Well-Baby Visits

I hate going to the doctor (not that anyone really likes going); but I really hate going to the doctor with two kids.

Lucy was due for her 18-month visit, and Parker was due for his 1-month visit just a couple days later.  (Monthly birthday posts are coming, promise.)  In theory, consecutive appointments are great.  In reality, they are twice as much work, requiring twice as much manpower.  And, unfortunately for me, Casey couldn't get the time off work.  So I recruited Grammy for the job.

Naturally, we were late for our appointment.  (Russo's are biologically programmed to be late for everything, in case you were wondering.  And when offspring are in tow, you know we haven't got a chance in Hell.)  Lu happily stepped up onto the big kid scale, and weighed in at an impressive 28 pounds; she measured 33 inches-- 90th percentile for both.  Then she protested when Park got to go in the baby scale.  Parker weighed in at 11 pounds and measured 21.25 inches-- 80th percentile for weight and 10th for height.

Parker's assessment was relatively painless, and he didn't have any vaccinations this visit.  Dr. P mentioned one concern about his neck muscles on the left side.  He tends to favor his left side, because the neck muscle is tight.  We have to massage the muscle and be more diligent about his positioning.  She also commented on his congestion.  It's common for newborns to experience congestion because the change in environment and fluid in the lungs, but, at 5 weeks, that should have cleared.  We are to clean the house more often and thoroughly to reduce potential allergens.  Other than that, Parker is doing everything he's supposed to.  Good boy!

Lucy's assessment was super quick.  She's healthy and sassy, can't ask for much more than that.  Dr. P was impressed with her vocab.  The one issue she has is a little yeast rash on her bum, but it should clear with an anti-fungal ointment.

We emerged from the office over two hours later, after a flu shot and visit to the treasure chest.  I don't know that I'll ever be brave enough to attempt one of these visits solo...someone was either crying, whining, climbing, or rooting while the other was being examed.  The joys of 2U2! 

12 Months

One whole year.  I told you to slow down, Lucy Lu...but did you listen?  No ma'am.  My squishy, helpless newborn is now a distant memory; you're my big girl, my big, baaaaad toddler.  (Bah!  I'm already crying...)

At 12 Months:

You talk all.the.time.  Everyday your teachers tell me about the stories you tell; they set you up in the jumperoo, in the big kids room, and you talk to all the kids. 

You're finally saying Mama as much or more than Dada, still no clue if you're differentiating.  You also try to say doggy, but it sounds more like da-ee. 

You go to daycare 4 days a week, Tuesday through Friday, and hang with Momma on Mondays.  You love daycare and you're doing wonderfully; eating well, taking two solid naps, you even have a boyfriend!  And it's funny because he's actually our neighbor; we see him playing outside on our nightly walks, and he calls out to you, Ucy Uuuucy!

You love to finger paint with pudding.

You crawl and cruise A LOT.  You are always moving and always getting into everything.  I actually have to watch you (and baby-proof) now...

Oh hey, should I not be in here?

Or here?

YOU TOOK YOUR FIRST STEPS TODAY!  You took 4 steps towards me, without holding on to anything!

You have a new nickname this month: Old Lady Lucy.

Yes, that is in fact a walker...

You roll a lot.  Not a new trick by any means, but you take off rolling as soon as I lay you down.  Diaper changes are pretty much impossible.  Bottomless crawling is totally adorbs, but it's risky business.

You've started dancing on command.  You bounce up and down and shake your tush when Momma or Grammy sing to you. 

You plop down on your bum every couple of steps and yell, Ooh!

You got your first ball last week - Grammy couldn't resist giving you an early birthday present - and you scream with excitement every time we roll the ball to you.

You also looove your activity walker:

You went almost three weeks with no flem, but woke up hella congested on your birthday.  

You have 6 teeth, and I apparently need to start brushing them.

You have transitioned to cow's milk.

You hate sippy cups. 

You've become very opinionated at meal time.  You smack the spoon out of my hand if you don't like what I'm serving - especially anything with texture.  Very frustrating.  Going to start working on manners, like NOW.

You are quite the drama llama with tantrums galore.

Pick me up NOW, Momma!  Rawr!

You love bathtime.  You actually kick and scream when I take you out, and the screaming continues until you fall asleep...

You sleep through the night, but occasionally wake and self soothe.  Bedtime was moved back to 7:00, but your wake time varies between 5:00-6:00.  You sleep on your tummy and move all over your crib. 

You weigh approximately 25 pounds (95th percentile).

You are 29.5 inches long (90th percentile); and the pediatrician believes, based on your growth pattern over the last year, that you'll grow to be 5'7" or taller.  Taking after Auntie Fallon, eh??

You are wearing one size pocket diapers on the largest setting and size 2 covers, and you're in 18 month clothing.

You got three immunizations yesterday, and you were such a trooper!  Fortunately, we won't see the doctor again until June. 

You celebrated your first St. Patty's Day.

You celebrated your FIRST birthday, after having a gorgeous 12 month portrait session.

You are the brightest part of my day.  You've taught me so much in these 12 short months (but I'll save the weepy stuff for my Dear Lucy letter).  I love you so very much, words can't even begin to describe it.  You are beautiful, you are happy, and you are healthy.  Quite frankly, my darling, you are too good to be true.

Our battle with Molluscum

Disclaimer:  Graphic, yucky pictures to follow.  You've been warned...  I promise to conclude this terrible post with super cute pictures of Lulu.

My beautiful baby girl has Molluscum Contagiosum.

July 27

Goosey's case is apparently very mild, with about twelve spots on her right hip and one spot on her left.  

I first noticed these nasty little bumps towards the end of July - right around Goosey's 4 month birthday - during a family shower.  So Casey did a little research, and decided the symptoms most closely matched those of Yeast Infection.  The next morning I called the pediatrician and described the appearance of the rash, and I told him that we thought it was yeast...  So, without seeing her, he prescribed an anti-fungal cream and asked that we follow up in a week.  

A week later the bumps looked the exact same.

So that Friday, Grampy and Auntie Fal brought Lulu to the pediatrician.  (Now, I really like our pedi, but this next part still kind of pisses me off...)  The doctor looks at Lulu's hip and says, "Hmm I really don't know what that is, but its definitely NOT yeast..."  Brilliant!  He sent them home with instructions to "watch it" for a week and "let him know how it looks".  During that week we alternated using Desitin and baby powder on her hip, and it didn't do a thing. 

A week later the bumps looked the exact same. 

I happened to be off of work that day, so Grammy and I took Lulu to the pediatrician - only this time we saw another doctor.  This doctor walks in, and the moment she sees the rash she says, "That looks like Molluscum".  Ahh, where were you a week ago???  She proceeds to tell me that Molluscum is a type of virus, similar to warts, that is harmless and self-healing.  

She presented us with three options (each with pros and cons):  

1)  Leave it alone, let nature take its course, and eventually these suckers will heal on their own.  The Good:  Natural; no meds, no pain.  The Bad:  The process can take up to 6 years.

2)  Use a prescription cream three times a week for one month, it will dry out the rash and cause the bumps to scab over.  The Good:  The rash will clear in 4-8 weeks.  The Bad:  The medicine can cause numbness, itching and burning.

3)  Freeze them off with liquid Nitrogen.  The Good:  Kills the virus completely.  The Bad:  Verrry painful; the virus can come back; possible scarring. 

We chose to try the cream.  

August 24

After more than a month with these damn spots, we've finally got some improvement.  They've begun to scab, and her left hip is actually completely clear.  Our follow up visit is in mid-September, and we're optimistic that the infection will have cleared by then (thank you, God!).

So how did my sweet baby girl get this infection? 

The doctor said that once someone gets a wart they become a carrier of the virus (even after the wart has been removed); and anytime that person itches the site of that wart, the virus gets on their hands.  Since all of Lucy's caregivers (myself included) have had a wart at one time or another, any one of us could have given it to her while changing her diaper.

The doctor did point out that this infection is very common in young children and infants (daycare setting, sharing towels at the pool, using public bathrooms, etc.).  It can appear anywhere on the body, the most susceptible areas are the arms and legs.  The most effective way to prevent this kind of infection is by washing your hands often.  While this infection doesn't cause any pain to the child, it can be pretty darn concerning to the parents. 

Now, as promised, to take your mind off of this evil infection, some pictures of Lulu...

Fresh out the bath!

Airing out the tush!

"Oh geez, Mom!  You HAD to post that picture of my butt, didn't you?!"

Sassy Pediatricians

Lulu got her 4 month vaccinations on Monday.  It sucked.

She got them at her new pediatrician's office. 

We recently broke up with Pediatrician #1 (after being treated poorly for about four months).  I never actually got around to interviewing pediatricians while I was pregnant.  So we went with a one-woman practice that came very highly recommended.... 

We should have switched practices after the first appointment, when she not only made me cry, but also made us wait 2.5 hours to be seen.  She was an excellent doctor.  We really trusted her opinion and valued her dedication; BUT...we did not appreciate her blunt, extremist comments, nor did we like waiting for hours on end and/or being rescheduled time and time again.  So we switched.

And that sassy pediatrician charged me for it!  25 bucks!  25 lousy bucks to transfer Goosey's file.  The nerve!  AND we even picked it up!  I've never paid to transfer files, and we've changed doctors several times over the years.  Naturally, this pissed me off.  And naturally, I let her know that.  Good riddance!

Enter Pediatrician #2.  I like them.  I really do.  Their office is in Fountain Hills.  They actually have a staff.  They were recognized as one of the best doctors in Arizona in some magazine.  We're cool. 

What's not cool is the sassy nursing staff.  I just can't escape the sass!  They're not the friendliest bunch of gals, at least they weren't until they heard two words:  exclusively breastfed.  Not that that should matter to them, but their tone instantly warmed when they asked about Goosey's diet.

It doesn't personally bother me, so long as my little Goosey girl receives good care (and in a timely manner). 

Who me?

Has anyone out there experienced a similar situation?  Or noticed a difference in attitudes of health care professionals when it comes to breast milk vs. formula?

Look who's teething!

Who, me?

Lulu had her 4 month check up on Friday, at her new pediatrician's office, and the doc confirmed it...our girl is TEETHING!  

One of the bottom middle teeth is coming in, and we think one of the upper middle teeth is too.  Wowza!  It's crazy to see and feel those little baby teeth!  Goosey has been drooling for weeks.  And she seems to have some other teething symptoms as well:  biting behavior, occasional fussiness and sleep problems (like last night), and she's constantly gnawing on her fingers.

So far we've been lucky, she hasn't had a fever (fingers crossed!).  I asked the doctor about Orajel for future teething pains, and he said to forget the Orajel, and that the best thing for a teething baby is a frozen teething ring.  I guess we'll find out what does and doesn't work soon enough.   For now we've got to start wiping her gums with a warm wash cloth.

nom nom nom....Daddy's phone...NOM!

In other news, Lulu's percentiles were confirmed:

Weight:  17.0 lbs (97th percentile)

Height:  25 in (37th percentile)

My big girl!  I asked the doc if her numbers were concerning, and he said no way Jose.  Some babes gain a bunch of weight just before a growth spurt, which is pretty common in the first 6 months.  He also commented on her neck control and hand-eye coordination, he said she was "advanced", and that based on her leg strength, she'd be crawling in no time.  

Holy baby milestones, Batman! 

Goose is two months old.

Our big TWO MONTH old Goose

Somebody pinch me...a whole TWO months ago Lucy Goosey was born.  It can't be!  Where has the time gone?!!!

We visited a friend in the hospital on Tuesday night, who had given birth that morning, and Lucy looked ginormous next to the new baby boy.  Casey and I could not believe how small he was, and we certainly couldn't believe that our Goosey used to be that small. 

This afternoon we went to the pediatrician, and Goose had a great check up.  Dr. Joy said she continues to be amazed with Goosey's weight gain; as always, she was very complimentary of my breast milk (awkward much?).  Here are Lucy's two month stats:

Height:  22.5 inches (50th percentile)

Weight:  12 pounds, 7 ounces (75th percentile)

Noggin: 15 inches (75th percentile)

This was by far our worst appointment to date...worse than the time we found out Goosey lost too much weight...today Lucy Goose got her second set of immunizations.  I was fortunate enough to miss the first set (the day she was born); there is nothing more painful than hearing your baby cry and not being able to do anything about it.  Goosey was a champ, like always, she held up better than I did; she got three pokes and one drink.  Our pediatrician likes to do combination vaccines, which I am grateful for (less pokes for Goose).  The potential side effects sound terrible, but Dr. Joy said only a handful of her patients have experienced them over the past 13 years.  We're praying Lucy is spared!

From here on out, we see the pediatrician bi-monthly.  Yay!  Unfortunately, the next two appointments (four and six months) will include more immunizations.  Boo!

In other news, Goosey is right on track developmentally!  This month's milestones include:

Intentional smiles

Recognizing our voices and "talking" with us

Improved neck control

Self soothes by sucking on her fingers

Reaching out to us (Dr. Joy said that was early, woo woo!)  

I think I'm most proud of (or grateful for) Goosey's AWESOME sleep schedule.  She seems to have her nights and days established; she slept SIX hours straight this past Saturday night.  That's a new record!  She's been sleeping for four and five hours straight (at night) for weeks, but six hours was absolutely magical.  It was a perfectly timed anniversary gift for her Daddy and I, thanks Goose!  

Two whole months...I can't believe it.  Goose...we love you, but you gotta slow down!!!

Lucy is one month old (yesterday).

Yes, this post is a day late.  My bad.  We were just so busy celebrating Lucy's one month birthday yesterday, there was no time for blogging.

Lucy has been with us for one whole month now, though it feels much longer.  I cannot remember life before she was here; its like she has always been here.  A friend of mine said that about her baby boy when he was first born, and now, I truly know that feeling.

Lucy is the smallest, most beautiful person I have ever seen.  Everyone tells me the best is yet to come, and maybe that's true, but for now, I love every second that I spend with her.  Every noise she makes, every coo, hum, screech, and gurgle makes me smile (ok, maybe not the screaming - thank God that's a rarity).  She has such a sweet, loving personality already, and she's only a month old; I know she will be just like her Daddy in that sense, and that makes me so happy. 

Lucy's big milestone this month is lifting her head and bobbing it all around.  She is a champ when it comes to tummy time - she has such a strong neck!  She is very vocal, she coos and gurgles whenever she's eating or ready to eat.  She also smiles and giggles in her sleep (all those dreams of milk and cuddling would make anyone smile).  And she absolutely loves to stare at Casey and I, the puppies, and the ceiling fan; I can see her eyes following me when I walk away from her.  Only a month old, and she's absolutely perfect.

 Lucy, we love you, more than you could ever know.  

Happy One Month Birthday, my love.  Now please stop growing so fast! 

I survived...

....my first solo outing with Lucy!  No Casey, no Grandpa, just Momma Bear and Lulu!!!

This might not sound like a major accomplishment to anyone else, but I was verrrry stressed about the whole thing.  Lucy had her one month check-up on Tuesday morning (even though she won't be a month old for another 4 days from now), and because of the early appointment time, Casey couldn't be there with us.

My biggest fear about going out with Lucy alone was the driving; what if she started crying while we were driving?!  Well, I still don't know the answer to that question (its not like I can console her from the driver's seat), but I am happy to report my pumpkin didn't make a peep the entire drive!

She was a little fussy with the pediatrician (I think she's starting to recognize this evil woman who always bothers her), and we had to stay a little longer than planned for a feeding, but the appointment was great otherwise.  Here are Lucy's (not quite) one-month stats:

Weight:  8 pounds, 11 ounces  (50th percentile)

Height:  21.5 inches  (75th percentile)

After hearing that our little girl wasn't so little, I asked the pediatrician if she would eventually make projections of Lucy's height as an adult.  She said that projections are based on an average of the mother and father's height, and the time at which the mother and father went through puberty.  Apparently, the younger you are when you hit puberty, the quicker you stop growing.  All this nonsense means Lucy would normally come in around 5'6" (holy hell that's tall!), BUT since Casey and I were both "early bloomers", Lucy will most likely be as well - which means she'll probably favor a height closer to mine (phew!).  We never EVER imagined having tall offspring (sorry future, unborn son!).

On a totally unrelated note, Lucy's weight gain sparked the use of our BumGenius dipes!  As much as we LOVED the prefolds, we LOVE the BumGenius even more!  They are so much less bulky and so much less involved; its literally like putting on a disposable (but not as expensive, and not as environmentally evil).

How cute am I?