My nose is running....

'Tis the season for germs! Ella has been announcing that her "nose is running". She says it over and over and over. Sometimes her nose isn't even stiffly and she feels the need to announce her subsequent desire for a tissue. It is adorable and annoying all at once. I love hearing her emerging vocabulary (hugely improved post surgery). What I don't love is that she gets hit with the nastiest bugs. For Ella, that runny nose unfortunately turned into a lot worse. In what has become true Ella fashion, her little cold turned into a big sickness. We ended up at Albany Med with a high fever Wednesday. She was admitted after the x-rays and blood tests showed that she has pneumonia and RSV (a lung infection). It was horrible news, but at least she wasn't dealing with the flu as well which was a big concern when we first arrived in the ER. This was just shy of one day to the year that she was hospitalized for pneumonia last year. She was admitted on January 17, 2012...this year it was January 16. Talk about a horrible coincidence and something we don't want to re-live EVER AGAIN. It's safe to say that the Tapp's probably will start a traditional hibernation of sorts in mid-January next year.

We spent three days at the hospital and Ella seemed to bounce back pretty quickly. She still has a lingering cough and that runny nose persists, but we are incredibly thankful we caught this as early as we did. She was such a trooper in the hospital. The poor girl was poked and prodded and hardly got to rest with all the doctors and nurses in and out. Jason and I split our time with Ella, while trying to balance work and making sure Avery was all set at home. I took the day shift, while he spent some sleepless nights in a chair next to her bed.  There are not many feelings worse than seeing your child in the hospital. We are so thankful for the support of our family, co-workers and our Nanny and my mom who worked some long days and made sure Ave's was happy and healthy!

Feeling well enough for some
art projects at the hospital.

I am happy to report that we are on the mend. I have my fingers and toes crossed that this is the worst of the winter germs that we have to deal with (for many years, haha!).