Ceme de la Creme: Maddie Moments

Here is Miss Madden--live and unplugged! When I look at these videos I am reminded of what a sweetie she is, but the days that she colors on the carpet with a sharpie (yeah, that ain't coming out!) or strips all the screws out of the drawer under her crib by standing in it, are quite trying for me...she is quite a handful at 19 months...I need to clone myself just to keep up with her!

Miller Diller...

That is Jeremy's newest nickname for baby brother. Just needed to let everyone know Miller is doing better. We had kind of a 'setback' and had to go back to the doctor before his 4 month checkup due to stagnant weight. I knew he wasn't gaining and became worried. That's when Dr. H kicked things up a notch for Miller. We have been testing urine (I am a seasoned pro at catching pee in a bag!) and blood, looking at kidneys and abdomen via ultrasound, visiting the pediatric gastroenterologist. Lots of 'fun' stuff to begin ruling out all possibilities...also visited a new lactation consultant who I love, love, LOVE and who is the utmost of encouraging with my need and desire to continue breastfeeding as it is truly what is best for him (even though he does consume a nice concoction of breastmilk and formula!!). Dr. H put him on Zantac but the GI doc changed it to Prevacid--he definitely seems to have some reflux-ey symptoms, but it is the silent type (he's not excessively spitty) and from what I hear, reflux is quite overdiagnosed--but we will see how it goes. He is already gaining! He was only 10 lb, 11 oz at the office on the 16th of the month on the 23rd he was up to 11 lb, 4 oz (2 %ile)!

So, God is in control and working things out for his little body! So, we are still supplementing with the SNS, but we switched to a new device that I call the 'mack daddy' nurser--it holds more and it has bigger tubing so he gets more milk a little more quickly. I am also supplementing at all feedings instead of just the afternoon/evening ones. Miller is changing so much! We love all his jibberish and he is all about reaching for whatever you have close to him! His smile just melts my heart...

Everyone else is doing well except for Miss Maddie who may have a case of pink eye. Ugh. She woke up with the reddish eye on Saturday morn. I kept her home from church today and now the other eye is pinkish too. It does not seem to slow her down or even bother her really. No rubbing or itching her eyes anyway...please pray that if it is conjunctivitis, that we can keep it at bay--that stuff spreads like the plague!

Here are a few pics of our serious little fella--

Bits and Pieces...

It's all I have time for these days! I finally was able to post Christmas pics. We had a great time with my Mom and Dad and really missed Jeff and Shannon. But, they are the proud new foster parents of a sweet, 2 month old, baby girl--so that is the best present they could have received. I wish I could post a picture of her, but believe me, she is just precious! Also, I want to congratulate my sweet sister, Jansen, and her hubby Chris on their baby news! I will be an aunt again come September!

Hope everyone had a wonderful New Year--we celebrated very low key: movies, popcorn, and watching our neighbor's fireworks! That's all I had the energy for anyway!

Leighton returned to school this week. It is hard to believe his school is already sending out info for PreK 'graduation'! Yikes! Ley turned five right before Christmas and we have really enjoyed his musings on life lately; I am so thankful for his big imagination and creative side. He absolutely loves to dress up and pretend he is someone else! He gets out in our backyard and it seems to become a different world for him: a pirate ship, an ARMY camp, a land of prehistoric dinosaurs! Also, he helps me so much when it comes to M&M: retrieving pacifiers, getting gas drops, throwing away stinky diapers, letting me know when Mad is about to destroy something :). The Lord has given him such a sweet spirit! He is so loving with Miller and is all about giving him kisses these days; he is so ready to have a playmate in his little brother, but until that day comes, his little sister will have to do!

Maddie is energetic as ever. I will post a video clip when I can, of her 'dancing'. She truly rarely walks--she is all about jumping, and if she isn't doing the hop she is running or spinning...and belly laughing all the while. She is currently trying to get a few more teeth--SIX to be exact! She loves her dolls and I think she is realizing that MillerMac could be her own personal doll baby!! She is all about putting (aka jamming) the pacifier in his mouth although in the car she likes to jerk the pacifier off the clip and have it for herself! Her best trick these days is stripping down to absolutely nothing in the AM and at naptime...she can remove any type of pajamas you put on her--two piece, snaps, or zippers (i recently put a non-footed sleeper on her BACKWARDS and she couldn't get it off--I think she may find a way though!). I have also started putting masking tape on her diapers when she is in the bed because...well, I am sure all you can figure out what happened with that...I will do anything and everything to avoid cleaning up that kind of mess again!

And of course, sweet Miller! He seems to be doing well. As of last week, he was continuing to gain weight. His last weight check was 10 lb, 11 oz. He is slowly but consistently gaining. We are still using the supplemental nursing system and will continue to do so until we see the pediatrician on January 23, then we will reevaluate. He is smiling all the time and laughing some too. He is quite ticklish and you can sometimes get a giggle from him by poking his ribs. Last night he laughed at his Daddy's funny faces, which was a first. He is rolling over from his tummy to his back. He is still waking some in the night (both Maddie and Ley were sleeping through the night consistently quite a few weeks before this age)--sometimes to eat but usually he needs the paci and a little comfort :) I am hoping to transistion him to his romm with Ley in the coming weeks...should be interesting!

Well, I am sure if I had more time to think I would have more news to post but time is little these days!

Christmas Unwrapped 2007