Ali has a semi-bad runny nose. Thankfully it is runny vs. stuffy. Except when she sleeps I think? Last night and, thus far, tonight there has been a lot of waking up. This is really our first experience with the snot issue. Thankfully it’s the thin clear stuff. But it’s ever-present and, most likely, a sign of something worse to come. Greeeeat.

Girl sure gets a kick out of licking the snot off her lip though. So much so that she was doing so today when she crawled into/feel onto the bottom step (I don’t know, Tony was the one watching – let him explain) and bit her tongue. So bad that she had a whole mouth full of blood for awhile. Kind of scary. Kind of funny? Is that awful?!?! Like, after the fact funny.

Last night Tony went to a movie in Tmooker after Ali went to bed and I spent over an hour on this post I’ve been mulling on for weeks. It got erased. I cried. I hate stuff like that. So now I am holding a grudge against the blog. You’re lucky you have this to read at all.

Eventually I realized it must have been meant to be and resigned to keeping the info to myself. At least for now…

We are all still recovering around here. It’s been a busy, crazy, and stressful few weeks. We lost our county by 31 votes. Which is basically 16 undecideds.  While heartbreaking, it is really a victory considering  we are in one of the poorest, whitest counties in the state. Typical Clinton demographics.

Anyway, anyway. We are glad to be taking a little break from all that. So ready for the GD house next door to just be built already. some days I near tears because it’s seems a little too much to take. Bleh.

We’ve been working on summer plans. Trying to figure out schedules to include people here, there and everywhere. It’s going to be a crazy couple months. I think a purchase of airline tickets made be made soon. Even tonight…

Not looking forward to flying with such an active D.

This is about a week belated. So, on Mother’s Day Tony made a scavenger hunt for me. It "began" when Ali turned one of her toys over and I noticed writing on the bottom. This toy is used, we received a bunch from a lady who’s daughter lives next door to the girl who’s name is on all the toys. Kristina. Or some connection about like that. Anyway, there’s writing on the toys anyway and I was pointing out how random it was and weird that I hadn’t noticed it before. And then the hunt began.

When I found all ten my cards I laid them out to solve the riddle on the back. And that led me to….

..the closet! Where I found a tennis racket and then started crying. Why, I am still not sure. Maybe because it was such a great gift but nothing I would have ever thought of. We’re always passing the tennis courts and (since the hunt for entertainment is never ending) lamenting that only Tony has a racket. My racket is pink and brown. Perfect colors. And I don’t have a pic? Weird. I’ll have to take one. Anyway, it was a great, great gift and I FINALLY got to use it today.

It’s not like we cane just go play whenever. The timing has to be right (we’re both free) and then there’s Dot (She has to be sleepy enough to fall asleep in her stroller) and then the weather. Etc. Etc. We had a blast and it was such good exercise. I even though ti was overcast it was very warm and kind of muggy and we STILL got a bit burned.

After Ali woke up we went to the park and she got to play in the grass for awhile. Which is such a rarity out here. She even stood up on her own for a little bit…like 4-5 seconds but it’s the longest she’s done thus far. She was so proud too. What a fun age she’s at!

Now we are about to have some takeout from the Beach Bite (Yay for gift certificates!) and watch last week’s Top Chef. I kept Ali awake through what could have easily been a 5pm nap to she wouldn’t stay up until 9pm or later as she has been doing the past few days. She went down at 7:15…and just awoke!!! Blargh.

I am currently in a BLT and sugar induced energy crisis. So, just some pictures with a little explanation. Hope everyone ,in the NW at least, has enjoyed the beautiful, beautiful weather. If not a bit too warm. So weird how this year it all about the extremes. We have been getting out as much as possible (which means less posting!) and Tony and I have the sunburns to prove it.

Thursday night my mom spent the night here on her way to Seaside for a conference and she passed through again yesterday. Yesterday Billie also came down for the weekend so Ali has been very much enjoying catching up with her grandmas.

Oregon’s primary is Tuesday so Tony has been very busy canvassing and working hard to support Obama. Don’t forget to turn in your ballots Oregonians!

This weekend was the Kite Festival in Rockaway. So besides being busy b/c the weather was so nice…well, it was busier. And that’s what all the kites were about. The adorable outfit Ali was wearing yesterday was made by Karen Carroll and Ali got SO many compliments on her adorablness.

As always… more and more. 

Here’s a video we (I) took last night. This is Dot at her sweetest. First she gives kisses to some of her best friends and later shows off some impromptu peekabo skills. As always, please ignore the baby talk.

First, here are some pics of how Ali spent the day yesterday.

She has been fever-free since yesterday morning but I noticed a strange mottling on her cheek at breakfast this morning. Afterward I opened her pjs to find….her neck, chest and especially back covered in a red pin-prick rash. Slightly panicky, we again called the nurses line and it was diagnosed as roseola. Which is apparently nothing to worry about, though it sure looks nasty and worrisome.

Ali is going through an organizing phase. It began when she started putting all her food in the cup holders on her high chair when she was done eating. And, if I didn’t take her out quick enough, then throwing the food on the floor. Then she discovered putting other items into things. Like, blocks in a bucket. And them taking them out. This is (well, kind of was as this new trait is now a few weeks old) our first glimpse of just how methodical this child can be.

Following this realization was "offering." Her constantly offering us whatever she has; food, toy, random bit picked up off the ground. In this video she is helping to BUILD towers. Which was so huge (it’s kind of old) because not only is she showing to giving skills and the understanding of task at hand but the delayed gratification involved. It’s crazy. She’s getting big (and smart!) so fast.

Today was a regression at first as far as Ali being sick. She was feverish all night but steadily improved throughout the day. She was such a little sleeper though! Slept in until 9am, napped like 11-12, then again from just before 1pm to almost two-thirty. And again at 5pm! And then bed around 8pm. Soooo, I hope she will be raring to go tomorrow. And me too. I can’t tell if I’m a little sick of just kind of following her into the black hole because of the extra care (and milk!) she’s required. We shall see I guess.

Saturday night we went to a house party in Wheeler. Ali was feeling feverish before and I gave her medicine (mind you, not enough). The tough part about this age is discerning between being sick and just teething. Anyway, though she felt badly and was worn out already she looked cute and held up pretty well until 8:30, a good hour or so past her bedtime. Sunday was just so heartbreaking. Well, in the evening. The morning was nice and I’m going to do more on that later. From about three-thirty or so on, Ali mainly stayed on the boob, not really nursing but kind of hugging? She was so sweet but so, so struggly. She wouldn’t eat anything, wouldn’t even open her mouth for grape-flavored baby tylenol (which she usually loves). The rest I pretty much said before. Here is a picture of her pretty much at her worst. She wasn’t sleeping, just staring and panting.

And, yes, our internet has been restored! Rejoice!

 I only have a quick chance at this. Our internet went mysteriously down Saturday and was supposed to be back in 24-48 business hours. Whatever that means…

Yesterday morning I got to sleep in! But, Ali was feverish all night and only got worse throughout the day. We did a little canvassing in the afternoon (that actually turning into quite a walk- like an hour and a half or more) and I don’t think the sun helped. Even though she was doing better then. By nine her temp was 104.7 under her arm and we called the nurses’ line. Found out we’d only been giving her 1/3 the dose of baby tylenol she should get. After that she improved dramatically. Sure wish the doctor had told us when to increase her dosage and by how much. The scariest part was her crazy pant-breathing and these weird full body tremors she kept having that we had to question if they were or were not seizures. 

I sure hope I don’t get sick!

Today we were supposed to be interviewed by a guy from the Oregonian but he cancelled. Bill Clinton is in town, speaking in the Tillamook Cheese Factory parking lot(?) at 12:30 so we’re going to catch that if Ali is still doing alright. Let’s hope our internet is back up soon, as a) that’s how we make our living b) that’s how we keep you all informed and c) oftentimes, it’s the way I stay sane.

Happy Belated Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms out there!