UGH!

I've GOT to stop Googling! It starts out innocently enough but the end result is anything but! For the last few days, it's been on my mind more and more that Amelia just won't sit. She would rather stand and we've all joked she would probably walk before she crawled. Ok, so I casually Googled something along the lines of "preemie sitting" or something like that. Of course, I'm lead to none other than a discussion board of nothing but developmental problems of preemies.

Did you know it's not uncommon for preemies to want to stand rather than sit because they didn't spend the third trimester squished in the uterus? Did you know crawling leads to other developmental milestones such as reading, playing ball and climbing stairs? Did you know some professionals will actually teach an older child how to crawl even after they're walking so that those parts of the child's brain will start to connect? Huh? Huh? Did you know? I didn't but I do now.

I did know that walkers, jumpers, and exersaucers weren't very good for the development of preemies especially which is why I've been considering packing ours away for the next baby. (No, I'm not pregnant. I mean the next hypothetical baby.) Amelia doesn't really like her jumper for extended periods anyway and it takes up half the living room. lol She and I spend more time face to face, talking and exercising throughout the day than she spends in the contraption, which I would think is better for her development in the long run. Plus, I get to steal more kisses. hehe

Back to my obsessiveness. I read a little blurb about a child with Cerebral Palsy (which has been a fear of mine since before I gave birth) that said he had some stiffness in one of his legs. Welllllllllllllllllllll, the lady at the NICU follow-up clinic said the only "off" thing she saw with Amelia a few weeks ago were her left leg reflexes were a little bit stiffer than in her right, but she wasn't concerned at this point. Well, does that mean she's not concerned because it's not her child or she's not concerned because there's nothing to be concerned about? I really shouldn't Google.

Are there different exercises I'm supposed to be doing that I'm not? If I stretch her anymore, she's going to be my own little Gumby but, hey, if that's what works....Why won't she sit contentedly for more than 5 seconds without trying to stand or toppling over? Why won't she roll over from belly to back yet? Is she just being stubborn? What if she never crawls and subsequently can't read nor climb stairs? I love to read and appreciate being able to bound a floor of stairs if needed. She HAS to read and the whole stair climbing thing is a plu.! Why am I suddenly so freaked out? Does anyone have a Xanex? I really shouldn't Google.

On a brighter note:

Amelia is now 7 months old (adjusted)!!! Did I tell y'all that her birthday party is May 8th? Well, it is. :-D Wanna see something beautiful? Ok, be right back....

Well, hold your horses!

...

....

.....

......


k, I'm back. :-D




Mom and I took Amelia to visit my Granny last Sunday and this is Amelia giving Great-Granny goodbye kisses. Mom called to tell me afterward that Gran told her that Amelia was so sweet, that she didn't even feel like she was holding a baby...it felt like she was holding an angel. AAAAWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!! Aren't grandmothers wonderful?!?! *sigh* I love my granny and I'm so glad Amelia will have the same relationship with her grandmothers.

I guess I'm going to take my stressed butt to bed. Well, no...actually, I need to take a shower then go to bed. Mom and I have appointments tomorrow to get hair cuts so I need to get as much of myself ready as possible before Amelia wakes up in the morning. Otherwise, I'll never make it on time! lol

Thanks for reading my totally unwarranted worries. God continues to hold and grow Amelia perfect, healthy and strong. I believe that with all my heart but my mind tends to get in the way sometimes. I guess that's just part of being human. I hope you'll keep us in your prayers and I appreciate your continued support through reading more than you possibly know.

Good night....

Birthday Party Info and a Small Request

Happy Day After St. Patrick's Day!!!

With the awesome help of Nana, we've been able to reserve the church fellowship hall for Amelia's birthday party. Yay!!!! We were unable to get it for the Saturday following her birthday so we went with May 8th, the Saturday before. Amelia is such a sweet, charming little girl...as long as she's had her nap, so I hope she'll get some good zzzzzz's before she begins to party. ;)

I'm so excited! I want everyone to see the beautiful result of their prayers and positive thoughts over the last year. I don't care two hoots about gifts, I just want to celebrate this awesome gift we've been given. So...come play with us! hehe

I've entered some pictures of Amelia in a few photo contests, two of which the winners are based on the number of votes she receives. Y'all know what's coming. lol Would you pretty please, with a cherry on top, vote for these two pictures of Amelia? *flutters eyelashes*

Easter Photo Contest - http://www.thecutekid.com/ckgallery/votemypic/email/43479

LOL Photo Contest - http://www.thecutekid.com/ckgallery/votemypic/email/43505

We can vote every single day and I just know with all of Amelia's buddies out there, she can win by a landslide! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! (The other contest is actually run by professionals so what we say really doesn't matter. lol)

I had planned to do a bit of rambling tonight but I can't seem to keep my eyes from crossing. lol I'm going to hit the hay but I'll talk to you soon.

Don't forget to vote and don't forget to mark your calendar for May 8th!! *grins* Have a great night and a wonderful Friday.

(((((((((((Big Hugs)))))))))))))

~LaLa

I'm ba-aaaack!

That has GOT to be the longest moment of silence honoring a swing in the history of, um, swing recognition ceremonies. I do believe it has been properly acknowledged and we can respectfully move on. ;-)

So, Amelia went for her 6 month (adjusted age) check-up with the Premature Infant Care Clinic (PICC) last week. I think that's what the program is called but we just call it "goin' to Amos Cottage" since that's the name of the place. She went, she charmed and she conquered. Her weight was a whopping 17 pounds, 3 ounces and there seems to be some discrepancy with her length. The nice folks at Amos Cottage measured her in at just under 27 inches but the pediatrician's office measured her at a little over 25 inches today making her somewhere between 25 and 27 inches long. Either way, that's a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnng way from 12.9 inches at birth!

I had to fill out a questionaire full of questions concerning whether or not Amelia was doing certain things yet and was pleasantly surprised when I was able to check "yes" and "sometimes" to the vast majority of questions! Amelia's strongest area of development is in communication and she's right on target for her adjusted age (calculated from her due date) of 6-7 months.

Y'all, she is just wonderful and is such a beautiful gesture of God's love for His children. She is such a happy, charming little girl. She and I were standing in a store waiting for David to come back from the van when I woman came over to say "hi" to Amelia. I did well - I didn't assault her with Purell nor did I cover Amelia and run. I took deep breaths, smiled and prayed. ;-)

Really, I'm surprised by how smoothly I've transitioned from The Purell Nazi to a somewhat normal person. I still prefer complete strangers not breathe all over my child but I'm very at ease with "known" people holding and playing with her. I used to think touching their little foot was more acceptable than their hand but Amelia would rather chew on her toes than her fingers!

Ok, where was I? Oh! Amelia's new friend. Anyway, Amelia just grinned and laughed at this woman from the moment she approached us. The lady checked out, then came back say her goodbyes to Amelia. As soon as Amelia saw her walking toward us, she started kicking and laughing. She really went crazy when she spotted David coming back. lol NOBODY can make her laugh like her daddy can! He walks into the room and her little face lights up.

*sigh* I melts my heart to see and hear the two of them interact. David brought her back to bed with us when she woke up Sunday morning. She sat on his chest while he laid on his back and they played. David would lean toward her saying, "I'm gonna get you!" while tickling her belly and blowing raspberries. THEN she would do the same thing to him. lol!! It was the cutest thing I've ever seen!

My eyes are going crossed and I'm about to fall out of my chair so I guess I'd better make this entry short-ish. Amelia had 2 shots this morning and went to bed at 6:30 so I figure she'll be up rather early in the morning. I didn't mean for her to go to bed that early. We thought we were just putting her down for a nap. lol

I'll check back in tomorrow. Here are a couple links to her most recent pictures:

February - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2053034&id=1378911125&l=6c31ac9439

March - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2056248&id=1378911125&l=5ae8d03ecd

I added a couple to her old Photobucket Album and didn't have the same problems I had before so I might go back to posting pictures there. I'm not sure if there are very many people still following Amelia's story or not, though. If not, it's just as easy to put them on Facebook.

Have a great night! "see" ya tomorrow!

♥♥♥♥♥

Hello ello llo lo o..

Is there anybody in there?! Yes, I know...a whole month has gone by without a peep from yours truly. What on earth are we going to do with me? I know! Send me to my room for a whole day to think about what I've done. Truth be told, I think you should tack on a full night and possibly another whole day. Did I mention, I HAVE to stay in there all alone, without visitors? Just push a granola bar under the door every once in a while and I'll be fine. Thank goodness we have an attached bathroom or we might have a small problem. So, when do we start?

Angel Bear is just as wonderful as ever, but y'all knew that. ;-) Before I go any further, you must see this picture and you are required to look at it today if at anytime you find yourself becoming a grump. I PROMISE you will smile the second you lay eyes on this....




and should you find yourself with the uncontrollable urge to say, "awwwwwwwwwwwww," just take a peek here...




All together now........AAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!


Ok, let's see here...where to start.... First, I truly am sorry for dropping off the face of blogland. Not just for y'all but for all the stuff I've forgotten simply because I didn't write it down! I have vowed to myself to journal more because I feel like so much is slipping by without being permanently ingrained into my brain. I just can't have that! I'm a stickler for dates and times and it "affects me" that there are so many empty gaps of information to read back on since Amelia came home. On the other hand, there have been endless moments of snuggle time! hehe

The last month has been jam-packed with firsts! Our little Easter Bunny has 2 bottom tooth buds peeking through her gum. One is peeking a little more blatantly and is quite sharp! Bless her heart, she bit her own finger the other day but has since learned she must chew her fingers on the side of her mouth instead of right in the front.

Amelia went to church for the first time AND behaved wonderfully. Of course, I'm sure it helped that Nana kept her fully entertained but she was such a little charmer! I just can't tell you how much David and I enjoyed that entire day...

She has now been out to eat 4 times: Mexican, Italian, Chinese and seafood. Granny (my mom) committed a very serious crime as far as David is concerned. She gave Amelia a lemon while we were eating out and David was more than a little perturbed. Why?? He says it's because he has been looking forward to doing that since it was one of the "mean things" and it's a "father's right" to do those sorts of things first. Men!

Amelia has gone from mostly spitting pureed foods out to downing 3 ounces at a time. She cannot stand pureed chicken or turkey but hasn't met a vegetable or fruit she doesn't like. Organic vanilla low-fat yogurt seems to be her favorite food, though. We bought a safety feeder consisting of a mesh bag and handle for her to hold which has been wonderful for giving her actual chunks of fruit. The bag prohibits larger pieces of food from getting in her mouth yet she's still able to eat and suck on the food itself. I've mostly used it for frozen peaches since the cool soothes her gums and she likes the taste.

She's still rolling over from her back to her tummy like a pro but just. will. not. flip back over. She even rolls over to sleep on her tummy, and no matter how many times a night I go in to roll her back over on her back, she always ends up right back over on her tummy. Unfortunately, when she awakens bright and early, she's "unable" to flip back over on her back and go back to sleep. So0000, she wakes up, realizes she's on her tummy, pages us for assistance and MIGHT go back to sleep once flipped. If she's playing in her crib or on the floor, she'll push her bottom up with her feet but she hasn't gotten up on her hands and knees yet. It won't be long....

We packed up her pretty pink swing this weekend. Let's have a moment of silence for the sanity and naps this beautiful, miracle of a machine helped me retain.









Giving The Swing the respect it deserves, I'm going to sign off for the night but I'll be back tomorrow to finish up and report on Amelia's appointment.

I hope you have a wonnnnnnnnnnnnderful day!!!!!

How Ironic...

Y'all know that David and I have gone to great lengths to keep Amelia safe and healthy. Everyone within a 2 mile radius has to Purell before breathing. If you've been sick OR been around anyone that's been sick, you can't come around for 72 hours. If you smoke, you have to wear something over you or change shirts before holding Amelia. You must rub your head while patting your belly while spelling, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and knock three times before entering a room....You get the drift. Well, irony of all ironies, WE are the ones that gave her a flippin' cold!!! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, God has a sense of humor.

We're all three croupy and coughy, thanks to David. He started snorting and hacking last week, staying holed up in our bedroom away from Amelia. It didn't work. She started coughing Saturday evening and I woke up feeling like I had been ran over 45 times by a Mack truck this morning. Maybe that 46th time would've left me laying... OH well.

David took Amelia for her Synagis shots for RSV today and THINK she weighed 16 pounds, 6 ounces (they didn't measure her length). She had a little temperature of 96.6 but her lungs were perfectly clear. Whew! Please, please, please keep us in your prayers. We're a sad bunch! lol

Amelia's Early Intervention appointment was rescheduled until next Wednesday so there's nothing to update there.

I'm going to swallow some cough syrup, check in Amelia and hit the hay. Have a good night!

~~LaLa

Cabin Fever

Yep, I has da cabin fever for which there is no cure. *hand to forehead* Whoa is me... I'm ready for yard sales and auctions and thrifting and crafting and creating and and and!!!! I do believe I'd be one of those idiots standing out in -12 degree weather at the only yard sale within a 100 mile radius with shifty eyes and shaking hands, jonesing for THE find of the day - if only another idiot would put their stuff out on their barren lawn of crispy, brown remnants of grass.

I blame my mother for this affliction. She is an enabler and my partner in crime and we fully intend to teach Amelia tricks of the trade starting as early as April when we plan to have our own yard sale. Now, that is quite opposite from our traditional rolls in the whole thrifting endeavor and THAT could very well be why we need to have a yard sale in the first place. We have tons of stuff, and truly, are only selling it to make room for more, new-to-us stuff.

I love all things vintage, another affliction for which Mummy Dearest can take responsibility for. (Boy, she's sure going to LOVE reading this! *waves* Good morning, Mom! Did you sleep well? Good..good..Glad to hear it. hehe) For years, if anyone needed a table or hutch or even a bedroom suite, the checked with me before going shopping. Sadly enough, I usually had it "in stock." My inventory has dwindled over the last few years but I still have a lot of, um, treasures to pass on to the next collector.

David and I are going to pick up my camera tomorrow and I fully intend to sneak in a trip to Hobby Lobby to pick up some stuff for a few projects I have in mind (mostly for Amelia!). I made tarts (wickless candles) and air fresheners this weekend and am feeling wonderfully productive. lol Nope, it doesn't take much but that's part of my charm. :-p

Since the name of this blog is Amelia Gracelyn, I suppose I should stop rambling about myself (I see another blog in my future) and mention The Wonder Preemie. She, of course, is beautiful, sweet, charming, cuddly, funny, happy, at times stinky, spitty, clingy, wonderful, joyful, and any other praising adjective you can think of! I swore I'd never be the kind of parent that went on and on and on about their kids because, well, because your child really is not as wonderful as you think.....But mine really is!!! lol! I'm kidding, sorta, but even when she's screaming for no apparent reason, I think she's absolutely fantastic.

David said something this afternoon about her being a handful because she wasn't happy sitting in her bouncy with me sitting in the rocking chair RIGHT BESIDE HER. If I dared to look at the TV for more than 1.5 seconds, she'd squeal and then smile as soon as I turned back to her. She wants my complete and undivided attention but I can't really say anything about it because I was the very same way! Amelia got tired of being half an inch from me and requested, in her own special way, to be picked up. That's when David said she was a handful. I just laughed and replied, "I'd rather her be like this than for something to be wrong and her be completely unresponsive."

I've said a million times that life is just a matter of perspective. Some would find it completely unacceptable that their child needed to be close a good part of the day. Not me. I think it's an fantastic miracle that she has the ability to know who we are and the ability to communicate her needs. I've decided to FINALLY make a wrap to carry her around in here at home and when we're out. I bought the fabric when she was still in the NICU, but as is the story for the last year, I just never got around to it. I hope to get it done tomorrow evening and start using it Tuesday. Hopefully, she'll like it and we'll be on the road to productivity! ;-)

If you've followed Amelia's story from the beginning, you know I grew to adore so many of the nurses we spent months with. One of those nurses had just announced her first pregnancy a couple weeks or so before Amelia came home. Her beautiful baby was recently born and I would like to ask for you to remember them in your prayers. Also, another lady I know had a premature baby a year or so before Amelia was born, and from what I understand, her precious miracle has been having some issues. Each time I pray for Amelia, I pray for her baby, and if you can, would love if you could pray for her, too.

Honestly...I've come to know so many ladies that have experienced the birth of a micro-preemie and I try my best to pray for them each day. This can be such a hard, trying experience and it takes the prayers and support from everyone around you to pull you through. God IS good and He DOES answer prayers. I find such infinite peace in that...

Amelia still takes a shower with either David or me but she hasn't really shown much interest in what was going on. Since we're leaving tomorrow, I went ahead and took a shower so I could bathe her tonight instead of risking getting water in her ears and taking her out in the cold in the morning. (Where did I get that idea from anyway? I don't remember anyone ever telling me that. lol) Tonight, for the first time, she actually turned toward the shower stream and ran her hand in and out of the water. awww! It was so cute! I love seeing the world again through her eyes. I dare say I'll enjoy it more the second time around than I did the first...

Just a funny picture...LOL



Various Christmas Pics - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2050031&id=1378911125&l=bf5c86f7cc

January Pictures - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2049721&id=1378911125&l=aa37c8d1d0

Good night, Friends. Sweet dreams! ♥♥♥♥

What a week!

Aside from the severe sleep deprivation I experienced immediately following Amelia's home debut, this has been one of the most tiring weeks I've had since she was discharged. She had her booster and RSV shots on Monday leaving her feeling crummy Tuesday and Wednesday. As a matter of fact, she just hasn't seemed to feel well all week but not really sick. She didn't have a fever and wasn't coughing or anything, she was just whiny and even more clingy to me than usual (if you can imagine that!). Have you ever seen a baby smile and cry at the same time? I have.

David really tries to give me a break, but after a few minutes, Amelia just screams until I "save" her from him. She'll be crying one minute and the second she sees me walking toward them, she starts to smile. Yes, I know, it's sweet and cute and I secretly get a small kick out of it at times BUT sometimes I really do need to get something done around here. Our living room looks like a pink tornado has come twirling through and you would think we ALL drank out of bottles by looking in the kitchen!

Speaking of bottles, Miss Amelia has mostly graduated from small to big bottles! She often eats close to 5 ounces at a time now although that results in more spitting up. I burp her as usual but she still spits up. We're going up a little on her reflux meds and I think we'll probably try to thicken the formula a little more to see if that helps. At least it's not projectile! See? You should always find the silver lining? :-p

Amelia weighed 15 pounds, 14 ounces and was 24.5 inches long at her appointment last Monday. Her weight gain has settled down some since she started regular formula but she grew nearly an inch in length in just four weeks! She is rolling over from back to front like a champ but still gets stuck trying to get back over. She will stay on her tummy a little longer and is holding her head up!



David took Amelia to his mom's (Nana's) this morning to give me a break, although I told him I didn't need one. He disagreed saying if I didn't soon get a little time to myself, I would bite his head off. Of course, I'm just not sure what he could possibly mean by that... I really didn't want her to go! It has nothing to do with where she is - I know she's well taken care of. It just feels weird being home without my little girl. David even admitted to having a hard time leaving her this morning. I guess it just feels different when we leave Amelia with either of our moms for a little bit so we can run some errands. She'll be home soon and I'll be ready for her to go to bed in a few hours if she's still acting like she has the rest of the week! lol That's ok, though, because I can go in her room and look at her and even touch her anytime I want because she's HOME.

I know some of you are thinking, "Just wait. It won't be long and you'll be begging someone to come get her!" Trust me, those fleeting moments have already reared their ugly heads but we really and truly don't want to be away from her for any extended period of time. We wanted her. We dreamed of her. We prayed for her just as we do for any future children. We chose to have children to complete our family, to love and enjoy. Not just so we could say, "Hey! Look at us. We have a baby!" (Unfortunately, I do know some people like that. Bah!)

That being said, I do admit to enjoying my day of sleep today, though... *grins* That's right, I slept until almost 3:00 this afternoon, barring the times Mom and David called.

Amelia celebrated her 8 month birthday this week and I'm in full-on birthday party planning mode! The colors are bright pink and green and I even have her dress picked out! Y'all know I'm a planner. This is what I do. I plan, plan, plan. I spent the year before David and I got married planning and buying stuff to make all the centerpieces and table decorations although I didn't end up with any of it after the wedding because everyone snatched them for themselves! Hey, at least I didn't have to worry about packing it all back up! lol

Why pay someone else to create my vision when I'm the only one that can really SEE what it is I would like to have? I love making things and am feeling inspired to create for the first time in at least a year. I've been asked why I want to go through all the trouble for a party Amelia will never remember. I just smile and respond, "Because her very existence is worth celebrating..." Nine months ago, Amelia's fate was uncertain. Today, she is a beautiful, growing, thriving, smiling, giggling, cooing, crying, pooping, cuddly, precious, miraculous gift from God and we're going to celebrate the fact that she's here with us. (Besides, I like to do stuff like this! lol)

As far as we know, her party will be on Saturday, May 15th. Save the date because you're all invited! LOL! I wish there truly was some way for every single one of you that's prayed for Amelia and supported us through the last year to really be there to witness the result your answered prayers and healing thoughts. Y'all probably get tired of me going on and on about how grateful I am and how wonderful she is but I am constantly filled with such a spirit of gratitude and feelings of being truly blessed. It is said that what comes out of your mouth is what's in your heart and my heart is feeling pretty good these days. ♥

David just called to let me know he was at his mom's! Yayy! I'm really glad Amelia has such wonderful and loving grandparents that would do anything they possibly could for her but I'm ready to smooch the chubby cheeks of my cute little girl! hehe

Goodness, what a long entry. I think I should rename this blog to "The nonsensical ramblings of a sometimes funny, always quirky and usually blonde chick." Think there's enough room for that title? ;-)

Click here for the newest pics of Amelia! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2049721&id=1378911125&l=aa37c8d1d0

"See" you soon,
LaLa