Autumn Makes Me Sing: August 2008

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Fuddruckers and Such

Here she is at Fuddruckers! She is so good at sitting in a high chair these days. It makes it a lot of fun to take her out to eat. She usually gnaws on the table a bit, smacks her hands around and spends most of her time looking at other people. On this occasion there was another little baby girl (about 12 mos) at the booth next to us. They had a great time reaching for each other and making faces at each other. I gave her her first saltine cracker that night. She mostly waved it around, but did end up breaking off some pieces in her mouth. Now begins the incorporation of table foods into her diet. This is fun! Last night she palmed a piece of bread and WOULD NOT let it go. She wasn't interested in eating it and when given another piece, she palmed it in her other hand. That one finally escaped to the floor, but only as we were leaving the restaurant did she give up the first piece. She is slowly getting better at drinking water through a straw, meaning that not every ounce of it falls back out of her mouth once she releases the straw. We went to Jason's Deli yesterday and as I was holding the straw to her mouth I noticed she was blowing bubbles! It startled me and I laughed out loud. I put the straw back to her mouth and she blew them again. Blowing out is a new skill she has picked up. It is pretty cute.

Poor Bear Bear gets it again. After struggling with the first brace she was in (the foam pads moving and leaving the Velcro straps rubbing on her thighs), Autumn and I went back to the orthotics and prosthetics place for an "adjustment". After looking at it, the certified orthotist said that he could fix it, but that her doctor had prescribed another brace (the first place we went to didn't have one in stock) and that he knew the doctor would prefer her to have that brace. He said he prescribed it for a reason. So he came back in with this thing. As much as we didn't like the Blue Beast, this one is even more intimidating. On the plus side, there is nothing under her bottom, so that makes carrying her around in it much easier. But the bad side is that it is hard to get on her. The other one was molded and you'd just put legs in and Velcro her up. But this one has moving parts and we seem to end up with her lopsided. We're working on it though. Her appointment with the doctor is November 5th. So, as far away as that sounds, I can mentally tell myself that August is pretty much done, so that leaves September and October and only 5 days of November. There is no guarantee that she will be out of it at that time, but at least we will be able to see if there is any progress.

The one thing that has made this SOOOO much easier is that she is learning to put herself to sleep. For the past 4ish days, each time I've put her down for her naps she has been awake. She will babble a bit, or occasionally get a tad upset, but she has always managed to fall asleep on her own. It varies from 1 min after I leave the room up to 15 min, but she does do it, and with minimal outbursts. This has given us confidence in bed time as well. After a few really, really difficult nights with the brace and teething, we decided that we just can't continue fighting her. So for the past few nights we've (and when I say "we" I mean Richard) been letting her figure out going to sleep on her own. If she wakes up crying, Richard will go to her and comfort her for a bit and then wait 5 min. Sometimes he doesn't have to go in again, and sometimes he will go in and come back out and say "10 minutes". Most times he doesn't have to go back in. It makes so much of a difference to be able to do this. The stress it was creating in us was just overwhelming. But she's doing really well, and we're really thankful!

Fuddruckers! from Deb on Vimeo.

Fuddruckers, Part III from Deb on Vimeo.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Seven Months

July 23

July 26

Autumn,

We've come to month seven! I've noticed that there is a lot of hurry up and wait with you these days. A few weeks ago you were so close to crawling. All the time you were up on all fours, rocking back and forth. And if you weren't doing that, you were rolling everywhere. I haven't seen you try to crawl in over a week. Oh no, none of that crawling stuff, you'd rather STAND! ALL THE TIME! I'm beginning to wonder if you will skip crawling altogether and go straight to walking. I was so sure you were going to crawl any minute, now it feels like you're going to walk at any moment. You haven't figure out how to get yourself in a sitting position yet, but once you are in one you can pull yourself up to your feet. We're on lookout for that moment so we can lower your crib. Here you are with Grandpa, up on all fours (no knees) doing your full body press!

Another hurry up and wait situation is that darn teething. I thought you were teething at 4 months. Turns out you were allergic to milk-based formula and we had to switch you to soy-based. I said that if you were this fussy and it wasn't teething, then I didn't want to experience teething! Well, true to form, you're proving me right. That was not teething, and if what we're going through right now isn't teething, then I don't want to experience teething! Wait... Oh well. This better be it, kiddo, because you and I are having some issues. Everyday, sometimes 5 times a day, I check for teeth. "Do you have any teeth?" "Show me those teeth!" The area isn't inflamed, but from the rare good glimpses you let me have, there are white things there that didn't used to be there. Any second I'm expecting them to pop out. Notice a theme?

You are growing so fast. Wednesday I put you in an outfit that when I received it as a gift I thought it was HUGE! I waited so long to put it on you and now it fits perfectly (6-9 month). I had such a hard time imagining it fitting my little baby that I almost waited too long! Of course, you're not a little baby anymore. But every time I have to move you up to the next size I am very surprised.

At the end of July we were thrown quite the curve ball. It seems that the harness you were in back in March and April didn't completely fix your right hip. We were told at the time that your hip looked "perfect" and "normal". But we were also given a follow up appointment for an x-ray around 6 months when your bones finally show up on film. The sonograms were accurate at the time, but the x-rays show much more clearly the fact that your right hip ball isn't the same size as your left. In fact, its a whole 2 mm smaller than your left. The doctor said that it was "very, very, very, very, can I add one more 'very' in there, slight", but very worth it to fix the problem now. You cannot begin to understand the frustration we feel having to put you in the new brace every night. And how Daddy says every night how much he hates having to put you to sleep in that terrible thing. It is hard plastic on the outside, with a layer of foam. The straps don't stay in place during the night, and its just an all around pain. You have managed to turn yourself over on your belly a few times, though! We don't go back for another x-ray for 4 months. That's a VERY long time. Here you are giving the brace what for.

The cats are still Not Amused by you. You, however, are quite enthralled with them. I'm pretty sure you know that when I say, "Hi Phoebe/Pheebers/StopThatPhoebe" or "Hi Luke/Lucas/Buddy" you know that a cat is nearby because you always turn to look for them. I think that's pretty amazing. The cats however, would rather you not look in their general direction, thankyouverymuch. Here are two very Not Amused looking cats.

Car rides are still fairly dicey. If it is a long ride, I try to time them during your nap so you are more likely to fall asleep. Falling asleep is not a guarantee. Whining, throwing your toys out of the car seat and general annoyances pretty much are. I can't tell you the amount of times lately I've regretted my decision to go the 10 min drive to Target/HEB/Hobby Lobby, all places you thoroughly enjoy once you're there, because of all the whining. "Don't make me turn this car around, young lady!" I don't really say that, because I actually NEED to get out of the house with you, but the drives are just not pleasant. Daddy and I are both looking forward to the day we can turn your car seat around.

You are much better at eating baby foods these days. Most times you actually sit there very nicely and eat every spoonful put in front of you. There are times when you sneeze into the spoon, or blow into the spoon, sending green beans/peas/banana orange medley straight at Momma and Daddy. You are in Stage 2 foods and once you get those teeth in we'll start giving you some actual SOLID foods mixed in there. I'm looking forward to that. You've figured out how to use a straw, but are still terribly shocked when something actually comes out of the straw. So much so that you open your mouth and let everything fall back out. It is quite messy, and very entertaining.

Bath time is getting to be a bit of a struggle because you want to stand up! Or at the very least, pitch yourself head first over the "boat" and into the rest of the water. You've gotten on your knees a bunch of times, only to have me pull you back down. I think the days of the "boat" are coming to an end. It was great while it lasted, though. Here is a picture of you "swimming" in our big tub (I put swim diapers on you, keep the water room temp and get in with you).

Naps are pretty much going well. The majority of the time it only takes you a few minutes to relax in my arms and when I put you down, your eyes fly open, but usually close again. There have been times when you just wouldn't relax, so I put you in the crib and leave. You babble and whine, but I wait until you get upset. When I come back in, you are usually ready to relax. There have been a handful of times that I haven't had to come back in, you've actually put yourself to sleep. We are slowly working on getting you to sleep on your own. Night time is still a problem though, because of the brace. It throws quite the wrench into everything. You had been sleeping through the night, but add the brace and (faux?) teething and you have a baby that wakes up WAY too many times. It has gotten MUCH better though the past two weeks. Here you are looking very much like Momma.

You still do your Sniff-Laugh face. It is your ace in the hole to make anyone smile for you.

Here you are at IKEA. Daddy thought it would be funny to set you on a pile of animal skins.

Here you are with your IKEA Barnslig Struts Ostrich. According to IKEA, he is good at hugging, comforting and listening and is fond of play and mischief. Daddy thought he was ugly at first, but now thinks he's pretty cool.