!!! They unwrapped Caroline's faux cast that had been hitting me in the face both nights and the worst stink permeated the room. It was gag-able. I had never smelt something so terrible and I have an extensive history of touring cheese factories...a European cheese factory as well as one on a family vacation...don't be jealous. How did that happen in just three short days! Well they wheeled the wagon to her room and we loaded her in it and off to the car we went.

I put her in the car seat. She looked up at me and jumped up and down and smiled the biggest smile. She was asleep before I even pulled out of the parking lot. When we got home she got the first bath and it was off to play with all of her stuff.

It most certainly was an experience and I'm so glad it is over. I may sound weird by saying it but I'm glad that we went through it because most importantly Caroline is OK but Kyle and I were both shown two things: (1) the amazing power of prayer and (2) that we have the most amazing friends and family in our lives.

WE ARE BLESSED!!!

New Year's Eve

Was spent at home with just the four of us...no I'm not pregnant...Kyle, Caroline, Vivian and myself. We did sparklers early and then the bambino (guess she's not really a bambino anymore but there's nothing really cute to call a toddler) went to bed. Surprisingly enough the fireworks didn't bother her at all...Vivian on the other hand was a different story!

Party hats are a must at our house on NYE!

After dinner it was outside for sparklers with Daddy

Check out her AWESOME party dress!

She was mesmerized by them.

The sparklers were sort of duds. They wouldn't burn all the way...go figure...Kyle picked them out!

New Year's Day and she was ready to support her Red Raiders in the Ticket City Bowl, not to be confused with the Cotton Bowl where the game was played...

Out riding around in her new car from Nana. She loves this thing. Currently, she's testing me by standing up and pushing the button to make it go.

The beginning of the dreaded RSV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Too Long...

To say that it's been too long would be an understatement...I plan on catching everyone up mainly with photos and a few words where necessary.

So let's start with Christmas...Caroline got everything...I got Tory Burch and Kyle got Gander Mountain gift cards...must lock up all of the guns NOW!!!!

This was Caroline's school Christmas "program." I used air quotes because they strolled them around with music. It was odd but it was her first program, and in all of my first time mom glory I invited EVERYONE...we took up an entire row in the chapel type of everyone...both of my parents were there as well as Ryan, Jessica and David as well as Kyle and myself...overboard I know for her being strapped in a stroller and pacifier shoved in her mouth...but like I said to begin with...FIRST TIME MOM!!!

She looked like she wasn't sure what to do with all of it...clearly pacifiers were a MUST in this situation.

Aaawww, the old toddler vs. the Christmas tree. I believe this battle has been raging since the first Christmas tree was erected.

I'll be taking this picture EVERY SINGLE YEAR!!!

Cupcakes from the Cupcakery...run don't walk to this fabulous place. They did Caroline's cupcakes for her birthday party and they are absolutely delicious!!!

Oh she remembered those cupcakes alright!

I made these sugar cookies with the holiday messages in them and made some with Caroline's cousins' names in them too...leave it to Williams Sonoma...although the process of sliding the teeny tiny letters in wasn't without some curse words...even the holiday spirit couldn't help that!