3rd RSV shot is on board

Well Twinkle Toes has now received her 3rd RSV shot.  2 more to go! 

We found out today that she now weighs 14 lbs. 2 oz.! 

I never wrote about it on here, but last Tuesday during her 6 month appointment, her head size was mentioned.  At her 4 month appt. (end of Nov.), the measurement was in the 25%, as of last week, it is now in the 50% and due to some shape at the front of her forehead, it lead the nurse to suggest doing an ultrasound at the Children's Hospital, since her soft spot is still fairly open.

While I'm sure its a precautionary measure, it has me a bit worried.  We are still waiting to hear if a u/s will even be the right course rather than a CT scan (which will expose TT to a lot of radiation, which we don't want).  It's just a waiting game now - both on if/when we do the u/s and what it may show.

I'm sure it's nothing!

Wordless Wednesday for 1/26/2011

Momma J is late - sorry!

Twinkle Toes is SIX months old today!!!

Twinkle Toes - You Are SIX Months Old!

Adjusted/Corrected 19 Weeks

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO THESE DAYS???

• I am not 100% sure of your weight and I’ll update this later today with the details but I think you weigh around 14 or 15 lbs.  We shall see!  UPDATE:  You weighed in at 13 lbs. 15.5 oz., let's just call that 14 lbs!
• Still in a size 1-2 diaper but we will move you to 2’s very soon.
• You wear size 6-9 months clothes.  A few of your 3 month items still fit.
• You are the Happiest baby!! You just smile all the time. And you smile at everyone you see. You like people to notice you and smile back. I have a feeling you are going to be a social butterfly and I'm SO happy about that.

·    You still don’t really take a pacifier, well maybe I should say, you just don’t keep in your mouth, which is no big deal!

·    Your favorite song is anything weird and kooky that your mommy or daddy make up!

·    You really love to just play on the floor and roll around. 

·    You love to stand up while being held!  Your legs are very strong and your neck control is amazing. 

·    You have discovered your voice and love to make all sorts of noises. 

·    You have discovered your thumb and love to chew on it.

·    You have been sleeping in your crib, all by yourself for about 2-3 weeks now and without needed the sheep seat.  Mommy and Daddy are so very thankful that you are fairly easy to put down too.

·    You have been eating oatmeal cereal and sweet potatoes for about 2 weeks now and you are a GOOD eater! We are going to start veggies this week and I have a feeling you will do so good!

·    You are starting to have such a personality and I can tell you are going to be so fun. I can't wait to see the little girl you will be. I know that you will bring me joy every day of my life. Your daddy and I love you so much that we almost can't stand it.

·    Your grandparents are pretty crazy about you too. I'm afraid they are all 4 going to move in with us just to be near you every day.

• I can't believe you are half a year old!!!! I hope the next 6 months don't go by so fast. We are going to be celebrating your first birthday WAY before I'm ready! I love you so much Precious Girl!!!!

Wordless Wednesday for 1/19/2011

Product Review - Amazing Book

I was recently introduced to the book The Wonder Weeks by Hetty van de Rijt, Ph.D., and Frans Plloij, Ph.D.

They are a husband and wife team who have studied with Jane Goodall and over the last 3 decades they have continued their work and studies around child development and milestones.

Ever wonder why your even tempered infant is all of a sudden difficult and demanding?  And then, suddenly, he/she is doing things they couldn't do the day before?  Well, their research will explain it all.  Their in-depth research has show that babies make 10 major, predictable, age-lined changes or as they call them, leaps, during the first 20 months of life. 

This book and the partner website are truly amazing and I'm really enjoying this book. 

It is not meant to be read cover to cover but rather as a guide just before each leaps occur - 8, 12, 19, 26, etc. (aka the wonder weeks).  Each wonder week is thoroughly explained and provides "markers" or behaviors to be on the look out for, how to react; fun games and gentle activities paretns can do with their baby to guide them thruough the "leap" and a description of the baby's perspective on the world around him/her. 

There is also an iPhone/iPad app and newsletter (available on their website) which is emailed to parents just before the next leap.  That is a great reminder for parents to be on the lookout for developmental/behaviorial changes.

One word of forwarning - This book is NOT available in stores.  You need to either order online thru Amazon.com OR thru the partner website www.TheWonderWeeks.com.  Make sure you check out their site.

If you were to only buy ONE book for yourself or as a gift to expectant parents - this is the one!  This will now become my go-to Baby Shower gift!  It is that amazing and a fun read at that!

One last note - even parents of preemies can utilize this book and the online calculator.  You simply enter your childs DUE date rather than their BIRTH date.  And let me tell you, this book is Spot On!  Totally amazing!

Wordless Wednesday for 1/12/2011

A Poem for Preemie Moms

While I am not a religious person, this poem really touches my heart and is really true.  I found it while looking for inspiration, and it touches my soul. For all those moms of preemies, I hope this brings some peace to your heart!  Actually, I think can be inpiring to ALL moms. 

How Preemie Moms Are Chosen
(Adapted from Erma Bombeck)

Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen? Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger. "Beth Armstrong, son. Patron Saint, Matthew. Marjorie Forrest, daughter. Patron Saint, Celia. Carrie Rutledge, twins. Patron Saint ... give her Gerard. He's used to profanity." Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie."

The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel."

"But does she have the patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."

"But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just the right amount of selfishness."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says 'mama' for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see – ignorance, cruelty, prejudice – and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

"And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air. God smiles.

"A mirror will suffice."

Wordless Wednesday for Jan. 5, 2011

Our world changed a year ago today!

As the title says, a year ago today, our world changed!  I tested this time last year with huge doubt in my heart and my head only to see a 2nd line!  I was in shock!

I hadn't even told Mister B that I was going to test.  At that point in time, it was just a routine thing I would do.  I did it that day, a Sunday, because I didn't want to do it on a day I had to go to work.  I didn't want the sadness to hit me while at work.

Yet, there wasn't any sadness!  There was huge disbelief but no sadness. 

After seeing that 2nd line, I casually went upstairs.  My husband asked me what I had been doing, to which I replied "I think I might be pregnant"!  I have NEVER seen that boy move so fast off of the couch!

We both ran back downstairs, I dug out a digital pregnancy test, dipped it in the cup (of you know what and yes I had saved it since I was in disbelief and knew he'd what to re-test).  As he watched and I re-read the directions for how much time to allot and checked the clock, it happened.  "Pregnant" popped up on the screen, and with that, our world changed.

Fast forward to today and this is what greets me every morning:

Our sweet little Twinkle Toes.  She is an amazing little girl and such a sweet baby. 

We are so blessed.

One that note - Happy New Year everyone, although a few days late.  I truly hope that 2011 is as good to all of you as 2010 was for us.

Onward and Upward
Momma J