2 1/2 months old

So Cheeky!


Daraby with Andrew and Abby!



She is so active and loves to play on the floor! I took this video yesterday while we were just bumming. Many times Abby joins us and gives Daraby a big kiss which makes her laugh. Check out the other new blogs below.

Weekend in Estes Park

We took a trip to Estes Park this past weekend to see our friends John and Jodi get married. The guys wore kilts and the wedding party was ushered in with bagpipes. Daraby had a loud awakening when the bagpipes sounded up:) John has a Scottish ancestry, hence the kilts, and his friend who played the bagpipes was amazing-he's played for 6 presidents and is known as one of the best bagpipers in America. He entertained us at the reception with a little concert, including Amazing Grace. I've never seen anyone play the bagpipes like that!

It was also a good getaway for the three of us. We spent Saturday night in a very nice hotel and treked around Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday. We took a hike around Bear Lake and then down to Alberta Falls. I find it amusing that we go to a national park and see more people on one hike than the entire population of our county here in Nebraska:) We played Dutch bingo with some people we met from Michigan-you can never escape the Dutch!

Our trip last weekend is a prelude to an upcoming weekend with dad and mom Boersma, Daron and Rachael, and Joel in Estes Park. Now that half of our nuclear family lives out West, my parents and Joel find themselves venturing out here for family get-togethers. We are blessed to have parents who are willing to travel-I think a certain little girl helps in that department:) Anyway, we are looking forward to a couple days with them in the mountains.

We'll be in town quite a bit this weekend for homecoming activities, and we're always trying to hang out with neighbors in our spare time. I'd like to try to get some time on the horses these next couple of weekends but hanging out with my daughter has become pretty addicting. Darcy and I are preparing to start working the buffalo in three weeks. We start by sorting our yearlings and giving them their vacinations. In December we'll start working our main herd-weaning calves, preg checking cows, and vacinating. So, we're just entering our busy season. Please pray for us as we adjust to this schedule with Daraby. Thanks to all you who take the time to catch up with us via our blog-your thoughts and prayers are very appreciated!

Andrew

Rubber Duck Race

The creek on the ranch where we raced the ducks.



Our friends on the bridge watching the ducks come down the creek.


The ducks floating in the creek.


The final winners- all the loser ducks are in the net.


The boys riding back from the creek to the house.

Last weekend we went to the south end of the ranch to Byron and Shelia's home for duck races. Our duck lost miserebly, but we had a great time getting to know more of our neighbors around the Oshkosh area!

The Horrible Day!

This last Tuesday Daraby and I traveled two hours to see our Doctors. What a day! First we stopped in to my Dr and I'm doing really well. All healed and feeling great. Daraby on the other hand wasn't feeling so well and hasn't been feeling that great for a while. Andrew and I thought Daraby was just a cranky baby. Yes, she had fun and active times but at night and throughout the day she would scream and be really mad- her stomach was in pain. It was getting worse and she was throwing up most of her meals too. So when I went into see the Dr I told him that I thought she was allergic to milk or had seasonal allergies. He then asked me a long series of questions and he pointed out a rash- I thought was baby acne- but was an allergic rash. In the end I found out that she is lactose intolerant and needs to eat special formula.
Not only is she lactose intolerant but has acid reflux. It was getting so bad that she didn't want to eat anymore. That is scary. She had an aversion to eating because it would make her feel bad and would have acid build up in her stomach. It would take her an hour or more to eat and then she throw it all up. In response, she was very nasally and plugged up so she had trouble eating and breathing. She also had diarrhea. I can't believe I didn't recognize these symptoms- I didn't know how sick she really was. The signs were all there. I didn't even read about these issues in the baby books because I never thought my child would have any of these issues. Now I'm a reading fool.
At the Dr she measured 25 inches long. That is amazing! She is in 6 month clothes length wise but they are so wide on her. She is 10.15 pounds- she is on the light side for where the Dr would like her to be.
At the appointment she got her 2 month immunizations. I hate shots so I felt horrible for her. The Dr asked me if I had given her tylenol before her shots and I said no. I didn't know that I should have given her tylenol before going to the appointment. Well after we left the Dr's office we ran around town on some errands. When we were halfway through Wal-Mart she started wailing and turning red. She would barely catch her breath and would scream nonstop. I was terrified and people started giving me mean looks. I had never heard her scream like that before. She was in pain. Well after going through the check out and having the manager lady question me about my child. I rushed out and drove to the pediatrician's office. I was crying and she was still wailing. Her leg has swelled up to the size of a pop can. The Dr held her and looked her over. In the end he gave her a large dose of benadryl and tylenol. She was having an allergic reaction. What a scary/horrible day for both of us! I then drove 2 hours home with a wailing child. She was so worked up she was scream for 5-10 min and then sleep for 5-10 min and then repeat. That night she was sick and out of it.
All in all she is NOW feeling the best she has ever felt. Her rash is gone, her nose isn't stuffed up, her poopies are more solid, she isn't throwing up anymore, she isn't as cranky, she sleeps better/has better awake times and is gaining weight. I'm so thankful that we know what we know. I'm sad that she has those issues but I'm glad we can treat them. She is on medication for the acid reflux and drinks special formula with rice cereal for her lactose intolerance. The Dr thinks she should grow out of the lactose issue around 1 or 2. Thank the Lord that she is doing so well! I'm so thankful that she is doing better!

The National Guard- Bridge

My Mom, Denton- nephew and brother Darrell on portable bridge.


Two sections of the bridge put together. The boats are alongside.


A closer view of the bridge and boat.

While in Pierre a couple weeks ago Andrew and I were able to see my brother work. He has been in the National Guard for 20+ years. He was sent to Iraq a couple years back. Well the weekend we were home they put the portable bridge in the water and drove it around with the boats on the side and one on the back. It was incredible! We had no idea the whole bridge unit was going to move and then it did. We were standing on it chatting with Darrell. In addition they gave several boat rides. Many people came down to the river to get Coca Cola floats and ride the boats. Darrell said this bridge was similar to the one they used in Iraq. It is neat that they can carry the boats on semi trucks and then put them in and out of the water in minutes. I'm proud or Darrell and all his hard work with the Guards.