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.