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Monday, December 26, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Mackinac Island
I had to attend a meeting in Gaylord, Michigan. So, since Kris and Lucy have never been to Mackinac Island, and to celebrate our 6th Anniversary, we decided to make a weekend out of it. We left Ann Arbor early on Saturday morning, and drove up to Mackinac Island. We took the Shepler Ferry to the island. Lucy wasn't thrilled with the windy boat ride. We also tried out our new KinderPack carrier so Lucy could ride on my back. Once we got to the island, we got some lunch. We then rented bikes and a Burley trailer for Lucy to ride in. As we were driving to Mackinac Island, we kept talking to Lucy about seeing horses and bikes on the island. So, when we got the bikes and put Lucy in the trailer, I think she was disappointed that she wasn't getting her own bike. We biked the perimeter of the island, and then we got ice cream. (Lucy got a plain cone.) We walked over to the fort (but couldn't get in because it was closed. Some fudge was purchased and we caught the ferry back to the mainland.
(Linking the pictures is an easy way for me to add pictures. Let me know if you like or dislike it.)
(Linking the pictures is an easy way for me to add pictures. Let me know if you like or dislike it.)
Lucyisms
As Lucy is increasing her vocabulary, the things that come out of her mouth keep getting cuter.
I right back - As in "I know you want me to come here right now, but I want to go do (fill in the blank), and then I will come right back."
iPack - Lucy refers to her backpack as her "ipack." Since I highly doubt our 2 year old know about iPads and iPods, I think she is just shortening "my backpack" into "ipack."
When Lucy finishes a meal and you ask her where her food went, she will tell you the food went "in my mouth and in my belly."
Lucy asks for a "nak" when she would like a "snack."
Lucy's pronunciation of the small green animal that says "ribbit," it does not come as "frog." It comes out as a word that is not appropriate to type here and rhymes with duck.
That's all i can think of for now. I will post more as they come.
I right back - As in "I know you want me to come here right now, but I want to go do (fill in the blank), and then I will come right back."
iPack - Lucy refers to her backpack as her "ipack." Since I highly doubt our 2 year old know about iPads and iPods, I think she is just shortening "my backpack" into "ipack."
When Lucy finishes a meal and you ask her where her food went, she will tell you the food went "in my mouth and in my belly."
Lucy asks for a "nak" when she would like a "snack."
Lucy's pronunciation of the small green animal that says "ribbit," it does not come as "frog." It comes out as a word that is not appropriate to type here and rhymes with duck.
That's all i can think of for now. I will post more as they come.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Jennifer's Birthday
Ann Arbor is a great city to celebrate your birthday. You can literally eat your way for free through the day. I did just that yesterday. To celebrate turning 32, I started my day by going to the Farmer's Market. I got some asparagus, rhubarb, and lilacs. I then went to Zingerman's Deli to get my free 6 bagels. I went home to get some stuff done, and then I went to the Northside Grill for a free lunch. Lucy had a well-child visit in the afternoon, and then we all went out to dinner. Now, there are a lot of places to get free dinner on your birthday, but I really wanted to go to The Melting Pot. It is truly a fun experience. Lucy's behavior was lacking, but the fondue was great. Finally, I went to the Cupcake Station and got a free mini-cupcake. Overall, it was a great day. If you are in Ann Arbor on your birthday and want to know where to get the best deals, check out the Birthday Deals at ArborWiki.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Florida Vacation
As promised, I plan to tell you all about our vacation.
We left Michigan last Saturday and flew to Panama City, FL via Atlanta. Lucy was so tired during the second flight that she finally passed out in my arms to take a nap. Grandma and Grandpa Schwab met us at the airport. It was really hot and humid. We then drove about an hour south to an area near Cape San Blas and Port St. Joe. The beach house where we are staying is called Beach Retreat. It has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a pool, and outdoor shower, and is on the beach. It is perfect.
We've spent the week staying cool in the house, in the pool, or on the jet skis. The guys went golfing one day while the girls went shopping at a nearby town called Apalachicola. Seafood is fresh and plentiful.
Lucy has enjoyed playing on the beach. She likes to taste the sand, pick up the many, many little seashells, and knock over sandcastles. She's not a huge fan of the ocean (actually, it's the Gulf of Mexico), but I think that is because she can't control the waves. She does okay in the pool and has enjoyed walking along the steps and floating with me on a pool raft. We've managed to keep her from getting sunburned but only with lots and lots of sunscreen.
Tomorrow we will drive back up to Panama City and fly (again via Atlanta) back to Detroit. We will have one day to do laundry, grocery shopping, and get ready to go back to work.
Why can't vacation last forever?
We left Michigan last Saturday and flew to Panama City, FL via Atlanta. Lucy was so tired during the second flight that she finally passed out in my arms to take a nap. Grandma and Grandpa Schwab met us at the airport. It was really hot and humid. We then drove about an hour south to an area near Cape San Blas and Port St. Joe. The beach house where we are staying is called Beach Retreat. It has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a pool, and outdoor shower, and is on the beach. It is perfect.
We've spent the week staying cool in the house, in the pool, or on the jet skis. The guys went golfing one day while the girls went shopping at a nearby town called Apalachicola. Seafood is fresh and plentiful.
Lucy has enjoyed playing on the beach. She likes to taste the sand, pick up the many, many little seashells, and knock over sandcastles. She's not a huge fan of the ocean (actually, it's the Gulf of Mexico), but I think that is because she can't control the waves. She does okay in the pool and has enjoyed walking along the steps and floating with me on a pool raft. We've managed to keep her from getting sunburned but only with lots and lots of sunscreen.
Tomorrow we will drive back up to Panama City and fly (again via Atlanta) back to Detroit. We will have one day to do laundry, grocery shopping, and get ready to go back to work.
Why can't vacation last forever?
Long Overdue
So I realize that this post is about 4 months overdue. We have been so busy enjoying Lucy that I haven't had time or energy to update the blog. I will now attempt to recap the highlights.
1) Lucy was baptized in April. Her Aunt Molly and Uncle Mike were her Godparents, and all of the family was able to make it to Ann Arbor for the baptism.
2) Lucy turned 1 on June 12. We had a party for her, but I don't think Lucy knew it was a special day other than the fact that she got to eat cupcake.
3) We have been trying to decrease some of her meds. We took the Kionex powder down by 0.5 grams every couple days, and then frequently checked her potassium levels. Unfortunately, when Lucy is off the Kionex powder completely, her potassium level is too high. So we restarted it just before we left for vacation.
4) Daycare is going well. Lucy is now one of the big kids in the infant room. She enjoys spending her days with her friends Peyton and Wesley, playing outside in the sandbox, and making artwork. She will move to the young toddler room this September.
5) Last weekend we drove to Cincinnati for a wedding. While we were there, we took Lucy to the Newport Aquarium. Lucy's favorite thing was the turtles.
6) We are currently on vacation, but I am going to post about that in the next post.
1) Lucy was baptized in April. Her Aunt Molly and Uncle Mike were her Godparents, and all of the family was able to make it to Ann Arbor for the baptism.
2) Lucy turned 1 on June 12. We had a party for her, but I don't think Lucy knew it was a special day other than the fact that she got to eat cupcake.
3) We have been trying to decrease some of her meds. We took the Kionex powder down by 0.5 grams every couple days, and then frequently checked her potassium levels. Unfortunately, when Lucy is off the Kionex powder completely, her potassium level is too high. So we restarted it just before we left for vacation.
4) Daycare is going well. Lucy is now one of the big kids in the infant room. She enjoys spending her days with her friends Peyton and Wesley, playing outside in the sandbox, and making artwork. She will move to the young toddler room this September.
5) Last weekend we drove to Cincinnati for a wedding. While we were there, we took Lucy to the Newport Aquarium. Lucy's favorite thing was the turtles.
6) We are currently on vacation, but I am going to post about that in the next post.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Smarter Every Day
Lucy's favorite game these days is Peek-A-Boo. However, it's not us doing the hiding and peeking, it's Lucy. If you give Lucy a burp cloth or blanket, she holds it up in front of her face. She then lowers it, and when you say "peek-a-boo," she giggles and does it all over again.
The daycare also shared with us that they have a song the sing when you put something on your head. Today, Lucy was putting things on her head and looking at the daycare teachers waiting for them to sing the song.
We had Lucy's blood drawn on Saturday. Her potassium level was 4.9 which is up a little bit. We're not sure if it is because of the food that she's been eating or because we went down on her supplements. I wasn't able to get a hold of her Nephrology nurse today, so I don't know what the plan is.
We gave Lucy the baby puffs to eat. I think it is a consistency thing (they don't have much flavor), but she isn't a huge fan yet. It is fun to see how many she can hold in her hand. She makes her little fist and can easily hide 3 puffs in each fist.
The daycare also shared with us that they have a song the sing when you put something on your head. Today, Lucy was putting things on her head and looking at the daycare teachers waiting for them to sing the song.
We had Lucy's blood drawn on Saturday. Her potassium level was 4.9 which is up a little bit. We're not sure if it is because of the food that she's been eating or because we went down on her supplements. I wasn't able to get a hold of her Nephrology nurse today, so I don't know what the plan is.
We gave Lucy the baby puffs to eat. I think it is a consistency thing (they don't have much flavor), but she isn't a huge fan yet. It is fun to see how many she can hold in her hand. She makes her little fist and can easily hide 3 puffs in each fist.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
New Tricks and Medication Updates
Since I've last posted, Lucy has been eating more foods and learning more new tricks. I put a list of her foods to the right, and I will update it with every new food that she tries.
Lucy has mastered the art of sitting. I'm sure the world looks different while sitting that it does while lying down, and Lucy must be enjoying it, because she always has a smile on her face.
"Ba-ba-ba" is what Lucy likes to tell us all about. Don't know what she is saying, but again it must be good, because she always says it with a smile on her face.
We've continued with swim class each week but we missed one week because Lucy had a small fever. Couple weeks ago, she went under water for the first time. It always shocks her, and she comes back up still holding her breath and a look of surprise.
Daycare also continue to go well. If the Ann Arbor public schools close, the daycare goes on a 2 hour delay and then decides if it will open. We've had such a mild winter until recently, and in the last couple weeks Lucy had a delay and a full snow day. Luckily, Kris has been able to stay home with her.
Lucy had an appointment with Nephrology a couple weeks ago. They were very, very happy with her lab values. We decided to try decreasing some of her sodium supplements. Lucy currently gets 5gm of Kionex powder in 375ml of breastmilk. We decreased that to 4gm in 300ml last Sunday and Monday. The good news is that her labs on Monday evening were fantastic. They were actually better than they have ever been in a long, long time. The bad news is that we need to confirm that her levels are good before we decrease again. I took Lucy to get blood drawn on Saturday, and after 2 unsuccessful pokes, I decided to stop. So for now, we will continue with the same doses until we decide to get the blood drawn again.
Okay, back to watching the Olympic Closing Ceremonies. Have a good week!
Lucy has mastered the art of sitting. I'm sure the world looks different while sitting that it does while lying down, and Lucy must be enjoying it, because she always has a smile on her face.
"Ba-ba-ba" is what Lucy likes to tell us all about. Don't know what she is saying, but again it must be good, because she always says it with a smile on her face.
We've continued with swim class each week but we missed one week because Lucy had a small fever. Couple weeks ago, she went under water for the first time. It always shocks her, and she comes back up still holding her breath and a look of surprise.
Daycare also continue to go well. If the Ann Arbor public schools close, the daycare goes on a 2 hour delay and then decides if it will open. We've had such a mild winter until recently, and in the last couple weeks Lucy had a delay and a full snow day. Luckily, Kris has been able to stay home with her.
Lucy had an appointment with Nephrology a couple weeks ago. They were very, very happy with her lab values. We decided to try decreasing some of her sodium supplements. Lucy currently gets 5gm of Kionex powder in 375ml of breastmilk. We decreased that to 4gm in 300ml last Sunday and Monday. The good news is that her labs on Monday evening were fantastic. They were actually better than they have ever been in a long, long time. The bad news is that we need to confirm that her levels are good before we decrease again. I took Lucy to get blood drawn on Saturday, and after 2 unsuccessful pokes, I decided to stop. So for now, we will continue with the same doses until we decide to get the blood drawn again.
Okay, back to watching the Olympic Closing Ceremonies. Have a good week!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Big Girl Things
Our little Lucy is getting so big. We started giving her solid foods to eat. But when I say solid, I actually mean mushy. Rice cereal was the first thing, and this week we tried peas. I cooked up some SteamFresh sweet peas and put them in the food processor. I then filled an ice cube tray and froze the smoochy peas. I can thaw one cube at a time which is just enough for Lucy. I think she actually likes the peas. There are a lot of foods that are off-limits to Lucy right now because of her potassium. For example, no sweet potatoes and no bananas. I think we will try green beans and applesauce next.
Last weekend, the Schwabs from Illinois came to visit. We were able to finish celebrating Christmas. It was a quick visit, but I think everyone enjoyed it, and Lucy loved seeing her aunt, uncles, and grandparents again.
Lucy and I also started a swim class this weekend. There are about 15 babies in the class, and it's fun to watch them all learn to enjoy the water. Lucy did a good job and wasn't afraid at all. She also looked adorable in her new swimsuit.
Enjoy your week!
Last weekend, the Schwabs from Illinois came to visit. We were able to finish celebrating Christmas. It was a quick visit, but I think everyone enjoyed it, and Lucy loved seeing her aunt, uncles, and grandparents again.
Lucy and I also started a swim class this weekend. There are about 15 babies in the class, and it's fun to watch them all learn to enjoy the water. Lucy did a good job and wasn't afraid at all. She also looked adorable in her new swimsuit.
Enjoy your week!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
No News is Good News
So I've had multiple inquiries as to why I haven't updated the blog in such a long time. The answer is - we've been busy living our lives. I am going to give you the highlights of the last couple months.
Lucy moved from the bassinet to her crib in early November. She was getting too big and was getting herself stuck in odd positions. She has done well in her crib, but most nights, she ends up back in bed with Kris and I. Lucy slept through the night a couple nights, but has not been doing that recently.
The potassium levels continue to be good. The last one (Jan 4) was 4.7. We continue to give her the sodium supplements but hope to maybe start decreasing them in the next couple months. Lucy is doing very well with breastfeeding and taking bottles, and while she is at a lower percentile for her age, she is growing well.
Thanksgiving was spent in Carlinville with the Schwab Family. We drove down the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and Lucy was able to see a lot of the family that she had met at Aunt Molly's wedding. We returned to Ann Arbor the following Sunday.
December held many Christmas parties. Lucy was able to meet Santa, but she didn't know what to think about his beard. We got a real Christmas tree in early December, and Lucy enjoyed the lights on the tree. We celebrated Lucy's first Christmas Eve and Day with just the three of us. She did a great job of helping to open (lick) her presents.
The Saturday after Christmas, we flew to Minnesota. It was Lucy's first time on an airplane, and she did superior. We had a bit of an issue with a poopy diaper on the flight back, but everything else went smoothly. Lucy met a lot of new family while in Minnesota.
Lucy continues to do well at daycare. She loves going outside in her snowsuit. She has a friend that she likes to lay next to in front of the mirror. They hold each others' hands, suck on each others' fingers, and play with each others' ears. Lucy also has a 2-year old buddy, the sister of one of the boys in her room. Eloise is very sweet to Lucy and helps take care of Lucy by making sure she has her paci when it falls out of Lucy's mouth.
Lucy tried rice cereal for the first time last weekend. We got her a highchair with a fancy toy attachment that she loves. The first time with solids went as expected - messy with more food coming back out than staying in.
Lucy is meeting her developmental milestones nicely. She uses her hands very well, and everything she picks up goes into her mouth. She can roll from back to belly and belly to back if she really wants to. Soon she will be sitting up unassisted.
Lucy moved from the bassinet to her crib in early November. She was getting too big and was getting herself stuck in odd positions. She has done well in her crib, but most nights, she ends up back in bed with Kris and I. Lucy slept through the night a couple nights, but has not been doing that recently.
The potassium levels continue to be good. The last one (Jan 4) was 4.7. We continue to give her the sodium supplements but hope to maybe start decreasing them in the next couple months. Lucy is doing very well with breastfeeding and taking bottles, and while she is at a lower percentile for her age, she is growing well.
Thanksgiving was spent in Carlinville with the Schwab Family. We drove down the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and Lucy was able to see a lot of the family that she had met at Aunt Molly's wedding. We returned to Ann Arbor the following Sunday.
December held many Christmas parties. Lucy was able to meet Santa, but she didn't know what to think about his beard. We got a real Christmas tree in early December, and Lucy enjoyed the lights on the tree. We celebrated Lucy's first Christmas Eve and Day with just the three of us. She did a great job of helping to open (lick) her presents.
The Saturday after Christmas, we flew to Minnesota. It was Lucy's first time on an airplane, and she did superior. We had a bit of an issue with a poopy diaper on the flight back, but everything else went smoothly. Lucy met a lot of new family while in Minnesota.
Lucy continues to do well at daycare. She loves going outside in her snowsuit. She has a friend that she likes to lay next to in front of the mirror. They hold each others' hands, suck on each others' fingers, and play with each others' ears. Lucy also has a 2-year old buddy, the sister of one of the boys in her room. Eloise is very sweet to Lucy and helps take care of Lucy by making sure she has her paci when it falls out of Lucy's mouth.
Lucy tried rice cereal for the first time last weekend. We got her a highchair with a fancy toy attachment that she loves. The first time with solids went as expected - messy with more food coming back out than staying in.
Lucy is meeting her developmental milestones nicely. She uses her hands very well, and everything she picks up goes into her mouth. She can roll from back to belly and belly to back if she really wants to. Soon she will be sitting up unassisted.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Lucy's First Halloween
Lucy had a great first Halloween. But before I tell you about it, I want to share that her potassium level this past week was 4.2!!! That is a fantastic number, and we are thrilled.The Halloween festivities began last Friday when we went to a surprise birthday party for Kris's boss. Everyone was dressed up, and Lucy wore her pea pod costume. Unfortunately, the costume was very warm and she didn't stay in it for very long. Happy Birthday Greg!
Lucy helped me carve a pumpkin on Sunday. Actually she just tolerated me putting pumpkin goo on her.
I think she enjoyed the plastic bag that she was lying on more.
Kris went to San Diego for a conference this week, so Lucy and I were on our own. Once we got into a routine, we did fine. Lucy also had appointments with Nephrology and the Pediatrician this week. She got 4 shots and wasn't happy.
Our apartment had a Halloween party on Thursday night. Lucy didn't wear her costume, but she did wear her Baby's First Halloween footie-pajamas. It was fun to see all the kids dressed up, and our apartment knows how to throw a good party. On Saturday (Halloween day) we went to a party hosted by a family Lucy and I met at the New Mommies Club. We got to see all of Lucy's friends. It's amazing to see them all getting bigger and the costumes were adorable. Lucy and I dressed up as Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Seuss's Cat in the Hat.
We then went to our friends', the Zwengs, house. Jeanette had a great taco/nacho dinner, and then we took the kids trick or treating. I carried Lucy in her pea pod costume, and I wasn't expecting to get candy, but one house gave Kris and I candy just because Lucy was so cute.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Boyne Adventures
The Schwab Family had a mini-vacation to Boyne Mountain, thanks to MODE (Michigan Organization of Diabetes Educators). I am on the board of MODE and had to be at a meeting on Thursday evening and then the conference on Friday. I didn't want to be away from Lucy (and Kris) that long, so they came with me.
Lucy and Kris spent the day together on Friday. They drove to Petosky and hiked up the ski hill. That evening we went to the Red Mesa Grill in Boyne City. It was recommended to us for its good Mexican/Latin food, and I would pass on that recommendation to any one in the area.
On Saturday morning, we drove to Bay Harbor and ate at the Original Pancake House. They had their Harvest Festival so we walked around that for a while.
Then we drove towards Charlevoix. We found the Bullfrog candle outlet. When we decided it was time to head back to Boyne Mountain, the GPS led us to the shortest ferry I've ever seen. The Ironton ferry only holds 4 cars and the ride took about 3 minutes.
When we got back to Boyne Mountain, we took Lucy to Avalanche Bay. This was Lucy's first time swimming, and I was very excited. Lucy didn't know what to think, but she lasted 30 minutes before she got tired. After dinner, we rode the ski lift to the top of the ski hill.
We saw a deer and a skunk, and it was cold. 
Our night still wasn't finished. Our next stop was at the arcade for a little skee-ball and Dance Dance Revolution.
On the way home the next day, we enjoyed the Fall colors and sunny skies. It was a great weekend, and Lucy did great the entire time.
Lucy and Kris spent the day together on Friday. They drove to Petosky and hiked up the ski hill. That evening we went to the Red Mesa Grill in Boyne City. It was recommended to us for its good Mexican/Latin food, and I would pass on that recommendation to any one in the area.
On Saturday morning, we drove to Bay Harbor and ate at the Original Pancake House. They had their Harvest Festival so we walked around that for a while.
Then we drove towards Charlevoix. We found the Bullfrog candle outlet. When we decided it was time to head back to Boyne Mountain, the GPS led us to the shortest ferry I've ever seen. The Ironton ferry only holds 4 cars and the ride took about 3 minutes.
When we got back to Boyne Mountain, we took Lucy to Avalanche Bay. This was Lucy's first time swimming, and I was very excited. Lucy didn't know what to think, but she lasted 30 minutes before she got tired. After dinner, we rode the ski lift to the top of the ski hill.
We saw a deer and a skunk, and it was cold. 
Our night still wasn't finished. Our next stop was at the arcade for a little skee-ball and Dance Dance Revolution.
On the way home the next day, we enjoyed the Fall colors and sunny skies. It was a great weekend, and Lucy did great the entire time.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
And the potassium level is . . .
4.9!
Lucy has had her NG tube out for a week now. She kept pulling it out while at daycare, so we decided to trial her without it. The daycare has been great about encouraging Lucy to drink her bottles, and she is really starting to breastfeed well.
The nephrology team doesn't want to try weaning Lucy's sodium supplements for a couple months minimum, but at least it looks like we are okay without the feeding tube.
We will continue to have blood drawn every other week, and we follow up with nephrology and her pediatrician later this month. We are anxious to see how much weight she has gained. We know she is getting bigger, but we haven't had the opportunity to weigh her recently.
Lucy has had her NG tube out for a week now. She kept pulling it out while at daycare, so we decided to trial her without it. The daycare has been great about encouraging Lucy to drink her bottles, and she is really starting to breastfeed well.
The nephrology team doesn't want to try weaning Lucy's sodium supplements for a couple months minimum, but at least it looks like we are okay without the feeding tube.
We will continue to have blood drawn every other week, and we follow up with nephrology and her pediatrician later this month. We are anxious to see how much weight she has gained. We know she is getting bigger, but we haven't had the opportunity to weigh her recently.
Aunt Molly's Wedding
(This is the new Uncle Kelly.)
Lucy had her first out of state trip. Last weekend, we drove to Carlinville, Illinois, Kris's hometown for his sister's wedding. We were worried about taking Lucy on an 8 hour car trip, but she did fantastic. Lucky for us, Lucy enjoys car rides. (Although she still hasn't grasped the idea of stop signs and stoplights. She gets mad when the car is stopped for two long.)
Uncle Kelsey and Great-Grandma were able to meet Lucy for the first time, and I think it was love at first sight.
Everyone at the wedding wanted to see Lucy, and she did very well being passed around to family and friends. It was also nice to hear that so many of you are following this blog - it is motivation to try to post more regularly. We are thrilled for Molly and Kelly as they start married life together, and hope that their honeymoon in Aruba is enjoyable and relaxing. The wedding and reception were lovely, and Molly looked beautiful in her dress. Thanks for making Lucy the honorary flower girl.
Lucy also had her first fundraising walk the weekend before. The three of us joined my colleagues, patients, and others passionate about finding a cure for diabetes and walked in the JDRF Walk for a Cure. It was a little bit chilly, but Lucy didn't seem to mind.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Another Visit from Grandma & Grandpa Liedl
Lucy's grandparents came to visit again last week. With my part-time work schedule, I had a long weekend, and it's likely the last long weekend in a while. So last Thursday, my parents drove through northern Minnesota, across the Michigan Upper Peninsula, and down to Ann Arbor. They said the leaves were just starting to change.
My parents spent the next three days loving on Lucy. She showed them smiles, giggles, coos, and some cries.Lucy rolled over for the first time. She went from belly to back, turning to her left.
This is Lucy, tired after rolling over.Lucy's daycare had a pancake breakfast to raise money for the Big Heart, Big House run this weekend. We were able to show my parents where Lucy spends her days.
We also went to watch the University of Michigan Marching Band rehearse. The MMB rehearsals are open to the public every afternoon, and it was a treat to watch. They were preparing for the Michigan v. Indiana game the following day. (Michigan won that game. Go Blue!)
Of the last 3 days at daycare, Lucy has gotten her NG tube out on all 3. Twice she pulled it out by herself, and yesterday, it came out when she vomited. Poor thing - we keep putting it back down when she gets home.
The JDRF walk to raise money for diabetes research is this weekend. Lucy, Kris, and I will all be walking. If you want to donate a couple dollars, you can visit http://walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=87389592.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Place Your Bets
Lucy has discovered that she has fingers. Unfortunately, her cute little fingers are just the right size to get under her NG tube by her nose. She pulled the tube out once last week at daycare and she got it halfway out last night. So, how often to you think Lucy will pull out her tube? Daily? Weekly?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Things That Start With "S"
While I haven't been posting, I have been making notes about things to post. Turns out most of those things start with "S".
The first one: smiles. Lucy has started giving us lots of smiles and happy sounds in the last couple weeks. The smile starts out small and grows into a big one, and if you are lucky, a happy shriek or coo accompanies it.
I am trying to capture the smiles on video. They will be on Facebook.
The second S: sweat test. Lucy had a sweat test to determine if her PHA (pseduohypoaldosteronism) affects just her kidneys or if it involves multi-organs. This test is the same thing that they do to determine if someone has cystic fibrosis, but that is not what we used it for with Lucy. The first part of the test involved apply two electrodes to each of Lucy's thighs. One of the electrodes had a chemical that causes the skin to sweat, and when the current is applied, this chemical is pulled into the skin. Then very thin filter paper is placed on the skin to absorb the sweat. When enough sweat is collected, the lab analyzes the salt content in the sweat. Lucy's sweat test showed that she does not have the multi-organ variation of this disease. This means that she will most likely outgrow the PHA and her sodium supplements in the next couple years. :)
We had blood drawn this week for another potassium level. To weeks ago, her potassium level was 4.9. Then on Thursday, it was 6.2, a lot higher than it should be. Since there is no reason her potassium level should be going back up, we went to have it redrawn today. 5.3! Yeah!
Lucy is doing very well with her neck strength and holding up her own head.
I got crafty and decided to further decorate the nursery. I bought the letters of Lucy's name and I bought scrapbook paper. After tracing the letters onto the scrapbook paper and cutting them out, I decoupaged the letters using Mod Podge. I am very happy with how it turned out.
Lucy has been growing out of a lot of her clothes. So this leads us to the next S: shopping (kind of). We received a lot of clothing at my baby showers, and we packed up the items that were too big. I went through the drawer of the 3-6 month old clothes and picked out the ones that I think will fit her now. She is getting a whole new wardrobe without even entering a store!
Kris and I took Lucy to the Dexter Cider Mill today, and while we were out, I commented on how I was in a good mood today. Kris reminded me that it is probably because I got a good amount of sleep last night. And that is my favorite S: sleep. Lucy slept from 11PM to 4AM and for those 5 hours, I was in dreamland.
Lucy's least favorite S is the next thing: shots. She had her well child exam last week and had to get three immunization shots. Lucy actually slept really well for a couple hours after the shots, but then she cried/screamed for 1.5 hours. She spiked a little fever and finally fell asleep. We're all glad that she doesn't have any more shots for another 2 months.
Our final S is: stain removal with the sun. I've read that putting baby clothes in the sun helps to remove baby poop stains. I was doubtful and figured it was just working by fading the clothes. However, I gave it a try, and it works!!! One of Lucy's diapers leaked onto a cute footie pajama outfit. The poop stain did not come out in the laundry, and I didn't realize it until after I had dried the outfit. I put it out on our patio to get a little bit of sun, and the stain disappeared from the side that was exposed to the sun. I turned it inside out, and the stain disappeared completely. After I did some more reading, I read that the reason this works has something to do with bilirubin. Great trick!
I started back to work part-time this week. I am working 3 days a week for 3 weeks and then I'll be back to full-time. While Kris and I are at work, Lucy goes to daycare at Gretchen's House. We've heard many good things and so far we have been impressed. They are more than willing to work with Lucy's NG tube.
As a reminder, I put more pictures on Facebook because they are easier to upload there. We hope that everyone is doing well. Take care, enjoy the fall weather, and check back for more updates.
The first one: smiles. Lucy has started giving us lots of smiles and happy sounds in the last couple weeks. The smile starts out small and grows into a big one, and if you are lucky, a happy shriek or coo accompanies it.
I am trying to capture the smiles on video. They will be on Facebook. The second S: sweat test. Lucy had a sweat test to determine if her PHA (pseduohypoaldosteronism) affects just her kidneys or if it involves multi-organs. This test is the same thing that they do to determine if someone has cystic fibrosis, but that is not what we used it for with Lucy. The first part of the test involved apply two electrodes to each of Lucy's thighs. One of the electrodes had a chemical that causes the skin to sweat, and when the current is applied, this chemical is pulled into the skin. Then very thin filter paper is placed on the skin to absorb the sweat. When enough sweat is collected, the lab analyzes the salt content in the sweat. Lucy's sweat test showed that she does not have the multi-organ variation of this disease. This means that she will most likely outgrow the PHA and her sodium supplements in the next couple years. :)
We had blood drawn this week for another potassium level. To weeks ago, her potassium level was 4.9. Then on Thursday, it was 6.2, a lot higher than it should be. Since there is no reason her potassium level should be going back up, we went to have it redrawn today. 5.3! Yeah!
Lucy is doing very well with her neck strength and holding up her own head. 
I got crafty and decided to further decorate the nursery. I bought the letters of Lucy's name and I bought scrapbook paper. After tracing the letters onto the scrapbook paper and cutting them out, I decoupaged the letters using Mod Podge. I am very happy with how it turned out.Lucy has been growing out of a lot of her clothes. So this leads us to the next S: shopping (kind of). We received a lot of clothing at my baby showers, and we packed up the items that were too big. I went through the drawer of the 3-6 month old clothes and picked out the ones that I think will fit her now. She is getting a whole new wardrobe without even entering a store!
Kris and I took Lucy to the Dexter Cider Mill today, and while we were out, I commented on how I was in a good mood today. Kris reminded me that it is probably because I got a good amount of sleep last night. And that is my favorite S: sleep. Lucy slept from 11PM to 4AM and for those 5 hours, I was in dreamland.
Lucy's least favorite S is the next thing: shots. She had her well child exam last week and had to get three immunization shots. Lucy actually slept really well for a couple hours after the shots, but then she cried/screamed for 1.5 hours. She spiked a little fever and finally fell asleep. We're all glad that she doesn't have any more shots for another 2 months.
Our final S is: stain removal with the sun. I've read that putting baby clothes in the sun helps to remove baby poop stains. I was doubtful and figured it was just working by fading the clothes. However, I gave it a try, and it works!!! One of Lucy's diapers leaked onto a cute footie pajama outfit. The poop stain did not come out in the laundry, and I didn't realize it until after I had dried the outfit. I put it out on our patio to get a little bit of sun, and the stain disappeared from the side that was exposed to the sun. I turned it inside out, and the stain disappeared completely. After I did some more reading, I read that the reason this works has something to do with bilirubin. Great trick!
I started back to work part-time this week. I am working 3 days a week for 3 weeks and then I'll be back to full-time. While Kris and I are at work, Lucy goes to daycare at Gretchen's House. We've heard many good things and so far we have been impressed. They are more than willing to work with Lucy's NG tube.
As a reminder, I put more pictures on Facebook because they are easier to upload there. We hope that everyone is doing well. Take care, enjoy the fall weather, and check back for more updates.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
A weekend outdoors
We went to my department's picnic this weekend. The picnic was at Independence Lake County Park. There was a lot of kids and everyone had a good time. It was a bit windy and it was too cool to swim or play in the splash play area, but at least the rain went away. Lucy threw up on one of my coworkers. (Sorry Christine!)
We also walked to the library today. Lucy has been to the library before, but it was our first time walking there.
Lucy is still working on holding up her head and remains a bit of a bobble head. She has smiled and is definitely more interactive with us. We have an appointment with Peds Endocrinology tomorrow and we will see what they have to say about her renin and aldosterone levels being normal now.
I will be heading back to work in September. Lucy will be attending daycare at the University of Michigan Health System Child Care Center. I will start by working 3 days a week for a few weeks, and then I will have to go back to my 40 hour schedule.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Starting the Week with a Bang
Lucy had a very full Monday. We started out getting her blood drawn for labs. It only took one poke!!
Next Lucy had a VCUG (voiding cystourethrogram). This procedure is used to see if a patient has urinary reflux. Turns out that Lucy does have urinary reflux bilaterally. When the kidneys make urine, it is supposed to flow into the bladder and stay there until urination. However, with urinary reflux, the urine goes back up the ureters from the bladder into the kidneys. This can cause urinary tract infections and other problems. Fortunately, most infants grow out of this problem, but until then, Lucy will have to take antibiotics daily. We will have a kidney ultrasound every 6 months, and we will repeat the VCUG in 1.5 years. As it seems with all of Lucy's medical problems, not the worst thing ever, but still another thing to add to her list.
Our nephrology appointment went well. The lab results showed that Lucy's potassium remains at a good level (5.3mmol/L). This means that we will just continue on with her sodium supplements and kayexalate milk and high fluid requirement. We will have more blood work done in 2 weeks and another nephrology appointment in 2 months.
Lucy continues to do slightly better with breastfeeding. We are going to keep plugging away. She is growing very well. Her weight is 10lb 2oz and she is just shy of 21 inches long. She's actually starting to grow out of some clothes!
Next Lucy had a VCUG (voiding cystourethrogram). This procedure is used to see if a patient has urinary reflux. Turns out that Lucy does have urinary reflux bilaterally. When the kidneys make urine, it is supposed to flow into the bladder and stay there until urination. However, with urinary reflux, the urine goes back up the ureters from the bladder into the kidneys. This can cause urinary tract infections and other problems. Fortunately, most infants grow out of this problem, but until then, Lucy will have to take antibiotics daily. We will have a kidney ultrasound every 6 months, and we will repeat the VCUG in 1.5 years. As it seems with all of Lucy's medical problems, not the worst thing ever, but still another thing to add to her list.
Our nephrology appointment went well. The lab results showed that Lucy's potassium remains at a good level (5.3mmol/L). This means that we will just continue on with her sodium supplements and kayexalate milk and high fluid requirement. We will have more blood work done in 2 weeks and another nephrology appointment in 2 months.
Lucy continues to do slightly better with breastfeeding. We are going to keep plugging away. She is growing very well. Her weight is 10lb 2oz and she is just shy of 21 inches long. She's actually starting to grow out of some clothes!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Meeting More Family
Lucy met her Aunt Molly and soon to be Uncle Kelly this weekend. Molly is Kris's sister, and she and her fiance drove up from Illinois to meet Lucy. It was a quick visit - They were only here for a couple hours on Saturday afternoon, but Molly just graduated with her bachelor's degree and starts a new job on Monday. (Good luck Molly!) They are also in the middle of planning their October wedding and moving into a new apartment.
Aunt Molly and Uncle Kelly came at a good time. Lucy was awake and very interested in meeting new family members. She also enjoyed hearing Kelly say that the pictures did not do her cuteness justice. We all went to Joe's Crab Shack for dinner, and Lucy slept through the entire meal.
Today Kris, Lucy, and I went to The Little Seedling. This is the store where I bought my Moby wrap for carrying Lucy. The store had a "Baby Wear" class where we learned other ways to use the Moby wrap. It was a good class but Lucy didn't last the entire time. I think she was tired, hungry, and overwhelmed by all the people.
Lucy has also become a night owl. She sleeps from 11PM or Midnight until 2-4AM. From then on she thinks it is party time. It has taken over three hours to get her back to sleep the last couple nights. Hopefully this is a short-lived routine.
More daycares to visit this week and more mommy groups to hang out with. Hope everyone has a good week.
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