2010

January~~

2010 started out with us finding our we were having a baby girl.

February~~

TX had a record breaking snow.

March~~

I entered my 3rd trimester, saw our baby in 3D, and started to get the nursery ready.... BUT it also ended with the infamous 27 week doctor appointment.

April/May~~

On April 1, I received a phone call from my doctor that flipped my world upside down. I stopped working and spent the rest of April and most of May at the doctors office and spent my days laying down.

May 27 I then again received another phone call that CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER! We were sent to the hospital to have our baby girl. May 28 we became parents to the most wonderful

baby =)

June-August~~ we got to experience life with a newborn.

1 week old

Celebrated July 4

2 months old- August

On August 16, I had to do one of the hardest things and leave my baby to return back to work.

September~~

We enjoyed Jacie's new smiles and laughs.

October~~

First month of table food!

We got to get in the "fallish" mood as a family for the first time. We went to pumpkin patches, craved pumpkins together and enjoyed Halloween with our ladybug.

November~~

Thanksgiving Day

December~~

December ended the best holiday season we have had yet!!!

It has been an amazing 2010 and I look forward to what is to come in 2011.

7 months old

-Officially in size 3 diapers!

-Wearing 6 month and 6-9 month clothing

-With much trial and error we are finally on a good schedule (I think). I just started it last week but I think we will continue it. It changed every time she starts eating more or something different and now that I have added lunch it has changed it up again.

8am-bottle

9:30am-fruit

10:00 nap

12:30pm-veggie

1:00pm- bottle

1:30pm- nap

4:00- snack(?)

4:30-5:00- mini nap on ride home

6:00pm- meat/veggie dinner

6:00pm- bath

7:00pm- bottle

7:30pm- bed

- Is all over the place. She is rolling and scooting on her belly.

-No intension to crawl yet.

- Will object if you take something away from her

-Is loving her toys more and more

-Gets so excited when she sees her bottle and table food.

- Is still an awesome sleeper

-Bathes in her duck tub, her bath toys and loves to splash

-Knows her name

-Can stand up if holding onto something

-Talking up a storm

-Will not stay still during a diaper change anymore

-Has begun wearing the DOC band.

OHHH and that was my 100th post!

Short DOC band update

The first 2 days were great. On the 3rd day (Christmas Eve) she woke up VERY swollen and she had some super red marks that just weren't going away. I decided to keep it off for longer periods of time but put it on every few hours and at night. The cranial office was closed all this time so I had make the decision on my own. I was worried because I hated for her to lose that week of growth. Today we went in and they told us we did the right thing. That her head had grown so much this past week it was getting super tight on her and caused that. They did an adjustment and fixed those issue places and today we wore it full time for the first time! She did great and her head looked much better when we would take it off to check. So because her head is growing great right now we are doing weekly appointments instead of every 2 week. They are also wanting to go off her adjusted age so technically she just turned 6 months and not 7 months. That news me happy! Sooner it changes the sooner she is out of it =)

Merry Christmas

I just love Christmas! The only problem with it is that is goes by way too fast! It seems like I am anxiously waiting for it and then its gone for another year. This Christmas was definitely one to remember. It was such a great one! On Christmas eve we go to my parents house. We start by having the kids open all their presents. We then eat our turkey dinner. After we are done eating the kids go play with their new toys while the adults open theirs. We came home and got to continue our tradition of the "star present." Growing up we opened our star present every Christmas eve night. They were always pajamas but there was something so exciting about it. Jacie got pink penquin pj's that she wore that night. This Christmas we opened all our presents too. We knew we had to be up and early on Christmas day it would just be easier on us. Ben got his Tivo he had been wanting and one of those BIG tool chests for the garage and I got a birthstone ring and the mint floor cleaner. I have been searching for an emerald ring for YEARS!!! and now that Jacie and me sharethe same month also I knew I had to have one.

I love it!!!

The next morning we HAD to wake Jacie up at 8. She was exhausted from the day before. I figured she would be up earlier. We got on the road and got to Ben's family Christmas by noon. We ate a turkey lunch and Jacie then got to open all her presents. She got some awesome things!! We hung out and were on the road back home by 5.

The next day was spent organizing and figuring out where to put all her new toys! I created a little play area for her in our living room that I will have to post a pic of later. I love it! Seeing all these big girl toys is bittersweet I tell ya! I love that she is getting older but I still miss that little baby!!!

In her star present

Her stocking at my parents house

Happy baby

Okay, so the last picture I posted is kinda depressing. Well, I can't have depressing pictures of my baby on here without a happy baby picture... so here ya go =)

going good

We are 1 day away from her almost full time wearing the band. She has amazed me in how she is handling it. Day 1 was good. She only had a little redness throughout the day so we decided to let her sleep in it. She did go to bed 1-2 hours later than normal but I dont know it that was band related or the fact that she passed out at 5pm and slept until 6. She would not sleep on her back though, she would only sleep on her tummy. She slept through the whole night and when she woke up her face was a bit uhm...messed up.

Her poor left eye was a bit puffy because she slept on her face and I guess the band was pushing up against it.

So she went for about 3 hours yesterday morning without it on so it could go back to normal. We spent the rest of the day with 3-4 hours on and 1 hour off and she was good. She slept with it the 2nd time last night and went to bed great and stayed asleep. This morning her face was much better!

I have been searching online for some accessories and I have ordered 2 winter hats that have already shipped so I should be getting them soon. I ordered them from here and then I am in the process of ordering some decals to decorate it from here

This is what the decal will look like!!! I can't wait to get them =)

I love it because I hope it will answer peoples questions before anyone even has to ask.

Jacie's new hair accessory!

Today was the day. The day I was so nervous about and not looking forward to. The day that has made me ask questions to myself like "Should I not have let her lay on the back of her head at night" "Should I have just put her on her tummy to sleep after all?" "Did we need to do more tummy time?" and of course, "Is this my fault?"and soooooo many more.

When we got to the parking lot my tummy started doing all sorts of twists. It felt like I was going on a job interview. I was so nervous for her. Jacie on the other hand was doing great but what would you expect from a baby who has no idea what is about to happen?

We got inside and they took us to the room. They measured her head again and said it has grown since her 3D scan only 11 days ago. They tried on the band and YUP her poor forehead was all smushed. She took it off and went out to re-adjust it. When she came back in she again put it on her head and it fit much better. We left it on for 15 minutes because she wanted to see how her head was going to react. During those 15 minutes she got to play on a rocking horse that she LOVED!!!!

After the 15 minutes were up she checked her head and said it looked good and we were on our way! We go back for our first re-adjustment (or 2nd...considering they already had to re-adjustment it) next week and then after that it will be every 2 weeks!

We have to work our way up to wearing it almost full time. Today we are doing 1 hour on 1 hour off and we will keep increasing it until Friday. By then she should be good to wear it the full 23 hours. We have to do skin checks to make sure it is not irritating her head at all. If her head continues to do good she will be sleeping in it tonight, if it looks like it is irritating we will try sleeping in it tomorrow night.

That is all I have to update now. All good things and realizing this is not as bad as I thought!!! I will leave you with some pictures of her fitting.

She LOVED this horse!! This is her when we first got into the room and after they measured her head

There she is!!!

Back on the horse while we waiting for the 15 minutes.

....and YES I am looking into decorations for the band =) She has to have style.

Dec. 9

Well I never posted after Jacie's appointment with the specialist. First of all, she did awesome which gives me hope that this whole thing will just be a teeny tiny bump in the road for her. The whole thing was really fast. We got her undressed and they came in and put a stocking over her head. They did that so they can have as much of a flat surface when they did the pictures. She didn't mind it at all. I wish I would have taken a picture of her in it because her face was all smushed inside. They took her into a room with camera all around and placed her on this pedestal in the middle. There was 1 lady holding her from behind and then 1 trying to get her head in the perfect position for the images. They held toys and such in front of her face to get her to look straight and up. She did great though the whole thing!! We went back to the room, got her dressed then went to look at the 3D images.

We go in on Tuesday for the band. It will be tough I am sure but I know it is best for her. I am looking forward to getting it started and seeing it do its magic!

6 month photoshot

Some of my favs by Kt Photography

For the love of tags

Over the past month I have learned that Jacie new favorite things are tags! She is in love with them and she is stinkin good at finding them on anything that has them. I give her a stuffed animal and that is the thing she loves to chew on. If i put her on her play mat she will scoot to where the tag is and slobber all over it. Its pretty hillarious and crazy to think we have got her all these things/toys and that is what she is caring the most about.

So....I guess Jacie is not the only baby in the world who loves tags because there is a company who makes toys using TAGS! Everything they make is covered with them. I have been wanting to get her a Taggie and when I saw them pop up on one of Amazon's lightening deal yesterday I got to grab her one. It is a plush tag ball. I am pretty sure she will love it!!!!!

Plagiocephaly

???? What is that you ask???? Well, I had no idea myself...

At Jacie's 2 month appointment it was brought up that she was getting a flat spot on the back of her head. Being born 5 weeks early really put her in a risk of this because of her head being extra soft. We were told to try to keep pressure off of the area the best we can but ALWAYS PUT HER ON BACK TO SLEEP! Well if you don't know anything else about my daughter by now you should know that she LOVES to sleep! She has been sleeping 12-14 hours a night since she was 2 months old! She has also always favored the "flat on the back of her head" position. Even at her 1 month appointment we even asked about putting her on the side to sleep to make sure she doesn't get a flat head and we were told NO! So....we listened. The last thing I wanted to do was cause Jacie any harm and being a first time mom I have been following all the "rules."

We have tried SOOOOOO many things to get her off the back of her head over these past 4 months.

We have bought 1 of these

This is a breathable pillow we used in her crib at night

We bought 2 of these

This is a boppy nest. We used 1 in her car seat and 1 we used for her swing and any time she was laying flat on the floor.

and we did LOTS of this

I was always trying to find things that would encourage her to lift her head and enjoy tummy time

Well at her 6 month appointment after all our efforts we were told the spot had not changed enough and that we should see a Cranial Specialist. I knew this was coming and at the time was very upset with this. I spent many days and night being upset and pretty much in denial. But after many debates with myself I knew I had do what is best for her.

We went to the appointment and they took pictures of her head and told us she is in the moderate range. Well we have decided to move ahead with the band. As of right now we don't have much info about it. I have however been reading BUNCHES of info online. We go in on Thursday for our fitting and the big day will be Dec. 21! That is the day she will be getting her Doc Band.

For me it all comes down to this...SIDS is permanent....Plagiocephaly is treatable!

Who doesn't love free???

Thats right...free!

I have seen on a few blogs I visit that Shutterfly is having a promotion. All ya gotta do it blog about them and you will receive 50 free Christmas cards. That is just too good to pass up!!!

Honestly, I have been waiting for the year when I actually have a reason to send cards. I have always LOVED the idea of doing Christmas cards. But I didn't want to just send out information on me or just a picture of me....ya know? Well what better time than now to show off my little cutie in one of these cards that I have picked out???

I also plan on using Shutterfly for her party invitations, thank you letters, and now our yearly christmas card

Shutterfly has so many cool ideas and thing that just make life easier when you want to be a tad bit creative. You can get photo calendars, thank you cards, invitations, photo wall art, and MUCH MUCH more!!!!!

I have been searching on their site for about an hour now and found these 2 one that I like. I like all the bright colors in them!

I know whichever card I end up choosing will be very bright and cheerful. I might choose one of these or MAYBE choose another one. There are so many to choose from the decision will definitely have a hard time. But for those who read our blog and who will be receiving one of our cards you are just going to have to wait to find out and check your mailbox :)

So if you have a blog go on over to their site!