The ties that bind us

     When Kaelynn naps, I poke around her mouth looking for teeth. I've also been looking at her ties.
     Ever since she was tinytiny, when I started Teeth Watch, I noticed her tongue and the connector between her top lip and gums.
     Her tongue has heart shaped curves to it. I thought it was weird and mentioned it to some people before and they made me feel like I was over analyzing my child. Since then, I've kept my mouth shut.
Yesterday, I managed to get a picture of her top gums. I posted it in a group on Facebook where some crazy mom friends are. A mom friend (or a few) familiar with lip/tongue ties agreed that she had them. After a Google search, that explained a lot.
     Tongue tied babies usually have slow starting growth, moms have a lower milk supply due to ineffective suckling, milk goes out the side of her mouth when nursing (I thought she just had too much in her mouth, but if she can't fully roll her.tongue around the nipple...).
     Her posterior tongue tie and her lip tie have not stopped her from nursing or talking. I've heard that once teeth come in at the top, I will feel them more (most likely). She could also have speech issues, but we won't know about those until she is much older.

Going night night

     Lastnight I decided to try the crib again. It started because she just wanted to play or nurse or do both at once.
  
     I put her in & instead of fully freaking out, she would whine. I was sitting on the floor, but if I stood, she would flip. In the end, I had to crawl out of the bedroom.
She was fine, if not whiney. Then she started to scream frantically, and I saved her.
     I wrapped her in a blanket and rocked her, while humming Christmas songs. She fell asleep in my arms. I tried to put her back in the crib. She woke up. She just stood, whining on the bars while I sat on the floor. Eventually, she fell asleep again....but she was standing. Into our bed she went.
     Mommy 0. Kaelynn 369

13 months old

     Today Kaelynn is 13 months old. It is also her dad's birthday.
     We spent the morning drawing pictures for daddy, then we got ready to go swimming with some friends.
     At the pool, stubborn baby decided she wanted to try to swim by herself and kept trying to escape. She loved the water, even if it was a bit cold. We spent about 2 hours in the pool. She loved watching the big girls swim around and playing with daddy.
I am excited that we got her a small pool for herself. However, her swim diaper JUST fit. Time to save up for a new one.
     So many crazy things are going on with her. She is saying more "words". Mama, Dada, dat (that), kiki (cat), rahrah (Sarah?),hi, yea, yum. She is all over the place & has started to explore the stairs willingly. There are no teeth, but it looks like one (or two) are trying to break the surface. I am hoping teeth are on the way,  she's not sleeping too well. She is still into everything. If you get her attention and tell her "no", she will run over, put her head on you and go "hi" all high pitched and cute.

     We are still nursing and she is eating all the food...even gets mad if you don't share Oreos.
      This small little child is my heart.

Pinterest Problems

    Friday is my partner's birthday. Within the household, we've all split on a gift for him. I wanted to do something special for him, from just us. For the past 8 years, I've either made or bought his cake. This year, there was Pinterest.

     Carrot cake is his favourite, so I looked up "carrot cake". I found a carrot cheesecake. Done! Yesterday, I grated carrots, assembled ingredients and baked. And re-baked. I had it in for 70 min & there was still a large jiggling center. After dinner, it went back in for 45 minutes.
     Today, I made cream cheese icing and DIY fondant.I've heard bad things about marshmallow fondant. I think I did good. I was able to work with it (my sculpting leaves something to be desired). I also found our that trying to make cute little rosettes with cream cheese icing isn't easy.
     Tomorrow, we eat cake!!
    

Again with the physio

     After a night of Kaelynn waking every 30 mins, we had to wake up bright and early for physiotherapy.
    We were ready and had to leave to catch the 9:05am bus. We get out there at 8:50am and I had to run with her in her Ergo. We made it to the bus without slipping or dying.
    
     A resident of the doctor saw us first and asked questions. She was interested in how it was going and in how she was walking (which had nothing to do with her neck). The doctor came in and said that she has a good range of motion, it's just the tilt that needs to get strengthened still.        A social worker for the hospital came to talk to us about our options for getting the T.O.T collar for her (stuff happened not to long ago and daddy isn't working). She is supposed to call me tomorrow with what she can do for us.

My love of toys

     I am so happy that I have a baby girl, it means I get to play with all the toys I used to have - if she will let me.
     The toys I have fallen in love with purchasing are Little People. I am not a real fan of the play sets, but show me individual people and I'm like "I need this".               
     They are perfect for her tiny hands and they fit in her mouth without posing as a choking hazard. Daddy can even play with them, even if we have mainly Girl types. Currently, he is pretending Kaelynn is a monster and the ostrich is a chocobo and the princesses are from Final Fantasy. Kaelynn is screaming with delight.

     When it comes to purchasing, I've come to realize I have to be selective. It's rare that you get coupons, but they do go on sale. While at Target, I fell in love with Arial as a mermaid, Prince Eric and their seashell carriage. However, it scanned it at $32. We were at Wal-Mart, I saw the same thing for $26. On Amazon.com, I've never seen a deal. Looking around is awesome.

    Long story short, this girl will have lots of Little People in the future. I'm hoping for Easter, she will get a few new figurines. 

Sleep

     Tonight at dinner, the topic of where MY baby sleep came up. I have no idea how, but it's come up before and it's always the same thing with the same person (and with the same words).
     We live with a housemate and a sister in law. The housemate (never married, no kids, of course knows best) rambled on about how his co-workers child slept in his mom's bed until he was 2 and it took 5 years to get him into his own bed, including having a bed for mom in his room. He then goes on to say we should let her scream in her crib for 20 mins and she will pass out - after a few nights she will learn.

     1- we do not cry it out. Tried it once when she was little and just no.
     2- she will scream and cry and sweat and cry and not sleep at all.
     3- where MY baby sleeps is personal and my own business.

     She is able to fall asleep in our bed. We are able to fall asleep in our bed. I don't have to get up to feed her or cuddle her if she wakes up in a panic. I have started to try to transfer her over, but putting her in wakes her up. There are nights where we get feet in the face, sleepless nights where she just wants to play because we are in close proximity. I can't sleep on my belly, flailed out anymore because someone else is in bed...but I wouldn't change it right now. 
     Notice I am saying all this in a mommy voice?! It's because daddy has nothing to do with bedtime.I get her ready. I nurse her to sleep. I transfer her (try to).  

     Therefore, it's MY business. When the time comes to actually have her in her own bed,alone, we will figure that out.