Annmarie

Annmarie
1 month old

Monday, May 30, 2011

Happy Memorial Day

Memorial Day is usually a somber day for me. I try to avoid thinking about the type of job I have, and all that die trying to do it. However, today I make a point to not hide from the truth and I reflect on all those lost. Today is a little different. Instead of just thinking about my sisters and brothers that are no longer her, I also concentrated on remembering why I do what I do. Which in turn made me hug the girl. I am so lucky to have her in my life. She makes it worth it.
She is quite mobile now -which is quite scary. In the pic to the right, she was busted trying to get something she obviously wasn't sure if she was supposed to have. Too funny. And yes, that is slobber all down the front of her very stylish dress. (I believe we have Great Aunt Lisa to thank for that one.)
Last night was really rough. The girl picked up a runny nose from the sitter's house. Babies have trouble breathing through their noses. Every twenty minutes she was up either sneezing, choking or gagging on snot. We had to use the aspirator several times. Anyone that has had to use one of them in the middle of the night knows exactly why my kid now wears a patch. Just kidding, but I did come pretty close to getting her in the eye. She truly hates the snot sucker. After a long night of Vic's vapor rub, the steam machine and midget wrestling matches, I admitted defeat. Today, we went to find an upgrade for the snot sucker. Momma isn't broke, and there's no reason to have to hold a girl down for anything unnecessary. I call it unnecessary because there are electric and/or battery powered aspirators (snot suckers).  So, after a night of pure hell, we went to get one. And, the girl thinks it is a cool toy. As opposed to screaming at the sight of the manual one.
The girl went to bed at 8 pm tonight and has already been up twice. I hope and pray she isn't up again all night. We are so close to a decent routine, I would hate to have to start from scratch. Speaking of routines, it seems I have entered the friend changing era. I am finding that every day I have less and less in common with my single friends. It's not that they aren't good people, they just don't 'get it'. I can't just go and do things like I used to. Today, I received my first pity invitation. You know the kind, the last minute, "I know you won't be able to go but I am going to ask anyway because I feel guilty about not calling you all freakin' weekend" type of invite.  It's OK, I got over it by spending a couple hundred at the mall...all in baby gear/stuff/clothes/accessories...i.e. fun stuff -lots a' beach stuff and some more bath toys! I really like being a Mommy. I am going to have a heck of a time deploying again.
I found a cool Mommy n' Me class I may start as soon as I finish my RCIA classes. Sunday's at 1pm, not far from here, and not that expensive.
While the girl hasn't quite gotten the word "mama" down pat, she does make the 'm' sound. Which is so much better than the other word she could be learning..."no". And, yes, that word is in section 2 of phonics. I guess she has to learn it eventually. I am still tooling around with calling her Annie. It's shorter and easier for her to say. But, she recognizes her name already and I don't want to confuse her. Something tells me that she will tell me what she wants to be called.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Happy Five Month Birthday!

There are two feelings today. First, I can't believe it's been 5 months. Second, I can't believe you're only 5 months old. I really don't remember how life was before you. Maybe its sleep deprivation, maybe I am just hopelessly in love with you.
Today...it's a holiday so I haven't decided what to do today. Maybe dinner with Lori, maybe just shopping. It's pretty nice to just play it by ear.  It's a little chilly, so the beach is out of the question.

Well now, as you can tell we decided to go shopping! And I almost bought these two numbers. I swear if I thought I could find somewhere to take her in these outfits, I would have bought them -even if they are two sizes too big! The temperature started falling, so we had to cut the trip short. Then we got stuck in traffic from an event at the stadium. I now remember why I take the back way whenever there's an event.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

The Girl's Charts

I am still catching up on things, so I figured I would share Annmarie's charts -they are kind of interesting.  Hopefully, Nana and Janyl arrived safely in Haiti.

The Capricorn child's maturity is always surprising. As an infant, she shows definite preferences and is quite willful, but she is not very noisy about expressing it . She is decisive, and when she wants something she will never hesitate. It seems as if she had everything planned ahead in her tiny mind. She is so stubborn that she will definitely get what she wants. She is patient and knows when the right moment is at hand. Also, she is well-organized and adaptable to routine. She will have a special place for her toys, and if her mother changes that place she will be very disturbed. As she has a fixed timetable where meals are concerned, feeding her will not be a problem. She loves her place, and she will be there all the time; she will probably not be interested in having friends outside her home. She will only have a few friends or maybe only one, with whom she will share her secrets. Parents must not get confused, even though she seems to be an adult while still a child. Her heart is very noble and sensitive, and she needs a lot of affection. Otherwise, as an adult, she could be cold and reserved. Deep inside, she is sweet and romantic; she just has to learn how to express those feelings. She is very clever and independent, and she has a sense of authority.

She usually does not have problems at school. She will always have her homework done on time; her mind works like a computer, and will allow her to study and learn quickly. Her concentration is amazing and she will have very good marks. She is a bit shy and she should not be forced to talk or do other things when many people are around. Sometimes she seems slower than other children, and not comfortable around people, but she will end up being a leader. The little child of Capricorn loves to play "Grown-up" with her pets and toys, and she will take it seriously. She also likes to play teacher, doctor, vice-president or member of a board of a big corporation. She has a systematic mind, and she will easily learn everything relating to the sciences. She is usually wondering and looking for logical answers. A chemistry set, chess, math games, microscope, etc. could be very helpful in developing her mental capacity. She is very attracted to the world of adults, and sometimes tries to imitate her parents in the way they dress, or even using her parents' clothes. Once she learns how to dress, she will never ask for help again. She wants to do everything on her own. In adolescence, she usually shows independence through her stubbornness. She could become bossy to her weaker friends or siblings (if she has not done it yet!). Her way of complaining is through indifference, coldness or being depressed.

Childhood is the time for her parents to give her all the support she needs to help her learn to make up her mind. Remember that she usually does what she wants to; but if she receives the affection and love she needs, she will be a winner. She is very attached to her home, and if she feels that her family is close to her, she will never leave it, and as an adult she will always be concerned about the needs of all the members of her family. She will act as parent with her own parents if she has to.

Annmarie was born with a nice and harmonious body. She might have dimples on her cheeks and a beautiful smile on her lips. She will be quiet, soft and calm. She will not move fast and will prefer comfort to complication. If her Sun (as shown above) is located in Gemini, Sagittarius or Pisces, she will seek each of her goals, maintaining an outer tranquillity, while feeling anxiety within. She will have a strong will to get what she wants and she will often be stubborn. She has a magnetic personality and a good-looking face and body. She will have a fondness for good food, especially for sweet things, so it is important to teach her good dietary habits early. Believe it or not, food tranquilizes her (it must not be over-seasoned). Annmarie is a very affectionate child, who needs caresses and gentleness to be happy. She can seem slower than the rest of the children, but you do not have to worry about that, or push her. Annmarie has her own rhythm and she needs to do things in her own time.

Her childhood ruled by Venus will be pleasant. She will always be close to the family and to the places of her childhood, like school, the neighborhood, her house, etc. She will understand very early the value of money and the value of the material things in life. This is very important because if she receives a negative attitude, she could be insecure in the future, becoming a stingy, avaricious and cold person. To expand her expectations of life, her parents must teach her the importance of other values in life. You do not have to grant every wish she has, because this could emphasize her tendency to be lazy. One of Annmarie's parents, or both, can be very easy on her and this could weaken her will.

Annmarie is a restless worker and constant in her effort. She must learn to center her mind on positive and constructive ideas. Because she is very impressionable, a bad experience in childhood could bring fears and confusion later. It is very important not to frighten her, or tell her horror tales to make her be good, because she does not forget easily. It is best to be kind and affectionate with her; she will do everything she is asked to, if it is with love.

Annmarie will have very deep and intense emotions. She will either love or hate something or someone, with nothing in between. She will have strong possessive feelings which will magnify her selfish attitude and could create problems with jealousy in her relationships. Annmarie will be a difficult girl to control, because her vast inner world will often make her express herself aggressively. She will be attracted to secrets and mysteries; as an adult, this can make her a successful researcher in any field or an avid student of the occult. Annmarie's intuition will be powerful and she will clearly feel the weaknesses of her parents, especially if one of them lies in an attempt to convince her about anything.

The relationship with her mother may contain some tension along with intense love. In spite of any disagreements, they will need each other in order to become stronger. Her mother must be careful not to model negative feelings like rancor or revenge; on the contrary, she must show her how to be flexible, how to accept others the way they are, and how to share.
Capricorn rules the knees, the tendons, the joints, the skin and the hair. Annmarie will be very methodical and efficient in following any recommended diet or treatment. Her big problem will be the tendency to a sedentary lifestyle, staying in the same place for a long time without adequate ventilation. Annmarie will be a very responsible person and will not enjoy physical activity, as she will consider it "wasted time". Generally, she will be healthy and any problems will come from worry and nervousness; that is why she must cultivate her sense of humor, her flexibility, optimism, and a positive mental attitude toward life. Her solid, persistent, and ironclad nature will make her fight vigorously before succumbing to illness.

In order to be healthy, Annmarie should be given the following advice: to find a healthy balance between work time and leisure time, spending time outdoors in the sunlight when possible, breathing pure air; to practice a sport like swimming, as well as Yoga exercises, and some sort of meditative practice; to avoid isolating herself when feeling depressed; to avoid smoking, giving more time to meals with varied but not heavy or highly seasoned food, which she makes sure to chew well before swallowing; to practice mental control and relaxation exercises; to take life a little less seriously, laughing and enjoying herself as much as possible.
Saturn in Libra
This astrological position could bring a poor condition of filtration to remove the urea from the blood, renal, or urinary retention, obstruction in the kidneys because of the presence of calcium stones, suppression of the urine, or blood disease caused by renal malfunction.
Scorpio on 6th House cusp
The short term problems related to Annmarie's health could originate from the lack of digestive enzymes or Vitamin B-13. Her most common problems will probably be provoked by metabolic or genetic changes, irregular production of white and red globules, endocrine problems, illness in the nasal mucous and cartilages, infections in the genitals, etc.

In order to prevent these problems, Annmarie should include in her diet: peas, alfalfa, spinach, asparagus, beet, endives, potato, broccoli, lettuce, carrots, tomato, onion, garlic, avocado, plum, yogurt, cream cheese, eggs, bee pollen, and fish, especially tuna.

The long term problems related to Annmarie's health could originate from the excessive sugar and starches in the diet, by the lack of Vitamins E and P, niacin, copper, and chromium. Her most problematic area will be the throat and neck, with tonsillitis, angina, inflammations, loss of voice, polyps, etc. being common complaints.

It will be very important to replace white sugar with a substitute like honey, non-refined sugar, rice molasses, etc. Annmarie should add to her diet: fresh fruits (of the season), brown rice, wheat germ, raisins, peanut butter, etc. Moderation with sweets is advised. It will also be very important for her to have an outdoor physical activity, in order to oxygenate the blood sufficiently.
Saturn in 6th house
Annmarie could have problems related to her bone structure, skin, or hair. This astrological position could bring chronic illness, due to harsh treatment of the body. She should avoid salt and seasoning; she should moderate the consumption of milk products, and as an adult, she should replace the milk with soy milk; she should have a program consisting of a good diet and regular exercise. The problems mentioned above could be more serious, if Annmarie shows inflexibility and structured behaviors.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Is it Friday? Finally?


If you zoom in, you will see that she is flipping the bird.
Such a long day. Very tired, but promise to write something meaningful tomorrow. Family members traveling tonight, we wish them a safe trip!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Good Job Aunt Lisa

Oh man, can Great-Aunt Lisa pick it or what? Talk about a perfect fit!
I woke up this morning to the girl pulling herself up to a sitting position. She was trying so hard. Yes, I admit that I helped her get balanced, but only because I was afraid of her smacking her head into mine. This is definitely going to make the wall. I think, even though it's a few days early, I will use the lower picture as her 5 month shot. It's priceless.  
I walked by a young pregnant woman today. She had to have been about 8 months along. She was checking out Annmarie. She looked so excited and happy. It made me remember how happy I was to be pregnant. I was so excited and couldn't wait to meet my kiddo. That really feels like just yesterday.
The aquarium that I took Janyl and Marci to is hiring. I am almost done with Janyl's resume. Then I will probably submit it behind her back. Well, if she keeps up with her niece it won't really be behind her back -and the job sounds too great to not attempt.  OK, bed now, so tired, baby girl was up early -and late. I wouldn't trade it for anything.



Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Mean Coffee Table

Last night I made the mistake of taking a few minutes to myself after I put the girl down for the night -instead of taking care of my mandatory nightly chores. Ya, I won't make that mistake again soon. After I put her down for the night, I usually run around and get everything together for the evening pumping and then pack our bags for the morning. Everyday, I take a small cooler for my work time pumping, a small cooler of bottles for the girl to eat, exercise gear, files I bring home, my lunch, my purse, and the nightly bag of dirty diapers for the trash -and whatever odd thing comes up. So, needless to say, we have to prior plan -every thing. I decided to take a break and drink hot tea and watch tv. Hmmm. So, the girl went down at 8pm. Then came back up at 10pm, 1am, 3, 4 and 5am. I was beat down this morning. And, she was so tired this morning, that she slept through changing and putting in her car seat and going to Tara's.  

Please come to me dolly!

My sad baby.
Still mad at the toys for being just out of reach.

These pictures are from her nightly exercise. I put toys on the edge of the tables so that she can reach for them and learn to move forward instead of just backwards. She really wanted the toys. She was yelling and griping at the toys because she couldn't get them. I thought it was so cute the way she was griping at inanimate objects. It was like she didn't even know that the toys couldn't answer back. And then I nailed my baby toe on the coffee table. It was then and there that I realized what the girl gets from me.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Two Steps Forward, Three Back.

Arrggghh...we get close to sleeping all night, and then backslide -totally. The above pic is of her at Tara's house. She was so tired, she wouldn't even sit up. The good thing is that as long as she has her fingers, she is happy. Exhausted from being up most of the night, but happy.
After a very long day at work, we arrived home to find an awesome gift from Great Aunt Lisa!
Some very cool outfits! I love the pink dress and the jean jacket! I am going to get her in the outfits soon. Nice.
I also tweaked Janyl's resume...it was pretty good -just needed a little more finesse. For example, she didn't volunteer at Tait's Farm doing harvests; she studied horticulture and the affects of alternative fertilizer on an organic farm. And we altered the format. Little stuff that shows just how great Annmarie's middle aunt is.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Guess what? The world didn't end!

What an absolutely busy day! We started out waking up at midnight and 4am -ewww. But then when she woke up at 7am she was in such a great mood.
After we ate breakfast and finished up the chores we didn't do yesterday, of course we went shopping.


 
Oh, I love shopping. After shopping we decided to head over to the beach where Nana and Grandpa spent their anniversary. The beach was nice, not beautiful, but nice. It was a little cloudy and not quite hot, but still nice. Baby girl loves the beach. She was in such a great mood, that I couldn't help but spoil her. We left from there to visit Aunt Lori at work. We were able to drag her away long enough to eat dinner. Which the baby girl was absolutely perfectly well behaved! To reward her, I gave her an extra long bath and nightly massage.

Tonight's video is of baby girl's 'crawl ball'. It is designed to encourage her to crawl. She is so close. Which is more than I can say for learning how to drink from a Sippy Cup. I just don't think she's ready. I am going to keep trying once a weekend. That way when she is ready, we will be good to go. I figure she sits on the baby pot, that's more important than some stupid cup. She only sits there a few seconds at a time, but she doesn't mind sitting.We also fit in Skype, homework for my Master Training Specialists (MTS) qualification, and scrubbing/gutting a resume.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Tongue in Cheek

Oh the girl...such funny faces. She is trying so hard to speak, but couldn't figure out what to do with her tongue. So, the end result is that she slobbered everywhere. How she can lose that much bodily fluid and not become dehydrated is beyond me. She was pretty lively today. Of course it meant she was awake at 4am. But, she was ok with doing phonics and playing until it was time to go to work/Tara's.
Proof that God never gives you more than you can handle: she has been sleeping more, but now some of the sleeplessness from past PTSD issue has been showing it's head. Luckily, it is just the bad dreams. Vivid, but still just dreams. I could not have handled the sleeplessness on top of her not sleeping, but now that she's sleeping, I can handle the other crap.
My baby sister is in Italy! I am so jealous. If I want to travel, I have to wait until I go on mission. That is just not as much fun as traveling with people your own age. I want lotsa pictures!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Day and Night

We started out with baby girl being constipated. I then put her on straight breast milk until I could make her make poo. Granted, it had only been two days, but I can not wait 5 (five) days as the pediatrician suggested. So, we went from a calm and uncomfortable baby -with no fever, to a cranky, slobbering, fever within 20 minutes of baby creating a holy mess. I think this is where the phrase 'hot mess' came from. I don't get it. I am glad she poo'ed, but it was like I traded constipation for fever. She hadn't slobbered in 2 days either.
The look of pure determination in this picture is the girl fighting to hold herself up. She was literally falling back in slow motion. She fought the whole way down.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle


It's good to know that even at a young age, baby girl knows how to take care of the environment. It's funny how a thumb works just as well as a big toe. These pics aren't blurry because she was moving. They are blurry because we were trying to eat peaches and cereal but were forced to stop. I couldn't fit the spoon in her mouth while she had her toes in there. She had socks on most of the day so as soon as I took them off, the feet went straight into the mouth. This covers the repurpose and reuse part...the recycle part she covered by sneezing food all over. We reused dinner as paste. With as quickly as the sticky mess dried, we could have used it as stucco.
Along with learning how to sit, she is developing quite the sense of likes and dislikes. She likes Uncle Kracker (who is neither her uncle nor what I would call a cracker.) She also likes old school jazz -Macy Gray and smooth songs. Now get this, she loves Build Me Up Buttercup -must be genetic. Don't get me wrong, I like the song too. It was just surprising how much she reacted to it. She also cries if I try to put on country music. Tonight after phonics and tummy time, we sang and danced...and just enjoyed each other in general.
Aunt Janyl is finally coming to her senses and talking about moving out here! I really hope she decides to. This place is an awesome place to live. Alright, I have to work on Grams present a bit more before bed so I can get to sleep. I have been getting up early to try and get back into shape. October is my next PRT (physical readiness test) and man it comes fast. I have to be back up to par.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Lucky Mommy

I was a little mad at work when I first started dealing with being Active Duty and trying to breast feed Today, I read an article from an Army chic that was trying to keep up with feeding her child. I then learned that all branches place the onus on commanders to provide a private space to moms–except for the Army. And nursing is encouraged by all branches but Coast Guard. I know of women that were (not too long ago) forced to "express" in bathrooms, their cars, or even in a closet (Niki, I still remember all the crap they gave you). So, even though it's a pain in the neck, I am lucky. It still sucks -especially on days like today when I accidentally left the milk at work. And to think of it, I really don't know how women at sea breast feed. There just isn't room or ample refrigeration. Annmarie is worth it. Even though it's hard, it's worth it. The uncomfortable look on stupid men's faces makes it worth it. 
Today, the girl reminded me of my brother Matthew. I remember sitting on the ground in the front yard, in Hill n' Dale with Matthew on my lap. He had hair like Annmarie. I remember sitting Indian style with him in my lap and his head against my chest. His hair was brushing against my chin. The sun was going down and there was a nice breeze. I was maybe 11 or 12 years old, Matthew was 5 or 6. It was so calm and peaceful. Everything was right with the world. Granted the girl is a lot younger than Matthew was. Keep in mind, I said younger...not smaller. Matthew was a small kid, but he still managed to steal my heart. Now, Annmarie has forced my heart to grow!

Monday, May 16, 2011

My Roots are Showing

I think it's probably safe to say the girl will be a blond. You can kinda see her roots in this one. Today was a loooonnng, always '10 minutes late' kinda day. Still no more teeth -just the one eye tooth that is barely through. It broke through, and then just stayed there...a little jagged piece of tooth barely sticking out of her gum line. In this picture we were playing just before feeding her cereal and pears. Pears and blueberries were the two new foods this weekend -separately of course.  Still no 'mama', but she did turn towards me when I said her name. I am going to try it again tomorrow just to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Tara's son isn't feeling well, I am really hoping that it doesn't spread to Annmarie.
The girl found a way to gross the mama out again today. She spit up all over the front of my shirt. Then as I gingerly tried to get the shirt off, I smeared the spit up across my face. I absolutely almost gagged.
Mommy has been steadily making progress on Great Grandma Kirk's birthday present! Slow and steady wins the race, but at this pace, she may pass before I can give it to her. Naaa, the Great-Grams is going to live forever. Forever? Forever -ever? Yep. Forever-ever.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Family Relations

I figured out what she got from my Dad. Her gift from her Grandpa, is the ability to not stay mad. She is very good  at recovering from frustration like that. I think I can safely say she picked up her Great Grandpa Witherite's good nature and kind personality.   

On another note, I received the completed Living and not so living Wills. Now I just need to file them and we are ready to rock.  

Smarty Pants


It seems the kid figured how to get out of Tummy Time..she just rolls over onto her back. I suck with the camera and wasn't able to catch it, but you get the point! She is very close to crawling. She gets up on her knees and rocks back and forth.  I really want her to crawl, but it scares me too.  I have been slacking on baby proofing. Next weekend is totally dedicated to baby proofing. I figure it will take me that long to get together all the bubble wrap and spray foam.
Today we are heading up to see Aunt Salvie and Cousin Tracy! I was worried that she doesn't have family out here. Growing up, I was very close with my cousins. Cousin Tracy grew up in Cali, so she didn't have a lot of family around. Don't get me wrong, she had family around, but I grew up with a HUGE family -times two. My maternal and paternal sides were both huge.  At least Annmarie has Tracy. And when Tracy has kids (in a couple of years), she will get to know them too.  After lunch with the family, we are going to chill out and head to the park for a bit.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Goof Ball Baby


My Favorite Mom's Day Gift -Thank You Lori
 Today is one of the better Saturdays. Although we did not get to sleep the entire night, she was only up once -and after fed, she went right back to sleep. We played for a long time this morning. Then we went for groceries bright and early. I wanted to be back home before 9am so we didn't screw up her naps. After a little phonics we were able to start Skyping. That is, after we took care of some technical issues, we were able to Skype.
The girl is getting a sense of humor.
After a visit with the family, baby took a nice nap while Mommy and Lori ate pizza. Then baby girl got to visit with Tara and the kids for a little while so Mommy could enjoy the massage Janyl got for me. So nice. Then snatched the baby back up and enjoyed a calm and cuddly night with the girl. She definitely has started getting a personality. She scares herself when she sneezes, loves the bath to no end, and hums when she is tired and taking a bottle...and everyday does something new that makes my heart melt. Today it was when I was feeding her, but not paying attention. She stopped drinking and just looked at me with her head cocked sideways. Every bit of it screamed, "Come on, Mom". And, she was right, I was watching TV and not her.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Seven Hours Never Felt Soooo Good!

This is my favorite birth picture!
 After a long day of drooling and low grade temperatures, the girl finally slept for seven (7) (siete) (sept) (pito) (3+4) hours! Almost there baby! But then she slept most of the day. So, I doubt we will repeat last night's great feat. Tomorrow, Annmarie will visit Tara again for a few hours. Mommy is FINALLY going to get a few hours to herself.  I think we are going to move to the next step in phonics. We are also going to try the sippy cup again this weekend. And, hopefully Skype with everyone either tomorrow or Sunday -or both! Whatever works for everyone, as long as we get to chat with everyone!
Ohh...speaking of which, I changed my Skype name back to my maiden name. So, I have to re-add contacts!
It's amazing how much things change in 4 months.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Happy Wednesday

As promised, lots of pics. The ones in PJ's are later in the night. Which means she is groggy and cranky and tired and her temperature is going up and...and...and...








But, the ones in her walker, just a couple of hours earlier, you can see she is happy and alert -and a joy to be around! We read books and took a walk.  She really likes her books. It's something I didn't get into as a kid, but am glad I have the opportunity to share them with her.


Yes! Yes. The girl slept until 1am, and then again until 5am. Score! Such a much better mood. Still tired and worn down, but much better with some sleep! It gave Mommy a chance to catch up on some things. I am trying so hard to put together her baby book -and finish RCIA classes so I can get her baptized. She showed recognition today with her phonics. I think she may be shy about it, because when she saw me looking at her she quickly dropped her hand and looked away. The word was 'nose', and she grabbed her own nose when she saw the word. We also play a game where we rub noses. I said the word 'nose', and she leaned in to rub noses. 

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Just How Long Does It Take For Teeth to Come In?

If this keeps up, I can see myself asking Lori to take her for a bit so I can get some sleep. It was so bad this morning that when the alarm went off I jumped and grabbed her by the leg. It took a bit to figure out the alarm was going off -and there was no button on her leg. Then, I was tried to get her back to sleep so I could get ready. Once I woke up a little more I realized that it didn't make sense to put her back to sleep -especially when she didn't want to sleep. Of course, all this did was make me late for work. Sometimes it's good to be the boss. She gave Tara hell today, but at least she took the Orajel without fighting her. She still doesn't like it, but she's more used to it now. Once again, around 7:30, her temperature went over 100. I know that fevers are normal when teething, but come on. If it hits 101, I am taking her into the hospital. I can't wait til her ear gets big enough to use the ear thermometer.
She did have some good tonight. Her phonics really do calm her down. So, tonight I let her have extra time on it. I also previewed her next step. I kept her back a level because I didn't/don't have a warm fuzzy about her comprehension. But, I did want to preview the next level so I could get a feel for how long to wait before moving her to it. Plus, I like setting the habit of watching stuff first. Anyway, (as I ramble) the next session uses the same rhyming techniques goes and more in depth with 'at' words, then has a section of words like 'duck' and 'truck'. Hmmm. Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. I may skip that step for a bit -at least until I finish getting my vocabulary under control. She still loves her bath too. I think that relaxed her enough to let her enjoy her nightly massage. I love how it makes her skin so very extra soft. Lots of pictures tomorrow -promise.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Forever Teething

Geez. Another night of crying and fever...which hit 100 so we started with the Tylenol...I am exhausted, she is cranky and beat down too. I swear, she had better be getting all of her teeth at one time.  Today, to take some of the edge off, I went to workout. I only have 4 more months until my next physical readiness test. I am no where near ready for it. I felt a lot better (mentally) after the workout. The soreness is starting to set in. It is going to be an early night. I finally got her geneticists interview complete. She goes in on 8 June for her initial testing.  The picture is a little blurry, but you could tell how much she loves her dolly.
I am torn between giving her orajel or letting her do without. She really hates the Orajel -to the point of a screaming fit. Is it worth it? It only works for about 1/2 hour ~ 45 minutes at a time and takes about 15 minutes to get her to stop screaming after giving it to her. We did try last night, but it was like a never ending cycle. She seemed to calm down more from a long warm bath. Either way, she was awake every three hours again last night.  

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day

After a rough start, we decided to scrap all Mother's Day plans and go back to bed. I had a pretty bad sinus headache most of the day and the girl had a long night of low grade fevers and crankiness. I didn't have the heart to drag her around. So, we decided to go back to bed for a couple of hours. I then attempted to make her some baby food. The good news is that the food processor still works. I was worried because I hadn't used it in probably 4 or 5 years. The bad news was the food came out course and very tart. I think the mangoes needed to age a few more days. I still have the melons and two more mangoes. I am going to try again in a few days. I know I can make it taste different by adding milk, but I am not going to taste it. Sorry, it had better taste good before I add the milk. Aint this a switch -usually it's about getting the milk out of the melons...not mixing milk with melon! (Sorry, I couldn't resist it)  
ok, finish in a bit...baby is up and crying.
OK, back! Anyway, I was a upset that I wasn't able to do what was planned for Mother's Day, so I decided that I would do a dry run for Christmas! This is my logic flow: 1) It's my first Mother's Day and I should be able to do what I want without stress and time schedules.  2)  I felt guilty about being upset 3) I wouldn't be a mother if it wasn't for Annmarie. With that in mind, I took her to the store and we had fun -together. The store is close enough that I was able to get back home quickly if needed. So, what did Santa Mom bring the gorgeous little girl? Baby doll got her first baby doll. It warmed my heart to see her try to stick the baby's thumb in her own mouth! She hugged her and held her tight. It was so worth it! She also got a basketball sized tennis ball, a crawl ball, a magic wand, another monkey toy, a crazy ball that rolls around the floor and an animal shaky round thing that lights up! Of course, she had 'fridge box' syndrome with the other toys at first. By this, I mean she was more interested in the crinkly bag then the toy! But, after a bit she figured out what was really important! Loving on the mommy! And, of course, she got a new hat, some barrettes, some butterfly pj's and the absolutely most adorable Dora nightgown! My favorites: the baby doll and her nightgown. I was surprised at how hard little girl nightgowns are to find.

Day in and day out we worked on baby girl saying "momma" in time for Mother's Day. And, I finally figured out what trait this child got from my mother. My mother (sorry in advance) has never gotten anywhere on time. Now, there's no reason to get butt hurt. EVERYONE knows it's true. Everyone knows to tell you the event starts 1/2 hour earlier than it really does, if they want you to be there on time. With that said, Annmarie showed up late and does things on her own time. She will eventually say 'momma', but it will be on her own time. She almost has 'hi' down pat. It's very cute. What a great Mother's Day!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Just Another Day at the Market

She looks so cute in the dress Aunt Lisa gave her!
Still no joy with sleeping all night. However, this time it was midnight and 5am. I can handle 5am. The girl has another low grade fever. She is sitting just below 100.  So, I am not pushing her. I let her dictate the day. I am watching her close, but this is probably teething related. I haven't given her any tylenol. I am waiting to see if it goes over 100. Then, I will medicate her. We went to the Farmer's Market today to get supplies for some of the recipes in Annmarie's first cookbook. She did good but was pretty tired. We did get to Skype with the family today. We only missed one person -Nana! We are going to pick her up later tonight!
As we all know, Mother's Day is tomorrow! We have lots of plans for tomorrow. Hopefully, she will feel better tomorrow. She isn't fussy...she's just pretty worn out. I just want her to always be 100%. I really think her next tooth is going to be bottom front.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Baby, Baby, I'm tempted with the notion, ....

I love laying on my Mommy!

I had such a long day today! I woke my mommy up at 3am when I accidentally overfilled my diaper. I knew I shouldn't have drank so much before bed! Oopsie. After my mommy patiently changed me and my linens, I decided it was time to eat. My mommy is the greatest. She didn't even mind feeding me. She didn't talk to me much, but as long as I had a full warm bottle I didn't mind.
She didn't even get upset when I wanted a second bottle. I was surprised I could eat 9 ounces at one sitting! I finally fell back to sleep around 4:45am. Then my silly mommy let the beepy thingie go off and wake me back up at 5am. I didn't mind because this was just another chance for me to play with my mommy! My favorite game lately is called 'Mouth'. The rules are everything has to go into my mouth. The faster it goes in the more points I get. If my mommy stops me, she gets a point. Two points for my mouth. One point for my eye. In this picture, I almost got two points! Mommy took off of work early so she could do laundry and get groceries. Silly mommy forgot to buy baby food! Oh, darn, now I get to go with her when she goes back. I love shopping with my mommy. I think I may have confused my days with my nights. Miss Tara let me take a four hour nap today! So, I am going to be fun for my mommy tonight. She's tough, she will be just fine -especially since she can go back to sleep tomorrow morning.
Mommy let me try to drink from a sippie cup yesterday. It was a special one with a plastic mouth piece. When I bite down milk comes out. It has a special shape so I can hold onto it! I even tried to pour it in my eye. I like my bottle better, but mom says if I can't say 'momma' for Mother's Day, then at least I can try to drink from a sippie cup!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

In typical Annmarie fashion, I had to get us up at 6am this morning, so she was up at 5am. Every other morning, I have to get us up at 5am and she decides to get up at 4am. After a pretty proficient morning, we finally arrived at the doctor's office. OK, so let's get down to brass tacks. Baby's eyes are smaller than her eye sockets -which is why she looks Asian. Doctors says she will grow into her eye sockets...As for the symmetry issue, the palsy we were told about when she was born, is still there. It will never go away. The doctor can do a surgery to take some of the skin out of her eyelids -after her eyeballs and eye sockets get to their full size. The tricky part of that is that if they take too much skin, she won't be able to close her eye.   OK, now onto the scary part. The sclera is off colored because it is thinner than it should be. This could correct itself as her eyeball grows to better fit the eye sockets. This also could be due to a genetic disorder. Tomorrow the geneticists will call to set up an appointment to start genetic testing. The doctor said that he has seen cases of OI before and they are usually more off colored than Annmarie's, but that didn't mean she didn't have a mild case of OI, or a different genetic disorder.
After a through exam (including dilating her little eyes), they determined that she has really good eyesight and eyeball function. She did not like the exam and screamed a lot. But, she made it through and slept pretty well afterwards.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Happy Thoughts

Hopefully, tonight will be a short night. The girl was pretty tired and I get an extra hour sleep tomorrow before we see the doctor. So, happy thoughts are going to get us there. Yesterday, the girl gave Tara a surprise. See, we thought that since we started baby food, that we were done with the explosive poo issues. Not true. Annmarie was sitting in her little Bumble chair and Tara went up to check on her. She grabbed the footy of her zip up pajamas -and it was full of poo that shot of her diaper. I can just imagine the look on Tara's face! More than that, I can imagine the smirk on Annmarie's face.
This morning when I woke her up, she looked up at me and smiled. The pure joy in her face is enough to warm my heart for the entire day. No matter what she is my pride and joy -a part of me that I will always treasure.


Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Tick Tock

Phase one complete. Baby goes to the specialist on Thursday. I try not to worry or spin things up in my head. But below, is what my research yields: I left the links there so you can go see them if you like. OI pretty much hits the nail on the head. Her sclera's are DEFINITELY not white. I put her up next to another baby and they are clearly blue-ish gray. Her bones are constantly popping. I seriously didn't think anything of it until I started researching. I am just driving myself crazy. I need to just chill and not think about it until after the doctors do their tests.
  1. osteogenesis imperfecta  ...of these conditions can include blue sclerae, short stature, hearing loss, respiratory...
  2. Related genes:
  3. ZNF469 gene information 
    Official name: zinc finger protein 469
  4. Blue sclera is characterized by localized or generalized blue coloration of sclera because of thinness and loss of water content, which allow underlying dark choroid to be seen.
    1. Associated with high urine excretion
    A. Folling syndrome (phenylketonuria) NOT LIKELY
    B. Hypophosphatasia (phosphoethanolaminuria) NOPE
    C. Lowe syndrome (oculocerebrorenal syndrome; chondroitin-4-sulfate-uria) NOPE
    2. Associated with skeletal disorders
    A. Brachmann-de Lange syndrome
    B. Brittle cornea syndrome (blue sclera syndrome)-recessive POSSIBLY
    C. Crouzon disease (craniofacial dysostosis)
    D. Hallermann-Streiff syndrome (dyscephalia mandibulooculofacial syndrome)
    *E. Marfan syndrome (dystrophia mesodermalis congenita) NOT LIKELY
    F. Marshall-Smith syndrome
    G. McCune-Albright syndrome (fibrosus dysplasia)
    H. Mucopolysaccharidosis VI (Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome)
    I. Osteogenesis imperfecta (van der Hoeve syndrome)  FITS BEST SO FARJ. Paget syndrome (osteitis deformans)
    K. Pierre Robin syndrome (micrognathia-glossoptosis syndrome)
    L. Robert syndrome
    M. Silver-Russell syndrome
    N. Werner syndrome (progeria of adults)
    3. Chromosome disorders -THE AMNIO SAID HER CHROMOSOMES ARE FINE.
    A. Trisomy syndrome
    B. Turner syndrome
    4. Ocular
    *A. Congenital glaucoma
    B. Myopia
    *C. Repeated surgeries
    D. Scleromalacia (perforans)
    *E. Staphyloma
    F. Trauma
    5. Miscellaneous
    A. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (fibrodysplasia elastica generalisata)
    B. Goltz syndrome (focal dermal hypoplasia syndrome) -WOULDN'T THIS JUST BE KARMA?
    C. Incontinentia pigmenti (Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome)
    D. Lax ligament syndrome
    E. Minocycline-induced
    F. Oculodermal melanocytosis (nevus of Ota)
    G. Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (Grönblad-Strandberg syndrome)

Monday, May 2, 2011

War of the Wills

For some reason, the girl's schedule is way out of wack today. I decided to stop the zoloft today. I am tired of walking around in a fog. It seems like the longer I am on the the worse the fog. So, I am slightly jumpy today. And, I had the braces adjusted again. Last week they put in spacers. This week the put bands around my other back teeth.
The girl didn't want her 5pm nap. So, I said ok, we'll try at 6pm. Nope. We did have our fruit and cereal on schedule and time in the walker. And then we got brave and put her in her jumper. Oh my. (That's the mommy version of "holy shit".) She went wild. I so wanted to video it, but I was afraid to step away from her to grab the camera. She almost slammed herself into the door a couple of times. The problem is that she was able to amplify the downward force due to her proximity to the floor. The only way to slow her down was to raise her up so she couldn't get a full swing/kick at the floor. I did let her go for a bit though. I was trying to tire her out. All it did was wind her up more. I put her in for her nap expecting her to want out early because she was tired. Nope. She was all to willing play forever.  The more I tried, the more tired I GOT. Finally, finally, FINALLY, she fell asleep after her nightly massage and a whole lot of walking and rocking in dimmed lights. Maybe tonight will be the night she sleeps the whole (entire) night. I need to go so that I can get things ready for tomorrow. I am pretty far behind the ball curve.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

To Crawl...or Not To Crawl.

Tummy time is for the birds. Baby girl doesn't care for it so much. I think maybe we will just skip it and go straight to walking!
She loves her walker. The shirt she's wearing really is only one shade of blue. What you see is all the drool and slobber from her teething. You can't see it in the picture very well, but she has a string of slobber going from her mouth to her shoulder. We had a nice afternoon sitting outside and watching the trees. I want to take her down to the pool, but I just think she's a little too young yet. But, soon! I saw the cutest bathing suits! We are going to have an awesome summer.