What a Week to Leave...

So Brian has been out of town this past week at a big music industry trade show in LA. (called NAMM). He was invited out by the VP of Kawai, and has been looking forward to this for a while. He staying with an Iowa buddy who's in chiropractic school in Orange County and lives in Anaheim, where the show is being held. We're so grateful that he has had a place to stay, because we've only had to pay for the flight and rental car ($12 a day. Priceline, baby!). And you know Brian would rather live off of the trail mix, dried fruit, and easy mac I packed for him than spend a dime on food!

The show has been great, and he is just loving being in LA in the middle of winter (yep, I'm jealous!), but I sure do miss him here. Normally Brian's gone all day and often late into the evening, but I'm lonely after Felix goes to bed. Anyhow, I started REALLY wanting Brian home when Felix came down with this awful flu thing that seemed to completetly close down his lungs. The poor little guy was coughing, lethargic, and struggling for oxygen all day. He just wanted to be held and couldn't play or even sleep well. So I took him to the pediatrician and found out he had bronchiolitis, which means his bronchioli were infected and inflamed, leaving little room for air. My poor Felix! He's now on a regimen of an oral steroid and an aerosolized bronchiodialator. That means he gets to drink some medicine (which he liked, yum), and sit through 4 breathing treatments a day, at 20 minutes apiece (which he HATED, YUCK!).

It looks a lot like this. Except fewer crayons and more screaming and tears. And less of Felix holding the mask, and more of me trying desparately to hold it over his face while he writhes and tries to pull it off. So actually, it looks nothing like this.

I guess that doesn't sound so bad, and admittedly it could have been a lot worse. But on top of all the normal baby and household stuff, it's been exhausting. It seems to be working though, so I'm super grateful for that!

But, the kicker is that I was supposed to give a talk on Sunday, and actually had it pretty much written by the time Felix became really sick. There was no way I was taking this kid out though, and without Brian here, I had to miss Church for the first time in... well, since I can remember. (Yep, Felix went to Church in St. George at 3 days old...) The bishop promised he wouldn't forget about me though, lol.

Oh, but the GREAT news is that my mom is coming into town tomorrow! And guess what? She's a respiratory therapist. Boy do I love my mom. I always love my mom. But today I also really love her job. :-)

It's Unacceptable

For me to have a blog, and now the internet, and not have posted any recent pictures! This sad era of my life is about to end. So here are some photos of our recent adventures:*

*Please excuse the pathetic lack of clarity in most of these pics... our camera suffered a little head trauma last August (on Brian's M-Trek) and we just now (Jan '08) got it repaired. It seriously takes us that long to make any kind of financial decision.

Christmas in Iowa with Grandma Hall, Aunt Christy, Uncle Dan, Aunt Rachel, and Uncle Spencer!

Exploring with Uncle Dan

Meeting the Cat Handsome Hall Guys! Isn't the resemblence great??
WHOAH!!!
Santa was feeling generous! Lots and Lots of Grandma time!

No gift receipt here...

Grandma helps Felix open a gift from Aunt Christy!

The holiday wouldn't have been comlete without a major appliance giving out on us.

So we washed our dishes from our delicious Christmas Eve dinner in the bathroom :-)

Wait, Rachel planned and prepared the feast... why is she cleaning up? I think she's off the hook for next year...

Swimming in a sea of paper...

with a bow

In the vein of a true first-time Grandma, Polly wanted to hold Felix around the clock! :-D

Felix loves storytime with Grandma

FINALLY!!!!!!

AT&T, you do lousy business (I've been signed up for service since OCTOBER!), but I'm willing to use your internet since it's like 3/5 the price of Comcast's...


The main point is: WE HAVE THE INTERNET!!!!!!!!!

This means:
1. No more excuses as to why I'm still on "maternity leave" from writing my master's thesis
2. Brian will be home more, since he won't have to go on campus at all hours of the day and night to do the technology thing
3. I will feel like more of the AA-2nd LDS ward since they awesomely send out emails about everything
4. I'll be able to read the Relief Society lessons and blog (thank goodness for Andrea!)
5. One punctuated word: endless.com
6. wikipedia, oh how I've missed you.
7. craigslist.org, the poor college student's version of window shopping for furniture
8. Reading other people's blogs, to hear the oh-so-interesting silly details of the lives of other families.
9. And of course, sharing my own family's adventures and cute pics!