Great News!

No pics today, just some fantastic news... Scarlett gained weight! Yeeeee-haw!  I was literally jumping up and down with joy when I saw what the scale read: 15 lbs 3 oz. She gained a 1/2 pound in 2 weeks!  I am so happy, I was doing a happy dance.  The butter helped! the carbohydrate powder worked! the less table food, more milk worked! I know it's only 8 ounces in 14 days, but it's a major improvement from her last visit and she FINALLY crossed the 15 pound mark!!!

Beth (Scarlett's cardiologist) said to keep up the good work and to continue to do whatever we're doing. She was pleased with what she saw and we don't have to go back to the cardiologist for 2 months!!!  Well, she wanted to see her back in 2 weeks, but I said "really?", and she said if I can get her weighed (like at her pediatrician, or elsewhere) and keep track of her weight gain, then I won't have to go back to the cardiolgist for 8 weeks (for the first time ever!).  This is a HUGE deal. I have taken Scarlett to the Scott & Laura Eller Congenital Heart Center every 2-4 weeks ever since she was born. Sometimes I feel like I spend more time there than I do at work! (not true, obviously).

So, to be able to go 8 weeks between visits is a very big deal, and I'm absolutely elated! :)  Way to go baby girl!!

Experimenting With Hair-do's

This is what I call the "Pebbles Flinstone" look. In general, I don't particularly care for the little tuff of hair sticking straight up in the middle of the head on any baby. As my friend described it, it looks like a little tree on the top of their head. But when you add a bow in the middle, the hairdo is instantly transformed to Pebbles Flinstone. This is the first (and probably last) time I've tried this hairdo on Scarlett.

I should add that it took an act of God to get her to sit still long enough for me to capture these pictures. She is definitely a baby on the go and hates sitting still for anything, let alone pictures!

She is becoming an expert at standing up. She's on her tippy toes in this pic. She's also becoming a little daring at letting go and standing unsupported for up to 5 seconds at a time. I think she'll be walking in no time!

She is also starting to make the most adorable little noises when she babbles to herself. To my knowledge she still only knows one word: momma.

This is her other new hairdo. Unfortunately this was the best picture I had of her two teeny tiny little ponytails. She really does look darling with them, but her hair is so thin it's hard to get the little rubber band thingys to stay in her hair!

She's got two little ponies in this pic too, but you can't really see them...and as you see from her facial expression she was in no mood to be photographed.

She has a cardiologist appt today. I am really hoping and praying that she has gained weight from her previous visit (2 weeks ago). We've been feeding her butter with her Gerber food and I've been adding a carbohydrate powder to her milk for Pete's sake!  But, I will try my best not to break down in tears is she is still in the 14lb category. I will post again tonight with the outcome. Wish us luck!

Best Christmas Ever.

Well, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect Christmas for my girls. Christmas Eve (Dec. 26) we read them "Twas The Night Before Christmas", and we laid out cookies and milk for Santa.

We tucked the girls in bed.... and I took pictures of 'visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads'. : )

Then Santa came!! He left a ton of presents for all 4 of us under the tree (which was previously completely void of presents).

  He ate the cookies and drank the milk too!!

Christmas morning (Dec 27), Scarlett was the first to wake up... after daddy of course.  I absolutely love this picture below, because when Scarlett woke up, she was sitting up in her crib with one binky in her mouth and 3 (count them, three!) more binky's in her hands. I always keep extra binky's in her crib so at night when she's crying and I can't see, I can just feel around for one and pop it right in. She loves her binkys, but this picture makes her look like a binky junky. ; )  [btw: her pjs say "Baby's First Christmas"]

 

Then finally, Violet woke up and the present opening began!

Violet asked Santa for only 1 thing this year. A flower. A red flower, "so she could smell it".  Santa brought her a beautiful long-stemmed rose (which you can see her holding in this picture and Scarlett is staring at it too).

Then they took turns opening presents.

Scarlett was so adorable opening up presents. She is such a little perfect little doll.

Violet was super excited to open every present each with the same amount of enthusiasm as the previous. After each present Violet unwrapped, she exclaimed "OPEN IT!! Open it!!" to daddy, because she immediately wanted to play with each and every one of her toys.   Daddy induldged her, of course (it's Christmas!)

Scarlett was just happy to be with her family.

Behold!! Crayons!!!

Scarlett was a lot more tame at present opening, but then again, Scarlett is a lot more tame at EVERYTHING compared to my little spitfire, Violet.

They got such cool and neat toys from their auntie Susan.  Scarlett got this super cool Tinkerbell chair that converts to a sleepingbag and pillow!

And Auntie Susan gave Violet this super cool Tinkerbell table and chairs!! Violet loves it!

A very special shout out goes to auntie Susan. She is such an amazing lady who adores Scarlett. She checks my blog regularly, prays for Scarlett regularly, brings special presents to Violet (who may feel left out at times) regularly, lights candles regularly, posts pictures of Scarlett on a "Scarlett wall" at work regularly, and is a total advocate and champion for my CHD baby. I am so thankful that God brought her in my life via Todd's work. Susan brought us bags (yes, bags) of presents for Violet, Scarlett and ME(!) for Christmas. She is a very generous and thoughtful person. Susan, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are such a warm, caring, and special person. Thank you so much for making our Christmas extra special this year. Thank you for everything you've done for my family.

Okay, back to the Christmas blog, well, later that day/night Uncle Kevin and Aunt Kerri came over and brought the girls this really cool Art Easel. Todd and Kevin put it together that night.

Here is the finished product:

I couldn't have hoped for a more joyous and perfect Christmas for the girls. They had a blast opening up presents, eating breakfast that daddy made them (chorizo and eggs), playing with their new toys, and then hanging out with family later that day. It was a great day and I feel truly blessed. Thank you God, for all the blessings of the day. : )

Baby's First Christmas...sort of.

Merry Christmas! Although today is December 25th and technically Christmas, we didn't actually celebrate Christmas today. Todd had to work today and he has to work tomorrow too, therefore we're gonna celebrate (as a family) Christmas on Sunday, the 27th.

So, tomorrow night (the 26th), we're gonna put out cookies for Santa, read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and do all the pre-Christmas traditional stuff for Violet and Scarlett. Then Sunday morning, we'll open presents like it was Christmas.

Today however, I took Scarlett and Violet to church for Christmas mass at St. Mary's Bascilica. It was such a lovely and beautiful celebration. Violet and Scarlett were able to join several other children in the processional, it was such an honor. They were each handed carnations to give to baby Jesus (in the manger scene they had on display in the church). All the children were dressed in their Christmas best (including S and V), and it was simply darling. I wish I had taken photos! : (

Then we got to sing Christmas carols with the choir and pipe organ (my absolute favorite!). Then the homily included the children again. We got to go up and sit at the alter while father Vincent told the children a story about candy canes, then he handed each child a candy cane. The whole mass was practically magical. A perfect xmas mass, I'm so glad I got to take Scarlett to mass for her first Christmas. We'll probably go again on Sunday after we open up presents.

After mass, we went to visit my uncle Ron where Scarlett tasted her first tamale. She loved it! (she is 1/2 Mexican, you know). I need to make some of my own, because she really seemed to enjoy it.

I took this picture of Scarlett standing on her own tonight. She pulled herself up on Violet's table, and proceeded to steal a wedge of grilled cheese (which she's eating in the top picture) which she nibbled on. I can't believe she'll probably be walking before her 1st birthday. She is doing so well. I am so grateful that I get tears in my eyes whenever I think about everything she's been through and how thankful I am to have her in my life. I will post more pics of our "real" Christmas on Sunday.  But for all intents and purposes MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Poor Weight Gain

I took Scarlett to the cardiologist today because of her poor weight gain. We were just there 2 weeks ago, and Beth said she wanted to see her in 2 weeks to see if she gained any weight. At our last visit, she weighed 14lbs 9oz. I was really hoping she passed the 15lb mark... but no such luck. :(

Today she weighed 14lbs 11oz. A measly 2 ounces is all she gained in 2 weeks. I immediately started crying. I have been trying to get her to gain weight. I've been fortifying my breastmilk with powder formula. I've been 'sneaking in' midnight feedings. I've been trying new foods (bananas, potatoes, rice, etc) on her, and it's not working. She's simply not drinking enough milk. :...(

Beth said that we need to give her less table food and more milk. She gave us some supplemental powder to add to her bottles to try to increase her carbohydrates. I really hope it works. If I go back in 2 weeks and she's only gained 2 ounces, I don't know what I'm going to do. Beth mentioned that if it gets bad enough we might have to consider putting the ng tube back in. :(  UGH!

BUT on the positive side, her heart looks and sounds great and she's not sick. Other than her weight gain, she's doing terrific health-wise and developmentally, she's right on track! Tonight she grabbed one of Violet's dolls (Cinderella), and was playing with it.

I hope our efforts at trying to increase her calories and carbs works. If you're reading this, say a little prayer that my skinny little baby gains some weight soon. Thanks!

Baby On The Go

Scarlett is really enjoying her new found talent of crawling all over the house. Once you put her down, she's off!  She likes crawling over to the refrigerator and pulling off the magnets and eating them. I posted pics of that earlier (last month).

I hardly ever put her in her walker, but I did today just for her to get a feel of what it's like to stand on he feet and be mobile. This was a cute pic I got.

I try to cook breakfast every Sunday for the girls. It is almost always eggs and potatoes. Last week, I made potatoes and gave some to Scarlett and she loved them!  I didn't take pics last week, so I made up for it today. She is very good at picking up finger foods with her fingers and then putting the food straight in her mouth. She likes Cheerios, Gerber Puffs, Cinnamon Life cereal, Nutragrain bars, banana, spanish rice, and mommy's breakfast potatoes.

She has a cardiologist appointment on Tuesday to check on her weight. I am really hoping and praying she's at the 15 pound mark. I've been trying to fatten her up for 2 weeks, because 2 weeks ago she was still 14lbs 9 oz.

Home update: I've been looking for the last 6 months and it's exhausting. I have 3 or 4 outstanding/pending offers. The latest one is off of 75th Ave & Glendale. I really hope I get this one. It's a bank-owned home right down the street from the elementary school, and I will already know one of my neighbors because she is my best friend's friend who lives 5 houses away from the house I put a bid on. There are 3 other bids on this house, but if I'm the highest bidder, then I get it. I'll find out this week hopefully and I will definitely post pics and updates if I get it. Keeping fingers tightly crossed!

Standing Up!

I saw Scarlett crawl over to the coffee table, then pull herself up to a standing position and stand there for a little while before she fell on ber little bottom. I was soooo impressed and happy. Up until tonight she's just been pulling herself to her knees, but tonight she entered a whole new phase in her development and I'm very very happy. : )