Louisiana Sweet Potato Pancakes

10lb boxes of sweet potatos are a mere $7 at Costco. By the way North Carolinians– sweet potatos are not in stores here on a regualr basis. The produce departments carry yams year round, but sweet potatos are “seasonal.” So, when it gets to be November, we get the big box at Costco and enjoy them while we can.

Tonight we got a recipe online. Louisiana Sweet Potato Pancakes. You can find it at this link http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Louisiana-Sweet-Potato-Pancakes/Detail.aspx We added a tsp of cinnamon and a tsp of vanilla to the resipe, as some others had done.

Unfortunately Faith missed the pancakes– she went to bed at 6:45. She did great all day yesterday, but threw up once more last night around 6. Oddly enough, as soon as she threw up she begged for food, and 30minutes later I caved and gave her 1/2 a banana and dry cereal, with pedialyte to drink. She did fine with it all and was fine through the night. Today she has been fine, although she only had 1/2 a kids clif bar this morning and no food since then. She has been drinking pedialyte though. I have offered food but she refuses it and I am not pushing it. Anyway, I guess her little body is tired from being sick the past few days, and by 6:45 she was begging for “night night.”

Tomorrow: church (well… not going to put Faith in the nursery, so she and I may not go to church tomorrow. Not so much that I think she is contagious, but she always cries for quite awhile in the nursery and I don’t want her to get all worked up when she is still recovering and potentially weak/etc from not eating in the past 2 days. So make that church for Ryan. ) Aside from that- just relaxing

Photos from Thursday/Friday

Below are photos/videos I had intended to post Thursday night (but Faith got sick), and then also a few from today!

Thursday morning: breakfast

Sharing a blackberry

Pointing at the chair beside her and asking me to sit there

Telling her eggs to cool down. ("cool down eggs!")

 

And here are a few photos from today…

laying in her bed with Anouk

Sitting with Anouk

Getting outside for a few minutes between the rain storms

Update

Faith is doing so much better!!

Here’s the update since the last post:

She woke up just before 1am and threw up. Happy to see Daddy though (he didn’t get home till after she went to bed), and right after she threw up all over me and our bed, she wanted to show Daddy the new clothes she got yesterday morning.  So funny.

At 1:30am, after having some water, she threw up again. We were still up from before, in the living room. She never was lethargic, and would resume play after throwing up. At this point I had her pray with me and she asked Jesus to “help her belly”.

At 2:30 I gave her 5ml of Pedialite. She LOVED it and begged for more. We were trying to keep her from drinking too much too fast, so Ryan read to her to distract her. 20 minutes later I was giving her more, just 1ml or so at a time to stretch it out. She kept saying “more juice please mommy”.

At 3:30 she was fast asleep, and had kept the Pedialite down. She slept until 9am.

At 9am she woke up happy and talkative. She drank some pedialite and did well with it so she has been carrying a sippy cup of it around all morning. We both had showers again, and I have been working on all the “vomit laundry.” (Fyi, a 1 year old doesn’t throw up in the toilet or in a bucket, but on mom and whatever mom is on– bed, blankets, towels, etc.)

She asked for a waffle around 10am, so I made a piece of toast and a whole grain waffle, and she ate 5-6 bites of each. At lunch she asked for a scrambled egg, and she ate about the same from it.

It’s noon now and she just fell asleep for a nap.

Very thankful for how well she is doing today, and that she never had any fever at all. And thankful she is holding down food and liquids.

We did not go to Madelines today, and are enjoying a very very rainy day here at home.

Poor little one

Well, poor little Faith has been throwing up tonight. No fever.

She didn’t eat dinner, but that seemed okay because we had friends over for dinner and there was lots of excitement going on with that. Just before bed (730pm) I started giving her a dose of Motrin because she was chewing on her fingers (that plus skipping dinner could equal new teeth). The Motrin we had on hand is a flavor she totally hates (the only flavor she hates). Within 2 minutes of taking it she threw up everywhere. I thought she may have just gagged on the flavor, plus been too excited/nervous with guests.

Put her in the shower to clean up, and she got dizzy in there. Took her out quickly, dressed her and set her up at the couch with a show. Thought perhaps she got dizzy from being too empty– not having dinner plus throwing up as much as she did. So I gave her some pretzl crackers and water. She ate just a bite or two and asked for bed.

Carried her to bed and there she threw up all over her and me. The poor little one tried to rest her head on me after throwing up, which ended up meaning she pushed her whole face in the puke, which didn’t go over well. Rinsed her off quickly, new jammies, back to the couch, water only. I myself jumped in the shower quickly.

She fell asleep on me on the couch. Carried her to bed, threw up again, smaller amount this time. Cleaned up lightening speed (she was so tired) and she fell asleep as I held her on the rocking chair in her room (I did not “rock” the nauseous one, don’t worry). Put her to bed, she is sleeping soundly.

Still no fever. No cough. No other symptoms. Will post a blog in the morning to let you know how the night went. We were supposed to be at Madelines house at 6:30am, but that is now subject to change.

Thanks for praying for sweet little Faith!! She was so pitiful. The first time she threw up she was shocked by it all. But the 2nd and 3rd time, she knew what was happening, and was so miserable about it. Very pitiful.

Oh and yes, after throw up #2, I called Ryan who was at a meeting and had him pick up pedialite, ginger ale, and the tylenol she likes on his way home, so we have all of that at the ready if need be. Madelines mom is a family nurse practioner, and we’ve talked to her already and can call her anytime day or night.

Goodnight.

Playday with Madeline

Madeline and Faith playing in Faith's play kitchen

This bear is a favorite when Madeline is here. The screen on his belly lights up while music plays.

Faith curls her little toes and keeps her feet together

 Today started with a trip to Costco, which happens about once a month. Then we spent the afternoon playing with Madeline She has been able to come over a lot this week, and Faith is spoiled. They play great together.

Ryan had a major board meeting tonight. A construction project of some sort at his property was done before he was their manager, but the bill arrived after he started as their manager and it was about $30,000 more than they previously agreed on. So…. Ryan was not involved in the process so it’s not “his fault”, but he’s the one in front of them now to reveal it, hear about it, help them face it, and figure out the “why” and find a solution. The property is a building of condos, but each person owns their own condo (not a rental situation) so instead of one major owner to be mad, there’s a potentially mad owner for each condo. A lot of them came to the board meeting tonight, which is unusual. Anyway, the meeting went really really well for Ryan and he was very pleased. He had been preparing a lot, and we prayed together before it began, and he really felt Gods presence. He has just started working with mass budgets, and was concerned they’d “stump” him on questions, but he said he knew the answer to every single thing they asked. So he was very pleased, and although he has some additional work and directives now, he thought it went very smooth. Ended in good spirits. And he felt good about how he handled his role in the meeting.

Tomorrow… no plans! Oh, I invited the neighbors over for dinner And then Friday and Saturday are our playday marathons– ten to 12 hours a day with Madeline I think. Lots of fun!

 

For Madelines dining entertainment

Today began with a fussy Faith, who was sent back to bed to “start over.” A 30 minute nap later, she was back and much happier. We went to playgroup and then came home to spend time with Madeline.

Being silly at the table with Madeline

Faith

Below is a video of Faith, who decided to entertain Madeline while Madeline ate.

 

 

Monday

Before I post today’s photos, here are a few from last Friday…

Taking Anouk for a walk

She's saying "beep beep beep" while pushing the stroller

The rest of the photos are from today…

Faith and Anouk, checking out the ducks at Green lake

Faith

Green Lake

some of the ducks

 

 

Faith got in the toy box tonight while playing with Madeline

and then she got in the dryer while I folded clothes

Arboretum

Today we went to the arboretum…

I love this picture of Faith and Ryan

Faith, Mommy, and Anouk

Faith doesn't have to have a blanket, but Anouk does, so we are forever with "Anouk" and "Anouk's blanket."

Faith loves to push Anouk

 

checking out the fallen leaves

 

Our Elmo

Our neighbor loaned us an Elmo costume

Faith checks out her Elmo outfit in the bathroom mirror

Riding to a church carnival

she makes this silly face with her mouth all the time

Faith's first time in one of those inflatable things. She didn't get upset or dislike it, but she's not agressive enough in play to walk/jump around or really enjoy it. So she just stood in in for a few minutes and then got out.

Playing a game at the church festival

Faith

Playing a fishing game with Daddy

getting a prize

Leaving the church. Sugar Rush. (CANDY).

After the church festival we headed to see Danny and his friends. They were at Reeve’s house getting ready for their night out, and all of them were dressing up as different Muppets. The most recognizeable for Faith were Oscar the Grouch (Danny) and Big Bird (Reeves). On the way there we had been talking about seeing Danny in “oscar clothes” and Reeves in “big bird clothes”, so that Faith would expect it and not be scared of the costumed adults.

Dannys face will be Oscars mouth, so it needs to be black and red.

The blond wig is for Ashleys Miss Piggy costume and the other is Dannys headpiece for Oscar

Danny in the Oscar outfit. I think he also ended up with the trash can lid on his head.

Reeves' big bird head piece

Unfortunately we had to leave before the whole group was dressed and ready (Faith was ready for bedtime), but they are taking pics for us tonight. Once we get one we’ll post it on here– all of their costumes were great!!

CWD Pumpkin Carving Contest

Tonight was the annual Pumpkin Carving Contest at Ryans work!!

Faith and her Anouk both wore pumpkin shirts to the pumpkin party

enjoying a sucker on the way to the party

Uncle Danny, Faith, and Ryan

Ryan and Danny working on their pumpkins

Faith

 

This is about 1/3 of the pumpkins in the contest

Ryans pumpkin: Mount Rushmore.... (remembering our road trip in summer 2008!)

 

"Lil Pumpkin"