Finally...

It has been a while since I updated here, but today Mabel had her hip doctor appointment, she's been getting x-rays every year to monitor her hips, so far her left hip wasn't yet normal and the doctor has been watching as she grows, the hope is as she grows it grows and deepens and the angle remains normal, otherwise she'd need another surgery and casting.  The last two x-rays there have been no change, but the hip angle remained good so we have been waiting to see the socket deepen, today was the day to know what the next step would be.

It always makes for some fun when I have to rush home after work to get the kids and sweep them up to an appointment somewhere, but they did great being ready and going with the flow.  Of course I was just nervous to see what the x-ray would say for Mabel's hips.  I'm always nervous about these check-ups, fearing they may need to do another surgery or casting...wouldn't that be awful at this stage in the game?

Well, Mabel was a champ at the x-ray, Murphy loved watching through the window and seeing on the computer how the whole thing works (he doesn't remember when he went before).  Mabel was nervous but did all that was asked of her.  Her doctor was tied up so the appointment was running late, the kids played catch and had a grand old time waiting in the exam room for him.  Mabel brought her new doll we got on our girls day outing last Saturday, they played so well and it was fun listening to them laughing and having a great time together...I think I held my nervousness in well.  When her doctor came in Mabel refused to give him a high-five as usual and he commented on how she never liked him.  It is true, but probably mostly because he put her in a cast right?  Well he then told us her hips were perfect.  Her left hip finally deepened as she grew and is now symmetrical to the left and at the perfect angle and everything.  YES!!  He then let us know that we didn't need to do any more x-rays or follow ups, she officially has normal hips!  Did you hear that?   Normal hips!  Music to my ears.  Good growing Mabel!  I'm a happy and relieved Mama.  Mabel was excited too, though I don't think she fully understood what it meant, she's just happy she doesn't have to see the hip doctor anymore.

So, now after over seven years of hip appointments, knowing more about hips then I ever thought I would prior to having my kids we are done.  Both kids are growing great.  Mabel does it all, ballet, tap dancing, her walking gate is perfect and so is Murphy, he's a fast runner and also perfect gate too.  I'm happy to finally button up this blog with some final news that both my kids have perfect normal hips.  To any parents out there just discovering their child needs harnesses or casts, or surgery or braces - it will be fine and in the end a distant memory and just part of your and your child's story.  We all have our story and I wouldn't change ours for the world.

Normal Hips!...

Way to go Murphy!  Yes, today we had Murphy's follow up x-ray and the doctor said his hips were 100% normal.  NORMAL!  That is music to a Mama's ears.  Murphy no longer needs to see an ortho. 

Yay hips!  Way to grow!

So Murphy's hips are good...check!  Now next is Mabel's hips...come on hips...you can deepen that socket...come on we are looking for good news like this next year with Mabel's x-ray!

Yay! Yay! Yay!

Mister Murphy officially graduated from the harness today. We are all very excited. I can't explain how happy this makes me. We go back in July to get an X-ray to ensure that hip socket is growing like it should.  Yay Murphy!

So we had a great day after that amazing news. We left the doctors and headed to the toy store. Mabel loves the toy store, she has two local toy stores that are "her" stores. She was trilled to look around, play with the dollhouse, train set, and baby dolls. We stayed for about an hour - and Santa has lots of ideas. Murphy slept pretty much the whole time in the BabyBjorn.

After the toy store we headed to the car so I could nurse Murphy before heading to the playground. I had parked in a little side parking lot planning he'd need a nursing and as we walked to the car I noticed a magical sight...through the trees following a small waking trail there was a playground! Score! Since Murphy was still asleep we checked it out. Oh, happy Mabel!

After some playing we headed to the car for snacks. Murphy nursed and Mabel had fun eating and playing in the car. And then Murphy had biggest poop in history of his diapering career! It went up the back in classic blow-out form. I cleaned him up and changed his clothes. He was so smiley! 
We played a little more at the playground before heading home. Mabel begged for another playground, but Murphy was done. We ate some lunch, played a bit more than off to nap.
The night before Mabel had a night time accident, I was so tired from my bad night of no sleep Zack heard her call, checked on her and cleaned her up, I felt so bad I didn't hear her first call, I woke as Zack wad tucking her back in. She was ok, but this is the first time she had an accident so she was concerned with the whole thing. My little Mabel, she asked me if I made mistakes as a kid, of course everyone does!

So it as always was a little bit of everything today. In the end a great monday with my two sweethearts! Mama & MJ Monday!

Happy Dance...

Dance Murphy Dance!!!!

Good news! Murphy is now down to being in the harness 12 hours a day! That is right, only half the day now and we can choose when. I'm so happy. The ultrasound results were great and the doctor was very pleased with the results from the pavlik harness. He said that the measurements on Murphy's left hip were pretty bad - I forgot to get the numbers, but now they look really good. With our family history (and since Mabel's was so bad) he wouldn't feel comfortable saying good-bye to the harness all together, but he is confident with 12 hours a day. We go back in a month and we have a recheck and hope for a stable hip. Yay! So we have a happy little man and a relieved mama and papa. As the doctor said, "See how good it is when caught early?"

Yes, yes happy news, which is good since after that ultrasound Murphy was not happy - cried for the whole 15 minute wait in the waiting room between ultrasound and doctor...that wasn't fun. The rest of our day went well. After I took Murphy out of the harness I took Mabel outside to playwith Murphy in the BabyBjorn. It was cooler than I realized so we only spent a half an hour out, but she was happy with what she got. He napped and I was able to het some quality play time with Murphy. He is such a happy little guy.

Now Mabel woke well bit she is going through something. She only wants Mama. If Zack tries to do anything for her she yells and demands "I want mama!!!". Everything. Poor Zack it was a long night as she yelled at Zack even when he said he'd make her a little dessert! So the poop hit the fan when come bath time Murphy needed some nursing time - yikes! She cried so hard that she was shaking and Zack tried his best to stay calm, but she made quite the fuss over it all including taking out her braids after he braided them because she thought he'd do one side and I'd do the other - did I mention I've been braiding her hair at might "like Cinderella" and she looks so cute? Anyway needless to say it was a bit of a rough start to the night. Poor Zack and Mabel. On a high note, Murphy slept SEVEN hours...oh boy I better not get use to this! Oh yeah, and I wanted to note that I asked the ortho about using the bumpo seat and if it was ok with his hips and the doctor said it was ok. I've read a lot of conflicting stuff about kids with hip dysplasia and the bumpo seat, he said that it won't do anything to his hips and plus we don't sit him in it too long. I remember when Mabel was little like Murphy in that bumpo...look at her now! Her legs look so long!

Stupid harness...

Yes, I admit the harness is far less work than the cast or even brace that we dealt with when Mabel had her treatments, but even knowing that the harness still sucks!

Poor little man is such a trooper, but he has his limits and today he was not happy. I tried everything the only things that calmed him was the carrier or nursing -any activity other than those he cried and cried. Finally after dinner we gave him some naked time before tubby time and he was so happy! He danced and danced in his little gym. He even reached out and grabbed a toy. My baby is gifted (proud mama). Also I will mention he was reaching and touching my face, when he touched my mouth and I talked he laughed. OK back to the harness woes...Well, one of the shoulder straps on that harness was rubbing his little chest and nipple, even though I put a onesie under it. But he was so happy being naked and in the tub, you couldn't believe his joy when that thing comes off. Well, the worst part was when I had to put it back on. As soon as I took him out of the tub he started to get upset, but didn't cry until I started putting the harness back on. I put a thicker onesie on hoping that protects his chest. The thing is his legs are so strong when he kicks it pulls hard on the shoulder straps and it frustrates him (I don't blame him). So he cried and cried as I strapped that thing back on him. I feel so bad seeing him get so upset. Poor Murphy, tears and everything. I know I have to put it on him to help him, but at the same time I really don't want to. Every time I have to put it back on it kills me. At least with Mabel's cast it was put on by the doctors so we never had to be the jerks that put it on her, when she was in the brace I felt just like this when she fought putting it back on. Oh, come on hip heal...I just hope the doctor has good news for us and we can bid the harness (and harness related tears) good-bye. On a positive note, check out his outfit! Larger onesie and pants compleatly cover the harness but allows his legs to be at the right angle - you'd never know right?

Next ultra sound April 4th. I'm pretty nervous.

Two Months...

Time is moving way too fast. So Murphy turned two months on Thursday and I'm in total disbelief at how quick the last eight weeks have gone. I'm also bummed knowing soon my maternity leave will be over. Leaving Mabel after my maternity leave was up wad one of the hardest things for me (lots of tears) this time I have to leave both of my babies...I may start crying now. Life is unfair sometimes. Yes I'm lucky...blah,blah,blah...I want to be with my babies! Don't get me wrong I like my job, but being with my babies is the best. I've been so happy.

So Thursday mister man posed on the birthday chair for his two month photo and he didn't disappoint, all smiles. I decided to photograph him in his exposed harness, it is part of his story. He is such a sweet baby and I'm so lucky. After his solo photo shoot Mabel woke from her nap. Murphy needed a new onesie to go over his harness - to protect from spit-ups. Mabel chose his Superman onesie and decided that she need her Supergirl costume...my little super heroes! They are both little heroes for sure.

This week has been amazing, the weather has been so nice. We have taken walks every day, Murphy in the babybjorn Mabel on her tricycle. Love it! Wednesday we visited with my step-sister and her little boy for a playdate in their back yard. Poor Mabel was screaming as Ethan chased her laughing all the while, Mabel was so distraught when he chased her - oh the difference between boys and girls. I wonder what Murphy will be like, I also worry what we got ourselves into!

Yesterday Murphy had his two month check up. He us a whopping 11 lbs 4.5 oz! He is getting so big. Yet still so little. He was a champ, all smiles and flirting with the nurse and doctor. They allowed me to nurse him as he got his shots, he only cried a minute and then was fine. He was in such a good mood we all went to lunch with papa after. Murphy sat on papa's lap watching the people and cars outside through the window. Mabel was so trilled! Murphy didn't seem fazed at all by his shots (very different from Mabel) and we went on to have a nice normal day complete with our afternoon bike ride. Papa got to join us too!

Did I ever mention how our upstairs bathroom sink is broken? Well for the last week or so we've been washing our hands and brushing out teeth using the tub. First it wasn't draining, then when I took the trap off we realized it a bigger problem (oldest pipes every) and Zack called hi friend who is a plumber. He replaced parts, snaked the drain and tried to fix it, but after two visits couldn't get it to work right. He said that he had no clue what type of metal that old pipe was made of. He got it seemingly working and said the trap had a small leak, but he'd come back and replace part of the old pipe to fix it. Well, it worked, less a tiny leak at the trap, still not draining well. So we figured ok for now, until we noticed water stains on the living room ceiling! Zack said to me, "Is that new?". I looked up and without thinking said, "Ah shit!". Mabel then said, "Mama, why you said ah shut?". Great right? Good job Lori! Well I acted like nothing, Zack left the room due to laughing so hard and to turn the water off. So it appears all the movement on that old pipe cased it to leak more...classic! I'm telling you, what a bummer. Hopefully Zack's friend will be willing to help us with this, funny how a clogged drain snowballed to this. Just what I needed with my lack of sleep and time. Well, what can you do right? Best I can hope right now is I didn't permanently add the "s" word to Mabel's vocabulary!

Oh well...

I don't think you learn the true meaning of the word tired until you have kids. You also quickly realize you took sleep and free time for granted...oh sleep and free time, please come back! I promise I will never take you for granted again!

So I have referenced my Murphy sleep log app and since the harness his sleep has been getting to be shorter and shorter intervals at night. I'm really disappointed (and unfortunately not surprised). At this point a good night includes a three hour block. Lately he sleeps two to three hours, wakes for about an hour then back to sleep for an hour wakes and typically up an hour to two hours then back to sleep for about 45 minutes. After that it is about when Mabel wakes (6:15). My little man was sleeping some nights about six hours, nurse then sleep for another two! The only words that describe this is: this sucks!

So I'm a sleep deprived zombie complete with black circles around my eyes. I'm a mess. I'm pretty worried about how I am going to manage with going back to work. I mean when I was tired with Mabel if she fell asleep I too could catch a half hour nap or so...not now. Gone are those days, and back then I thought taking care of just her was tough. So here is to looking at the bright side...yes, I do see one - it is all worth it. Yes, I'm tired, but every second I get holding my baby is worth the dark circles and fuzzy brain. Think of the hours of comfort both for baby and me I have been so fortunate to have. I think back to the long sleepless nights with Mabel and yes it was hard (she cried a lot) but I think of how the first time she giggled was during the wee hours of the night as I yawned big while changing her diaper - apparently amusing to her. I guess what I'm trying to remind myself is that this is such a short phase of my life, although it doesn't feel it now, and soon the sleepless nights will lessen and he will someday sleep and I will someday sleep again too, but the bond we are forging will Aleta be there. The trust I'm establishing in him that I respond to his needs, and the cuddles, it all is and will be worth it in the long run. Mabel and I have that bond.

So they may never know how tired I was or what I would do for them as a baby, but hopefully in their hearts will forever be the realization that I love them more than they could ever know.