8 Months and a NEW YEAR

We are officially in a new year and a new decade. Makena turned 8 months on on the 6th of January and unfortunately she was sick and went to see the doctor. She got croup the week before Christmas and then seemed to continue to have a cold (runny nose) over the holidays (including our trip to Rising Star, Lubbock, Taos (NM), and Del Norte (CO)). When we returned on the 4th she was feeling good and went to school on the 5th. When Don picked her up from school, she seemed warm so he took her tempature and sure enough she had a fever. She ran a fever for 3 days so the nurse wanted us to come in and see the doctor. They ruled out RSV and the flu as well as any bacterial infection, therefore settled that it must be a virus. On Friday her tempature was around 99.5 but went down shortly after lunch and hasn't spiked again. Praise God for a healthy little girl and thank him for such a wonderful husband that would stay home with her while my schedule was crazy at work. Don has now come down with something similar and has been running a fever. I am praying that I can avoid getting sick again (I had something just before the holidays but didn't stick around too long).

These 8 months have been wonderful. Development over the last month include:
- Crawling...officially just this week she has learned to move forward. She was only going backwards before or just rocking back and forth on her news. As she has learned to use her needs, she sometimes just inch worms or bear crawls her way around. I can still keep up with her for now but i give it a couple more weeks and she is going to be traveling pretty fast.
- Waving...it is more like a indian chief "how" with her hand held high in the air. She knows what she is doing though because she does it when someone walks in the room or is about to walk out.
- Tongue Clicking..just tonight she started clicking her tongue. She was so proud. Her big blues eyes lit up with eyebrows held high and a big smile that could light up the room.
- Singing into the remote control...last night she and I were up late and she was "singing" so I started doing the same into the end of the remote and she laughed so hard. She would sing then I would sing, she thought it was so funny. It was one of those moments that you wish would never end. Seeing and hearing her laugh can make the pain of a long day simply fade away.
- Riggins is becoming more interesting...she always reaches out for him when he comes near. She wants to pet him so much but he doesn't really let her. Today she was on the floor with him and she would touch his paw then he would back up to get away. She would then scoot towards him and touch it again. It was the cutest. I can't imagine them being anything less than best friends in no time, especially once she learns to kick or throw a ball. :)
- Able to go from tummy to sitting very easily
- Solid food is getting easier. Now doing a couple of solid meals a day with puffs/cracker snacks.
- Laughs, laughs and more laughs.
- She also moved up at school to Infant B with the movers (crawler/walkers).
- 19 lbs 4 oz

I have a few pics from our trip over the holidays. I need to get Marcus to send me some of his from the Southern Reunion in Colorado because I didn't really take many. I will post what I have a little later.

We started our 2009 Christmas in Coppell. Christmas morning was spent at home with only Makena, Don, Riggins and myself. We were planning to go to Rising Star on Christmas Eve but due to the snow that moved in, we thought it best to stay home and travel on Christmas. We opened presents. Makena got clothes mainly including a snowsuit as well as a stacking toy (star stacker), stuffed puppy and ball. I got a flash for my camera (so excited!!) and some clothes. Thankfully the weather was better on Christmas so we got packed up and on our way.

Before we left that morning, I recieved a call from a dear friend of mine letting me know that her aunt (who was also a dear friend) Anna had passed away. Anna has been in my life for as long as I can remember. She was a teacher in Rising Star while I was there and I also taught with her in 2002-03. She and I were junior class sponsors together and she was such a big supporter while I was teaching (she actually recommended me for the job). She not only helped with my wedding shower and came all the way to Dallas to help decorate for my wedding, but just this spring she helped host Makena's baby shower. She was an inspiring, strong woman with a heart of gold. I will miss her. She fought a hard fight, but now she is pain free. As Don always reminds me, she wouldn't want to come back. She is now in the perfect place full of peace and joy!

On Christmas day, we set out with a 4-Runner full of stuff on our way to Rising Star through the snowy roads. Rising Star had gotten more snow than we did in the metroplex. As we come through Sipe Springs you could see the line where the weather must have gotten a lot worse, what the weatherman called a blizzard. We had a wonderful Chrstmas dinner with Mom, Dad and Tyler then had a feast of gift opening. Makena got a DVD player for the car, clothes, but had the most fun crackling the paper. She also got a precious Cross necklace from Tyler. I can't wait until she can wear it. I got lots of fun clothes and jewlry and Don got a Wii.

ok it's time for bed...i'll write more later to capture our journey.