Cole Family News....

I cringed as I took her to the doctor the other day - knowing what she was going to say and already having to accept what it might mean.  One look in each ear was all that was needed to confirm what I was already thinking...ear infection.  But this time it was plural - as in ear infections in both ears. Ugh. I had chronic ear infections as a child.  If I sneezed too hard, it seemed like I developed an ear infection.  And mine were of the variety - 10% of the pediatric population with ear infections, I read the other night - that had drainage from my ears along with my infections. If you think it sounds gross, I promise it was.  Like having pink eye, but in my ears.  Every morning waking up with my ear canals clogged up.  Having to irrigate (wow, no pun intended...get it? Ear-igate?)  Having to wash my pillow, pillow case and sheets.  Ugh for real. So it is with these memories that I take in the news that Jenna has her second ear infection...

With the news of ear infections comes talk of all kinds of wonderful things...antibiotics, Tylenol, tubes! Oh My! I have to admit. Ok...before I admit, let me say that I am grateful.  I realize Jenna comes by all of this naturally, given that I was this way when I was younger, and most of my fears are based on my experiences and have not been actualized in anyway.  As a result, I am grateful, because this could be something much, much worse. Now that is out of the way...I have to admit that it is getting frustrating to give up everything I feel that I have passionately wanted in this process.  Natural birth...no surgery for me...breastfeeding...and now the desire to not have her on medications of any kind.  First, I tried seeing if time would make the first ear infection better.  As her temperature climbed and climbed, I realized that this is my desire and that she is suffering for it.  As a result, I gave in and gave her the Amoxicillin.  Then I w...

There are few things, in addition to storytelling and nicknames, that are musts in our family... First, you must be okay with the lake. My Dad and Lake Murray go to together like a fat kid and cake, so if you ever want to spend any quality time with him, a boat ride is usual on the menu. Given that I grew up on the lake, I certainly love this, as does JP, and it seems as though Miss Jenna is growing her boat legs already. Second, you must be able to swim. The way we learned involved a toss from a dock and insistence that we can make it to the shore on our own...lol... I'm not down with this method for Miss Jenna (sorry PopPop...I understand that we all survived AND we know how to swim, but...), so we will start Water Babies at the Y when she is 6 months old and will probably keep her in swim lessons from there. However, seeing as it's summertime and she's not 6 months old yet, we're starting her early. She did her inaugural swim at the lake this past weekend. Thir...

Jenna had her first try at rice cereal tonight.  She started off okay, but quickly became impatient and frustrated with the whole process!  Thank goodness we get to try again tomorrow...

Jenna Mae went to the doctor today for her four month check-up and immunizations.  What a big girl!  She's in the >97th percentile on length and weight, at 26.25 inches long and 17 pounds and 7 ounces!  Otherwise, she is healthy and all is well. I did start her on rice cereal today.  Ok...saying I started her on it is a bit of stretch.  She wasn't too impressed and probably swallowed about two little spoonfuls total.  It's a start, though, right? :)

I never know if anyone ever watched these things, but I sure love them! I took three more videos of thew monkey yesterday while we were playing together. This first one shows how she is finding her voice and trying desperately to communicate.  Sometimes she giggles, sometimes she yelps and sometimes she just screetches like a cat.  Of course, I am trying not to laugh out loud, which means there are some snorts and grunts in the background from me. Either way, it is all very entertaining... A few minutes after I finished filming this video, she kept trying to communicate with me and finally got frustrated that she obviously wasn't getting her point across.  So I had the opportunity to get a video of her pitching a fit.  I love how her right arms flails and swings when she is mad or frustrated.... And then I figured out what she wanted....to stand up.  She LOVES to stand up.  On my lap, on the couch, on the floor - pretty much anywhere I can hold at...

Some of the best times are when Jenna is on my lap on the counch!  We just play - I make up songs, we read books, look in her mirror, sing and dance, or whatever comes to mind.  This past weekend we got into a little game of Peek-a-boo.  She started throwing her head back and belly laughing.  It was the sweetest!  I took a short video of it, but it was not to the full effect it had been before I started to record.  It's funny how she is already very aware of the camera and phones when we try to take pictures or record.  She also started doing this squeal this past weekend.  It was so cute!  But by the end of the weekend it started to resemble the sound of a screeching cat, so...not always so cute!  Either way, here is the video of Peek-a-boo this past weekend...

There is an application on the iPhone called Cam Wow!  I have been playing with it by taking pictures of Jenna.  The results make me giggle!