It all started on December 20 when we missed our plane to New York City. It was my fault, and it set us back. Luckily we were able to get on a flight out that day - but not until like 8 p.m. So we landed at LaGuardia Airport after 11, and as fate would have it, one of my bags was put on the last plane out of Atlanta that night so we had to wait around baggage claim for an hour. Poor, sweet little Bella did not have fun on the flight up, and was reduced to clutched Poss Poss in her arms, and making sure her mother did not put either of them down for a moment. When we finally got to Frank and Suzanne's apartment, it was 1 a.m. and Bella was off schedule to stay for a while.
We ended up having a great time in New York and Pennsylvania seeing family and friends, but Bella had trouble sleeping due to a nagging and downright painful sounding cough that also kept her parents from sleeping much.
[Here's a photo of Bella inside a BCBG store in the Big Apple.]
When we got back home, Jen was sick and Bella was too. Turns out she had a cold, two ear infections and her molars coming in. Fun! So we started giving her antibiotics, and dealt with some restless nights, but through it all Bella was an absolute trooper, hardly letting on that she was in pain or uncomfortable. It was about this time that we went up to Dalton for post-Christmas with her grandparents there.
[Here she is teaching Grandbuddy how to make a face.]
Then Bella started throwing up. Almost every bottle came right back up. Turns out she had a gastrointestinal virus, and despite best efforts I managed to get it horribly for a night and a day, too. We both rebounded about the time Jen got a slight version of it.
[Here's Bella as a sick baby girl.]
All of this led us up to last week when I dropped Bella off at her grandparents' in Dalton, and she stayed with them for four days so Jen and I could have a little stay-cation, celebrate her birthday, and get some sleep. I think it's safe to say that we both thoroughly enjoyed getting several nights of uninterrupted sleep, sleeping in, staying up ate to watch movies, listening to records really loud, cleaning and organizing the house, and going out to eat a few times. It was wonderful.
BUT we missed that little Booger! She did great with her Grandbuddy and Izzy, and they taught her some new words and got her on a nice schedule. I picked her up this morning, and it's true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. It also seems to have made her grow as Bella seems to be an inch taller and weigh another pound. So as I type these words, she's sleeping in her room, I've got the itunes on low, and the monitor on. Back on duty again!
