I've been actively participating in online forums ever since I got pregnant, and have met many wonderful moms and made some awesome friends in that time! One of the nice things about being active on these forums is talking with moms who have older kids, because it gives me a glimpse into what I can possibly expect as Judith grows and develops. It's also particularly nice and beneficial to be active in these various communities, because I have an additional support network, particularly for the CF front where it's incredibly difficult if not next to impossible to get together as a large group because of the need to find caretakers for the kids due to infection control policies.
Anyway, in recent months, I noticed a phrase popping up on the boards from moms whose children recently turned 3: "threenager." I laughed at first, thinking, "That's a clever term to come up with!" and promptly dismissed it from my mind because I was in denial that 3 could be worse than 2. I'm now here to admit that these other moms were spot on with their description, because for the last week I've been in 3 year old hell. It's not like she's been 3 that long, either! I remember saying that, when she turned 2, it was like a switch flipped and she became this little terror. This year it's like a gigantic lever was pulled, not just a tiny little switch flipping. Judith is so incredibly stubborn to begin with (and I don't have to wonder where she gets it from), but I swear right now she could give any hormonal teen a run for their money in the obnoxious and attitude categories!
We're dealing with a new host of behaviors that we weren't dealing with in the past. I've had more days this week where I wanted to bang my head against the wall, rip my hair out, or sit in a corner while rocking and mumbling tons of incoherent things. If I had a nickel for every time I've had to tell her to stop terrorizing the dogs, to use her indoor voice, to stop throwing things, etc., I'd be incredibly rich. And it doesn't stop with the "normal" defiance, as she is now fighting everything CF-related. She fights her vest. She fights her twice daily albuterol treatments. She fights her vitamins, although no one, not even her CF team, really blames her for that because the smell of the new formulation is enough to make anyone gag. Probably the only thing she isn't fighting is her miralax, and that's only because it's thoroughly mixed into her pediasure so she doesn't even realize she's taking it. I'm constantly thinking up new tricks and things to say to get her to comply with her treatments more easily, and to try to minimize our battles. Since she's into hugging everything lately, telling her her vest "needs a hug" and wants to hug her back helps us get it on her without her going into "noodle" mode and making the prep time for the treatment about as enjoyable as wrangling a small, greased pig. She's been getting a lot of screen time during her treatments, which means she's not trying to see how loud she can scream as often. And the food battles? We've cycled back to Judith not wanting to eat again, but now it's amplified by her 3 year old drive to test her boundaries as much as possible. I talked briefly with our nutritionist, and she said that she knows we're doing what we can, but we're still going to try to come up with new strategies within the next week or 2 to see if that helps.
On the flip side, being 3 also means a whole new set of interactions, advancing play skills, advancing vocabulary, and lots of other developmental things that show she's growing up so fast. There are days when I laugh hysterically at the things she says! Like yesterday in the car while we were waiting to make our deposit at the bank: my mom and I were doing the silent laugh thing, because we kept hearing "Aw, come on guys! You know what to do!" coming from the back seat. I never know what comments she's going to make in church when the choir sings their anthem, and more often than not at least half of the choir is trying not to laugh at something she says. Hearing her excitement for the upcoming Christmas holiday is amazing, and it's contagious because this is one of the first years where I'm really excited because I know she's going to love it.
I have a feeling this is going to be an extremely challenging year with her, but with any luck things will level off eventually.
Showing posts with label milestones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label milestones. Show all posts
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Miscellaneous Musings
We made it through the worst of the heat! The end of last week was absolutely insane. We were near, at, or above 100 most days, with the heat index soaring higher. I knew it was blistering hot when the dogs refused to go outside to do their business, and when they did it was a very quick trip (except for the 1 day when Buster thought it would be awesome to lay in the grass sunning himself - weirdo).
I can't believe how quickly Judith's taking off with so many things. Her little personality is really developing, and she's having a language explosion! Her ST and I figured she has about 10-15 consistent words now, 2 of the newest being "Bickey" (Mickey) and "nishe" (nice). Her babbling has gone to a new level, and it sounds like she's trying to say words instead of just stringing sounds together. A friend recently said that toddlers sound like they're talking "Simlish" - the language from the popular life simulation game The Sims - and I agree with that assessment!
Judith is up to lots of shenanigans, and I can't help but laugh at some of them! This morning, during her CPT, she sounded like she was giving Buster orders, all while pointing her finger at them (she sees me do this when I have to discipline the dogs, so it's no wonder she picked it up - oops!). I have no idea what she was saying to him, but it must've been serious! One of her other favorite activities is to play the piano. She walks up to it, plays an original composition, turns around and waits for us to clap, claps with us, wipes her hands off, then spreads her arms out at her side and declares "All done!" It is so hilariously cute, and I'm desperately trying to get it on video! The little stinker won't do it as soon as she sees the iPod come out, so I have to use some serious stealth if I want to capture this moment.
On the CF front, we've had some interesting moments. I don't get why Judith's bowel habits change so drastically in the few weeks before a clinic visit, and all it does it make me worry about the "what ifs." She has been having a lot of problems with some constipation lately, so we're currently embarked on an adventure with Miralax. Dr. G. and the nutritionist said (over the phone - I called because things have been concerning, and I'm glad I did this) that she's probably having some motility issues caused by the disease, and that she's going to be dealing with this for the rest of her life. I feel bad for her, but it seems like the Miralax is working - Dr. G.'s goal is to get her cleaned out as much as possible before we see him again, then we'll regroup and decide where to go from there. The Miralax has led to some exciting (/sarcasm) diapers lately, but I'd almost rather deal with that over the alternative.
I can't believe how quickly Judith's taking off with so many things. Her little personality is really developing, and she's having a language explosion! Her ST and I figured she has about 10-15 consistent words now, 2 of the newest being "Bickey" (Mickey) and "nishe" (nice). Her babbling has gone to a new level, and it sounds like she's trying to say words instead of just stringing sounds together. A friend recently said that toddlers sound like they're talking "Simlish" - the language from the popular life simulation game The Sims - and I agree with that assessment!
Judith is up to lots of shenanigans, and I can't help but laugh at some of them! This morning, during her CPT, she sounded like she was giving Buster orders, all while pointing her finger at them (she sees me do this when I have to discipline the dogs, so it's no wonder she picked it up - oops!). I have no idea what she was saying to him, but it must've been serious! One of her other favorite activities is to play the piano. She walks up to it, plays an original composition, turns around and waits for us to clap, claps with us, wipes her hands off, then spreads her arms out at her side and declares "All done!" It is so hilariously cute, and I'm desperately trying to get it on video! The little stinker won't do it as soon as she sees the iPod come out, so I have to use some serious stealth if I want to capture this moment.
On the CF front, we've had some interesting moments. I don't get why Judith's bowel habits change so drastically in the few weeks before a clinic visit, and all it does it make me worry about the "what ifs." She has been having a lot of problems with some constipation lately, so we're currently embarked on an adventure with Miralax. Dr. G. and the nutritionist said (over the phone - I called because things have been concerning, and I'm glad I did this) that she's probably having some motility issues caused by the disease, and that she's going to be dealing with this for the rest of her life. I feel bad for her, but it seems like the Miralax is working - Dr. G.'s goal is to get her cleaned out as much as possible before we see him again, then we'll regroup and decide where to go from there. The Miralax has led to some exciting (/sarcasm) diapers lately, but I'd almost rather deal with that over the alternative.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
18 Months (or 1 1/2 Years)!
I simply cannot believe how fast time is moving, and I can't believe I'm writing an 18 month post already.
Judith, you are 18 months old (or 1 1/2 years old) today! You are growing up so fast, and in the past 3 months you've had a developmental explosion!
Your highlights since your 15 month "birthday":
* You had your first positive throat/sputum culture for pseudomonas, and needed your first round of TOBI to eradicate it. As a result, you got your first nebulizer, and learned how to deal with nebulizer treatments.
* The whole family and some of our friends participated in our first Great Strides walk to help raise money for you and the other 30,000 Americans who are fighting this disease. Our walk alone raised over $107,000 and our team met the goal we set early on!
* We fought our first battle with the insurance company to try to get you coverage for your last Synagis shot of the year in April. They denied the appeal, and we had to go under a stricter lockdown as a precaution.
* Your second Easter came and went, and you had your first egg hunt in our front yard.
* You had your annual evaluation for Early Intervention. You were discharged from PT services because you started walking right before Easter, and it was determined that you would benefit from Speech Therapy.
* You had a couple appointments at the CF clinic, and 1 appointment at the NICU clinic.
* You are doing so many new things, and interacting with us, the dogs, your grandparents/great grandparents, and other people in new and exciting ways!
Judith's 18 Month Stats
Adjusted Age: 1 year, 3 months, 2 weeks, & 4 days
Weight: 19 lbs 7 oz (as of 4/2/12 - this stat will be updated later in the week after Judith's well baby visit)
Length: 29" (as of 4/2/12 - same deal with this stat as with her weight)
Hair & Eye Color: You are finally getting more hair, and are beginning to develop some tiny curls! It has a reddish tint to it, kind of like Mommy's. Your eyes have more brown in them, but are still leaning toward the hazel side as there is some blue around the edges.
Teeth: For 6 months, you have been a teething machine and working on those 1 year molars. I am happy to say that you FINALLY cut your first one sometime between 5/27/12 and 5/28/12! It's not fully in yet, and you definitely have 2 more queuing up. We're expecting those to cut through at any time. So far, your total tooth count is 9, but will soon be 11.
Clothing: You're getting to be a big girl - we moved you into all 9-12 month clothing this past weekend. You wear size 3 shoes.
Diaper Size: You just moved up to size 4 diapers during the day, and still wear a size 4 at night. They are still pretty big on you, but I'm sure you'll fit more comfortably in them very soon.
Diet & Nutrition: I can tell you're truly a toddler - you are getting so picky with your food! We are trying to pump as many calories into you throughout the day as we can, and we're discovering new, high fat options every day to try with you. Since we're in the summer months, some days you get a break from your Pediasure and are allowed to have some Gatorade with additional salt (for the really hot and humid days) in between your meals to help you stay hydrated. So far, you have not been a fan of the Gatorade, but hopefully you'll adjust to it. You're still drinking Pediasure as your main source of liquids, and consume an average of 24-32oz each day.
Developmental Milestones: You are doing so many different things since I wrote your 15 month post!
* Walking! You're pretty fast!
* Trying to figure out how to run
* Chase the dogs and play with Lady, all while giggling up a storm!
* You babble like crazy, and are stringing together different sounds
* You started to wave bye-bye and hello consistently
* Words you are saying consistently and semi-consistently: baby, dada, Boo (for Buster), Dee (for Lady), boon (for balloon), bye, ba (for bang, said while we're watching The Big Bang Theory), dah (for done). You can also sign "more" and "all done".
* You dump toys out of a bucket, put pegs into a hole, pull toys out of a container, and put toys into a container.
* You can turn the pages of your books, and love to point to different pictures and words!
Happy 18 months, Judith!
Sunday, May 27, 2012
She Speaks!
Judith's finally saying a word consistently! It's pretty darn exciting! In the past, she's said mama, dada, baby, boon (for balloon), boo (Buster's nickname), and piggy. In the last week and a half, however, she's been saying baby more regularly, and even uses it in context! It felt like it's been taking forever for her to get to this point, since she's been stringing sounds together for months, but I think we're starting with our first small word explosion!
It's still not a consistent thing, but she did say Boo in context a few times in the past week, and today she felt it was necessary to (loudly) say Dada a couple times during a quieter part of the service in church. With any luck, those words will become just as consistent as the rest! She's also recognizing more commands, and signing "more" and "all done." She's consistently waving goodbye with a little encouragement - she practiced for almost a half hour after church today, waving at everyone who talked to her because she was ready to go home!
It's still not a consistent thing, but she did say Boo in context a few times in the past week, and today she felt it was necessary to (loudly) say Dada a couple times during a quieter part of the service in church. With any luck, those words will become just as consistent as the rest! She's also recognizing more commands, and signing "more" and "all done." She's consistently waving goodbye with a little encouragement - she practiced for almost a half hour after church today, waving at everyone who talked to her because she was ready to go home!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
We've Got Another Milestone
I think it's pretty safe to say that we have a walker!
Judith has been taking a bunch of steps independently (at least 8 at a time) over the past week, but she has really started taking off since Thursday or Friday!
Crawling or furniture cruising still seems to be slightly more preferable, but she's at the point where she just lets go and wobbles across the room without really thinking about it or pausing. She's done it with things in her hands and without!
While I'm writing this, she's standing near the middle of the living room, in front of the TV, watching chef Anne Burrell cook. Mother of the Year, right here. Why am I sharing my toddler's growing bad habit, you may ask? Because it's held her attention for a good 5 minutes, and not once in that time has she lost her balance!
Of course with walking comes a whole new set of issues, mainly the fact that Judith is going to bruise herself a lot more. I'm prepared for this - I know it's a normal thing. I have some kid-friendly band aids in the house in case she needs one, but hopefully she won't for a while.
Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she'll continue with the trend and want to walk more on Easter. She'll be in a dress for the vast majority of the day, and dresses aren't exactly the best things to crawl in. It's probably going to be a crap shoot depending on her mood that day, but there's no harm in hoping!
Judith has been taking a bunch of steps independently (at least 8 at a time) over the past week, but she has really started taking off since Thursday or Friday!
Crawling or furniture cruising still seems to be slightly more preferable, but she's at the point where she just lets go and wobbles across the room without really thinking about it or pausing. She's done it with things in her hands and without!
While I'm writing this, she's standing near the middle of the living room, in front of the TV, watching chef Anne Burrell cook. Mother of the Year, right here. Why am I sharing my toddler's growing bad habit, you may ask? Because it's held her attention for a good 5 minutes, and not once in that time has she lost her balance!
Of course with walking comes a whole new set of issues, mainly the fact that Judith is going to bruise herself a lot more. I'm prepared for this - I know it's a normal thing. I have some kid-friendly band aids in the house in case she needs one, but hopefully she won't for a while.
Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she'll continue with the trend and want to walk more on Easter. She'll be in a dress for the vast majority of the day, and dresses aren't exactly the best things to crawl in. It's probably going to be a crap shoot depending on her mood that day, but there's no harm in hoping!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
More Steps
Judith took 8 steps on her own yesterday, and took more than 8 (I couldn't count them all!) today! Right now, I'm excited that she's starting to walk! Come time for the Great Strides walk, she might be able to walk a small portion herself! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she'll be walking better by Easter, but I doubt she'll be fully independent. Especially since we're about 2.5 weeks out.
My little 29 weeker is growing up so fast!
My little 29 weeker is growing up so fast!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
One Step Closer
To walking, that is! My grandparents decided to swing by for a visit today - they had made their weekly trek to one of the local farmers' markets, and they bought me some asparagus and brussels sprouts (yum!). So they wanted to bring it to me while it was still fresh, and also visit with Judith. While they were here, Judith was playing with her great-grandpa's hat, and thought it would be awesome to take a bunch of steps independently! She took 4 steps, paused a bit, then took 3 more! This is the 2nd time she's taken about 4 steps alone - last Friday, she took 4 independent steps for my dad while I was at work.
3-4 steps seems to be her maximum at this point, and she only does it when she's holding/is distracted by something. She furniture cruises and walks with her push toy like a champ, though, and all it's going to take is her building up her confidence more and taking off.
Fingers crossed that she'll be walking by Easter - she's wearing a dress, and right now has a fit because she can't crawl properly in it. So if walking means it'll save us a tantrum or 2, I'll take it!
3-4 steps seems to be her maximum at this point, and she only does it when she's holding/is distracted by something. She furniture cruises and walks with her push toy like a champ, though, and all it's going to take is her building up her confidence more and taking off.
Fingers crossed that she'll be walking by Easter - she's wearing a dress, and right now has a fit because she can't crawl properly in it. So if walking means it'll save us a tantrum or 2, I'll take it!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
15 Months!
No, I haven't forgotten about the month birthday posts! Now that I have a mobile toddler who is into absolutely everything and is often too nosy to stay still to do a decent photo shoot, it's hard to keep up with taking specific pictures every month. That, and it seems like once you get past a year, months aren't as important to many people. For us, it's strictly a time thing, plus it's easier for me to do these quarterly since those months seem a little more significant (if that makes sense) - it coincides nicely with her well baby visits! :)
So, Miss Judith, you are now 15 months old as of today! You haven't been super busy with activities away from home, save for doctor/specialist appointments since we're in the thick of cold/flu/RSV season, but you did get to do some fun things.
* You had a play date with your friend (and her big brother and big sister!), and mommy had a get together with her friend!
* You've been going to church fairly regularly.
*We had a small concern that you were going pancreatic insufficient, and you were on enzymes for about 2 weeks before we found out that things are normal and you don't need them! It's great news, and we're keeping our fingers crossed that you can continue down this path for over a year and a half before they can give you more of an all-clear.
* You take your straw sippy of Pediasure like a champ! We can't find the berry flavor anywhere, and the medical supply store doesn't carry it, but you basically have a liquid banana split sitting on the shelves downstairs - you love the strawberry, banana, chocolate, and vanilla flavors!
* You've had many opportunities to visit your family and some of your friends, and you always enjoy spending time with them!
* Your eyes haven't changed, so we can wait until your next annual appointment to reevaluate. That means you have a good 8 months between appointments, and a good 8 months when you can remain glasses free!
Judith's 15 Month Stats
Adjusted Age: 1 year, 2 weeks, 2 days old
Weight: 19 lbs
Length: 28"
Hair & Eye Color: You still don't have a ton of hair, but it's more than what you had on your first birthday! It's got a reddish tint to it, sort of like mommy's. Your eyes have more brown in them than ever, but there are still some bluish-gray flecks in them.
Teeth: 8! In the last 3 months, you have been a teething machine! You have 4 front teeth each on the top and the bottom, with more on the way. You are currently working on some molars, and there might be others that are starting to work their way to the surface - I try to time the "inspection" of your gums for when we brush your teeth or when I know you'll let me feel your gums so I don't risk losing any fingers!
Clothing: You're wearing all 6-9 month clothes, but certain things are starting to get too short - it all depends on the brand and how much it's been through the washer/dryer! By Easter, you'll be ready for 12 month sizes.
Diaper Size: Size 3 during the day, size 4 overnight
Meals: You eat whatever we eat, but you definitely have some things you don't care for (meat, for example). You drink about 20-24oz of Pediasure every day!
Developmental Milestones: You have been busy in the last 3 months! The list of new things you're doing includes:
* constant, "nonsensical" babbling
* saying mama, dada, boo, di (for Lady), doggy, piggy, boon (for balloon). You're not really consistently saying these things, but we're counting them as words since you've said them a couple times here and there!
* furniture cruising, lately with 1 hand
* walking with assistance - you move really fast with a push toy!
* taking 1-2 occasional unassisted steps when you're feeling extra brave
* imitating silly sounds mommy or daddy makes
* holding your sippy consistently
* hugging your toys, mommy, daddy, and your grandparents/great grandparents
* crawling up and down the stairs, and starting to walk down the stairs
* clapping, wiggling, bouncing/"dancing"
* stooping to pick up a toy or book and standing up unassisted
So as you can see, you're starting to have a developmental explosion! We're hoping that you can be discharged from Early Intervention after your 1 year evaluation in April, but we won't be surprised if you qualify for a few more months of services because of the stair navigation. But overall, we're so pleased and proud of the progress you've made!
Happy 15 months Judith!
So, Miss Judith, you are now 15 months old as of today! You haven't been super busy with activities away from home, save for doctor/specialist appointments since we're in the thick of cold/flu/RSV season, but you did get to do some fun things.
* You had a play date with your friend (and her big brother and big sister!), and mommy had a get together with her friend!
* You've been going to church fairly regularly.
*We had a small concern that you were going pancreatic insufficient, and you were on enzymes for about 2 weeks before we found out that things are normal and you don't need them! It's great news, and we're keeping our fingers crossed that you can continue down this path for over a year and a half before they can give you more of an all-clear.
* You take your straw sippy of Pediasure like a champ! We can't find the berry flavor anywhere, and the medical supply store doesn't carry it, but you basically have a liquid banana split sitting on the shelves downstairs - you love the strawberry, banana, chocolate, and vanilla flavors!
* You've had many opportunities to visit your family and some of your friends, and you always enjoy spending time with them!
* Your eyes haven't changed, so we can wait until your next annual appointment to reevaluate. That means you have a good 8 months between appointments, and a good 8 months when you can remain glasses free!
Judith's 15 Month Stats
Adjusted Age: 1 year, 2 weeks, 2 days old
Weight: 19 lbs
Length: 28"
Hair & Eye Color: You still don't have a ton of hair, but it's more than what you had on your first birthday! It's got a reddish tint to it, sort of like mommy's. Your eyes have more brown in them than ever, but there are still some bluish-gray flecks in them.
Teeth: 8! In the last 3 months, you have been a teething machine! You have 4 front teeth each on the top and the bottom, with more on the way. You are currently working on some molars, and there might be others that are starting to work their way to the surface - I try to time the "inspection" of your gums for when we brush your teeth or when I know you'll let me feel your gums so I don't risk losing any fingers!
Clothing: You're wearing all 6-9 month clothes, but certain things are starting to get too short - it all depends on the brand and how much it's been through the washer/dryer! By Easter, you'll be ready for 12 month sizes.
Diaper Size: Size 3 during the day, size 4 overnight
Meals: You eat whatever we eat, but you definitely have some things you don't care for (meat, for example). You drink about 20-24oz of Pediasure every day!
Developmental Milestones: You have been busy in the last 3 months! The list of new things you're doing includes:
* constant, "nonsensical" babbling
* saying mama, dada, boo, di (for Lady), doggy, piggy, boon (for balloon). You're not really consistently saying these things, but we're counting them as words since you've said them a couple times here and there!
* furniture cruising, lately with 1 hand
* walking with assistance - you move really fast with a push toy!
* taking 1-2 occasional unassisted steps when you're feeling extra brave
* imitating silly sounds mommy or daddy makes
* holding your sippy consistently
* hugging your toys, mommy, daddy, and your grandparents/great grandparents
* crawling up and down the stairs, and starting to walk down the stairs
* clapping, wiggling, bouncing/"dancing"
* stooping to pick up a toy or book and standing up unassisted
So as you can see, you're starting to have a developmental explosion! We're hoping that you can be discharged from Early Intervention after your 1 year evaluation in April, but we won't be surprised if you qualify for a few more months of services because of the stair navigation. But overall, we're so pleased and proud of the progress you've made!
Happy 15 months Judith!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
A Get-Together and Milestones
Today Judith and I met up with one of my friends, Amy, and her 3 children! We had some lunch, and the kiddos spent at least a good hour playing in the play area. While this isn't the first time Judith's been to a park/play area, it is the first time that she could really do more than just swing (not that they had swings haha): she crawled all around the space, stood up at the walls/windows and explored them by pounding on them, drummed on the climbing equipment, and actually figured out how to climb up on the lowest play thing designed for toddlers! It was so awesome to see her doing this! She also did some people watching, but, as expected for this age, didn't play with anyone.
Amy took up crocheting a little while ago, and she shared some pictures of a cute dog sweater she made. So I asked her if she could make sweaters for Buster and Lady, and she did! Amy is super awesome, and the sweaters are adorable! I'm going to take pictures of them in the sweaters this weekend, and I'll post pictures as soon as I can get them loaded. We talked a little bit about crocheting, because I never learned how to do it, and thought it looked like a relatively easy hobby to pick up. Call it peer pressure or whatever, but I'm going to give it a whirl and see what I can do! I'm not the craftiest person, so I'm hoping that this will go smoothly for me, and I can add crocheting to my very short list of crafts I can do (counted cross stitch and scrapbooking are about the only other things I can do semi-decently).
I was so glad that we were able to have a few hours together to sit and talk, and to allow the kiddos to interact with each other! We had a blast, and I can't wait until we can do it again!
Judith has developed a few more milestones: she just cut another tooth, this time on the bottom, and it feels like there's another bottom tooth working it's way to the surface. Total tooth count right now is 7 - she's a tooth cutting machine these days! She's still babbling a ton, but we're still waiting for her first word to come out. She's cruising around, using the furniture as a support, and is starting to take some steps assisted (by holding on to our fingers). She can climb the whole way up the stairs, but still needs some assistance coming down. This one I was so excited for: she's finally clapping on her own! She's a stinker about it though, because she'll smile and clap if I have to pull her away from something she's not supposed to have - I can't help but laugh when she does this. I'm sure it won't be quite as amusing in a few years, but for now I feel safe in enjoying it.
Amy took up crocheting a little while ago, and she shared some pictures of a cute dog sweater she made. So I asked her if she could make sweaters for Buster and Lady, and she did! Amy is super awesome, and the sweaters are adorable! I'm going to take pictures of them in the sweaters this weekend, and I'll post pictures as soon as I can get them loaded. We talked a little bit about crocheting, because I never learned how to do it, and thought it looked like a relatively easy hobby to pick up. Call it peer pressure or whatever, but I'm going to give it a whirl and see what I can do! I'm not the craftiest person, so I'm hoping that this will go smoothly for me, and I can add crocheting to my very short list of crafts I can do (counted cross stitch and scrapbooking are about the only other things I can do semi-decently).
I was so glad that we were able to have a few hours together to sit and talk, and to allow the kiddos to interact with each other! We had a blast, and I can't wait until we can do it again!
Judith has developed a few more milestones: she just cut another tooth, this time on the bottom, and it feels like there's another bottom tooth working it's way to the surface. Total tooth count right now is 7 - she's a tooth cutting machine these days! She's still babbling a ton, but we're still waiting for her first word to come out. She's cruising around, using the furniture as a support, and is starting to take some steps assisted (by holding on to our fingers). She can climb the whole way up the stairs, but still needs some assistance coming down. This one I was so excited for: she's finally clapping on her own! She's a stinker about it though, because she'll smile and clap if I have to pull her away from something she's not supposed to have - I can't help but laugh when she does this. I'm sure it won't be quite as amusing in a few years, but for now I feel safe in enjoying it.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Standing!
Guess who decided to pull up to stand on her own? ;D
I couldn't believe it. We were sitting in the living room and Judith was on the floor playing with her piano. She was on her knees, pushing at one of the buttons when she grabbed hold, moved her legs, and stood up without assistance! She only did it once, but I'm sure this won't be the last time she does it.
I couldn't believe it. We were sitting in the living room and Judith was on the floor playing with her piano. She was on her knees, pushing at one of the buttons when she grabbed hold, moved her legs, and stood up without assistance! She only did it once, but I'm sure this won't be the last time she does it.
Monday, October 3, 2011
10 Months!
Judith, you are 10 months old today!
Here are your highlights from the past month:
* Things are steadily becoming more interesting, as you are exploring your environment even more! It helps that you are much more mobile, and you're having an easier time getting to things.
* You had an occupational therapy (OT) evaluation at the beginning of the month; there was some concern about your fine motor skills when you went to the NICU developmental clinic, but after a full evaluation there isn't a significant delay after all... well, not really more than what we expect when we adjust your age. :)
* We have been watching your vision, and noticed some eye crossing when you are focusing on objects (the occupational therapist noticed it, as did your pediatrician). We got a referral to a pediatric opthamologist to check for strabismus. Mommy took a picture of your eyes after the appointment, and it looks like we may be noticing pseudostrabismus - in other words, your eyes aren't really crossing, but your facial structure right now makes it look like they are crossing. The doctor did confirm your farsightedness, and we needed to make another appointment to monitor that. You may end up with glasses by the end of this month, or the beginning of the next, to start correcting it. You can blame it on our family's lousy vision genes ha ha.
* You had your 9 month well-baby visit, and received 2 shots: your final Hepatitis B, which completed that series, and your first flu shot (you will need a booster for that, and will get it in a couple days from today). Your pediatrician ordered your Synagis shots, and you're actually near the top of the list to receive them.
* We actually didn't have to take you to the CF Clinic this month for an appointment!
* You ventured to Knoebel's again, and this time we met up with your other grandparents, your uncle, and your cousins! You enjoyed your time, and got to ride the train while Daddy held you!
* You experienced an historic weather event: record flooding. You're obviously way too young to understand what happened, but someday we will tell you about it. Where we live, we were very lucky and did not see high flood waters, but so many other areas, especially those where family and friends live, were not so lucky.
* We took you to another Rail-B-Q, and you enjoyed seeing 1 Amtrak train and 2 freight trains.
* You are continuing with your physical therapy through Early Intervention, and are making progress (more about that in the milestones section)!
* You have 2 teeth! Both of them are on the bottom, and they're the front ones. You seem to be teething again, but I can't see any that are even remotely close to cutting.
Judith's 10 Month Stats:
Adjusted Age: 7 months, 2 weeks, 3 days
Weight: 15 lbs. (as of 9/7/11)
Length: 25" (as of 9/7/11)
Hair and Eye Color: Your hair color hasn't changed - it's very much like Mommy's: a lighter brown with a reddish tint. Your eyes are hazel - blue with flecks of brown and a little bit of gray in them.
Clothing Size: 3-6 month
Diaper Size: 3
Feedings: You drink about 20 oz of Neosure each day, and eat 2 meals of purees (3-3.5 oz at each meal) with miscellaneous finger foods (puffs, mum mums, Lil' Crunchers, or arrowroot).
Medicines/Treatment Routines and Therapies: Zantac for reflux, albuterol (inhaler + spacer) for your CF, and 2 vitamins (1 specially compounded for people with CF); CPT twice every day; physical therapy once a week for an hour
Developmental Milestones: You are a little chatterbox, and it sounds like you are getting closer to saying your first word(s)! You are extremely curious, and like to explore everything. You creep around on the floor, and try to crawl in a way that people typically think of when they visualize a baby crawling - you're actually getting pretty fast at what you're doing! You are doing better at picking things up; you don't quite have the skills for a pincer grasp, but you can pick things up with your fist and get it to your mouth. You love Buster and Lady - you try to touch/pet them whenever you can, and you think they're hilarious (you laugh at them often). You still enjoy blowing raspberries and perfecting your "excited" shriek, and now you are starting to semi-hug people and the dogs! You are oh-so-close to pushing yourself into a sitting position, and sitting on your own. You can sit unsupported for longer stretches, and can go from a sitting-to-crawling position; now you just need to figure out that when you're sitting on your hip you can push yourself upright with the arm you're supporting yourself with so you can sit upright!
Happy 10 months, Judith! Only 2 more months until your big day!
Here are your highlights from the past month:
* Things are steadily becoming more interesting, as you are exploring your environment even more! It helps that you are much more mobile, and you're having an easier time getting to things.
* You had an occupational therapy (OT) evaluation at the beginning of the month; there was some concern about your fine motor skills when you went to the NICU developmental clinic, but after a full evaluation there isn't a significant delay after all... well, not really more than what we expect when we adjust your age. :)
* We have been watching your vision, and noticed some eye crossing when you are focusing on objects (the occupational therapist noticed it, as did your pediatrician). We got a referral to a pediatric opthamologist to check for strabismus. Mommy took a picture of your eyes after the appointment, and it looks like we may be noticing pseudostrabismus - in other words, your eyes aren't really crossing, but your facial structure right now makes it look like they are crossing. The doctor did confirm your farsightedness, and we needed to make another appointment to monitor that. You may end up with glasses by the end of this month, or the beginning of the next, to start correcting it. You can blame it on our family's lousy vision genes ha ha.
* You had your 9 month well-baby visit, and received 2 shots: your final Hepatitis B, which completed that series, and your first flu shot (you will need a booster for that, and will get it in a couple days from today). Your pediatrician ordered your Synagis shots, and you're actually near the top of the list to receive them.
* We actually didn't have to take you to the CF Clinic this month for an appointment!
* You ventured to Knoebel's again, and this time we met up with your other grandparents, your uncle, and your cousins! You enjoyed your time, and got to ride the train while Daddy held you!
* You experienced an historic weather event: record flooding. You're obviously way too young to understand what happened, but someday we will tell you about it. Where we live, we were very lucky and did not see high flood waters, but so many other areas, especially those where family and friends live, were not so lucky.
* We took you to another Rail-B-Q, and you enjoyed seeing 1 Amtrak train and 2 freight trains.
* You are continuing with your physical therapy through Early Intervention, and are making progress (more about that in the milestones section)!
* You have 2 teeth! Both of them are on the bottom, and they're the front ones. You seem to be teething again, but I can't see any that are even remotely close to cutting.
Judith's 10 Month Stats:
Adjusted Age: 7 months, 2 weeks, 3 days
Weight: 15 lbs. (as of 9/7/11)
Length: 25" (as of 9/7/11)
Hair and Eye Color: Your hair color hasn't changed - it's very much like Mommy's: a lighter brown with a reddish tint. Your eyes are hazel - blue with flecks of brown and a little bit of gray in them.
Clothing Size: 3-6 month
Diaper Size: 3
Feedings: You drink about 20 oz of Neosure each day, and eat 2 meals of purees (3-3.5 oz at each meal) with miscellaneous finger foods (puffs, mum mums, Lil' Crunchers, or arrowroot).
Medicines/Treatment Routines and Therapies: Zantac for reflux, albuterol (inhaler + spacer) for your CF, and 2 vitamins (1 specially compounded for people with CF); CPT twice every day; physical therapy once a week for an hour
Developmental Milestones: You are a little chatterbox, and it sounds like you are getting closer to saying your first word(s)! You are extremely curious, and like to explore everything. You creep around on the floor, and try to crawl in a way that people typically think of when they visualize a baby crawling - you're actually getting pretty fast at what you're doing! You are doing better at picking things up; you don't quite have the skills for a pincer grasp, but you can pick things up with your fist and get it to your mouth. You love Buster and Lady - you try to touch/pet them whenever you can, and you think they're hilarious (you laugh at them often). You still enjoy blowing raspberries and perfecting your "excited" shriek, and now you are starting to semi-hug people and the dogs! You are oh-so-close to pushing yourself into a sitting position, and sitting on your own. You can sit unsupported for longer stretches, and can go from a sitting-to-crawling position; now you just need to figure out that when you're sitting on your hip you can push yourself upright with the arm you're supporting yourself with so you can sit upright!
Happy 10 months, Judith! Only 2 more months until your big day!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
9 Months!
Note to my readers: I will post pictures sometime this weekend once we have our photo shoot!
Judith, you are 9 months old today - only 3 months until your first birthday!
Here are some of the things that happened in the last month:
* You began teething in full-force. Your teeth don't look like they're nearly ready to cut yet, but they're definitely under the surface, waiting to pop out.
* You got to swing for the first time in a big-girl swing at Long's Park in Lancaster! You and mommy went to 2 more get-togethers, and you had fun each time!
* You experienced your first earthquake and first tropical storm. Both natural disasters are on the rare side for the area we live in (we do get hit by tropical systems, but not usually by an actual tropical storm).
* We took you for another appointment at the developmental clinic - things are looking good, but we did note that you have some fine motor delays (normal for a preemie peanut like you!).
* You went to Knoebels Groves for the first time! You didn't get a chance to go on any rides because you decided to take a nap by the time we got to the trains and carousel. We're hoping to take you on some rides on our next trip there.
* You got to meet Grandpa H.'s cousin, his wife, and their three children! They were praying for you while you were in the NICU, and were very excited to finally meet you!
Judith's 9 Month Stats:
Adjusted Age: 6 months, 2 weeks, 4 days
Weight: 14 lbs 9 oz
Length: 25"
Hair Color: Brown. There's a little more than last month, but you still don't have a lot (just like mommy when she was your age).
Eye Color: Still bluish gray, with some brown flecks in them.
Clothing Size: 3-6 month for everything! There are some things that are big on you (rompers, bubbles, dresses, and onesies), but it was time to start moving you up to the next size.
Diaper Size: Size 3
Feedings: You get 2 solids with cereal mixed in, plus anywhere from 18-24 oz of Neosure. You are beginning to take some finger foods, mostly puffs and mum-mums, and every time you eat them you swallow them easier with less gagging episodes.
Developmental Milestones: You are doing a lot of things now! You love to grab your toes, and will occasionally suck on them. You are creeping all over the place, and are in the early stages of crawling - you can move forward a "step" or 2, but you haven't quite mastered moving your arms with your legs so you compensate by stretching out on your belly. You love to blow raspberries and stick your tongue out at people! You get excited when they do it back! You are very vocal and social! You are so curious about everything, and want to explore as much as you can. You are interacting with the dogs much more than ever before, and we're starting to teach you how to be gentle with them. They still love to use you as a salt lick, but you don't seem to mind! When they play, you love to laugh at them!
Happy 9 months, Judith!
Judith, you are 9 months old today - only 3 months until your first birthday!
Here are some of the things that happened in the last month:
* You began teething in full-force. Your teeth don't look like they're nearly ready to cut yet, but they're definitely under the surface, waiting to pop out.
* You got to swing for the first time in a big-girl swing at Long's Park in Lancaster! You and mommy went to 2 more get-togethers, and you had fun each time!
* You experienced your first earthquake and first tropical storm. Both natural disasters are on the rare side for the area we live in (we do get hit by tropical systems, but not usually by an actual tropical storm).
* We took you for another appointment at the developmental clinic - things are looking good, but we did note that you have some fine motor delays (normal for a preemie peanut like you!).
* You went to Knoebels Groves for the first time! You didn't get a chance to go on any rides because you decided to take a nap by the time we got to the trains and carousel. We're hoping to take you on some rides on our next trip there.
* You got to meet Grandpa H.'s cousin, his wife, and their three children! They were praying for you while you were in the NICU, and were very excited to finally meet you!
Judith's 9 Month Stats:
Adjusted Age: 6 months, 2 weeks, 4 days
Weight: 14 lbs 9 oz
Length: 25"
Hair Color: Brown. There's a little more than last month, but you still don't have a lot (just like mommy when she was your age).
Eye Color: Still bluish gray, with some brown flecks in them.
Clothing Size: 3-6 month for everything! There are some things that are big on you (rompers, bubbles, dresses, and onesies), but it was time to start moving you up to the next size.
Diaper Size: Size 3
Feedings: You get 2 solids with cereal mixed in, plus anywhere from 18-24 oz of Neosure. You are beginning to take some finger foods, mostly puffs and mum-mums, and every time you eat them you swallow them easier with less gagging episodes.
Developmental Milestones: You are doing a lot of things now! You love to grab your toes, and will occasionally suck on them. You are creeping all over the place, and are in the early stages of crawling - you can move forward a "step" or 2, but you haven't quite mastered moving your arms with your legs so you compensate by stretching out on your belly. You love to blow raspberries and stick your tongue out at people! You get excited when they do it back! You are very vocal and social! You are so curious about everything, and want to explore as much as you can. You are interacting with the dogs much more than ever before, and we're starting to teach you how to be gentle with them. They still love to use you as a salt lick, but you don't seem to mind! When they play, you love to laugh at them!
Happy 9 months, Judith!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
8 Months!
Judith, you are 8 months old today!
Here are some of the highlights from the last month:
* You had a follow-up eye appointment for your ROP, and everything is still normal. We found out that you're far sighted, and we'll have to take you to regular eye checkups. You will definitely need glasses someday (we figured that you would even if you had been born at term), and it will probably be earlier than what we expected. No biggie though!
* You & I went to Park City to meet up with 2 awesome ladies Mommy talks to online. You got to play with their babies, and we all had a blast! I realize how much of a peanut you really are when you're around babies close to your own age, because they are so much bigger than you. You'll catch up to them quickly though!
* You got to go to your first VBS at Grandma & Grandpa's church! Panda Mania was a great theme to introduce you to VBS, because of all the black, white, and other bold colors for you to explore. You had fun, and you really liked the stories! I can't wait to take you again next year, and maybe we can go to VBS at our church for a night or 2 as well!
* You're teething a little more, and I can see them under your gums. They're nowhere close to cutting, though, and I think we have a while before they do rupture.
Judith's 8 Month Stats:
Adjusted Age: 5 months, 2 weeks, 4 days
Weight: 13 lbs 14 oz (as of 7/27/11)
Length: 25" (as of 7/27/11)
Hair Color: Brown. It's changed it's hue again, and is starting to grow in a bit more!
Eye Color: Still bluish gray, with some brown flecks in them.
Clothing Size: 0-3 month rompers, dresses, & bubbles; 3-6 month footed sleepers
Diaper Size: Size 2
Feedings: We finally had to switch you to the bigger bottle size! You take anywhere from 20-24 oz of Neosure each day, and you get 2 solid meals (lunch & dinner). We tried some finger foods, but you're not ready for them yet, so you get purees with cereal mixed in.
Developmental Milestones: You added some new milestones this past month! You giggle more consistently, you can scoot and almost army crawl, you log roll to get to places, you can spin yourself around on your tummy, and you discovered your toes! You are much more interactive with the dogs, touching them and feeling their fur.
Happy 8 months, Judith!
Here are some of the highlights from the last month:
* You had a follow-up eye appointment for your ROP, and everything is still normal. We found out that you're far sighted, and we'll have to take you to regular eye checkups. You will definitely need glasses someday (we figured that you would even if you had been born at term), and it will probably be earlier than what we expected. No biggie though!
* You & I went to Park City to meet up with 2 awesome ladies Mommy talks to online. You got to play with their babies, and we all had a blast! I realize how much of a peanut you really are when you're around babies close to your own age, because they are so much bigger than you. You'll catch up to them quickly though!
* You got to go to your first VBS at Grandma & Grandpa's church! Panda Mania was a great theme to introduce you to VBS, because of all the black, white, and other bold colors for you to explore. You had fun, and you really liked the stories! I can't wait to take you again next year, and maybe we can go to VBS at our church for a night or 2 as well!
* You're teething a little more, and I can see them under your gums. They're nowhere close to cutting, though, and I think we have a while before they do rupture.
Judith's 8 Month Stats:
Adjusted Age: 5 months, 2 weeks, 4 days
Weight: 13 lbs 14 oz (as of 7/27/11)
Length: 25" (as of 7/27/11)
Hair Color: Brown. It's changed it's hue again, and is starting to grow in a bit more!
Eye Color: Still bluish gray, with some brown flecks in them.
Clothing Size: 0-3 month rompers, dresses, & bubbles; 3-6 month footed sleepers
Diaper Size: Size 2
Feedings: We finally had to switch you to the bigger bottle size! You take anywhere from 20-24 oz of Neosure each day, and you get 2 solid meals (lunch & dinner). We tried some finger foods, but you're not ready for them yet, so you get purees with cereal mixed in.
Developmental Milestones: You added some new milestones this past month! You giggle more consistently, you can scoot and almost army crawl, you log roll to get to places, you can spin yourself around on your tummy, and you discovered your toes! You are much more interactive with the dogs, touching them and feeling their fur.
Happy 8 months, Judith!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
7 Months!
Judith, you are 7 months today, and are getting so big!
Here are some highlights from the past month:
* You had your 3rd and final sweat test, and the results were high enough again to confirm your CF diagnosis. Your numbers from the 2nd test were 61 & 62, but this time they went up to 64 & 65, well into the range of definitely having the disease.
* We also got the results from your genetic screen, and it wasn't what we were expecting to hear. We knew you carried the DF508 mutation (that you got from Daddy), but we didn't know what you got from Mommy - and we still don't know. They couldn't find your second mutation, something that happens in about 3-5% of CF patients.
* You went to your first church picnic at Grandma & Grandpa's church! We went to the service in the park, and you got very upset when Grandma read the lessons and did the Prayers of the Church - you were probably upset because Grandma wasn't doing "This little piggy" with you!
* You are much more aware of your surroundings and are very inquisitive! You love watching the dogs, and have started squealing with excitement when you're watching Lady & Buster!
* You got your next series of shots. Saying you were ticked this time is an understatement.
* You love to stick your tongue out, babble, and squeal at people!
* You are in the early stages of teething, but Mommy & Daddy are trying to think of ways to help you - you are exhibiting some typical preemie sensory issues and freak out at temperature changes (particularly when something's colder than what you are used to) and certain textures.
Judith's 7 Month Stats:
Adjusted Age: 4 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days old
Weight: 12 lbs, 6 oz (as of 6/14/11)
Length: 22 1/4" (as of 6/14/11)
Hair Color: There's still a slight reddish tint to it in certain light, but it's mostly a darker brown and still not abundant.
Eye Color: Most of the time they look bluish-gray, but depending on how you look at them you can see some brown flecks in them.
Clothing Size: 0-3 month rompers, dresses, & bubbles; 3-6 month footed sleepers
Diaper Size: Size 2
Feedings: You take 24 oz total of NeoSure every day, eating in 3 hour increments and taking about 4-4.5 oz per bottle. You get 1 meal of solids at noon (fruit or vegetable puree with 1 tsp of rice cereal mixed in), and will eat anywhere from 1.5-2.5 oz.
Developmental Milestones: You are doing many new things! You just started giggling occasionally, you can roll from your back to your belly smoothly, you roll from your tummy to your back when you want to, you can push up onto your hands when you're on your belly and hold your head up at more than a 45 degree angle for a long period of time. Your head control is great, and your motion is awesome thanks to all of the physical therapy. You can sit upright, assisted, and love it! You babble all the time, making vowel sounds and a few consonant sounds. You track items, touch/explore some things (like the dogs), study things, and are generally very curious! You can hold small toys in your hand for short periods.
Happy 7 months, Judith!
Here are some highlights from the past month:
* You had your 3rd and final sweat test, and the results were high enough again to confirm your CF diagnosis. Your numbers from the 2nd test were 61 & 62, but this time they went up to 64 & 65, well into the range of definitely having the disease.
* We also got the results from your genetic screen, and it wasn't what we were expecting to hear. We knew you carried the DF508 mutation (that you got from Daddy), but we didn't know what you got from Mommy - and we still don't know. They couldn't find your second mutation, something that happens in about 3-5% of CF patients.
* You went to your first church picnic at Grandma & Grandpa's church! We went to the service in the park, and you got very upset when Grandma read the lessons and did the Prayers of the Church - you were probably upset because Grandma wasn't doing "This little piggy" with you!
* You are much more aware of your surroundings and are very inquisitive! You love watching the dogs, and have started squealing with excitement when you're watching Lady & Buster!
* You got your next series of shots. Saying you were ticked this time is an understatement.
* You love to stick your tongue out, babble, and squeal at people!
* You are in the early stages of teething, but Mommy & Daddy are trying to think of ways to help you - you are exhibiting some typical preemie sensory issues and freak out at temperature changes (particularly when something's colder than what you are used to) and certain textures.
Judith's 7 Month Stats:
Adjusted Age: 4 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days old
Weight: 12 lbs, 6 oz (as of 6/14/11)
Length: 22 1/4" (as of 6/14/11)
Hair Color: There's still a slight reddish tint to it in certain light, but it's mostly a darker brown and still not abundant.
Eye Color: Most of the time they look bluish-gray, but depending on how you look at them you can see some brown flecks in them.
Clothing Size: 0-3 month rompers, dresses, & bubbles; 3-6 month footed sleepers
Diaper Size: Size 2
Feedings: You take 24 oz total of NeoSure every day, eating in 3 hour increments and taking about 4-4.5 oz per bottle. You get 1 meal of solids at noon (fruit or vegetable puree with 1 tsp of rice cereal mixed in), and will eat anywhere from 1.5-2.5 oz.
Developmental Milestones: You are doing many new things! You just started giggling occasionally, you can roll from your back to your belly smoothly, you roll from your tummy to your back when you want to, you can push up onto your hands when you're on your belly and hold your head up at more than a 45 degree angle for a long period of time. Your head control is great, and your motion is awesome thanks to all of the physical therapy. You can sit upright, assisted, and love it! You babble all the time, making vowel sounds and a few consonant sounds. You track items, touch/explore some things (like the dogs), study things, and are generally very curious! You can hold small toys in your hand for short periods.
Happy 7 months, Judith!
Friday, June 3, 2011
6 Months!
Judith, you are 6 months old today! You're halfway to 1, and I'm not 100% sure how I feel about that - you're growing up, and time is moving so fast!
Here are some highlights from the last month:
* You have more than a month of CF meds and treatments under your belt. You take your inhaler well, and you like to "talk" to us through the mask of the spacer. You didn't notice the change in your vitamins, and take them fine in your formula. You enjoy the extra salt added to your bottles! The one thing you hate the most is your CPT - one day you'll accept that it has to be done, but for now you don't always understand why we have to do it.
* You started eating solid foods!
* You are babbling up a storm, you are rolling over (mostly from your back to your tummy), and can pick up/hold up your head for longer periods.
* You're noticing the dogs, and enjoy watching what they do! Lady's hyperactivity scares you a little bit - I don't think you know what to make of it yet, but in a few short months I have a feeling you'll be giggling constantly at her antics! You discovered that Buster's fur is soft, and that he's kind of squishy feeling (sorry for the description, Boo!), and you like to touch him.
* You went to your first ever Conrail Historical Society Rail-B-Q! You met Brock, Kim, & Gabby for the first time, and also got to meet many of the other members of the society!
* Mommy celebrated her first Mother's Day with you! We went to church at Mt. Calvary United Methodist in Harrisburg - this is the church Daddy used to play at while he was in college (and right after he graduated). People were excited to meet you!
* You went to your baby shower at Daddy's work, and got to meet his co-workers!
Judith's 6 Month Stats:
Adjusted Age: 3 months, 2 weeks, 4 days
Weight: 11 lbs 5 oz (as of 5/24/11)
Length: 22.25" (as of 5/24/11)
Hair Color: You're going to keep that a mystery for a while, aren't you? :) No changes in the last month, except there's slightly more coverage.
Eye Color: no change from last month - they're still a grayish blue.
Clothing Size: You are still wearing 0-3 month clothing, and have plenty of room to grow into your rompers! Because of your length, some of your pajamas with feet in them are becoming a bit snug.
Diaper Size: Size 1
Feedings: You eat 6 times a day. In each bottle, you get about 4 oz of NeoSure. You usually take about 4 oz, but will sometimes take only 3.5. You also started eating some solids! You get 1 solid meal, and it's mostly for play/exploration, not nutrition (yet). You absolutely HATED rice cereal, so we skipped over that stuff and moved right to apples. You enjoyed them, and had bananas for the first time today (you seemed to enjoy the bananas, so we may have a winner there).
Developmental Milestones: You are doing a lot of new things! You roll consistently from your back to your tummy, and can roll from your tummy to your back occasionally. You can sit up with support, and enjoy time in your infant rocker seat, your bumbo, and your exersaucer. You babble up a storm: you're cooing a lot, and you began shrieking in excitement the other day! You noticed your feet exist, but haven't grabbed them yet. You like to hold your bottle, and will often help guide it to your mouth. You're very alert and curious, and like watching/looking at new things, especially those with lots of color. You apparently like watching the weather on TV - you don't discriminate between the local weather on WGAL or the AccuWeather channel, or the national weather on The Weather Channel, and you get excited when they show the radars.
Happy half-birthday, little Peanut!
Here are some highlights from the last month:
* You have more than a month of CF meds and treatments under your belt. You take your inhaler well, and you like to "talk" to us through the mask of the spacer. You didn't notice the change in your vitamins, and take them fine in your formula. You enjoy the extra salt added to your bottles! The one thing you hate the most is your CPT - one day you'll accept that it has to be done, but for now you don't always understand why we have to do it.
* You started eating solid foods!
* You are babbling up a storm, you are rolling over (mostly from your back to your tummy), and can pick up/hold up your head for longer periods.
* You're noticing the dogs, and enjoy watching what they do! Lady's hyperactivity scares you a little bit - I don't think you know what to make of it yet, but in a few short months I have a feeling you'll be giggling constantly at her antics! You discovered that Buster's fur is soft, and that he's kind of squishy feeling (sorry for the description, Boo!), and you like to touch him.
* You went to your first ever Conrail Historical Society Rail-B-Q! You met Brock, Kim, & Gabby for the first time, and also got to meet many of the other members of the society!
* Mommy celebrated her first Mother's Day with you! We went to church at Mt. Calvary United Methodist in Harrisburg - this is the church Daddy used to play at while he was in college (and right after he graduated). People were excited to meet you!
* You went to your baby shower at Daddy's work, and got to meet his co-workers!
Judith's 6 Month Stats:
Adjusted Age: 3 months, 2 weeks, 4 days
Weight: 11 lbs 5 oz (as of 5/24/11)
Length: 22.25" (as of 5/24/11)
Hair Color: You're going to keep that a mystery for a while, aren't you? :) No changes in the last month, except there's slightly more coverage.
Eye Color: no change from last month - they're still a grayish blue.
Clothing Size: You are still wearing 0-3 month clothing, and have plenty of room to grow into your rompers! Because of your length, some of your pajamas with feet in them are becoming a bit snug.
Diaper Size: Size 1
Feedings: You eat 6 times a day. In each bottle, you get about 4 oz of NeoSure. You usually take about 4 oz, but will sometimes take only 3.5. You also started eating some solids! You get 1 solid meal, and it's mostly for play/exploration, not nutrition (yet). You absolutely HATED rice cereal, so we skipped over that stuff and moved right to apples. You enjoyed them, and had bananas for the first time today (you seemed to enjoy the bananas, so we may have a winner there).
Developmental Milestones: You are doing a lot of new things! You roll consistently from your back to your tummy, and can roll from your tummy to your back occasionally. You can sit up with support, and enjoy time in your infant rocker seat, your bumbo, and your exersaucer. You babble up a storm: you're cooing a lot, and you began shrieking in excitement the other day! You noticed your feet exist, but haven't grabbed them yet. You like to hold your bottle, and will often help guide it to your mouth. You're very alert and curious, and like watching/looking at new things, especially those with lots of color. You apparently like watching the weather on TV - you don't discriminate between the local weather on WGAL or the AccuWeather channel, or the national weather on The Weather Channel, and you get excited when they show the radars.
Happy half-birthday, little Peanut!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Solids and Rolling
Or in Buster's case, it could be rolling in solids haha!
We are having an eventful weekend so far! Buster is outside right now (it's about 5 pm Sunday), did his thing in our yard, then ventured over to our neighbor's side, sniffing the grass. He proceeded to roll around for quite a long time, rubbing his scent into the grass. I have a feeling Marbles the cat was out there at some point, and Buster decided to rub out her scent. He was having a grand time, making the most ridiculous noises and kicking his paws into the air!
I've taken the plunge and started Judith on solids. We got the information on starting almost 2 months ago when she had her last well-baby visit, but I didn't feel like she (or me for that matter!) was ready at that time. But lately I've felt more confident, so we decided to try them yesterday.
We started yesterday off with some rice cereal. Me in my infinite Midvale-yness completely screwed up the measurements for the cereal-to-formula ratio. The box said to mix 1 tbsp with 4-5 tbsps (equivalent to 2 oz) of breast milk or formula (in our case, formula). I couldn't reach my measuring spoons in the cupboard because someone decided to move them to the highest shelf and shove them way in the back (thanks, John...), so I grabbed the 1/4 tsp that I use to add salt to Judith's formula. Had I thought it through, I would've realized that 4 of those would equal 1 tsp, not 1 tbsp. So the mixture was pretty runny.
Judith got some in her mouth, but kept spitting it out. I figured we'd be good to try it today...with the correct measurements. Not happening. Judith absolutely HATED the rice cereal. I don't think she cared for the texture or the flavor, based off of her screaming when I tried to give it to her, after giving her some formula (we did a bottle first, solids second). I decided to give up on that, and went to get some Stage 1 apple puree instead. Success! She loved the apples! She made some cute "testing new food" faces - to be fair, the apples are slightly bitter, and I doubt Gerber used a sweeter apple to make the puree. But she enjoyed the texture, and moved it around in her mouth, actually swallowing the majority of it!
Rice cereal = 0, Apples = 1
Needless to say I'm not forcing any more cereal on her!
We're fortunate, because a co-worker of my mom's gave us a bunch of jars of baby food, so I can try out different fruits and veggies with her before I make my own purees. I know a lot of people are either one camp or the other, but I want to make sure Judith actually likes something before I invest the time in making my own purees of something.
I'm hoping that she continues to do well with the solids, but I have a feeling we have a long, slow road ahead of us when it comes to introducing things beyond purees.
We are having an eventful weekend so far! Buster is outside right now (it's about 5 pm Sunday), did his thing in our yard, then ventured over to our neighbor's side, sniffing the grass. He proceeded to roll around for quite a long time, rubbing his scent into the grass. I have a feeling Marbles the cat was out there at some point, and Buster decided to rub out her scent. He was having a grand time, making the most ridiculous noises and kicking his paws into the air!
I've taken the plunge and started Judith on solids. We got the information on starting almost 2 months ago when she had her last well-baby visit, but I didn't feel like she (or me for that matter!) was ready at that time. But lately I've felt more confident, so we decided to try them yesterday.
We started yesterday off with some rice cereal. Me in my infinite Midvale-yness completely screwed up the measurements for the cereal-to-formula ratio. The box said to mix 1 tbsp with 4-5 tbsps (equivalent to 2 oz) of breast milk or formula (in our case, formula). I couldn't reach my measuring spoons in the cupboard because someone decided to move them to the highest shelf and shove them way in the back (thanks, John...), so I grabbed the 1/4 tsp that I use to add salt to Judith's formula. Had I thought it through, I would've realized that 4 of those would equal 1 tsp, not 1 tbsp. So the mixture was pretty runny.
Judith got some in her mouth, but kept spitting it out. I figured we'd be good to try it today...with the correct measurements. Not happening. Judith absolutely HATED the rice cereal. I don't think she cared for the texture or the flavor, based off of her screaming when I tried to give it to her, after giving her some formula (we did a bottle first, solids second). I decided to give up on that, and went to get some Stage 1 apple puree instead. Success! She loved the apples! She made some cute "testing new food" faces - to be fair, the apples are slightly bitter, and I doubt Gerber used a sweeter apple to make the puree. But she enjoyed the texture, and moved it around in her mouth, actually swallowing the majority of it!
Rice cereal = 0, Apples = 1
Needless to say I'm not forcing any more cereal on her!
We're fortunate, because a co-worker of my mom's gave us a bunch of jars of baby food, so I can try out different fruits and veggies with her before I make my own purees. I know a lot of people are either one camp or the other, but I want to make sure Judith actually likes something before I invest the time in making my own purees of something.
I'm hoping that she continues to do well with the solids, but I have a feeling we have a long, slow road ahead of us when it comes to introducing things beyond purees.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
5 Months!
Judith, you are 5 months old today, and growing up way too fast for Mommy and Daddy!
Here are some of the big events that happened in the last month:
* You went to church for the first time on April 10th. You met a lot of new people who adore you, and are so impressed at how far you've come!
* You celebrated your first Easter! We took you to your first Maundy Thursday and Easter Vigil services, followed by the Easter Sunday marathon. You and Mommy stayed in the choir room during the sunrise service though - you had to eat and get your medicine/vitamins, and I didn't want to torture you with 3 services (2 was plenty for this year). You got 3 baskets: 1 from Grandma & Grandpa, 1 from Great-Grandma & Great-Grandpa, and 1 from Great-Nana.
* On a different note, you experienced your first severe weather and first excessively humid days.
* You went to your first NICU Developmental/Follow-Up clinic, and impressed us all with how well you're doing!
* You were officially placed into the Early Intervention program, and started physical therapy sessions. Mommy & Daddy are excited for this, because we know it will help you catch up to your actual age!
* Most importantly, you were baptized on May 1, 2011!
Judith's 5 Month Stats
Hair Color: You still have a lot of fuzz, and not a lot of hair, per se. It hasn't changed much in the last month.
Eye Color: Your eyes are slowly changing - they are now a grayish-blue!
Clothing Size: You outgrew your newborn clothes, and are wearing 0-3 month outfits!
Diaper Size: Still size 1, and still a bit big on you. You're definitely growing into them though!
Weight: The last time you were weighed, you were 9 lbs, 7 oz.
Length: Around 21 inches
Feedings: You eat 7 times a day, and get 3.5 oz of NeoSure at each feed.
Developmental Milestones: You smile a lot, and you like to "talk" to us! Your head control improves every day, and we need to get you a Bumbo infant seat so you can practice sitting up. You can roll from your back to tummy, and tummy to back when you actually want to - sometimes you're stubborn for us and won't do it, silly girl! You love to watch different things, love to kick your legs, and you're starting to help us hold your bottle when you eat. We haven't ventured into the land of solids quite yet, but Mommy wants to try some with you soon!
Here are some of the big events that happened in the last month:
* You went to church for the first time on April 10th. You met a lot of new people who adore you, and are so impressed at how far you've come!
* You celebrated your first Easter! We took you to your first Maundy Thursday and Easter Vigil services, followed by the Easter Sunday marathon. You and Mommy stayed in the choir room during the sunrise service though - you had to eat and get your medicine/vitamins, and I didn't want to torture you with 3 services (2 was plenty for this year). You got 3 baskets: 1 from Grandma & Grandpa, 1 from Great-Grandma & Great-Grandpa, and 1 from Great-Nana.
* On a different note, you experienced your first severe weather and first excessively humid days.
* You went to your first NICU Developmental/Follow-Up clinic, and impressed us all with how well you're doing!
* You were officially placed into the Early Intervention program, and started physical therapy sessions. Mommy & Daddy are excited for this, because we know it will help you catch up to your actual age!
* Most importantly, you were baptized on May 1, 2011!
Judith's 5 Month Stats
Hair Color: You still have a lot of fuzz, and not a lot of hair, per se. It hasn't changed much in the last month.
Eye Color: Your eyes are slowly changing - they are now a grayish-blue!
Clothing Size: You outgrew your newborn clothes, and are wearing 0-3 month outfits!
Diaper Size: Still size 1, and still a bit big on you. You're definitely growing into them though!
Weight: The last time you were weighed, you were 9 lbs, 7 oz.
Length: Around 21 inches
Feedings: You eat 7 times a day, and get 3.5 oz of NeoSure at each feed.
Developmental Milestones: You smile a lot, and you like to "talk" to us! Your head control improves every day, and we need to get you a Bumbo infant seat so you can practice sitting up. You can roll from your back to tummy, and tummy to back when you actually want to - sometimes you're stubborn for us and won't do it, silly girl! You love to watch different things, love to kick your legs, and you're starting to help us hold your bottle when you eat. We haven't ventured into the land of solids quite yet, but Mommy wants to try some with you soon!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
4 Months!
(note: I was reading the blog of a fellow preemie mommy from The Bump, and I liked the formatting she used for her daughter's month birthday - so I'm going to borrow it!)
Judith, you're 4 months old today!
A lot has happened in the last month, and I want to tell you all about your life right now!
* Actual Age: 4 months. Adjusted Age: 1 month, 2 weeks, & 4 days.
* It's 2 months since your discharge from the NICU.
* You received your final injection of Synagis for the season. You had to have 2 shots this time, because your weight increased and you exceeded the maximum dosage for 1 leg.
* You got to meet some special people in the last month: your great-aunt and great-uncle, your 2nd cousin, and your godparents/baptismal sponsors.
* You've had quite a few appointments! One that was especially exciting was a trip to Hershey Medical Center for the continuation of our study. You got to meet the nurses who helped Mommy & Daddy "get" you, and we were told that you are a very healthy baby. Such a remarkable feat for someone who had such a rocky start - we're proud of you!
* You have your 4 month well-baby visit with the next round of vaccinations this week, and then you will have the final clear to go out into public! You will get to go to church for the first time, and Mommy can finally take you shopping whenever we need to get something!
Judith's 4 Month Stats:
Hair Color: What little hair you have (it's more like a fuzzy covering right now) is reddish brown, leaning towards red
Eye Color: still blue
Clothing Size: Newborn, with a few small 0-3 onesies thrown into the mix. You won't be in this size much longer, though - things are starting to get a little snug!
Diaper Size: You just graduated to size 1 diapers. They're comically huge on you for now, but you'll grow into them.
Weight (at your last Synagis shot): 8 lbs 2.5 oz
Length: 21 in
Bedtime: between 7:30 & 8 pm
Wake Up Time: You're up for a feed between 5:30 and 6 am, but fall asleep again - you're up for the day around 8:30 am
Naps: You still nap quite a bit. You take a morning nap after your 9:00 feed, and you take an afternoon nap around 1:00
Feedings: You take anywhere from 2.5-3 oz of NeoSure at each feed.
Developmental Milestones: You are smiling at us, and we love it! Your head control continues to improve, and you like to sit up with assistance. You can pick your head up when you're on your tummy, and you're getting very close to rolling from your tummy to your back. You are focusing on objects and faces, and recognize Mommy & Daddy right away. You can track objects & toys that we place in front of you, and you like to bat at the toys on your play gym. You practice your grasping reflex a lot - you like to hang on to our shirts.
Judith, you're 4 months old today!
A lot has happened in the last month, and I want to tell you all about your life right now!
* Actual Age: 4 months. Adjusted Age: 1 month, 2 weeks, & 4 days.
* It's 2 months since your discharge from the NICU.
* You received your final injection of Synagis for the season. You had to have 2 shots this time, because your weight increased and you exceeded the maximum dosage for 1 leg.
* You got to meet some special people in the last month: your great-aunt and great-uncle, your 2nd cousin, and your godparents/baptismal sponsors.
* You've had quite a few appointments! One that was especially exciting was a trip to Hershey Medical Center for the continuation of our study. You got to meet the nurses who helped Mommy & Daddy "get" you, and we were told that you are a very healthy baby. Such a remarkable feat for someone who had such a rocky start - we're proud of you!
* You have your 4 month well-baby visit with the next round of vaccinations this week, and then you will have the final clear to go out into public! You will get to go to church for the first time, and Mommy can finally take you shopping whenever we need to get something!
Judith's 4 Month Stats:
Hair Color: What little hair you have (it's more like a fuzzy covering right now) is reddish brown, leaning towards red
Eye Color: still blue
Clothing Size: Newborn, with a few small 0-3 onesies thrown into the mix. You won't be in this size much longer, though - things are starting to get a little snug!
Diaper Size: You just graduated to size 1 diapers. They're comically huge on you for now, but you'll grow into them.
Weight (at your last Synagis shot): 8 lbs 2.5 oz
Length: 21 in
Bedtime: between 7:30 & 8 pm
Wake Up Time: You're up for a feed between 5:30 and 6 am, but fall asleep again - you're up for the day around 8:30 am
Naps: You still nap quite a bit. You take a morning nap after your 9:00 feed, and you take an afternoon nap around 1:00
Feedings: You take anywhere from 2.5-3 oz of NeoSure at each feed.
Developmental Milestones: You are smiling at us, and we love it! Your head control continues to improve, and you like to sit up with assistance. You can pick your head up when you're on your tummy, and you're getting very close to rolling from your tummy to your back. You are focusing on objects and faces, and recognize Mommy & Daddy right away. You can track objects & toys that we place in front of you, and you like to bat at the toys on your play gym. You practice your grasping reflex a lot - you like to hang on to our shirts.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
3 Months Old
I'm going to do something I haven't done before, and address today's post to Judith.
To Mommy's little Peanut:
I hope that one day, when you're old enough to understand things, you'll read this and realize that you truly are a miracle and a blessing!
You are 3 months old today (March 3, 2011)! I never would have thought that you would be the 6 lb. 13 oz. baby that you have grown to be. 3 months ago, I was worried about all of the complications we would be facing with you. While we don't know the future and what ramifications we might be facing from the meningitis and your prematurity, I have to say that you are one lucky little girl because you did not have any prolonged complications while in the NICU and you did not have to come home on any monitors. Go Judith!
I can't believe how fast you're growing, even though you're still tiny for your age! Your preemie sized outfits have long been put away because you outgrew them so fast. You're wearing newborn sized clothing, and probably will be for at least another month (unless you surprise us!). But just like your preemie outfits, the newborn ones will quickly be outgrown and will have to go into storage. It's not something I like to think about - in some ways, I want you to stay tiny forever! However, I know that you will grow and change rapidly, and I'm treasuring all of the moments we have together.
I want you to always remember that Mommy and Daddy love you very, very much! It took us so long to finally get you, and even though you had a rough start (and Mommy is still so sorry that I couldn't keep you where you should have been for a longer time) you are doing very well and surprise us daily with the progress you're making. You are our precious little Sweet Pea, and we will always love you no matter what!
To Mommy's little Peanut:
I hope that one day, when you're old enough to understand things, you'll read this and realize that you truly are a miracle and a blessing!
You are 3 months old today (March 3, 2011)! I never would have thought that you would be the 6 lb. 13 oz. baby that you have grown to be. 3 months ago, I was worried about all of the complications we would be facing with you. While we don't know the future and what ramifications we might be facing from the meningitis and your prematurity, I have to say that you are one lucky little girl because you did not have any prolonged complications while in the NICU and you did not have to come home on any monitors. Go Judith!
I can't believe how fast you're growing, even though you're still tiny for your age! Your preemie sized outfits have long been put away because you outgrew them so fast. You're wearing newborn sized clothing, and probably will be for at least another month (unless you surprise us!). But just like your preemie outfits, the newborn ones will quickly be outgrown and will have to go into storage. It's not something I like to think about - in some ways, I want you to stay tiny forever! However, I know that you will grow and change rapidly, and I'm treasuring all of the moments we have together.
I want you to always remember that Mommy and Daddy love you very, very much! It took us so long to finally get you, and even though you had a rough start (and Mommy is still so sorry that I couldn't keep you where you should have been for a longer time) you are doing very well and surprise us daily with the progress you're making. You are our precious little Sweet Pea, and we will always love you no matter what!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)