Little Baby Kaitlyn

And Now It's October...

2010-10-05T22:31:00.000-07:00

When I picked Kaitlyn up from preschool today, her hands were fuschia. She had purple paint spotting her arms, and a huge splotch on the leg of her jeans. All in all, it looked like she had a great time. I'm so happy we enrolled her in this school. She loves it, and I'm really enjoying the "parent participation" aspects of it - working in the classroom, fundraising, field trips... I volunteered to be on the Board of Directors as the newsletter editor, and recently I raised my hand to redesign the school's website. That, along with the sewing I've been doing and working on my other blog, have kept me busy. It's a good busy though.

Our baby boy is due in a little less than 15 weeks, which is hard to believe. This pregnancy has been more challenging than my first - I'm tired most of the time, have horrible hip pain, less patience, etc. - but it's also seeming to go by much more quickly. Probably because we are all so busy! Kaitlyn is so excited to meet her baby brother. She talks to my belly every day, gives it kisses and hugs, and tells everyone about her brother "Jaskon" (Jackson). Last night she and I opened a box of newborn cloth diapers that had been shipped to me, and she went through them all, calling them "so cute." She is going to be the sweetest big sister.

My next appointment is at the end of the month, when I've reached 28 weeks, and we have a follow-up ultrasound then as well. Hopefully I will pass the gestational diabetes test this time around, although chances are I'll have it again. At least we're familiar with the diet by now.

I am so excited for the holidays, and I love being able to share that excitement with Kaitlyn as she gets older. This year she was able to tell me what she wanted to be for Halloween (Clifford), and I know she will love doing holiday crafts and shopping together. Although this age has been probably one of the most challenging, she's also such a delight to spend the day with (most of the time). The observations and discoveries she makes just bring a whole new element to life.

Summer Catch-Up

2010-08-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

This has been an amazingly busy summer so far, full of friends, family and good things.

We recently came home from an eight-night stay in San Luis Obispo. Ben, his dad and his friend Gene went backpacking in the Sierras while Kaitlyn and I stayed with Cay and had our own adventures around town. It was a great opportunity for all of us: Kaitlyn got to spend some quality time with her grandma and great-grandma, I was able to get to know the area better (and fall in love with it even more), and Ben was able to leave his cell phone and computer behind and just be out there in the wilderness. When he came home, scruffy and dirty and a little wild-eyed, he held Kaitlyn in his arms and she said, "Daddy, I love your scratchy face!" It was a happy reunion.

Kaitlyn starts preschool in less than two weeks. She'll be attending in the mornings twice a week, and because it is a co-op preschool I'll be working in the classroom a couple of times a month. I also volunteered to serve on the Board for the school, so I'll be putting together the monthly newsletter - a fun opportunity to get involved, do my part and use some of those latent journalism skills.

Potty training was a success! We are happy to say that Kaitlyn is now completely out of diapers and pull-ups, even at night and naptime. Just in time, since our second baby is due mid-January. We find out in a week whether it is a boy or a girl, although Kaitlyn seems pretty confident that there is a "baby sister" in Mommy's tummy.

Kaitlyn had an eye appointment this morning. I had been concerned because her right eye tends to drift upward when she is tired or distracted, and it seemed to be more frequent lately. The ophthalmologist said it is called a disassociated vertical deviation and it is commonly seen in children with strabismus. The solution is another surgery, although he said that isn't necessary unless it becomes a consistent deviation. (At this point, as soon as she recognizes that the eye is drifting she corrects it herself.) We also learned today that her ophthalmologist, who has done both of her surgeries and been monitoring her strabismus since she was 6 months old, is retiring in September. A new doctor is taking his place but we will need to decide whether to continue going to the practice; she is supposed to return in six months.

We hope everyone is doing well and having a wonderful summer. We'll be posting news and hopefully some ultrasound photos from our appointment next week - boy or girl? We'll find out soon!

2010-06-12T21:55:00.001-07:00

Oh my gosh, last post in April... I am so ashamed!

Well, things have been busy here and I did start up another blog, Domesticatedmama.com, so I suppose that is partially my excuse. Work has been crazy busy for Ben, and I've been doing some sewing and other fun domestic things when I get the urge. We had a pretty substantial leak in our laundry room from the upstairs bath, so dealing with that was an adventure. It's hard to believe we're coming up on four years in this townhouse, which means four years of marriage! We moved here as newlyweds less than a month after our wedding. Amazing.

Several of the neighbors who lived here when we moved in four years ago have left; some are the same. We've been spending a lot of time at the park, which is less than a block away, and it seems Kaitlyn meets a new friend there at least once a week. If I don't get a chance to take her during the day, Ben will take her when he gets home from work. They have a blast together, flying the kite, digging in the sand, playing with the basketball and getting dirty. We're so grateful to have this little playground so close to our home. And grateful, also, for the swimming pool. We finally have legit passes to the facilities here - and there are many to choose from. Countless swimming pools, tennis courts, a sandy lagoon open only in the summer, and you can even rent paddle boats and go out on the lake. We've already taken Kaitlyn swimming once this season; it didn't take her long to be jumping off the edge of the pool into our arms. We haven't signed up for swimming lessons this summer because the session dates always overlap with planned trips, but we'll be spending enough time in the water as it is.

It's a challenge keeping up with this energetic little girl sometimes. Thankfully when she's around other toddlers they usually just run around until they're exhausted - so it looks like we need to schedule more playdates! We're working on potty training; she needs to be out of diapers by September, when she starts preschool. Yikes! Preschool! When did this happen?

Kaitlyn is so excited to see her first movie in a theater, "Toy Story 3." She absolutely loves the first two Toy Story movies. Other things she loves right now are stickers, more stickers, stickers, puzzles, and anything related to her "baby sisters" (dolls). She still loves to be read to, and her memory is amazing - after reading a story one time she can often fill in the blanks if you leave out certain words. We go to the library several times a month to stock up on new books, something Kaitlyn and I both love.

Halfway into the year with a 2-year-old, I would say that this age is in some ways harder and some ways easier. But never any less rewarding. If possible, I may even get MORE hugs and MORE kisses and MORE "Mommy I love yous" than before. The only difference is, now she grabs my face in both hands to make sure I am looking her in the eyes before she tells me. Don't worry Kaitlyn - I'm paying attention. And I love you too.

All Kaitlyn

2010-04-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

We're doing a little catching up on video for our loved ones - yes, you!

March 2010

April 2010

The Magic of Having a Little Girl

2010-04-11T08:33:00.000-07:00

I think back often on my pregnancy, trying to remember the myriad little details that all came together to form nine life-creating, life-changing months.

One thing that always strikes me as ironic is the fear I felt when we first found out we were having a little girl. I had long assumed I was carrying a boy, a little Davis or Jackson. We didn't even have a girl's name picked out. On one of our many (many) trips to Babies 'R Us, I cringed at the baby girl bedding - the butterflies and the princesses, the pink and the purple everything, the lace and poodles and ballerinas; and I nodded my head in approval at the boys' selection of farm or jungle animals, trucks and airplanes and dinosaurs. As a teenager I had babysat a family of four boys for years. Boys I could handle.

The day of our 20-week ultrasound, which was also my 28th birthday, we found out that little boy I thought I was carrying was actually a little girl. And panic set in, just a little. And I forced Ben to drive me to Babies 'R Us once more so I could come to terms with a room full of poodles wearing princess crowns. With purple fur. Wearing toe shoes.

More than two years and many shades of pink later, I sit "nuggled" on the couch with my baby girl. She's beautiful.

She's smart and she's funny and she loves to have tea parties, and bake, and dress-up in my clothes and shoes.

But she also loves to roar like a dinosaur, dig in the sand and dirt, wrestle until I beg for mercy.

She's the perfect balance of girly sweetness and rough-and-tumble tomboy.

She's my best bud. We shop, we paint, we giggle, we brush our hair together. Someday I'll paint her toenails and buy her her first "big girl" necklace. Someday.

For now we're just enjoying our girl time together. The hugs, the kisses, the 'nuggles. When she takes my face in her little girl hands as she's falling asleep and says, "I love you Mommy," I thank heaven for little girls.

Let's Go Fly a Kite

2010-03-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to tell your child you love them too often? I hope not, because sometimes I feel like I am telling Kaitlyn "I love you" every five minutes. We give so many hugs and kisses in this house, and I hope it's building in her a sense of confidence and love for others that will stay with her as she grows.

I am filled with so much warmth every time I look at her.

Yesterday Ben, Kaitlyn and I picked up a picnic lunch and took it to a local park. After running around, climbing and sliding on the equipment, we had lunch under a tree. Then we packed up and walked over to the empty baseball field to fly a kite together. Ben got the kite up in the air and handed it over to Kaitlyn. She held on, walking forward while holding it, until she panicked and begged us to take it from her. We all took turns, running with the kite and seeing how far up it could go. If you haven't flown a kite lately, I highly recommend it.

Kaitlyn has a new toy microphone (generously given to us by a nice young man at a swap meet) and she likes to sing songs into it. We all take turns singing in the microphone and shaking the maracas. I'm not sure why our phone hasn't been ringing off the hook for professional engagements - I'll have to make sure the ringer is on.

This morning she and I had what I call Kitchen Dance Party. We put on our favorite Pandora station - Laurie Berkner - and, well, dance in the kitchen. She likes to grab my hands and run in circles, then has me copy her "moves." Like putting her hands on her knees, crouching down, and opening her mouth wide. Or putting her hands above her head like a ballerina and turning around. We also hop like frogs and shout, "Ribbit!"

But my favorite thing lately is her manners. Just now, I set a plate of food on the table for her lunch, and Kaitlyn said, "Sandwich time!" A minute later, "So yummy Mom. It's so yummy." Last night at dinner - skillet-baked spaghetti and a side of cut-up Persian cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and carrots - Kaitlyn said, "More vegetables, please!" (It may have been more like "vegables.") And the absolute best is this: "Wow, thank you Mom! Thank you SO MUCH!"

No Kaitlyn - thank YOU.

Photos
She ate the whole thing.

Learning from Daddy

Teething... And Peepers

2010-02-28T00:43:00.001-08:00

February is National Tooth Month. Well, in our house, anyway.

Kaitlyn is teething. Again. Did you know they get TWO sets of molars? As if the excruciating horror we went through with her first set wasn't enough. She has a marble-sized lump where the next one is coming in. I should know by now that if I'm at my wit's end with my baby girl, chances are she's cutting a tooth. Or that she's two years old. Either way. In this case, I'm 99 percent sure it's the tooth. Restless nights, finger gnawing, increasing irritability... and that's just me. Imagine what Kaitlyn is going through. Har har.

I won't even mention how much all the dental work that Ben and I need is going to cost us this year. Let's just say we could buy a car. Like maybe a Honda Civic from 2003.

All that aside, I can't complain. Well, I can complain about money. But money isn't everything. And money can't buy you love. And we have LOTS of love around here.

I know you all come here just to see pictures of Kaitlyn. And maybe Peepers. So I'll indulge you.

If you hadn't known her from the very beginning, would you believe this little girl is only two?

Look at that hair!

Look at that belly!

Valentines

2010-02-10T11:33:00.000-08:00

This year, we decided to enroll Kaitlyn in a Parent & Me class at a local nursery school. A close friend said her son loved it. Sure enough, Kaitlyn has so much fun each week at "school," and so do I.

This week we had a Valentine's Day theme. We wrote Kaitlyn's name on a white paper bag and decorated it with crayons and heart stickers. We glued a great big red heart on a piece of pink paper, and attached heart-shaped foam pieces, lace doilies and the words "I love you." We baked and decorated heart-shaped cookies (egg-free, naturally). Then, after outside playtime and snack, the toddlers went around the room giving each other Valentines they had brought from home.

As usual, Kaitlyn fell asleep on the way home from school. When she woke up, I asked her if she had fun at school and she said "Oh - Valentines!" She was so excited to dig through her bag of cards, pencils and stickers from her classmates. I can't wait for Easter. She is going to have a blast this year.

The other night Ben and Kaitlyn started playing hide-and-go-seek for the first time, and I couldn't resist joining in after hearing Kaitlyn's hysterical laughter. She makes it easy to find her considering she comes running out of her hiding place when you're done counting. But she's pretty good at seeking - and it's so much fun to hear her saying "One, two, three, four, five - ready or not, here it comes!"

Her vocabulary has grown so quickly. She can breeze through some of her "big word" books, naming each picture accurately. She loves looking at a set of animal flashcards from her Great-Grandma Bev, and even knows which one is the okapi! In fact, she uses and plays with all of her Christmas and birthday presents often. She is a lucky little girl.

This morning we visited her eye doctor for a six-week checkup. Her eyes are functioning well together, and there seems to be little crossing. One eye is starting to occasionally drift upward, but it's minor and we will take a wait-and-see approach for a few months.

She did end up with hives after eating some strawberries at a birthday party, so it looks like we'll be getting an Epi Pen to carry around in case of a serious reaction.

This post feels very boring to me, but it's been ages since I've updated so I just wanted to give you all some sort of update. There will be more soon!

Happy Birthday Kaitlyn

2009-12-23T23:15:00.000-08:00

Dear Kaitlyn,
Today you turned 2 years old, and you announce it proudly whenever we ask how old you are. Sometimes you change it up a bit - "two fingers" instead of just "two." But no matter how you say it, you're still growing up way too fast.

Your birthday was busy and wonderful. You opened some presents from your daddy and me - some paints, paintbrushes, an easel, and an Elmo helmet. Then you opened your gift from your Grandma Cay and Grandpa Bob - a scooter! You hopped on immediately and asked to be pushed around. After that, you kept your helmet on for much of the day. At lunchtime, our good friends Maria, Sean and your boyfriend Liam came over to celebrate with pizza and cupcakes, more presents, and your first trip to the park since your eye surgery.

Kaitlyn, I'm going to get all motherly and serious and emotional here for a bit. I want you to know what your presence on this earth means, because in two short years you have affected so many people. When I take you on simple errands throughout the day, you radiate this joy and love to everyone you meet. Five minutes in a waiting room is enough time for you to have everyone wrapped around your finger. Without fail, wherever we go I always hear someone say, "What a happy little girl." I truly believe that your happiness spreads to other people and makes their days just that much brighter. Ever since you were born, you've had this easygoing, sweet, affectionate temperament that others recognize right away.

I can't lie - not every minute of every day is rosy. You are 2 years old - you throw tantrums, push boundaries, rarely let me talk on the phone in peace, and lately we've experimented with time-out here and there. But on most days I am with you (awake or asleep) 24 hours a day, and the vast majority of that time is perfect. I can't imagine a better way to spend every minute of my life than to be with you and your daddy.

I love your sense of humor, your kisses and hugs, your giggles and songs. I love laying next to you as you drift off to sleep and watching your beautiful eyes begin to close. Your face changes while you sleep - sometimes I see the baby you were, and sometimes I see the girl you are becoming. It's bittersweet, light on the bitter and heavy on the sweet.

I've gone and made myself all teary-eyed now, so let me close with this: We love you with all of our hearts. Happy birthday, baby girl.

Recovery

2009-12-21T09:31:00.001-08:00

Kaitlyn is doing very well. The white of her eye still has a fair amount of redness at the outer edge, but the swelling has gone down and she no longer looks like she was in a toddler fistfight. Spirits are high; she's just as energetic, stubborn and lovable as always. We've kept her inside for the last four days as a precaution - an infection in her eye now would be a bad thing. But today we'll venture out to the post office and just wash hands like crazy afterward. Our post-op appointment is on the morning of Christmas Eve.

I can't believe I am saying this, but I think by the time the holidays are over this year I will be thrilled to put away our Christmas movies for a while. I have seen "Frosty" and "The Polar Express" way too many times in the past week. When you have a 2-year-old recovering from surgery and housebound, you're pretty much limited to movies, PBS, reading, coloring and finger-painting.

Did I mention how many words Kaitlyn can put together now? She just said to me, "Mama, I see elves too!" Unreal.

We did have a bit of a "Sixth Sense" moment the other day. Kaitlyn and I were sitting quietly on the couch, just cuddling and talking, and Ben was in the other room. Kaitlyn suddenly pointed toward the stairs and said, "Look Mama! Girl!" I said, "Girl? Where, baby?" And she pointed at the stairs again and said, "There! Girl!" At this point I was trying to ignore the little voice in my head saying "Oh my gosh there's a ghost on your stairs and Kaitlyn can SEE HER" and instead be the practical, reasonable, down-to-earth woman I'd like to think I am. So I picked her up, walked her to the stairs, and asked her to show me the girl. Her little finger raised once again, Kaitlyn pointed directly at a dangling ornament on the garland - a woman holding a candy cane and wearing a little dress. And I breathed a sigh of relief, with a little chuckle thrown in for good measure.

Surgery Day

2009-12-17T22:36:00.000-08:00

Some of you may remember my post from more than a year ago from Kaitlyn's first eye surgery. Today was her second.

We are so proud of our baby girl.

Cell-phone alarms went off on both sides of the bed this morning at 5:30 a.m. Ben and I staggered around the house in a daze, getting dressed, brushing teeth, packing our bag for the trip to the surgical center. I tried to drink some coffee but I was too nervous to enjoy it, so more than half of my cold cup went down the drain. At 6:15 Ben started the car, heater running, and I brought our pajama-clad toddler downstairs and buckled her into the carseat. She opened her eyes and asked for kisses. We drove to Orange, talking about directions and Christmas, remembering our drive to the hospital the day before Kaitlyn was born nearly two years ago.

The surgical center was packed. We found an empty seat and distracted Kaitlyn with anything we could find - her new baby doll, her zebra, photographs in magazines, a fish tank in the corner. She walked around the waiting room in her polka-dot pajama pants and pink hooded jacket, winning over everyone with her little smiles. They called us back to the pre-op room an hour later, and Kaitlyn sat on the bed while the nurses brought her stickers, coloring pages and crayons. No fussing. No whining. No grabbing for things she couldn't have or trying to get down. One of the nurses warned us that she was about to give Kaitlyn some nasal drops that would sedate her, and although she was calm at the time "the babies hate this stuff so she will scream and throw a tantrum after I give it to her." Forewarned, we braced ourselves. And what did Kaitlyn do? Calmly wiped her nose, coughed a few times, made a yucky face, and then said "All done!" Are you seeing why we are so proud?

I had picked up Kaitlyn when I noticed she was starting to feel the effects of the sedative. Soon after, her body felt heavy and liquid in my arms. The anesthesiologist came to talk to us, and while I was trying to pay attention, Kaitlyn was gently grabbing my face with both hands, smiling drunkenly and rubbing noses with Mommy. We placed her back on the bed and she laid back calmly, wrapped in blankets, left eye marked with a pen. Then, they took her down the hall.

And we waited. Not long, thankfully - half an hour or so until her surgeon came to talk to us. "Everything went as planned. No surprises. Watch for signs of infection. Give her these eye drops at 8, 12, 4, 8. Tylenol at 12:30. See me Thursday." (Yes, yes, now please take us to our daughter!)

The after-effects of general anesthesia with a baby or toddler are generally not pretty. We were prepared for the worst after our last experience. But when they opened the door to the recovery room, Kaitlyn was laying quietly in the bed. She was still very out of it. I picked her up carefully and she immediately started rubbing her face into my sweater, so I turned her around and held her with her back to my front. It felt so unnatural but the anesthesia was making her itchy and she wanted nothing more than to find something, anything, to rub her face against. Tears, more tears, and more information and paperwork from the nurse. And then, finally, we left. As soon as she was in the car, Kaitlyn calmed down and began to drift in and out of sleep. "Truck." "Trees." "Hi Mama." "Daddy?" "Mama!" "My juice."

We came home and watched Christmas movies together. She fell asleep toward the end of "The Polar Express" and took a 2 1/2 hour nap. We've tried to keep ahead of the pain with regular doses of Tylenol and she hates getting the eye drops. She has quite a bit of swelling and redness around her eye, but she still wants me to chase her around the living room (I didn't) and color at the table (we did). All in all, she is such a resilient little thing. And we love her to pieces.

Thank you to everyone for your well wishes and prayers. Ben and I are so grateful for all of the support you've given us.

Here we are in the pre-op room, coloring and playing with princess stickers:

This Little Piggy

2009-12-15T23:05:00.000-08:00

Kaitlyn is a big fan of "This Little Piggy." And after you've wriggled each of her tiny little toes a bazillion times, she'll search for yours and return the favor.

Not in any way, shape or form related to the title of this post, Kaitlyn's pediatrician has recommended we keep an eye on her caloric intake. Seems our little bruiser has shot up in height and weight as usual, but more in the latter. With barely over a week until her 2nd birthday, Kaitlyn is 36 1/4 inches tall and 35 pounds. My goodness my back aches just writing that down. If I were the type of person who built noticeable muscle tone my left arm would be killer from hiking her onto my hip 50 times a day.

We held the first of Kaitlyn's 2nd birthday parties this weekend at Grandma Beth and Grandpa Mike's house in San Diego. Other notable attendees included Aunt Jenny, Uncle Drew, Aunt Linda, Penney (who probably deserves an Aunt title as well!) and a dear friend of my mom's, Doris. Oh, and Ben and me, of course. The theme was Curious George, the food was delicious and the cake was baked from scratch, with love and egg-free.

Kaitlyn really got into opening gifts this time, which in my opinion makes it all the more enjoyable for the rest of us. She loves her new baby doll, baby doll clothes, bottles, etc., rolling suitcase/backpack, her new fancy pants that are way cooler than anything I own, her classic, well-loved story, and her Cozy Coupe. Photos below - videos later.

Surgery day is Thursday - wish us luck!

Frosty the Snowfan

2009-12-10T22:58:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been 1 1/2 months since my last update. Sorry! Sometimes life just catches you in this current and it's hard to slow down again.

We've been having a festive December, just as I like it! We decorated the house right after Thanksgiving; Ben did a fabulous job installing our lights outside this year. Kaitlyn loves looking out the window at the "pretty lights." The other night we joined up with our friends and took the kids to see a few neighborhoods that really go overboard. At first, Kaitlyn looked hypnotized (and not in a good way). But she started to warm up (literally - it was 40 degrees in Orange County that night!) and soon was exclaiming, "Look! Look! A snowfan!"

I'm sure you all can translate what a "snowfan" is. But if you can't, let's just say that Kaitlyn's favorite movie these days is "Frosty the Snowman." And she's pretty much got the thing memorized. I'm happy to be passing on the tradition. Next up - "White Christmas." Think it will go over her head? We're not really pushing "Rudolph" because of the scary Abominable Snowfan.

We are really excited about Christmas this year, and celebrating it and Kaitlyn's birthday with our families. We've already got a legion of elves in our pantry and in our downstairs closet, helping make gifts... oh wait, those aren't elves. Those are ants!

The second eye surgery is scheduled for a week from today, December 17, in the morning. We're nervous but ready. The key now is keeping Kaitlyn from getting sick, as they won't operate if she's under the weather.

We wish all of you a beautiful December and hope we will get to spend time with you during the holidays this year!

In case you missed it, here's a little video of our almost 2-year-old.

Jell-O

2009-10-20T22:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Kaitlyn,
I am interested in learning how all toddlers inherently know that if they turn their bodies into Jell-O it will be virtually impossible to be picked up or moved in any way. Yesterday I ended up carrying you like a newborn about 100 feet until I could safely insert you into a shopping cart. We may have had some funny looks along the way but hey - we got there. Your flexibility is to be envied by all.

You've been sleeping in your big-girl bed for a couple of weeks now, and looking in on you before we go to bed has become somewhat amusing. Because we don't have a bed rail yet, your mattress is on the floor and your crib mattress is next to it. Last night we found you had fallen from the twin to the crib, from the crib to the floor, without waking up. Amazing!

You've also used the potty once a day in the past three days! Daddy and I are very, very proud. You like it so much that you cry every time I say it's time to put a diaper back on.

Lately you've been dancing in the kitchen, but you always want an audience. "Mama, ready? MAMA! MAMA! READY?!?" and then the dancing (running around in circles to a barnyard banjo) begins. Rinse, repeat, repeatedly. I love it. I love YOU.

Ah-vert,
Mama

At the Pumpkin Patch

Just Woke Up

A Little Letter to My Big Girl

2009-09-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Kaitlyn,
It's the 28th of September and you are 21 months old. October begins on Thursday with your daddy's 32nd birthday, and in three short weeks your Aunt Jenny will be marrying Drew, who you have known since you were 2 days old. We are all so excited about this wedding, although it's a little hard for me since you will be staying home with Grandma Cay and Grandpa Bob (or as you say it, Gamma and Gappa). It will be the first time both Daddy and I have left you overnight, much less two nights. We will miss you tons and tons. But I know you will have a wonderful time. They stayed with you a few weekends ago and you read stories, went to the park, and played with your blocks together. When I first came home and you awoke from your nap, you called out "Gamma! Gappa! Are you!" Which I quickly realized was "Grandma! Grandpa! Where are you?"

You have such a huge vocabulary, although sometimes the words come out a little differently. You say "avert" for "I love you," and "uppers" when you mean "downstairs." You frequently request that I sing a song called "I Love You So Much," but you ask for "Love Me Much." Regardless, you know what a xylophone, cheetah and a circle are and you've memorized nearly every book you have. You love to sing - "If You're Happy and You Know It," "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," the ABC's and "Opposites." You can count into the 'teens but skip a number here and there. But, what good is six anyway? Useless number. Who needs it?

You love to help wash dishes, color with crayons and pens, steal my cell phone, take pictures with your camera and give Archie and Peepers big, suffocating hugs.

Today was a typical day for us. You were eager to leave the house this morning and kept asking to go to the store, but the only errand I wanted to run was to get a coffee. So we went to the Spectrum (mall) and walked around for a couple of hours. We visited the puppies and kittens at the pet store (you LOVED this part), read some stories at the bookstore and had lunch together. After your (short) nap we went for a walk around the neighborhood, at your request. You skinned your knees a bit as sometimes you want to move faster than your feet can, but there were no tears. We played with twigs and pointed out flowers and leaves. Thankfully the weather is cooling down so we can do more leisurely strolls in the afternoon.

After dinner, we called Grandpa Bob to wish him a happy birthday and then we played in the living room. Your Daddy would throw the ball so that it would bounce back toward him and you thought it was the most hilarious thing ever. You would squeal and then put your head on the ground like you just couldn't take how funny it was. No one can make you laugh like your Daddy can.

Kaitlyn, when you were a tiny, tiny baby and I would go to pick you up, the second you were in my arms a warm rush would go through to my heart and make it swell inside me. I knew then that I would always feel that way when I held you. And I will.

Love,
Mama

Smarty-Pants

2009-08-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

Tonight, while Ben, Kaitlyn and I were eating dinner, I offered Kaitlyn a piece of her quesadilla (which she had not been eating). She said - clear as a bell - "No, I don't want it." Five words! At 20 months! The room was absolutely silent as Ben stared at me with his mouth open, an expression I knew I was mirroring. Kaitlyn is very vocal and has a huge vocabulary, and she does pair words together frequently. But never five. We tried to get her to say it again by offering her a variety of foods she doesn't like, but it didn't work.

One of my favorite things right now is how Kaitlyn says I love you - "ah vert." Never fails to put a smile on my face. Other common words and sayings are "llama llama," after her new favorite books we checked out at the local library, "hold it," "have it," and anything paired with "here" or "there." She's working on her colors and tries to sing the ABC's and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." She can finish the last word in just about any sentence in one of her books - she has them all memorized. She loves to give kisses and hugs. She is sweet, affectionate, fun, energetic and exhausting. In other words, she's Kaitlyn.

August

2009-08-17T21:51:00.000-07:00

It's a typical night in our household. Ben is upstairs with Kaitlyn, lying on the floor of the nursery as she drifts off to sleep. I can hear her lullaby music from the open door of her bedroom, and I once again am thankful that we picked up that collection of soothing songs on a whim more than a year ago. Bedtime has been mostly peaceful lately and I think having a routine has helped immensely.

Today was one of those days where we play catch-up: Catch up with our friends in person and over e-mail, catch up with our grocery shopping and errands. The latter took up most of our day. Kaitlyn and I traveled to three grocery stores before nap and after, and without a single meltdown (for either of us).

The three of us spent the weekend in San Luis Obispo visiting Ben's family and honoring a dear friend who had recently passed. Ben and I always talk about how lucky we are that our families live close enough that we are able to see them throughout the year. Kaitlyn is crazy about her grandparents, aunties, great-grandparents and cousins.

Here are some photos from our recent trip:
Country girl

With her cousin Galen

The fam

With Grandma Cay

A ride on the little train at Irvine Regional Park

Love,
Karen

What More Can I Say?

2009-07-17T23:21:00.000-07:00

Life is wonderful. Kaitlyn is amazing; Ben is too. The cats are pretty much the same. Kaitlyn's pediatrician says she will grow up to be a basketball or volleyball player; she's 29 1/2 lbs. and 35 1/2 inches tall at almost 19 months. She has more words than I could list at this point, so I'll let her tell you some of them:

Seattle

2009-06-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

Ben, Kaitlyn and I spent most of last week exploring Seattle. Or, more accurately, Kaitlyn and I got lost in Seattle multiple times, while Ben spent most of the trip in a conference room and then three hours on a boat circling the Puget Sound.

We landed in Seattle Monday morning, after a mostly uneventful plane ride on JetBlue - my new favorite airline. Kaitlyn didn't cry during the flight although she did become very antsy toward the end. Thankfully we had a laptop and eight Curious George episodes to distract her during part of the trip. (This brings to mind two of her newest words: "more" and "George." Coloring books, stickers, snacks, a sippy cup and board books rounded out the arsenal of "Things you must bring on an airplane ride with an 18-month-old." Although I admit there was a time when she handed me the in-flight disaster manual and asked for a story, and by golly I gave her one!

After 45 minutes walking around the airport terminal and rental car area, we finally arrived at the parking spot where my transportation for the week would be waiting. We requested a mid-size car. We received a mid-size monstrosity. I'd like you all to imagine me driving around Seattle in this - a tomato-red Chevy HHR. Maybe it was the parking-lot lighting, or exhaustion, or an altitude thing, but the particular shade of red they had chosen was almost... fluorescent. I pictured myself driving the only spot of color in a landscape of gray. I went back to the counter and begged for a trade, ultimately turning down a Buick Lucerne in favor of a Prius. Eventually I got used to feeling like the car had stalled every time we stopped at a light.

The next several days went by very quickly. Kaitlyn and I had a wonderful time at the Woodland Park Zoo; if we lived near the area there's no doubt we would be members. Naturally we spent some time at Pike Place Market, which I initially hated but grew to enjoy over my three visits. We saw the Seattle Aquarium, visited some online friends in Tacoma and had dinner with my nephew and his wife. When Ben was free, the three of us went to the top of the Space Needle, rode the Monorail and on our last day, visited the Children's Museum in Seattle Center. Kaitlyn loved the Children's Museum - well, we all did. Especially the kid-sized grocery store, complete with shopping carts, produce, dry goods and check-out lanes. I used to dream of stuff like that when I was a kid.

We nearly missed our flight home, but ended up landing in Long Beach as scheduled (after surviving a nerve-wracking dash through the airport and a last-minute diaper change in the plane's bathroom. Kaitlyn's diaper, that is. Although if Ben and I wore diapers after that fiasco, we might have needed changing too.). We arrived back at home and the next day I promptly came down with a bad cold, which Kaitlyn is now recovering from.

Ah, Kaitlyn. She's been a little rough around the edges lately. I'm hoping it's teething and not a phase, because phases last longer than teething (usually). But it doesn't take much to remind me how adorable she is. She is growing up so fast. Today she got her first scraped knee, and about two hours later her second. She just wants to run run RUN everywhere. Her vocabulary is growing just as fast as she is - new words like "walk," "hug," "more," "table," "chicken," and combining words like "lay down" and "push button." She likes to sing along to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and it's about the cutest thing I've ever seen. I think she maybe gets three or four of the words right on cue and the rest are made-up.

Now for some photos:
Shopping

Space Needle

Zoo

A Thank You to My Husband

2009-06-20T20:52:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Father's Day. For almost 28 years of my life, I bought or made one Father's Day card. Now, I am lucky enough to make three: one for my dad, one for my father-in-law, and one for my dear, sweet husband. Although I owe so much to the first two men, I'd like to focus on the third in this entry. We can consider this a secondary card, as his primary is hand-drawn by our 18-month-old daughter and hiding in a closet until tomorrow morning.

I have always known that Ben is a good man. I knew it even when we dated in college and were young(er) and immature(r). I knew it when we got back together four years later, when he proposed, and when we said our vows. I knew it when we decided to start our family. And although he didn't have to, he proved it to me time and time again as we went through childbirth, brought our newborn home and started figuring out what it means to be parents.

During the past 18 months, Ben has given me many gifts. But there is one gift that is my favorite above all others: the ability to stay home with our daughter. Although we have our share of nervous moments where we think about how nice a second income would be, he has never pressured me to find a job. Being able to be home with Kaitlyn in these early years has allowed me to give her the kind of home environment that we think she thrives in. Our days naturally unfold and are almost always unhurried. And there are always times during the day - like if I'm taking an especially long time to strap her into the car seat (bunny, blanket, kisses, tickles, and more kisses) - where I remember: This is all thanks to my husband.

He works so hard. He comes home exhausted, and yet 10 minutes later I find the two of them reading on the living room floor (with musical accompaniement no less!). Kaitlyn's face lights up on the weekends when she wakes up and realizes: Daddy is here! Bath time is filled with giggles and water fights. Bed time includes baby in the crib and Daddy falling asleep on the floor. It's a blissful life we are leading. And daily, I am reminded what a good man I found, fell in love with and married.

Happy Father's Day!

Miss Manners

2009-06-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today as I strapped Kaitlyn into her car seat, I turned my head and suddenly sneezed. And my 18-month-old daughter said, "Bless you." I'm so proud!

I remember Ben and I saying it to her with each and every newborn baby sneeze, and I joked that those would be her first words.

I have more to say regarding her vocabulary, but she's just woken up from her nap and I can hear her asking for a "story" through the monitor. So I'm off to read "Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too?" for what will probably be the first of many times today.

Love Hurts

2009-06-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn has a boyfriend. A very handsome, sweet, affectionate boyfriend. He's about 3 feet tall and has the biggest, shiniest brown eyes I have ever seen.

Eyes that Kaitlyn threw a shovelful of sand into today.

There were a lot of tears. She walked away almost immediately after doing it, unaware of the aftermath of her impetuous actions. She just wanted to go down the slide again. It was an accident. (We hope.)

The day ended with a hug and a wave bye-bye. I think he forgives her. I hope he does. But yeah, love hurts.

Just Video Today!

2009-06-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn reads along with one of her newest books: "Moo Boo La La La" by Sandra Boynton.

Kaitlyn shares a tiny bit of her vocabulary with the camera.

One day I took out the stroller and left Kaitlyn in the room with it, only to discover she had somehow climbed into it when I wasn't there! Thankfully she did it for me again so I could solve the mystery. Something tells me we've got a climber on our hands.

Thankful

2009-05-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

I have heard people say that motherhood - especially being a stay-at-home mom - is a thankless job.

Not so.

I receive a million tiny rewards each and every day. Her little hand taking mine to step up, or down, arms lifted for me to hold her, hugs, kisses, sticky fingers in my face, giggles and smiles and snorts. Holding her little body on my lap and breathing in her hair, tickling toes and singing songs as we go about our day. Each new word and skill fills me with pride in my work. She is my boss, my client and my coworker, and I am lucky enough to know that she appreciates what I do. My performance reviews are always thoughtful and accurate. What more could I want?

Tonight I held my baby girl on the rocking chair, her hair still damp from the bath, and we read a well-worn copy of "Goodnight Moon." As she snuggled in close to me, her Piggy blanket in hand, I said the same words I tell her 50 times a day: "I love you." And this time, she said "Wuv you" back. And that's all the thanks I need.

The Greatest Kid

2009-05-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

At the risk of alienating any non-family readers, I need to blatantly brag about our daughter for a minute.

This kid is amazing. Adorable, smart, clever, funny, sweet, good-natured... the list goes on and on. Everywhere we take her, people want to look at her and smile at her and talk to her. Strangers have stopped me in the middle of a Target check-out line to tell me that "She's a very special little girl." And she is. And all this after only 16 1/2 months of life. Imagine her possibilities!

Here's what's new with Kaitlyn:
- She has lots of new words, including nose, cow, giraffe, baby.
- She will nod and say "yeah" if you ask her a question and the answer is yes. I'm still working on "Yes, please."
- If she is doing something she knows I would not want her to do, she says "no" the whole time, or more accurately, "nonononono."
- She has a new baby doll that we bought the other day, her first. As I write this she is giving her baby kisses and identifying her eyes, nose, hair and ears. She's also saying teeth but because of my memories of horror movies like "Chucky," my daughter will not have dolls with any visible teeth. Well, at least until she moves away to college.
She also tries to give her baby her sippy cup and then she bites its fingers.
- We are having milk again - yay! - and she seems to be doing well with it.

Latest pictures:

At the San Diego Zoo on Mother's Day

With Daddy and Uncle Larry

Taking a ride on Grandma Beth's wheelchair

Baby!

Way to Go, Mom

2009-05-05T15:26:00.001-07:00

I have always hoped that Kaitlyn would love to read, the way that I do. (Ben enjoys reading, too, but can barely make it through a page of Blender magazine before falling asleep.) Which is why I am, in many ways, very happy that she wants to read. All. The. Time. But toddlers, as we know, pick up on their parents' mannerisms, good and bad. And at some point I must have stood at Kaitlyn's bookshelf, trying to decide which book to read, and said "Ummmm...." Because now she thinks that you say "Ummmm" when you want to read a book. When she wakes up in the morning, she runs over to the bookcase and says "Ummmm..." When she wakes up from a nap: "Ummmm." She will actually start crying if I try to take her downstairs and feed her breakfast before reading a book. I'm so proud.

Ben is on a business trip in Philadelphia so Kaitlyn and I are on our own this week. I was very nervous but so far she has been generous in her naps, and had a good night's rest last night as well.

Picture time:

First time finger-painting (don't mind the charcoal - we needed a paperweight)

We took a day trip up to Los Angeles to see the Noah's Ark exhibit at the Skirball Jewish Cultural Museum. It was amazing and Kaitlyn had a blast!

Afterward we walked Third Street Promenade and the Santa Monica Pier.

Words!

2009-04-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

I wanted to create a list of Kaitlyn's words, so I won't forget them:

Bee
Duck
Tree
Owl
Kitty
Hi
Bye
Again
Up
Down
Out
Dad
Mom
No (also, no no no no)
This
Dog
Belly
Hair
Hand
Done (sounds like none)
Eye
Yellow
Oh yeah
That
Pig
Teeth

I'm not going to lie - I think a lot of you would have trouble understanding when she says some of these words. But for Ben and me, it has made communicating with her SO much easier! She understands pretty much everything we say: "Please go get your cup." "Please sit on your bottom." "Do you want a snack?"

Just recently she has learned the sound a horse makes. When she hears a dog barking outside she looks around, points toward a window and says "Dog? Hiiiiiiiiii." She loves when her clothes have animals on them, so she can point them out. She also LOVES to read. She will make you read the same book over, and over, and over again. Lately it's Curious George - a book of opposites - and she usually laughs when he is dry, then falls in the water and now he is wet! She squeals when we run the vacuum cleaner, especially when Daddy pretends he is going to get her toes with it. She has gotten much better at eating with a spoon. She loves to dance - she will turn on the radio in her bedroom (by herself!) and start dancing to whatever song comes on. She is beautiful and fun and sweet and loving and just the best little 16-month-old ever.

Easter, Etc.

2009-04-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter. Kaitlyn, Ben and I went down to San Diego to spend the day with Mom and Dad. We "hid" Easter eggs around their back yard for Kaitlyn to find. Each egg had an Easter sticker inside. At first Kaitlyn just wanted to fill her basket with rocks, but she quickly got the hang of picking up the eggs instead.

Her third and fourth bottom teeth have arrived! More on the way - as always. She now has nine teeth.

Kaitlyn is talking more and more every day. If she wants you to read a book or do "This little piggy" one more time, she says "again." Yesterday on our walk she pointed at the tree and said "tee." The neatest one (to me, anyway) is "owl." Kaitlyn can look at an entire page of pictures and point out the owl! Who would've thought? She loves books. She looks very intently at the pictures and is getting better about not eating the pages.

She fared way better in her second toddler class. She didn't exactly participate in the songs, but she also didn't cry. When it was time for free play, she explored all of the different zones just like the other kids. I was so proud.

She is so tall - she can climb onto just about anything, and reach the edge of all of our counters. It's time for another round of babyproofing!

This age is so rewarding in so many ways. Ben and I just sit and stare at her sometimes, marveling at all the new things she is doing. The other day I told her I loved her, and she came up behind me and threw her arms around my legs in a great big hug. It's only a matter of time before we hear the words!

A few other videos you might enjoy:

Kaitlyn loves Sunbutter. It's like peanut butter (which she isn't allowed to have yet) but made from sunflower seeds. Here is an example of how much she enjoys it.

I also recently discovered that Kaitlyn and I both like to dance to old Madonna songs.

Kaitlyn and the White Rabbit

2009-03-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Ben and I put Kaitlyn in a pretty little dress, clipped a bright-pink bow in her hair and set off to meet the Easter bunny. We were first in line when he came back from his lunch break. I marched Kaitlyn right up to his white, fuzzy body and big eyes... he raised his hand - I mean paw - up to say hello and...

She burst into tears. Not just sniffles, either, but wails of fear. We were kindly asked to move to the back of the line so some other, non-crying children could have their picture taken. As soon as we got within 10 feet, the tears started again. So, the closest we got to having her picture taken with Mr. Bunny was this:

The past two days Kaitlyn has seemed out of sorts. There is a swollen, white ridge poking up through her front gums so it looks like her days of having only two bottom teeth are short-lived. It may even happen tonight. After the day we had, I can only hope that there is a white (tooth) at the end of the tunnel.

This morning was our first toddler class, which we signed up for through the city's recreation department. It's intended to be a fun, playful class full of activity to encourage the little ones to get their wiggles out. We started in a circle, singing songs and introducing ourselves to the teacher. Then we pulled out a big parachute and put a bunch of little balls on top, and the parents moved the parachute up and down while the toddlers squealed with delight.

Except for Kaitlyn, who just cried. Through the entire class. The instruments, the songs, the 20-minute free play - cried, cried, cried. I ended up holding her the entire time, encouraging her to watch the other kids as they played and enjoyed themselves. I am hoping that today was just a fluke, that she'll have fun next time. Maybe she was just crabby because of the tooth.

She didn't nap today, so we headed to the mall to play at their activity center and walk around. She was fine until after lunch, when we passed yet another Easter bunny. This one had no customers, so he was wandering around his garden waving at the kids. As we walked by, he stepped up and waved to Kaitlyn. Who burst into tears. Poor bunny covered his eyes and shook his head, which I took to be bunny-speak for "Oh no, I'm sorry." I said "Don't worry about it" and took my wailing toddler back home.

Today and yesterday couldn't compete with Saturday, which was loads of fun! We drove up north an hour to spend the day with Ben's mom, dad, sister and nephew, along with Amy's friends Marci and Kris. Saturday was a beautiful day, and we relaxed and caught up with everyone, then headed to the playground so the kids could let out some steam.

With Grandma Cay on the swings

She loves Auntie Amy

Wearing Galen's elephant hat

The guys playing ball

Cousin Galen and the bubble blower

Unrelated, but we bought her a water/sand table for the patio, and she loves it!

First, the Fun Stuff

2009-03-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn's vocabulary is growing every day! It would probably be pretty difficult for anyone to understand a lot of it, but she is definitely copying words that she hears throughout the day. Yesterday it was "button." Some other words she says: hand, hi, bye, kitty (or kitten), up, out, this, fish, belly, hair. She can follow just about any direction, like "Kaitlyn, please go get your clothes." Or "Kaitlyn, go find Piggy!" (Her cuddly toy for night-night.)

She is climbing everything, and loves playing on the playground. She goes all the way up to the big slides, me following her the whole way. She's just a very fun, very active little toddler.

We are so excited that we get to see Ben's parents, sister and nephew this weekend. We can't wait!

We did end up seeing a board-certified allergist for a second opinion on Kaitlyn's allergy test results. He was wonderful. On Tuesday he did what's called a Skin Prick Test (SPT) to see if she has any immediate reactions to some of the more common allergens. She showed a mild reaction to rice, but he said it was so low he wouldn't even consider it one. Then he applied a patch of allergens to her back, which we kept on for 48 hours, to check for delayed allergic reactions to foods. They removed it yesterday morning, and she had small pink blotches in the shape of the allergens for egg and rice. Based on that, he has suggested we remove those from both of our diets.

It makes sense to me, in a way. When we went gluten-free two months ago I substituted wheat with rice, and both Kaitlyn and I were eating and drinking rice products all day long, every day. As for egg, we stopped eating it when we went on the gluten-free diet (and rarely ate it prior to then) but on Tuesday morning, she and I both had a plate of eggs because we thought it was a safe food. On Wednesday night, she broke out in a very bright red rash all over her cheeks, with some mild swelling under her eyes. The allergist said it could have been a delayed reaction to the eggs. If Kaitlyn does have a "leaky gut," due to candida or allergens or whatever, any food that we give her too much of could become an allergen. The key is rotating foods, and not becoming reliant on any one thing.

The allergist also said the blood test our pediatrician had done is difficult to interpret, because everyone has IgG antibodies in the blood and they don't always necessarily mean it's due to an allergy. So we need to take those results with a grain of salt. Kaitlyn's numbers were so high on some of the foods that it's probably best just to leave them out for now, as a precaution.

So for now we are slowly adding wheat back into our diets and if all goes well, we'll try dairy in a month. My first reaction to all this was panic: What will we eat now? Then I realized it will just force us to eat much healthier - more fruits and vegetables, less processed and packaged foods. Not a bad thing!

Test Results

2009-03-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

Finally, the test results are in.

Kaitlyn is showing IgG allergy response to:

Oat - High
Yeast, Baker's - High
Yeast, Brewer's - High
Coconut - High
Soybean - Moderate
Lima Bean - Moderate
Pineapple - Moderate
Lemon - Moderate

She shows low reactivity to kidney bean, banana, peanut, garbanzo bean, milk, green bean, broccoli, mozzarella cheese, whey, grape, wheat gluten and rice. The pediatrician has recommended we stay milk-free, although she can have some cheese. We can also give eggs a try - they were low on the scale. Meats were all low, which is good. We can add back in wheat gluten but it has to be yeast-free, so that will be interesting. And soybean is in a lot of products, but I cut that out when we cut out dairy the first time so I'm sure I can manage it again.

We are still processing all of this and I haven't decided what I think yet. We have a naturopathic pediatrician, and sometimes I wonder if we would have been better off seeing a conventional pediatrician instead. A conventional pediatrician would have never ordered any of these tests. Then again, if Kaitlyn truly does have a "leaky gut" that is causing allergic responses, then this pediatrician is our hope in healing it so that she doesn't have lifelong digestive and allergy problems.

I have scheduled a phone consultation with the lab tomorrow morning, so they can go over the results with me and perhaps offer some additional insight.

We also saw Kaitlyn's eye doctor this week. He said there is still a slight turn in her eyes, but that she seems to still be using them equally. The turn is too small to treat at this point, so we continue to be patch-free. We'll see him again in four months and just need to stay observant in the meantime.

At the Beach

2009-03-14T21:23:00.001-07:00

I took Kaitlyn to Corona del Mar on Thursday afternoon, for a little picnic lunch and feet-in-the-sand playtime. It was chilly, but Kaitlyn still wanted to feel the waves crash against her little bare feet.

Lunch

Even the seagulls got a "HI KITTY!" from Kaitlyn.

Today she learned how to show you her hand, and even says "hand" (or something very close to it) as she waves it back and forth. She also learned toes, and thinks "This little piggy" is the funniest thing ever. Did I mention that she also has the highest pitch squeal I have ever heard? She thinks that is hilarious, too.

(Sorry for the low quality - this one is from my cell phone.)

Still no test results...

2009-03-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

This is the second week our appointment with Kaitlyn's pediatrician was postponed as they haven't received the allergy test results yet. So, another week on this crazy diet.

MDA Walk and Other Pictures

2009-03-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

I have recently discovered that Kaitlyn loves the slide. Today she even went down the tall corkscrew slide, all by herself! She has the biggest smile on her face when she gets to the bottom.

I am almost positive she said "out" today, and "up." She is trying so hard to say "bird" but it comes out like "mbbuhhh."

The other day I took her to the outdoor mall and she kept pulling her hand out of mine, stomping her feet, clapping her hands and turning around in circles. At first I just thought she was super excited to be walking around, and then I realized she was dancing to the music piped in through the loudspeakers!

On Sunday Kaitlyn, Ben and I drove down to San Diego to participate in the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Stride & Ride.

Our team

Linda

Dad and Ben

Mom

Afterward, Kaitlyn was all tuckered out.

Last night Kaitlyn fell asleep in the Ergo on Ben's back. When he took the carrier off, she never woke up. She slept like this for about 20 minutes until we carried her up to the crib.

We also bought Kaitlyn a little potty... she's a little too young for serious potty learning, but it makes for an adorable picture. She was fascinated by it!

February Has Come and Gone...

2009-03-01T20:16:00.000-08:00

It's March, and Kaitlyn is 14 months old!

She is such a ham. Ben and I are having so much fun with her and her hilarious personality. She smiles all the time and everywhere I take her, people come up to us to see her and say hello. She is also so affectionate - lots of hugs and kisses for her mama and dada, aunts, grandma and grandpa. And who gets the most hugs and kisses? Archie, our cat.

Kaitlyn loves her books. She is usually carrying one around the living room (or chewing on it, unfortunately). If there is a piece of fruit in the book, she'll pretend to eat it; a cat, and she will kiss it or pet it; a pillow, and she will lay her head down on the book! One of her books is of baby faces, and just recently she has started saying "ba ba" when I say "baby." So far her main two words are still "kitty" and "hi," but I think she is also saying "this" and maybe even "hair."

She knows and will point to her hair, eye, ear, nose, mouth, belly and foot! I have some video of this and will upload it soon. She is running, climbing, and using a plate to eat her meals and snacks like a good little girl. We've been trying forks and spoons and tonight she actually made the right motions with them, so it's only a matter of time.

She has four teeth on top and two on bottom. Her first premolar is breaking through right now, so she's been up a lot at night lately. I'm hopeful we'll get a little break before the next one, but her gums are pretty swollen so I think there are more on the way. Hopefully some bottom ones so she can even out.

No news on the allergy front yet, but our next appointment is Thursday and we should have some test results then.

Hope everyone is doing well! Kaitlyn sends lots of love.

Jabber, Jabber, Jabber

2009-02-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

Kaitlyn talks non-stop. I only wish we understood what she is saying. She also uses hand gestures, as if to say, "Come on, people!" And we say to her, "Yes, we see what you are saying." Even though we don't.

So Long, Dairy and Gluten

2009-01-29T00:08:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago we received the results from the Organic Acid Test (OAT). The lab report said that Kaitlyn has a major overgrowth of yeast, and other areas showed imbalances as well. Based on the recommendations given in the lab report, Kaitlyn's pediatrician has placed us on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet. We're also giving her three types of probiotics and five different supplements daily. Bottom line is, her pediatrician thinks that the signs of food sensitivities she has exhibited may be tied to this yeast overgrowth, and he is hopeful that the dietary changes and supplements will solve the issues we've had. I've read quite a bit of information on yeast overgrowth as a cause or contributor of food allergies, and it does seem like a possibility. Only time will tell, I suppose. I had gotten used to eating dairy-free (since I did it from when she was 3 months until 11 months)but the gluten-free diet has been a bit more challenging for me.

We did hear some great news from Kaitlyn's opthamologist. It looks as though her eyes are functioning together and even improving since the surgery. We go back in two months, but in the meantime we don't have to patch her left eye anymore. Her doctor seemed shocked at the degree of improvement - "Whatever you're doing, it's working!"

This past weekend we drove to Idyllwild and stayed in a cabin at the Idyllwild Inn. I have so many wonderful memories from Idyllwild - my family used to go every winter, and sometimes in the summer, and stay in one of the cabins at the Inn. So it was nice to be able to share that with Ben and Kaitlyn. Physically the town has remained much the same, although it's no longer possible to walk along Strawberry Creek like my sister and I used to do.

Unfortunately, Ben caught a bad cold right before we hit the road, and Kaitlyn was cutting her sixth tooth (finally). I ended up sharing the full-size bed in the living room with Kaitlyn and Ben slept in the 30-degree bedroom (seriously - it was really, really cold in there!). The cabins at the Idyllwild Inn are rustic - they're even called "Old Rustic Cabins" on the web site - and ours was no exception. Drafty, wooden floors, random holes in the walls, carvings from thousands of people who have stayed there over the years, tiny stove, no microwave... But yet we had a DVD player and more cable channels than we have at home. We spent about an hour trying to make it safe for Kaitlyn - blocking the stone fireplace and the exposed outlets in the middle of the floor, not to mention keeping her away from the radiator.

We did a bit of sightseeing and shopping around the town, but spent most of the trip relaxing in the cabin. It was a nice change of pace (and weather).

So here's what else is new with Kaitlyn:
- She weighs about 25 pounds.
- She can generally point out her belly, eyes and nose, although she sometimes gets them confused.
- Today while looking through a magazine with me, she pointed out and said "kitty," and when I showed her a picture of an eye she pointed at her eye.
- She thinks she is hilarious. She loves to put things on the cats, pet them, lay on them, drop food on them as they walk by - and when she does, she giggles uncontrollably.
- When she gives kisses now she makes a little sound, "Meh." At dinner, she'll give Ben a kiss, then me, then Ben, then me, etc. All the time saying, "Meh." It's adorable!

Pictures from our visit to Temecula

With Aunt Jess

Will She Have Five Teeth Forever?

2009-01-09T22:35:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it feels like Kaitlyn has been getting her sixth tooth for months. I keep thinking, "This is it - it will come through tonight!" And it doesn't. She is chewing up everything we own: her shoes, her books, the crib teether, our furniture, her diapers (cloth, and clean, of course!)...

Random Things About Kaitlyn Today
If you ask Kaitlyn to say hi to the kitty, she will say "Hi Keh-eh."
Today we walked to the park and on the way home, she picked up every single fallen leaf and handed it to me for safekeeping.
I showed Kaitlyn a picture of two babies kissing in her book of baby faces, and said "Babies kissing." She kissed the picture!
When Ben comes home from work she hugs his legs.
She thinks it is absolutely hilarious to throw food at the cats (see video proof below).
She also thinks it is hilarious when their tails accidentally brush her face.
If she decides that she doesn't like what she is eating she will take it out of her mouth and hand it to you.

"Hi."

2009-01-02T22:09:00.000-08:00

Kaitlyn is talking! She said her first word on Christmas Day: "Hi." Now she says it all the time - well, except when you want her to. But we were at the mall the other day and she said "Hi" to every person who walked by on a cell phone. I think "Bye" will be here soon because when we tell her "Bye," she waves. She definitely understands what it means and it's not that much different than "Hi." Stay tuned for more words soon!

We had such a busy December that I completely forgot to update this blog. Then I was so behind that I procrastinated updating it, which made me further behind, etc. So here's the condensed version:

Kaitlyn's 1st birthday party was on Saturday, December 13. We had such a wonderful time! We had the party at Linda (my sister, Kaitlyn's aunt) and Howard's house in San Diego, and Kaitlyn took a nice long nap right before the party so there were no cranky tantrums involved. She ate a carrot cupcake after much deliberation, and received tons of fun presents that are almost always all over the nursery and living room floor.

Kaitlyn turned 1 on Tuesday, December 23. We had a quiet night at home and Kaitlyn opened some presents from Mommy and Daddy. She really loved the chatter phone!

On Christmas Eve, the three of us joined my mom and dad in San Diego. We introduced Kaitlyn to the Shirk Family Christmas traditions: new pajamas on Christmas Eve, a yummy steak dinner and watching "White Christmas." Then it was off to bed to wait for Santa! We had a great Christmas Day relaxing around the house; Jen and Drew came down and we all had dinner together. That's when Kaitlyn said "Hi" for the first time. Everyone missed it but Jen!

The day after Christmas, we headed up north to spend a few nights with Ben's parents in San Luis Obispo. We had a wonderful dinner with Kaitlyn's second cousins, great-aunts, grandparents and great-grandparents. Kaitlyn was the life of the party, saying "Hi" to everyone. She got tons of adorable clothes, fun toys, and some really neat books for Christmas. I've been reading a new book to her every day and she seems to be enjoying them - we're finally at a stage where she doesn't just try to eat the book.

Our last full day in San Luis Obispo, we took Kaitlyn to the Atascadero Zoo with her Grandpa Bob and Grandma Cay, Great-Grandma Bev, second cousin Sarah and Great-Aunt Jennie.

It was such a neat zoo; I have never been so close to a tiger before! Ben held Kaitlyn up to a exhibit with a turtle in it and she said "Hi" to it like any polite visitor would do. It was the perfect way to end our trip, getting to spend a little extra time with people we don't see nearly often enough.

New Year's Eve was quiet - for us. It's so strange to me that Kaitlyn is only 1 year old, but she has been alive in three different years.

I know I say this all the time, but I am having so much fun watching Kaitlyn learn new things! She received a puzzle from her grandparents that has different shapes on it, and already has figured out how to put the circle shape where it belongs. Today she figured out how to open (and empty) our storage ottoman in the living room, pulling out all of her toys and diapers (clean, thankfully). She's so active that it's difficult to convince her to sit on your lap, but she received a snack cup for Christmas and the other day I managed to keep her on my lap while she dug for Cheerios out of the cup. When you take her out of the car, she always has a sock and shoe on her left foot but her right foot is bare - she takes the sock and shoe off almost as soon as the car starts. She thinks Daddy is hilarious (he is). She puts plastic rings around her wrists like bracelets and likes to carry a purse. The best way to keep her from rolling away during a messy diaper change is to play hide and seek by lifting her top over her eyes. And of course, she gives the best hugs, snuggles and kisses.

Counting Down to 1

2008-12-10T00:15:00.001-08:00

This time last year I was very, very pregnant, and very, very ready to be done with being pregnant. I wasn't working, and I wasn't allowed to do housework ("Really doc? Aw shucks... but I do love to clean."). I was finishing up our Christmas shopping because I thought I needed to. I was certain that our baby was coming early. The nursery was done, the baby clothes washed - once we had the third ultrasound I was fairly confident that it was, indeed, a girl in there. In a week I would begin walking laps around the neighborhood, eating spicy food and using accupressure in hopes of inducing labor.

Some things haven't changed. I'm not working, I'm trying to finish up our Christmas shopping and I love my spicy food. But somewhere in that year I gave birth and Ben and I began raising a newborn, who became an infant, and is now a toddler.

Need proof of her toddlerhood? Here she is walking around the neighborhood. I love this little girl with all of my heart.

Last weekend a friend and I took our kids to the mall. She has a 14-month-old son - he is so sweet and fun. He and Kaitlyn sat next to each other at the Rainforest Cafe and stuck their fingers in each other's faces. Later, they played footsie in their strollers. My friend and I took Kaitlyn to get her feet measured and she now has her first pair of big girl shoes. But I've realized that making these sorts of decisions for Kaitlyn - like what color shoes she should have - won't be any easier than making them for myself. Driving home from the mall I was struck with buyer's remorse: Sure, the raspberry-colored leather-and-suede shoes are precious, but are they practical? Should I buy the black with the little silver stars instead? Will the Mary Jane style go with all of her outfits?

And then, at the park today, I realized: She needs jeans! Here I am allowing her to run (OK, toddle) around the park in a pair of bubblegum pink velour pants that offer absolutely no knee protection. Sigh. (And by the way, if I had known a year ago that I would be dressing my daughter in pink velour pants I would have laughed. A lot. But I want you all to know that they aren't tacky in the slightest. Well, maybe a little.)

And then there's her hair. Her bangs have the potential to completely obscure her vision. But I'm not ready to cut it yet, so I guess I need to remember to put those little ribbon clips in her hair during the day. For that matter, I need to remember to brush her hair. And mine. And the cats'.

On to more important things. What is Kaitlyn doing now?
1. Flushing the toilet.
2. Jibber jabbering.
3. Walking almost all of the time.
4. Sleeping well at night when not cutting a tooth.
5. Eating yogurt. (yay!)
6. Laying her head down on pillows.

More video:
Trying spaghetti for the first time

Playing the piano

"Singing"

Aaack it's December!

2008-12-03T00:27:00.000-08:00

I've been eating dairy for a few weeks now, and Kaitlyn seems to be handling it just fine. We went ahead and introduced wheat and egg yolk to her, and yogurt will be next. This is huge for us because while most babies start eating those things around 9 months, we've been waiting under the presumption that she had/has allergic tendencies. Being able to feed her these things opens up a lot of possibilities for mealtimes!

We spent Thanksgiving with Ben's family up in San Luis Obispo, and had a great time! Kaitlyn got to meet her Great-Aunt Jennie and her first-cousin-once-removed Sarah for the first time, as well as spending some time with Great-Grandma Bev, Auntie Amy, cousin Galen and Grandma Cay and Grandpa Bob. She loved all the attention. And she slept amazingly well for being away from home. She even slept three out of the four hours on the drive up. Ben and I were ever so grateful.

Kaitlyn has been walking everywhere these past few days. She walks much more often than she crawls, and sometimes she even runs! (Although I think that's usually on accident and generally ends with a collision of some sort.) I love watching her figure things out during the day. It's one of the indescribable benefits of being home with her.

Pictures from a friend's "First Birthday" party

I'll Take Cheese with My Wine

2008-11-17T23:19:00.000-08:00

So remember how last time I said that Kaitlyn's amazing new sleep habits were bound to change? Well, they did. And having a baby that refuses to take naps sort of lets the air out of my "I love being right" balloon.

We did, however, have some encouraging news at the appointment with her new pediatric allergist (who looked remarkably like Jay Leno, by the way, but wasn't nearly as funny). He took one look at her rash and said, "That's not an allergic rash. That's keratosis pilaris" (a totally benign skin condition that I have as well. It goes along with the territory of sensitive skin that I have blessed our daughter with.).

Dr. Leno went on to say that he doesn't believe Kaitlyn has a milk allergy. Her negative blood test results were encouraging, he added, and he would recommend I try adding milk into my diet first.

Then he tried to convince me that Ben needs to get signed up for this clinical trial of a nasal spray for allergies. Ben, however, has been influenced by my favorite show "Grey's Anatomy" and believes that clinical trials have fatal results. I tried to tell him that the clinical trial on "Grey's" had to do with brain surgery and this is a completely different thing. Dr. Leno seemed concerned at the quantities of allergy medicine that Ben takes daily, and that we haven't invested in stock for Claritin or Zyrtec. OK, I made that last part up.

So, that night Ben and I picked up a pizza and some Golden Spoon frozen yogurt. I've had dairy just about every other day, and so far, we haven't seen anything to indicate that Kaitlyn is having a problem with it. Aside from a revolting diaper situation this evening, but I will spare you the details and simply state that it ended with the use of our hose and a power sprayer. But I'm hoping that will be a one-time deal and was completely unrelated to dairy. (Please, please, please!)

"Is This Thing On?"

2008-11-11T23:36:00.001-08:00

So remember how I said Kaitlyn's sleep had been a nightmare lately? Well, apparently my subconscious decided that I didn't need to put up with that ridiculousness any more. So much so that I - in my sleep - turned off the monitor at 5 a.m. yesterday when she had her scheduled waking. Generally I get up, nurse her, and we both go back to bed. I vaguely recall standing up, turning off the monitor, and then thinking, "Oh, it's quiet - she must have put herself back to sleep!" And back to bed I went.

I woke up at 8:45 a.m. and sensed the room just didn't feel right. Sure enough, I looked to my left and saw the monitor was dead. I turned it on, bracing myself for screaming. Nothing but the white noise of the fan. So I tiptoed across the hallway, dodging all the usual squeaky boards, and carefully opened the nursery door. Kaitlyn, curled up against the crib rail, looked peacefully unaware that my heart was pounding with mommy guilt. She woke up an hour later, chattering to herself in that happy way she does when she's gotten a good rest, and all was well.

Fast-forward to this morning, 9:45 a.m. I woke up. Heard little chatterbug discussing her plans for the day over the monitor. I tried to think of whether I had been up at 5 a.m., and came to the conclusion that I had not. Either I turned off the monitor when she woke up and then turned it back on when she fell asleep again, or our baby had slept 11 hours in a row. I've been known to turn off an alarm or a monitor in my sleep before, but turning it back on? That's way beyond my sleep-self.

So, we've hit a huge milestone with the sleep. I figure it will last about a day.

Kaitlyn's First Eyebrow Wax

2008-11-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

This week we had Kaitlyn's six-week check-up with her eye doctor. I was nervous going in, because although Kaitlyn's eyes have been tracking well, I kept noticing in photos that it looked like one was still turning a bit. Unfortunately, I was right. Dr. Ching was able to get a very good measurement of the degree of the turn, which is significantly smaller than prior to the surgery. However, she is favoring her left eye more and more lately. So, we are now patching her left eye to try to strengthen her right eye. She will wear the patch - an adhesive one - over her left eye for two hours a day for the next two months.

Yesterday, when we picked up the patches from the pharmacy, I immediately put one on her left eye while we were still in the car. We ran some errands and got a few looks but nothing mean - the fact is, she's the most adorable baby most people will ever see in their lifetime so they like to stare. (And I'm not biased, either!) When we got home she played on the floor and seemed fully capable of still walking, picking up toys and lunging toward my cell phone and the remote controls, so at least her right eye is still functioning well. I don't think this patching business is going to be that difficult after all. (She says after one day.)

When the two hours were up and it was time to remove the patch, I did so gently and carefully. But when I looked at the bandage, I saw lots of little tiny baby brow hairs! I had given Kaitlyn her first eyebrow wax. Thankfully it's not noticeable - yet. But I'm sure if I keep putting the bandage right over her hair she's going to end up a little uneven. Then I'll have to pluck the right brow to make them look the same and pencil in some color... well, maybe I'm getting a little carried away.

On to allergies. We got the results of her RAST blood draw and they were all negative, for every major allergen they could test for. Short-lived excitement, because it turns out the RAST is quite unpredictable in determining allergies. So why bother? I guess it can be a starting point for some people. But on my La Leche League forums, there are several women whose babies have shown all negatives on the RAST and then gone on to have positive SPTs (skin prick tests) or an anaphlylactic reaction to something they thought was safe.

Our new pediatrician believes there is something causing Kaitlyn's rash on her extremities and cheeks, so he has suggested we have another test done that is more experimental but non-invasive. In the meantime, I went ahead and scheduled an appointment with a pediatric allergist for next Thursday. We also switched detergents this week in case that was contributing.

Kaitlyn is so active. She pulls herself up on the sofa, entertainment unit or baby gate, turns around, gives a great big smile, and starts walking into the middle of the room. If one of us is sitting on the floor she will literally throw herself at us with a squeal. She has also begun to share her toys with me. I spent about 15 minutes today accepting her red triangle block with a "thank you," giving it back, getting it back, and on and on. It's fun until she starts throwing things.

Her sleeping has been... well, a nightmare. The past week or so she stopped taking good naps during the day (or sometimes any naps), and started waking up several times a night. She was fussy, whining, clingy, and just generally a big grump. Yesterday she woke up at 2:45 a.m. and didn't go back to sleep until 5:30 a.m., sleeping for a half-hour at a time for the next few hours. It was brutal. But I think (hope) the worst is over.

She has also taken to falling asleep in the high chair.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T12:26:00.000-07:00

It's Kaitlyn's first Halloween! She looks adorable in her costume, as you can see.

She has been so busy lately with taking steps and just generally getting into trouble. Nothing is safe around her anymore. Yesterday I caught her picking at a crack in our leather sofa, and trying to eat the tiny piece of leather she had pulled off! She will also crawl around on the floor looking for the tiniest pieces of whatever, pick them up on her pointer finger and try to eat them. I vacuum at least every other day but she still manages to find them.

We're cat sitting for Jen while she's in Hawaii (and newly engaged! CONGRATULATIONS!) and Kaitlyn loves Jen's cat, Toby. Toby is far more affectionate than Archie or Peepers, at least when it comes to Kaitlyn, and he kept rubbing up against her and head-butting her. She squealed in delight but then clung to me because she's never had a cat not run away from her. It was hilarious.

The past two nights Kaitlyn slept 6 1/2 hours in a row! That hasn't happened in months. It was such a surprise to wake up and realize I hadn't been up two times already.

Kaitlyn walking!

"Hello, Poison Control?"

2008-10-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

We finally had an opportunity to call the number that's been on a magnet on our fridge for the past year. Not that it was something we were looking forward to, but I guess it's one of those rites of passage of parenthood. Ben and I were relaxing this morning, watching "Twin Peaks" from Netflix, while Kaitlyn played with her toys on the floor. She disappeared beyond the edge of the couch for a moment, digging around the curtains, and reappeared with an ant bait station in her mouth. I shot up and grabbed it from her, inspecting it closely. It had drool on it, but the bait itself is almost solid and really tucked away inside the station.

We weren't planning on calling poison control because it really didn't seem like she had gotten any of the bait in her mouth, until she spit up a few times. Then I was on the phone, calming giving the man the brand of the trap and its active ingredients. "Well, no need to worry, because even if your daughter ate the entire bait station, she would still be fine." "Really?" "Yes. It's toxic to ants but completely harmless to humans."

Phew. Even so, all of those traps are coming down this weekend. Last time the ants appeared they gave the traps wide berth, and on top of that all 16 of the traps Terminix placed fell off the walls within two hours. We had to use double-sided tape to stick them back up there. So worthless.

In other news Kaitlyn did very well at the blood draw. She charmed the nurses and everyone in the waiting room, just by her overwhelming cuteness. When it was time for the draw I held on her my lap, her legs trapped under mine, her one arm clamped down next to her body in a Mommy-bear hug. One nurse held her other arm, the other did the work. Kaitlyn didn't even cry when the needle went in - not until she realized she couldn't move. Then she protested some but spent the rest of the time stoically staring at the nurses. We're so proud. The results won't be in for a few weeks.

2008-10-21T17:43:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn turns 10 months in a couple of days. This is such a fun age! She seems to be learning so much lately. In the past week alone, she has learned to clap, wave and give kisses. She is still taking steps here and there but prefers crawling.
But the most exciting one is her first word! When she sees the cats she says "ke eh" (kitty). It's adorable. I've been trying to get it on video but haven't had much luck with that. She's also chewing the paint off her crib and grinding her teeth, which are certainly less adorable than the waving, clapping, kisses and talking.

We found a new pediatrician today and he is wonderful. It's a two-person office - a huge difference from our current pediatrician's office, which has two offices on different floors and at least six doctors. He agreed that it sounds like Kaitlyn has some food allergies, so we're taking her in on Friday to get some blood drawn to do what's called a RAST test to check for the most common food allergies. I'm nervous about her having to go through the blood draw but hopeful that we will finally get some answers, or at least confirmation.

Ben and I took Kaitlyn to a pumpkin patch last weekend, and then Kaitlyn and I went again the next day with a friend of mine and her son, who is just two months older than Kaitlyn. He is really cute and as soon as he saw Kaitlyn this time, he went up to her and tried to hug her and give her a kiss. Young love...

Kaitlyn's boyfriend, Max

Ants, Spiders, Spiders, Ants

2008-10-13T22:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't been keeping up with the pictures and posts as much as I originally intended, but this one has lots of new photos so it will make up for my slacking.

Lately it feels like we're living in a real-life version of one of those insect shows on The Discovery Channel. Our house is infested with Argentine ants - they've literally shown up in every room except the nursery. We've even had them in the bedroom, in my clothing. That was not a good day. We called the exterminator, who came out, sprayed outside and stuck 16 ant bait stations to the walls in every room - stations that promptly fell down within two hours of his departure. Yesterday Ben and I discovered a brown widow underneath our patio chair cushion and an egg sac, plus three additional sacs in a web along the fence. I was able to identify that it was a brown widow and not a black widow by its markings and the appearance of the eggs. Still poisonous, though, and that's in addition to the black widow the exterminator killed last week. Today we have another infestation in the kitchen. Let's just say I am not currently happy with our living situation.

But on to more important things - Kaitlyn! Her first upper tooth (third tooth in all) came in on Ben's birthday, and she's working on the next one. You know those precautionary signs at the zoo with the picture of an animal with an open mouth and someone's hand? We need a shirt like that for Kaitlyn. She's bitten my finger a couple of times as well as my shoulder. Those teeth are sharp.

She loves chicken, ground beef and wheat-free pasta, and still goes crazy for green beans and broccoli. She vocalizes constantly, and it's progressed from "mamamama" and "dadadada" to a variety of other sounds. I'm not sure whether it's a coincidence but she does say "mamama" more often when she is with me, or reaching out for me to pick her up.

She loves to bang her hands down on hard surfaces to hear the sound it makes. She also reaches her hand up in the air and opens and closes it.

Her eyes seem to be tracking well, although occasionally in photos I feel like they still look a little "off." Her next appointment is in early November so we'll know more then.

On to pictures!

These were taken at the San Diego Watercolor Society's International Show reception. Both Mom and Dad had pieces in the show.

Ben with Kaitlyn in the Ergo

Ben and I

Jen and Drew

Aunt Sue and Mom

Mom and Dad at dinner

Kaitlyn in her first restaurant high chair

Back at home

Jen wanted a framed picture of Kaitlyn for her birthday, so I took Kaitlyn to the park for a photo shoot. She seems to be afraid of grass, so she wouldn't leave the blanket.

Jen's birthday dinner at Linda and Howard's house. Just about everyone had a chance to hold Kaitlyn, and she seemed to be fascinated by Jessica's stepdaughter Isabelle, who is 6.

With Daddy

With Mommy

Jess and Steve

Dad, Linda, Howard and Penney

Funny hair

Kaitlyn and Isabelle

Snuggling with Aunt Linda

Jen and Drew

If anyone wants the files for these pictures, please let me know! Off to bed...

New Pictures!

2008-09-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn is doing so well! Her eyes have the tiniest bit of pink on the inside corners - nothing like they were in the first days after surgery - and they are straight! The best way to tell without being a doctor is in a photo: Notice where the white light reflects on her pupils. Before the surgery, the light on one eye would be right in the center of the pupil, while on the other eye the light would be to the outer edge of the pupil. As you can see in the photo below, the light is showing up at the center of both eyes!

Everything went well at her post-op appointment on Tuesday, and we will go back in about a month for another look. Hopefully all will be well and she won't require any more surgeries for now.

Ben is having his first weekend off in 12 days - he really needed it. Unfortunately I came down with a cold on Thursday and still have it, so I am hoping that Ben and Kaitlyn don't catch it. But Kaitlyn has made it all the way to 9 months without getting sick, which is amazing!

Kaitlyn's Progress

2008-09-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn is doing so well! Her eyes are still pretty red on the inside corners, but that is expected to last at least another week. She cries when we put in her antibiotic eye drops, but I think that's less because they hurt and more because we have to hold her down to do it (and she is strong!). We have our post-op appointment tomorrow and I will post an update.

Last night Kaitlyn slept 11 hours overall, which is unheard of. And now she is taking a long nap, which has also been a rare occurrence these days - at least since the surgery.

Good night's rest + long naps = happy mommy.

Unfortunately Ben has had to work ridiculously long hours to get everything ready for fall quarter, but that should be over soon and he'll be back to working regular long hours soon enough. He's exhausted and who could blame him? I woke up with Kaitlyn this morning at 5:30 a.m. and he had already left for the day. But when he comes home Kaitlyn's eyes light up and she gives him the biggest smiles and cuddles.

One day post-op (Friday):

Three days post-op (Sunday):

Taking a step (more like a freefall, really)!

She made it!

The Big Day

2008-09-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

Surgery day.

We arrived at the surgical center at 6:30 this morning, nervous and a little bit scared. The surgery was scheduled for 7:30 a.m. We spent the better part of an hour keeping Kaitlyn entertained with Bunny Roo (her stuffed bunny) and playing peek-a-boo. We spoke to the anesthesiologist (who happens to be the brother-in-law of the doctor who delivered Kaitlyn!) as well as the doctor performing the surgery to make sure everyone was on the same page. Kaitlyn was amazing - she hardly fussed at all, considering she hadn't eaten since 3 a.m. and had only gotten six broken hours of sleep.

Then came the hard part. We laid Kaitlyn down on the adult-sized gurney, her head on an adult-sized pillow, and they tucked a blanket underneath her chin. She looked so tiny on that huge gurney. Ben and I agreed that it was so strange to see her just lying there - she didn't move a muscle, cry out, or anything. We walked her into the hallway and both gave her a kiss on the cheek, and they wheeled her off to surgery. My heart broke when I watched her going down that hallway, my brave little 9-month-old baby girl.

Ben and I went back into the waiting room, got some coffee and tried to read. I don't think either of us was actually reading the words in front of us, though. I'm pretty sure I reread the same page in my book at least four times.

About 45 minutes later, the nurse came out into the waiting room to bring us back to see Kaitlyn. We were waylaid by her doctor, who explained to us the outcome of the procedure, what to expect in the next few days, and things to look out for. They adjusted her eyes by 5.5 millimeters each. We need to be especially cautious if she begins showing any signs of infection. We can't get her eyes wet for one week, and need to use antibiotic eye drops for 10 days. We also go back for a post-op check-up on Tuesday.

Finally, it was time to see Kaitlyn. They opened the door into the recovery room and there was a male nurse holding her. She was wrapped in blankets and he was holding her cradle-style, so I almost didn't recognize that it was Kaitlyn. Her eyes were closed, swollen shut, and she was screaming. It was the strangest crying/screaming I have ever heard. We had been warned ahead of time to expect it, since the babies are so confused when they are coming out of anesthesia. I tried to nurse her but she was so disoriented that it took about 5 minutes of just holding her before she calmed down enough to be able to eat. Then she went to rub her eyes and started crying again. Ben and I quickly got her dressed and the nurses led us through the back door.

Kaitlyn cried a good portion of the drive home, falling asleep in between jags while I sang "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." She fell asleep again about five minutes from home and we managed to get her into her crib without waking her. She napped off and on for a few hours and then, the next time Ben went to pick her up, she opened her eyes! They looked straighter already. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror and we let her play for a while on the floor.

Kaitlyn has been such a trooper today. She has been practicing her standing and even tried to take a few steps. She is much fussier than normal and still crying, and it's obvious she's in some pain. As you can see by the picture below, the inside corners of her eyes are very, very red and we can't really clean up her face because we can't risk getting her eyes wet. I think the redness will take a week or so to dissipate. We should know in that time whether the surgery was a success, or whether we'll need to go through it all again. We are (obviously) hoping that won't be the case. Little babies just shouldn't have to experience things like this.

The morning of

Right before surgery

At home

Kaitlyn with her Grandma Cay (not related to the surgery, just one we haven't posted yet!)

Kaitlyn with her Grandma Beth

This Kid is Something Else

2008-09-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn had her 9-month check-up yesterday, and she is now 21 pounds and 30 1/2 inches long. She dropped down to the 90th percentile in weight and is still in the 100th percentile for height.

Big news! On September 11, Kaitlyn stood on her own for the first time AND took a step in her pack 'n play without holding onto anything! Ever since, she has been practicing her standing all day long. She can usually do it for about 10 seconds or so.

Her second tooth broke through on September 12. Her pediatrician says the top gums look a little swollen so those teeth might not be far behind. I read last night that by her first birthday she will have four to six teeth. Selfishly I would like her to just keep the two she has for a little while because the two or three nights before they break through, she is up several times a night. In fact, last night she woke up three times so I am wondering if it's another tooth. Can't see anything coming through, but I'll keep you posted as I know you are all on the edge of your seats.

Kaitlyn has a toof!

2008-09-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

Well, things have been pretty busy around here. We have lots of doctor's appointments for Kaitlyn and me in the next week and a half, ending with her surgery a week from Thursday. We had our pre-op appointment with the opthamologist this afternoon and all systems are go. We just have to be extremely careful not to expose her to anyone who is sick, or anyone who has been near anyone who is sick. If she gets the slightest cold or fever they will call the surgery off, and time is of the essence in getting her binocular vision functioning. The doctor seems confident that the surgery will be a success, although there is always the chance for an over- or under-correction, which would result in a second surgery.

Kaitlyn was such a good little sleeper last night, and a good little napper today! This is no small thing. Her Grandma Cay came to visit us yesterday afternoon and this morning, and Kaitlyn had a ball showing off all of her toys and her new "skills." She is so very close to walking... she cruises along all of the living room furniture and lets go every so often. I think we will be seeing some steps in the next month or so! She seems to love her Animal Train and has figured out how to make the songs play over, and over, and over again. Plus, the giraffe tastes yummy (apparently). And she is quite the piano player.

Her tooth has really come in! You can see it in the video below. The second one is following right behind it - we think she'll probably get it in the next week. Thankfully we've had a little break from the active teething so she's not waking up three times a night - yet.

Basically we are just really enjoying this age. She's such a doll, adorable, with the cutest mannerisms and an easygoing personality. She is feeding herself regularly now at dinnertime, and loves broccoli, sweet potatoes, watermelon and peaches. We haven't really found a food that she doesn't like, yet. We'll probably take a break from introducing new foods until the surgery is over, in case she has an allergic reaction. But chicken is next on the menu!

Kaitlyn Shows Off Her Tooth

Kaitlyn "Sings"

Kaitlyn Eats Banana (On Her Own for the First Time!)

Kaitlyn Thinks Her Daddy is Sooooo Funny

Kaitlyn's First Time on the Push 'n Ride

Yay for Garage Sales!

2008-08-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

Instead of trying to catch a bit more sleep this morning (Kaitlyn didn't go down for the night until midnight, woke up again at 5 a.m., then up for the day at 8 a.m.) Ben and I decided to visit a couple of garage sales. We spent $8 (well, $8.25 if you include Ben's cookie.)

Here is what we bought (all for Kaitlyn):
2 pairs of pants - $1
2 tops - $1
2 footed sleepers - $1
A yellow fleece jacket (it's pretty big though so it won't fit her for a while) - $.50
A push corn popper toy - $1
A ball - $1
A pull-string telephone - $1
A Push & Ride - $3

What a deal! She's already outgrowing many of her 9-month clothes so we were happy to find some things in the 12-18 month range.

Our Little Cross-Eyed Baby

2008-08-27T00:13:00.000-07:00

We took Kaitlyn for her third opinion today on the strabismus. Again, surgery was recommended, and as soon as possible. We scheduled it for September 18. The opthamologist seems to think we have a very good chance of correcting her eye turn and getting the eyes to work together with binocular vision. Kaitlyn was so great at the appointment. She only cried a minute and that was when they put in the drops to dilate her pupils. She even took a nap for Daddy while we were waiting for the drops to work!

The opthamologist who will be doing the surgery had tons of photos on the wall of children and babies who have had successful strabismus surgery. One of them is Matt Leinart from the USC Trojans. After doing some research, it turns out Barbra Streisand and Abe Lincoln both had strabismus. Who knew?

In other news, Kaitlyn is cutting her first tooth! This has been months in the making. Finally this morning I ran my finger across her lower gums and felt a sharp edge. Poor baby - we've been giving her pain reliever at night to help us - I mean, her - sleep better and I can't blame her for being uncomfortable. Her gums are pretty bumpy so I have the feeling more will be following shortly.

Her newest toys are a little piano and a animal train that moves across the carpet and plays a very catchy, obnoxious song that you will never get out of your head. At least I haven't been able to for the last five hours. Both the train and the piano just end up in her mouth, like everything else she gets her hands on.

We also took her to the beach again on Sunday. She played in her sun tent and really seemed to like the feeling of sand running through her fingers. She's so good-natured that it's easy to take her with us.

Here are some new photos:

Checking herself out in the mirror

At the park

You can really see her eye turn here

Not sleeping in the crib