Weird

This is what happens when David gets a hold of the camera:

Caffeine Junkie

Occasionally David has court in the early afternoon before he starts work. There is often a free hour after his case is done before he has to report for duty, so back in the days B.D. (before Daphne), if I was free, he and I would meet downtown for a quick Starbucks date.

This week was the first time Daphne got to go on one of these little dates. She's totally starting to love our frequent 'coffee dates,' as David and I call them. And she's having a hard time deciding which drink is hers.
















Even though we make her stick to drinking milk, she's always up for a chance to hang out with her dad.

She Just Needed to Say 'Good Morning'

Extra! Extra!

WARNING! This may only be interesting to the people who are Daphne's parents.

Daphne rolled from back to front this morning! I was in the kitchen doing dishes while David was watching her play on her activity mat. I could hear some sort of ruckus over the sound of water running as he was yelling at me to come watch, but a ruckus isn't entirely unusual at our house, so I continued washing dishes and missed the actual rolling event.

I'll never wash dishes again.















She kept her eyes on David after flipping over, even though it no longer seemed to be a comfortable head position. It's like she didn't realize her body had moved.

The tummy is a great position to be able to attack the toys.















It's nice that she can already do front to back, because when she gets bored of being on her tummy after rolling over, she doesn't need me to help her get back to her starting position. She's all about proving her independence.

Baby Leg Update Interspersed With Some Funny Pictures

Here's a little background on who Daphne is seeing right now for her legs: Dr Renwick is her pediatric orthopedist. He did her casts and her surgery. Ron is the orthotist who works for Hanger Orthopedic Group. We go to his office for her braces.

Dr Renwick is in charge of her overall foot care, but right now Ron is who we'll be seeing the most. He's maintaining what Dr Renwick has done up to this point. Today we all got together to make a tentative plan for the coming months.















Daphne needs another foot surgery, but they want to wait until she is completely healed from the last one. She's in the braces so that her feet don't regress to where they used to be. They aren't really doing anything to improve the position of her feet. The reason there is no bar between the braces (like if she had the shoes) is because the braces go above her knee and can keep her ankles from moving. With shoes, the bar keeps her ankles from moving.

Still with me?














The braces seem to be doing their job perfectly, especially since we found the one person who can keep Daphne in them. Good thing he lives with us.

So, we won't need to go see Ron for about another month. We won't see Dr Renwick for 3 months. What are we going to do with ourselves with all this free time?? Could we possibly go a whole month without a doctor appointment? Daphne's gonna get spoiled.

In 3 months Dr Renwick will make a plan for Daphne's next surgery. They don't want it to be too close to her cleft palate surgery (probably the week of Thanksgiving, when she will be 11 months old), but they do want it to be early enough so that Daphne can start standing when she's 12-18months old. He was thinking of waiting until she's healed from the palate surgery. If I have a vote, it seems like we should do it before. Like in September or something. But since I don't have the initials 'M.D.' after my name, my vote probably is not worth much.

After her foot surgery she'll have casts again (yuk) and then possibly some sort of contraption with a bar. I also heard something about pins in her foot (another yuk). Not really sure what that means. Dr Renwick said they just have to see how things go, since Daphne is her own special little case.

So that's really all we know for now. The braces she has now will stay the same for the next several months until she is healed enough for them to do her next surgery.















P.S. We're still working on the chicken names. Thanks to Nate for his suggestions that actually fit into the type of names I like (my favorite being Hester, although David likes Fourth Meal). No thanks to my mom and sister for their names that will not even be considered. =)

Freedom!

We celebrated Memorial Day 2009 in part by setting our chicks free to their outdoor home.






























Daphne wasn't too into the festivities as it was past her bedtime.

It is time for our chickens to get some names. Usually I have lots of ideas for names, but I'm really at a loss for our feathered friends. If you have any suggestions, just know that I don't like predicable animal names. For instance, I will probably never name a Dalmation 'Spot.' Or a black and white cat 'Oreo.' Or a chicken 'Henny.' Nothing wrong with those names, of course, it's just not my thing.

Daphne wishes you all a happy Memorial Day. I thought as I was taking this picture that David was being really patriotic and saying The Pledge or something. He told me he was not, that he was actually watching some birds build a nest in the shrubs.

Big People Food?

It seems as though Daphne has chosen what she would like as an introduction to the delights of adult food.





















She looks ready to dive in, huh? I had to practically hold her back.

We had a minor diaper/outfit dilemma this afternoon. We were at Cascade Station (where Ikea is) doing a little walking around in the sunshine when I found Daphne had had a diaper issue that required a clothing change. I found a lovely shady spot in the grass that was a perfect place to change her. Then I realized, maybe it's not socially acceptable to change your baby in the middle of an outdoor shopping center? Where are the rule books for these types of things? Do people care? Was every passer-by judging me for not doing the right thing and finding a bathroom? I don't know where to find the answers for these types of things.

Then I realized that I didn't have a spare outfit for her. I'm sure in that mysterious baby rule book is rule #1, "always have a spare outfit or two for the little one." And I usually do, but it is so rare that she needs a clothing change when we're just out for an hour or two. So rare that I don't think I've ever changed her clothes when we're out running errands. But of course, this one time, I was lazy and did not have anything clean in the diaper bag. So here's Daphne, laying in the middle of a popular shopping hang out, practically naked.

I covered her with a blanket so that she wouldn't be too embarrassed. Then we came home.

Baby Skillz

Did you notice my use of street-talk spelling in the title? It's because I'm trying to speak gangster so that I can fit in with all the gangsters who are infiltrating our neighborhood. "Don't worry," David tells me, "the shootings are a good mile away. You're safe." OK then.

Anyways, onto the real news...

I've officially noticed that Daphne has grown.

For such a long time she seemed to look the same in her newborn pictures and in her current pictures. But just in the past weeks she has turned into an active baby with attitude, and I can finally see all the changes that being almost 5 months old has brought.

Some new skills, I mean skillz, that she has attained include:

~Grabbing her toes while I'm trying to change her diaper. It has made diaper changing very challenging.

~Taking a teething ring out of your hand so she can play with it on her own. Daphne actually gets a little bored just sitting around. She wants something to do.

~She can throw a temper tantrum! I was putting her in her carseat to head to church on Sunday, and she grabbed both sides of the seat as I was laying her in, arched her back and screamed. It was so funny!

~Laying on her activity mat and having a war with the hanging toys. She tugs on them, tries to eat them, and basically does her best to show them who's boss.
















~She can see me over the edge of her bassinet when I'm checking on her to see if she's sleeping. The other day I could hear from the baby monitor during nap time that her breathing had changed, possibly indicating that she had woken up. Wanting to investigate, I snuck to the doorway and peaked in, trying to see if her eyes were open. We keep the room dark so she can sleep, and it takes a bit for my eyes to adjust. I was creeping ever-so-slowly to her bed, being quiet so I wouldn't disturb her...and then I see her, staring at me with her huge eyes, solemn as can be. I can't pull the wool over her eyes anymore.

~Solid foods are just around the corner, as Daphne is starting to meet a few of the needed criteria on being ready for them. For instance, If you happen to be holding her while you're eating, she may watch very closely as you pick food up from your plate and put it to your mouth. She watches every step of the way. She's not grabbing at the food yet, but I'm sure that's coming soon. Time to buy cute baby spoons!

~Another solid food readiness skill is to be able to sit (with help) and hold up one's head fairly well. And Daphne would much rather sit in your lap than be held baby-style. She wants to be up, seeing the world. (David looks weird here. Don't know why.)















~And finally, she thinks I'm cool. One of my favorite things that she does is lean her head back at an unnatural angle so that she can see me and smile at me when I'm holding her in the before mentioned sitting style. Love it!



















P.S. Daphne's baby dedication has been set for September 13. Mark your calendars!

Breaking News

Daphne has turned another corner in her sleeping habits...she actually slept all night and woke up when it was light outside! So exciting! For two night in a row she slept until 6AM, when I fed her and just put her back to bed. She slept at least an hour longer after that. I don't remember the last time I was not awake to see the 3AM hour.

I've also set a new rule for our household: if Daphne is not crying in her bed after waking up from a nap, don't pick her up. She's always had a habit of waking up 45 minutes into her nap. It's so predictable we could set our clocks by it. Some sleep experts call this the 45 minute intruder. A baby has gone through a complete sleep cycle and wakes up when transitioning into another sleep cycle. Of course it takes great skill to be able to put yourself back to sleep when you're a little tiny baby. But yesterday Daphne was just laying in her bed chatting to herself after awaking at the 45 minute mark, so I just left her there to see what she would do. She played for about 1/2 an hour, and then went back to sleep for another hour.

These newly developed sleep skills are something to be very happy about. I just needed everyone to know.

I do realize that the exact minute you think you've got it down, the whole routine changes. Soon she'll be teething and sitting up, transitioning from 3 naps to 2, eating solid food, etc. But I can relish this little moment when I think we've got it down.

We Love Summer

I've discovered the secret to keeping Daphne's KAFOs on...David! He has major talents in putting them on nice and snug so that they stay on all day.

Daphne has been enjoying the sun today. Summer is her favorite season so far. Not that it's summer yet, but these 85 degree teasers have given her enough sunshine experience to know that she will love summertime. Actually, I think she just likes to wear her sun hat.





























Another thing she likes about the sun is that we can dry her diapers outside! We love the magical bleaching power of sunshine! Her buns are so thankful.

Minor Adjustments

Daphne got her leg braces fixed today. He just drilled in a couple of slots for the Velcro to loop through. Amazing things those doctors can do.

I really think the main problem is that I can't put them on tight enough. Rob (the orthotist guy) said to make sure they are really tight on her ankles, as those are the supporting straps. Well, that's where she is the most tender, so she cries if you tug too tightly. I'm totally wimpy and can't put them on when I know they hurt her. She was screaming bloody murder when Rob was putting them on. He didn't even attempt to put on the second leg, the leg with the foot that is the tightest. I'm not exactly sure why he thought making me put it on later at home by myself was a good idea.

She just gives the sad face...
















So yeah, she's in bed right now with no leg braces on. My reasoning makes sense, though: if they start to slide off while she's sleeping, she'll wake up. Then after I fix the braces, she'll be wide awake. So I can just wait until we are good at keeping them on in the daytime before we try to tackle the nighttime. Right? Please?

Give a big drool if you think this is a good idea!

What's That on the Floor?

So we went to the doctor yesterday and spent mega-bucks on these KAFO's for Daphne's legs. And where do we most often see them? You guessed it: lying on the floor near her legs, not on her legs. I've finally just stopped trying to keep them in place.

David is distressed that these things cost our insurance $3, 771. He asked if they came with a laptop or something. Nope, just the bits of plastic with Velcro.



















We're going back in on Friday to see if they can work something else out.
















Meanwhile, Daphne is sitting next to me kicking wildly. She is happy that, for the time being, she has won the battle of the leg braces.

Walking Tour

We had a pretty fabulous first Mother's Day. I really like going downtown, and although David is not a big fan, I got to choose the day's activity...so downtown we went!

We walked along the Waterfront on the west side of the river, then crossed the Hawthorne Bridge and walked back up on the Esplanade on the east side. We finished off with a yummy supper at Panera. It was super fun.

Daphne seemed to enjoy her first ride on MAX. This is when she was still in a good mood.















Family shot:
















Snuggles:















I just realized I don't have a face in either of those pictures. I think it's because David likes to takes pictures when I don't know that I am in them, so it's rare that there is a picture of me looking normal. This photo makes it look like neither Daphne nor I do well with the candid shots.



















By the end of the day Daphne was pretty worn out. David and I are still used to our years B.D. (Before Daphne) doing whatever we wanted with our days, so we tend to over-estimate how much out and about time she can handle. Hopefully she won't take it out on us tonight.

Track Star

Daphne competed in the sleeping event, and I think she won a gold medal:




















Actually, it was her Aunt Becca competing in the discus that took us to the track meet.







































Other birthday festivities included new shoes from Daphne (she already has amazing taste) and...drumroll please...the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer from David!! You might be thinking, "poor Melissa, getting the Jack Lalanne Power Juicer for her birthday." But you have to understand that I have watched the infomercial for this juicer so many times over the years, wondering if it really does all the things the TV said it would do. I can now say from personal experince that it has fulfilled all the expectations I had of it, and then some. You should all get one.

Cute and Cozy

Moving on from Daphne bathing in urine water...

A friend of a friend made me this fabulous sling. I had borrowed one from her when Daphne was tiny so I could see if I liked it, and I sure did! Sadly, Daphne probably won't fit into it once she has her KAFOs (leg braces) on, so I have to get lots of use out of it from now until Tuesday.















She loves being snug and warm. She loves seeing what I'm seeing. She loves being carted around. She loves the sling.




















Last night Daphne found her ear and realized it's super fun to play with. Playing with her ear is better than smacking herself in the face, which is what she has been doing lately on a regular basis.















She also started making this face a lot:




















Yup, she's bored of us.

Spa Day

Daphne officially loves her baths. When I put her in the tub a few days ago, she held onto the sides for dear life. Then after a few minutes she seemed to decide that bathing isn't all that bad because she let go and started sucking on her fingers and kicking around. Today she skipped the death grip and went straight to relaxing.
















I think she would stay in there all day if we let her.

By the way, what exactly do you do when your baby goes to the bathroom (#1) in the bath? Because I most certainly did not just keep her in there and continue pouring water over her belly.

**I have to clarify...I did just leave her in the water. David told me to!!

Go, Fight, Win!

We have a new Beaver cheerleader in our midst. I promise the outfit will look much better when she's big enough to be wearing 18 month clothing, because right now the muumuu look is not so good on her.

David would like you all to know that he is the one who found this outfit and said we needed to buy it. He may not be an admitted Beaver fan yet, but at least he is supporting the bringing in of new OSU paraphernalia to the house.




















We went to the doctor today to get Daphne fitted for her little braces. They will be done by the end of the week, so we could go in on Friday to get them. But we have more fun things to do on Friday than take Daphne back to the doctor. (Who is turning the ripe old age of 27?!) So we're going in next Tuesday.

Before getting fitted for braces:
















And after:

Look At All the Pictures!

David had Daphne listening to the iPod today. I know that earbuds are not good for her ears, but they are better than a sword. Besides, David's answer to me telling him something isn't good for her is "but she likes it." And he was worried about her being spoiled.
















She's been doing this funny tongue thing the past couple of days. It's like she just discovered she has a tongue, so she has to stick it out as much as possible. Almost every time she smiles she has her tongue hanging out. It's sort of weird, and hopefully just a phase.
















I had her doing some tummy time but she was so tired from not napping that she didn't have the energy to keep her head up. Daphne is not a huge fan of being on her tummy, so she usually just rolls herself over to save herself from the tummy time agony. Today her tiredness just kept her on her belly and face planting into her blanket.
















Daphne was leaning against my knees this afternoon and kept avoiding eye contact with me by leaning over looking down to her left. Her physical therapist would probably tell me to make sure she is getting equal time looking to the right as to not strain her neck too much. Whatever.
















I think I took 141 pictures of Daphne today, and as much as I would like to post them all, I know that would be a little out of control. How did people do it when there were only cameras that used film and you had to carefully weigh whether or not a moment was worth using up a precious spot on that roll of film? I remember those days, of course, but I don't know how you could do it with a little baby in the house who was just begging to have every second of her life documented. And when it takes 15 pictures to get one good one.

You would use up one spot of film thinking you got the good one, but come back from developing your pictures to find that this is actually what you got:















It would make an interesting Christmas card.