St. Patty's Day, Good Byes and March Madness!!

Last Thursday was a busy day for Lexie and I.  We said our good-byes to some dear friends of ours, the Dailey Family, who moved here from Buffalo, NY last spring and they are the best!  I would meet Carrie and Stella on walks throughout the summer and into the Fall and Spring. When Lexie was born, Stella couldn't get enough of her.  She always yells, "Baby, baby" every time she sees Lexie.  We will miss them joining Lexie and I on walks, random shopping trips, and play dates.  We wish them the best of luck in their new journey and can not wait to see pictures of the soon to-be new addition to the Dailey Family.

This is an old picture of Stella and Lexie (I forgot my camera the other day)

Lexie sprawling out on her "Big Girl Bed" aka. Hotel Queen Size Bed

Lexie celebrated her first St Patty's Day in Tulsa, OK.  Oklahoma is the 9th State that Lexie has visited so far and she will only be 5 months tomorrow.  Every year George and I travel to the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament to root on our Jayhawks.  This year the tournament took us to lovely Tulsa.  The weather was so nice the day that we got there, but by the next day, the wind picked up and it was freezing.  I of course, being too trustworthy of the weatherman, only brought dresses for Lexie since it was suppose to be in the upper 80's all weekend.  Despite the crummy weather, we had great company for the weekend...the Jayhawks Men's Basketball Team as well as our dear friends, Auntie AlPal, Auntie Tegs, Auntie Laura, Uncle Danny, and Carter.  We went to the KUAA Pep Rally prior to tip-off of the basketball game (KU vs Boston University) and while George was at the game, Lexie and I opted to watch the game in our cozy hotel room (mainly because Lexie's bed time is at 7pm and the game started at 6pm).  The Jayhawks won and all was right in the world.  We got up the next morning and packed up the room and hit the road...a 4 hour drive back to Lawrence.

                                             Lexie wanted what Carter was having to drink!

We watched the Jayhawks again on Sunday evening from our living room and were happy that they had won again!  Off to San Antonio they go for the Sweet 16!  We will not be joining them, as we are headed to San Diego.  There is always the First Rounds of NCAA next year and maybe Lexie and I can actually join George at the game.

Lexie's first ER Visit...and too many visits with Dr. Riordan

A week ago today George, Lexie, and I were on our way back from Yia Yia and Papou's house in Ohio when Lexie felt a little warm.  When we left a few days prior, she was starting to come down with a cold.  I was a little concerned at first but Lexie didn't really show any signs that her cold was at all serious.  So we made the venture to Ohio (via United Airlines) and what we wound up with was one sick little girl.

When we landed in Kansas City, Lexie started to run a fever and she was very fussy so I knew that she was not feeling very well.  While we were in Ohio, the evening before we left to come home, she hadn't felt too well.  I had a feeling that this was the beginning of a very long week for us.  So getting back to our arrival in Kansas City.  As we made our way back to Lawrence, Lexie was crying uncontrollably and at first I thought that she was hungry.  She hadn't been eating very much that day so her feeding schedule was a little off.  After she refused her bottle, I decided to take her temperature.  It read 102 degrees.  At that time I decided that maybe we should call the Pediatrician's office.  The only problem with that was...I didn't have the number.  See, I had lost my phone somewhere in Ohio earlier that day.  George had our friend Laura's number so he called her to get Dr. Riordan's office number.

When we got to Lawrence we decided to take Lexie straight to the ER to be examined.  She had been crying off and in the car the entire way from the airport and I wanted a piece of mind that she was going to be okay.  Once we got to the ER, Lexie immediately stopped crying and actually was flirting with the male nurse that was attending to her.  She was acting as if nothing was wrong at all.  The nurse did determine that she was still indeed running a fever and immediately ran tests to rule out RSV, strep, and the flu.  We were happy parents when all three were ruled out but the nurse and doctor were both concerned with the amount of nasal congestion and wanted to get a respiratory therapist down to do some nasal suction to help clear up some breathing problems that Lexie was having.  It was so hard to see a tube being stuck down her nose and to hold her down as they suctioned over and over again.  So much gunk came out and I was very thankful in the end because it was much needed and I knew that she wouldn't remember it in the morning.

That night George and I were both relieved because Lexie was sleeping (on us but at least she was sleeping soundly).  Her congestion lasted most of the week and she still has a stuffy nose but it is nowhere near what it was.  We went to see Dr. Riordan, Lexie's pediatrician, as instructed by the ER physician.  He gave her a clean bill of health and felt that she was recovering well.  He gave us a prescription for her cough and told us that he would see us in a few months for we 6 month well check unless she needed anything else.  We saw him again the next day.  Lexie had gone almost 11 hours without eating her bottle.  It really worried me and I knew that I would not be able to sleep if I didn't find out what was going on with her.  We got her in the last appointment slot for the day at 6pm only to be told by her Pediatrician that she is stubborn and she is "playing" us like a violin.  When we got home from the doctor's office we tried to feed Lexie another bottle and she chugged it down almost instantly.  Tears were streaming out of George and I's eyes...we were both happy and relieved.  We both agreed that we could not believe how someone so small has changed our lives in so many ways.

My 4 Month Well Check and Green Beans

Today Lexie had her 4 month well check with Dr. Riordan and she got her new stats.  She is weighing in at 15 lbs and 13 oz (86th percentile), her height is 25 3/4" (90th percentile) and her head circumference is 16" (33rd percentile).

Dr. Riordan thought that she is doing great, although he did mention that she is a sensitive baby.  That comment made her Daddy and I laugh.  He says it every time he sees her.

Today we started her on her first stage 1 food...mmm Green Beans...I think she liked them!

                                                  Let me get what I dropped on my bib :-)

Now, if we can just get this teething problem fixed we are in business!

It's a keeper...Yay, Rice Cereal!

We gave Lexie a little try of some rice cereal after her evening bottle.  She absolutely loved it!  She gave George and I a look that kind've suggested that she couldn't believe that we have been holding out on something so delicious as rice cereal.  She did great and wanted more when she finished the bowl.  I can't wait until we try other Stage 1 foods with her.

Four Months Already!

Four months ago yesterday we were welcoming Lexie into the world.  She has sure grown up quite a bit since then.  I am not sure how much she weighs to be exact but last week I stepped on the scale with her and it said 15 pounds, which by the way that she eats, I would say is accurate.  I have nicknamed her "Chuggar" since she just sucks down that bottle in no time at all.  She is also getting very tall.

Over the past month developmentally she has become very active.  She loves to pull herself up when she is sitting on my lap and she also loves to bounce, which is not recommended immediately after her bottle, but she sometimes insists and then a wardrobe change is needed.  Lexie has gotten in her Jumperoo a few times and is warming up to it.  She still can't figure out that she can bounce in it.

A couple of weeks ago she started her crawling progression and since has only gotten up on all fours a few times.  I am very thankful for that!

She is becoming a very good sitter.  Her head control and posture is improving every day.  She doesn't really like to sit in her bumbo for long periods of time and would prefer to be carried around the house the best.  We have put her in her high chair a few times after she tried to throw herself out of the bumbo.  Which by the way, we have had 2 minor falls within a week so far.  One was when she was in her sleep positioner (if you haven't figured it out, she does not like it all all anymore) and the other was from the couch.  I cried harder than she did but we are both okay.


Lexie also can pull out her binkie...now if she only knew how to put it back in.  I have a feeling that she will figure that out soon. She is also starting to discover her tongue and lips, along with that comes some noises along with babbling, cooing, etc.  She can laugh, which by the way, melts my heart.  She is starting to teeth and I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of some teeth, in the meantime I wish that she would figure out that teethers will help her in that process and that shoving a whole fist in her mouth with only result in her vomitting.

Last night was the first night we successfully tried to let her cry it out.  We have attempted a few times before but later found out that she was coming down with a cold.  Our bad :-(   She used to sleep in her crib every night but after all of the traveling we did over Christmas and then with her getting sick, we got away from the crib and we have been co-sleeping with her in one of the spare bedrooms upstairs.  Yes, our 4 month old has 2 bedrooms in this house!  Anyway, Lexie did okay with the cry it out approach but then fell asleep tonight before I could put her in her crib to attempt night two.  Unfortunately, there always another attempt tomorrow night.

Lexie seems to be doing much better with her acid reflux since starting her new meds.  That makes her Daddy and I very happy because she is such a more peaceful baby now.  We are getting to see her true personality instead of the misery that she endured most days while on her old medication.  The happiest day will be when she no longer needs the meds and can play or lay down right after she finishes eating.

Our next milestones to look forward to are rice cereal and maybe crawling...stay tuned!

IT STARTED AS AN AFTERNOON WALK...ENDED WITH SOME DIAMONDS

It was so nice out yesterday that Lexie and I decided to meet some of our friends down at Mass St for a little window shopping and people watching.  I had mentioned a few times to my friend Carrie, who just happened to be with us, that I would like to get Lexie's ears pierced before she is old enough to remember it.  Carrie's daughter, Stella, has her ears pierced and so when we went by Claire's I figured that it was now or never to get it done.  I knew that I wouldn't be able to watch it actually happen, I mean, no one really wants to see their child cry.  When we got into Claire's we actually had to wait because there was another baby who was 8 months old who was getting her ears pierced.  She didn't really cry too hard during the process so that further encouraged me that Lexie would be ok but I was still not convinced that I could actually watch.  So once the paperwork was all filled out, I took Stella and we walked around the store while my friend Stephanie held Lexie in her lap and Carrie took pictures and also helped Stephanie.  Well...needless to say, Lexie cried a little more than the other girl.  I felt so bad but after a few minutes Lexie was all smiles.

Next, I had to call George (Daddy) to give him the news.  We had discussed getting her ears pierced before, I just didn't tell him that it was going to be on yesterday that I was going to do it.  I sent him a text picture since he had to work last night.  He loved it.  Lexie did not sleep very well last night because she is a tummy sleeper and I thought that she should probably sleep on her back to avoid putting pressure on her ears.  Her ears are doing great, no signs of infection at all.  Best of all, she looks cute with her new ***BLING***

                                           Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

Blizzard of 2011

Wow...is all I can say!  We got 10 inches of new powder yesterday and I am so thankful that we did not get as much as some of our neighbors in MO...some places got hit with as much as 28 inches.  Anyway, Lexie and I stayed inside of course in our warm and cozy home.  She slept in until around 8am and then she played on her activity mat in her PJ's for most of the day.

                                 The view from our front door yesterday @ 8am.  The snow had just started!

By noon, the snow was coming down so hard and it was blowing,  Lexie was really fussy for some reason.  She would not settle down for her naps and I wasn't sure if she was actually overtired from lack of naps or if she wasn't feeling good.  As soon as George got home from work, I left to make my way in the blizzard down to the Borders bookstore in town and I was starting to wonder what I would do to get her to sleep. A few friends had given me some book suggestions that helped them with their little ones.  Lexie maybe got in about a hour nap in the afternoon and that was it for her.  She enjoyed some more play time in which she showed us that she can now get up on her knees.  Let the crawling begin way too soon!  YIKES!

                                               Lexie @ 14 weeks

She went to bed in the nap nanny on the couch next to mommy as she would not settle down in her crib, I think she was having some reflux pain.

This is what we woke up to this morning!