All is new with the world...

You know it is amazing how different you see the world when you have a baby you want to show it to. Zack and I hate swimming...well, I don't hate swimming as much as I don't like going into large bodies of water in fear of what is under the water. Zack's case is he really can't swim and also dislikes the water. But here we were Saturday all excited to take Mabel to the lake. Yes us...the lake...beach...sand...sun...swimming. We laugh thinking about this combination and us since this is not our idea of fun. We are not the outdoorsy kind of people. We put that all aside because of our growing excitement to show Mabel the water and swimming.

We found a great little beach only about 40 minutes from our house on a lake. I guess Zack had been there a few times as a kid. Mabel knew exactly what it was when she saw the lake - "Tubby" she said. We got our sun block on and walked her towards the water and she walked right in. She loved it! She went down the little kid slide they had she walked around in the water, on the beach, back in the water, pointed at the kids playing, she was so excited. WE were too. I'm so glad we could do that with her. So now Zack's looking up all the local beaches, apparently this is going to be one of our weekend things now. I'm happy to hear that because it really was fun. I loved swimming as a kid, but as I got older I got more aware of the yucky things in the water and that really sucked all the fun out of swimming. So we are kids again and loving it.

Oh, and Mabel couldn't have looked cuter in her little bathing suit!

So later that day we went to Zack's parents house for Mabel's cousin's 7th birthday party. Mabel enjoyed a little cake and ice cream...we're going to create a monster. I assure you we feed her a very nice balanced diet otherwise. At at home Mabel enjoyed her first big girl tubby. Yes, I was still having her sit in her baby tub...hey there was a toddler side for her to sit on. Well, she now has graduated to sitting in the tub and since we have a nice big cast iron claw foot tub it is like a swimming pool for her. She was so proud and excited!

Nothing to do now...

It has been a busy week for Miss Mabel. Monday we had her 18 month check up...complete with a shot (a surprise to both of us). Poor Mabel, but she did so well. Then yesterday we had her physical therapy just like I bragged about in my last post and today we had our follow up with the orthopedic surgeon.

So the visit went well. We had an x-ray and the doctor showed us her hip angles: 30 degrees on the right hip and 35 degrees on the left. Normal is 25 degrees. He said the angles are better than last check up, last month. This is the first time he's ever given us the angles, it didn't matter much before the cast since she had a dislocated hip and it wasn't something they could get the last x-ray since her left leg still wouldn't go straight out. So he seemed happy with her healing. He said that if the angles don't correct themselves over time then surgery would need to be done again to correct it, but that is rare and wouldn't happen for a couple of years...not that I felt better hearing that! But he seemed encouraged that we are going in the right direction in this hip dysplaisa journey. He also was happy to hear of the new walking skills!

Our reward for this good healing? We don't have to go back for another 6 months - right after Mabel's 2nd birthday I'd like to point out. Also no x-rays for another year...happy to hear that, although I love to see photographic evidence that her hip is in place I'm worried about all these x-rays and the radiation. So good news all around.

Oh, and the picture...Mabel enjoying some ice cream on a hot summer's day! Can you tell she loves it?

This calls for a certificate...

After a few days of practice Mabel's walking skills are getting better. She still has doubts that she can go more than about six steps, but she is getting good. The other flaw to Mabel's walking practice is she wants to walk between me and Zack, she'll walk to me then him then me than him...she gets so excited she starts falling over! Its OK though, we have tons of fun!

So, this morning Mabel had her first physical therapy session since the big steps were taken on Saturday. We were sooooo excited to show off our skills. Mabel promised she'd show the physical therapist what she could do and just in case Zack met us there so if she would only do it between us at least the doctor could see. Mabel held up her promise and walked to her doctor. Oh, it was so exciting and I thought the doctor was going to cry! She gave Mabel a certificate for walking. Mabel was so excited she said "Woooowwww!" I think it was the gold sticker that really got her! So Zack was able to sit in on most of this session which was a treat for both him and Mabel since he has had to work the last several weeks. Mabel had to show Papa all the cool stuff she does at her physical therapy.

Yes, the physical therapist agrees this a turning point. Mabel's stride looks good and she said that from the looks of her steps she could walk across the room but probably doesn't realize it yet. So we are going back next week and we'll see how things go. The doctor wants to see her walk and then we'll take some time off a week or so and go back to make sure she isn't developing anything like a limp. Also the doctor couldn't believe Mabel was already putting two words together at her age. She looked it up in her books and wanted to point out that is a 21 month milestone...I know, Mabel's so advanced!

Yay Mabel!!!

Finally, the "big" day has arrived! Mabel took her first steps! We just got her PJ's on after her tubby when Zack stood her up and then...she walked! She first took two steps towards Zack. We both saw it and couldn't believe it! We tried again, then she took three steps! I cried, Zack cried and Mabel laughed with delight. Then we grabbed the camera and captured this video. Oh, Mabel is so proud of herself and we couldn't be more proud of her. This is such a huge symbol of how far we've come in this crazy hip dysplaisa journey and you can tell Mabel felt it too. We kept practicing I'll have you know and she has taken about 6-7 steps in a row! Oh, tomorrow is going to be fun as we practice our new walking skills.

So yes, we are very happy here. This is the best Father's Day present Mabel could have given Zack! That little girl is always full of surprises!

Oh funny girl...

The sad reality is there are a lot of little things I'm sure with time I'll forget about Mabel's babyhood, as sad as that thought is, there is just too much to remember. I hope I never forget the funny, strange and silly things she tends to do. Like for example her sleeping...this past Saturday we had a wedding to go to and *gasp* it was at 5pm and *gasp* we wouldn't be home to put Mabel to bed. Now, I realize that many parents do successfully go out like grown-ups and their kids fair well, but we aren't like everyone else and our baby isn't fine with stuff like that. So needless to say Mabel did OK, but she did not got to bed until 9:15 after we rushed home early from the wedding to specifically put her to bed. So fast forward to Tuesday night. Mabel just didn't do well with that one night off schedule and she would not go to bed Sunday or Monday night without a fight. Tuesday she really really fought. She sat there in her crib, sitting up in the corner holding onto the crib rails falling asleep and when she started to fall over she'd shake her head and say "no..no.." I've never seen anything like it before, I mean she's done lots of stuff trying to stay wake but holding on to the crib like that? She's so funny. Then Friday night...she didn't cry, she didn't hold on to the crib, but she did lay there looking at me through the crib rails and she slowly reached her arm through and touched me saying "tickle tickle" and then laughed. She's a funny girl and we are very sleepy parents...sleepy but happy.

Oh, the picture...this is Mabel's camera "smile". It appears in the picture she's screaming but I assure you not even a tiny peep is escaping her mouth she's smiling! Yes, she's sitting in her book bin, again silly girl and look at those curls! I hope I remember every second and if not...well it is a good thing I'm writing it down!

A lot can happen in a year...

I never really truly understood how much a year can bring change until I had Mabel. It really does put things in perspective. Yesterday morning when I was getting Mabel dressed she saw this little polka-dot dress in her closet and gave me the "ooooohhhhh...." that makes me know she has chosen what she wants to wear. It was one of my favorite little outfits from last year. A sweet little green onsie with a little dress that fits over it...surely that wouldn't still fit! Well it did, a bit shorter, but over all still looked so cute. We paired it up with a pair of orange pants and viola, or "Ta-Da" as Mabel says, a perfect little outfit.

After seeing her in that all I could picture was her last year at this time in that same outfit. So here is a picture of Mabel last year at the end of May. I never really thought of Mabel as bald, but looking at the pictures I realize she was! She's still Mabel though, still giving me that "Really? You're taking another picture?" look. I'm excited that she's able to wear a lot of the cute little clothes we have from last year. I guess she's a peanut, she still wears cloths that say 6 months! But she was always tiny since she was a month early, we just kept thinking she would one day get huge and last year bought lots of 9 month clothes for the summer that I guess luckily still fit!

Last year at this time I had NO idea of what we would be going through in the fall in winter with Mabel's hip dysplasia. I really had no clue what life was bring our way. I'm happy with the progress that Mabel is making and hope soon to report that she is taking her first steps...my fear? She does it when I'm at work!!! I'm not so secretly scared to miss that very important moment, and with all the work I've put into helping her with her physical therapy...well it would be really hard for me to miss that! You can't plan these things, right?

Anyway...look at Miss Mabel, more hair, much taller, so much stronger and I never thought it was possible but even cuter! Poor little thing has a cold (as do I), but still photographs very well I must say! I can honestly say from the beginning with Mabel every second I get to spend with her is the best time of my life...she is so much fun and makes me smile no matter what - even through the hard stuff!

28 Seconds!

Mabel's has been doing great, but still no hints of walking unassisted. She just seems to want to wait for when she can do it right I guess. I'm trying to not over think this (too much). I mean she likes to walk, she will walk around the house holding on to our hands, sometimes she'll do it holding on with one hand. She loves to walk with her cart too, but still no attempts to do it alone. Outside all she wants to do is walk around holding my hands, but she has the death grip on my fingers. The physical therapist doesn't hold on to her hands when she walks, she leans Mabel against her legs and holds Mabel's chest to give her the feeling of stability, I try doing that, but I'm taller than the doctor and it is pretty uncomfortable to do, and honestly not as fun as holding Mabel's hands - I love having her standing next to me like that. The exciting news is this week she stood up alone without holding onto anything for 28 seconds! That's a new world record you know! She can't get up to standing from the floor without pulling herself up on something, but she will stand for a few seconds here and there, but gets so excited about her accomplishment that she starts to laugh and falls over. This 28 seconds is a huge deal and even she knew it. I can tell she is so proud of herself when she realizes what she is doing. Maybe soon she'll just be able to balance there enough she'll feel confident to try a step! The 28 seconds hasn't happened again, she's still averaging about 12 seconds, but she can do it and I think she remembers that.

On a not so fun note Zack has a cold and it looks like we are all getting one now...oh no!

Check out the picture of Mabel enjoying fresh cherries! She loves her fruit...and cookies, I made the mistake of making a little batch of "baby cookies" for her. I hardly put sugar in them, but oh boy...every other word out of that little girls mouth now is "Cookie!"