Second Trip to the Ophthalmologist

Y had an appointment to meet with the ophthalmologist again on Friday.  It seems as if it'll be pretty routine for her to go in every 6 months and they will check her vision and monitor the intermittent exotropia.  It was a pretty quick and fairly routine visit.  An assistant came in first and she handed Y a card with 4 letters on it, H, O, V and T.  She instructed Y to match the letters on the card with the ones that would pop up on a television monitor which they had on the opposite side of the room.  Well I assume that most of the patients that come in and are Y's age do not know their full alphabet by recognition because when Y started just calling out the letters that she saw the assistant looked back at me in surprise and asked, "She recognizes all of her letters?"  To which I simply responded, "yep!"  That assistant was truly amazed by not only that but by Y in general, I keep telling people she's one smart little girl (maybe even too smart).

When the doctor came in he just did a few other tests, mostly trying to have her follow a light.  I assume it is in following this light that he is able to recognize if there is a "pulling" of the eye.  After the tests he said that indeed there is a pull but that it seems to be in both eyes but only slightly and she manages to control it very well.  He said that for now there's nothing that they can do to treat it because it is such a mild case but if, in the future, it worsens then we will talk treatment.  So for now we will just be monitoring it and taking her in every 6 months for a checkup.  We're just relieved that it doesn't appear to be getting any worse, and we're hopeful that it'll remain that way.  The doctor seems to think that IF it ever happens to get worse then it will be several years down the road or maybe even never!  That's music to a parent's ears!

2011 Christmas Cards

Each year I write a post sharing our Christmas card with those who we weren't able to mail cards too - I'm a bit late with that post this year, but better late than never. Right?

I typically handmake our cards each year but this year I've found myself too busy for that and so, with the help of a coupon from a friend, I turned to Shutterfly.  I must say that I was extremely pleased with the results and I am even considering doing it again in the future.  I enjoy making the cards myself but this will definitely be an alternative!

I made two cards this year and I'll share both with you below.

Card 1:

Front

Inside

Back

Card 2:

Christmas 2011

We had an awesome Christmas spent in Canada with our family and friends there.  We arrived on Friday evening, had dinner and just relaxed for the night.  On Saturday, Christmas Eve, we went to spend a few hours with a friend who's visiting with her new husband children - it was great to catch up and just sit around laughing and joking.  After returning in the early evening we had dinner and then again sat around talking, mostly laughing at each other or something Y said or did.  She also put on her new princess apron to help Nana B. in the kitchen but really ended up doing pretty much everything but what was intended.



Christmas Eve

 We awoke on Sunday, Christmas morning, to go to church.  I had been preparing Y all week telling her that we would go to church first and then come back to open presents.  Preparing her beforehand as well as her being only 3 and not quite as impatient as she could be helped us attain this seemingly impossible task of convincing her to wait.  Once we came back we even got her to cooperate long enough to take some family photos!

She received lots of gifts and enjoyed slowly unwrapping each one.  She got all the things she requested from Santa, which was really only a Belle Tea Set and princess stuff.  After all the presents were unwrapped she played and all the adults relaxed until it was time for dinner.  Since Christmas fell on a Sunday this year, it was observed on Monday so B got that day off work too, it was nice to have him for an extended weekend!

I'm still patiently awaiting that year when we'll get to spend Christmas in North Carolina with my family, holidays make me miss home even more.  But we are grateful to have family within an hour's drive of us in which we can go to spend holidays with and be able to enjoy their company. 

Christmas Bows

This year, unlike past years, I had a difficult time finding Christmas dresses for the girls that I really loved. And so I settled for dresses that I thought were okay but I was determined to make them better.  And so I set out to make flower pins for the dresses and matching bows for their hair.  I knitted several different bows and liked none of them until I saw the end result of a couple bows which I had knitted for a friend at church.  I then knew which bows I'd be making for the girls!

Here's the end result:

Bows for their hair

Slightly smaller pins for their dresses.

Priceless

Bissell 3-in-1 hand vac:  $9.48
Cost per kilowatt hour:  $0.154
Relaxing on the couch with Q while B and Y vacuum the floors:  PRICELESS!!

First Taste (of Solids)

Yesterday, Q got her very first taste of solids. It was entertaining to say the least! She lapped it up and out of the spoon and then sort of dived towards the spoon to get the rest in. Check out the video below!

Waiting in anticipation for that first taste...

...almost there...

...the evidence that we were successful!

Happy Birthday

Today is B's 31st birthday.  Being as it's a Monday which also happens to be our designated grocery shopping day, we didn't really do much to celebrate.  After grocery shopping we had pizza (his favorite food), he and Y had birthday donuts (it's his birthday but he allowed her to pick his birthday treat) and then he went off to the gym for a workout.  Later in the week we will go out and all have dinner together at the restaurant of his choice.  It's been a much more low key birthday for him this year as compared to last year.

There are certain times each year when I really realized just how blessed we are to have him be the head of our household.  He's kind, he's gentle, and he's loving.  I know all this about him and I always appreciate those things about him but there's nothing like a special occasion to help remind you even more.  We (me and the girls) are among the luckiest females to ever walk this earth all because he is a part of our lives.  We can rest assured that he will always put our needs (and even our wants) above his own.  He will do all that is in his power for us to be happy.  When we are feeling our worst and thinking little of ourselves, he will be the first one to point out all the good things that may be overshadowed at the moment.  When we are unsure, he will be our biggest cheerleader encouraging us to continue on.  When we fail, he will not criticize and he will never say "I told you so."  And when we get angry and yell at him, he will not yell back.  He's not perfect but he sure is a wonderful example of what we should all strive to be.  I (we) love him for all that he is and for all that he is not!

Since he's now 31, here's 31 things that I love about him:

1. I love how he can think of a quote from a movie in the most random situation or setting.
2. I love his laugh, not his fake laugh but the laugh that he does when he finds something hilarious.
3. I love those 2 moles on either side of his nose.
4. I love to watch him play with our girls.
5. I love that he's a worthy Priesthood holder.
6. I love that I will never have to pay to have our computer repaired.
7. I love that when someone calls him asking about a computer problem or even just to help them create something using the computer he will do whatever he can to help them.
8. I love his little grumbles when I ask him to do something he doesn't really wanna do.
9. I love his fake little whimpers after I've cooked a big meal and I remind him that he has to do the dishes.
10. I love that even though he loves chocolate ice cream he knows that I hate it and thus he will only buy non-chocolate based ice creams.
11. I love that even though he hates getting up early, he wakes up each weekday morning at 4:20am to prepare for work and then does the same most Sunday mornings so that he can be at church for his meetings.
12. I love how he smiles even when I know someone (not me) is annoying him.  They will never know...but I can tell!
13. I love how honest he is, always.
14. I love that he doesn't just tell me what I want to hear.
15. I love that he realizes that even though I'm home with the girls all day that it can still be really hard for me to get things done.  He realizes that the two of them take up most of my time and never asks me what I did all day if the house isn't spotless.
16. I love that he doesn't see cleaning the house as just my responsibility.
17. I love his patience.
18. I love that even during the times that I don't feel attractive, he makes sure to remind me that he thinks I'm hot!
19. I love that he supports what I want to do, even if he has absolutely no interest in it whatsoever.
20. I love his ability to remain calm at moments when I would completely lose my temper.
21. I love it when we're walking or riding in the car or sitting in church and he grabs my hand - granted it doesn't happen nearly as often with 2 very young kids.
22. I love waking up next to him on the few mornings that we're actually able to get up at the same time.
23. I love how he allows my wants to supersede his own.
24. I love how he's taught me to be more financially cautious without counting ever penny I spend or making me feel guilty about spending.
25. I love that I can make fun of him when he's being grouchy and he not get offended.  (YES, he gets grouchy)!
26. I love his dependability.
27. I love that he loves my crazy family.
28. I love it when he sees that I'm a little preoccupied and so he will cook dinner AND do the dishes even though the person who cooks isn't supposed to do the dishes.
29. I love that he kills all the spiders that I find even though he hates them too.
30. I love his perseverance, if there's something he wants he never gives up.
31. I love that I have the ability so spend Time and all Eternity with him!!!!!

I have one amazing husband!!!

4 Month Stats & Hip Dysplasia

Last Wednesday (Dec 7th) we took Q in for her 4 month old well baby visit.  She weighed in at 14 lbs. 1 oz. and 25½ inches long.  She was given the all clear to start solid foods and the doctor even reassured me that doing so may improve the reflux since it's much thicker than breast milk. 

The only thing he found that he expressed a concern about was a "clicking" in her hip while she laid on her back and he did some hip rotations with her.  He didn't want us to get overly concerned so he told us that it may well be nothing (saying it was a click and not a clunk) to worry about but that he would order an ultrasound - better safe than sorry.  I must admit that when I heard him describing it I wasn't concerned at all, the concern didn't come until I came home and started doing a bit of research on the internet.  I found that it was called hip dysplasia and that if not treated before 6 months that it can become much harder to correct and that is where most of the concern began to creep in - Quinn is 4 months and in my eyes that didn't leave a huge window to work with.

When we came home, even though it was only 5 minutes before 5pm and I knew offices would be closing, I immediately called the DMC (children's hospital) to schedule an appointment.  We were able to schedule it for that Friday afternoon.

Before the appointment Brandon gave her a blessing and we had already had family members praying and having her name put on temple prayer rolls.  I knew it may have been overkill as there were no guarantees that she even had it, but I am always one to play it safe with my kids.  The ultrasound took about half an hour and Q really handled it like a champ, especially considering she was really tired.  When it was over we were told that our pediatrician would know no later than the middle of the week.

Today we got the call from our pediatrician and Q does not have Hip Dysplasia!!  Everything looked great on the ultrasound and she is perfectly fine.  To say that it was a huge relief was an understatement even though I knew that had the news been different it could be treated without the need of surgery at her age. 

The First Gingerbread House

A few weeks ago Y started asking if she could build a gingerbread house, so finally last week I decided that we would do it...soon!  I just had to decide between buying one of the kits which range from $8-$10 or use graham crackers and make my own icing and buy all the candy.  Finally after considering it I figured that it'd be cheaper to buy the kit than spend the money on buying all different types of candy - especially since we only wanted to make one house.  So we decided that building the gingerbread house would be our FHE (Family Home Evening for my non-LDS readers) activity on Sunday.

Y was excited and so she rushed through dinner and the FHE lesson and was ready to build her house.  I did all the structural work and then we put on all the candy and icing.  As for the icing she told me what she wanted and where she wanted it and I went to work.  For the most part she stuck to the design of the picture which was on the box. 

Here are some pictures, I think it turned out pretty well!

I love that it comes with a tray with indentions for "structural support."  It was 100 times easier than building with graham crackers!

The hardest part of the whole thing was getting the tree and gingerbread boy to stand up straight...don't let the picture fool you, it was quite difficult!

Yep...her face is covered in sugar and icing.  I'm surprised we managed to get her in bed so easily.

The finished product

Aerial view

4 Months

I've said before that the first couple months of Q's life dragged by but the last couple months have really flown by!  I can't believe she is already 4 months old.  When Y was an infant I found myself rushing time, mostly because I wanted to see her at the next stage or milestone.  This time around I'm much more relaxed and just patiently taking things as they come.

I've been extremely fortunate to have had two really "good" babies for the most part.  Q, much like Y was, is happy the majority of the time.  She loves to laugh and play, she is just a good-natured baby.  She has started blowing little spit bubbles and making all sorts of noises.  She smiles and interacts a little more with her big sister. 

I've been waiting to write this post until she goes in for her 4 month well baby visit but it's not until Wednesday and so I just caved and decided to go ahead and post it (I'll post another with her stats later in the week).  I've already taken her in to have her shots - which we have done at the health department because our insurance doesn't cover any preventative care (weird, I know) and the health dept. is always cheaper than having her pediatrician's office do it.  She took those 2 needles like a champ, only crying for a short moment at the end of the second shot.  So far, with both girls, they've never been fussy after having their shots - they sleep it off instead!

She may be starting solids this month, but it's something I intend to discuss with her doctor first.  She still has reflux and so I'm wondering if maybe we should hold off on solids until she is 6 months.  I'm not sure how she'll take to it anyway, she doesn't seem to want much in her mouth that isn't human skin - either mine or hers.  When I have her seated on my lap she will use her hand to pull my hand up to her mouth so that she can suck on my hand.  It can be quite funny to watch since 4 month olds still have fairly limited motor skills.  I've started to notice that when there is something she wants she will attempt to move towards it, I don't mean she's crawling or anything of the sort, rather that she will lean towards it or try to sit up or straighten her body to get closer to the object.  I am truly fascinated by all of the changes that she going through, every baby does it but I really feel like this time around I'm noticing so much more.  But maybe that has everything to do with what I said earlier about not rushing through each stage.

Here are some pictures which I took on Thursday, when she actually turned 4 months old.