Follow- Up

We went back to our pediatrician today for a follow up after Ava's adventure to urgent care. Nothing showed up or grew in her stool sample so an infection or parasite was ruled out. Her blood work came back fine and her stools have no more visible blood in them after Saturday night.

The Urgent care doctors gave us a dairy free formula that smells (and I'm sure tastes) like crap. We struggled to get Ava to drink any of it. After nearly 16 hours without her drinking I finally started mixing it with her normal milk but if there was any more than 1/4 of an ounce in her bottle of the new formula she would refuse it. So our ped said to put her back on Similac and to cut out all other dairy. We go back again on the 13th for Ava's one year appointment. At that visit they will draw more blood and look for allergies.

So life is now back to normal. We'll see how the next appointment goes...

Wedding Woes

Our Saturday started out well. We went to the wedding of Graham's cousin, Evan and his beautiful bride, Nicole. But it ended rough, with Ava taking her first visit to Urgent care. The wedding was wonderful, as I think all wedding are. Evan and Nicole were married in a lovely church and had their reception at a gorgeous garden. So while we were waiting for the bride and groom to take their pictures we decided to venture off and take some of our own.

But shortly after dinner was served Ava needed a diaper change. So off Graham, Ava and I went to clean her up. She had a dirty diaper and while changing it I noticed it looked a little 'off'. Nothing worrisome, but different. We got her all freshened up and returned to the reception. A few minutes later Ava needed another diaper change. So she and I went off again to change her. This time there was blood in her stool. I got a little nervous, but she had been trying a lot of new foods that day and was acting fine so I decided it was most likely an irritation to a new food and decided to watch her. Another 20 minutes and she needed another change. This time with even more blood. We decide to call it a day and head home. By the time we get home she needs yet another diaper change. This last diaper was almost all bloody mucus. So we take out the thermometer and put a call into Ava's doctor. The doctor tells us generally with this much blood in a baby's stool it is an indication of an infection and advises us to take Ava in to Urgent care. We take her out of bed and head off to the hospital.

One x-ray, one blood draw, one scrapped and collected stool for culturing, a lot of tears and 3 hours later we leave with a tentative diagnosis from the on-call Pediatrician of a milk allergy. We had been introducing whole milk a little at a time for the last few weeks, but Ava showed not signs of a problem. My ped seemed skeptical on the phone that an allergen was causing this much blood without any other symptoms, but we have a follow up in a few days so we'll see what the cultures shows.

Thankfully Ava shows no signs of being bothered by her condition. No fever, no pain, no nothing. Even the nurses in the urgent Care commented how Ava was the happiest sick baby they had ever seen (prior to the blood draws and x-rays). Hopefully she stays the happy cheerful girl she normally is and this all needs up being nothing.

Playdate with Logan

Ava and I set off today to our friend Courtney and Logans house. Courtney wanted me to show her how to make a fleece baby hat for a friend and the kiddos got a chance to hang out and play while we sewed.

Logan is now very interested in balls. Courtney said anything that is round and able to be picked up becomes a ball...anything!

Games

Ava found a fun new game. She gets into her drawers and pulls out an article of clothing, one at a time....

And hurls it to the ground! She keeps going until the drawer is empty.Apparently it's great fun with books too.

Anatomy Scan, round two!

We went back to the OB today for my actual ultrasound. The baby is looking great! It is measuring right on track (which is nice, Ava always measured a week behind). Everything was normal and healthy!

We still decided not to find out the gender, but we want the option of finding out later if we choose to. So the sonographer placed the gender scans in an envelope for us. I'm still leaning towards it being a boy. Only because this pregnancy is so different from Ava's, which of course means nothing! Time will tell!Don't go on thinking we are really strong willed. As soon as we were in the hall we started holding the envelope up to the light to try to sneak a peak, but no luck. The sonographer placed the pictures facing each other so we can't see. I find it really funny I was disappointed she made it so hard to look, it's not like anyone is forcing us not to know! We'll see how long we hold out!

Back from the OB and it' a.....

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Surprise! Still! Turns out who ever scheduled my appointment in the OB's office forgot to schedule my ultrasound. So we'll go back on Wednesday for an actual ultrasound and another OB appointment. At least now we have a few more days to decide if we want to know.

Knitting 101

I came across this pattern for a knitted hat and wanted nothing more than for Ava to have one in orange to wear to the pumpkin patch this Fall. Luckily for us one of the Charge Nurses at work is a knitting expert. So I emailed that link to her in hopes she would just offer to make it for us since knitting is not on my resume.

Instead she said "Cute. I'll come teach you how to make it." Um. Not exactly what I had in mind. It's taken me 8 years to crochet half a blanket but Susan was of the "If you teach a man to fish" mentality and came over today and taught me how.

Turns out knitting is right up my alley! It is a lot of fun and perfect for keeping my hands busy while we watch TV. Hopefully I finish this project while there are still pumpkins around! Thanks Susan!

Tomorrows the BIG day!

We have our anatomy scan tomorrow for our second baby! I'm very excited to see him (I just know it's a boy!) and make sure everything is okay since we've had a few scares and a few lousy appointments with this pregnancy.

Now we need to decide if we want to find out the gender or not.....

Picnic at the park

Ava and I meet up today with our NICU work friends for a picnic and a walk.

There was Angela, and her twin boys Jeremiah and Ben.


And Jen and her little guy, Connor.Ava spent most of her time cruising around finding rocks.......and trying to eat them. I'm pretty sure she ate enough sand to make an entire sand castle. Being a giver, she also spent some time trying to get Ben to eat some sand as well. It was a great day to spend the afternoon.

Wish List Wednesday

With Ava's 1st birthday looming not too far in the distance I'm getting lots of calls from family and friends asking what she wants. Please, do not feel obligated to get her anything. But if you are one of the people who aren't accepting that response and keep asking here is a little wish list for the big day.

Warm Clothes- What is more fun than shopping for little girl clothes? Ava is currently in 12 month size for tops and bottoms. Shoes- Sadly my sewing skills end with fleece bottom shoes. And now that Ava is wanting to be on her feet more something with a more substantial sole will protect her little feet and prevent her from slipping. Ava currently wears a size 3 shoe.Books- Ava doesn't love to read. She doesn't even like to read. Yet. Everyday I chase her around the house reading a book to her, while she squirms and wiggles away. I have high hopes soon she'll become a book lover like I am and be one of those kids who crawls into our lap and wants us to read the same book over and over to her. So any books would be appreciated in hopes that they grow on her.
Toys- Graham calls Ava "toy poor". She will happily play with anything from toys to mixing spoons to tissue boxes. But if you feel so compelled to buy toys anything in the 12-24 month range would be lots of fun for her.

Hopefully this will give you a little direction. Please remember Ava does not need anything! You being part of her first year is gift enough!

Toy Poor

Poor Ava has been deprived of cool new toys. I don't think she minds too much, she thinks that the dogs, cardboard boxes and paper are great fun. But I've been feeling guilty that she is lacking age appropriate, educational toys so Saturday we all set off to a big consignment sale hoping to find something good. It was a HUGE bust. Everything was old and gross. Not wanting to go home empty handed we set off for Toys R' Us and Ava got her first big girl toy as an early birthday present.

Ava had to inspect inside the box to be sure Daddy got all the parts out.Next she had to supervise to be sure Daddy did got all the screws tight enough.And...She's off! Right now she is a cruising machine so she loves the independence this toy gives her.She an also turn this toy into a car and ride on it! So far she's only figured out how to go backwards.Which sometimes can get you into trouble!

So big!

How big is Ava?

So big!

How big?

SO BIG!!

I can never seem to upload videos with Blogger so here is a link

9.81 m/s^2

Ava had been having a lot of fun with gravity lately. She picks up a toy, throws it and watches it fall. We pick it back up for her to do all over again so she can learn cause and effect. We never really say anything when it falls, just hand it back. Last week my Dad stayed the night with Ava while I was at work and Graham was out of town and Ava included him in her learning.

Ava: (tosses toy)
Grandpa: Uh-oh! (picks up toy and hands it back)
3...2...
Ava: (tosses toy)
Grandpa: Uh-oh! (picks up toy and hands it back)

Repeat for the rest of the night.

Today I was laying in bed when Graham and Ava came to wake me up. Ava was holding on to her pacifier and dropped it. She looked down and clear as day said "Uh-oh!"

So cute! I can't believe she picked up a new word a week after hearing it just a few times.

Holding on to summer

Labor day has passed, the days are getting shorter and our pool has closed for the season.

But Ava still found a way to go swimming.

One of the girls I work with showed up to the hospital with a great gift for Ava... a hand-made hooded towel. I love it and Ava does too.Cuddley towels after a warm bath must be relaxing because the eye rubbing started and Ava went off to bed.
Thanks so much Kelly for the towel!

Ava has an announcment!

(Don't mind Dorian being in the way.)

Ava is going to be a big sister! I am currently 17 weeks pregnant. After several years, thousands of dollars, numerous failed IF treatments and lots of heart ache to get Ava we feel very blessed to have baby #2 come along so easily. Ava and her little brother or sister will be 16 months apart

My due date is February 11th but because of my bicornuate uterus and how close together my pregnancies are I will have a repeat c/s around Feb. 5th.