Third Physio Appointment

 

     This morning we had our third physio appointment. They were quite pleased with her progress. We can cut down on the stretches and work on strength. We have to hold her so she is leaning out and tilted. She has to right her muscles, basically neck-lifts. They loved that she is doing every thing on schedual and her Torticollis isn't holding her back any. The ladies also call her The Baby With All That Hair. Everyone always comments on her hair, so I picked up some styling cream from LUSH and played it up today - fauxhawk and a bow. With her stubborness to look right, they say she's developing quite a personality.

     Her next appointment is in 2 months, and they think if things keep progressing well, it could be her last. Fingers crossed. She just needs to stop cheating and using her whole body when aiming to go right.

 

     Afterwards. we went out for lunch and let Kaelynn play with the empty juice cup. Smart girl got the hang of cups and was trying to drink from it...all she managed to do was lick the inside. When she was playing with my still full cup, she wrapped her mouth around my straw. Good thing she doesn't know how straws actually work, I have a feeling DR. Pepper is bad for babies.

     At Walm-Mart, I got her those HUGE foam puzzle pieces and now we get to spray the cats when they go near it. I guess I was too slow grabbing the spray bottle (and Bandit needs her claws cut) because there are marks from when she walked across it. I figured this was better for her to play on because she's getting too big for her play mat and she scrunches up blankets. Even with vaccuming all the time, I feel like the carpet is too gross for her to play on directly.

     I have also figured out that we have a real animal lover. Aside from Bandit being the only kitty that goes near her, she seems to have a real gentleness. On Saturday, I took her to the PetStore. A woman was holding a baby chi and she really wanted to pet the puppy. She was allowed and was gentle..until she grabbed it's skin, but he didn't seem to mind. She also wanted to pet the bunnies and was so confused by the glass inbetween them.

Passed out, nomming on her unicorn

4 Months old

     Today is Kaelynn's 4 month birthday. It seems crazy that time has gone SO fast.

     She is now 25 inches long, thats a 6 inch growth from birth. I have been using my house scale to weigh her & I estimate that she is about 12 lbs, we have a doctors appointment on Monday so we will get an accurate weight. She's got a big ol' milk belly.

     She is a little personality. She loves to stick out her tounge, smile and giggle. She has only full out belly laughed a few times. She is a rolling machine, until she gets frustrated and angry. Tummy time has become much smoother now. I trick her with Mirror Baby. She loves looking at herself.
     She's just started to become interested in her books and toys. I have a feeling she is going to be a lefty - she grabs everything with her left. When the books come out, she gets so excited- she wiggles her arms and squeeks.
     She has basically adopted Bandit, or is it the other way around. Whenever possible, Bandit likes to jump on my lap and be around us. Her feeling neglected has turned out well, because she's become used to Kaelynn. She's the kitty that comes the closest. The other day, Bandit was crossing my lap and Kaelynn reached out and huggrabbed her tail. Yesterday,she was sitting on Jake's lap and Kaelynn was petting her/pulling fur. Even when Bandit got punched in the face, she took it.
   
    Wednesday, Daddy and I took her to the Y to go swimming. We showed up early for the Parents  Tots because I can't read the internet. We swam with the bigger kids and than swam with the babies. We spent about an hour in the water before she started to get fussy. She was out like a light afterwards.

     She's not sitting up, but she loves to attempt to stand. She can sometimes sit for about a second, but then falls or gets distracted. I am thinking her Torticollis head tilt isn't helping any either.We're working to improve it. The exercising seems to be helping.

Miss Rollie's Update

Picture from our Picnic

 

     Lastnight was hard. Kaelynn went to bed, but it wasn't easy. In the end, we slept on the couch again. From 8:30pm, she was up every hour. Around 11, I decided to give up on putting her to bed and got cozy on CouchTopia. She quieted right down and went to sleep. Until, she was sleeping and let out the creepiest cry/scream I have ever heard from her. She sounded like a cat being stepped on. Thankfully, she only did it once, but it freaked me out.

 

     Thursday, she had her second physio appointment. Things are looking good. She is still tight when it comes to turning her neck, but she is doing it more often. We learned a new hold for her neckercise. I hold her and pin her shoulders with my elbow, I have to try to convince her to look right and than finish the rotation of her neck. For her left side, same hold. I tilt her and make her ear go to her shoulder. For the baby's righting movements, her left side tries to right to the center when tilted, but when it's her left, she just dangles. Work those baby muscles!

 

     Speaking of working her muscles; yesterday while Daddy was at the dentist, Kaelynn decided she wanted to roll over again. This time, I was able to take pictures because the electronics were cooperating.

    

 

    

A rolling good time

      At 3 months and 1 day, Kaelynn rolled over from tummy to back. I admit it. I cried. It was a total shock. I placed her down on her Baby Einstein mat and looked away for one second, literally, to get a drink. I look over and she's on her side, squirming. I left her turtling for about 5-10 minutes, cheering her on. Her left arm was stuck under her for the majority of the time, but it was worth it. She rolled over and was a grumpy, accomplished baby. I had happy tears!

 

 

     I am sure neckercise is helping, even if she dislikes it. Thankfully, she is only screaming half the time now. I took picture proof that she can look to the right with her whole head, instead of cheating like she usually does. She has become a pro at using just her eyes or wiggling her body to look at something right.

     She has been showing more interest in her toys now. I am making sure she has a different one to hold and touch, so she can get her tactile senses up and running. Yesterday, a friend and I took Kaelynn out to Lemoine's point for a picnic. She got more sights and sounds into her, and even laid in a bed of dandelions (a dumb thing to do as I had to OxyClean her clothing).

 

     She's been sleeping good lately. Her bedtime schedule is (bath sometimes), bed time diaper, lotion, neckercise, feeding, sleeping on me until she's really out, place her in her bassinet with her mobile and night light, and walk away. She's in bed between 8-930pm every night and usually sleeps until 1 or 2 am. From there, we go to the couch to feed her because it's more comfortable for me...but then I usually fall asleep with her in my arms.

     Kaelynn is all cozy in her bouncy chair with hiccups, sucking on her hands. I am going to take this opportunity to take the clear polish off my newly cut claws, and work on my cuticles. We have to get her ready to go out and pick up her Birth Tree. Huzzah! She's getting a lemon tree! <3
     I was looking online lastnight for a family ring and dear lord, those things are pricy. My current ring was $80 incl taxes. The rings I saw were about $180...*shock face*

Babies come with instructions

     Today was her first visit for physiotherapy. She was unsure to begin with, but it went okay. Less screaming than I had anticipated.
     We were given written instructions on how to turn her neck (with pictures). She was turning her head to the right sometimes, so thats a good sign. With the instructions, there are more neckercises for when she is older. They are hopeful that she wont need a torticollis surgery when she's older if we follow the prescribed neckercises. The physiotherapist was saying most babies that get the surgery is because the parents do not follow through with the stretching.
     Everything for her to see has to be placed on her right side, to encourage her to look that way. When on our shoulders, she has to be on the left shoulder so the outside world is on her right - only she is content to have her face buried into people's necks.
     With tummy time, I picked her up a cheap soft towel from Loblaws to be rolled up under her. I was going to buy her a nursing pillow to do just that,  until a friend suggested a rolled up towel. I am sad that I never thought of that.
     Stretches are to be done 5 times a day, for 5 seconds, repeated 5 times. We will start tomorrow so it will be at the start of the day. Tonight, we will continue the one neck stretch at diaper change.
She goes back in a month for check up.

     Kaelynn has started to lick things to death. Om nom nom. She is currently on Daddy's lap, watching Supernatural, licking her blanket.

     I am going to sew her some rice sacks to hold her head up properly when she is in her car seat. I've not mad her a hat today since we were out from noon to almost 6pm, so at least I am making something. Tomorrow we are going on a Babywalk while Daddy does his taxes. It should be exciting.

First Doctors Appointment

     Today Kaelynn had her first doctor's appointment. I suppose it went well. She's down about a pound (6.6lbs now)(They had some numbers 3.02, I assumed they were kgs and just converted them), but they said that's normal. She is also a tad yellow, but they didn't seem too concerned. We also met with the lactation coach that's at my doctors. She helped and got Kae to suckle from the side she doesn't much like. She also suggested a nipple shield, so I picked one up to try it out. We'll see. Pumping seems to be going well. As much as I don't think I am getting alot, they seemed fine with it: roughly .5-1oz. (My weight: 199lbs)

     I am thankful to Christine (Jake's mom) for our Moses Basket. I put her to bed around 8:30 and she's been in there about an hour. She was fussing after her PJs were put on, as soon as she was plopped in her basket, she was out. It's time to wake her in 20 mins anyway for her feeding before I go to bed too.

     Yesterday I was able to put my ring back on! HURRAY! I was s worried we would have to get it resized. Granted, just now I had to fight to get it off...but we're getting there.

     Anyway, enjoy this picture from the doctor's office.