Ellie's 9 month check-up

Eliza's check-up went well.  At first the doctor was very concerned given her weight and measurements.  Then she figured out that the nurse put a boy's grow chart in Ellie's file.  Turns out she is doing fine. 

Height: 16.5 inches, 20%
Weight: 16.12 pounds, 18%
Head Circumference: 17 2/3 inches, 75%

Given her last measurement, the doctor asked if she has a hard time holding her head up and needs to wear a larger clothing size to get it over her head.  Both are true.  We just hope she eventually grows into it.  I asked a lot of questions about her reflux.  Even though the Prilosec makes it not burn when she spits up, she spits up a lot.  Some days she soaks through 3-4 outfits.  The doctor has recommended that we cut back on formula and push more food.  We have been feeding her solids twice a day, but the doctor wants us to up it to 4-5 times a day. We have an appointment to go back in a month.  If she is still spitting up just a much, then we will talk about being referred to a gastroenterologist.  That is all for now.

Just another day!

 Ellie has finally graduated to a big girl stroller.  Thank you Mom and Dad.  Let me tell you, it is so much easier to push than her old one with the baby carrier.  Oh, did I mention she has also out grown her infant carrier.  Hallelujah!! That sucker was so heavy to tote around with her in it.  It is forward reclining from here on out.

 Just a glimpse at what meal time is like around here.  Love that facial expression.  Truly priceless! Almost forgot, Ellie started eating Cheerios this week.  I was afraid to start solids, out of fear of choking, but with my Mom (a nurse) here, I was willing to give it a go.  Now she won't stop eating them.

I took these last two pictures this morning so you are up-to-date on the latest Ellie Belly.

South has risen Again!!!

After spending a week with my grandparents, visiting the DC sites, my parents made their way through the Blue Ridge Mountains to see us.  I was so excited; I had not seen them since February, when I flew with Ellie to California.  Ellie has changed so much since then.  For the last couple of weeks she has been sitting up all by herself.  She only falls over when she gets upset and throws herself backward.  I keep a pillow behind her back, just in case a tantrum arises.  Lately she has been going through a phase where the world seems to end if Jim or I walk out of site while she is in the living room.  One of us can be sitting right next to her, but it doesn’t seem to help if she sees the other person disappear from her view.  I hope this is just a phase!

Getting back to my parents, we planned two trips.  The first was a brief day trip to the Outer Banks.  Initially, this was supposed to be an overnight trip, but my grandpa assured us that it is a quick trip.  As the day grew closer, Jim grew concerned about all the time Ellie would have to spend in the car driving to, from, and all around.  It’s about 3 ½ to 4 hours one way.  The night before the trip Ellie was up every 40-50 minutes.  She had a really bad night, which translated into two exhausted parents.  We ended up sending my parents with directions while we stayed home with Ellie to sleep.

Our next trip was to Charleston, SC.  We left Wednesday morning and returned Friday night.  After we unloaded all our stuff in the hotel, we ventured out to the downtown to see the sites.  Janet recommended taking a carriage ride around the city, which was fabulous.  The horses were HUGE, mostly Clydesdales and Belgians.  While we trotted around the city, the guide gave a brief history on some of the historic buildings and folklore.  There were some beautiful Victorian homes, right on the harbor with a view of the Fort Sumter.  The only thing that kept us down was the serious HEAT and humidity.  It was hard keeping Ellie cool.  My mom, thinking ahead, bought little hand held fans.

By far the most breath-taking view of the trip was of Magnolia Plantation.  The grounds are so extensive that we toured by tram the gardens, wetlands, and slave quarters.  The mansion was beautiful, however, I didn’t see much since Ellie was tired and wanting a nap.  Jim and my mom gave me a play-by-play of the house after they finished the tour.  Later on the guys took a tour of Fort Sumter while the ladies shopped the open-air market downtown.  We bought a child’s apron that we will use as a prototype for sewing Kate & McKenzie’s Christmas gifts. 

The trip was a total success.  We did hit a little snag on the drive home.  One of the brackets on the car top carrier broke.  The carrier was rocking pretty hard and looked like at any moment it was going to tumble off.  At least that is what the other drivers on the road thought as they flagged us down and swerved around us.  We had to stop every 30-45 minutes to re-tie the rope we bought to secure it.  The 4½-hour ride home quickly turned into 6 plus hours.  This, still not so bad, until you add in Ellie screaming for the last 3 hours.  She was done with being in the car and we were all feeling the same way. 

My dad flew home the following day while my mom is out here for the week.  We have been using the time to get started on a few sewing projects.  I have never sewn before, so don’t expect anything elaborate anytime soon.  I am learning how to use the sewing machine she is giving me (Janome – Gem Platinum 760 model) since she is going to be purchasing a really fancy sewing machine that also quilts.  Our first project was a bib for Ellie.  I need to work on keeping a consistent amount of distance between the edge of the fabric and where I am stitching.  Very beginner stuff.  Next we will be working on simple curtains for Ellie’s room and then aprons for the girls. 

We forgot to bring the camera on our adventures.  Plus we were all pretty sweaty for a photo op.  I’ll post some pictures of our projects when we finish.

Ellie Belly Update

Eliza is finally sitting up on her own.  Thank you Brandi for showing us how to teach her.  It is so nice to sit her on the rug, throw some toys in front of her, and have a few minutes to get something done around the house.  We hope that she will start crawling soon. 

As some of you may know, Ellie's constipation has been so bad the past two months, that she bleeds trying to push out little boulders.  Between that and the reflux, we took her to the doctor today.  It was not our normal pediatrician, but he upped the prilosec dosage.  For her constipation, we need to give Ellie suppositories and practice anal stimulation with a rectal thermometer.  Ewhh!  This is what they need to teach in sex ed. to keep the teens from getting pregnant.

On a different note, Jim will be starting his MBA program in two weeks.  I'm anticipating life to be a bit more hectic with his attention focused on work and school, but worth the sacrifice.  My parents will be driving down from visiting my grandparents on Friday.  We have planned to trips to the Outer Banks (Kitty Hawk & Roanoke) and Charleston, SC.  I will post pictures of hour trips when we get back.  Below are some photos I took of Ellie yesterday, while she was clean & well dressed.