Marley Elizabeth

I can't believe Marley is 19 months old. I just keeps saying it, but time truly doesn't fly. It seems to go even fast when I write blog posts, because I wait every six months to write and I realize how quickly just 6 months passes. Marley is the sweetest little baby with so much personality. She is sensitive and always wants to love. She enjoys playing and being around her brother more than anything. She is finally getting to an age where they like to interact and be around each other, which has been so exciting to witness and watch. She is so happy and is often found wearing a pair of somethings shoes, wearing a dress up hat, running around with items found in cupboards, or slow dancing to any kind of beat she hears in the house. She is hilarious and we have loved watching her personality develop into one that is so drastically different than Noah's. My sweet girl, I really never knew I needed a girl until I had her. Having one of both has been one of life's greatest treasures. 

Marley has had a rough few months. In October, Marley got a cold and it quickly escalated into some alarming breathing (or lack there of), we rushed her to the hospital and we were admitted to stay the night, which ended up being a 3 night stay. She had Bronchiolitis and had to be on high flow oxygen and a feeding tube. She was so dehydrated when we went from the lack of liquid and food. We tried to get her to drink her milk, which her "baba" is her favorite thing in the world so we knew something was off. We couldn't get her to eat and she refused to sleep. When we had arrived at the hospital, her oxygen was in the low 80's, which was really alarming. It was a very stressful and scary three days filled with much prayer and support from family and friends helping with Noah and everything else we had going on. I was so appreciative of all the love we were shown. I really will never forget it. Marley was a champ and at the end of three days was doing better. Not fully healed, but better. We were very careful with her and were scared she would get sick again. Within two weeks she started getting another cold, which required a visit to the suction clinic, but we were able to fend the cold off and stay away from the hospital. Well, come the week after Thanksgiving and Marley was back in the hospital with Bronchiolitis again. An inspired nurse did something that we are so grateful for and put her on Albuterol (asthma medication to help alleviate restricted airways) and Marley immediately responded to it. This is typically only given to individuals who have asthma, so this told us two things, this wasn't viral and Bronchiolitis like we thought, it was asthma. Marley stayed the night and was diagnosed with Reactive Airway Disease. You can't diagnose asthma until age 2, so they call it reactive airway disease and prescribed her an inhaler for day-to-day preventative, and then albuterol for emergencies.  This sparked the crazy side in both Travis and I. We decided we were keeping her home all winter -- no church, no family parties, no nothing. We weren't going to chance a 3rd hospital visit, especially when we could see she was so susceptible to a mild virus, like a cold. We are about 2 months into this and it has been tough, but we've gotten down to a routine. It is hard to miss out on things because Travis and I alternate who stays home with Marley and who goes and takes Noah. However, we know it has been working as she hasn't been sick since her last hospital visit. We wash hands many times a day as well, which seem to be helping a lot. It was a very difficult time for us. We had so much going on and both of her hospitals visits brought on much stress and anxiety as we were dealing with normal life deadlines at work, but also so concerned about our sweet girl. It was hard for me to turn off anything to focus on her and it just made it harder knowing how Noah was taking this, etc.. I'm grateful for the sacrifice we've made the past couple of months as it clearly is working. I just hope she continues to stay healthy from here on out. We love our Marley babe and we are so glad she's been healthy. Happiest little girl there is.

18 month favorite things: 

-is obsessed with anything that is a blankey. She refers to her blankets as "B". I think it is her attempt at saying blankey

-she loves to find shoes in the house and wear them around. She specifically loves wearing Noah's shoes.

-She is pretty particular about the food she eats and always surprises us with what she WILL eat. She currently loves any berry, mac and cheese, avocados, apples sauce, mandarin oranges, apples

-she can say baba (bottle), dada, mama, poo poo (she is so funny and will always tell us when she goes in her diaper), block, night night, hi, bye, when we say dog she will pant her breath like a puppy does, cheese, tank tu (thank you), she signs "more" and it is the best thing ever

-she loves to dance to music and does the funniest dance moves

-she loves to chase and play with Noah

-she loves to go down the slide

-she loves to read books and always has to be sitting on someones lap

-loves to hug and if she is fond of someone, will run up and give the biggest hugs and loves. She is very affectionate

-loves to play

-loves to play with crayons, particularly in the bathtub (bath crayons)

-loves to CLIMB. On EVERYTHING

gives the cheesiest smile all of the time. She loves to giggle and fake laugh.

-loves to follow mom and dad around. Often just wants to be held to see what's going on.

-loves to play on the bed and always wants to climb up. Once she is able to get on top of the bed will just laugh and laugh and laugh because she did it.

-loves the bath more than anything. All we ever have to say is "let's go take a bath" and she runs to the stairs, climbs them as fast as she can, and runs to the bathroom and screeches. 

-loves her baba. She is always seeing a bottle laying around and will cry if it is in her line of sight because she always wants to be drinking water or milk.

-loves being outside

-loves jumping from the ottoman to the couch and will always go "yeah yeah yeah" just to prepare right before jumping

-loves Super Simple songs and will always make eye contact with something and smile really big to show how excited she is to watch the songs on YouTube

-has so much hair that is curly! it has been so fun to do pig tails with because it makes them so much cuter

-she is just the tinest little girl and is still wearing 12 month clothing

-knows where all of her body parts are. When I say nose, ear, hair, arm, toes, etc.. she knows and will point to them

-loves spinning in circles and getting dizzy and will laugh as she falls to the floor

-is getting really tough by having an older brother, although she is a drama queen and will often cry over nothing for attention 

We love our sweet girl and we love watching her grow. Happy 19 months sweet Marley.

 ^^First time in the hospital (spent 4 days in the ICU)

^^Second time in the hospital a month later (3 days in the ICU). You are so resilient, baby girl