It's been a hectic week! Jamie had work at Foley almost every night to work on set design for the upcoming play, prepare midterm reports and attend parent conferences. Thankfully he gets all of next week off, so he'll have a chance to rest. It's weeks like these where I realize how blessed I am to have a partner in this whole parenting thing... it's exhausting! Thankfully, Maggie is usually an angel, so it's just a matter of getting everything done. I find that a glass wine full of red wine makes Mommy feel more sound... someone should probably write a Mary Poppins remix for adults...
I'll count to 20, you go hide
No major changes with Maggie this week. She seems to be much happier sitting upright when awake.
Hangin with Daddy
Snuggle monster
Thank goodness for grandmas! They've been watching Maggie everyday while we're at work, and it's such a comfort to know that she's with people who love her all day! They also bring her cute outfits that work well with her brace - she's styling!
I love my grandmas!
I think Maggie has started laughing. It's sort of a weird inhale sound that she makes while smiling. I keep trying to get it on film, but she always seems to start crying when the camera comes out!
Winding down before bedtime
We had a good time at Cousin Lauren's wedding shower today! Maggie liked looking at all the colors and being held by lots of new people! She was an angel!
Why am I taking a bath if I'm going to a shower??
Naptime with Patty and Mary Pat
Relaxing with cousin Heidi
Mommy has a guilty Taylor Swift pleasure, so we've been dancing to her tunes.
This was my first full week back at work, and it went great! Both grandmas have been watching her each day, and I think Maggie is loving it!
I am allowed to work from home one day each week, so I tried it out on Wednesday. I was nervous that Maggie would keep me from getting anything done, but she was perfect! I was able to get in a couple hours before she woke up for the day, and then she napped most of the morning so I could get another few hours in. I work late every other day so that I can get by with only 4 to 6 hours of work from home. I know she'll be awake more as time goes on, and this might get trickier, but I think it will work out for a while!
Maggie seems to be doing fine with her special shoes. We take a bath every other day, so she has her feet free for about a half hour. It takes me 10 minutes to get them strapped on because I usually have to redo them 3 times to get her foot in the correct position! She's an angel while I strap her in, even though I push pretty hard on her feet to position them. I still can't believe how good she's been!
Maggie still has fussy moments throughout the day, but I think we are past the long crying sessions (knock on wood). She is now eating 5 to 6 ounces at each feeding, and sleeping from about 10pm to 8am! My little rock star!
Poor daddy was sick again this week, with a fever of 102! I thought that Maggie and I would get sick for sure, but so far we are doing okay. Since this is Jamie's first full year of teaching, I think we can expect more colds... looking forward to summer.
Maggie received some valentines from several people. Her evil parents ate her chocolates, mwah ha ha!
Yesterday was Uncle Jason's 24th birthday! We went over to Mom and Dad's to celebrate:
Happy Birthday, Uncle Jason!
Let's talk, Daddy
On a serious note, I think Maggie has the "Rabine-crazy-toe." Her Aunt Jody and Grammer'r fourth toe does this weird curl under thing, and only on one foot. It was hard to see when she was born because of the club feet, but now I'm pretty sure it's confirmed. An expert* says that while the appearance is goofy, it is a sign of a good person with a happy future.
Everything looks sane here...
Crazy toe!
*Expert = Holly Donoghue, who is not actually an expert in any psychic or medical fields.
Maggie got her casts off this past Monday! The orthopedist said that her feet looked great, and we learned how to put her feet in her special shoes. It's kind of hard to get her feet strapped in properly, but we'll get the hang of it soon. Right now she has to wear the brace at all times except bath time, which we do every other night. She doesn't seem to mind the brace at all; she's was a little extra fussy on Monday, but it wasn't much different than her usual self. I'm so proud of her - she's been through so much, and nothing seems to bother her. I think she's going to be a tough cookie!
After her last set of casts!
The hardest part is finding outfits that are all snaps so that we can change her diaper without detaching anything... we have enough for now, but I have to keep my eyes open for some bigger sizes. Let me know if you see any!
Back in the brace after bath time!
Now that the casts are off, we can give Maggie baths in her baby tub now instead of sponge baths. She freaks out when she hits the water, but calms down after a few seconds. Then she usually just eyes me suspiciously for the rest of the bath, like she's not sure if she should be happy or upset. It's really cute! She loves get lotion rubs afterward, especially on her face!
Wait... what is happening here!?
I did not approve this photo shoot!
Seriously, Mommy, is this normal?
Wacky hair!
Cuddling makes everything better!
I went back to work on Thursday and Friday, and it went very well! Maggie sleeps until 7am, so I have time to get ready for work and then the sitters come at 7am to get her started. I definitely missed Maggie, but it was really nice to be around new people and to get my thinking cap on again. I'm sure the novelty will wear off, but I'm relieved that everything went smoothly!
We had a wedding last night, so Maggie spent the night at Grammer and Pops' house. Jamie and I checked our phones constantly to make sure we didn't miss any calls, and we kept looking at pictures and videos of Maggie because we missed her so much! I know it's a little pathetic, but she's so awesome! Nevertheless, we had a blast at the wedding - and today I'm feeling the after-effects!
Maggie is getting more personality everyday. She talks a little bit, but it isn't very often yet. She still sleeps through the night, and now she usually whine-cries instead of screaming when she has gas... hopefully it will turn into quiet grunts soon!
Maggie had her 2-month checkup at the pediatrician's this morning. She is a very healthy baby at about 11 lbs. Her weight and head circumference were in the 50th percentile; they didn't verify her length because the casts keep her legs bent (for only a few more days!).
The doctor was happy with her milestones:
Follows moving objects with eyes Can lift and turn head Smiles intentionally
Vocalizing (she just started this a couple days ago, usually
just little screeches when she's happy)
We've been nervous about her digestion the past week because she gets so upset and gassy after eating. The doctor told us that she now has to push in order to do a #2 instead of it just coming out automatically... apparently she's still trying to figure out what it means to push, leading to a lot of crying, which leads to more gas, which leads to more crying... a vicious cycle!
The pediatrician was shocked that Maggie is sleeping 7-8 hours per night. She warned me not to get used to it in case it changes, but was pretty impressed.
Poor Maggie had some bad chafing around her thigh from one of the casts, so the pediatrician helped me cut away part of the cast to provide some relief. I love her doctor, she's the best!
Then it was time for shots... (insert scary theme music here)
She had 2 injection shots, one in each thigh. I kept her diaper off so the nurse would have an easier time finding open skin above the casts. The first shot made her cry, but only for a moment. The nurse warned me that the second shot caused some stinging, so I should pick her up as soon as she finished injecting. Well, my little darling shot a not-so-darling missile of poo all over the table, her blanket, her casts and her Momma while being picked up. The very kind nurse quickly wiped away the nastiness, only to have it replaced with a gush of the yellow stuff... and then some more poo... seriously, Maggie?!? It was actually pretty funny, that girl only knows one thing to do when she's upset!
We set up the first stage of Maggie's jungle gym this week, and she really seems to enjoy it:
Maggie also is learning to soothe herself by sucking on her hands instead of a pacifier. It's pretty cute:
My mom took Maggie and me to the mall and lunch on Tuesday. It was my first time using the stroller, and I love it! Maggie was a quiet angel while we shopped and ate, it was fun!
First elevator ride - not impressed
Cuddling with Grammer
I took Maggie downtown to meet everyone at work on Wednesday, and to get an idea what I'll be working on when I head back next week. It's funny to work with mostly guys... all the daddies asked questions about how she is doing, while all the bachelors just looked scared and uncomfortable.
Maggie also went to Home Depot with me, and helped me replace the valve system in the upstairs toilet today. She's pretty smart.
