Annual Ortho Update

Kapri had her annual appointment to see her Orthopedic doc yesterday... of course the day that Children's Hospital is like a mad house...some event was going on and OMG was it crazy. People, police, news broadcasters - everywhere! At least she got to sit on ol McDonald's lap while we patiently waited:

For some reason or another, for a tiny little checkup with x-rays...we were shuffled into FOUR different waiting rooms, until finally reaching the room where we saw the doc and she went over K's stats. The difference in the length in her legs is about 1cm....anything over 2cm is cause for worry.

So we have to take her in once a year just to keep track on the measurement of difference. Then when she's a teen and almost done growing...we'll see what the next step is. Either everything will be fine, or if the difference is 2cm or more, then they'd have to stunt the growth in the longer leg. Eh, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

I'm just happy to report that she's doing great!! Even with that crazy foot scare when she was still in utero and the whole hip dysplasia / harness annoyance....glad that all is just a distant memory!

Why I almost called 911...

Last Friday was a scary night. A night I hope will never happen again...

Kapri couldn't breath.

She was wheezing, gasping for air...choking...almost to the point of throwing up. HOLY CRAP.

I had just put her to bed 2 hours before this nightmare took place. She had gotten sick for the 2nd time in 2 weeks...so I'd hoped it would come & go as quick & painless as the last time. Boy was I wrong.

When I went to check on her after hearing her coughing, I soon realized that this was serious. I took her to the bathroom because it sounded like she may throw up...but as soon as I got her in there, it turned worse. Her body was SO hot and the wheezing grew louder and louder. So I threw her over my shoulder, patted her back... & yelled for her to breathe...

"breathe Kapri... BREATHEEEE!!"

I ran into her room with her in my arms, yelled for my sisters who thankfully were over (James was working late)... I set her on the floor and scrambled to get her nebulizer ready and pump this kid full of albuterol. My sisters came up, one with her phone ready to call 911 at any moment...they sat next to her & urged her to try & take a deep breath, slowly...one after the other...but she was still gasping - that frightening sound is engraved in my brain.

We now have 2 different attachments to the nebulizer... a hard plastic piece that you have to hold in the mouth and a mask that covers the nose & mouth, secured around the head with elastic...

Fortunately we just got the mask from her doc, which seems more effective - as it pumps the meds into her lungs a lot quicker. Unfortunately, those pieces do not work together... each piece screws onto a little chamber piece, where you pour in the albuterol. So the one for the mask was on there already (which I didn't realize right away)...but I had reached for the plastic mouth attachment...it wouldn't screw on.

I was beyond frantic by this point.

Hands were shaking. Eyes filled with tears. Body sweating. Heart racing. Trying desperately to stay calm & collected in front of Kapri as she continues to struggle getting air into her tight little lungs.

My mind is in a million different places. I can't figure this damn thing out. I know this...I can do this... but I'm so scared that I cannot think straight. I know we have an inhaler as well...but it's downstairs - and I can't say exactly where. So the last thing I want to do is leave Kapri and try to find it. Plus she hasn't gotten that down 100% yet....since you have to breath in at the exact same moment the air/meds pump out.

Finally I take a deep breath & somehow regain composure. I get the right pieces together, get it over her nose/mouth...but it won't turn on. GRRRR it's not plugged in. So I wiggle my arm around under her bed in search of the extension cord, plug it in, turn it on and hold her against my chest.

My mind goes to that part in the movie Signs, when they're in the basement and the son is having a gnarly asthma attack, and they don't have his meds...and Mel Gibson is holding him against his chest, telling the little boy to breath like him - in & out, in & out...oye. So exhausting and SCARY!!

My sisters let out a sigh of relief once we see that she's breathing somewhat normally again. I want to just cry - but this little girl of mine needs me to be strong. So I am. They leave shortly after, and it becomes quite clear that I cannot possibly sleep tonight, without knowing that she's breathing okay. The wheezing continues, and the cough doesn't sound good.

So my worried mamma heart erases the "we sleep in our own beds rule" and carries her into my bed for the night. She grabs her blankie, lambie and a book. I don't care at this point, I'll read her a thousand books tonight if it helps sooth her.

That night, James got home late and decided to sleep downstairs so we could *try* and sleep. Psh. Yeah right. Every toss, every turn, every shift, every breath - I checked on her. I swear I must've slept with one eye open the entire rest of the night.

Pure exhaustion all day Saturday.

Luckily James was home by her bedtime Sat. night...and I just HOPED that we wouldn't have a repeat of the night before.

Well - it wasn't a repeat...it was worse! We were up with her, taking turns, about every hour. We HAD to put her on the nebulizer about every 2 hours... she was coughing sooooo much... such a difficult time breathing. This has to be traumatic for a child. It is for us!

Anyway...long story...well, loooong. But I am just so sad that she has to deal with this. It breaks my heart when she looks up at me with those glassy, sad eyes and says "mamma, I don't like being sick!" Ugh. So I tell her to just keep telling herself to get better... so she gently pats her chest/tummy and says "get better body, get better body", haha...it's the cutest thing.

At least she's at the age now, where she fully understands the nebulizer & medicine it gives her. She sees that it helps her breathe. It's her lifeline. I honestly don't know how we'd get by without it!!! Which scares me to think how much we depend on it in times like this...only when she has a bad cold.

So I've been researching a lot... I already knew that children who get RSV as babies/young toddlers, have a greater chance of developing asthma, but this really sums it up:

"Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a virus that causes respiratory infections in adults and children. RSV can cause wheezing, particularly in children under 2 years of age, which can lead to hospitalization and even death in rare cases. This increase in airway sensitivity sometimes lingers long after the infection has been cleared. In a study that followed 1,300 children from birth, children with severe RSV infection were more likely to have asthma symptoms until 6 years of age. There seems to be a correlation between severity of infection, history of allergies in the child or parent, and the chance of having airway sensitivity that mimics asthma."

I also just read about "bronchoconstriction" - which appears to be exactly what happens to K:

"The bronchioles or tubes that air flows into and out of the lungs are surrounded by a type of muscle called smooth muscle. In asthmatics, these muscles often squeeze tighter in reaction to certain triggers and the inflammation associated with worsening asthma. As the bronchioles narrow, blocking airflow and making it harder to breathe, you may develop other symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath."

But then I just read about a 'preventative' type of drug called "Palivizumab" - which I may bring up to her pediatrician next time around, to see if that's a good/safe option or not.

Every moment that K is healthy & sleeps calmly/quietly through the night - I am beyond grateful & don't take any instance for granted. All we can do is HOPE that her lungs get stronger year after year... and that she doesn't have to worry about asthma for the rest of her life.

Kapri's 1st Dentist Visit

Kapri did amazingly well today at her very first dentist appointment! We took her to a place recommended to us by multiple friends - yay for referrals - called Discovery Children's Dentistry. Love this place. Total kid-friendly environment, lots of toys and friendly staff.

so excited to be at the dentist!

We had very little wait time, the appointment itself was quick & painless (yay!) and K did surprisingly well!! They have TV's up in the ceiling to look at while reclined, with little headphones so they can *try* to zone out to cartoons, while having their teeth looked at & cleaned. They also have sunglasses so the bright light won't bother them...but she wanted nothing to do with those!

I was worried she would kinda freak over the electric tooth polisher device, but she actually giggled because it tickled a bit. She sat patiently through the whole thing. I think she was also comforted by being told what each item was they needed to use & why.... she especially loved the water/suction tools!!



We're happy to report...NO cavities...yippee! However, we did discover that she is completely missing one full tooth!! It's her left (or right if looking at her teeth) "lateral incisor" - so there's a bit extra room/gaps for her top front teeth. Not a huge deal, hopefully once her baby teeth fall out, the adult 'incisor' will actually come in. It appears to be hereditary, as James was missing his as a toddler too...but now has a mini or 'peg' incisor on his left side as well. Too funny!

The dentist also noticed that there was or had been some pacifier use {cringe} - we told him that she only uses it for naps/overnight, but we're in the process of getting rid of it. I've been telling her for months that we'll have to send her paci to a baby who really needs it, by tying it to a balloon & sending it off into the sky. I also told her last night before bed that the dentist would probably tell her "no more paci" - and he did...mamma's know best!! So tonight we'll head to Party City so she can pick out her perfect balloon (or 2) and have a paci send off party in our yard! She knows how much I dislike that thing. I've been meaning to do this since mid-November...when I first mentioned it in THIS post in August. Geeeez we lag.

Anyway...she was super excited to get a goodie bag at the end for doing so well - she got to choose her own new toothbrush & toothpaste (Dora), sticker (Princess Tiana) and temp. tattoo (Sponge Bob) - then with the special coin she got, she was able to choose from a bunch of little toy dispensers...she got a bouncy ball.

I'm a fan of this place and more importantly, so is Kapri...we'll be going back for as long as they are under my insurance umbrella!

Nebulizing the day away...

From my Thanksgiving re-cap post... I had mentioned K's cold/turned breathing issues - ugh. After her standard head cold took a turn for the worse...as in, coughing so hard, for so long...to the point of choking...near throwing up (actually did once, just 15 min. before her scheduled doc appt!)...and GASPing to breath normally for air.

We sat in the room for about 2 hours, while K snuggled patiently in my lap - with an oxygen mask on her face, hooked up to a nebulizer - pumping medicated air into her lungs. Thank god for my iPhone, kid apps, and YouTube to watch clips of Disney movies.

the mask kinda smooshed her face a bit, poor thing!

After 2 rounds of the nebulizer treatment - we were outta there with a prescription for a little infection and a scheduled follow up appt for Wed., the day before Thanksgiving. At the f/u appt, I was told that children who develop RSV early in life, have a 30% chance of developing asthma. Great. I freaked inside a bit...but then I realized that was just a small chance. So I'm trying not to think about that. But still, every time she gets a cold, her lungs get really wheezy and her cough typically gets really bad. No fun.

The doc also ordered our very own in-home nebulizer, so we don't have to keep coming into her office (and YAY no $25 co-pay each time!). Luckily we have that - because as I write today...just a few short weeks after that appt... our poor little bug is sick.

Again.

We've used the 'nebbie' like, 3 times already since 4am this morning - and it really seems to help when she's in the middle of a really gnarly coughing attack. She knows the drill now and tolerates the whole 'nebulizing' process...so that makes it easier. She also gets some cool ice cream for her raw throat...in mamma/dadda's bed...watching movies all day - SCORE kid!

I'm just hoping she'll be better by Christmas - luckily it's a full week away from today - so I'm sure she'll be good! Last year she was totally sick ON Christmas day and that sucked. However I'm now getting sick again too. Damn this never-ending ickyness!

Family photos & a vist with Santa

Another full day for the Mejia fam. I took the day off so we could fit everything in.

First up was her yearly follow up appointment with Dr. Pring down at Children's Hospital. We saw her during K's hip dysplasia treatments. After our dreadful 1 1/2 hr wait, we found that her hips/legs are doing really good...we just have to keep getting X-rays once a year to see how the length difference in each leg gets. Eventually when she's a teen, we'll probably have to stunt the growth in the longer leg so they match up better. No worries, yay!

While K & hubs took a little nap, I stayed busy finishing a few orders (pics to come)...then quickly spruced myself up for our family photo session at Picture People in the mall. This was the same place that we had K's 2yr old bday pics taken, of course the same day she got sick. I had bought another Living Social deal that was too good to pass up. $10 for a session/package - normally about $60!

We got an awesome photographer, better than last time - who was SO amazing with Kapri. She did everything in her power to get K to laugh & smile - and thank goodness the hard work paid off. Speaking of, I should really find out her name & give her a good review!

We had SO many great pics to choose from - wish we could've gotten more. But man those can get pricey!

K's smile is the result of just being tickled by the photog - love it!

So here's a card they made us as a "thank you", which I just cropped out their company name & put ours instead, HA. Technically - I could've just used this as our holiday card to send out. But I didn't.

Here's a montage of a few of K's best shots:

And finally here's the pic we choose for our holiday card this year, which I found for free HERE, the same place that I got our design for last year's postcard. I had a great friend/colleague/Photoshop extraordinaire help me with these, along with creating the back of our 'postcard' style greeting as well.

obviously not exactly what they look like, just merged the front/back together and hid my address! Love the little 'stickers' from Picnik.com!

Next up was Santa, who just happened to be set up right outside the Picture People store in the center of the mall - yay! Kapri was actually excited...amazing. She wasn't just a few days before at our local holiday parade...so this was a pleasant surprise! Her smile is pretty forced...but it came after the photog said "show me your pretty princess smile" - LOL...and this is what we got:

She got to tell him her name, how old she was and what she wanted for Christmas (a Buzz Lightyear doll) - then after the pic, he gave her a candycane that she was just beyond excited about. K was SOOOO much better - no whining, no fussing...suuuper duper patient. I couldn't believe it. Quite the difference from my bday dinners...sheesh! I was a proud & happy mamma that's for sure ;-)

Kapri's 2 year doc checkup

Yesterday I took Kapri in for her 2 year checkup - she's doin great, with the exception of her being sick, yet again...

Height = 2' 11.5" -- which is in the 88.99 percentile

Weight = 28 lb 12 oz  -- which is in the 75.55 percentile

She got one little Hep A shot - and didn't cry once, such a big girl now!! She is dang tall for her age, everyone I cross paths with always asks her age, and they are always shocked when I say she 'just turned 2', because she's just so tall! I also mentioned to her doc that I was concerned about the difference in her leg lengths (from the knee down)...just in the future, I don't it to have an impact on K's quality of life or be in pain or anything. So she checked her out, but told me I should make a follow up appt with the orthopedic surgeon, since it's been a year since her last check up/xrays there. So, I need to do that...actually, gotta put that in my calendar as a 'to-do'...oh, that and finding a good pediatric dentist for her! Anyway, most people can't even tell there's a difference, but I can. I'm her mamma...I notice every little thing. But she doesn't know any different, she runs/walks/dances just fine...so at the moment, I'm not stressin. It'd also be good to get recent xrays of her to see how the hip dysplasia is...or isn't preferably.

Yet another hospital trip...

Phew...what a crazy couple days & sleepless couple nights James, Kapri & I have had to endure. More so what Kapri had to endure, since she was the little sickey...but James & I both suffered while we watched nearly helplessly as she suffered beside us.

**Be warned...long post...

18-Months & growing

K just had her 18-month checkup and doc said she's doing GREAT! I actually like filing out the paperwork in the waiting room these days, is that weird? It's like a checklist of 'milestone' type things your kid can or cannot do, or specific behaviors they demonstrate in a given situation. I know it's MY kid, so yeah, I'm biased...but she's so smart, it just blows me away sometimes. It makes me proud & I couldn't ask for more, that's for sure. There's not a day that goes by that I don't wonder, "how'd we get so lucky?!"

Her vocabulary is blossoming, and her ability to 'mimic' almost everything we say these days is kinda making me nervous. I really have to start watching what I say, and how I say things - especially things I'd prefer her not to copy. She's so full of life & curiosity & makes us laugh all the time. She's so good about holding my hand if I allow her to walk through a store if I don't immediately put her in the cart...or if we cross the street, I'll set her down & she'll reach up to me & say "mamma"...."hann" (hand). She knows that Mika isn't allowed on the couch, so if she puts her two front paws up on it, Kapri will say "dow" (down)...just like we do, haha!

She's also not throwing quite as many tantrums compared to a few months ago - I think that's mainly because she can somehow or in someway tell us what it is she needs or is upset about. She uses a mixture of words, signing, or simply showing us. And lately she's been doing really great with people's names, including her own.

She's now 2' 9" tall (82.95%) and 28 lbs (89.58%)...she got her flu shot, and for the first time ever, didn't cry. Seriously, she is my little rock star!

15 months & 15 things

Yesterday I took Kapri in for her 15-month check up - cannot believe how much she's changed & grown up in just a matter of 3 months, since the last time she went in. She's finally, for the very first time in her life...in the 80th percentile range for both weight & height - she's alwasy been in the upper 90th (once OFF the charts around her 6th month I believe) ! Here are the official stats:

Weight = 26 lbs (87%)

Height = 32.75" (83%)

And pics of course... 

hangin in the waiting room

such a lil poser

The doc asked me about how many words Kapri can say...I couldn't tell her off the top of my head (and I was planning on making a list of those words prior to the appt, but I forgot...bad mommy). So she said if it was more than I could count, then we're okay. So I said "yeah, I think she's on track". The doc looked up at me & said "well at this age 'on-track is 3 words...so yeah, she's great!"...Um, YAY, haha. Then she proceeded to tell me that it's kids like Kapri, that makes her want another...awwwww, isn't that so sweet?!! Even if she's lying to me, it's still so nice to hear.

So here's a list of 15 things about my lil 'bug' nowadays...I've been calling her that lately...IDK why...short for LoveBug I guess.

1. I just counted...she can say about 22 words, from what I can think of - such a smart muffin.
2. She now has 10 pearly whites: 2 front top teeth (and 2 more top ones breaking thru), 4 front bottom teeth and 2 (what appear to be) her first molars...OUCHie 
3. Her belly button fascinates her like crazy...it's hiliarious the way she lifts up her shirt & tries to move her belly rolls to find it!
4. She has attitude like her mamma...and already tests me - yikes, I'm in for it!
5. She likes to RUN from mamma as well - still haven't lost those last 5lbs I was hoping for.
6. She wants like, 5 books read to her each night - probably more if we allowed it. I think I should cap it at 2, sheesh
7. She's finally done with bottles, I swear, the drying rack is in the trash...omg...my life is complete.
8. She's in size 5 diapers...when do people typically start potty training?? hahaha, yeah right, that won't happen anytime soon.
9. She's just about in size 6 shoes...that reminds me, I need to get her more...oye vay. Guess I need to make another trip back to La Costa Kids...where I found these & these!!
10. Stacking blocks is her FAV right now - I'm not even kidding. Pretty sure she'll sit there for an hour & just STACK!
11. She sleeps about 12 hours at night, with one 1.5-2 hr nap during the day.
12. She LOOOOOVES blueberries - pretty sure she's gonna turn blue like that girl from Willy Wonka.
13. She loves to twirl around & stomp her feet really fast when we tell her "dance dance dance" over & over...to damn cute.
14. Her sweet kisses are the best and she's so willing to give them to people (& kids!)
15. She has to sleep with her soft pink blankie & super soft/silky white lamb - I hope I can save those for years to come.

"You can throw it away"

These were the famous last words of good ol Dr. Pring today at Kapri's latest Ortho appt.
DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY DOC??!!
Yes sir-y, the day has finally come that we can officially toss out this stupid hip brace that Kapri hates to wear. She said "you're done, she's done...you can throw the brace away". What James & I really wanted to do was run it over with our car a few times, toss it in the garbage can & light the thing on fire - but I'll try to have some restraint.
In my last ortho post back in February - I mentioned that her hips hadn't really improved. But today's x-rays showed that her hips are now at 26 and 28 degrees (remember 25 degrees is considered normal & what we were all aiming for). But the doc said where she's at was just fine and that we only need to come back once per year for follow up appointments.
So long doc...until we meet again!! hehehehe...This process took 8 whole months...the hardest of course was the 1 week (well, really the first DAY) - but we got through it. If by 5 years old the dysplasia gets any worse by then, we may have to look into a little minor surgery to correct it. But we'll cross that path when we get there. Phew.
We also have to wait around til she's a teen to see how the growth is on her right leg progresses. If there's a significant difference in shortness, then we can talk about stunting the growth in her left leg to make sure they even out a little more. Fingers crossed people.

12-Month Checkup

K & I got to go see her awesome ped, Dr. Mendenhall today for her 12-month checkup. Sheesh, I remember the 1st day we brought Kapri in to see her, literally 2 days after she was born. I remember every needle the nurses had to put in her thigh for her immunization shots, I remember fighting back tears while she pierced her tiny 4-month old ears, I remember nursing in the room while we waited. I will always remember.

Her stats still show she’s a big girl…so that’s good…she’s gotta keep up with that “chunk chunk” nickname!! Haha

Weight = 24.12 lbs (90%)

Height = 31.6" (97%)

Later today we went to Niki's and Kapri got her first lil hair"trim"...so wish I had a pic of that event...but the only other person in the room was baby Peirce...doubt he would've gotten the right angle, HA. But she chilled out on my lap & watched Yo Gabba Gabba (ugh, painful for me...such joy for her)...She did great & her hair is FAB! Also, just a few days before, Auntie Manda came over to give K a lil pink pedi...a girl's gotta primp & prep for her own party right?!! DUH!

Kapri’s 9-mo (almost 10 though) checkup

Well little K is doin great…she’s back on the charts this time (the last few she was clear OFF the charts…my lil chunk chunk). Anywho, she’s 23.7 lbs and 29” long – both in the 95th percentile. She got 2 shots in her chunk thighs and heel prick…to which she barely cried which was a total surprise. Maybe she’s just getting used to needles?? Haha…doubt that.

I cannot believe her next checkup will be her 12-month…insane. Time is so precious.

OH, also on this evening, just after James got home from work, I was feeding Kapri in her Bumbo seat instead of her highchair…just a snack of some cantaloupe. Then all of a sudden, as she anxiously grabbed a piece off my hand & shoved her hold fist in her mouth to ensure the piece made it in there…she looked up at me & SIGNED her very first word: “MORE”. My thoughts… “O. M. G., did that just happen…babe did you see that??!!” I kept asking her if she wanted more, she signed it, I gave her another piece & we all clapped & said YAYYY. It was such an awesome moment that I’m so glad both mama & dada could enjoy for the first time.

Although she hasn’t done it since, I know she’s getting it little by little. I think we need to be a bit more consistent with the signing thing though…and try out new signs. All in time, which again…is precious. :-)

Update with Kapri's H.D.

Today we had Kapri’s follow up appointment with Dr. Pring down at Children’s Hospital. They took a few more x-rays of her hips to check how much progress the Pavlik Harness has helped. We’ve been having her in it anywhere from 18-22 hrs a day, so James & I were very optimistic that we’d hear good news & see positive results.

The severity of ‘dysplasia’ is measured by a numbered ‘degree’. Anything ABOVE 25 is not good, hence the need for the harness. 2 months ago, her numbers were 32 & 36. Today, her numbers have thankfully Decreased down to 27 (down by 5) & 32 (down by 4)!!! So the doc told us that we could use the harness a little less if we wanted, like only 18hrs a day, but then reiterated that the more often we have her in it, the sooner she’ll be out of it altogether. Needless to say we’d rather just keep her in it as OFTEN as possible. If we’re just sitting around the house, it should be on…period. If we’re out & about or Kapri is being watched by someone at another house, we can take it off here & there.

Our main goal & hope is for her to be “harness-free” by April/May 2010…before her 1st birthday. What a gift that would be…I’d literally burn that thing I hate it so much, haha. But I know it’s doing her good (and it helps actually SEEING the improvement)…so only time will tell…fingers crossed folks!! For now, i think she's not doin too bad in it!

Doctor’s Diagnosis…

Well, another interesting development at our last appointment down at Children’s. We went to get follow up x-rays of Kapri’s leg, to make sure everything is growing okay (which fortunately it is)…but they found out that she has Hip Dysplasia. James & I were shocked to find this out, and of course were upset …but knew we had to do whatever it took to correct the problem. 

So basically the socket for the hip "ball" isn't formed/curved correctly... So over time, (with walking & standing) it'll eventually wear down and really mess up her hips...but luckily they found it early on in her life so she won’t even remember it. I guess this is pretty common (1 in 1,000 births), and is more so with firstborns & girls. I’ve read that the causes are still not known for sure – but they think that heredity, swaddling (crazy!), born breach, or with foot deformities…may contribute. Typically a baby’s pediatrician will discover this by moving around their legs, inspecting their hips & listening for clicking or clunking noises…but in Kapri’s case it wasn’t found until the x-ray because she has a milder case of dysplasia….phew!

So she has to wear this horribly uncomfortable looking thing that makes her look like a little froggy…called a "Pavlik Harness" for 18-22hrs a day, for 3-6 months (worst case up to a year, ahhhhh)!!!! 

It’s been around & in use for about 50 years & has a 90% effectiveness rate. Anyway, they had to put it on during the appointment and she made it pretty clear that she absolutely hated it. Hearing her screams & watching the tears run down her chubby little face totally made me cry, all while the assistant was trying to show us how to put it on correctly & take it apart…such a nightmare…but we’re all adapting pretty quickly to it, one day at a time.

Keep your fingers crossed that her hips get better soon so she doesn't have to wear it for long.

:'-(

4 month checkup, shots…and piercing??

You read correctly…I said “piercing”!!! We took the plunge and finally got Kapri’s ears pierced. James had to work, so he couldn’t make it to this appointment, so I brought my mom & KayLee…who videotaped the event – however I won’t be posting the video because I haven’t watched it yet, and probably won’t for awhile. It was soooo sad & made me cry right along with her…it’s understandably very painful to watch & hear your baby in pain, but at least she won’t remember the day mommy made her go through this.

She is adorable regardless, but check out this major earring bling she’s rockin now! They’re iridescent 18Kt White Gold studs.

Oh, she’s still at the top of the charts…in the upper-90th percentile for both length and weight (lil chunker)…at 19 weeks she is now 18.9 lbs & 26.5” long…no wonder my back & arms hurt all the time! But I can’t complain, I have to remember to enjoy holding her, no matter how sore/tired my arms are, because one day she’ll be too big & I won’t be able to.

2 memorable months and counting....

Happy 2-Month Birthday Kapri!!!

We love you soooo much! Our love bug is getting soooooo big and strong, everyday we spend with her is just amazing! She had her 2-month checkup and shots last Friday...she screamed as expected, but quickly calmed down in mommy's arms. She's now weighing in at 14.8 lbs and is 24" long - so, she's pretty much off the charts, haha! I love to eat, so naturally she does too ;-)

 This weekend I attended Kristen's baby shower (Leah's was last weekend...and I know at least 8 other lovely woman who are busy cookin buns in their ovens as well). Upon being handed a cute little journal keepsake for the Prilaman fam, I had to reflect back over the past 2 months & figure out what words of wisdom I could pass along to the couple anxiously awaiting the arrival of baby Audrey. It took me some time to gather my thoughts and write it all out...but ended up with a nice size page of what I hope will be useful to them! I can't remember word for word...but here's a little snippet of what I can...and then some.  

Newborn Moments to Deeply Cherish:

1. The way they look when they sleep so peacefully cradled in your arms...it won't last forever!

2. Even better...the way they look sleeping in their daddy's arms or on his chest...knowing that he'll always be there to protect her.

3. Their little fingers and toes...and the way they tightly grip their whole tiny hand around one of your fingers.

4. The way they innocently gaze up at you when your nursing/feeding them.

5. The way they give you a big toothless smile when you come into their sight...especially when you see a smile for the very first time.

6. Their yummy, clean smell after a bath.

7. The way their tiny ears feel...so soft and thin.

8. All those chubby arm, leg and neck rolls!!

9. The way they try to talk with their cute "ahh's" and "coo's".

10. The way they yawn & how their eyes glaze over when their sleepy.

11. The way their breath smells of sweet mama's milk!

12. All the funny faces & expressions they make WHILE sleeping!

13. The way they kick & splash the water in the bath.

14. The way they nuzzle their heads into your neck or chest while you hold them close.

15. The way you feel when you look at them and are reminded that you & your husband MADE this teeny, tiny little wonder...and that she's YOUR precious baby.

Happy 1-month Birthday love bug!!

Wow, we really cannot believe a WHOLE month has gone by since Kapri was born...it flew. I was thinking to myself yesterday "how the heck am I still functioning after a whole month of barely any sleep???" But somehow, you do...one day at a time. Yesterday we took her to the pediatrician for her 1-month checkup and the Hep. B shot...poor thing, she screamed her little head off! Thank goodness we thought ahead and brought a bottle to soothe her afterward, haha!

She's a terrific eater though...we call her Chunk Chunk...she's already up to 11lbs 4oz (which is the 97th percentile for her age) holy cow!
  This month has been quite the adventure with a lot of 'firsts'. She has a lot more awake time during the day than before, lifts her head up so good so she can look around, she eats a ton (obviously with that weight!) and gives dad tons of cute little smiles which he loves!

Dad has also given her the first couple of bottles...she knows the difference between those & mama...but takes it nonetheless since there is yummy milk streaming out if it! Shortly after her little dried up umbilical cord fell off (which I couldn't find right away...finally found it on the floor after I thought it was a spider!!), she got her first bath and she seemed to love it. No tears luckily, just a lot of yawns...so we know it makes her nice & sleepy! So now we're giving her baths every other day. I think it helps her sleep better and of course I love her clean smelling body & hair after too!

I also mustered up the courage and finally trimmed her paper-thin nails for the first time...it couldn't wait any longer because she was slicing up her adorable face!! Also, the doc said it's more beneficial for babies to have their hands free (out of the little mittens) - I guess it's good for their developmental skills. Wow, speaking of them...I'm looking at them now & looks like they could use another trim...sheesh!

We also did her hand & foot prints in cute frames, it'll be so amazing to look back at those and compare them when she's a year old! And now we're finally getting out of the teeny tiny 'newborn' size onesies... looking forward to all those cute little outfits we have waiting for her to fit into. I also bravely took my first trip outside the house to Target...with just me & Kapri...I survived!! Luckily she just slept the entire time, haha!

Lastly, today will be our first outing for James & I without baby Kapri. I'm a little nervous, but I know she'll be in good hands with Grandma Mary! We'll only be gone 3 hrs or so, but I know we'll miss her a TON!! Plus, I don't think my milk supply will allow me to be gone any longer than that...otherwise I may end up with lovely wet, pancake-sized circles on my shirt...wow, that'd be embarrassing, especially since I'm wearing a white shirt (not by choice, it's required 'white' attire, lucky me!) and will be seeing a lot of people! Maybe I'll put a few extra nursing pads in my purse, just in case!!