So THAT is where she got those cheeks!!
Yes, that is me (Kerri), fat cheeks and all!
Archive for April, 2008
Yum, Yum…Mary Clare feeding herself
Okay, I know at this rate she will be three before getting full!! But in her defense, when I took this video, I had already given her a good bit of mashed sweet potatoes and carrots!! I gave her this “toddler” spinach and cheese ravioli (that she usually LOVES) in hopes that she would show off for the camera! She usually shoves food in one bite after another without much time to breathe.
…and this is what she does when she has had enough, or when big sister walks in to distract her….smashed ravioli anyone?
Mega Playgroup!
It isn’t often that my high school girlfriends and I can get together, and while we weren’t all there, this was the most we’ve ever had at a playgroup! Lauren even made it all the way from Texas!! While it’s nice to see the babies grow, we decided the next playgroup will be for big-big girls only!
Connor and Tripp
Sweet Carlysle
“Aunt” Mimi and Cambell
Parker
Preggo Ashleigh with Lauren’s baby girl, Grant
Mary Clare
Miss Priss, who wasn’t exactly thrilled about being the only big girl there. She just couldn’t get into those boy toys!
David
Lee with Parker and Cambell, Jill without her two children who didn’t want to come;), Julie and Tripp, “Aunt” Mimi, Ashleigh with Connor and baby girl on the way, Leslie with Carlysle, Me with Mary Clare and McCanless- who knows where, Lauren with David and Grant
Wow, lots of babies and mommies!!
Signs of the Times…
I had to jot this down this morning before I forgot it!
As I drove McCanless to school this morning, which is an entire 2 minute drive, she mentioned that she was worried about a friend of hers, Nicholas. I asked her why she was so concerned, and she replied, “He has an IPod check-up and I hope it gets better soon.”
We were pulling up to school and it took me a minute to realize what she was saying, but then, just before jumping out of the car she smiled, gave a quick roll of her eyes, corrected herself and said, “No. Whoops. Sorry Mom, Mrs. Martrano says that it isn’t his IPod that is sick, it is his eye.”
Update on Mary Clare…
Mel and I took Mary Clare back to MUSC today for a clinic visit. (McCanless opted out this time. Apparently, school is far more fun than skipping for Charleston at this point. We’ll see how long that lasts.) We had a long visit complete with echocardiogram, EKG and all. She was 28 inches long, weighs 17 lbs 7 oz, and is doing fine, (I guess.)
I was a bit more confused after this visit than most. I’ve learned not to ask too many questions for my own sanity (as long as she is well.) But today I broke my own rule, and have only worried myself and have no clue as to why I’m really that worried. Between calming a very irritable and squirmy baby girl, getting Mel to focus (He has a tendency to turn into a serious hypochondriac when amongst doctors-He was insistent on explaining his latest episode of Cellulitis to Dr. Forbes.) and trying to decipher cardio-talk…
I heard, “a bit swollen” in regards to her heart, but apparently that is “normal for her heart” that is working so hard and has a completely different physical make up now.
I heard “her red blood cell count could be high.” Which could be why she has those adorable bright red lips, pink cheeks and turns incredibly purple when she cries. (more so than typical HLHS babies) Which will be checked in three months with blood work and more extensive tests, and could lead to another heart catheterization, blood transfusion, etc…
I heard “her heart function looks like it did last visit” which left me wondering if I missed something last time! Her heart function isn’t spectacular, but for her it is working. All of her numbers (oxygen, blood pressure) look okay, so her heart function again is “normal for her.”
Her Enalipril (blood pressure) medicine was upped to 2 ml’s twice a day, simply because of her weight gain.
And for the record, baby girl is getting feisty! Now that she knows what EKG’s and echo’s are all about, she wants no part in them. Merely two months ago, she would lay quietly and coo at the echo techs or assistants helping with EKG’s. Those days are long gone! She screamed, cried huge crocodile tears, blew bubbles, arched, crunched and fought her way the ENTIRE time! Whew, what a work out for mommy. As soon as they were over, and I was holding her she would throw out her biggest and brightest smile. Little stinker.
We also saw Dr. Bradley, Dr. Atz and a few of our other favorite docs and nurses. I had the chance to ask them if they felt that there was a correlation between heart babies and sleeping issues. Every doc said none, whatsoever. When I asked a nurse, she simply said, “I’ve never known a heart baby to sleep well.” I’m going with the nurses opinion, although I guess there is nothing I can do about that. Oh well, maybe I’ll take up naps when she starts school…
We were sent home with another clinic visit in 3 months, so I guess all is well. I have a tendency to just over think everything, which is exactly what I have had to learn NOT to do since the day we learned of our sweet Mary Clare’s heart defect. She is great. We had a great day. I’m so very blessed that I was able to spend it in Charleston with our smiling baby girl.
McLeod Farms Field Trip
Yesterday, McCanless’ class took a field trip to McLeod Farms to pick strawberries! (Or Straw-ebbies, as she called them forever ago.) We met in the morning, so it was a bit chilly, and McCanless insisted on wearing her sister’s “Baby Legs” on her arms as “arm warmers” with her strawberry t-shirt, of course. It turned out to be a beautifully sunny and very warm day!
We had lots of fun, gathered lots of strawberries and even made Nonnie’s famous homemade strawberry cake when we returned home! Mary Clare had so much fun she didn’t nap all day! She was too excited after the big morning, then I think she had a bit too much strawberry cake batter and icing!! (I know, I know, strawberries AND cake batter before she is a year-If you are a pediatrician just ignore this paragraph, but, for the record, she’s FINE! Not that cake batter is ever really okay, but come on, we all eat it, right?)
She was up and ready to go, so excited about the field trip! Not a grouchy morning moment at all! (I wish all mornings were this pleasant!)
My Skating Princess…and Prince
I decided to meet Mel and McCanless at the skating rink last night to see how well my little skater is progressing. Or skaters, I should say! I think Daddy is getting pretty good, too! Mel bought McCanless skates a few months ago and I have yet to see her in action in her new big girl skates. (Complete with pom poms and all.) I’m sure she would have settled for cheapos from Target but you know Mel, he had to order the REAL deal from the skating rink. I think she could skate professionally with these.
I was able to capture a few videos when she decided to take a few minutes to come talk to her mother. She was far too busy with her little friends to come chat with Mommy and baby sister.
I wish I had Mel on video. He has been working on his “backward skating.” I think he loves going to socialize and show off just as much as McCanless!
Here she is on the carpet section doing rather well. She zooms much quicker has much more confidence on the carpet.
(I guess I would too!)
I know it looks like she is going in the WRONG direction, but I realized that she likes skating to the middle section!
I was pretty impressed with my little princess. (Daddy-not so much) Her skates are just like big girl skates and are not tightened, like they sometimes do for little ones. She has so much fun and loves her weekly dates with Daddy!
Sharing fries with Carter, a skating pal. (Carter is also in her 3K class at First Baptist)
A 31-year-old with HLHS!!
Here’s a video clip of a young man, Bryan Rothlein of Safety Harbor, Florida, who was born 31 years ago with HLHS who is a successful veterinarian today! This is the oldest HLHS survivor I’ve heard of so far!
Scroll to 19:42 to watch the HLHS portion. (copy and paste the link)
http://www.wedu.org/Content/VideoPop/SH_March_2008.aspx
Splish, Splash, she loves takin’ a bath!!
The latest on Miss Mary Clare…
As you can see above, she loves to splash around in the bath! She is getting so busy and is always on the move. She is crawling around everywhere, and loves to plunder! She isn’t a fast crawler (she would still rather be standing) but she now does a funny, “crooked crawl.” She uses her hands and arms and one leg/knee correctly, but she uses her right foot instead of her knee. A half walk/crawl!! She smiles and laughs at everyone who looks her way and is so happy! She is so sweet and a perfect angel!
At her well check-up last week, she was 28″ long and 17 lbs. She refuses any and all baby food now, but will eat any type of “big girl” food I give her except bananas! Today, she even ate rutabagas! Still NO TEETH!
We call her our little insomniac baby because she does not sleep…at night nor during the day! I’m lucky if she takes 1-2 cat naps during the day, and has a five hour stretch during the night. I’m still not quite willing to let her “cry it out,” so for now I’ve become quite accustomed to sleep deprivation.
Her most favorite person in the world is McCanless. Her face lights up when she sees her. She still has those wonderful chubby baby cheeks that everyone wants to squeeze! She is so much fun and we love her to pieces!
