Oops

So, I guess I've been a bit neglectful?  Um yeah, so anyways, to pick up where we left off....Avery got tubes in her ears and is doing GREAT!  The hearing test at her follow-up was normal and her ears are doing much better.  We're having a lot of fun getting mobile.  No, she doesn't walk or crawl yet....she butt scooches.  She twists and turns her way across the floor.  She can get up to all fours and teases us like she's going to go, but NOPE!  Stubborn little thing! 
We took a little trip to Florida at the end of June to visit our friends Heith and Teresa.  We had a great time and got to bring Avery to Seaworld.  She loved hanging out in the pool.  I'd put her in her float and she'd just lay back and fall asleep....ahhhh vacation :)  We're looking forward to another trip in a few weeks up to the lakehouse in NH.  We can't wait to see friends and family, some who will be meeting Avery for the first time.  It'll be fun for all of us!
See, you didn't miss a whole lot :)  I'll update some pics later on!

ENT update

Avery saw the ENT last Monday...what a relief!!!  She's getting tubes this Tuesday!!!  I can hardly wait.  Don't you know she also has another double ear infection with rupture!  So, she's now taking the 5th antibiotic for these pesky infections.  The best part of the whole appointment was that the ENT believed me when I said she had allergies and told me what dose of Zyrtec to give her.  She's been getting it all week and on Saturday we spent the better part of the day outside and she did great!!!  No watery eyes or runny nose!!!!  I'm so relieved!  It's been a good week!

Another rough week

After getting the all clear from the Dr. on Friday, we had a great weekend!  Avery had her first ride on a swing and she loved it!  She also sprouted another tooth!  Then she started running a fever on Sunday and Monday she was pretty pitiful.  Back to the pediatrician to find she had a double ear infection, left eardrum ruptured...again.  She gave us Omnicef and a referral to the ENT.  It didn't stop there.  We started the antibiotics and since she had the rupture again, I used the left over antibiotic ear drops on that ear.  For 3 nights she was awake all night running a fever, at times close to 104!!!  It seemed things would get worse after her dose of antibiotic.  About an hour later she would start running fever, scream in pain, gassy, clench fists and shaking.  She also had no formed stools.  I decided to call the Dr. again Thursday to get her back in.  The Dr. was unsure if it was a reaction to the medicine, but I found it interesting that her left ear, the ruptured one, was good, but her right one was really red.  Obviously the Omnicef wasn't working, but the ear drops did!  So we stopped the Omnicef and put her on Z-pak and there was an immediate change.  It's Saturday now and despite a runny nose and cough, she's 100% back to normal.  I don't know if it was the change in antibiotic, or if the underlying virus is finally getting beat, I'm just glad she's so much better!

Weight Loss Update!!

Today's and exciting day for me!  I've lost a total of 14.5lbs!!!  This puts me at my first goal weight!!!  Keith and I have been doing VERY well with our new lifestyle.  I was just telling him the other day how I actually crave healthy things now.  We used to eat our steaks with Mac n cheese, now sweet potato and greens sound good!  Alfredo noodles, Pizza, Hungry Man, and Tuna helper used to be weekend staples.  Now, our week habits follow us into the weekend and our choices are healthy!  Keith has lost a bunch as well...I'll have to find out later how much, but he looks great too!  My next goal is only 5 lbs away.....my wedding weight.  Hopefully I'll get there before we head to the beach in June!

All Clear!

I took Avery back to the Dr. today for her follow-up and everything looked great!  Both ears look good and the one that had ruptured has healed completely!  We're so thankful for that!
Today was "The Royal Wedding".  (like I needed to tell you that right?)  I thought Avery would sleep right through because she had stayed up late last night, but apparently they talked about it at school, so she was excited.  Stayed up late last night and was up at 4:30am!  Now she's been sleeping all day.  She loved watching Catherine.  In fact she got really excited when she arrived at the church!
Did I mention she weighed 20 lbs at her appointment today?  Yeah, the kid that I thought was undereating!  I guess I should stop counting every feeding and just let her eat when she demands it now.

A Tooth!!!!

Well, as I mentioned in my last post, Avery was getting ready to cut a tooth, and...well it's finally come through!  This morning I did the routine check and sure enough something sharp is poking out of her bottom gum!  I pulled her baby book out so that I could remember to make note of it when I got home.  I'm so excited, but it's bittersweet at the same time.  My little baby is growing up so fast!  She's be 1 year old in a few months!  Time flies, but I'm enjoying every minute and each new discovery.  As soon as she cooperates, I'll get a picture up of her new pearly white!

FOOD!!!!

Avery's starting to check out the solid foods.  We've been experimenting with different foods and I'll have to get some stuff for her at the grocery this weekend, but in the meantime she's been trying toast and oranges at home.  She gets that it goes in her mouth, but doesn't always want to play that game, she is a little princess after all!

Did I mention we see a tooth????  FINALLY!!!!!  Looks like her bottom right tooth should be poking through any day now!  Only took 8 months!!!!

My First Easter!

He is Risen!  Since I'm writing this a little late, I hope everyone had a joyful Easter!  Keith, Avery and I enjoyed our Easter.  The Easter Bunny visited Avery a day early and brought her eggs, peeps and an Avery-sized Easter bunny.  On Sunday, we joined the congregation at Crestwood Christian Church for East celebration.  It was a wonderful service.  The people there were very welcoming and the church is beautiful.  We'll definitely give it another look.

Still Here.....

I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted.  So much has happened since then.  Avery got over her cold just fine, then I got it and got over it, then Keith got it and got over it.  It was a miserable three weeks, but I'm SO glad it's behind us! 
We had Avery baptized on April 17th.  The whole family traveled to my dad's church in TN for the big event.  We had a great time!  Avery got to meet her MA cousins for the first time and thought they were lots of fun.  She also got to meet her Aunt Melissa, who just kept commenting on how cute she was.  Avery wore a beautiful dress, made by Melissa's mom with the shawl from my wedding gown.  She did an amazing job.  She also wore a knit cape that was made by my grandmother, her great-grandmother.  Her Godparents were her Uncle Pete and Kwan and Aunts Melissa and Jenni.  My mom did an amazing job putting everything together.  I'm so lucky to have her here to help with big events like this!  Here are some pics from the blessed event.

On our last day in TN I noticed Avery was scratching her ear.  I asked my mom for some Q tips because I could see a bunch of gunk sitting in her ear.  It was awful.  We called the pediatrician and stopped to see him on the way back to Lexington.  Avery had ruptured her eardrum!  No one suspected she was in that much pain.  We all thought she was teething, but never cried or acted THAT out of the ordinary.  My tough little girl!

Ear Infections

I've always heard about the ominous ear infections of infants, but had never experienced one until this weekend.  On Sunday, Avery woke up unable to open her eyes.  It appeared they were glued shut with yellow, sticky eye boogers.  It had been getting worse through the weekend, the watery eyes, runny nose, low grade fever and cough.  I had chalked it up to her shots and allergies, but this was obviously more.  So we called the pediatrician, who luckily sees patients on Sundays by appointment only.  After speaking with the nurse, she agreed that Avery met the criteria to be seen.
I couldn't believe how busy they were.  We were finally seen, an hour and a half after our appointment time.  Sure enough, double ear infection.  Apparently the yellow eye boogers are overflow from her ear infection.....pretty gross when you really think about it.  I've read sinus can overflow through the tear ducts, but ears too?
Avery wasn't showing the telltale sign, tugging the ears.  Besides looking pitiful, lack of appetite and being really tired, she was still trying to smile and perform for us.  Keith stayed with her on Monday.  She slept all day so I was up with her all Monday night, thus home with her today.  She's really doing well!  She's been up most of the day and playing.  She woke from her afternoon nap screaming.  I put in the ear drops, gave her the pain reliever and neither worked.  I felt bad, but finally I put her in her crib and closed the door.  I didn't know what else to do!  After about 10 more minutes of screaming I went and got her.  While walking around I noticed she was eying her bottles.  So I held one up and she grabbed hold and started sucking on the cap.  She was hungry!  She just ate 2 hours ago, but her appetite is back!  Good sign!
So, it seems she's on the mend.  Overall, not too bad.  I think we all weathered it quite well. 

Here's my sick baby :(

Here she is today...just 2 days after the previous pics.  Thank God for Amoxicillin!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Today was Avery's 6 month check up.  She did great!  She's 27" long, 18lbs-9oz and her head is 44.5cm.  Everything ranks high percentiles, so we're happy it all matches. :)  Keith came along and I was worried her screaming with the shots would really bother him.  Luckily, she really didn't cry that hard or for very long.  She was over it by the time the nurse put on the last band aid!  We were all rewarded with a lollipop for doing so well.  Avery quickly spit out her paci for a taste of that dum-dum!
Her personality is really coming out these days.  She's a babbling fool.  I wake up in the morning and can hear her in her crib saying "Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba.", obviously talking to her stuffed animals.  I was trying to convince Keith that she was actually saying "ma-ma-ma-ma", but because her nose is blocked it sounds more like "ba-ba-ba-ba", you know what I mean right?  Yeah, he wasn't buying it either.  Oh well.
She's sitting up like a champ.  This morning she was sitting on the floor and totally face-planted onto the floor.  She looked up at me, not sure if she should cry.  Luckily I laughed and reassured her she was fine and she bought it and smiled and proceeded to eat the blanket.
Speaking of eating things, she's constantly putting EVERYTHING into her mouth.  She'll follow my hand around until she finally grabs hold and starts sucking on my palm.  Not my finger, not my knuckle....my palm.  We expect teeth to be sprouting anytime now, but we've been expecting them for the past 2 months!  I hope, for her sake and our sake that they just appear one day without too much fuss.  Then, finally, she can get back at that kid at daycare that bit her a few months ago!
We did find out some good news at the pediatrician today....Avery will be able to have cake for her birthday!!!  I was trying to figure out how we'd have a non-dairy birthday, but the pediatrician wants us to give her table food with milk/butter, cake and frosting included to help build her immunity.  Just no bottles/sippy cups of milk until she's properly introduced to it after a year.
That's about all of the excitement for now.  Here are some pics and another video of Avery being....well, funny.  Enjoy!

Don't mind her fraggle rock hair in the video, it was pulled up all day, and when I took out the bow, it stayed!

The Babbler

Let the babbling begin!  We started with the simple "ga-ga-ga-ga" and have quickly moved on from the"ha-ha-ha", "fa-fa-fa-fa", "pa-pa-pa-pa" to the "ba-ba-ba-ba".  I'm amazed how each morning she wakes up with something different to say.  Apparently she talked all day at school today.  Still trying to figure out exactly what it all means, so please enlighten us if you understand 6-month-old baby babble.  Today it's "ba-ba-ba-ba", but tomorrow, who knows, maybe I'll hear "ma-ma"?

Weight watching

So, the battle of the bulge has begun!  We're on our way to eating more healthy so that we can set a good example for Avery, and so that we can keep up with her as she gets older and mobile!  Now if we can just get rid of our mower so that we can get to our exercise equipment in the garage again......

Insurance

When Avery was 2 days old, we found out she had a cow's milk protein allergy.  This means she can't have anything with milk in it.  Chances are good she'll grow out of it, but as a result, we use Alimentum formula, one of the most expensive formulas on the shelf ($25 per can).  Since this formula is necessary due to a medical allergy, our previous insurance covered it at 100%!  The day after we found out the insurance would cover it, we found out the insurance would change at the beginning of the year, so we ordered as much formula as we could before the first of the year.
So here we are 2-1/2 months into the new year and still no answer as to whether the new insurance, Anthem, will cover it or not.  I call medical and they tell me to call pharmacy.  I call pharmacy and they tell me to call medical, who tells me to fax proof that Cigna covered it, then they tell me to call pharmacy.   Sound familiar?  SO ANNOYING!!!  I thought your medical plan was supposed to work for you, I mean these people are being paid to be representatives of this insurance company, but no one can give me a straight answer.  I've wasted my time and the pediatricians time to get nowhere.  So today I called them, yet again, but this time with a whole lot of pent up frustration and resentment.
Finally I got someone on the line, who understood my frustration.  I explained the entire situation for the umpteenth time and finally, she listened.  Then she read the entire manuscript of phone calls and notes regarding this issue, going back to the beginning of January. After a few phone calls back and forth and after she reviewed my information with her supervisor, it seems we have an answer...sort of.  The insurance will cover the formula if it is the main source of nutrition, which it is, but still has to be reviewed by someone after the pediatrician office calls to confirm that she has to have it.  Hopefully, we will know within the week.
So finally, 2-1/2 months later, God only knows how many phone calls later, we ALMOST have an answer.    At least I have a name, extension and reference number, more than I had before I called today!!!

Baby Smiles

They say smiles are contagious, but baby smiles are infectious.  I don't think I've stopped smiling since Avery blessed our lives.  I don't even have to see her smile and she makes me smile.  The simple thought of her makes me smile...the idea of her makes me smile.  Knowing that I get to go home and see my beautiful baby girl each night makes me smile.  Baby smiles are the best therapy for bad day!

First Hair Do

Those who know me, know that I am not a girlie girl.  A ponytail is about as fancy as I get with my hair, and if you're lucky I'll blow dry it before I put it up.  So Avery is just destine for some pretty crazy hairdos with me at the reigns.  So, here's attempt number one.  I have to say, she carries it off and makes it look cute :)

Mommy Instincts

Keith is always picking on me for replying to his baby questions with "They say....".  Finally he started asking me who "they" are.  I never really thought about it, but my answer was, "You know...the internet, my books, the playbook, friends, family, coworkers....'they'."  For all of the "theys" I have in my life, you would think I could get more definite answers to some of my questions.
For example, Avery came down with yet another runny nose, cough and watery eye.  So what could it be?  Since it had warmed up it might be allergies.  Since she's in daycare, it might be a cold.  Since she's that age, it might be teething.  Since she started solid foods, it might be the green beans.  Every "they" has an opinion, and you know what they say about opinions...
So, she started crying in her sleep lately.  Apparently it could be nightmares, or even worse, night terrors.  It might be teething, since she is at that age and all.  It could be a sleep disorder, some type of separation anxiety.
With all of the advice from "they" I've learned this....I have mommy instincts.  I know what to do when she's sick.  I know what to do when she's unhappy.  I know what to do when she's just not herself.  This is something I can't learn from books, the internet, my forums, friends, family or coworkers.  I know what my angel wants because I'm her mommy...."they" just back me up.

A Simple Introduction

So, here we are, we're parents.  That still seems surreal to say, "my daughter".  For those of you who don't know us, we waited many years, through losses and medical diagnoses for this moment in our life.  It was a long, and at times painful road, but we persisted and now have our little blessing, Avery, in our arms.


Our life, our story, the next chapter, began on August 31st, 2010.  Avery was born into this world at 8:09AM weighing in at 7lbs 7oz., a healthy baby girl.  Of course she was perfect in every way, but I'm her mother, so I guess I'm a little biased.

I'll spare you from all of the details occurring between August and now (February), but I will say it's been.....well, educational.  Like any new parents we've had our ups and downs, trying to figure out a schedule that works for everyone.  Parenting with a partner who calls raising a child "the child raising experiment" is an experience in itself.  Luckily there have been no major snafus.....yet.  We're just getting ready to enter a fun time, which is why I felt it would be the right time to start this blog.  It seems Avery's getting ready to sprout teeth and has a strong will to get movin'.  I have a feeling this will be getting interesting in the near future, so stay tuned!