Aubrey Jane

Rockin' It

2012-02-23T22:01:00.007-06:00

she is still loving her walker and even likes to have an occasional snack in it. Conan is stalking her because food always falls on the floor or she purposely feeds the dogs food. Either way it is a win for the dogs.

These shades are to die for.

Hi!

Letting Go

2012-02-21T14:26:00.007-06:00

I'm not going to lie, I have a hard time with messes. Buying glue and letting Aubrey glue things was a little out of my comfort zone. I guess I had nothing to worry about because she did great and was excited about gluing big "A" and little "a".

We also did watercolor painting. I took a white crayon and marked all over a clean piece of paper. I gave it to Aubrey to paint with watercolors. As she was painting, it would reveal a hidden design.

Adventures

2012-02-20T14:22:00.025-06:00

There is a little girl in my house who has finally started to use her walker. After much working and bribing, I finally go her to start moving forward and she hasn't stopped. It is almost like something clicked and she understands that her legs can take her places.

She had a physical therapist come out this week and evaluate her. We are going to start adding PT twice a month to help her learn to walk. They even mentioned her getting a special walker (can't remember the name) to help assist her in learning to walk and doing it the correct way. Her current walker is good for getting her excited about moving, but it doesn't hold her in the correct position for walking.

Caroline also loves to clean! If I give her a napkin or a wet wipe, she will go to town cleaning the area around her. Yay!

Aubrey loves to help me water plants, but she spills water when using a traditional watering can. I saw an idea on Pinterest about drilling holes in the cap of a detergent bottle and using it for watering plants. It works perfect for Aubrey and I don't have to worry about water sloshing all over the floors.

Beds and PJ's

2012-02-19T14:48:00.007-06:00

Aubrey is obsessed with all things sleeping and baby.

I'm not really a fan of footie pj's, but I found a good deal and got Caroline some. Maybe it is because I had to miss this entire stage with her because of her hip dysplasia, but I think she looks so cute and comfortable in footie pj's.

Turner Syndrome of North Texas Support Group

2012-02-18T14:38:00.011-06:00

I have been really wanting a good support group in the North Texas area, so I finally organized our first Turner Syndrome meeting. I have been trying to do this since April, but with Caroline's hip dysplasia, it was never the right time. Now that things have calmed down, It was perfect timing to meet other parents and girls with TS. We had 5 families show up, but there are more that will attend future gatherings.

Here are the 4 little girls. I hope these girls can form good friendships as we all know that they are the only ones that will truly understand what each it going through. It's nice for us moms to have support, but I think it is even better for our girls.

First Taste

2012-02-16T14:20:00.003-06:00

After dinner and before bath, I let Caroline have her first taste of a lollipop. She was in heaven!

Tattoo

2012-02-15T14:28:00.006-06:00

Aubrey has been pretty good about getting back on her nap schedule, but today was a no nap day. I told her she could use her paint markers while I worked on some TS business. I was so focused for a few minutes that when I looked over at her, her entire leg was covered and tattooed. You can't really see her toes, but she had painted her big toenail as well. There is never a dull moment in our house.

My Beauties

2012-02-13T14:19:00.022-06:00

After about 2 weeks of HORRIBLE teething related to her molars coming in, my sweet Caroline is back to being happy. Boy have I missed this little lady these past 2 weeks. One molar down, 3 more to go. Yikes! I think I am going to leave Caroline with Rodney and go on vacation for the next three molars. ha!

I heart her!

Aubrey is all about cutting things these days. I gave her a banana, a small cutting board, and a play knife to practice cutting. She did great and ate all of her banana.

After documenting her banana cutting skills, I had to document some of her precious features. I love those sweet lips, beautiful lashes, and button nose.

Bath Time Drama

2012-02-10T14:59:00.000-06:00

Caroline loves bath time and typically Aubrey does as well, but Aubrey decided to skip her nap today so she was grumpy. Notice happy Caroline? Notice someone about to hit their happy sister with drum stick? Notice two unhappy girls in a tub? Ha! Bedtime occurred at 7:15 for both girls.

Water Beads & Stuffing

2012-02-09T14:49:00.000-06:00

Water beads have been all over Pinterest this month and I can see why. They are so much fun! They start off super small and then grow to about 1/2 inch or larger when water is added. Both girls have had a ton of fun playing with them.

Caroline is all about stacking and stuffing these days. I turned around to find her stuffing her letter blocks into Aubrey's car. When the car was completely stuffed, she then started pulling them out of the car and stacking them in the basket.

Caroline had OT today and she did so great. She is almost able to pull herself to a standing position. She is also able to put more weight on her legs without having to lean on objects. She is impressing us everyday with all her new skills.

We did more water beds today.

Impromptu Bath

2012-02-08T14:38:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I make HUGE mistakes and today was a HUGE mistake. I decided to give the dogs a bath while Caroline was awake. Caroline is obsessed with baths and was not happy that she had to wait to get in the tub to play. By the time it was her turn, the water was barely warm. I felt so bad, but she seemed to still enjoy splashing around.

Oh My!

2012-02-07T18:28:00.001-06:00

We have entered the fun 3's with Miss Aubrey. We still have a few days until her third birthday, but her attitude is that of a young teenager. I get eye rolls, arm crossing, huffing, and emotional outburst that make me think who took my daughter and replaced her with a teenager. I am glad this stage is just a phase.

A Girl & Her Dog

2012-02-06T15:18:00.000-06:00

I gave Caroline a cracker and all Miss Holly could think about was getting the cracker from Caroline. Ha!

Just joy in that little face.

I love this picture!

Our Super Bowl

2012-02-05T15:10:00.000-06:00

Our Super Bowl consisted of us having an impromptu, but super fun, dinner with Rodney's uncle (forgot to get a picture :o( ) Before bedtime, we all watched the half-time show together.

We moved Aubrey's doll house to her room and she couldn't be any happier. I think she likes having a few toys in there.

Around The House

2012-02-05T14:47:00.000-06:00

I found Aubrey going through my purse today and putting on my lip gloss. Nothing is every safe.

Notice Aubrey reading her kids Bible to her dolly. So sweet! Caroline is all about getting on her knees these days. I love these pants. They were Aubrey's, but they look so cute on Caroline little booty. The pants are actually 6-9 months and Caroline is 14 months. The length is just a tad short, but they are so big around her waist.

Here is another outfit of Aubrey's that Caroline got to wear. She looks so stinking cute.

Such a sweet little girl.

After dinner, I walked into Aubrey's room to find this... Apparently Aubrey and Daddy were playing tent and reading books.

Nothing is better than some Daddy time.

Tiffani got Aubrey and Cara a Elefun for Christmas. Aubrey is obsessed. I have to hid it from her or there would be butterflies around my house all the time. I was trying to get a picture of both girls playing, but just the act of me getting my camera out made Aubrey walk away. Ha!

Caroline

2012-02-04T22:12:00.000-06:00

I took these pictures to use for some TS awareness stuff, but wanted to post them here. I made this little outfit for when Caroline was in her Spica cast. The pictures I took of her in the outfit reflect a very unpleasant little girl. Ha! So, I wanted to use the outfit one more time before I retire it. That smile just speaks volumes these days.

Here Caroline is blowing me a kiss. She uses the back of her hand to blow kisses. :o)

Daddy came home, so I was no longer important or worth looking at. Ha! After 7 LONG months of her really disliking Rodney, I am just happy she is super thrilled and over the moon in love with her daddy.

Our Life

2012-02-03T15:04:00.000-06:00

Look at Miss Caroline getting up on her little knees. Our occupational therapist is now coming once a week and I can really see the improvement in Caroline's crawling. She has now started to get into a sitting position from a laying position. We are so proud of out little girl!

Aubrey is just...Aubrey. Ha!

So I have been sewing a few things during the girls naps. Today Aubrey woke and wanted to "help" me. I let her play with my bobbin winder, so she messed with it while I actually sewed a few project.

It took her about 3 tries, but she threaded the thread through the hole (picture below). It takes me 3-5 tries before my shaky hands can get the thread through the little loop, so I was super impressed by her mad skills.

Outtakes-TS Awareness

2012-02-03T14:39:00.000-06:00

Just some outtakes. Aubrey is such a hoot these days. One second she is being all emotional and dramatic and the next she is being funny and silly. I just can't wait for those teenage years. Yay (slight sarcasm)

Caroline is just the most precious face for Turner Syndrome Awareness.

My Daughter

2012-02-03T14:20:00.000-06:00

Hahaha.... Yes, I guess she is my daughter (notice her finger).

Caroline's Story

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

As we continue through February and Turner Syndrome awareness month, I thought I would write about Caroline's story.

Our TurnerSyndrome journey started on an April afternoon during a non-scheduledultrasound at 9 weeks that identified a cystic hygroma (fluid filled sac) onthe back of Caroline’s neck. The next 10 weeks were filled with many appointments and always the samestory, your baby only has a 10% chance of making it to term and that is if sheisn’t miscarried or stillborn before 24 weeks. Those weeks were hard, tiring, and just so heartbreaking.

(This is a shot of Caroline. Her head is off to the left. The black part at the arrow is the fluid or cystic hygroma on the back of her neck.)

At 19 weeks,we went in for an amnio only to discover that our prayers had beenanswered. Caroline’s cystichygroma had resolved and we rejoiced. We declined the amnio and hoped that our daughter just had a slowlymphatic system and not a chromosome abnormality. As the weeks progressed, we had additionalultrasounds that ruled out kidney and heart issues. She always measured 2 weeks ahead, so our doctor thought herchances of Turner Syndrome was extremely low.

On November11^th, 2010, I gave birth to a healthy baby girl. I remember asking (through the tears)if she had Down syndrome, but that was because everyone thought she wouldn’thave TS. I remember Rodneycommenting on her very puffy hands. Unfortunately, I didn’t do my research, so I had no clue that the puffyhands and feet were a sign of TS.

The NICUteam took Caroline to be evaluated for breathing issues. The NICU pediatric doctor returned anhour late informing me that she thought Caroline had TS. Hearing that news was so rough and I just balled.

We are now14 months into this journey and it had been full of ups and downs. Her TScomplications are relatively few. She has had ear infections that led to tubes at 10 months. She was recently diagnosed with anaortic valve stenosis. She had akidney infection at 3 weeks that led to a hospital stay, but thankfully hasbeen our only kidney complication. She has Nystagmus (rapid eye movement) thatshe will have surgery for in the spring. She was diagnosed with hip dysplasia(dislocated left hip) at 4 months and had 8 months of hip treatments in which 3of those months were in a spica cast.

Through itall, Caroline has maintained her contagious smile and her zest for life. She is a spunky little girl that isdetermined to do things her way and on her own schedule. Turner Syndrome does not define her norwill it limit her, she is her own person and she will do amazing things in her life.

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.

~ 1 Samuel 1:27

February is Turner Syndrome Awareness Month-25 Facts On TS

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

Together, we CAN "Crush Ignorance of Turner Syndrome!"

The 2^nd Annual TS Awareness Month starts February, 2012. Help TSSUS celebrate 25 years by educating 25 people on Turner syndrome and asking those 25 people to tell 25 people. Our goal is to reach ½ million people with our message!

In February of 2010 I found out I was pregnant with our second little baby. Two years ago I had never heard of Turner Syndrome, didn't know what it was, nor did I know how it would change our family (for the better). Since I was uninformed and ignorant, I thought I would share 25 facts about TS to help crush ignorance about Turner Syndrome.

Turner Syndrome (TS) is a chromosome abnormality that affects only females.
There is no known cause of TS. Maternal age does not affect TS.
TS affects 1/ 2,500 live female births.
It is estimated that only about 1% of fetuses with only one X chromosome survive to term and that approximately 10% of all miscarriages are due to Turner Syndrome.
Cystic Hygromas and Hydrops are associated with TS in utero.
Females with TS are either missing all or part (a percentage) of their second X chromosome.
Females missing all of their second chromosome are said to have Classic Turner Syndrome. Females missing a percentage of their second chromosome is said to have Mosaic Turner Syndrome.
Females with TS can have congenital heart defects.
A coarctation of the aorta is one of the most common heart defects.
TS causes an increased risk of aortic dilation, dissection, and rupture. It is key to know the signs and symptoms and seek medical attention immediately. Missing the signs can be fatal.
Female with TS can have cataracts, strabismus, amblyopia and ptosis
TS causes short stature and the average adult height is 4'8", but growth hormones can increase final adult height.
Early ovarian failure means most females with TS can't have child of their own. IVF, with donor eggs, is an option for some women without heart complications.
Estrogen replacement therapy is often started when girls are 12 or 13 years old to start puperty.
Lymphedema or swelling (webbed neck, edema of hands and feet) is one of the classic signs of TS
Although TS is the only chromosome abnormality that does not cause mental retardation, females can have issues with nonverbal, visual-spatial processing learning disabilities.
Frequent ear infections is a symptom and they can cause hearing loss. Mild malformation of outer ear and low set ears is also a sign.
A high-arch palate (narrow maxilla) exists in some females.
An ultrasound of the kidneys should be performed to rule out horseshoe kidneys. UTI's is common and a VCUG is commonly done to rule out reflux of the kidney.
A low hairline.
Small fingernails and upturned toenails.
Diabetes and Thyroid issues
Obesity
Autoimmune disease-Hashimoto's disease, Celiac disease, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
No two individuals will share the same symptoms.

Caroline isn't crying over Turner Syndrome, she is crying because of the ignorance and lack of knowledge of the syndrome. Please help us spread the word on Turner Syndrome. You may not be affected by TS, but you never know when your knowledge on TS might help others get the medical attention they need.

A Cupcake

2012-01-29T23:41:00.000-06:00

I got some Valentine cupcakes today for the girls. Aubrey was being sneaky and got into them after her nap. Silly girl!

Icing!!

iPhone Dump Saturday

2012-01-28T15:51:00.000-06:00

Here are some random iPhone pictures from a few weeks back.

It really is the simple things these days. I love that we can go out to eat and Caroline can sit in a highchair while eating finger foods.

Thanks to hip dysplasia, Caroline has had her mattress in her crib at the newborn stage. Since she is sleeping without the brace, it was time to lower the mattress. Caroline and Aubrey both love water, so I made them in indoor water area. Caroline had a blast.

Unseasonably warm weather means many trips to the park.

I was cleaning the bathroom while the girls napped and Aubrey woke while I was finishing. She helped, but then decided she wanted to take an impromptu bath after getting her pj's wet. Yes, it was afternoon and she was still in her pj's. :o)

Aubrey loves to wash her baby. She also loves tomatoes. I actually have to buy two packages, one for her to eat at the store and one for us to eat at home.

Silly iPhone time with Aubrey.

I love these. The first one is just the three of us and then we convinced Aubrey to join. Notice how sad Aubrey is about having her picture taken or maybe just being with her family? Oh well, mom and dad started crying to show her what she looked like. Ha!

Almost 3!

2012-01-27T16:28:00.000-06:00

Where is the time going? Aubrey is almost three and changing before my eyes.

Miss independent just melts my heart when she says, "I love you too mommy"

Only a few short weeks until I write her 3 year post. Boy that is surreal!

Sand Play

2012-01-26T15:50:00.000-06:00

Today we spent some time outside playing in the sand. Fun was had by all. Notice Aubrey pouring sand on Holly? Poor little doggy is the object of Aubrey's affection.

Precious

2012-01-25T15:49:00.000-06:00

It isn't often that I can sneak into Caroline's room while she is still sleeping and snap photos. When I walked into her room and realized she was still sleeping, I ran for my camera. Such an innocent and precious moment. The bottom left is when she woke and saw me with my camera. :o)

Aren't these the most precious boots you have ever seen? I ordered them off Etsy and they fit her puffy feet so perfectly.

A Photo Shoot

2012-01-23T21:48:00.001-06:00

I took the girls out to a local park/garden and got some cute pictures. I am actually going to use the photos for a post at the beginning of February for Turner Syndrome Awareness month. I have been trying to get more involved with TS in our community, so I contacted Turner Syndrome Society of the United States (TSSUS) and got all the info and signed the confidentiality agreement to start a local TSSUS-North Texas Chapter. So far we have a small group, but just knowing that there are other moms and girls in the area is wonderful.

Here are a few teasers from our shoot today.

Our life is full of chaos from a soon to be three year old.

I don't know if it is the work of the chiropractor or what, but Caroline is willing to sit anywhere these days.

I asked Aubrey what she was doing with Caroline and she said, "I was holding Cara's hand." Too Sweet!

We finished up at the park with some swinging. Caroline apparently was hungry because she said, "all done!" in the middle of her swinging and then started crying when I ignored her. Ha! I guess she was "all done."

Cooking With Mom

2012-01-18T21:21:00.000-06:00

Aubrey helped me make enchilada meatballs tonight. She scooped and poured all ingredients. Her reward was eating the shredded cheese from the bag. I love her "cheese" smile.

Park & Hats

2012-01-16T14:48:00.000-06:00

It was a great today for a wagon ride to the park and some swinging. We came home and had lunch and the girls pretended to have hats on their heads. Funny little girls.

My Girls'

2012-01-15T14:28:00.000-06:00

You is Kind

You is Smart

You is Important

--"The Help"

This little girls just steals my heart!!

Aubrey is all about her doll house and little babies. This was the BEST present ever and she has played with it every single day since Christmas.

Crusin'

2012-01-14T14:32:00.000-06:00

We have determined that Aubrey loves her blue car if she is not having to drive it in front of the house. I think the limitations of staying on the sidewalk and not going into the street takes away some of the fun for her. If we take her to an empty parking lot, she will drive it for about 20-30 minutes.

I love that the girls can do this activity together. Caroline has so much fun driving around in the car with her big sister.

The World Is My Canvas

2012-01-13T16:31:00.010-06:00

The world is my canvas, and you are my art...

Notice the paint on Holly's back! Poor little doggy became Aubrey's canvas.

My little artist.

I gave Caroline a container full of straws.

Being an artist is hard work and sometimes you need a chair.

Cups ans stacking for Caroline.

While Caroline and I cleaned out the pantry, Aubrey did sticker art.

I seriously think Aubrey is going to be a drummer in a marching band.

Hair Bow Holder

2012-01-12T16:44:00.003-06:00

I made Caroline a bow holder. Now I just need to add to her bow collection. :o)

14 months

2012-01-11T12:31:00.000-06:00

little girl is getting so big. These past two months have been full of milestones that need to be documented and celebrated. Rodney and I are of course her number one cheerleaders and she loves all the praise!

Two weeks after getting out of the spica cast, Caroline started sitting unassisted.
At 13.5 months, Caroline started getting to a laying position from a sitting position.
Caroline has added "Tank you" and "all done" to her vocabulary, but "momma" is no where in sight. Ha!
Caroline eats almost all table food.
She lost an entire pound (from 19.6 -18.6 ) at 13 months because she is so active compared to when she was in the spica cast.
She got her first pair of shoes.
She had her first chiropractor visit and is so stinking content and happy these days.
She can stand if placed in a standing position. She hadn't put weight on her legs since she was 4 months old.
She can pull her self to a standing position if she is sitting on a stool. The stool trick is an OT exercise that is helping Caroline so much.
She can get up on her knees, but it does take work to bring her legs together.

Caroline is so amazing! I am sure I am forgetting some of her awesomeness because she does so many awesome things. She has a zest for life and I can't wait to see what she does in the next few months.

Getting On Our Knees

2012-01-10T15:49:00.000-06:00

Caroline's occupational therapist (OT) came today and showed me and Caroline some useful techniques to get Caroline to pull up on objects, gain more tummy/trunk control, and to get into a sitting position.

I love her OT, but Caroline feels much different about her. Ha! This session was a little better than most in that she stopped scream for the last 15 minutes and smiled at the OT. After a session, you can just see things start to click with Caroline. It is almost like she needed someone to show her a better way at doing something. She has been getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth all day. She gets so excited if you get excited for her, but then she stops what she is doing and instantly army crawls to me. Ha!

I love watching her show off. If I ask her to do a baby push up or to get on her knees, this is what she does. LOVE IT!

In other news, I went to Nordstrom and got Caroline her first pair of shoes. Nordstroms is the only retailor that doesn't charge you for different sized shoes. Caroline wears a size 5 and a 5.5. How did her feet get so big?? :o( She is growing up so fast.

70 Degress In January!

2012-01-10T15:35:00.000-06:00

We are still having some nice weather for January. If I leave the back door open while taking the trash out, little miss crawler crawls as fast as she can because she wants to be outside. If I shut the door without taking her outside, a huge tantrum follows. Caroline loves to be outside.

Aubrey loves to swing and it pretty good with sharing with Caroline.

Since it seemed like spring today, Aubrey requested a Popsicle. Caroline is still enjoying the sandbox, but loves swing so much more.

Tissue Paper & Vaseline

2012-01-09T16:13:00.000-06:00

I filled Caroline's shoebox with tissue paper and she had a blast playing with it for about 30 minutes.

Watching football and playing.

Aubrey has some serious chapped lips/mouth. She has been licking not only her lips, but the area just below her mouth. I got out the Vaseline to help relieve the chapped areas. I left the Vaseline unattended after her nap and this is what I found when I walked into the bathroom. Ugh! Vaseline all over the faucet

And a Vaseline covered child. The joys of toddlerhood.

Giggles & Dancing

2012-01-08T15:43:00.000-06:00

These girls are so silly while they eat. It is so nice to be able to feed them the same thing. Caroline is doing so good with eating food and trying new things, but she is so messy. Ha!

We got this microphone and both girls love it. Bring on more dancing. :o)

I'm Cool Like That

2012-01-06T15:22:00.000-06:00

To some she is just standing, but to me she is working her booty off to stand and play with toys. She still can't pull up on stuff, but if we place her at an object, she will stand there. She stood like this for about 5 minutes.

Going For A Ride

2012-01-05T15:19:00.000-06:00

Caroline LOVES riding in the car (now that Rodney added a seat belt) and now if only I could get Aubrey to love driving the car it would be a perfect activity. At one point Aubrey wanted to stop driving and Caroline started to sign "more." In the top left picture, I swear I heard Caroline ask Aubrey why she has to be such a diva/drama queen all the time. Ha!

Instead of driving the blue car, Aubrey wanted to drive her little red car. She is such a silly girl. Caroline loved riding in the wagon and getting crackers from her big sister.

Aubrey's World

2012-01-03T15:11:00.000-06:00

Aubrey's new thing is "making money" or playing grocery store. She also likes to give her dolly a bath in the sink and they wet the floor while she is looking at me.

She has a new catch phrases. When I tell her to do something and if she doesn't like it, she will say "Ahhh...come on mom!"

She also loves to dance. The shades make her look so freaking cute!

iPhone Dump

2011-12-31T15:10:00.002-06:00

Here are some pictures that I have had on my iPhone for a while and needed to post.

We had Caroline's 1 month post spica cast appointment on 12/15. Everything appears to be looking good. Dr. Birch always has this thing about him that makes you question whether things are good after I leave the appointment. We will go back in March for another check-up and an x-ray with Caroline standing (hopefully she will be standing) and I guess we will find out if things are going okay. I am a little nervous about the March appointment, but I am assuming this is normal seeing all that we have been through. Every time we get great news, it is usually followed by bad news. I am hoping that this is not going to be a pattern.

I Love this picture of Caroline. Scottish Rite is just a great hospital. They always have toys, coloring books and other fun things to give the kids when they are there. Along with the popcorn that she gets at every visit, maybe that is why Aubrey calls Scottish Rite the "circus."

We did a family Santa picture this year because I was NOT going to torture Caroline and make her sit on a random mans lap. This picture below is of Aubrey with Santa on Christmas Eve. She told him she wanted a doll house and a blue car. I love that Caroline can now sit in the buggy. Doesn't she look cute in her plaid jacket?

Me and my little lady.

Now that we are almost 2 months post spica, things are finally starting to get easier. Caroline can sit in a regular highchair and eat out at restaurants. Since we don't eat out as much, Aubrey thinks it is a treat and has so much fun. Aubrey had fun writing on the walls at a new restaurant. Watching Caroline rummage through my pantry will never get old.

Another Beautiful December

2011-12-30T15:31:00.000-06:00

The weather seriously couldn't be any better. Today we went outside and the girls got to play in the sandbox. This was Caroline's first time and she loved it.

Watching the sand run through her hand.

She got her first taste of sand and was not that thrilled.

As I was taking this picture I had one of those, "oh my God, life IS getting a little easier" moments. Now that Caroline is out of her cast and not as fussy, the girls can both do the same activities.

Coconut Purse

2011-12-29T15:22:00.000-06:00

Aubrey got a really cool coconut purse from her awesome cousin. She LOVES it and uses it as a purse/drum.

Miss serious face.

Miss happy face.

70 Degrees In December!

2011-12-29T15:02:00.000-06:00

I just can't believe how nice it is outside at the end of December.

I asked Aubrey to smile and this is what I got. Ha!

I didn't realize it when we were outside, but Aubrey was tracing all the hopscotch numbers.

Maybe not the smile I wanted, but at least she is looking at me and not giving me the evil eye.

Caroline would swing all day if I let her.

Climbing & Forks

2011-12-28T14:58:00.000-06:00

Caroline's new thing is to eat with a fork. She loves for me to put the food on it and then eat the food off of it. She thinks she is all that and will even clap. She actually will eat more food and a variety of food if it comes on a fork. Yay for forks!

I caught her in the act of climbing into the shelf. She actually was half way in the shelf when I grabbed my camera, but once she heard my flash turn on, she sat down. Once she noticed me on the floor, she moved super fast to get to me.

She knows her toys are on the bottom shelf, so she goes there often to play.

There is always another opportunity to catch her in the act of climbing. :o)

These shelves use to hold wine, but now they just hold a variety of kid toys. Kids change everything. :o)

New Do

2011-12-27T23:45:00.000-06:00

(Don't laugh at my self portrait)

For Christmas, Rodney got me an all day trip to the spa. I had already booked a hair appointment, so he added on a massage, facial, manicure & pedicure. I arrived at 10:30 and left at 5:00. It was a nice break from my normal routine, but I did miss my kiddos & husband. I decided to go more red this time around. It really isn't anything like the color I wanted or showed the stylist, but it will do and will become lighter pretty quickly.

Our Little Family

2011-12-27T22:09:00.001-06:00

This has been an amazing 2011 and we couldn't be more thankful and blessed by the little family God has provided and intrusted us with (even if they don't smile during family photos). :o)

Daddy Play

2011-12-26T20:45:00.000-06:00

These two girls love to play with their daddy. Caroline is obsessed with Rodney's hair and Aubrey loves to climb all over him. Poor daddy, but he has two girls that think the world of him.

Sitting to Crawling

2011-12-26T20:34:00.000-06:00

What a happy little girl. Today Caroline decided that she should go from a sitting position to a laying position. I am so happy I had my camera. She also did a nice push-up and got on her knees. She is my little rock star!!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T20:33:00.000-06:00

The night before Christmas....

We assembled all toys and wrapped everything per Santa's orders.

Caroline may have been upset about getting her picture taken and a little kiss from big sister didn't help any. Notice Aubrey still in her panties looking at the presents? LOVE it!

Aubrey unwrapped her presents, Caroline's presents, and basically all the presents. She had fun. Conan found and unwrapped his own present. Ha!

Aubrey's big present from us was a dollhouse. It was the last thing she opened and she was so excited. She played with it until nap time. Caroline liked her toys.

The "blue car" sat wrapped until after nap. She only tried to unwrap it once and that was before nap. When she woke from her nap, she finally go to unwrap her last present. She was so excited despite her lack of smiles. We all know that Aubrey doesn't show excitement through smiles. :o)

Caroline rode in the car (bottom left) but the moment Aubrey stepped on the gas and then let off the gas, Caroline flew off the seat. Poor thing.

Aubrey enjoying her car in our front yard. The moment I came out with Caroline in the wagon, she wanted nothing to do with the car and wanted to be in the wagon. Silly girl.

We took Aubrey a warehouse down the street so she could really practice using her car without worrying about cars. She had so much fun and loved driving through the puddles and seeing the tire tracks behind her.

Grandparents

2011-12-24T20:33:00.000-06:00

He might be a tough retired marine, but he will dance like a ballerina if his granddaughter says so.

Grandpa & Aubrey

So Sweet!!

Uncle Mike playing with Aubrey.

Making coffee with Pop. "It's not too hot, It's not too cold, It's just right!"

Pop playing with Aubrey's dollhouse.

Another dancing session prompted by Aubrey.

Pop's got the twirling moves.

Countdown

2011-12-22T20:34:00.000-06:00

Sometimes spaghetti o's end up on your forehead.

When sisters stack together, they learn together. :o)

So Aubrey would have a reference of when the grandparents were coming, I made her this little calendar.

She used smiley faces to cross out the previous days.

I found a homemade recipe to make hand print ornaments.

Giggle & Chiropractor

2011-12-21T22:45:00.000-06:00

This little lady is all over the place these days. I tried to get her to smile for me while lying on her tummy, but all she wanted to do was climb off the bed. She is such a little stinker!

Besides being more adventurous these days, Caroline is also more happy, content, and easy going and I credit it all to taking her to a highly recommended family chiropractor last Tuesday.

Last week the nutritionist for ECI (early childhood intervention) came to see us. Caroline was in her typical fussy mood and I ended up venting to the nutritionist as we have had a very fussy past few weeks. She mentioned a recent client that was 21 months old that had HORRIBLE reflux and she was referred to the nutritionist because she had all the reflux issues (horrible sleep, aversions to food, fussy/tantrums). The day before the nutritionist was supposed to visit, the mom had someone recommend a chiropractor in our area. The day the nutritionist visited (day after seeing the chiropractor), the girl had slept all night, was eating food/telling mom she was hungry and not fussy. Long story short, we went to this chiropractor last Tuesday, Friday, and today and I have a completely different little girl in my house. Caroline use to fuss on average 75% of the day and now she only fusses about 10% of the day. She is totally different. I thought about taking her when she was 3 months, but I didn't know it would make such a huge difference. When I decided to take her, I knew I had nothing to lose and so much to gain. I can honestly say that this has changed our lives and I am so happy to have a pretty happy toddler in my house. She still has stranger danger issues and wants me in new situations, but at home life is good.

Old me would have been such a naysayer, but new me sees the awesomeness of a different type of medicine.

Chloe Can Write and Fly

2011-12-19T22:51:00.000-06:00

Chloe has been hard at working doing "messy" things around the house. When Aubrey first saw Chloe, she said, "Santa made a mess!" She then commented on the cool snowman which mommy made the night before.

Chloe is a real daredevil these days.

"Dance Daddy!"

2011-12-18T22:55:00.000-06:00

When Aubrey plays Oh Christmas Tree by the Veggie Tales, daddy must dance. Such a sweet moment.

Aubrey posing at the end of the song.

Caroline just watched and laughed. She eventually joined mommy for a dance.

Cheetos Attack

2011-12-18T22:50:00.000-06:00

Some may take this milestone for granted, but I love that Caroline can crawl and explore my pantry. Today she found a bag of Cheetos that didn't have a chip clip and was pleasantly surprised by a shower of Cheetos. The two pictures on the right are of Caroline eating a egg roll. Yummy!

Painting Caroline

2011-12-17T23:54:00.000-06:00

Caroline is doing so great sitting unassisted in the bath and being patient while her big sister "paints" her. Ha!

Here is Caroline's bathroom toy area. It is my attempt to keep her away from the shower door.

Learning

2011-12-16T22:49:00.000-06:00

Boy do I love watching the girls learn!

I made a Tot Time Notebook for Aubrey and she loves tracing all her letters. She also knows almost all her letters and their sounds. Sometimes I am totally blown away by what she knows. She is such a little smarty. :o)

Caroline had a blast sitting at the table while playing with her blocks and markers. She practiced putting both items into her metal bucket and then taking them out of the bucket. I love watching her learn because she becomes so focused and wants to do it her way!

Littlest Adventures

2011-12-14T15:44:00.000-06:00

Boy does she love her some Holly! Every time she see her she says, "daag." I think Caroline is my New Yorker, and Aubrey is my Southerner. Ha!

Riding in the car.

She is such a messy eater. Spaghetti O's are her favorite.

Pom Pom Shooter

2011-12-12T15:38:00.000-06:00

I made Aubrey a pom pom shoot from a used yogurt cup & balloon. She had a blast and spent most of her time chasing Holly who was stealing all the pom poms.

Silly Hats

2011-12-09T15:00:00.000-06:00

It has been really cold here, so I thought I should take some pictures of the girls in their silly hats.

Caroline, like her momma, is not really a hat person, but I think she still looks cute.

Her cuteness is killing me!!

I may have bribed Aubrey with some Diet Dr. Pepper to get her to sit still for me and look at the camera. She is actually making this "look" because I told her there was an elephant in my camera. I love this girl.

This picture is not in focus, but I love the fact that Caroline has her mouth wide open for a kiss from Conan. So sweet!

Gingerbread House

2011-12-08T15:08:00.000-06:00

My mom got Miss Aubrey this gingerbread house kit while she was here. Aubrey has been wanting to do it for a few weeks and so I finally got it out tonight. Aubrey had so much fun, but the candy was either hard or pretty nasty tasting. I think next year I am going to get a premade house from Tom Thumb (saw them there this week) and then just buy special can for the house to decorate with.

Sitting Pretty

2011-12-07T15:03:00.000-06:00

She so wasn't in the mood for a photo shoot today, but I so wanted to document her sitting pretty. It has been 12 LONG months of me just wanting to see her sit and here she is sitting, but not smiling. Ha!

Not happy at all. :o(

Around The House

2011-12-06T14:50:00.000-06:00

Caroline awoke in a crib full of vomit this morning. I thought she was sick, but I think it might just be her reflux acting up since we have been off Prevacid for about 5 days. :o( Poor thing. But she did get a nice bath that made her smell really pretty.

My mom got me this Swivel cleaner and Aubrey loves to clean the floor with it. It sure is nice to have a little helper. Now if she was only old enough to do the laundry. :o)

Chloe

2011-12-05T14:46:00.000-06:00

Chloe, Santa's little helper, is here to visit us and has been doing some silly things around the house. Aubrey loves finding "santa" and thinks she is so cool. She is also a great tool for keeping Aubrey's behavior in line.

Yucky Friday

2011-12-02T21:26:00.010-06:00

It is yucky today, so we hung around the house. Littlest Miss practiced her sitting some more.

This was the first year that Aubrey helped me put the ornaments on the tree. She did a great job and some areas have more ornaments than others, but she helped and I am not going to move them.

Messy Eater

2011-12-01T21:25:00.004-06:00

I love my little eater, but she sure is messy. Tonight she had mac and cheese with strawberries. It was a mess and a bath was required. I can't wait for the utensil stage.

Sisters

2011-11-30T21:17:00.010-06:00

I love these girls and the relationship they are forming. I did not ask Aubrey to hug Caroline, but she did and it was so sweet.

Caroline is eying Aubrey's candy cane.

Yummy!

Cookies

2011-11-29T21:15:00.006-06:00

Christmas Oreos for my girls.

A pony tail for my girl. I can't believe it has taken almost three years to get her hair this long.

Sitting, Crawling, and Much More

2011-11-27T21:12:00.027-06:00

I am so proud of my little girl. She is trying to do so many cool things recently. She has now started to get up on her knees. She gets frustrated while she is doing it, but that is how you learn. I love her determination!

She can sit on her own and I am trying to teach her how to get to a laying position when she gets tired of sitting. Sitting really changes things and she enjoys it, but she would rather be crawling than sitting.

She army crawls EVERYWHERE and is getting faster everyday. The moment she wakes, she wants down so she can explore. I love watching her enjoy having her freedom back. She is so happy and content these days. If I leave a room, she just follows behind me.

It was 8:30am and she was still asleep. I needed to wake her and found her on her back when I went into her room. So sweet! I think it is funny that she rolls over in her crib way more with the Rhino brace than she ever did in her Spica cast.

A little doggy may have been under Caroline's highchair, but I am not really sure. Ha! You never know what is going to fall from the highchair. Some days it is food, a milk cup, or spit-up. There is no guarantee you are going to get what you want.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T21:09:00.014-06:00

Santa sent Aubrey a little letter from the North Pole about a visitor she will be having in a few days. Santa's little helper Chloe will be visiting to report to Santa Aubrey's behavior.

We went to a friends house for Thanksgiving dinner. I wish I would have taken more photos, but a little certain cutie was cranky and teething, so I had no energy to take photos.

Wagon, Jerky, and Bath

2011-11-23T21:03:00.025-06:00

We went for a little wagon ride as we waited for Grandma and Grandpa to arrive.

Caroline was so happy to be outside and actually sitting in the wagon.

Aubrey is so silly.

My brother makes some really yummy beef jerky and Caroline agrees. She nibbled on it until it was time for dinner.

Sometimes it is just easier to give Caroline a bath in the sink.

Aubrey

2011-11-22T21:01:00.016-06:00

This girl makes me laugh. I got out the walker for Caroline (who doesn't want to play in it), but Aubrey apparently thinks it is hers. The walker is like a little car, so she pretends to drive to "work."

Aubrey got her flu mist this past weekend. Apparently you can get very similar symptoms of the flu, but at a lesser degree. She told me she was sick and that her throat hurt. :o( We went to the doctor to rule out Strep and thankfully it was just a result of the flu mist.

I had to purchase two packages of tomatoes because Aubrey thinks they are hers and eats them like a snack.

The wagon has now been converted from Caroline's spica cast chariot to just a wagon for two little girls or one little girl and her momma's iPhone.

Angry Birds & Eating

2011-11-21T20:54:00.014-06:00

Caroline is such a squishy little baby! I love seeing her cast free and enjoying herself. She is now back in her old highchair since food was going everywhere in the other highchair. Just look at those little legs peeking out from beneath the tray. I heart her!

Daddy and Aubrey found some Angry Bird bandages at this store recently. I placed them on the counter and this is what I found later that day. She old me she had a boo boo, but I think she just wanted some Angry Bird band aids on her little feet.

Making Christmas

2011-11-20T20:53:00.000-06:00

Rodney has been wanting to hang Christmas lights for about three years. Every year we say that when Aubrey gets a little older we will do them. Now that she is getting excited about Christmas, we decided to put up lights. Rodney is amazingly handy and made custom lights for your house. When Aubrey saw Rodney on the ladder, she said "daddy is making Christmas!" Ha!

Look at the face on little Caroline. After three months of using an adapted swing, Caroline finally got her swing back. :o)

Our Normal!

2011-11-18T20:51:00.001-06:00

Two days after the cast removal and I feel like life is getting back to some type of normal. Our normal is definitely different than others, but it is nice to have our normal back.

Caroline has been on a roll these past two days. She started off by army crawling when we first came home from the hospital and hasn't really stopped. In the pictures below, I put her in the playroom and she crawled out into the entry way looking for me. She has gotten up on her knees about 5 times now. She is still working on building back her stomach muscles. She is now wearing actual pj's and they are size 18 months!! Thankfully I got these out of Aubrey's old clothes earlier this week. She is starting to bear weight on her legs which is something she hasn't done since she was 4 months old. It is really eye opening how certain circumstances really make you take in the small things and really cherish something as simple as army crawling.

Aubrey had a lolly pop this morning and thought it would be nice to share with Caroline. I had to explain that it is nice to share, but little sisters can't have lolly pops. She let her lick the lolly pop instead. :o)

Aubrey playing with Caroline. She brought Caroline her magnetic dressing doll set, but mommy had to pay close attention since there are tiny shoes and hair pieces in the set. I love seeing my girls' play together.

My dancing diva.

Did she get these moves from daddy? lol!

Bye, Bye Spica Cast :o)

2011-11-16T20:15:00.001-06:00

I have been looking forward to this day for 3 months. I so want to smack baby butt, pinch thighs, pick her up from under her arms, and just feel her cute, little body. However, I was hesitant come this morning. I brought her Rhino Cruiser in case they needed, but didn't remove the Hippo carseat from the car. I was afraid that if I removed it, I would be jinxing her cast removal. I know it is silly to think like that, but I did.

Without family in town, we packed up the whole family and headed to Scottish Rite. Aubrey did so good for getting up at 6:00. Caroline was a model patient again this time. She was sedated in order to do the arthrogram and to make sure her ligaments were tight. She is still slightly loose, but it isn't serious. Dr. Birch actually thinks her looseness might be her norm for both hips. He did mention that most kids get stiff in the spica, but apparently Caroline did not. I guess stiffness would help the hip ligaments get tighter. Her socket is nice and round which is a huge improvement from how it was prior to the cast. She is free during the day, but will be in the Rhino Cruiser at night until the age of 2. I am actually fine with this because she has been restrained at night since she was 4 months old, so she is use to it.

Here is my little lady abusing me before surgery.

I love this happy little girl. xoxo

She was 10 minutes into her Versed and a very happy, yet sleepy, baby.

They had little televisions, so Aubrey was in heaven.

Rodney took Aubrey down to get popcorn at 7:30 in the morning. Popcorn was her breakfast. Rodney said that he gave her a quarter and told her she could get popcorn. She walked up to the gentlemen selling the popcorn, slapped her quarter onto the tray, and said, "I want popcorn please!" She then proceeded to tell people in the elevator that she got popcorn and all about her popcorn. I am not joking when I say this girl is obsessed with popcorn. She ate two bags. Ha!

Doesn't this picture just break your heart. Poor thing. She was super cold, so they bundled her up. She woke up about 5-10 minutes after I took this and ripped off the blanket around her head and insisted on some mommy time.

So sweet and innocent!

Look at that smile! This was taken about 10 minutes after coming home. She army crawled all the way from the middle of the carpet to the breakfast area in the kitchen. She has never left the carpet before, so a big milestone for Caroline. :o)

Her skin was in perfect condition. The thighs were a little dry, but nothing like how her legs were 6 weeks ago. I can't believe how chubby her thighs are! Look at that flower butt! So. Stinking. Cute!!

Notice how flexible my child is in the bottom right picture. She had her head almost touching her right foot. When she scoots backwards, she makes a perfect T with her legs and torso.

They didn't give her a bath when they removed the cast. How did we know this? We noticed she smelled horrible when we got home. The cast did a great job hiding the odors.

She was so excited to get in the water. I only let her bathe for about 10 minutes because I didn't want her skin to get to irritated. She was a little upset when she had to get out.

She also sat and rode around in the little car.

We are so happy today! Thank you all for your thoughts and prays for our littlest lady!

Final Day in Spica Cast

2011-11-15T20:07:00.001-06:00

Notice the last raindrop on the rainbow? This is hopefully Caroline's last day in her spica cast. Such a wonderful day!

Aubrey loves to help me dry Caroline in between diaper changes, so I thought I would finally document her chore on her last day of service. She is such a big helper these days. Caroline LOVES to have her bottom cooled. I hope she realizes this isn't a "normal" part of diaper changes.

I had a 6 balloons left from Caroline's party, so I decided to take Caroline outside and take a few photos. My plan was to do some with her in her nice dress and then some with her in just the spica cast and pearls. I wanted to document her cuteness in her cast. My plans was going okay until she feel out of the chair and into the grass. I felt horrible and stopped taking pictures. :o(

Where is Caroline?

My little cutie!

Caroline's 1st Birthday Party!

2011-11-12T21:23:00.000-06:00

What a great 1st birthday!! Caroline was in such a good mood today and had a blast. I wish I would have gotten more pictures of her friends at the party, but the only time I took pictures was when Caroline was in her spica eating lunch or having her cupcake.

Our little family of 4 on such a happy day. Aubrey had fun inviting all of Caroline's guest inside. She would say, "Hi friends, come inside!" She is the little hostess with the mostess. Ha!

Caroline's party decorations. Here is Caroline eating her birthday breakfast (eggos) and her lunch. She was so confused as to why she was eating a meal in her spica chair.

I would love to know what she was really thinking. lol!

Aubrey helped Caroline blow out her candle.

Caroline having her first taste of cake. Unsure of it at first, but then she ended up eating two. :O)

I hadn't handed out the cupcakes to the other kids at this point and Aubrey couldn't wait for her cupcake. At least Caroline is nice enough to share.

The funny part about his picture is that Caroline was so tickled that Rodney was sitting next to her. She would look at me and then look at Rodney and start laughing and smiling. She wasn't a fan of Rodney's from 3 weeks -7 months, but she loves her some daddy these days.

I love this little girl!!

A messy, yet happy Caroline.

Happy Birthday, Caroline Bella

2011-11-11T12:31:00.000-06:00

As I typed my Facebook status today, "19 months ago we were told that our little baby had only a 10% chance of making it to term. Here's to a very emotional, yet happy 1st birthday to my littlest lady! I can't believe I have a toddler" I got teary-eyed. Actually, I am teary-eyed right now. I just can't believe how much we have all grown over this past year just because you came into our lives. Yes, this year has been full of emotional moments, but those moments have made us (and you) stronger and more able to tackle lifes challenges.

You are a remarkable and beautiful little lady. You are determined to get what you want and let yourself be know. Your personality is a hoot and you make us all laugh everyday. I have enjoyed watching you grow this past year and can't wait to see you grow this year and for many more years. This is your last monthly post, so I will leave you with a few things you did this month:

You can say "dada", "hi", "dog" or "daaag", and I swear you say "hey" all the time. You have said mama, but you don't say it much. Aubrey never said mama until I was in the hospital to have you, so maybe I should get pregnant and have another kid. Ha!
You love to feed yourself. You are eating mostly finger foods. You love Eggos & yogurt in the morning. Your favorite is oranges. You like chicken noodle soup (without the water), spaghetti o's, peas, grilled cheese, strawberries, and other finger foods.
You take only one nap a day. This is my favorite milestone.
You drink whole milk, so no more buying formula.
You drink from a sippy cup most of the day, but do like your bottle. You actually think you are too cool to hold either the bottle or the sippy, so we are working on you holding your own drinks.
You got tubes in your ears. You seem so much happier.
You scoot backwards in your spica cast and your legs do the splits.
You love to do baby push ups. You have amazing upper body strength.
You love to try and sit, but your cast is rounded at the bottom and there is no way for you to balance.
When I put you on your back, you try really hard to crunch your tummy. I am assuming you are wanting to sit. I hope this is so because you will love sitting and it will change our lives. I can't wait to see you sit.

We love you sweetie,
Mommy and Daddy xoxox

Aubrey

2011-11-11T10:00:00.000-06:00

My attempt to get outdoor pictures of Caroline on her birthday was an epic failure. Caroline hates grass and just wasn't in a happy mood. She can't be smiley all the time.

Aubrey on the other hand had fun running around and chased a few butterflies. She is getting better a posing or sitting still, but still has a hard time realizing she is supposed to look at the camera and smile. At least she is listening better. :o)

While taking Caroline's pictures, Aubrey let me take a few of her. I should check her temperature because something is wrong with her if she is letting me take pictures.

These brown eyes are killing me! She uses them to get what she wants. Need to remember that these brown eyes are not always used for good. Ha!

When I was done making the frosting for Caroline's cupcakes, Aubrey got to lick the beater blade. She was in heaven.

Trampoline Playdate

2011-11-08T22:22:00.004-06:00

The girls had a fun time today playing on the trampoline.

Talking to Daddy on is way home from work.

Countdown Rainbow

2011-11-07T21:16:00.000-06:00

I needed a visual reminder of how many days we have left until Caroline gets her cast off. I thought of just doing numbers, but that was plain and uncreative. So, here is my countdown rainbow. When all the raindrops are gone, Caroline will be cast free. Only 9 more days!!!

Let's Dance!!!

2011-11-06T22:13:00.000-06:00

Aubrey has found the children's version of youtube recently and all she wants to do is watch music videos. Here she is dancing to a Cars 2 soundtrack sung by Sheryl Crow.

Same song, different day. Ha!

I love this face. :o)

Caroline enjoyed watching Aubrey dance laps around her, but she does look a little scared in this photo. Poor thing. Maybe she is wondering what happened to her legs.

Dropper Play & Robots

2011-11-04T22:01:00.000-05:00

Food coloring + ice cube tray + dropper = fun time!

Playroom playtime! I love how Caroline is really exploring the shelving these days. I put all her toys and books on the bottom shelves for her to grab. Holly just wanted to say "Hi!"

Daddy likes to think he is cooler than Mommy, but he isn't. :o)

Daddy built Aubrey a cool Robot and she was kind of smitten with it.

The elephant is its head. Ha!

Is my child the one kid in America that thinks cherry tomatoes are a snack? She would eat the entire container if I let her, but I needed some for our salads.

Caroline loves anything that lights up.

Aubrey loves to "help" Caroline these days.

A Bouncing

2011-11-03T21:13:00.000-05:00

We met up with friends in Arlington and had a fun time at a bounce house. If Aubrey had a choice, she would only go to bounce places now. Ha!

A Spica Bath

2011-11-03T20:34:00.000-05:00

When we found out the spica cast was in our future, I cried so hard about Caroline not being able to take a bath for 3 months. Baths were one of her favorite things and I was just heart broken. Letting Caroline splash in the sink is probably one of the next best things to a bath. Here is how you bathe a little baby in a spica cast:

1. put towels on sink and create a little pillow for head. Wash all areas above the cast and then towel dry.

2. Spin baby around and do legs and feet. Inside cast area gets Mustela PhysiObébé No-Rinse Cleansing Fluid. I also like this cleaner for after meal time or when we don't do sponge baths, makes Caroline smell so pretty. :o)

3. Flip baby around so they can splash in water and look in the mirror.

I use the green towel for comfort and to keep the splashing away from her cast.

If this computer had a scratch and sniff button, you would get to smell a clean baby.

Friends

2011-11-02T23:58:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful playdate with some friends today. I love this park because of the play equipment, ducks, and eating area. Such a nice Fall day.

Aubrey loves dirt these days. I will not be buying her any clothes are light colored this season.

Not like Aubrey hadn't already had candy (notice the chocolate) she wanted more.

What do you want? bubble gum?

Please????

Pros & Cons

2011-11-02T23:21:00.002-05:00

In two weeks, my sweet Caroline will be getting her cast removed. We are excited and over joyed!!

Back before we started this Spica cast journey, I thought there really couldn't be many, if any, pros of Caroline being in a Spica cast, but I have found some:

The crib mattress is still at the newborn level, so not much bending for me.
When I put her down, I come back to her in roughly the same spot, but maybe facing a different direction.
I don't have to bathe her every night, every other night, or even on a regular basis.
She doesn't wiggle when I am holding her and it is actually easier to hold on to her with one hand.
I can squeeze her as tight as I want and it won't squish her. :o)
I can only hold her in one position at night when I am feeding her, but that won't stop us from cuddling and bonding. My littlest lady loves to have her arms rubbed at night and will lift each one when she is ready for me to more on to the next arm. She also loves for me to rub her legs.
I don't have to worry about her blanket coming off at night because it sticks to her cast.

Like all situations, there are a few cons:

She hasn't had a bath in THREE months. She had one at cast change (6 weeks), but she didn't smell any different to me. I ended up giving her a sponge bath when she came home.
She is HEAVY and awkward to hold at times.
I can't hold her in the cradle position and there is only one real position I can hold her in at night. If she is sick or upset at night, there is no way for me to cradle her and that is sad for both of us.
She is a messy eater and that means her cast is not in the best condition.
She isn't mobile and that makes for a very frustrated Caroline at times.

It is truly amazing how your perceptive changes once you are faced with something that you can't change. Back when she was diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia at 4 months, I thought the cast was the worse thing possible. However, after going through this journey, I think it was one of the better hip treatments because we know there is a certain amount of time she has in the cast. We know that we can't take it off for only a "few" minutes for bathing or playing. Caroline never gets the taste of freedom which prevents her from being irritated about being in the cast. I don't have to un-velcro straps just to change a onesie or diaper. I know we had to try all the other treatments (Pavlik Harness, Rhino Cruiser), but sometimes I wish this would have been our only option. I do know that if it was or only option, I am sure I would have found the cast way worse than it really was because I would have had nothing to compare it to.

I have a confession to make, I am obsessed with taking pictures of this little beauty!

Pretty Brown Eyes--Nystagmus

2011-11-01T19:57:00.001-05:00

These beautiful brown eyes are going to Akron Children's Hospital in Ohio to see Dr. Hertle in January. Dr. Hertle is one of the leading Ophthalmologist on Nystagmus and eye movement disorders. He comes highly recommended by MANY parents of kids with Nystagmus and older kids who have lived with Nystagmus. We know she needs surgery and are very optimistic about her visit and potential surgery by Dr. Hertle. :o)

Happy Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T22:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!!

My Pirate

My Clown minus the clown make-up.

Aubrey's friends showed up right after eating dinner and before I had a chance to wipe her mouth. Oh well...pirates aren't clean anyways.

She had blast walking door to door with my neighbors daughter. She did get spooked by a guy in a Scream mask and that was the last door she visited. Poor thing!

Caroline saying that Halloween is "okay."

I think she found the lollipops.

Weekend

2011-10-29T21:21:00.001-05:00

What cast? We had a friends 1st birthday party to attend this weekend, so Miss Caroline got to wear her party dress. Doesn't she look cute? It is a nice fall dress that use to belong to Aubrey that I paired with a nice pair of spring leggings. Ha! At least her legs were warm and you couldn't tell that she had a cast.

Miss Aubrey is harder to take pictures of, but I am starting to get a few more looks at the camera and some attempts at smiles. Yay! When Aubrey woke, the wish book for Target had arrived. She sat on the island and looked through it with wide-eye wonderment. Of course she stopped on the page with the cars and said she wanted the red Mercedes. I keep telling her to ask Santa.

I was laying on the grass taking pictures of Caroline when I noticed Aubrey was mocking me. Ha!

Refusing to look at me.

You would like me to look at you? Nope!

I'm going to smile in this direction.

She is so proud of herself for riding her bike by herself.

She looks so grown up, but next year I am going to look at this picture and think how little she was.

Miss Silly! This is the reaction you get when you ask her if she sees any ghosts.

I love her!

Time to take the baby for a walk.

Posing next to her pumpkin.

Daddy and Caroline

Jack-o-lantern with a flameless candle.

My Girls

2011-10-28T23:30:00.020-05:00

I love these girls. They keep me on my toes, but keep my heart so full.

I love how Aubrey is gaining more patience and tolerance.

I love seeing Caroline look up to Aubrey in amazement, while watching Aubrey show kindness and love to Caroline.

I love watching these girls grow into their own little personalities. Their personalities are alike, yet so different.

I hope that these girls grow to be best friends one day.

Pumpkin Patch #2

2011-10-28T21:28:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday, we had a playdate at the pumpkin patch in Flower Mound. Aubrey loves bounce houses and this pumpkin patch had about 6 or 7. Plus they had a hay ride, maze, and some other fun attractions. Aubrey had a blast hanging with her friends.

Me and My littlest lady.

Miss Caroline eating her snack.

My lady loves to play in dirt.

She liked the merry-go-round.

She loves this playhouse. Maybe Grandpa could help make her a playhouse one day? :o)

My attempt to get all three girls in the same photo. FAIL. Ha!

Aubrey loved the maze and the slide at the end.

Preparing for the slide. She has her game face on. Ha!

Just imagine what happened next... Lets just say that the slide won and Aubrey lost. Need to teach Aubrey to put her feet down.

Rain Day

2011-10-27T21:37:00.000-05:00

It's a rainy day here, so we did some pumpkin painting and cake ball making. Not too exciting, but that is our life some days. :o)

Who knew a paper towel tube could be so fun. She played with it for a good 45 minutes and then threw a tantrum when I took it away before bed. Ha!

Aubrey helped me make some red velvet cake for our cake balls. She is a good helper.

The girls

2011-10-26T21:36:00.000-05:00

Rodney went out of town today, so up girls had a nice breakfast before he left.

After naps, I took Aubrey to get her hair trimmed and her bangs cut.

After getting her hair trimmed, we headed to the park for a picnic and some playtime. Aubrey had a blast playing in the sand.

Caroline enjoyed the swings and being in the outside.

Random Pictures

2011-10-25T23:19:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you have to be silly with your little lady.

My favorite two ladies.

Aubrey went to her friend Tyler's 3rd birthday party. She FREAKED when I brought her here when she was 13-15ish months. The bounce house that all the kiddos are sitting on is actually a large Batman and that was what she was afraid of. This time she was a little timid of him, but had fun anyways.

Here are some pictures of when we picked up Gama and Pop from the airport & eating dinner.

This picture was on Rodney's phone, so I had to steal it from him. This is Caroline right after getting her cast change. Sweet little baby.

Here is Caroline before surgery. The bottom right is a picture of the sore I found the day after surgery. This is just a small part of it that is visible. The other part is under the cast. I put some peroxide on it and it seemed to dry it out. Bottom right is a happy Caroline only 2 hours after surgery. Such a happy baby.

Eating dinner with Grandma.

Lollipop!

Ever since getting her tubes in her ears, Caroline has been an eating machine. She eats about anything I put in front of her. Her favorite is oranges, so I now give them to her at the very end of her meal. I also still finish with a jar of high fat baby food since she has not really gained any weight in the past 3 months. Sometimes she will eat the jar and sometimes she only takes a few bites. Seeing her eat her food makes me so happy. I feel like her eating is now one less thing I need to worry about. Now I just need her to gain weight, but we will evaluate that after she gets out of the cast.

Family Fun Day

2011-10-24T23:22:00.002-05:00

We headed to the zoo today with some friends. It was such a beautiful day and the kiddos were on such good behavior. If you didn't know, Caroline is now on one nap these days. So, Caroline made it from 7:30-2:00 without a nap and was such a champ.

Here is Aubrey in the bird exhibit. You can get little sticks to feed the birds. Aubrey enjoyed feeding them from a distance, but she didn't want them to sit on her stick while they ate. Ha!

She is getting so big!

One would think that Caroline only sits in the stroller when we do outings. Maybe daddy will take over the camera when I am holding Caroline, so we can prove that she does escape her stroller.

Aubrey and Emilee.

A different ice cream truck came by this Sunday. They only sold Popsicles, so guess who was in heaven? She was so excited to show me her multicolored Popsicle.

While Aubrey ate her Popsicle outside with Daddy, Caroline chilled with me inside.

Jack-O-Lantern

2011-10-24T23:22:00.001-05:00

Aubrey had the choice between two funny faces or a kitty face for her pumpkin. I really though she would go for the kitty, but she wanted this funny face. Now we just need to get a flameless candle so we can light it up for Halloween.

Here is Aubrey playing the iPad. She loves Angry Birds these days. Notice in the bottom left picture, Aubrey is talking to daddy on the phone and playing with her cash register. She is great with multi-tasking.

Here is Caroline. She played while I did the pumpkin design.