Elmo

Dear Michela,

It took a while for you to decide what you wanted to be for halloween.  I showed you pictures of different costumes and you changed your mind constantly.  Duck, chicken, pig, princess, Oscar the Grouch, and Tinker bell were some of the costumes you considered.  Finally you decided to be Elmo.  Of course, once you made that decision we went to Joanns to buy fabric so you couldn't change your mind again.  You did change your mind a few times but I convinced you each time that Elmo was the way to go.  :)

You are the girliest (I realize that this is not a word) Elmo I have ever seen.  Your costume isn't how I intended it to turn out but I still think you're a stinkin' cute Elmo.  You love it too!  My favorite part is that you can use the tutu for dress up play after halloween.

Love you little Elmo-ette!

Mommy

Allergist

Dear Penelope,

We had your allergist appointment yesterday and learned that you are indeed allergic to peanuts.  You were also tested for all nuts and shell fish.  To test, they used small needles to prick your back with each allergen.  You had 11 pricks in your back.  9 of them were done all at once with a contraption that was rather intimidating.  To my surprise, you didn't cry!  YAY!  After you were pricked we had to wait for 15 minutes without touching your back.  You are a wiggle worm!  I had the most difficult time holding you and not touching your back!  I'm glad we only had to wait 15 minutes because there were a couple close calls.

After we waited we learned that you only reacted to peanuts and the histamine control.  This means you cannot have any products containing peanuts and you will need an epi pen when you begin school.  We will have you retested when you are 4 or 5 years old to see if you outgrow the allergy.  According to your allergist only 20% outgrow a peanut allergy.  We'll just have to wait and see.

Until then, no peanuts for this elephant!

Moments like this make me happy.

 

With all my love,

Mommy

Ventura Videos

Here are two videos from our last Ventura trip.  The first video is a special video about spending time with Grandma Doti.

The next video is our Fulkner Farms Pumpkin Patch trip.

[Click on the links above to view the videos.  The pumpkin patch video cannot be viewed on a mobile device due to the music.]

Bummer

Dear Penelope,

It appears as though you have a peanut allergy.  Yesterday morning I gave you a couple pieces of toast with peanut butter.  After 2 hours you broke out in a rash that covered your neck, back, chest, and stomach.  It lasted a good 5 hours before disappearing altogether.  :-(  Let me just say, I felt terrible for giving you something that caused a reaction.  I'm glad it wasn't a serious reaction (trouble breathing) but I still hate that your body broke out in a rash.

Dr. Chou sent a referral to see an allergist.  I'll probably get a call from them some time next week to set up an appointment.  I'm guessing they'll do a skin prick test but we'll find out when we get there.  I hope your allergy is mild and you won't have to always have an epi pen near.

I love you baby girl and hope that's the one and only allergy you develop.

With all my love,

Mommy

This picture was taken 4.5 hours after exposure to peanut butter. The rash looks much better in this picture than when it first appeared.  It took another hour or two for it to disappear completely.

Faulkner Farm Pumpkin Patch

Dear Michela & Penelope,

We visited Nana & Papi this weekend and went to another pumpkin patch!  It was HOT but we had fun anyway.  We got lost in the hay maze, climbed to the top of the hay pyramid, walked through a corn maze, rode on a pony, and went on a hay ride!  Penelope, you didn't ride a pony or make it to the top of the pyramid but you did all the rest.  :)

It was nice visiting with Nana, Papi, Uncle Kyle, and Grandma Doti.  Everyone loved playing with you and giving you lots of hugs and kisses.  I'm sure there will be a video made of the weekend at some point.  For now, here are some pictures of our pumpkin patch visit.  (This is the pumpkin patch Nana and Papi used to take Uncle Kyle and I when we were kids.  It has changed a little a lot.)

This is as far as you got on the pyramid.

Your first pony ride!  After about 2 loops you started saying "all done".  They continued to walk so you put your hands up and signed all done.  You were happy riding on the pony but you wanted to change ponies!  hehe

We didn't chuck any pumpkins but we watched others do it from our hay ride.

hot. hot. hot.

I love you baby girls!

With all my love,

Mommy

I love my Goobers!

10 Months!

I love the picture above.  Now I have to go through all your other month pictures and do the same.  Luckily I have your letters to help me remember what you accomplished each month.   :)

Happy 10 months baby girl!

Love,
Mommy

Pumpkin Patch

Dear Michela & Penelope,

Over the weekend we went to the Lemos Farm Pumpkin Patch in Half Moon Bay.  The hay ride was a joke but you had fun on our tour of the parking lot.  hehe.  We also rode on the train.  The train ride was much more entertaining.  

After we walked around and looked at all the fun things the farm had to offer we went across the street to another pumpkin patch where we bought 2 large pumpkins and a couple small pumpkins for a total of $12! Wahoo!  Michela even helped Daddy push the wheel barrow!  

It was a nice morning!

With all my love,

Mommy 

We were the only guests on the hay ride.

Penelope's first hay ride!

Sitting next to Daddy on the train.

Rocking horse row

Checking out your pumpkin

Sprinklers!

Dear Michela & Penelope,

It has been hot the last few days!  It reached 91 degrees on Tuesday; so we played in the sprinklers after nap.  We started out low so Penelope could enjoy some fun, then turned it up a little to get more of the sprinkler feel.  Both of you enjoyed the water.  

silly, silly girl!

I love this picture of the three of you!

Getting ready to jump in!

1, 2, 3, JUMP!

I have to apologize Penelope.  I can't stop laughing at this VIDEO of you practically drowning in the sprinkler!  I guess you can award me mother of the year.  :)

Drenched after the sprinkler debacle 

With all my love,

Mommy