Week (and a half) in Review

What a surprise! Our little lovebug getting ready to put yet another toy in her mouth! I really hope the teeth come soon!

I want to start off by saying, we are alive and well! We've just been away and still are, actually. Jeremy had to go to DC this week to present a project with some of his classmates at an engineering conference. When Jeremy told me that he was going to be away for 5 days, I told him that there was no way I could stay home for that long without him. So he agreed that it would be a good idea for Emma and I to go to Pittsburgh and stay with my family.

After our trip to the NICU last week, we had a busy few days before we flew to the 'Burgh on Saturday.

Wednesday: Emma was supposed to have her 6-month appointment with Dr. Sullivan. I was anxious to go since she hadn't see her since her last surgery. I couldn't wait for her to see the back of Emma's head, was excited to find out how much Emma had grown, had a list of questions ranging from 'When can we stop the Zantac?' to 'Can I give her a "lovey" when she goes to bed ?' and, of course, was on pins and needles about starting solids, although, I intended to omit the fact that I had already started her on cereal. That morning was cold, but we bundled up and hopped in the car for our early morning appointment. I left a little early knowing there would be traffic. Just as we were about to get on the highway, I hit a GIANT pothole. I saw it, but couldn't avoid it. I cringed when I heard the sound and felt the impact, but didn't worry too much about it. Well, since I'm telling you about hitting the pothole, you can probably guess what happened next. A mile or two up the road, I heard the sound of ... YES! ... a flat tire!!! I've never had a flat tire and wasn't sure exactly what to do. I pulled off at the next exit and found the closest parking lot to pull into. I called Jeremy who instructed me to call AAA. After doing so, and being told it would be about an hour, I called the doctor's office to explain our predicament. Unfortunately, Dr. Sullivan couldn't fit us in at any other time that day or the following two days for that matter. We were so close to the office though and Emma needed her RSV vaccine, so they said to bring her in so she could at least get that. I called my mom, and though I hate to admit it, cried like a baby. I was frustrated that we wouldn't get to see Dr. Sullivan and felt ashamed that I didn't know how to change a tire! I guess it wouldn't have been the best idea for me to try to change a tire anyway given the circumstances. AAA arrived quickly, changed the tire and we were on our way. Emma slept through the whole thing! We made the shorter than expected trip to get the shot. The nurses weighed her so at least I got one piece of info that I was anxiously awaiting ... 15 lbs 2 oz. She peed on the scale (so embarassing!), but the nurses said it was better than the other baby who had done the same earlier that day. That baby was a boy .... need I say more? I was concered about Emma's ear because she had been tugging at it for a few days. I asked the nurses about it. They were kind enough to tell Dr. Sullivan about it to see if she wanted to look at it. She popped in briefly looked in her ears, was in awe of her head and asked about the car. All was clear with the ear so I took the opportunity to ask, "Can we start solids?" She said of couse we could, to start with cereal and when she gets good at that - in a couple weeks - to move on to fruits and veggies. Although it was a brief encounter, I was happy to get a few of the answers I was seeking. We will have her actual 6-month appointment on Monday eventhough by then she'll be closer to 7 months.

SHHH! Don't tell ... but I might not have waited 'a few weeks' to start fruit. I gave her some applesauce this week to liven up the cereal. She liked it so much she wanted to feed herself! As Jeremy said, now I'm REALLY breaking 'the rules'.

Thursday: We went to Kids U to visit our friends there. Lovely visit. They were also so happy to see the change in the appearance of her head.

Snug as a bug in a rug.

Friday: We started the day with Early Intervention. Emma did much better with Tummy Time. I can tell she's strong enough to do the things she is supposed to do, but, for one reason or another, has no desire to perform her tricks. She resisted sitting again, but much less for her therapist than for me. (I've been a little ... ok, very ... lax with Tummy Time and trying to get her to sit this week while I've been home, but she does seem to sit unassisted if she is on my lap. I'm sure that's cheating, but it's a start. ) Later in the day on Friday, Grandma and Grandpa Leghorn came to see us. We had a nice visit and went out to dinner which is proving to be more difficult as Emma gets older. She was a good girl though and it was a nice meal.

Saturday: Jeremy took us to the airport. I fumbled my way through security with a diaper bag, car seat, and stroller, all of which have to go through the x-ray machine. Not that hard if you have help, but having to hold Emma while trying to put everything on the belt while taking off my shoes and jacket, as well as declaring our liquids ... well it's all just exhausting! Thank you to the lovely TSA agents at Boston-Logan for helping me!

At Grandma and Granpa's house, Emma gets a bath in a ducky tub! It's complete with a quacking beak!

So that brings us to Pittsburgh. Emma and I have spent most of our time at home since we don't have a car unless I drive mom to work, but it's been snowing all week, so being out in the snow isn't all that appealing. The two of us did go to the mall, though, followed by a visit to Grandma Jane's office to see her friends there. We've also seen a few other friends that haven't met Emma yet. Last night, Grandma, Grandpa, Emma and I went out to dinner. Aunt Jen and Uncle Andrew were at a play. They wanted me to go too, but let's just say that after a trial run of a Mommy-free bedtime the night before, Emma proved that she had other plans. Today, Grandma will babysit for a few hours while I get a much needed hair cut! Hopefully, she will be on her best behavior!

The trip has been a blessing. Everyone enjoys having Emma around. They have all commented about how much happier she seems since her last surgery. I feel bad that she was obviously in pain and discomfort for so long. She just was still such a happy baby most of the time, that it was hard to see. She one tough little chickadee! I'm thankful though that now she feels better and life is settling down.

Please forgive my lack of blogging. It's hard when I'm not at home. I don't have my computer here so I have to steal some time on someone else's which is hard to do. We'll be heading home tomorrow evening. Jeremy can't wait to see Emma. He said he's frightened to see how much she's changed in a week. I assured him that she hasn't changed much. She's still not rolling or sitting and she still doesn't have any teeth. (Although, I really wish they would show themselves! I'm getting tired of all the teething behavior with nothing to show for it!) Those are the big things right now, so I'm sure he'll be around to see them. I think that about wraps up our last 10 days or so. When we get back, it will be time to start looking for a new house, so I'm sure I'll have lots to report on that in the next few months. In the meantime, I have just one more thing to say .... HERE WE GO, STEELERS, HERE WE GO!!!!

Nurses and Doctors

Yesterday morning, I got up early so I could dry my hair and put make-up on for a change. I was so excited to get going because we had a trip planned to the NICU! I really couldn't believe how excited I was to go, but I've really been missing the people there and the support they provided us, lately. I was also looking forward to talk to someone other than a 6 month old.

When we arrived, I rang the bell on the intercom. The voice asked, 'May I help you?' I said that I had Emma Leghorn to see Cathy and Danette. I recognized the voice, but wasn't sure she'd recognize me. She obviously did though because the tone in her voice changed as she said she'd page them. While we waited, another woman who I've seen a million times, but never actually met, came over and said how big she was getting and how cute she was. I didn't think she actually knew who we were other than she recognized us as a past NICU family. I told her who we were waiting for and she peeked her head in the other door and said, "Emma Leghorn is here!" I couldn't believe she knew her name! At the same time, the woman from the intercom along with the other woman that works at the front desk, came rushing to the door with smiles on their faces hardly being able to contain the excitement of seeing their little 'Emma Bean'. They actually were the ones who gave her that nickname, at least to my knowledge. Shortly after, more and more friendly, smiling faces came rushing out to see us.

What a warm welcome! It was amazing. How could I have thought for a second that they would've forgotten about us! We got hugs upon hugs. I told everyone about her surgeries and how we think everything is fixed now. I told them what a good girl she is and how happy she is all the time. Cathy was the first to ask to hold her which I wasn't suprised by. She seemed so excited to get her hands on her. Emma smiled and seemed happy to see her. I sometimes wonder if she recognizes the nurses who took such good care of her. Emma was smiley and giggly as people took turns holding her. Everyone thought she looked wonderful - happy, interactive, expressive - and couldn't believe how much bigger she'd gotten.

I told them how much they all meant to us and that I still miss being there. Of course, they know that I don't miss all that Emma went through there, but that I miss my experiences with each of them. One of the nurse practitioners that I always liked talking to asked if I wouldn't mind be called upon as a parent-to-parent support contact. She said I probably know more about shunts than they do at this point and that I'd be perfect for the job. I said that I would love to be called upon to be support for someone. When you're going through it all, you just need a mom who has been through it to tell you what to expect and that it will be okay. I also told them about this blog and that I'd like to share it with them so that they can share it with a mom who is sitting by her baby's bassinet for hours on end while the baby sleeps not knowing how to feel in the situation. They were very excited about that and thought it would be wonderful. The doctor who was the attending when Emma was first admitted and worked through a lot of the meningitis with us thought that it would be very helpful. He also said that eventhough Emma looks so different now, she still looks just like Jeremy!

It was a WONDERFUL visit! I wish that I could do more at the NICU so that I could see them more often. They are truly an outstanding group of people.

Since we were in the area, I decided to stop in at my Obstetrician's office too. During my pregnancy, I connected with the nurses/receptionists in the office during my, at times weekly, ultrasounds and blood pressure checks. I also loved my OB and wanted to see her again. The waiting room was packed with pregnant bellies. It made me miss being pregnant. (I'm not in rush though! I'm happy to enjoy my little Emma for awhile.) The women in the office there also were so excited to see us, thought Emma was precious and couldn't believe she was already 6 months! Now that I think about it, it was a year ago yesterday that I went for one of my first prenatal appointments!

I'm so blessed to have found doctors, nurses and other people in the medical field to take such good care of Emma and I from the start. It's sad to think that they probably won't be there for the birth of our next baby. I told Jeremy shortly after Emma was born that if I got pregnant while we were in NH that I would still have the baby at Beth Israel with the same doctor overseeing my pregnancy. Emma and I were both saved by the doctors at Beth Israel! How could I not want them to be there for other babies. Jeremy looked at me like I was crazy. Well, maybe they can recommend a hospital a little closer that would take just as good care of us. I don't know if that's possible though.

Breakfast of Champions

We did it! This morning, Jeremy and I allowed Emma to have her first taste of real food! It was only rice cereal, which is what 'they' recommend starting with as it is easy to digest and doesn't usually cause allergic reactions. I think she actually liked it!

Why is this so momentous? Well not only is it her first taste of solids, but it marks a milestone for me as well. I was a bit worried about 'getting in trouble'. Something I have had a life long fear of. It's probably why in my entire life, I was only grounded once for about a half hour. I guess it was more of a time out now that I think about it. Anyway, if you recall a few months back, I posted about the walks that we were allowed to take around the hospital. I described an incident in which we took Emma outside although still on hospital property. I was nervous because I wasn't sure it was par of what we were allowed to do. Then Jeremy suggested taking her around the building to the other side of the hospital where there was a courtyard. Jeremy made fun of me saying that there wasn't some secret line that make an alarm ring if we crossed it. No there was a BRIGHT YELLOW line! Outlining hospital property! Anyway, it was a big deal and in the end, another attending physician took over and told us we weren't supposed to be leaving the NICU per hospital policy. Well, solids are my new 'yellow line'.

When I asked Dr. Sullivan a few months ago when Emma could start solids, she quickly said 6 months. So as 6 months approached, I began getting antsy. I don't know why I was so anxious to start since it is much messier than a bottle, but I just had this feeling that she would like solids and feeding would be much more successful. So in preparation, I bought some baby food for Emma's Christmas stocking and a can of rice cereal a few weeks later. I bought a cute little bowl to leave at my parents house, washed the baby spoons I had at home, made some butternut squash puree for the freezer and bought a big bib for eating. I was so eager to start, but felt like I needed to wait until her 6 month appointment to get permission from Dr. Sullivan. Eventhough, I felt she was ready - she gets excited about her medicine afterall - I didn't want to get in trouble. Enter the 'yellow line'. Logically, I knew I wouldn't get in trouble. Honestly, she is the one of the nicest, warmest and encouraging people I've met. What did I think was going to happen?? I didn't even have to tell Dr. Sullivan that I'd started it and it was just food! I really don't know what I thought, but I was sure she would tell me that her stomach was still too immature or that I should have waited for her to give me instructions. I know that I am her mother and can make the decision, but there is that inner goody-too-shoes telling me to wait. That little voice that says 'You're going to get in trouble!' I'm definitely starting to think that I have a problem.

So after ALMOST giving her cereal yesterday and then chickening out, I decided to be brave and do it today! It's cereal, not sushi! So I put on her new bib, washed one of her bowls, got out a spoon and mixed up the cereal. I put her in her Bumbo seat on the table (I know it's not where it's supposed to go, but I was right there.)and sat in front of her. The initial look on her face was of confusion. Most, if not all, of it came sliding back out and down her chin. I tried again. This time she seemed a little more curious, but that darn tongue got in the way pushing it out again. We continued trying, making a bigger mess until she finally figured out how to get a little of it to stay in her mouth long enough for her to swallow it. She would take the spoon into her mouth, bite down and suck the cereal off of it. Really quite cute. I kept going, not really knowing when to stop or if she was liking it when I realized she was eating it off of her bib in between bites.

Somehow she got some on her hand which she stuck in her mouth to suck the goop off of her little fingers.

I'm not sure how much of it actually ended up in her belly or even how much I tried to give her, but I decided to stop while we were ahead just in case it ended up not sitting well a little later. Overall, I think it was a success! I'm proud of Emma for doing so well. And I'm proud of my self for crossing 'the yellow line'. Will I cross that line again tomorrow? If I'm feeling brave. Will I admit my brave decision to Dr. Sullivan on Wednesday? Not sure, I'll have to see how it goes. (Hmmm ... I wonder if she reads this blog?!)

Half a Year!!

Showing how well she can stand - well, kind of.

Today Emma is 6 months old! Half a year! I can't believe it's been so long. The time has flown by eventhough there were many times when I thought it was moving at a snail's pace. Everyday I think she turns more into a little girl and becomes a little less of a baby. It's exciting to watch the change and I just keep looking forward to the things that lie ahead.

Emma LOVES her Daddy!

Emma is doing a few new things. She is a very talkative little girl! She make all sorts of sounds with her voice most of which make us laugh because the seem very un-baby-like. I only wish I could describe the sounds in a way that did them justice. Her favorite new thing is blowing raspberries. When we were home for Christmas, she was only able to produce the bubbles. As the days have gone by since then, she's learned to make the sound to go along with them and today actually got her tongue out while doing it. It's very cute, although makes her shirt and face very wet! She also likes to gasp at various pitches, as well as doing this high, raspy whine (with her tongue pushed against her gums) that is sometimes very loud and sometimes almost a whisper, but always very fake! She has definitely learned to manipulate us using her voice! We're on to her though!

Tummy time is still a struggle. She doesn't enjoy it at all. She will tolerate for a few moments if Jeremy and I lay on the ground with her or if I read to her and set the book in front of her. She was rolling tummy to back before her surgery, but hasn't done it since. I think the surgery made her a little weaker, so we'll have to keep working on it. Today, I put her in Tummy Time while she was on her changing table before getting dressed. She just sat there kicking her legs which reminded me of a teenage girl seeming all too bored with the whole process. I filmed it and included the video below!

We're working on sitting though it's not going well. She can't roll yet either so I guess it's not too much of a surprise. She does very well while sitting on my lap and can sit up well against the back of the couch, but holding herself in a tripod makes her mad and usually leads to a face plant (obviously, I catch her). Today we practiced with the Boppy pillow and she actually did quite well. I heard somone say once that she sat her daughter in front of her play gym to help her sit up. It was a new view of toys she loved. I decided to try it today with the Boppy for support and low and behold, she loved it! Well once she stopped trying to push her heels into the ground to make herself either stand up or lay down. I'm sure either would've been preferable to sitting in her opinion.

Here she is sitting up in her Boppy. Not too bad! Just don't take the Boppy away!

I've been trying to tell myself that she didn't need the extra month she's allowed for develoment because of her prematurity, but I think she does, at least for her gross motor skills. Oh well, she'll get there!

Finally, we took some pictures today for comparison and some of her playing with her 3-foot-tall Pooh bear! She was quite intrigued!

Here is the 4 month shot.

This is 6 months. What do you think?? Looks older for sure!

Here she is tackling Pooh and probably trying to stick his leg in her mouth.

Just hanging out in a diaper. Such a skinny little thing! Certainly doesn't take after me!

Trying to figure out just what this giant thing is.

I took this picture to show how much she has grown. This was one of the first outfits she wore, but it kind of still fits, so it's not quite the impact I hoped it would be. It's definitely a little short though.

Here it is at about 1 month.

The thing I love most about Emma at this age is the smiles she gives us when she sees us. She really knows us now and is genuinely happy to see us. Her smiles melt my heart!

Just Checking In

This is picture is unrelated to today's blog, but it's just so cute, I had to share! GO STEELERS!

Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting where I often am - the recliner with Emma asleep in my arms. Really, we do other things! Anyway, I was reading the Fall newsletter from the National Hydrocephalus Foundation. I decided to become a member, so one of their board members forwarded me their most recent newsletter. As I read a mother's story about her child's stay in the NICU, the phone rang. I looked at the caller ID, since only a few people we know call us on our home phone, and noticed that it said BIDMC (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center) which is the hospital where Emma was born. I couldn't imagine what they would be calling me for except maybe to tell us our insurance provider hadn't paid a bill - a frequent occurance in our house.

I reluctantly answered the phone and was surprise to hear, 'Erin? This is Cathy from the NICU.' I couldn't believe it! If you don't remember, Cathy was one of our favorite nurses. What a joy to hear her voice! She was calling to check on Emma! This is why we love her! We chatted a bit and I told her about Emma's latest shunt revision. She was sorry to hear about it, of course. We decided that Emma and I would stop in to say hi to our friends at the NICU next Tuesday as both she and our other favorite nurse, Danette, will be there. I know it sounds strange, but lately, I've really been missing the NICU. Why would I miss a place my baby lived for 58 days without me? Why would I miss a place where I received so many pieces of bad news? Why would I miss a place were Emma had to go through so many painful things? I don't miss most of what happened there, but I do miss the people. I miss the friendly faces of the nurses. I miss the Q & A sessions we had with the nurse practioners. I miss the gentle way the doctors gave us Emma's diagnosis and plan for treatmnent. I even miss the time we spent with Emma in a way because it was special and we couldn't be distracted by all the things that surround us at home. We didn't take one minute for granted while we were there. We didn't get frustrated by her crying or the fact that we couldn't get anything done of ourselves. We just loved her and wanted to soak every part of her in. Of course, I wanted her home more than anything, and if I had it do again, obviously my choice would have been for her to be healthy and come right home with us, but it didn't happen that way. The NICU is part of our story now. Jeremy and I did a lot of growing up there and we all became a family there. I don't think the three of us would have the same bond today if we hadn't spent that time in the NICU.

I've been thinking about them so much lately that I actually had the phone in my hand ready to call yesterday morning so I could ask when Cathy and Danette would be around. I didn't know if I should though. They always say they want visitors, but we've already gone to see them twice. I figured maybe they'd moved on. I wasn't sure if they would remember us by name. I should have known better! I should've known that they care about us just as we care about them. After all, Emma was not the typical NICU baby. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone and can't wait to see what they think of their little Emma Bean now that she is so big, smiley and chatty! (As I type, she is talking very loudly and grabbing her feet. I wish I knew what she was telling me!) Our NICU family will be amazed!





On another front, thank you for the prayers for Sayward and Spencer. They were released yesterday with a diagnosis of strep throat. They still aren't 100% sure about the swelling in her legs or if she actually did have HSP, but she is on the mend! Thank the Lord!

Returning the Favor

I don't understand, and will never understand, why some babies get sick. It's not for me to understand, I suppose. God has his plan. Just as we are starting to get on with life after Emma's illness and surgeries, another friend is sitting in a hospital room worrying about her little one. It just doesn't seem fair.

My good friend Sayward - you may have read some of her extremely supportive comments on my blog - has a 3 year old daughter, Spencer. Yesterday, she and her husband Matt took little Spencer to the ER after she complained of her legs hurting. They soon noticed that one leg was swollen and the other foot was also starting to swell. From what Sayward wrote last night, the doctors suspect something called HSP. I've read that it is very rare and occurs most often after a respitory infection and is somewhat of an allergic reaction to whatever is causing the infection. I believe it can have other causes too. I don't know that that is the official diagnosis, but that was the last I heard. Sayward said that they would at least be spending the night at the hospital. HSP has a wide range of outcomes from what I read about it, but for most it's a fairly easy recovery with no lasting effects.

Sayward has been so supportive and such of source of strength and encouragement for me while we have been going through our ordeal, sending us prayers constantly and even asking that her friends and people in her church pray for Emma. I don't know if I can reach as wide an audience as she was able to, but I have to try to return the favor. It really isn't a favor as much as an act of love and friendship for which I am very grateful. Please help me return the love by praying for Spencer, Sayward and Matt - for Spencer's health and Matt and Sayward's strength!

PS I know Sayward just posted a blog about it so please click on the link to 'The Elliott Family' on the right side of my blog. Sayward much better explains the illness.

What a Big Girl!

Getting the hang of her big, new toy

I am, as I often am, trapped in our recliner with Emma asleep in my arms. Although she had 2 (and a half) good naps today, at this time of day she often wants to be cuddled. She curls up in the crook of my arm. Her tummy against mine. One arm tucked under my arm. She looks so peaceful when she sleeps. I love looking at her beautiful eyelashes. They are amazing long and thick. Like her hair, they are light brown with beautiful golden hightlights. I've never seen any eyelashes more beautiful.

Since I'll be here for awhile, I thought it would be a good opportunity to write. My hope is to try to post more frequently in the new year. I know a lot of new things will be happening in these next few months and not only do I want to share them with everyone, I want to put them on paper ... or computer ... for Emma to have when she's older.

Still enjoying her newly found feet

Everytime I look at Emma, I'm amazed at how different she is. We, along with both sets of grandparents, got digital picture frames for Christmas this year. Jeremy and I spent time sifting through the hundreds of pictures we've taken of our little lovebug since she was born to add to our frames. Although I notice the changes she goes through from day to day, I didn't realize how all those changes have added up. She's like a different baby in a way.

Since her surgery, we've had changes in her leaps and bounds. I don't know if it's because she feels better or if it's just because her surgery coincided with her approaching 6 months. Maybe it's a little of both. Whatever the cause, the changes are wonderful and exciting.

My little french girl

It is now Saturday morning. I wrote the above portion of this blog on Thursday afternoon. Emma woke up and I had to stop writing. So much for that plan. Now I'm still in the recliner -no, I'm not ALWAYS sitting here - and Emma is asleep only this time she is asleep in Jeremy's arms. We tried to get her to sleep in her Pack N Play this morning, but Jeremy stepped on a squeak toy and it woke her up. Of course, she was then ready to play. A little bit later she fell asleep in Jeremy's arms again, but this time she woke up when we changed her poopy diaper. We debated a bit about whether to let her sleep, but since she's a child with kidney reflux, letting her sit for any length of time in a dirty diaper isn't the best idea if it can be helped. I tried once more to put her down for a nap in her crib this time thinking that the living room was too bright and exciting to allow for good sleep. After a lot of playing followed by fussing and then loud crying, I gave up and brought her downstairs knowing we'd missed the window for an unassited nap. So now Jeremy is the one trapped on the couch with a sleeping Emma in his arms.

Sleeping is something that we've been working on since she came home from the hospital. We go back and forth about the best way to handle her bedtime and her nighttime wakings. Since her surgery, though, she seems to have settled into a nice pattern. We, of course, are helping to solidify the pattern and make it a habit. Thursday night, we put her to bed at 7:30, an earlier bedtime than usual, and she slept until 5 am! I quickly fed her and she slept until almost 8. What a joy! Last night was not quite as good, but similar. We'd been out so her bedtime was a little later than I'd have liked it to be, but those things happen. She seems so much happier when she's well rested!

Loving her daddy, but amazed that Mommy is taking yet another picture

She seems happier overall since her surgery. She's always been relatively happy, but very emotional and, at times, very difficult. Now, she still has her difficult moments, but she's much brighter, happier and more laid back than she was before her shunt was fixed. I just wish that we could've had it resolved sooner! Hindsight though ...

Almost to tall for her little chair, but still not filling out the 'seat belt'.

Our little peanut is really growing. Still growing up rather than out, but growing none the less. We moved her up to fast flow nipple on her bottle which I've been thinking of doing for awhile now. She was obviously ready because she drank from it like a pro. No dribbling! If you know of Emma's early eating habits, you know that's a huge success! She has now started taking 6 or 7 ounces at every feeding! I think that has helped her sleep so long at night. She's still getting about the same amount overall, but it a shorter time period during the day. I also gave her a new binkie - one made for babies 6 months and up. I don't know that she really cares which one she has. She will still take both, but her other binkies are getting old anyway so they should probably be replaced. Next we're thinking of trying her out on a sippy cup. We're not giving juice just yet, but I know it's just around the corner so we'll see how she does with it.

She'll be starting solids soon so I gave her a baby spoon to play chew on a little, but Jeremy said she stuck it in too far and gagged herself so he took it away. No surprise there really. She gags herself with her fingers all the time! I am getting excited about feeding her real food. She seems incredibly bored with the bottle, but loves taking her sweet tasting medicine. She's been staring at me while I eat too, so I know she's interested in what's going on. Dr. Sullivan said she could start at 6 months which is a little less than a week away, but we don't see her until the 21st. I, being the goody-two-shoes, rule follower that I am, feel like we have to wait until then to get her approval! I know she's my daughter and I can make the decision, but since she was born we've had to ask the doctors' persmission to do most anything with her. I think it's become a mindset and a habit now, so I'm afraid if I don't wait for approval, I'm going to do something terribly wrong. I know it's doesn't sound logical, but those who know me best, won't find these feelings at all surprising! In preparation, for the day when she does get to eat her first bit of real food, I bought a can of rice cereal and roasted, pureed and froze some butternut squash!

I feel like my little tiny baby is becoming a little kid. I know she has a lot of her babyhood left, but she's just getting to be such a big girl! Although the following picture helps me remember how little she really is!

A little girl in a very big high chair