Well...I jinxed it...

You know I really should know better than to even think about Mabel sleeping well, never mind write about it and how wonderful it is! Last night was just down right awful! I estimate I may have taken in about three hours of interrupted sleep - and that was sleeping on the floor! I don't know for sure what was bothering her, she did have two very wet diapers. That cast is getting smaller by the day as she grows, when her diaper gets wet it swells up and really pushes on her belly. I've noticed there is a lot less room around her waist and legs. Also her little arms have bruises from her modified crawling, and I imagine her knee in the cast is probably raw or bruised since when she rolls that leg hits the ground. 9 more days...I just hope we have a more peaceful night tonight! It is amazing how four good nights of sleep can be undone by one bad one. Well, it is another day, we'll see. Oh, she's up again, an hour earlier than normal. Poor Mabel!

Don't want to jinx it...

Mabel has been in such a great mood lately and the more excititing news is the last four nights Mabel has slept straight through the night from the second I put her to bed! I thought the first night it was because she was so tired from the excitement of Christmas. Then the next day I thought it was because she was on a nap strike, then the same for the third day...and yesterday morning by the time she woke she slept almost twelve hours total! Yesterday she did nap so it isn't the exhaustion of no napping, it is just like old times, you know sans cast. I wake up at night and look in the monitor and she is in a different position every time, she likes to move. On her back, on her side (balancing that cast in the air!), on her tummy...at the top of the crib, at the bottom, laying sideways...you get the idea!

I don't want to jinx anything. I mean the last few nights of a full sleep have been amazing, I feel like a new person! Since I have had Mabel I think I've been in a fog. Sometimes I'm so tired that when I'm in a conversation with someone I hear them talking but it is like they are speaking another language! That really only happens when I'm also with Mabel, at work I'm able to pull it together since I can focus on my job and not her. Is that normal for every mom?

Well, anyway, it is down to 10 days left. I'm trying to not get too excited, I'm so scared that we'll go in and they will say the cast has to stay on. It won't be the end of the world, but it would be devastating at that moment. It can happen and I read it happens fairly often that they want more time in the spica after seeing the x-ray. But, part of me is seeing the light at the end of this tunnel. I can't wait to kiss her left knee! I got her footie pajamas ready to go, I haven't been able to put footie pajamas on her in almost three months! I have new tub toys! We're ready, lets hope that hip is ready!

Ahhhh Christmas...

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. It couldn't have been more fun and Mabel did so well with the long day and only a 45 minute nap...she just couldn't sleep! I think she was afraid she would miss something!

Christmas eve we put out our cookies and apple cider for Santa and she went to bed around 8:00 - she only woke once at 11:30 - probably because I told her she had to stay asleep or Santa wouldn't come...well, maybe it was jsut luck! In the morning we showed her the empty plate, the lit tree with the gifts from Santa, and although she is only one and probably had no clue what was going on, she seemed excited because we were so excited. It is true that when you have children Christmas is fun again! My mother joined us and after breakfast Mabel tore into her gifts, she had such fun opening everything. She seemed very excited about all her fun new toys from Santa. She got a piano from that she loves, she can pull herself to almost on her knees when she is playing it! It is good to see her pull herself up like that, I'm encouraged that with the brace she'll learn to stand!

Then we were off to Zack parents house, Mabel did so well even though this was her regular morning nap time, and she did not sleep in the car, she hardly does. We had a great time with Zack family, opening more gifts and Mabel continued to do great. After lunch we went to our next Christmas destination and again Mabel decided to not sleep in the car, but that's OK. She was still in a great mood and excited, she didn't want to miss a thing.

We arrived at Zack's aunt & uncle's home where the majority of his father's family celebrates Christmas every year. It is a nice party and it is great to see everyone. Much to our surprise most of the family had no clue that Mabel was in a cast! I was shocked, I thought that everyone knew. We had to tell the story over and over again and even more surprising no one noticed by looking at her. I guess the Christmas pants I made her did the trick! When Zack handed Mabel to his cousin to hold she said, "Is she wearing plastic pants or something?" What?! She had no clue. Then again we explained the whole story, blah, blah blah.

You know when I learned of Mabel's cast and that it would run through Christmas I was really upset by the thought of her in this ugly cast in all her Christmas pictures and the fact that she would be in it at all, but it was just fine. I couldn't find a dress that covered the cast so I altered some pants I bought at Old Navy. I had to get a 5T to fit it over her cast and around the waist, but then I cut one side open and added Velcro and I hemmed the legs to the right length. It worked great with a cute little shirt - hey no one noticed that she was in a cast! I think most people think put a dress on her, but it was hard to find something that looked like it fit normal - her top half is a 9-12 month size and her bottom half is like 5T at the waist!

It can be hard sometimes having to repeat the story and details and answer the same questions over and over again. It can be also equally hard to remind people that NO - she can't sit in a high chair, her legs don't move! And yes, we only have two weeks left, but trust me we've put in 10 weeks and it feels like the last few weeks are taking forever!

Zack, Mabel and I had a great day after Christmas as well, she didn't nap but last night slept all night! Merry Christmas!

Chrismas Eve...

Well, it has been a heck of a week. I will never complain that I'm bored, that is for sure. Mabel is the most amazing and wonderful baby, I know I've said that before, but she is. I don't know how we would have made it through the last few weeks without her amazing outlook on things. Her ability to adapt has been a life lesson for all of us.

My new diapering system seems to be doing the trick at night. Having the larger diaper with the pad in it has really helped out and we have not had any leaks. This system is talked about a lot by other parents, it wasn't necessary for us for the first few weeks, our other system worked great, but now that she is moving, this is the way to go. One thing I keep learning over and over again, not just with the cast, but as a mother is stay on your toes, just because something worked for a while it will change so be ready to figure something else out. Using our new diapering system has made for a couple of really good nights. We have had three nights of full sleep from mid-night to about six in the morning!

Yesterday when I got home from work, my mother was worried that Mabel's diaper leaked. I checked her and sure enough it had, Mom said she was sleeping on her side at one point. That would do it! She typically stays on her back for naps, well, I'll show mom the size 4 diaper trick today! We'll just put that on her for naps from now on. It took about 45 minutes to dry the cast this time, it wasn't too bad and Mabel was such a good sport. Luckily she still nurses when I get home from work and she just nursed while I used the hair dryer on her cast.

Yesterday Mabel kissed me on the lips! I asked her for a hug and she planted a big kiss on me! I thought maybe it was random but I when I asked again, this time for a kiss and she did it again and again. I kissed her three times she kissed me three times. Zack was leaving but I called for him. He came over and asked her for a kiss and sure enough she did it! Only once though because Zack has a beard right now and she didn't like that. Oh, she is so sweet, my mom was there and of course cried! It seems like everyday when I'm getting ready for work, Mabel pulls out a wonderful new trick to get me to stay and be late!

Mabel's mobility continues to grow. She gets up on "all fours" now. It is up on her hands and toes! She also tries to pull herself up! I'm happy to say I may have to put her crib mattress back down to a lower height if things keep going like they are! I know that once she gets that brace she'll feel so free! I can't wait to see the excitement in her face when she can sit upright or pull herself up!

I have to make a list of baby proofing stuff!

The bright side...

With this whole thing I've really tried to look at the bright side of things. We have a lot to be thankful for and I do realize that. The last couple of days have not been easy for little reasons. Mabel had another leaky diaper. I'm just so disappointed that we have had the two nights of leaks, I can only assume it is because she is moving so much now. My attempt at a solution is for nights I've gone up another diaper size. I'm also using a g-diaper insert in the front of her pampers in hopes it will catch any "Houdini Pee" that seems to find away out of my diaper and cotton combo. We've gone 9 weeks with only one leak and now this headache...we'll see if she is dry this morning. With the larger diaper and my small hands I can close the diaper's tabs - you know like how you really diaper a baby...I'm hopeful.

The other day at work a woman was in and she knew my boss. She was catching up with her and mentioned that she had a grand-daughter that was turning one this weekend. My boss was so excited, she mentioned that Mabel just turned one. The woman was quick to pull me into the conversation. She was saying how much she loved the age, etc and then went on and on about how she watched her grand-daughter for the day and was exhausted because her grand-daughter was just running around all day. She said that her grand-daughter had been walking since about 8 months! She looked at me and said, "Can your daughter walk?". Oh, the look on my boss' face - I quickly told her that Mabel was in a cast and I had to explain the whole thing again and face all the classic questions. It doesn't bother me to talk about Mabel's treatment. But this poor woman was mortified thinking how she was going on and on about her grand-daughter walking and here I am with my Mabel in a cast. I think I felt bad for her because she felt so horrible!

I don't think much about what Mabel "should" be doing. Maybe it is because we are first time parents and we really don't have anything to compare her to, also we don't really spend any time with a baby of a similar age, but I would be lying if I said that when I hear of a one-year-old walking, running, standing or crawling, part of me grieves for Mabel being in the cast. It isn't fair, but it is reality right now and luckily not forever.

Most of the time I'm just so excited about what she can do. Mabel has learned to roll and crawl in a three pound cast, now if that isn't amazing I don't know what is. She is very articulate and likes to "read" her books and be read to. This extra non-walking time I believe has really given her an advantage to have time to learn other things. She is very aware of details and has amazing dexterity. For example when I spell her name she will point to the letters on her bean bag chair! Amazing! I don't know maybe one-year-olds can do those things, but to me it seems very special. Her new thing is when we say "I don't know" she throws her hands out like she is saying it. I love it! And her crawling skills - wow! She can move so fast now!

What I do hate right now is how everyone focuses on "milestones". "Don't worry," people say, "she'll reach her milestones in no time after the cast comes off." Or "Did the doctor talk about when you can expect her to achieve her milestones." Ahhhh...yeah, I hate those questions. I also hate the when people attempt to make me feel good by saying "I bet as soon as they take the cast off she'll be running in the doctor's office!" Ah, no...she's been in a cast for 12 weeks, her left leg will be spaghetti, she's never stood before and she'll be in a new brace, so I doubt likely that she'll run. In fact, that day will probably be not much fun since we'll have to endure the cast being cut off and Mabel will have to adjust to her life with out her cast, remember she only knows that right now. I know people are trying to help, but if one more person says that I'm going to scream!

So here's to a new day. 19 days of spica left. I'm thinking it feels like time is moving slower because instead of counting the days we've been in the cast we are now counting down the days until it comes off...perspective, it is all about perspective.

Rude Awakening...

So Mabel fell asleep a little later last night because Zack and I ate dinner a little bit later than normal. It was only a half an hour later that she actually fell asleep, and then shortly after we decided we should strike while the iron was hot and try to sleep ourselves. That was a little after 9:00. I have been hoping to catch up on some kind of sleep since our nights have not been good for a while now.

At 10:20 or so Mabel started to cry, I looked in the monitor and saw she was stuck on her side again. So I got up, went to her room to pick her up and reposition her. She was so sleepy and she just wanted me to hold her a bit, so I did. I sat down in the rocking chair and then I noticed...my arm was wet. Oh NO! Mabel was wet! I put her on the floor to change her and she seemed so relieved that I realized right away what was the problem. As I undressed her I quickly realized that the pee soaked her sleep sack, onesie, cloth outside diaper, inside diaper and gulp...the cast! It appears that she was in some kind of weird side position that must have created a gap in her diaper so when she peed it just got everywhere. Poor Mabel was not happy when I undressed her and she realized she was still wet and now cold. She was screaming! Gone are the care free days of thinking that when a baby pees on their PJ's and sheet that what makes for a rough night - the days are long gone of just changing her and washing her down and changing the crib sheet...oh no, now we have this stupid spica to deal with and that can't come off and that needs to stay dry - takes FOREVER to dry and most important not smell!

I wrapped Mabel up in a cozy blanket to keep her warm. She was really crying now, poor thing was probably confused as to why I wasn't just fixing this uncomfortable problem. I couldn't do this on my own, not in the state Mabel was in and with the amount of pee that I could feel, so I needed to wake up Zack. I got the hair dryer, put Mabel on the floor with three cozy blankets and Zack sat next to her and tried to keep her calm and entertained. She screamed for about 15 minutes and even tried to go back to sleep. I was elbow deep in her spica cast with that hair dryer just trying to get it dry...it takes forever! Luckily we have done this before with her first cast, I found the trick is to get your finger tips inside the cast and move the cotton and lining around so the air can really get in ther to dry out the pee. It is a major pain and really hard to do when the baby doesn't know what the heck you are doing! About 20 minutes in Mabel suddenly got excited and started to smile, giggle and dance. The good news for us is she wasn't screaming anymore and was happy and obviously felt better...bad news is she probably wouldn't go back to sleep easily...oh well one thing at a time.

It took about a hour and a half to dry the cast with the hair dryer on cool. I packed more cotton on that side of her diaper under the cast in hopes of keeping the diaper against her skin and maybe avoid this again...another annoyance and lesson learned was earlier this week Mabel had a leak, luckily then it didn't get on the cast just her cloth diaper and PJs...but the annoyance is we only have two cloth diapers and two sleep sacks that fit her! Last night I was at a loss...lesson learned, but in my defence I had thought to myself when she soiled her last PJ set that I needed to do laundry the next day because that was our only spare...I've been really tired and focused on so many other things so I forgot all about it. Trust me I won't forget about this!

Looks like I'll be starting some laundry this morning and possibly getting the hair dryer out to make sure everything is fresh in that cast. Christmas is next week and I can't have Mabel in a stinky cast when visiting the whole family! I just don't think you can make people understand how much work goes into keeping this cast clean and dry.

All I have to say is this is classic...I can't wait until this odyssey is over with! I stand by my last post of being sick of this cast! I wonder what stories we'll have about the brace? I can't imagine it would be this interesting!

Its getting old...

OK, I think I've been a really good sport about the spica cast. I got cute clothing, made the best of every weird situation and figured out some tricks to make life easier, but I have to say I've had it.

I know, I know, we are three quarters of the way there...we have come so far...it is almost over...blah, blah, blah! Twelve weeks is a long time I'll tell you, and only being eight and a half weeks in now feels like time is stalling. When we started this whole process it felt like the end would never be near and now that it is sight if feels like time is moving so slow. Maybe it is because I can literally count the days until her big cast off...or maybe it is because I counted wrong? You see the last week I kept saying we only had three weeks left, but I was wrong. We have now three and a half and when I thought it was three it was four, so now it is a week longer in my mind and now it feels like forever.

Mabel is sick of it too. She's itchy, that is hard at night. She is ready to move more, but gets stuck in her crib sideways. She got stuck four times before midnight last night. She gets so upset and I can't blame her. Each time I had to put her back on her belly or on her back and each time after that she would worm around again and get stuck again. Poor Mabel. When she woke at 11:00 pm I could have sworn it was 3:00am because I couldn't believe she had woken so much since 9:00 when we went to bed...I was hoping to get some sleep by going to bed early...that didn't quite work out.

So, I'm sick of the spica. I wish we were at the end of this whole thing. We'll get through, we'll keep plugging along and we'll count the days (correctly) until January 8th. I have a feeling the brace will get old fast too - although it will be a vast improvement over this cast. We haven't got word from the doctor as to how long she'll be in the brace all day, that will depend on her x-ray when the spica comes off, but from what I read basic rule is she'll be in the brace full time as long as she was in the cast...yep...twelve weeks! That will put her at 16 months old. Well, at least we'll be able to give her baths!

Fun Filled Saturday...

Saturdays can be a busy day, but they can also be so much fun when Zack and I both have the day off. Mabel was on a nap strike, this is not uncommon for her when both Mama and Papa are home. I try my best to "encourage" napping when she is ripe, but when she knows we both are there to play with her the naps seem to only last for about a half an hour.

We had lots to do, but with a one-year-old who won't nap to give you that time you need you don't get much done...lets just say I still need to vacuum, but that's OK, I'll find sometime today.

What we did do was much more fun than vacuuming, that says a lot because I love to vacuume. We went to a Toys for Tots fundraiser and we donated some toys for kids Mabel's age. We decide before Mabel was even born that every year we would have Mabel choose a toy to give to someone who isn't as fortunate as we are. I think it is important for her to learn to give as well as receive gifts. Our reward for our donation? Another picture with Santa...or at least an attempt of a picture with Santa. The first picture with Santa didn't go so well. I mean it went great for the fact that I love pictures of babies crying while sitting on Santa's lap, but for Mabel was no fun. This picture we tried to take our picture with the three of us, Mabel didn't even sit on Santa...but she still didn't look happy!

We did a little holiday shopping on the way home, debated getting lunch out and decided to go home instead, good thing because Mabel decided to make give us a gift of her own, a nice full diaper. We ate lunch and tried to settle back down for another nap and again Mabel just dozed...soooo....She and I made some baby food together. She loves that since she gets to sample the yummy stuff I make for her before I freeze it, on the menu was apples and cranberries - yum! Mabel sits in her stroller for these type of adventures. When every Mabel needs to be in the room and I or Zack or someone isn't there to hold her she sits and plays in her stroller since she can't really sit in the cast or play on the floor laying down in the kitchen, so the stroller is a lifesaver. We have toys that just attach to it and I usually will put her near the window so she can look around.

Later that afternoon we decide to go to a holiday craft sale. It could have gone horribly wrong since at this point Mabel hadn't slept for more than an hour all day, but we had lots of fun! We had to go since we heard that you could get your picture taken with the Yeti, I mean how many chances in your life do you get that? Mabel was beyond tired by the time dinner came around, I wish I were better at getting her to nap, but she went to bed around 8:10pm and only woke a couple times needed my help by being stuck on her side or attempting to roll. She did cry a lot in her sleep but didn't need me to settle her down, she just cried and stopped.

We stayed up way to late making stuff for Christmas, but that's OK...I mean look at our picture with the Yeti! If you ask me, Mabel's response is the correct response to seeing a Yeti for the first time...she is a smart baby!

Can't not pick her up...

Against most people's opinions, I can't let Mabel just cry in her crib when she wakes during the night. I know that when we did the sleep training before we learned that she needs to soothe herself and that we can't "rescue" her when she wakes. I know these things and what is happening right now is not ideal, but listen what is happening in general is not ideal, Mabel is in a cast. Just because she may not remember what it was like before the cast (maybe that is true) her brain remembers and thinks she can stand and crawl like a one year old. In the night you can tell her brain is trying to practice the skills it thinks she can do.

90% of the time when I pick up Mabel during the night when she cries she burps or toots. She has gas that she can't get out by moving around like she needs, that isn't her fault and it surely is a reason to cry when you wake in discomfort and you can't do anything about it like move or sit up. I'm not going to let her lay there alone or just pat her back if she needs help.

I know that this is creating a bad habit, Mabel is one now and the fact that she knows I'll come for her during the wee hours of the night isn't the best thing, but at the same time she knows right now in her hour of need and discomfort that I'll be there for her. There are too many variables to assume that she is just crying because she wants me. I know that she probably does just want me to soothe her sometimes, I know that, but sometimes she has a full diaper at 3am - now laying in the cast with the diaper all tucked up really against her with cotton right up against her skin is different sensations then a normal diaper situation - also when her diaper gets full of pee, it typically gets very swollen in the belly area between her and her cast pushing on her belly and she is laying on her belly so how comfortable do you think that is?

Last night twice I went to her room and soothed her while just rubbing her back and she fell back to sleep, the third time I tried it again. She did doze off while I lay on her floor shushing her like we use to when we sleep trained her, but she kept tossing and then got stuck sideways. I picked her up and noticed her diaper leaked all over her pjs. Luckily, and through sheer luck alone, the cast was not wet, but she was and cold and uncomfortable. Now, think of how I felt when I realized that was why she was crying, not because she wanted company but because she was cold and wet.

You are expected to take care of your babies hungry cries, your babies scared cries and your babies cries of discomfort, but told to let them deal with anything that leads to crying in the night? That doesn't make sense. I know Mabel can soothe herself. I know that if she cries and fusses a little she'll be ok, but I will not sleep train again her while she is in the cast. If she keeps crying right now I will pick her up because she needs it. When the cast comes off and she's not dealing with some of these issues then we will implement the sleep training rules we had before, but until then I'm going to help her.

Busy Night & Day...

Well the last two days (and nights) can never be described as boring! Wednesday night Mabel was having a hard time staying asleep. I put her to be around 8:15 and by 9:10 she was wake and crying, back down she went back up again at 10:30, back down again back up at 11:30...she tries to roll and gets stuck sideways in her crib - that sounds cute, but it sure isn't when it goes on and on. She just wants to get comfortable and can't, she wants to move and can't because there isn't enough room in her crib and it wakes her. Poor Mabel...poor Mama!

When I got up at 11:30 the house felt a bit cool. I'm fine with it being on the cooler side, but it did feel cooler than normal. After I put Mabel back down I checked the thermostat and it said 62! We ran out of oil. I knew that was it, but couldn't check the furnace because Mabel woke again crying - could she be cold? Is that why she is moving so much? A lot of questions to ask yourself when you are so tired. I got her again and she felt toasty warm in her sleep sack - that cast makes her warm too. I had to wake Zack and tell him how to test the furnace, it didn't work so he had to call the oil company - it is now almost Midnight! They said they would be there in an hour! Zack being the sweetest man on earth told me to go back to bed since I had been tending to Mabel thus far and he'd take care of the oil guy. Worked for me! Mabel woke about three more times during the night, but a least by the time she woke at 3:00 it was much warmer in the house.

Thursday morning we met with the orthopedics center to get fitted for Mabel's brace. She will get her cast off at 8:30 am on January 8th and then we'll head to the orthopedics's center to get her brace at 10am right after. The brace looks like a thin REMOVABLE cast that goes from her ribs to her knees keeping her legs in a similar position as the cast...the major and most exciting word is removable! Also it is feather light...watch out world Mabel will be more Mobile! Living for January 8th! From the quick look I got of it it appears to be a Hewson Brace...I'm researching!

Last night too was a very long and tear filled night. I got her to go to sleep by 7:30 but she woke by 10:00 really crying. I just don't know what to do for her some nights she is just so upset. It isn't always the cast, but a lot of times it is...or at least a byproduct of the cast. She is gassy because she can't more like she needs too - the cast! She seems to get sore arms and back on days she crawls around a lot - the heavy cast! She wants to move around her crib as she sleeps - the cast!!! Well, it is another day. We'll see what today and tonight brings and if anything we'll have some fun and heck it is Friday!

Mabel's Birthday now...

Ok, this is a post just about Mabel's birthday. No hip dysplaisa or spica cast talk!

Yesterday was my baby's very first birthday. I was excited all day about her party and I think she too had a wonderful time! We had a party for her in the afternoon after we got home from work, Zack had to arrange to come home early for it at 4:00. We had thought about having the party on the weekend before Mabel's birthday for planning reasons and it was a bit hectic getting things ready right after work with only a half an hour to spare, but it worked out great and it was on Mabel's actual birthday like I really wanted to it was prefect.

I think Mabel was confused as to what the heck was going on! It started out in the morning I had the dining room all decorated for her - we were going for a circus theme. She came in pointing at everything! We let her open a gift...A new dish set! Yay! She loved it, one-year-olds love everything, it's great! She had her birthday breakfast eggs on her new plate and her birthday oatmeal in her new bowl and water, I mean birthday water, out of her new cup. FYI: If you hate plastic stuff for kids here is Mabel's new dish set, before this she had bamboo that was great but that got cracked when she dropped it, this is much more durable it is stainless steel dinnerware for kids.

The mid-morning and rest of the day went like normal, Zack headed to work and I did too, after running around and cleaning, etc. Mabel cried when I left, that is new for her. I wish I could have spent the whole day with her. When 10:30 rolled around at work I thought, "Last year at this time Mabel was being born!" Crazy how quickly a year can pass and how having a baby really marks that year!

I rushed home picking up balloons on the way - Mabel HAD to have balloons! I got a dozen red, yellow, blue balloons...they were huge! They actually did fit in the car to my disbelief and home I went. I quickly did the last minute things and it was perfect since Miss Mabel (AKA: The Birthday Girl) was still asleep on Memere (my mom). Mabel woke when the first guests arrived, my step sister and her 3 month old. Then came Zack's sister, his father and then Zack's granma and his mom. My dad arrived shortly after and then Zack's sister and three kids. It was the perfect amount of people, in fact it was a bigger turnout than we expected! Mabel did great entertaining her guests and considering she was still all confused from waking up, not nursing and it was pushing dinner time she did great. We opened gifts, she ate cake and dinner, she liked her tofu better than the cake! Of course I made her a very special apple spice cake with cream cheese frosting...Hey, it was still very sweet! She did like it. You could tell she had no clue what the heck was going on, why were all these people staring at her! She sat like a queen in her booster seat at the head of the table! My birthday girl.

So overall it was a great time had by all...at least the three of us. And considering we had a 3 month old, 1 year old that was being pushed to her limits of over stimulation, and hadn't nursed yet since her mum got home and three small children it went very smoothly! Plus she wore the birthday hat I made her almost the whole time! Good job and Thank you everyone!

Happy Birthday My Mabel!

Mabel's Birthday then...

Well, today is my baby's first birthday. We had a wonderful weekend, Mabel and I had a great Mabel & Momma Monday too.

I can't believe she is already one year old! It is crazy! A year ago today, right now, my water had broke about 15 minutes ago and probably right now I was talking to the doctor on the phone. It was four weeks before my due date and I was convinced that we would not be having a baby today! I wasn't having contractions, just tried to get out of bed to use the bathroom for the thousand time and "pop" my water broke. I thought I had peed myself! I took a shower, that's right I wanted to take a shower, we got dressed and headed to the hospital. The contractions started in the shower, Zack grabbed a stop watch to time them, but I kept forgetting to tell him when they started - those things hurt! He thought I wasn't having them, but by the time we got to the hospital (only about 9 minutes away) I was having contractions about 3 minutes apart.

We got checked in, they examined me and said that all looked good I was dilating fast and my contractions were strong. I mentioned, since my chart hadn't arrived yet, that the baby was breech at my last ultra sound. See my first check up since that ultrasound was scheduled for that morning and my doctor and I were going to talk about what would happen if the baby stayed breech, but I was tied up having the baby so I guess that conversation was never going to happen, I was just going to find out. After just about every doctor on duty felt my belly and debated whether or not they thought the baby was still breech, the ultrasound machine arrived. They put it to my tummy and sure enough there the baby was clear as day breech and boy that baby looked freaked! I think I did too - and poor Zack, we won't go there. So things kinda took a turn, they started telling us we were going to have to prepare for a emergency c-section, that I was dilating quickly so it won't be long. We kept saying "We're having a baby today!" It was a blur and I'll spare you the details but at 10:30am we met Mable Jayne for the first time. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen - yup, even right out of the oven. She was 6lbs 1oz 18.75" long and all sweetness. Zack got to hold her right away - he snapped some pictures on his cell phone before my mom arrived with our camera that we forgot to bring to the hospital - did I mention that we brought nothing with us! We thought for sure that we would not be having the baby, boy we were in denial! Papa Zack got to hold Mabel right away. I being on the operation table had to wait about two hours, but when I finally held her it as like I was made to hold her. That was a crazy day.

So now here we are a year later. Mabel is no longer that tiny preemie that we brought home at 5lbs 7oz (she lost weight), she is now a big girl and so wonderful. She has gotten more and more wonderful every day. This last year of watching her grown, learn and develop into who she will be has been by far the most wonderful year of my life. With that said I do think back to those scary days as Zack calls them of when Mabel was just a mushy little bundle of baby and miss it, how can you not?

One thing I wish I had known when Mabel came into our world, as far as for hip dysplasia: Breech birth is a risk, First born girl is a risk factor too and add that to the breech then more of a concern. Family history big risk, we didn't realize it but Zack's sister had hip dysplasia at birth. If we knew that then with her two other risk factors the doctor would probably have ordered an ultrasound of her hips while we were still in the hospital. Now with that said it may never have changed the fact Mabel needed surgery and the cast, but I do feel I wish I had known then what I know now. The hospital staff & doctor constantly check Mabel's hips, but the exam showed nothing, that can happen. I'm sure if Mabel had to wear the harness after birth it would have felt like the worst thing ever to us then, we never would have known how the surgery and casting would be like if the harness could have corrected her hips - but that is OK, we are dealing well and look how far we've come!

More Mobile Mabel...

Mabel can roll and crawl up a storm. I can't wait to see her move in her brace when two legs are free! Here is new video of her moving and shaking!

The date is set...

Yesterday was Mabel's two week check-up for her new cast. That makes our total of weeks in her cast so far as seven...Lucky number seven! We got the good news that her x-ray showed her hip looked the great, the doctor said he was very happy with how everything was looking and he said we could schedule her appointment for four weeks from now to take the cast off! Yay! So we marched out to the receptionist, so excited that we'll have that cast off a week early since technically it will only be 11 weeks since they did her cast change early because of the holiday. The receptionist pulled up the scheduling, "Ok...four weeks brings us to January 1st..." Oh that's great I thought, Zack's vacation starts January 1st! Then she smiles, "Ok, I have you down for January 8th at 8:30am, is that good?" Uh, we thought four weeks, we said. "Oh, the 8th is his first opening."

I'm not disappointed, ok we'll have to serve our full time of 12 weeks in this cast, I accept that. But the big picture is we have a date, a count down, a light at the end of the cast, I mean tunnel! We are beyond excited, so only five more weeks to go now. The orthopedic doctor gave us the prescription for the brace she'll have to wear after the cast. I don't know what type we are getting, I'm now researching the different types so I can feel prepared. We have an appointment this coming Thursday to have Mabel measured so they can get her brace ready for the big cast off in January! The doctor didn't really have much info regarding the brace, I think I was too excited since he said we would be able to take it off to give her baths. He did say that they will be taking her cast off at the office, so we don't have to go the hospital route again with the anesthesia and all that crap - I'm glad that is all behind us, but he did warn us that babies don't deal well with the cast coming off, the saw is loud, it takes some time and it won't be fun. But it will be off!!! Check out Mabel's winning x-ray, I need to get copies of all of them and frame them! Check out the picture of her admiring her hard work!

January 8th is Mabel's 13 month birthday...what a great birthday present that will be. We'll have the birthday bath to celebrate!

Mabel's new teeth...

Mabel has two new teeth that have broken through officially. She has been getting her teeth in pairs from the beginning and these two so far have been the worst. They are the two upper teeth next to her front teeth, making the grand total of teeth six! She has had a hard time of it, yesterday her gums were bleeding, poor baby. My mom, who watches her while I'm at work, said she cried for about an hour around 11am after I left for work.

Going to bed last night was not pretty, she just would not fall asleep! I have been so tired this past week. I've been working on Christmas cards, Mabel's birthday and various other tasks that probably aren't important, but are to me. I'm tired and Mabel just wouldn't go to sleep until 9:30! That is way too late, but I know her teeth still hurt. At around 8:30 I realized I had been so busy all day I forgot to drink any water! I remember when Mabel was first born and colicky and Zack would come home from work and I would realize I went all day without eating or drinking anything - I just forgot! Well, I did that yesterday. Work was crazy, I had to sort laundry in the morning. When I got home I cleaned up the front yard and put some Christmas greens in the window boxes. I ate a snack but forgot to grab a water and then at dinner Mabel was almost going to fall asleep so I ate so fast but again forgot to drink. So there I was sitting in a dark room with a very awake baby focusing on how thirsty I was. So I had to ask Zack for some water, he brought me up a bottle and of course Mabel was thrilled to see Papa. It did wind her right back up, but in the end she did fall to sleep - finally.

The last few nights she has slept through the night, she has been rolling in her sleep since she has the new found ability to go from belly to back. This morning she woke at 4:30 crying and "half rolling". She kept lifting her cast and drooping it down, maybe she was too sleepy to put all the effort into rolling? She has been so very mobile, crawling everywhere. I need to baby proof more! It warms my heart to watch her crawl so well, I know that when she gets her brace there will be no holding her back, I mean the cast is just so heavy and if she can cruise in that, well, we better watch out!

Today we have an x-ray and check up. It has been two weeks in our new cast. It may be my paranoid fears, but twice I swear I heard her hip pop when I was nursing her - I think that is impossible with the cast, I am pretty sure it is impossible, but I'm going to ask the doctor...hopefully the x-ray will show good news!

Another reality...

One thing I haven't touched on, because although in my opinion it isn't important in the big picture, is the cost of treatment. It isn't inexpensive to have any medical problem and in the grand scheme of things it isn't that bad. With that said it is unnerving to open the mail and find bills for hospital, anesthesia, doctor and x-rays. I mean I'm still paying off Mabel's birth! But I remind myself that we are lucky, we have insurance that covers most of it (if you ask me it should cover more with the amount we pay!), and although our part to pay is a lot when added to our regular bills and cost of living, we have been able to work out a payment plan with the hospital, so we may be paying on this for a few years, but at least Mabel will be healthy. I just wish that this wasn't something I had to worry about when my major concern is just helping my daughter get well.

After Mabel's surgery I did meet a woman who's daughter was treated at a Shriners Hospital for her closed reduction, spica and follow up treatments. They didn't have insurance and with going through the Shriners they didn't have to pay anything. In hindsight I wish I had known of that so I could have looked into it, but for anyone out there that may need treatment and aren't able to pay this is a great option to look into. I don't know firsthand how it works, but it worked for my friend's family. http://www.shrinershq.org/Shrine/

My Mobile Mabel...

Mabel is just amazing! She has been successfully rolling over from her back to her belly for over a week or so now and she and I have been working on tummy to back and yesterday she did it! She just rolled that cast right over and boy was she proud of herself - and so was I. We clapped and cheered. She has just gotten so strong in her upper body, almost freakishly strong for such a little girl. The other day she was trying to get past her toy box and she just grabed it and slid it over out of her way! Wow, Wonder Woman! Her loose leg has also been getting a work out. We practice standing on one leg, I really think she could pull herself up to standing if given the right senario.

With all this new found mobility comes the reality that she needs to move to get all this pent up energy out. Her mind wants her to do these things, but her body can't right now. I think the inablity to really move like she needs to is what leads to bad sleep and cranky days. Mabel is typically so happy and well mannered, but Sunday and yesterday were tough days for her. I could feel some frustration coming from her. I know her tooth is tourturing her, but there was just something else bothering her. Her rolling makes her so happy and I learned the hard way, do no try to stop her from rolling, boy oh boy that makes her mad. I'm not being mean, she can't roll in the middle of a diaper change! This new ability also makes for no more pillow while sleeping. She now can move herself around and she can adjust her position so that is good, a few times she woke crying and moved herself back to sleep - I like that. She accepted no pillow very well and I feel better because it always freaked me out having a pillow in there with her.

It hurts to know that if she didn't have this cast she probably would have been crawling very well long before now, probably pulling herself up to stand and maybe even walking. I try no to think about that too much, otherwise I get sad. Zack's brother sent a video of his little boy first crawling, it was amazing and then we got sad thinking we never got to see Mabel do that. But like I said to Zack, most babies learn to crawl, but how many learn to roll themselves over in a spica cast?

So last night after a day of lots of tears, too little naps and tons of rolling over, Mabel couldn't fall asleep. I laid on the floor with her as she started to doze of and for 20 minutes she nursed as we laid on the floor together with her next to me, rolling her self towards me then away from me over and over again will waving. She's really practicing her new moves!

Practice makes perfect Mabel!