Becoming YOU

I can't believe your 15 months old already. Time is going by so fast because we're having so much fun. Dr. Vu moved to another office and I'm having such a hard time scheduling your next appointment with him. That is my mission for tomorrow, an appointment with our miracle worker.

As far as you, little girl. You are standing on your own with the help of furniture or your crib bar. You like to jump in your crib (of course, still holding on to something). You fell out of your crib a few weeks ago, I mean, that is how determined you are and don't worry, we lowered it and your safe.

You crawl military style like a pro, I mean, you're SUPER FAST. The words you say are: mama, baba, idunno (I don't know), hello, hi, nee nee. When you see or smell food you say "Mmmm", you always want to eat. When you see a toy you want, you say, "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah". You love to chat and you love to express yourself. You love other babies. You love life. You love me and I love you so much too my little Gillybean.

We love music and obviously you do it, if any, I mean ANY sort of music comes out being on the radio, t.v. show, movie or a tampax commerial you boogie down! It's so sweet and so cute.

Memorial Picture of you and I.

I love you Gilly,

Mommy

Tiny Bubbles

Girl, you are enjoying being out of that nasty cast. You still have to wear a hip brace for another 5 1/2 months but it is removable so I can give you some time during the day to stretch out and move about. You are starting to FINALLY get up on your knees.....now it's just the waiting game when you crawl using your bent knees, I can't wait. During the day, you and Triston will go into mommy and daddy's bedroom and sing on the WII. You love it. In fact, whenever you see the microphone, you grab it and scream into it, it's so cute.

You're still loving the baths too. Lots of bubbles is what you demand and you love kicking your legs in the warm water. You splash lots too. I mean, A LOT!

Look at the fun you're having here!

Well, we're off to go and have lunch as a family......I'm tired, just cleaned but I look forward to going out with you, daddy and Triston.

Kisses my girl.

Mommy

Finally FREE

Last Monday, January 4th, you had your spica cast taken off. It was terrible seeing you scream for 30 LONG minutes while they used a scary tool to remove the cast. I cried. There was nothing I could do but finally, after the cast was off, I was able to see your legs! Honestly, it was like having you ALL OVER AGAIN because you felt like a "new baby". You were very sore for days. Any movement you made, well, you cried. If I picked you up the wrong way, you cried. I took you home from Dr. Vu's office to a very exciting daddy and brother. I let Triston hold you, he cried, he cried happy tears because he finally thought you were out of pain. Your legs were really dry so daddy gave you a very long bath in our kitchen sink. You were SO happy to finally have a bath after 3 long months.

A week or so later, you are not crawling yet, just pulling yourself around with your arms but that is o.k. Day by day, right?

I love you Gillian, you're such a trooper, such a strong girl and I can't imagine life without you! You are my sweet girl, I am so grateful for Jehovah giving me you!

Love,

Mommy

Tuesday....December 22nd.

This time last year, I was at the hospital, then at that time, it was a Monday and I was getting ready to take you home!!! I was getting to take you HOME!!! After the pregnancy, who would have thought, right? What is so weird about last time this year is that it was muggy and oh so cold, just like today. I look outside and I instantly remember sitting in the recliner at the hospital holding you and wondering if you were going to be warm enough when we got outside. I remember last year Dr. Carter giving me the a-o.k. to check us out of Scottsdale Shea. I called your daddy and said, "come get us". He was at home trying to put together your bassinet. He came to the hospital, walked into my hospital room and the first thing I asked him was, "where is the carseat?" He looked at me and said he forgot it. He had to go home to get it. Poor daddy.

We finally drove up to the house. I felt so proud. I knew inside was your big brother and Nana. I was SO proud to have you home Gillian! I was hoping by me taking my time getting out of the car (I had to because I had a c-section), some of the neighbors could take a look that their neighbors who just had their baby. Maybe they would feel the happiness that daddy and I did in that very moment.

I got you inside, put you into the bassinet that took daddy over 2 days to put together (you can ask him about the bassinet one day, he put it together backwards). You were warm, sleeping and comfortably resting. I sipped on chicken broth, I kindly "took" about 50 packets from the gallery that they have in the maternity ward. I loved my chicken broth.

So, there you go, my love. A one year reminder of daddy and I taking you home.

I love you sweet girl.

Love always,

Mommy

P.S. It's December 22nd, 2009, 1:00 p.m. (your watching cartoons from you crib)

You're 1!

You are officially 1!!!! I can't believe we've made it this far. Check out how much fun we've had G. Everyday, you do something that makes us ALL smile!

I love you G,

Mommy

Seriously, I can't be this busy!!!

I can't even believe that a year has gone by, well, actually, a year tomorrow. Today, your big brother turned 8 and tomorrow, my love, my sweet little girl, you will be a 1 year old!! Where did the year go? Someone please tell me because I have NO idea where it went!!

I'm so sorry I haven't posted on the blog, baby G. I've been so busy home school Triston and you, for the past 2 months, 1 week have been in a spica cast (full body cast) for your hip and club foot.

Despite the fact your right femur was totally dislocated when you came into this world, you have found your own way to get around. You're SO strong. Your first word was mama. Whenever daddy asks you to say, "daddy", the only word that comes out of your sweet mouth is "mama". You love, LOVE to dance and you love the song, "Single Ladies" by Beyonce. You bounce around and love, LOVE watching the music video. O.k., so maybe not age appropriate for a little baby girl but you LOVE the song and darn it, you can have your way, at least just this time.

October 27th, of 2009, you went in for a 2 hour surgery to get your femur/hip into place. This is you in the video below, once they gave you some "happy medicine". You were so hungry because you couldn't drink milk after 4 a.m. and you needed some calming down. The medication worked, you became loopy. Even then, while you were being rolled away from me in this cage looking crib, you were so happy. Calm and happy. My heart, my heart was heavy and I already missed you. It was the longest 2 1/2 hours of my life. You're so brave, Gillian, always be brave.

You have to wear the spica cast for 12 weeks. Dr. Vu told me yesterday at your visit that you have 21 days left, wahoo! I miss your legs, I can't wait to give you a bath!!! I love you Gillian so much, I am so blessed you are my daughter.

Love,

Mommy

Crawling in her own way.

So, I see shows on t.v. of other babies her age crawling on both legs and using their arms to prop their bodies up, not my sweet G. Boo boo uses her arms to pull her body around and only one leg to give her body a push. Occasionally, she uses her big toe to give her body a push as well, it's too cute. I don't feel sorry for her, SHE found her OWN WAY to get around and I love it. She's amazing. Look for yourself.

She still needs help sitting up, anyone would if your hip was dislocated. I still make her sit up with my help throughout the day. This little girl is so amazing, she is such a blessing to me and I can't imagine life without that little peanut.

Love you G!

Mommy

4 months, WHAT?

Ok.... I know, it's been 4 months since I last blogged. You're 4 months older, 4 months wiser and I'm 4 months (still) fatter. You have been SO busy, learning new things, I've been learning new things, we're still having a blast little girl. O.k., so in the past 4 months, let me take you down memory row.

May 13th, 2008

Daddy and I took you to have an MRI at PCH. You were so brave, so little and dressed to kill. The Dr.'s and nurses had to put you under because you had to lay really still as they did an MRI on your right femur and hip. Daddy and I had to wait in the waiting room where other families were waiting for their babies/child to finish up with whatever procedure they were doing as well. Sitting at PCH with other families gives you this bond with them, you will never speak a word to them but the glance and smile they give you lets you know "you're not in this alone".

We waited for over an hour, I was getting SO jittery, I wanted to see you so badly. Finally, after an hour and 15 minutes the nurse came and got us. We walked down this long hallway and halfway to your room, I heard you cry. Your cry rather was more like a scream cry. I got to you. You were not wanting to take a bottle. The nurses didn't know what to do. I switched the nipple on the bottle to the one you are use to and you took your "baby gatorade" right away. I held you, I kissed you, I told you how brave you were. We go home, I sat in the backseat with you in the car so that I could make sure you were o.k. You were groggy, oh so tired. You slept for a few hours after we arrived home and so did I. PCH wanted us there super early for your procedure.

A few days later. Dr. Vu's office called. Your right femur looks great and your hips are fully formed!!!! (Can you say, THANK YOU!!!!).

Daddy and I shared tears in our bathroom as soon as I got off the phone with Dr. Vu's assistant, Jennifer. We love good news!!

I love you girl, you're my fighter, my sweet girl.

11 pounds 6 ounces

You're getting so big girly! You had your 4 month check-up today, you were all smiles until you got your shots, ouch. You had a busy week as well, you went on your first vacation up to the Forest Houses with dad, Triston, Nana and mommy. You had a blast. You loved watching the fire and laying around with those who adore you so much. Keep doing what you do girl, grow, be healthy, love and know how much I love, LOVE you.

Love,

Mommy

4 months

I can't believe your 4 months old already. You'd the stinky da binky baby. Mommy made red velvet cake yesterday, shhh, I gave you a taste of the frosting, don't tell your doctor! You rolled over for the first time, your trying to sit up and you still like to coo and yell, a lot. You like to wake mommy up at 6 a.m. to play. You're THE BEST! I can't get enough of you. My sweet girl, I love you so much mama.

Yes, you are too cool!