I had to take Maddie to the doctor yesterday. She started getting a rash on her stomach on Sunday and when we woke up Monday it was all over her body including her neck and face. The doctor diagnosed it as an allergic reaction of some sort. The only thing we could think of is that she ate some pasta noodles out of a seafood dish. Shellfish is a likely culprit for allergies. So, in addition to prescribing Benadryl for the rash, the doctor ordered blood tests to test for allergies. So, poor Maddie had to get blood drawn out of her arm. She had to be poked in both arms before they got enough blood for the test, and both of us were crying at the end of the ordeal. It was awful holding her down while they poked her. Plus I think she remembered being at the doctor just two weeks ago for her check up when they gave her vaccine shots, because she had never been afraid of the doctor before but on this visit she was very upset. Part of the reason why we were very concerned and wanted to get her rash checked out is that we hosted a playdate for 7 babies and their parents on Sunday. We are really glad it was nothing contagious! So, we will update the blog when we know more about Maddie's potential allergies....
Maddie's new found love of pasta...we will stick to plain red sauce though!
I have no idea where the time goes in between posts. It just seems like there is not enough time in the day to get everything done and updating the blog gets put on the back burner. Most nights after Tony gets home from work and we put Maddie down and have dinner, we collapse from exhaustion.
We have had some fun times though. We got a date night two weekends ago and Maddie stayed with Grandpa Randy, Robyn and Jackson while we saw a movie...in a theater!! We also had dinner with our friends Nick and Pallavi who we haven't seen since football season. They have a nice new house in Happy Valley with a "man room" that Tony was envious of!
We are loving our new furniture and big screen HD TV. We had a little difference of opinion on how big and how fancy of a TV was needed, but in the end we compromised.
Tony got another A in his last class!! Then he had "spring break" from school last week, and I kept him busy with a honey-do list. So, the taxes are now done, and the office is getting organized. He has been working insane hours, and Maddie, Grammy and I took a trip to The Dalles while he was working last Saturday. Then we had our play date Sunday which was super fun!!! It has been a lot of fun to watch our friends' kids grow along side Maddie, and support each other as parents.
I had to go to the dentist yesterday after the rash ordeal in the morning. Going with Maddie turned out to be a bad idea, and she didn't cooperate so I had to reschedule my cleaning. However, the x-rays revealed that I have a large abscess in one of my teeth and I need a root canal. So overall yesterday was not a good day. I am also "training" (loosely) for a half marathon walk with some friends next Sunday. Wish me luck! My other project that I am working on is organizing the THOUSANDS of pictures we took of Maddie's first year. I am putting some into frames, and scrapbooks, and the remainder into albums. I also need to finalize her baby book. It is weighing heavily on me and I want to get it done!
Maddie is growing and changing daily. She is in a tough stage where her determination and will to do something often outweigh her coordination. This results in her falling a lot, and/or throwing temper tantrums and flinging herself to the ground. She often has bumps and bruises on her forehead now. She is also constantly testing the boundaries--getting into the toilet, the toilet paper, Daddy's nightstand, the remote control, the garbage etc. She has a very sharp mind, and knows exactly what she wants. She watches everything...there is no fooling her anymore. If we leave one door open or one thing out, she beelines for it and is so proud of herself when she gets it. She is also trying to climb now, so it will just be a matter of time before she can get into uncharted territories. I am hoping that soon her awareness of falling and balance will catch up to her! 
These pictures are from our playdate. Unfortunately we didn't get one with all the babies together. Check out our entertainment center in the background.
It was so awesome that Tony was able to join us for Maddie's appt.
Oh, and by the way she knows karate now!
