(Idea stolen from dozens of people, sorry.)
Dear Abby,
Today you turn two years old! You've grown so much since we first brought you home on June 12, 2007. Your mom and I wanted for a long, long time to have you in our lives, and we could not feel more blessed than we do when we are with you.
You are the light of my life, and of moms, too. Everything we do now goes through a filter of "how will this work for Abby" without even thinking it on purpose. I sometimes think that you are the reason your mom likes me so much, but don't tell her I said that.
In the past year you have learned so much that it blows my mind. On your first birthday you could not walk, and today you are running, literally in circles, wherever you please. You could only say a few words, and sign a few others. Now you are very good with both, and even when you babble it is wonderment to me.
Last night you even sang us a song, which I assume is titled "La La" and I am sure that I could never reproduce it, but you were sure it was a song and told us so.
Your bigger family loves you, as well. All of the locals will be here for your party, and we will see everyone else over the summer. You diligently learned everyone's names from their pictures, and do really well at matching pictures with real faces. That still amazes me, since I struggle sometimes with that.
You love your friends, teachers and babies (your three categories, not mine) at school. You recite their names as if to remind us who they are, even when we are at home. Always when we are at home, come to think of it. I hope you never lose track of your friends, and they of you.
You are tentative in a new place, but only for a few moments. Once you have judged something (or someone) safe, you're off and we have to pull you away. I'm grateful for your happiness around strangers and friends alike.
We are lucky that you are willing to try new foods, and always just a little disappointed when you call too quickly for "chicken" if you don't like a new food. I am persistent, though, and will get you to like asparagus soon enough!
I am looking forward to the next year of your life as much as I have the last year, and the one before that. I am ready to be amazed by what you come up with, what you do, and how you grow.
Abby, we love you more every day. I hope you always know that.
-Dad
Showing posts with label Milestone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Milestone. Show all posts
Friday, June 12, 2009
Monday, June 08, 2009
Growth and Progress
I do not have official 24 month statistics just yet, we will have that appointment the week after school lets out, but last night I got Abby to stand on a scale and she came out at 29 pounds. Why would I do such a thing? Anny and I had just done it, and Abby wanted a turn.
As the end of the school year draws close we have gotten a detailed progress report on Abby's growth in abilities, from coloring to talking and from eating to dressing. It is fascinating to see that she has mastered almost everything for her age range, and that the next set of boxes had more checks than blanks. We're truly blessed with a child that loves to learn and try new things. (as long as there are chicken nuggets as backup, that is!)
Unfortunately, "dip" still pervades every meal that it can. If there is no ketchup for dipping around, Abby will make due with jelly of any flavor. She even sampled mint jelly when we were in Wyoming this spring!
Abby has mastered counting to ten, and on occasion will count to 11. We are using this as a tool for things already, as in "count to ten and your diaper change will be over" or "once we get to five you need to be in your" fill in the blank. She knows that if I get to five she is either in her place, or I will put her there. I think it's a hybrid of "classic" parenting and "hippie" parenting. We'll see how long it works.
Finally, Abby's ABC's are adorable. Aside from skipping everything from C to G, she always has a N-A-N-O-P. The funnier part, though, is that she knows there is a "double" something (W) at the end, and that often changes. I have heard everything from "double m" to "double c," though most often it's "double v." I'm proud of her for trying - it's a good potty time song, and can be used much in the same way as doing her numbers when needed.
As we gear up for her birthday weekend, which I believe began with a cake yesterday with the Wendy's Bunch from church, I will be reflecting on things. I hope to be blogging on those, but in reality I have a house to clean, orange cakes to help bake and a wonderful daughter and wife that are fun to hang out with. :o)
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Abby is currently teething, and has been for the last three weeks or so. She does not just have crankiness symptoms, but she has also slept longer on a couple of occasions and her diapers are... let's just say that if you want details you'll have to email me. I don't blog about gross stuff like that! We are hoping that she is through this soon for her sake, and ours!
As the end of the school year draws close we have gotten a detailed progress report on Abby's growth in abilities, from coloring to talking and from eating to dressing. It is fascinating to see that she has mastered almost everything for her age range, and that the next set of boxes had more checks than blanks. We're truly blessed with a child that loves to learn and try new things. (as long as there are chicken nuggets as backup, that is!)
Unfortunately, "dip" still pervades every meal that it can. If there is no ketchup for dipping around, Abby will make due with jelly of any flavor. She even sampled mint jelly when we were in Wyoming this spring!
Abby has mastered counting to ten, and on occasion will count to 11. We are using this as a tool for things already, as in "count to ten and your diaper change will be over" or "once we get to five you need to be in your" fill in the blank. She knows that if I get to five she is either in her place, or I will put her there. I think it's a hybrid of "classic" parenting and "hippie" parenting. We'll see how long it works.
Finally, Abby's ABC's are adorable. Aside from skipping everything from C to G, she always has a N-A-N-O-P. The funnier part, though, is that she knows there is a "double" something (W) at the end, and that often changes. I have heard everything from "double m" to "double c," though most often it's "double v." I'm proud of her for trying - it's a good potty time song, and can be used much in the same way as doing her numbers when needed.
As we gear up for her birthday weekend, which I believe began with a cake yesterday with the Wendy's Bunch from church, I will be reflecting on things. I hope to be blogging on those, but in reality I have a house to clean, orange cakes to help bake and a wonderful daughter and wife that are fun to hang out with. :o)
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Abby is currently teething, and has been for the last three weeks or so. She does not just have crankiness symptoms, but she has also slept longer on a couple of occasions and her diapers are... let's just say that if you want details you'll have to email me. I don't blog about gross stuff like that! We are hoping that she is through this soon for her sake, and ours!
Friday, May 01, 2009
200th Post!
This is the 200th post on Abby's blog! She's grown a lot (since we started when Anny was only a few weeks pregnant!)
I start this post by saying: Abby is okay.
That being said - today was an exciting day as Abby had her first visit to the Emergency Room. She has a sprained left leg (knee).
I got a call at 11:30 saying that she had jumped funny in their Activity Room from a play structure. I can't describe it, but it's normally a very safe activity and they play on it regularly. She hit the floor with her foot in an awkward position, got up and walked away. About a minute later she refuse to put any weight on it.
We decided to go ahead and let her have lunch to see if it would go away, assuming she had just twister her ankle a little bit and it would not last long at all. I got a call again when lunch was done that she would still not put any weight on her left leg. I left work and tried to get Anny on the phone. One we connected we decided that the best route would be the ER. Better safe than sorry.
I got to school and Abby would not budge from Ms Denyse's lap. We tried to get her to walk to me, and she would not have any of it. (Amusing side note: she wet through her diaper and they had to change her clothes. The only thing they had was a one piece PJ set without feet. From the fall. It was hillarious and I will load a picture of it soon!) I got her stuff together, grabbed a snack for her and we headed up to Howard General.
She went to sleep.
I managed to keep her asleep in the stroller for quite a while longer, until the doctor needed to see her put weight on it. He gave it a once over and said it was probably a knee issue more than her foot or ankle. Then he called for an X-Ray. Yeah, that was the most miserable thing I've ever experienced with Abby. She was being held down by me AND a technician and it still took a long time to get her leg and foot into position. Five times. Not fun.
After reviewing the X-Ray the doctor confirmed that her left leg is sprained. Our orders are as follows:
I start this post by saying: Abby is okay.
That being said - today was an exciting day as Abby had her first visit to the Emergency Room. She has a sprained left leg (knee).
I got a call at 11:30 saying that she had jumped funny in their Activity Room from a play structure. I can't describe it, but it's normally a very safe activity and they play on it regularly. She hit the floor with her foot in an awkward position, got up and walked away. About a minute later she refuse to put any weight on it.
We decided to go ahead and let her have lunch to see if it would go away, assuming she had just twister her ankle a little bit and it would not last long at all. I got a call again when lunch was done that she would still not put any weight on her left leg. I left work and tried to get Anny on the phone. One we connected we decided that the best route would be the ER. Better safe than sorry.
I got to school and Abby would not budge from Ms Denyse's lap. We tried to get her to walk to me, and she would not have any of it. (Amusing side note: she wet through her diaper and they had to change her clothes. The only thing they had was a one piece PJ set without feet. From the fall. It was hillarious and I will load a picture of it soon!) I got her stuff together, grabbed a snack for her and we headed up to Howard General.
She went to sleep.
I managed to keep her asleep in the stroller for quite a while longer, until the doctor needed to see her put weight on it. He gave it a once over and said it was probably a knee issue more than her foot or ankle. Then he called for an X-Ray. Yeah, that was the most miserable thing I've ever experienced with Abby. She was being held down by me AND a technician and it still took a long time to get her leg and foot into position. Five times. Not fun.
After reviewing the X-Ray the doctor confirmed that her left leg is sprained. Our orders are as follows:
- limit activity (she's 22 months old! Really? Limit her? Wow.)
- Use child strenght Motrin for discomfort
- Keep her off of the playground for five days
- If there is no improvement by Tuesday, call Dr Tang, an orthopedist.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
It's almost impossible to remember that last year our little girl looked like this on Thanksgiving:
She BEGAN eating rice cereal, her first "solid" food on Thanksgiving last year.
This year will look much more like this:
Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
She BEGAN eating rice cereal, her first "solid" food on Thanksgiving last year.
This year will look much more like this:
Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Nana & Grampa's Visit
Abby's Nana and Grampa have just spent a few days with us. Since they live in Casper, Wyoming (insert joke here about more cattle than people in the state of Wyoming), this is the first time they have made the 2000 mile drive although they have made several visits by plane. The excuse for the trip was that Grampa had built a toy "box" which is too big to ship or carry on a plane! And they took the time to tour a few of the Great Lakes along the way.
In the time they were here, Abby went from taking a few occasional steps by herself to walking all over the house alone. She still takes advantage of an adult's finger for an extended walk-about-the-house, but we officially have a toddler.
In the time they were here, Abby went from taking a few occasional steps by herself to walking all over the house alone. She still takes advantage of an adult's finger for an extended walk-about-the-house, but we officially have a toddler.
We visited the Baltimore Aquarium, saw the Capitals Hockey team practice, and had lunch with Great Aunt Jackie and Great Uncle Bill. Most importantly Abby played with Nana and Grampa - a lot - I only wish we had taken pictures so I could put them here.
On Thursday we fly to St. Louis where we will meet up with Nana and Grampa at Uncle Paul and Aunt Sarahlynn's house - it made their departure this morning a little easier. We can't wait to swing in Cousin Ellie and Cousin Ada's swings and visit the Magic House. Maybe we'll take pictures so I can post them...
Monday, June 16, 2008
Abby's First Birthday Party!
Saturday was Abby's big day, in more ways than we could have thought! We had a really good turnout for her birthday party, but her day started way before 2:00.
When Abby first woke up it was way too early - 5 am. I swooped her up and rocked her back to sleep for the next hour and a half so that we had a bit of a head start on sleep for the day. We headed off to the Farmer's Market where she was the center of attention in her new Red Wagon!
On the way home from the grocery store she fell back asleep, it was about 9:15 by then. Instead of letting her get a 30 minute nap in her crib, I once again rocked her to the tune of another hour. All of this forced/extra sleep was in anticipation of an afternoon of missed naps and great excitement. Turns our our gamble was worth it!
Abby was showered with gifts and attention and loved every minute of it! She got to play with her friends Evan and Luke and had one more trick up her sleeve for the day......
Once about half of the crowd had left Abby WALKED!!!! Anny was in a chair and I was on the couch and Abby went back and forth with no help several times! Yes, all apologies to my wife, but Abby is the kind of child to wait for a crowd to blow our minds!
There are no pictures or video of the walking, but there are plenty of the party and day. Here's a slide show of the day:
When Abby first woke up it was way too early - 5 am. I swooped her up and rocked her back to sleep for the next hour and a half so that we had a bit of a head start on sleep for the day. We headed off to the Farmer's Market where she was the center of attention in her new Red Wagon!
On the way home from the grocery store she fell back asleep, it was about 9:15 by then. Instead of letting her get a 30 minute nap in her crib, I once again rocked her to the tune of another hour. All of this forced/extra sleep was in anticipation of an afternoon of missed naps and great excitement. Turns our our gamble was worth it!
Abby was showered with gifts and attention and loved every minute of it! She got to play with her friends Evan and Luke and had one more trick up her sleeve for the day......
Once about half of the crowd had left Abby WALKED!!!! Anny was in a chair and I was on the couch and Abby went back and forth with no help several times! Yes, all apologies to my wife, but Abby is the kind of child to wait for a crowd to blow our minds!
There are no pictures or video of the walking, but there are plenty of the party and day. Here's a slide show of the day:
Thursday, June 12, 2008
First First Birthday Post (Updated!)
This is the first of what will probably be several posts today! Happy Birthday Little Girl!
First Birthday Faces from Anny and Rob on Vimeo.
I didn't add music becuase it's really short and that would be a bit weird. For the next year I plan to take a picture every day so hopefully next year's faces video will be longer and have other features. For now, enjoy!
Here is a picture that blends two. On the left is a picture from June of 2007, on the right is a picture from (late) May of 2008. You can easily see how big she is with these two!
First Birthday Faces from Anny and Rob on Vimeo.
I didn't add music becuase it's really short and that would be a bit weird. For the next year I plan to take a picture every day so hopefully next year's faces video will be longer and have other features. For now, enjoy!
Here is a picture that blends two. On the left is a picture from June of 2007, on the right is a picture from (late) May of 2008. You can easily see how big she is with these two!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
A Fun Filled Week has Begun!
Abby's birthday has been celebrated once already, and the festivities will not end for a while!
There is a group of good people from our church that go to the local Wendy's each Sunday following worship. (Sorry, Sarahlynn. Wendy's really is an every-week occurrence for us! You should see what they've done to the Frosty!) Since we're not sure what's happening next Sunday, Abby had her first "Happy Birthday" sung to her following lunch last week. I can attest that there is something really cool about having a choir (like, real choir) of people singing such a song, in harmony, to your kid. Very cool.
On Wednesday we will go to Abby's school to celebrate in the classroom's end-of-year party. It sounds like all of the parents and teachers will be there, so that will be kind of cool. The flyer said there will be "happy hour types of food" so I'm hoping for some chicken wings. Not really. We will celebrate the growth that the children have made, and present the teachers with a little something.
Thursday is Abby's big day! We don't have anything planned except a dinner at home and opening gifts that are from far away places that needed to be shipped. Some came wrapped, but some did not. It looks like I have some constructing to do! YAY!
For school we have decided to send fruit cups for each child because there will be so much sugar on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Hopefully it will go over well. Who are we kidding? If it does not go over well, the children will deal with it anyway!
Friday is Abby S's birthday. (One of the three Abigail's out of three children under 1!) There will be more school celebrating, but we're taking it easy at our house! We are hoping to have dinner out with some folks as a pre-party party.
Saturday is the Big Birthday Party! We're not sticking with a theme or inviting many people. Okay, we invited many people only because we have lots of family around here. Last month I had planned on cleaning once for two parties, but in between said parties I have created quite the mess. I think I'll be cleaning the house tonight to make room for all of the people coming over!
The real thing that is crazy to me is that when all is said and done Abby will have no idea that it's happened. I might as well enjoy the ride, right?!!
There is a group of good people from our church that go to the local Wendy's each Sunday following worship. (Sorry, Sarahlynn. Wendy's really is an every-week occurrence for us! You should see what they've done to the Frosty!) Since we're not sure what's happening next Sunday, Abby had her first "Happy Birthday" sung to her following lunch last week. I can attest that there is something really cool about having a choir (like, real choir) of people singing such a song, in harmony, to your kid. Very cool.
On Wednesday we will go to Abby's school to celebrate in the classroom's end-of-year party. It sounds like all of the parents and teachers will be there, so that will be kind of cool. The flyer said there will be "happy hour types of food" so I'm hoping for some chicken wings. Not really. We will celebrate the growth that the children have made, and present the teachers with a little something.
Thursday is Abby's big day! We don't have anything planned except a dinner at home and opening gifts that are from far away places that needed to be shipped. Some came wrapped, but some did not. It looks like I have some constructing to do! YAY!
For school we have decided to send fruit cups for each child because there will be so much sugar on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Hopefully it will go over well. Who are we kidding? If it does not go over well, the children will deal with it anyway!
Friday is Abby S's birthday. (One of the three Abigail's out of three children under 1!) There will be more school celebrating, but we're taking it easy at our house! We are hoping to have dinner out with some folks as a pre-party party.
Saturday is the Big Birthday Party! We're not sticking with a theme or inviting many people. Okay, we invited many people only because we have lots of family around here. Last month I had planned on cleaning once for two parties, but in between said parties I have created quite the mess. I think I'll be cleaning the house tonight to make room for all of the people coming over!
The real thing that is crazy to me is that when all is said and done Abby will have no idea that it's happened. I might as well enjoy the ride, right?!!
Friday, June 06, 2008
MAMAMAMAMAMAMA
She's actually saying "Mama" at Anny these days. Dadada has been around for a while, and sometimes she even refers to me in the same manner, but often it's just babble. That's cool!
Anny is especially happy at the current "mamama" use. For several weeks the only time that "mamama" was uttered was in a crying fit. It sounded much like:
crywahcrymamamamacrywahcrymama
It would seem that Anny took this to mean that Abby associated "mama" with crying, and only crying. Not just minor I-fell-and-bumped-my-bottom crying, but the outright my-teeth-are-coming-in cry or I'm-so-tired-that-I-can-not-sleep cry or the popular the-dog-bit-my-toes crying. (that has not happened, for the record, but sometimes it would seem that the biting was taking place!)
I guess I can see how that would be distressing if I was the parent being cried about. I have to admit that the first couple of times I heard it I laughed out loud. It's funny, right? Seems that it is not as funny as I thought it was.
Now she has moved away from the scream "mamama" and is using it as regular babble and aimed at Anny too, so all is peaceful.
Anny is especially happy at the current "mamama" use. For several weeks the only time that "mamama" was uttered was in a crying fit. It sounded much like:
crywahcrymamamamacrywahcrymama
It would seem that Anny took this to mean that Abby associated "mama" with crying, and only crying. Not just minor I-fell-and-bumped-my-bottom crying, but the outright my-teeth-are-coming-in cry or I'm-so-tired-that-I-can-not-sleep cry or the popular the-dog-bit-my-toes crying. (that has not happened, for the record, but sometimes it would seem that the biting was taking place!)
I guess I can see how that would be distressing if I was the parent being cried about. I have to admit that the first couple of times I heard it I laughed out loud. It's funny, right? Seems that it is not as funny as I thought it was.
Now she has moved away from the scream "mamama" and is using it as regular babble and aimed at Anny too, so all is peaceful.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Abby Monroe: Omnivore!
Remember when we thought it was great news that Abby had begun to eat rice cereal? Wow, we were young and stupid, and it was just a few months ago!
We neatly introduced fruits and vegetables in puree form after rice cereal. Some of them went over well (apples), some took some time (peaches), and some caused such a gag reflex that we have not tried them again (asparagus). I waited too long, but did end up making some of our own purees for Abby. Incredibly easy, and TONS cheaper than buying the packaged stuff.
We were really excited when Abby picked up on black beans from Chipotle! A year earlier I had given sideways looks to our friend April and Eric when their son was eating the same thing, but it's a wonderful addition to the food selection!
She also turned up her nose and tried to squirm away from pureed chicken. I probably would have too, it looked and smelled gross, but our "schedule" had us introducing chicken at nine months. We tried on occasion to get her to eat meat again for about two weeks, and then just gave up.
Last week, though, something clicked. Abby is a HUGE fan of small chunks of meat. She had some of Anny's chicken tenders when we were out to dinner one night (no fried parts, just meat) and we got a bit excited. Could it be..... progress in our family eating routine? Yep!
On Monday night we had a dream meal: cook one dish and share it between the three of us! We had chicken "stir fried" with zucchini and were able to just put food straight from our plate onto her tray! Wednesday she was cautious with roast beef, but quickly decided that she liked it.
Hooray for progress and hooray for being able to share a meal together, without Cheerio's!!
We neatly introduced fruits and vegetables in puree form after rice cereal. Some of them went over well (apples), some took some time (peaches), and some caused such a gag reflex that we have not tried them again (asparagus). I waited too long, but did end up making some of our own purees for Abby. Incredibly easy, and TONS cheaper than buying the packaged stuff.
We were really excited when Abby picked up on black beans from Chipotle! A year earlier I had given sideways looks to our friend April and Eric when their son was eating the same thing, but it's a wonderful addition to the food selection!
She also turned up her nose and tried to squirm away from pureed chicken. I probably would have too, it looked and smelled gross, but our "schedule" had us introducing chicken at nine months. We tried on occasion to get her to eat meat again for about two weeks, and then just gave up.
Last week, though, something clicked. Abby is a HUGE fan of small chunks of meat. She had some of Anny's chicken tenders when we were out to dinner one night (no fried parts, just meat) and we got a bit excited. Could it be..... progress in our family eating routine? Yep!
On Monday night we had a dream meal: cook one dish and share it between the three of us! We had chicken "stir fried" with zucchini and were able to just put food straight from our plate onto her tray! Wednesday she was cautious with roast beef, but quickly decided that she liked it.
Hooray for progress and hooray for being able to share a meal together, without Cheerio's!!
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
First *Real* Blood Draw
**This story can not be told without being graphic. Don't read if you don't want to hear about blood and how to get it. Remember, you're reading it - I was there.**
On Saturday we had to have Abby's 9 month bloodwork done. Yes, she will be 11 months old on Monday, so you can figure out that we have been putting this off for a while. For her 9 month visit they wanted to have her tested for Iron and have a CBC done. To test for these things you need a blood sample.
When Abby was younger and had to have blood drawn the pediatrician just did it in his office with a dab or two of blood from her heel. She cried, but not too badly. I don't know if it was the tests being done or the fact that she's older now, but the easy method is over.
We arrived right on time for our 7:20 am apointment at our neighborhood facility and were taken quickly to do the standard paperwork and were led back to the cutest room in the joint. Definately the one to have your blood drawn in if you're easily distracted by Mickey and Friends posters on the walls.
All of that went smoothly. Then the smooth stopped.
The Quest technician showed me how she wanted Abby to be held, and so I did just as instructed. First she tied Abby's left arm to look for a good vein, then her right. Neither looked fruitful, but she decided to try the left arm anyway.
What I can not describe well enough is the squirminess that I was trying to stifle in my arms. Abby loves to be held, but she could tell something was going to happen that she was not going to like. She was screaming from the time that the Tech touched her until we were up and walking out the door.
Back to the blood. The Tech cleaned abbys pudgy little arm and went for blood. I swear to you, she could not find it. I watched and she really tried, but Abby's little veins counted each drop of blood as valuable. At this point Abby is screaming, I'm agitated and the Tech is annoyed. She called in and older (more experienced?) woman to look for better veins. No such luck.
(begins getting more graphic HERE! You've been warned.)
She then prepped Abby's little finger for a finger stick. This is where they prick the tip of someone's finger (this can be done on the young, old and in between) and manually squeeze blood from the finger. She had three tiny vials to collect the forced blood into.
Abby was screaming above and beyond anything in her normal range. I wish it was easier to explain to her, but it's not. There is no way to prep a ten month old for something like that. It was not the best experience, and I really expected her to fall asleep on the way home, but she fussed a little and tried to eat the bandaid on her finger, but was actually okay with things by the time we got to the farmers market.
I know that we will have to do this again and again as the gets older, but I think we will be more diligent in finding someone that is better at dealing with babies and children next time, rather than going with the local one.
On Saturday we had to have Abby's 9 month bloodwork done. Yes, she will be 11 months old on Monday, so you can figure out that we have been putting this off for a while. For her 9 month visit they wanted to have her tested for Iron and have a CBC done. To test for these things you need a blood sample.
When Abby was younger and had to have blood drawn the pediatrician just did it in his office with a dab or two of blood from her heel. She cried, but not too badly. I don't know if it was the tests being done or the fact that she's older now, but the easy method is over.
We arrived right on time for our 7:20 am apointment at our neighborhood facility and were taken quickly to do the standard paperwork and were led back to the cutest room in the joint. Definately the one to have your blood drawn in if you're easily distracted by Mickey and Friends posters on the walls.
All of that went smoothly. Then the smooth stopped.
The Quest technician showed me how she wanted Abby to be held, and so I did just as instructed. First she tied Abby's left arm to look for a good vein, then her right. Neither looked fruitful, but she decided to try the left arm anyway.
What I can not describe well enough is the squirminess that I was trying to stifle in my arms. Abby loves to be held, but she could tell something was going to happen that she was not going to like. She was screaming from the time that the Tech touched her until we were up and walking out the door.
Back to the blood. The Tech cleaned abbys pudgy little arm and went for blood. I swear to you, she could not find it. I watched and she really tried, but Abby's little veins counted each drop of blood as valuable. At this point Abby is screaming, I'm agitated and the Tech is annoyed. She called in and older (more experienced?) woman to look for better veins. No such luck.
(begins getting more graphic HERE! You've been warned.)
She then prepped Abby's little finger for a finger stick. This is where they prick the tip of someone's finger (this can be done on the young, old and in between) and manually squeeze blood from the finger. She had three tiny vials to collect the forced blood into.
Abby was screaming above and beyond anything in her normal range. I wish it was easier to explain to her, but it's not. There is no way to prep a ten month old for something like that. It was not the best experience, and I really expected her to fall asleep on the way home, but she fussed a little and tried to eat the bandaid on her finger, but was actually okay with things by the time we got to the farmers market.
I know that we will have to do this again and again as the gets older, but I think we will be more diligent in finding someone that is better at dealing with babies and children next time, rather than going with the local one.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
No Sleep and No TV Make Homer Something Something
Continuing Teething.....
On Sunday night we had one of those nights that we like to pretend never happen. Abby was tired when we got home from a gathering at church, so she ate and went to sleep without much coaxing at all. Even skipped the nightly bath/shower and did not notice.
She slept pretty soundly. Until 2:30 that is. Something happened at 2:30 that triggered play-time in Abby's mind. At first I tried all of the normal stuff: diaper, clean sinuses (Nose Sucking), 6 ounce bottle and rocking. Nothing would work, so I gave up and plopped her on the floor. She very much enjoyed playing on the floor for the next hour and a half!
Last night, though, we had sweet redemption. After going to sleep at an incredibly early 6:30, Abby slept in her crib until about 4:00. She coughed herself awake, so I picked her up and brought her into bed with us. I gave her some water to wet her throat, and she took a few swigs and went back to sleep. Until 5:45!
Here's hoping we get another one of those tonight.....
(For all of you that are mad at me for not posting pictures in April, please accept my apologies. I honestly have not even taken any, which I know makes me a bad dad. Trust me that she is still being cute. The problem is that she's so cute that I tend to play with her instead of make her pose for pictures.....)
On Sunday night we had one of those nights that we like to pretend never happen. Abby was tired when we got home from a gathering at church, so she ate and went to sleep without much coaxing at all. Even skipped the nightly bath/shower and did not notice.
She slept pretty soundly. Until 2:30 that is. Something happened at 2:30 that triggered play-time in Abby's mind. At first I tried all of the normal stuff: diaper, clean sinuses (Nose Sucking), 6 ounce bottle and rocking. Nothing would work, so I gave up and plopped her on the floor. She very much enjoyed playing on the floor for the next hour and a half!
Last night, though, we had sweet redemption. After going to sleep at an incredibly early 6:30, Abby slept in her crib until about 4:00. She coughed herself awake, so I picked her up and brought her into bed with us. I gave her some water to wet her throat, and she took a few swigs and went back to sleep. Until 5:45!
Here's hoping we get another one of those tonight.....
(For all of you that are mad at me for not posting pictures in April, please accept my apologies. I honestly have not even taken any, which I know makes me a bad dad. Trust me that she is still being cute. The problem is that she's so cute that I tend to play with her instead of make her pose for pictures.....)
Monday, April 07, 2008
Yummy Yummy, What's that in Your Tummy?
It's........
Dog Food!
I'm sure that I'm a bad father for putting this on the internet, but Abby got her first taste of dog food on Saturday. We always assume that Rusty (dog) finishes his food, mostly because he's begging for more within seconds. Abby enjoys the sound of her fingernails on the metal dish.
We heard fingernails in the dish and happiness.
Then we hear nothing. Calm.
Calm seems to breed worry at this stage (for the rest of her existence?)
Anny got up from the living room to see Abby chewing on something....something from Rusty's bowl.
By the time we got to her she had swallowed.
Just.
Gross.
Dog Food!
I'm sure that I'm a bad father for putting this on the internet, but Abby got her first taste of dog food on Saturday. We always assume that Rusty (dog) finishes his food, mostly because he's begging for more within seconds. Abby enjoys the sound of her fingernails on the metal dish.
We heard fingernails in the dish and happiness.
Then we hear nothing. Calm.
Calm seems to breed worry at this stage (for the rest of her existence?)
Anny got up from the living room to see Abby chewing on something....something from Rusty's bowl.
By the time we got to her she had swallowed.
Just.
Gross.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Almost Two More Teeth!
Changing her diaper the other day, Rob noticed two budding teeth in Abby's upper gums. That explains some recent fussiness and makes me a lot more sympathetic to her inability to sleep soundly.
Our pediatrician assured us that the incisors are relatively sharp and so they break through the gums with less pain and more ease than molars which are wider and more dull. If this is true, I am not looking forward to molar teething...
Meanwhile, at my last dental cleaning, they found a cavity in my incisor. When I went in a couple weeks ago to have it taken care of, the dentist took an X-ray and explained that I would need a root canal. He gave me a shot of Novocain and came back 20 minutes later to start drilling. When I nearly jumped out of the chair, he gave me another shot. He came back another 20 minutes later and began drilling again, but no way! The nerve pain was horrible! So I have a referral to an endodontist next week who will hopefully have enough drugs to deaden all the nerves.
I can only give Abby Orajel and Tylenol for her teething, but I certainly empathize with her pain. Anyone else ever identify with what your child is going through so specifically?
Our pediatrician assured us that the incisors are relatively sharp and so they break through the gums with less pain and more ease than molars which are wider and more dull. If this is true, I am not looking forward to molar teething...
Meanwhile, at my last dental cleaning, they found a cavity in my incisor. When I went in a couple weeks ago to have it taken care of, the dentist took an X-ray and explained that I would need a root canal. He gave me a shot of Novocain and came back 20 minutes later to start drilling. When I nearly jumped out of the chair, he gave me another shot. He came back another 20 minutes later and began drilling again, but no way! The nerve pain was horrible! So I have a referral to an endodontist next week who will hopefully have enough drugs to deaden all the nerves.
I can only give Abby Orajel and Tylenol for her teething, but I certainly empathize with her pain. Anyone else ever identify with what your child is going through so specifically?
Monday, March 03, 2008
Officially a Crawler!!
It seems that Abby is much more mobile at school than at home. I guess it is to be expected as we don't have much easy-to-crawl space in our living room. We have a 5x7 carpet surrounded by hardwood all the way to the bedrooms. I guess that I have refused to acknowledge that she's been crawling because she has not been doing it at home.
That all changed yesterday before church. I could tell that Abby was getting hungry, so I put her bottle on one end of the carpet and her on the other. I tell you, hunger is the best motivator! She got there in a flash, even while stumbling over her toys to get there.
Once we got to church it was a sealed deal. The nursery is baby friendly, so there is carpet from wall to wall, and more toys than you can imagine. I plopped her on the floor so that she could sit and play. I pushed the toys way out of her reach, and she bolted for them! It was GREAT! By the time Anny came down from her meeting, Abby was all over the place.
(Side note: if you want to play with toys from YOUR childhood, go to a church nursery. They're all in good condition, but about 25 years old! I don't even mean toys like the ones you played with, these are definitely the originals!)
Guess it's time to finish baby proofing the living room and kitchen. The gate to the stairs is up, and that's where my biggest concern has been. Everything else would pale in comparison.
Any advice for a new-crawler?
That all changed yesterday before church. I could tell that Abby was getting hungry, so I put her bottle on one end of the carpet and her on the other. I tell you, hunger is the best motivator! She got there in a flash, even while stumbling over her toys to get there.
Once we got to church it was a sealed deal. The nursery is baby friendly, so there is carpet from wall to wall, and more toys than you can imagine. I plopped her on the floor so that she could sit and play. I pushed the toys way out of her reach, and she bolted for them! It was GREAT! By the time Anny came down from her meeting, Abby was all over the place.
(Side note: if you want to play with toys from YOUR childhood, go to a church nursery. They're all in good condition, but about 25 years old! I don't even mean toys like the ones you played with, these are definitely the originals!)
Guess it's time to finish baby proofing the living room and kitchen. The gate to the stairs is up, and that's where my biggest concern has been. Everything else would pale in comparison.
Any advice for a new-crawler?
Monday, February 11, 2008
Our First Parent-Teacher Conference
Oh no! Was Abby a bad girl so we had to talk with the teacher about her behavior?
Nope. The daycare that Abby is in does three Parent-Teacher Conferences a year with each child and their parents. November got away from them, and from us for that matter, so we didn't do them at that time. The others are in February (last Thursday) and May (end of year).
We sat with the head teacher to talk about all of the things on the developmental checklist for her age that she has mastered, which is everything. We also talked about the things on the checklist for the next older group (8-12 months), and she has gotten some of those things down, but certainly not everything. We'll get there.
One weird thing was to hear that we would set goals for Abby for the coming months. I was relieved to hear we are setting goals for Abby's care, not for Abby.
Our goals are:
Abby is also getting closer and closer to crawling. Last night at church she made about 9 inches of forward progress! She has mastered getting on her hands and knees, but has been pushing backwards across the carpet and hardwood floors. We have begun to close the baby gate already, just in case. We're going to see the family in St Louis this weekend. Hopefully Abby's cousin Ada, six months older, who has recently been moving toward walking from crawling, can be convinced to crawl a bit as a teaching tool for Abby! She learned a lot from a couple of hours with Chase, so four full days should get some good learning time!
Abby went Friday and participated in another study at UMD, but I will let Anny post about it.
Nope. The daycare that Abby is in does three Parent-Teacher Conferences a year with each child and their parents. November got away from them, and from us for that matter, so we didn't do them at that time. The others are in February (last Thursday) and May (end of year).
We sat with the head teacher to talk about all of the things on the developmental checklist for her age that she has mastered, which is everything. We also talked about the things on the checklist for the next older group (8-12 months), and she has gotten some of those things down, but certainly not everything. We'll get there.
One weird thing was to hear that we would set goals for Abby for the coming months. I was relieved to hear we are setting goals for Abby's care, not for Abby.
Our goals are:
- Increase opportunities for fine and gross motor development
- Continue to nurture trusting relationships with caregivers
- Stimulate verbal and nonverbal language development (talking, reading, singing, signing)
- Provide ample time and opportunity to explore her environment in a safe manner
- Encourage self-regulation and self-soothing techniques
- Encourage independence and age-appropriate problem solving techniques
- Introduce sippy cup (bought this weekend) and encourage self-feeding; introduce finger foods (which we did this weekend!)
Abby is also getting closer and closer to crawling. Last night at church she made about 9 inches of forward progress! She has mastered getting on her hands and knees, but has been pushing backwards across the carpet and hardwood floors. We have begun to close the baby gate already, just in case. We're going to see the family in St Louis this weekend. Hopefully Abby's cousin Ada, six months older, who has recently been moving toward walking from crawling, can be convinced to crawl a bit as a teaching tool for Abby! She learned a lot from a couple of hours with Chase, so four full days should get some good learning time!
Abby went Friday and participated in another study at UMD, but I will let Anny post about it.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Monkey See, Monkey Do
On Saturday we went to a surprise birthday party for a friend. Good times, except that Abby was very startled when we finally got to the crecendo of noisemakers and yelling when Sarah arrived.
Also at the party was Chase, who has just turned a year old. A-freakin-dorable baby girl. She's just learing to walk and do stairs, and mastered crawling a while ago. She eats real food (loved thr crackers!) and communicates very well.
She has also mastered the waving at yourself thing. Babies begin waving by waving at themselves. They are copying what they see - your hand pointed at their face opening and closing. That's waving when you're learning. Chase does it, and is cute when she does. Abby does not do this...or did not until Sunday morning!
Anny took off for a meeting a church while Abby and I hung out and played on the floor. I noticed she was looking at her hand, which is not strange. Then she began to wave at herself! She learned more from Chase in one evening than I have been able to convince her of for weeks!
At school she is the oldest infant. There are kids that are a lot older, but she is the oldest infant. She is the trend setter, but does not have a role model for some things. The older kids have been waving so long that they wave facing out. They have crawled so long that they walk.
Smart little girl. She needs to spend more time with Luke so that she can copy crawling! Unfortunately their family has been under the weather, so we are not brave enough to head over there for the day on this bitter-cold holiday.
Also at the party was Chase, who has just turned a year old. A-freakin-dorable baby girl. She's just learing to walk and do stairs, and mastered crawling a while ago. She eats real food (loved thr crackers!) and communicates very well.
She has also mastered the waving at yourself thing. Babies begin waving by waving at themselves. They are copying what they see - your hand pointed at their face opening and closing. That's waving when you're learning. Chase does it, and is cute when she does. Abby does not do this...or did not until Sunday morning!
Anny took off for a meeting a church while Abby and I hung out and played on the floor. I noticed she was looking at her hand, which is not strange. Then she began to wave at herself! She learned more from Chase in one evening than I have been able to convince her of for weeks!
At school she is the oldest infant. There are kids that are a lot older, but she is the oldest infant. She is the trend setter, but does not have a role model for some things. The older kids have been waving so long that they wave facing out. They have crawled so long that they walk.
Smart little girl. She needs to spend more time with Luke so that she can copy crawling! Unfortunately their family has been under the weather, so we are not brave enough to head over there for the day on this bitter-cold holiday.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Abby's Six Month Checkup
We took our still-slightly-sick baby in for her previously scheduled Six Month doctor visit on Tuesday.
All good news! Her weight and height are in the same percentiles (75%) for the first time since she was born. She has always technically been on the heavy side, based on the official scales.
Details:
Height: 26.5 inches
Weight: 17 pounds
She got four more vaccines, one syrup and three shots. She did much better with the shots this time and had simmered down before we left the office. The last couple of times she would wimper all the way home.
Thursday we have Abby's school Christmas party! They have been working on gifts for their parents for a couple of days. I will post a picture of whatever she comes up with!
There are a lot of new pictures up at the Picasa Album, go check it out!
All good news! Her weight and height are in the same percentiles (75%) for the first time since she was born. She has always technically been on the heavy side, based on the official scales.
Details:
Height: 26.5 inches
Weight: 17 pounds
She got four more vaccines, one syrup and three shots. She did much better with the shots this time and had simmered down before we left the office. The last couple of times she would wimper all the way home.
Thursday we have Abby's school Christmas party! They have been working on gifts for their parents for a couple of days. I will post a picture of whatever she comes up with!
There are a lot of new pictures up at the Picasa Album, go check it out!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Abby's Half Birthday
A visual trip through the last six months.....
Abby's First Six Months from Anny and Rob on Vimeo.
So much has changed. She's gotten bigger! She's gotten stronger! She's gotten smarter!
We have a visit with her doctor next week, so we will have technical specs to share then.
We're looking forward to whatever comes next!
(After two full-night-sleeping nights, Abby is up at 1:30. She's gotten stuffy again.....)
Abby's First Six Months from Anny and Rob on Vimeo.
So much has changed. She's gotten bigger! She's gotten stronger! She's gotten smarter!
We have a visit with her doctor next week, so we will have technical specs to share then.
We're looking forward to whatever comes next!
(After two full-night-sleeping nights, Abby is up at 1:30. She's gotten stuffy again.....)
Monday, December 10, 2007
She Slept Through the Night!
Okay, so Abby sleeping through the night is not a feat by itself. Recently, though, with her tooth coming in and a slight head cold, she has been waking herself up once or twice a night.
When Anny got up this morning I asked if she had gotten up with Abby. She said that not only had she not gotten up for Abby, she didn't wake up at all. I knew that I didn't either, and I typically get up during the night for the call of nature.
So, doing that math.... (pause for calculator function of my computer).....
We ALL slept through the night!!
First.
Time.
Ever.
When Anny got up this morning I asked if she had gotten up with Abby. She said that not only had she not gotten up for Abby, she didn't wake up at all. I knew that I didn't either, and I typically get up during the night for the call of nature.
So, doing that math.... (pause for calculator function of my computer).....
We ALL slept through the night!!
First.
Time.
Ever.
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