9 month baby Amelia

it has been ages since I last wrote on this blog, but so much has been happening.  chris' homecoming, 4 day pass, 1st block leave, san francisco, home, paternal leave.  chris went back to work today, so I hope to use this blog as a quick break from the day-to-day of being a housewife/mom.

yesterday was Amelia's 9 month birthday.  hard to believe she'll be a year in 3 short months (that's about how long chris has been home and that has gone in a flash).

her stats were:
weight: 22 lbs, 15 oz (90%)
height: 28 in (77%)
head circumference: 46.something
shots: none
questions/concerns:

• mouth rash (drool rash, has almost cleared in a day using hydrocortisone)
• teething progress (none erupting right now): 2 total
  
• labial adhesion: totally healed
• not at risk for autism based upon current mental milestones (babbling, mimicry, etc.)
  
• developmental milestones: scooting backwards, plank position, tries to sit up, babbles constantly, points, squeals to show delight, 2 teeth almost all the way up, bangs toys, empties toy bucket, peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake, starting to turn pages in book
• food: breastmilk 5x/day (morning, after both naps, before bed, middle of night), oatmeal & fruit for breakfast (about a shot glass portion), fruit or veg & cheese for lunch, fruit or veg and puffs for dinner.
• sleeping: consistently takes 2 naps per day, ranging from 40 mins-2 hours (never know when it'll be long or short, though!).  wake time about 3hrs, 15 mins in between naps - sometimes longer.  still swaddled but is comfortable sleeping without it if she keeps breaking out.  0-1 wakeups per night - nurses and right back down.  generally wakes b/t 615-7.  bedtime generally 6-8 (depends on how naps were)

this stage is really fun.  her personality is starting to really shine.  she is very inquisitive, loves to read, and can play by herself on the floor for quite awhile.  her main only mode of transportation is rolling/scooting backwards.  today, she flopped from her crib, across her room, and ended up in her closet.  it takes her awhile, but she gets there.  she tries to get on hands and knees, but normally ends up on hands and toes.  no interest in pulling up, standing, or walking.  talk, talk, talks all day long.  can look/point to kitty and dada when prompted, but not mama.  says a, b, d, g, m, n, s, w, y sounds.  loves quickly moving things, like puppies and when chris zigzags towards her.  still loves to jump, use her walker, and take walks.  she is a very good traveler and loves being around people.  gets bored in the car easily and loves throwing her toys down.

her favorite toys are: dolly, stacking cups, stacking pots/pans, links, a funnel, paci, books, and teethers.  during leave, chris changed most diapers, put her down for most naps, and did all baths.  our next plans include installing a baby gate, raising her car seat straps, and setting up the baby pool.

(blogger isn't letting me post pics.)

the calm

this is the calm before the best storm ever.
chris is between germany and here and i cannot sleep.

i am excited for him to truly meet his daughter.  she is so much like him, his mannerisms, his facial expressions.  he will do so well with her.  he will calm my second-guessing of myself.  i really pledge to get out of the way sometimes and let him do it.  it will definitely be difficult, though, because it's been only me as her parent.

at diaper changes this week, i've been showing her the daddy pillow and saying dadadada.  she'll get the biggest grin on her face, pull the pillow into her head, and lick it.  that's the best form of affection she can show.  i was a little worried she wouldn't remember him since we haven't skyped, but i truly believe she will.

i worry that he will have some lingering effects.  that he'll feel inadequate, like he wasn't here to do enough.  he is the most caring husband, though, and i know it will translate into his parental role.

the sausage balls, no bakes, hashbrown casserole are all made. beer's in the fridge.  now back to killing time.  i hope this is the one and only time i'll be the portrait of a waiting wife.

2/18/11

i wrote this list on feb 18 - but apparently, time got away from me.  this is all she can do at 5 months:

2/18/11

She is beginning to bat at toys and can bring them to her mouth.

Laughing

Smiling

Tracking cats & birds

Rolls onto side both ways

Pulls feet up into happy baby (not holding feet yet)

Clasps hands together

Can hold toy, but not for long

Still swaddled for every sleep time

4 short naps + 0-1 nightly wakeup

sleep ~730 til 5ish til 8ish

tries to sit up in boppy and bath

ebf

persistent yeast rash since nov, so in disposables for now

loves standing, jumping

can sit up when I put her in the position

recognizes faces

smacks lips

cher tongue (on top lip)

puts hand on head

doesn’t reach for people yet

still afraid of loud noises

no teeth

4 month checkup

• stats:
  16 lbs, 1 oz (95%)
  25 inches long (75%)
  41.5 cm head circumference (65%)
  
• cradle cap:
  should be washing her hair daily.  apply shampoo at beginning of bath, use fine tooth brush with shampoo still in hair, then rinse.  did this last night and it's already looking much better!
  
• bald spot:
  totally normal.
  
• skin care:
  she has some bumpy stomach skin and dry patches on her legs/knees.  dr said it is "winter skin" and i should use a cool mist humidifer (already doing this) and use more lotion.
  
• teething:
  she's still teething.  can use teether rings (cold, vibrating, etc.).  tooth could pop through next week or in two months.  tylenol as needed for sleep issues.
  
• labial adhesion:
  this was the only hiccup in the physical.  dr found this issue and decided to treat right then.  after i got home, i found out that, generally, the course of treatment doesn't initally involve puncturing the labia as he did.  this caused me great concern because of the pain amelia endured.  however, what's done is done and i now know for next time.  i will have to apply vaseline to the area several times daily until she's out of diapers to ensure it doesn't reclose.
  
• rice cereal:
  dr does not recommend rice cereal or solids until at least 6 months.  this was pleasing to my ears because i don't feel she needs any supplementation (especially with her weight always being 95-97% her entire life).  starting too early can affect iron absorption, can effect food allergies later on, and can irritate an immature digestive system.
  
• shots:
  she did better with these shots than the 2 month shots.  i did not give tylenol before and she stopped crying within a few minutes.  she was NOT a fan of the roto "drink" (probably because she likes the grape taste of tylenol).  i tried to nurse her afterwards, but she wasn't having it.  she sucked on her paci most of the way home, before talking a little towards the end of our ride.
  
• shot post-effects:
  she's had two 2-hr naps in the last two days, but every other nap has been her normal 45 minute ones.  she didn't want to bear weight on her left leg yesterday, but was fine today.  she wasn't nearly as boisterous as normal in her jumperoo and has been very whiny this afternoon.  i've given her tylenol twice today.

quote of the day

"Being pregnant is an occupational hazard of being a wife." -- Queen Victoria

sick sickly

Amelia has been sick this week and boy has it been a difficult process.  I've never been on this side of the sick process (even Chris has never really been sick around me) and it's very hard to watch her suffer.

She woke up on Saturday sniffling and it went downhill from there.  She was clammy and by Sunday, she was coughing and sneezing every 3 seconds.  Her condition continued to worsen and, on Tuesday, I took her to the pediatrician.  I hate feeling like one of those worrisome moms, but she could barely breathe and I was having to aspirate her nose all the time.

Dr Wilkes said she had a severe chest cold.  Since her lungs aren't matured yet, she is unable to bring up the mucous and she had the potential to develop bronchitis or pneumonia if left untreated.  He prescribed her a baby z-pack and recommended she sleep upright.

She's improved since then -- she even went in her jumperoo last night for a bit.  Her poop is slowly going from orange back to normal. 

Words cannot describe the helpless feeling I have when she's hacking up a lung and all I can do is hold her.  I think the best thing for her (aside from the killer antibodies & antibiotics) has been holding her constantly.  I wish I could give her crackers and Sprite.

disposable dilemma

amelia has had a yeast diaper rash for 8 weeks now.  we have tried nystatin, oral nystatin, active yogurt (both by mouth and slathered on her parts), sun, bleaching the diapers, tea tree oil on the diapers, and airing it out, but the rash keeps coming back. 

overnight last night, her rash got even worse, so i put her in disposables this morning.  i think i died a little inside and i'm having a really hard time adjusting to the change.  so far, she hasn't shown any discomfort.  i had really hoped to not have to use disposables, but i fear the yeast just keeps multiplying in the cloth diapers.  until i can get rid of the rash and properly treat EVERYTHING her parts come into contact with, she'll have to stay in disposables.

both chris and my family are supportive of this move, but i can't help but feel like i've failed a little.  sigh.

what i carry

my lovely husband wrote a post about what he carries each day.  looking over our lists, i don't think our daily lives could be any different.

i carry a 15 lb, 12 oz baby around.

i normally carry chapstick in my pockets.

in the diaper bag:
wallet
napkins
granola bar
hand sanitizer
phone
rash cream
chapstick
more hand sanitizer
change + a few dollars
hair ties
bobby pins
1-2 snappis
camera
bandaids
changing pad
disposable changing pad
disposable wipes (just in case)
baby headband
change of baby clothes
2-3 prefolds
extra cover
1 fitted diaper
4-5 wipes
wet bag
water spritzer
nursing cover
nursing rag
baby jacket, hat, mittens (when it's cold)
camelbak water bottle
baby tylenol
teether
musical snail (when we'll be out for awhile)
extra paci (when i can find one)

in the car seat:
paci
2 blankets (one MUST be the white/swaddler one)
baby
linking rings with teether + mr cow attached

in the car:
moby wrap
extra mom shirt
extra toy
stroller
extra blanket

i wonder if he's ready to pack this darn thing up everyday?
what do you carry?

15 weeks

weight: 15 lbs, 12 oz
height: 24 2/3 inches

milestones:
laughing
teething - drooling, crankiness, tugging on ear, decreasing feedings
hands in mouth
attempting to roll hips to side (when on back)

this week, i took amelia to the pediatrician in lexington.  we saw dr wilkes and i really liked him.  she still has a yeast diaper rash - 8 weeks now - and we were re-prescribed nystatin cream again.  i've tried this cream before, as well as active yogurt, oral nystatin, bleaching my diapers, and airing out, but nothing has gotten rid of this annoying issue.  i asked dr. wilkes to check her mouth for thrush and he announced that she was teething!  i didn't get any teeth until 12 months, so this is pretty surprising.  he said it's hereditary, so i'm guessing chris got his teeth early.

amelia is loving her jumperoo that papaw bill got her for christmas.  she'll be in it for 10-15 minutes at a time.  she's also loving playing with a musical snail.  i've taught her how to hit it to activate the music and she loves looking in its mirror or watching the blinking lights.  her favorite thing ever, though, is bathtime.  she will splash and splash.  i can't wait until chris is able to take her to the pool this summer.  they will enjoy being water babies together.  (i don't know how to swim, but love to bob around.)

during the wedding this past weekend, she slept a LOT and ate very little.  this week, she's back to 30-45 minute naps, but still is showing a decrease in feedings.  all i can do is offer to her and she has to do the rest.  dr. wilkes said she is likely to show a decrease due to gum pain.

we are anticipating chris' return in the next few months.  he's been expressing some reservations about reintegrating within our new family, but i really think our track record shows that we will be able to get things under control fairly quickly.  i look forward to getting him in the loop and getting me out of the house more :)

this week, she's been vocalizing some consonant sounds, especially "ma" and "ba".  she's very vocal and loves telling stories to everyone.

tomorrow, amelia is having her first "date" with caedmon, a new friend.  we may even get scandalous and take them to target.