Stella - 6 Months

Weight: 17lbs, 12.5 oz (77%)
Height: 25.5 inches (36%)
Head: 45 cm (100%) - Kid has got a massive head, basically means no hats and no tutlenecks EVER!

Clothes: It's all 6, 9and 12 months.  I swear the girl could wear straight 9/12 months. 

Diapers: Size 3 - what a better fit!  :)  I've got a feeling we will be moving on up to size 4 sooner than later!

Eating: This child is a beast!  Her most favorite thing to do is EAT!  She is still taking in anywhere from 25 to 32 oz each day.  A typical day when she's going to daycare is:

6:15 a.m.: 6 oz
9:15 a.m.: 1 container of baby food
9:30 a.m.: 6 oz
12:15 p.m.: 1 container of baby food
12:30 a.m.: 6 oz
3:30 p.m.: 6 oz
6:00 p.m.: 6 to 8 oz

Yep, still an eater.  I can't even have a drink of anything without her eyeing me up like she wants it.  I bought some puffs the other day, but I don't think we are quite there yet.  I think the teeth are coming any day now because of all the drool but none thus far.  I'm okay with that.  Teeth were NO FUN with Lottie.

Sleep: Let's just say, we have been still been soooooooooooooooooooo lucky with sleep at night!  The kid is a rock star.  She goes down every night between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and doesn't wake up until 6:15 a.m.  During the day is a different story, she's never been a big napper.  She usually has two naps every day.  The one mid morning is usually the longest.

Crying:  Stella, Stella, Stella.............  Wow, just when you think you are starting to turn a corner, you lose your mind!!!  Ha!  What a difference you and your sister are!!!!  Lottie rarely cried and seemed pretty happy all the time.  While Stella seems like a happy baby most times, she is a crier!!!  To her defense, she has been put through the ringer these last couple of weeks.  She really only cries from the time I pick her up until the time she goes to bed - and that's through the week.  It isn't as bad on the weekends.  I feel like she gets a little more sleep during the day when she's with us vs. at daycare.  She's constantly stimulated and I'm sure being in a classroom with other small kiddos makes it a little harder to get a little shut eye.  Thus by the time I pick her up, she is pooped. 

Milestones: This past month has been full of smiles, laughs and cute little girly screams.  She has the sweetest, most genuine smile on her.  She loves being tickled and sitting up right.  She's still not a huge fan of tummy time.  At this point, I don't think that is going to change.  She is sitting up on her own without any support at all.  You can sit her up on the floor or couch and she supports herself 100%.  It is wonderful!  She's also grabbing, banging her toys on the floor and transferring objects very easily.  She coos and screams all day.  She loves when you sing to her and make silly faces. 

Stella's ideal day is spent hanging in her Baby Einstein exersaucer, jumping in the bouncy thing that hangs in the doorway, playing with Lottie and sitting on her own playing with toys.  She loves her rattles, little dollies, the remote, my jewelry and her Sophie giraffe.  She's constantly trying to eat them. She still loves sucking on her hands!  And if her belly wasn't so big, she would have her feet in her mouth too.   

Sibling Love: Stella loves her sister.  Her face lights up when Lottie enters the room or speaks to her. Her favorite is when her sister dances or bounces up and down in front of her.  She lets out the biggest belly laughs.  When she sees Lottie playing with her toys, she wants to be a part of it.  Lottie is constantly petting her head, trying to force a paci in her mouth or tugging on her hands.  I don't know how many times a day I have to tell Lottie to leave Stella alone!  I rarely leave the two of them alone in the room!  That Lottie can't be trusted!  Ha! 

Likes: EATING, sucking on her hands, taking a bath, putting her warm jammies on at the end of the day, seeing her daddy walk in the door from work, playing with sissy when she's not poking or prodding her, sitting up, playing with her rattles and dollies, pressing buttons/playing in her exercauser and being tickled. 

Dislikes: Being hungry, between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., tummy time and when Lottie yells (scares her).

Update: Stella is doing better.  We have a f/u appt. with the ENT on 12/2/13 and since the last post we visited an asthma and allergy specialist.  My goal is to nip this bronchiolitis in the bud before it becomes asthma.  Eeeekkkkk, the word asthma just gives me the heebyjeebys.  I've never had asthma but when Steve was a young lad he had a mild case of asthma.  I know it can be hereditary so again, just trying to nip it in the bud.  We are currently doing two breathing treatments a day (a cocktail so to speak of Albuterol and a steroid).  The hope is to get rid of the virus (cough, break up the cough) so she can get back to her old self.  We have a f/u appt. in 2.5 weeks with the specialist so an update will follow after that appt.

On another note, at the time of the specialist appt. Stella weighed in at 18.5 oz.  Holy Cow!!!!! This kid is going to be as big as Lottie by the time she is a year old........  HA!!!!  What a difference!!!  I guess no two kids/siblings are the same.  Lottie is going to be the skinny firecracker and Stella is going to be the plump/chilled out kid who everyone adores!  :)

2 Weeks I Wish I Could Forget

Oh the tears did flow.......................................

The past two weeks have been rough to say the least!  Not kidding, worst two weeks yet as far as the kiddos are concerned. 

The memories of Lottie and her ever present ear infections seemed so bad but so vague at the same time.  I remember having feelings of "will this ever end".  Sure enough with a bit of time, it did end and she was as healthy as any kid can be after her tubes were put in(13 Months Old).  We've only visited the doctor once for a sick visit after her procedure.

I am praying for the same result with Stella.  However by the look of things, I just don't see the light at the end of the tunnel just yet. 

Lets go back...............

In the last 11 days, I've been to the doctor 6 times with Stella.

Saturday: Pediatrician - junk in the eye, ongoing ear infection, referral to ENT
Monday: ENT - after an examination and our track record with Lottie, it was decided it be best to go ahead and put tubes in her ears.
Wednesday: 6 month well check up, ears still infected, cleared for surgery
Friday: Surgery
Saturday: Holy freak!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I ended up taking Stella to the children's urgent care due to respiratory problems, cough, trouble breathing.  In the end, she was diagnosed with bronchiolitis
Monday: Follow up with pediatrician due to respiratory problems. 

Everything just happened so fast.  The surgery (according to every doctor we've seen) went great.  The tubes went in great and all the infection was sucked out and gone!  Great news right????

Well, lo and behold on Saturday morning Stella started having a terrible cough.  She was gasping for air and although I planned to follow up with the pediatrician on Monday, I just couldn't for my sanity wait until then to follow up.  I ended up taking her to the children's urgent care in Blakeney on Saturday to get checked out.  OMG, talk about almost having a nervous break down....................  I can't tell you what a hollowing, helpless feeling it is seeing your child sick, miserable and crying. 

After a thorough exam, 3 breathing treatments and a chest x-ray (the most pitiful thing I've ever seen/been a part of in my life!!!) we were on the verge of being admitted to the hospital.  Thankfully my sister was in town (Godsend) who is a nurse and works closely with a pulmonologist / neurologist.  The urgent care doctor said that she felt comfortable allowing us to go home since she was there vs. going to the hospital.  In the end, Stella was diagnosed with bronchiolitis.  Basically, bronchitis for babies.  Somehow within the last week she developed a virus that dug deep down into her lungs causing a terrible cough and heavy wheezing.  So SCARY!

We were given a nebulizer and prescription for Albuteral.  We've been doing breathing treatments every four hours for the last few days.  It seems to help, but so hard to get her to actually take all of the vapor in.  We tried the mask which she hates and the mouthpiece.  The mouthpiece has been the go to for us.  She's also on steroids.  3ml twice a day.  Oh and ear drops, 3 drops in each ear for 3 days. 

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.  Laugh at how chaotic our lives are right now or cry because of how chaotic they are.  Thankfully Steve is his usual, normal, worry free self because I have been doing enough worrying and crying for the whole county. 

Since being back at daycare on Tuesday, she has just not been herself.  I'm pretty positive it's because she feels like poo and the steroids are making her crazy!  Baaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  I've been getting calls all week from them stating she's not taking her bottles like she normally does and just not being herself.  I want to scream!!!  I mean HELLO, what more can I do?????  Steve and I both have to work.  If we had the option of being at home with her it would be our number one priority but it just isn't an option and honestly probably the best thing for her after all the trauma she has endured is going to get back to some sort of normal routine. 

If you are reading this, please keep our little family in your thoughts and prayers.  Poor little Stella has been through the ringer!  And her mama has gone absolutely bonkers!!!  :)  I just hope she can kick this virus soon and get back to enjoying daycare and playing with her family. 

Until then we are just going to take it day by day - as I've said before, "We will get through this, it is only a phase!"

Here's a look at a few photos I took right before Stella's surgery on Friday.  I have never seen a hospital gown so itty bitty.  Thankfully the tubes are in and look beautiful.

Again, forgive me for my rant!  It's been 2 weeks I wish I could forget! 

 



Halloween 2013

Lottie is at the perfect age for trick or treating!  I could have squeezed her to bits after hearing her say, "Trick or Treat" and "Happy Halloween" to everyone who opened their doors.  So stinking cute! 

Here's a look back at the fall festival we attended at the girls' school, pumpkin painting and trick or treating!

 

Little stinker!

 

Aunt Jeanette and Lottie

Dora, Boots & Elmo pumpkins 

 

Making memories!

 

Typical......

 

No more mommy!

 

Making a mask in her classroom

 

Dad & Stella

 

Temporary tattoos

 

Bowling ghosts

 

She picked out PENCILS after every game/activity to bring home....

 

Cake walk w/ dad

 

Mommy & Stella selfie

 

Painting pumpkins on a Saturday night!  Times have sure changed!

 

Aunt Jeanette inspecting candy after trick or treating

Potty Training

I've been wanting to do a post about potty training for a little while now.  But every time I think about sitting down to write about it, I think about how long winded it will likely be. 

So.............to not bore you to bits, I'll try and keep it short.  I'm sure in another 2 years time I'll be reading back trying to get #2 trained.

We've been putting a lot of effort into training I would say for the past 2.5 months.  Lottie has always had issues with constipation so I NEVER thought I would see the day that she would take a poop in the potty.  But she did and it seemed like her issues with constipation and pooping disappeared over night.  I can't tell you the last time she pooped in her pants/pull up/diaper.  She cuts it close sometimes but always seems to make it just in the knick of time.  I can't say the same about peeing though.

I've cleaned up more puddles and changed more clothes than I can count.  Thank goodness we have hardwood floors throughout the house vs. carpet because there have been a couple of instances where Lottie has gone and changed her own clothes without my knowledge after she's had an accident.  Yep, that means I've slipped on pee and almost broken my back in the process.  HA!  It was a sight to see!  :) 

The best and easiest way we have found to train is through BRIBERY!  Say what you want, but it gets the job done.  Lottie never usually has very many sweets.  She gets a cookie here and there but for the most part, she usually gets fruit for dessert or the occasional chocolate milk. 

With that said, M&M's have been the potty training candy / treat after each trip to the potty.  She gets 2 M&M's for #1 and 3 M&M's for #2.  Let's face it, we could all do with 3 M&M's after a #2.  :)

I can usually tell when Lottie needs to potty.  She starts rocking back and forth and sometimes moves her feet very fast, almost anxious like.  Sometimes, she will automatically run to the potty on her own when her brain catches up with the fact that she needs to go, but most times she needs to be reminded.  On the weekends, I usually will ask her about every 30 minutes if she needs to potty and most times she tells me NO.  But with a little encouragement and reminding her that she can continue to play or do whatever it is she's doing at the minute after she's finished, that's all it takes. 

Another bribery tool we used was "Disney on Ice".  When we first started training, we told her that if she went to the potty and continued to go the potty we would take her to see the princesses.  That little trick is really what got the whole potty training jump started.  And when it was finally time to see the princesses, she was over the moon.  She loved it.  She let out the biggest, most girly scream you have ever heard when she saw Minnie, Mickey, the princesses, etc. 

Currently, Lottie's go to is using her mini Minnie Mouse potty.  It's small and easy for her to get on and off.  She has used "Mommy's potty" several times, especially in public, but her preference for the time being is the kiddy potty at home.  With that said, I am constantly cleaning and dumping pee from one potty to the other.  It's become second nature really, but boy I can't wait until she's a little bigger and using just the big potty.  It can be so gross sometimes!  I swear the girl is like a little boy sometimes - darn pee gets everywhere.  I just don't get it!  :)

We haven't started training per se for the night time because I really want to get the day training down to a tee before we do.  She's getting better and better every day with fewer and fewer accidents in between.  We've got about 3.5 months until she is 3 so my hope and goal is to have her completely trained day and night by then. 

I am super proud of how well she has done.  It's a HUGE change for these kids and it can be tough on parents.  But, with a little patience and a few M&Ms, we will get through it!  :)