Don't Eat Spaghetti...

...if you think you're going to be sick. I ate spaghetti. You don't need those details. You're welcome.

I will however elaborate a bit on the goings on in the Snyder household this week. It's not been pretty. Here's the story: Chandler didn't have class on Monday, thank God, except for a timed, online exam. We had such a good day hanging out and getting some things accomplished around the house. I even recall making the comment that it had been a good day. Then... it rained down. We had laid Waverly down for a nap and she just wasn't going down easily. When Chandler went to check on her, she was laying in vomit. We stuck her in the bathtub and while we were dressing her, she vomited again. Before we made it downstairs, she had vomited three more times; it was on her bedding, changing table, and all over Chandler and myself.

We finally figured it out and for the next three hours, Waverly only wore a diaper, bib and socks. Good thing too because she would not stop throwing up. We eventually called the after hours number for her doctor which happens to be UK Children's Triage. The nurse instructed us to wait two hours after her last vomit session before introducing a teaspoon of Pedialyte. Unfortunately, we never made it to the two hour mark and after throwing up ten times in three hours, we took her to the hospital afraid she was dehydrating. At the hospital, she vomited three more times and, thankfully, they were able to give her anti-nausea/anti-vomiting medicine and she took a few ounces of Pedialyte. They checked her for an ear infection and UTI. She was such a trooper the whole night. The only time she cried was when the nurse did the urine catheter (HORRIBLE!!!!). That was the only time I cried too. It was awful. Finally, we were discharged at 12:30a. I was so glad they didn't feel the need to admit her or start an IV; that would have been my nightmare.

Having not eaten since 5:00 pm Monday evening, Chandler and I stopped at Papa John's for a pizza... they were already closed and it was a blessing that they took our call because we were so hungry. We were all in bed by 1:00 am and praying that the worst was over.

On Tuesday, Chandler went to work and I did the whole Pedialyte/formula/no solids routine with Waverly. It was a good day, but the worst was only yet to come. We made it through Tuesday evening, then on Wednesday I had Waverly dressed in a cute outfit, ready to take her 6 month photo (her seventh month birthday is in 15 days...). I sat her in her bed while I prepared the props and camera. That's when I heard it. She threw up once more after that and hasn't again since.

I did, however, call Chandler after she threw up the second time, asking him to come home. If it was going to be anything like Monday, I needed all hands on deck. He made it home around 4 and boy, it was just in time. He commented that he wasn't feeling so well, so I made him eat some crackers and soup in an effort to curb the nausea. It doesn't matter because when you're going to be sick, you're going to be sick. And he was sick. I also went ahead and ate some spaghetti. I wasn't feeling the best, but purposely remained in denial because I knew I couldn't be sick and take care of a sick baby and husband. I told myself and truly made myself believe that I didn't feel well because I hadn't eaten very well that day. I'd only had two pieces of toast and a peanut butter sandwich. I just needed a hearty meal and some carbs and I would be good to go. To reiterate, when you're going to be sick, you're going to be sick. And I was sick.

All night, from about 4:00 pm until about 12:30 am, Chandler and I were horribly sick.  For a lot of the night, I camped out in the downstairs bathroom, literally sleeping with my head on the toilet, forcing Chandler to run upstairs. When we weren't in the bathrooms, we slept on the couches. Or didn't sleep as was the case most of the night. As I described it to my mother-in-law, it was the apocalypse at our house.  We both lost about six pounds, were dehydrated, and have rarely been so sore in our lives. If it weren't for our moms, though, I don't know how we would have survived. I had to call my mom and have her keep Waverly for the night. Then, when she brought Waverly home the next day, Chandler's mom took a half day off of work to keep her until about 9:00 pm Thursday.

When Waverly finally came home for good, my fever broke and we both felt better. It was so good to sleep in our own bed last night and helped relieve some of the soreness. Chandler went back to work this morning and I've got a lot of disinfecting to do!

Obsession Session

So, before Waverly was born Chandler surprised me with a brand new camera, a Canon Rebel XSI. It's one of those no-joke cameras that the pros use and I'm no pro, but I've taken some time between baby wrangling to learn some things about it. The other day, Waverly and I had an impromptu photo session...

Milka-wha??

Fenway was not having fun.

6 Months

So, I'm really getting bad at taking these monthly photos on time; I mean, I haven't even taken the traditional photo with the sign and the elephant. But I just couldn't wait to post these because Waverly is just too adorable in her blue jeans and tank top..

Dedicated

Chandler, Waverly, Pastor Henard, and I

Our paparazzi, Caroline, a.k.a. Auntie Marg, caught some great photos of Waverly's dedication this past Sunday. In fact, Pastor Henard paused to pose! Ha ha

I tried to take my wallet away, but she started getting grumpy, so I gave it back. 

Other than that, she was ADORABLE. I love girl clothes.

Pastor charging us as Waverly's parents to raise her in the sight of the Lord. 

I'm terrified; what a responsibility. Chandler took it like a champ.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverb 22:6

Out with the old, in with the new..

I cleaned out dresser drawers yesterday, as I find myself doing every three months or so, preparing for the new season. I laid out each drawer's contents on the floor and arranged the clothes in piles: too small, not in season, keep, donate. The whole process was somewhat therapeutic and I felt accomplished in my attempts at organization; simultaneously, I rode the wave of nostalgia because it was Waverly's clothes that I set aside and replaced. I came across newborn size bloomers that were left behind from a previous clean out and I couldn't get over how tiny they appeared compared to her now nine month size rear end.

Just a couple feet away, Waverly rolled around in her crib, oblivious to my presence in her room and fighting her inevitable nap. I heard her babbling, "da da da da", and saw the top of her head pop up above the bumper mid-roll. Suddenly, the music from her jungle mobile changed from rain forest sounds to Bach as she reached up to push the button. I laughed quietly to myself, so as not to give away my location, impressed at her new ability.

I am in awe of the little person Waverly has become compared to the even littler person she was six months ago. I remember being excited when she could hold her head up and a bit liberated when she could sit up on her own. I cried the first time she laughed and laughed the first time she responded to my kiss with a kissing sound of her own. She's spent the past couple of weeks tucking her legs up and face planting on the carpet in an attempt to crawl, settling on a combination of rolling and army crawling to get where she needs to be. And just this weekend I felt and saw two tiny teeth poking through her gums.

Who knows where the time goes and why it has to go so quickly, but every day I am thankful that the Lord found Chandler and I worthy enough to raise this beautiful baby. Recently I was reading the blog of a mother-to-be who will never know her child outside of the womb due to his terminal, neural tube defect. In one particular post, after the doctor's appointment where she was told the unfortunate news of her son, the mother-to-be wrote, "The life I did not form, but the Lord placed in my womb. Not for me. The baby has never been mine, only his." Wow. What a faithful follower of the Lord who understands in her heart that the Lord's will is perfect and His plans are far greater than her own. In spite of her pain, she is comforted that her son belongs to the Lord. How selfish I feel that I hold Waverly so tightly that I forget that she ultimately belongs to the Lord and His ways for her life are far beyond any dreams she or I will ever dream. It is because of His grace that Chandler and I are so blessed with her life. As she grows and develops, I am experiencing Him in whole new ways, understanding different attributes of God's character through my relationship with Waverly.

Raising a child is quite a complicated mish-mash of emotions, I feel blessed to have her and excited with her development, I feel sad that she is growing so quickly, but a great responsibility rests on our shoulders to raise her in the sight of the Lord. If I have to worry myself with her future, I pray that it will be for her salvation and that she will love the Lord with a reckless abandon.

With that, I'm out.

Labor Day

a.k.a. lots of close-up photos of the most beautiful baby ever and a few photos of the day's events. :)

Is this your THIRD time trying to come up on the wakeboard???

Jacob wakeboarding.

Drink Cozies.. PERFECT teething toy

Captain Waverly

90 degrees and she needs that blankie for nap time...

Captain Chandler

Oh, what a terrible cough!

Long day, sleepy girl

Mini Me

Below is a photo of me at 6 months old and a photo of Waverly at 3 months old. Obviously, she is the cuter (and bigger!) of the two ; however, is it not weird how much we look alike??