Now if the weather would only cooperate and not be so blazing hot, we could actually enjoy more pool visits.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Splish Splash
Elizabeth's second pool visit was a success. Once again she didn't mind the water and seemed to enjoy relaxing in the warm bathwater pool. This time she had a nice new baby floaty thingy so she could be more independent in the water (i.e. so ma and pa didn't have to hold her the entire time). It's still a little big for her, but with some help from mom and dad she did just fine. She just laid back, shoved her hand in her mouth, and floated along as if she was a rafting pro. (Takes after her mom, ... er, at least in regard to the rafting part). This time she donned her green and pink suit that was a gift from her great grandmother.
Now if the weather would only cooperate and not be so blazing hot, we could actually enjoy more pool visits.
Now if the weather would only cooperate and not be so blazing hot, we could actually enjoy more pool visits.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Sittin' Pretty
Time for something new.
Elizabeth was bored. After several months of playing with the same toys and sitting/lying on the same baby gear (bouncy seat, activity mat, etc.), Elizabeth was ready for a new form of entertainment. She whines quickly after lying down on her activity mat: it's old news now. The bouncy seat is often too restrictive: she wants to move around. The swing is acceptable for a short time. She's been engaging her ab muscles lately and showing interest in learning to sit up. And since her neck muscles are strong now, and since she's mastered the art of keeping her noggin up high, the therapist gave us her blessing yesterday to introduce Miss Eliza Beth to Bumbo.
And boy does she think she's hot stuff in her new Bumbo seat. She can sit up all by herself (with the help of Bumbo, of course) and view the world from a whole new perspective.
She's still a bit wobbly in it, but she enjoyed taking her brand new Bumbo for a test drive today.
Elizabeth was bored. After several months of playing with the same toys and sitting/lying on the same baby gear (bouncy seat, activity mat, etc.), Elizabeth was ready for a new form of entertainment. She whines quickly after lying down on her activity mat: it's old news now. The bouncy seat is often too restrictive: she wants to move around. The swing is acceptable for a short time. She's been engaging her ab muscles lately and showing interest in learning to sit up. And since her neck muscles are strong now, and since she's mastered the art of keeping her noggin up high, the therapist gave us her blessing yesterday to introduce Miss Eliza Beth to Bumbo.
And boy does she think she's hot stuff in her new Bumbo seat. She can sit up all by herself (with the help of Bumbo, of course) and view the world from a whole new perspective.
She's still a bit wobbly in it, but she enjoyed taking her brand new Bumbo for a test drive today.
Hmm, decisions decisions.
Keys. Or rattle.
Keys. Or rattle.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
The Call
It came. Yesterday. Finally.
The phone call with the news that we'd been waiting to hear for months. 15 weeks and 5 days to be exact. Since she was less than a week old. The news that dictates Elizabeth's dietary needs and feeding habits for the rest of her life. The news that decides how long she can sleep at one stretch. The news that determines how long we can sleep, too. And how we care for her when she's ill. And the heightened anxiety for us as her parents of the potential health crises looming just above our heads if she eats just a few seconds too late.
The wait is over. Finally.
One abnormal newborn screen result and three rounds of tests later, and we finally have a definitive answer: she's a carrier. Just a carrier. She has the VLCAD gene, but she doesn't have the actual disorder. Her skin biopsy test results came back normal. We can breathe easy. And sleep; we can all three sleep. Finally. Amen with joy! Praise God. At this point any news - whether affirmative or not - is praiseworthy. Thank you God for resting our anxieties and answering our prayers. Elizabeth is just a VLCAD carrier and nothing more ... except that she's everything to us.
The phone call with the news that we'd been waiting to hear for months. 15 weeks and 5 days to be exact. Since she was less than a week old. The news that dictates Elizabeth's dietary needs and feeding habits for the rest of her life. The news that decides how long she can sleep at one stretch. The news that determines how long we can sleep, too. And how we care for her when she's ill. And the heightened anxiety for us as her parents of the potential health crises looming just above our heads if she eats just a few seconds too late.
The wait is over. Finally.
One abnormal newborn screen result and three rounds of tests later, and we finally have a definitive answer: she's a carrier. Just a carrier. She has the VLCAD gene, but she doesn't have the actual disorder. Her skin biopsy test results came back normal. We can breathe easy. And sleep; we can all three sleep. Finally. Amen with joy! Praise God. At this point any news - whether affirmative or not - is praiseworthy. Thank you God for resting our anxieties and answering our prayers. Elizabeth is just a VLCAD carrier and nothing more ... except that she's everything to us.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Long Time No Blog
Hello again! It's been awhile, hasn't it?
The past couple months have been quite a blur: doctors appointments, family visits, baby therapy sessions, daily therapy exercises, load after load after load of baby laundry (Elizabeth - quit pooping on your pjs!), and adjusting to my return to work from maternity leave. Essentially we became too busy living our lives to have time to write about it.
But I'm hoping that changes now. Elizabeth is at such a fun stage with lots of "firsts," and I want to record them all here for family, friends and posterity.
So now that we're finally caught up on penning thank you notes for baby gifts (such generous friends and family!), sending out birth announcements, and downloading a gazillion photos from the camera, it's time to get back to the good stuff.
Speaking of which, Elizabeth had her first visit to the pool yesterday! And she didn't seem to mind it. Didn't necessarily love it, but didn't hate it either. Come to think of it, she was fairly apathetic about the whole thing. She chewed on her hand the entire time she was in the pool, one of her favorite activities at the moment.
Here she is modeling her bumblebee suit and hat prior to the pool visit:
Can't forget the hind view, with wings and ruffles to boot!
And if you didn't notice, she can prop herself up now when she does tummy time! Baby therapy is paying off. Her neck muscles are much stronger and she can keep her head straight. That's a big deal for us. Yay Elizabeth!
Speaking of which, Elizabeth had her first visit to the pool yesterday! And she didn't seem to mind it. Didn't necessarily love it, but didn't hate it either. Come to think of it, she was fairly apathetic about the whole thing. She chewed on her hand the entire time she was in the pool, one of her favorite activities at the moment.
Here she is modeling her bumblebee suit and hat prior to the pool visit:
Can't forget the hind view, with wings and ruffles to boot!
Such a cute little stinger:
And if you didn't notice, she can prop herself up now when she does tummy time! Baby therapy is paying off. Her neck muscles are much stronger and she can keep her head straight. That's a big deal for us. Yay Elizabeth!
And this isn't the only cute suit Elizabeth has for the pool this summer! Her great-grandmother Memaw bought her this adorable little number and matching accessories. She'll be the talk of the pool all decked out in her water wear!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
9 Weeks, Rounding out the Noggin & Stretching out the Neck
Because of her breech positioning in utero, Elizabeth has some skull and neck issues labeled by her therapist as "complex." But of course she does! Complex challenges are par for the course now.
Her favorite cranial position is leaning/tilting her head towards the left. At Elizabeth's 2 week appointment, her pediatrician noticed that she favored her left side. At her 1 month appointment the toriticollis was still an issue and we started working on some neck exercises at home, though she was still favoring the left. And at her 2 month appointment last week the pediatrician suggested that we begin working with a physical therapist to prevent needing a helmet to correct the formation of her head. The left side of her head is starting to become flat from laying on it so much. Her left neck muscles are tight, and her right neck muscles are lacking strength. And her breech-ness left her with a bulge in the back of her skull that makes it difficult to lie with her face looking straight up, thus encouraging her to roll to one side or the other. She needs to lie face up therefore placing pressure on the bulge.
Elizabeth's therapist came to the house today at noon to evaluate her situation. She says Elizabeth's torticollis is atypical, but that she has great hope that we can still straighten out her noggin and prevent the need for - *gasp* - a helmet. She wants to begin treating her pretty aggressively - two visits a week - which coincides well with me still being on maternity leave. She taught me some stretching and repositioning techniques to use with Little Bits. She's no longer allowed to lie or lean to her left side; she must be repositioned immediately. Elizabeth needs to bid farewell to her favored comfort position. This shall be a challenge to both of us - her constant desire to find that comfort spot, and my constant interference with her desire. As far as her neck strength development goes, no more using baby gear that positions her vertically (swing, bouncy seat) until her neck muscles are stronger to keep her head straight upright and not leaning to the left.
We must straighten out this poor lil thang, as helmets are not the latest trend in fashionable infant accessories. Bonnets yes, helmets no.
Elizabeth's therapist came to the house today at noon to evaluate her situation. She says Elizabeth's torticollis is atypical, but that she has great hope that we can still straighten out her noggin and prevent the need for - *gasp* - a helmet. She wants to begin treating her pretty aggressively - two visits a week - which coincides well with me still being on maternity leave. She taught me some stretching and repositioning techniques to use with Little Bits. She's no longer allowed to lie or lean to her left side; she must be repositioned immediately. Elizabeth needs to bid farewell to her favored comfort position. This shall be a challenge to both of us - her constant desire to find that comfort spot, and my constant interference with her desire. As far as her neck strength development goes, no more using baby gear that positions her vertically (swing, bouncy seat) until her neck muscles are stronger to keep her head straight upright and not leaning to the left.
We must straighten out this poor lil thang, as helmets are not the latest trend in fashionable infant accessories. Bonnets yes, helmets no.
Friday, April 1, 2011
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