One third DONE!

Well, this weekend marks the ONE THIRD down mark!  Can you believe it?!  

To me, it feels like the last four weeks have been a lifetime!  I can't believe we still have a long ways to go.  

Today we went for our 4 week x-ray.  No, it's not common to have a 4 week x-ray, but I requested it because of my late night panic attacks that her hip is slipping around!  Dr. Segal was very understanding of my insanity and was happy to get us in... again... 

What I haven't been liking is that the last few x-rays we have had with this cast on, he has had to send the film to radiology to read.  There is so much padding in the cast that it's hard to see the femur clear.  Each time he has said, 'it looks a little high to me, but radiology said it's in socket, so we will go with that.'  

Ummm, that didn't make me feel too great.  So, I requested another.  I am glad I did because this time, for some reason, the angle of the x-ray was spot on and he could see it super clear!  His exact words were, 'it's perfect.'  UMMM HECK YES!  Now that's what I am talking about.  That's what I have been wanting to hear.  All of those nights when I am flipping out thinking that this is all going to be for nothing... all of those moments when Lucy gets frustrated, all of the tears I have cried feeling so sorry for my little armadillo.  Those words made all of the last four weeks worth it.  WHEW.

So, since this cast is obviously working and doing it's job, Dr. Segal wants to keep it on for 8 weeks instead of 6.  Fine by me.  It's still super clean (duh!) and it's not falling apart yet, so 8 weeks it is.  If it's not broke, don't fix it!  So her cast change date has been moved from April 16 to April 30th.  

Her next cast will be the final one!  It will be on for another 4-6 weeks, depending on the stability and healing at the cast change.  

What totally sucks is that it's HOTTER THAN HAITI here in sunny Arizona, and poor Lucy gets so hot!  We don't leave the house from 2-6 in the heat of the day.  We get all of our stuff done in the morning.  

But... what can I do.  We are just going to have to deal with the heat and try to stay cool.  

I just feel SO good that we are on the right track.  Finally.  

I still am aware that a million different things could go wrong at any time.  The femur could slip again.  It could slip out even after the 12 weeks.  Who knows.  I can't control any of this, and it's making me crazy.  I have to just take this day by day.

The other night, (my worst night yet), I was holding the beautiful babester and rocking her a bit before bed.  I just kept thinking of all these things that can go wrong with hip issues, and I was bawling.  I put my head to the side and covered my eyes with my hands so I wouldn't make Lucy upset.  What did she do?!  She pulled my hands away from my eyes and started cracking up, playing peek a boo.  She was besides herself.  The funniest thing ever.  It was another 'moment' that I will always remember.  Lucy has been MY inspiration, and just when I start to think that this is getting to be overwhelming, she smiles.... and that smile lights up my entire world!  (How did I live 31 years without having her in my life?!)

She continues to amaze me every day!  

It's WAY past my bedtime, so goodnight blogging world!  :-)

(Before I go, here are a few pics of my beautiful girl, and some of my favorite quotes.  I save all of these and look at them often.  Makes me feel good.) 

Aint this the truth

My all time favorite.  You can always tell the people who have been through 'life' and the ones who haven't.

Yep, that's my girl

On the carousel with dada!

Scarf time at music class!

At the zoo!

YIKES... the mess this kid makes...

Fussy baby= sit in the car in the driveway with the tv on!

A little of this, a little of that...

I can't believe we are approaching week THREE!  That means, 1/4 of the way done. :-)

No, it's not going fast. Yes, each day seems like a year, but hey... We are getting through it.

Like I have said before, we have been keeping ourselves VERY busy.  Busy to the point that Lucy is so tired she is actually sleeping at least 9 hours at night, and I am in bed no later than 9 pm!  We are both super exhausted.  It's good though!  

Some days start with the 'I don't know how we are going to do this!' and others start with the 'ok, we are making progress...slowly!' 

Since we had a good 3 day x-ray, a good 2 week x-ray, the Dr. didn't need to see us back until her 6 week cast change appointment, which is scheduled for April 16th.  After a hard day on Sunday, I wrote him and asked if he is opposed to doing a 4 week x-ray.  To some that may sound crazy, but you know what?  Her hip has moved while in the cast before, and if it does it again, I would rather know at 4 weeks than at 6!  Like I said, each day has it's challenges, so the Dr. agreed to putting my mind at ease and doing another x-ray.  Once the cast is changed at 6 weeks, I will feel better.  If it stays in socket, at 6 weeks there will be some stability, and I won't be as worried as I am now.  SO... we go in for her x-ray March 30th.  FINGERS CROSSED!

I swear, sometimes when I move her I feel like I hear/feel things moving!  I know it's in my mind, but it's still worrisome!  

Basically, the scary part is this: IF (which we hope not) the hip for some reason has slipped again, the cast comes off and we move on til after summer.  Then we face the same procedure, but a different approach.  This is NOT what we want.  We have come this far now, let's just get it over with!  The Dr. won't do anything for a few months because of the 'trauma' it can cause to that area.  UGH... let's hope not.  The last x-ray he said 'looks a little high' so he sent it to radiology.  It's so hard to see an x-ray clear through a huge cast.  Radiology confirmed it's in socket.  YAH!

So... we have been passing our days with fun, family and friends!

Last night Lucy's 2 little cousins came to visit.  They blew bubbles and Lucy laughed and laughed!  SO fun.  We have done a trip to the aquarium, a visit to the farm, and story time at the library.  Anything to get out before this weather gets too hot!

Today after the aquarium we went to lunch, and had the patio to ourselves.  Aaron held Lucy and got up and danced around with her to the music!  SO cute.  She laughed and laughed.  That was one of the 'moments' I will remember forever.  As we left, Aaron said 'this is one of the best days of my life.'  :-)  I mean, what is better than to have a beautiful daughter, dance on the patio, fun at the aquarium, and hear Lucy laughing all day?!  Pretty much heaven to us!

Lucy has been VERY clingy lately to Aaron and I.  New places, new people, even people she knows well... she gets nervous and clings to us.  That's ok, once she is out of her cast I expect to have the same outgoing baby I did before!

Here are some pics of our last few weeks...  

ENJOY!

She is perfect positioning for horseback riding!  Thanks Dani for showing us around your family's awesome farm!

(As you can tell, Lucy is NOT fond of the horse and freaked out in about 3 seconds flat.)

Lucy and her buddy Josie and baby chicks!

Slim protecting baby sister

Daddy is a total sucker!  

Fun at the bookstore on a rainy day!

SO cool!

Walking at the park

Chillin'' at home.  Deep conditioning her hair, watching movies and playing!

Could I love her any more??? NOPE!  Not even possible.

Spic and Spica Span!

This post is being written in hopes that one day... someone, out there somewhere... will benefit from a few of my tips on keeping the spica cast clean!

I was inspired to write this thanks to my sister.  She came over to hang out last night, and she said to me, 'oh my gosh, this is more than a full time job just keeping her clean!'  Yep.  

For those who know me, or sort of know me via the internet groups, you may know that I am a tad bit type A personality.  (Just a little...)  The thought of what bacteria is under that cast gives me nightmares!  BUT... we are 2 weeks into the cast, and so far so good.  (We should be FOUR weeks, but that's a whole other story!)  

Anyways, I live in sunny Arizona where it's HOT.  It's pretty much HOT all the time.  Right now we are in the 80's, but soon will be 90's, and then the famous 100 plus degrees for about 6 months straight.  Hopefully the baby will be out of her cast by the time the hot weather comes.  In Arizona, sweat happens.  All the time.  Morning, noon and night.  It's mid-March and my air conditioner is already on.  I can't stand heat and feeling hot, so I can't imagine how my baby feels in a body cast!

In the hospital, they gave us a few tips and tricks, but you don't really have a clue until you jump in and do it yourself.  Baptism by fire.  

A few things I have learned: Grooming/Cleaning edition!

- Rubber hair bands.  I use them to tie the back of her shirt up tight so food doesn't drop down in her cast.  She refuses to keep bibs on somedays.

- A little desktop fan.  I have heard of people using blowdryers to put in the cast to cool them down, and even the cast cooler, but a small fan has worked wonders for us.  I put it 'right there!' after each bath and let her air out.  The sound of the blow dryer freaks her out, so a fan is a much better option.   The 'Cast Cooler'

can't work through a plaster cast, which most spica casts are... **darn it!** If you are lucky enough to get a 'breathable' cast such as all fiberglass, that would be a great choice.

OK, on to the grooming... this area seems to be at least half our day, so I feel pretty confident about these selections!  I hope this helps someone out there!

I am a hairstylist of almost 12 years... so I refuse to have a baby with ratty hair!  Since the baby is on her back all the time now, she has developed a total rats nest back there after each nap.  I have tried baby detanglers, conditioners, nothing worked except MY favorite hair product for ME!  

'It's a 10' Miracle leave in spray conditioner.  Whenever her hair is a ratted mess in the back, 1 spray of this little gem and easy brushing and PERFECT baby hair again!

I love giving her after bath massages with this stuff. 

Another GEM of a product.  I found this ONE pack at CVS pharmacy.  I need to find more!  It's a baby anti-bacterial wipe!  I wipe all around the cast with it, and go as far down as I can by her tummy and down her back.  I am sure it's sweaty in there, so this kills germs!  It's not as wet as a normal baby wipe either, so it won't soak the cast. 

Duck Tape. (Of course in adorable colors!)  We have used this on the areas that the fiberglass is getting rough.

Another MUST and something I found at CVS pharmacy.  I use a little on her every day.  She doesn't smell at all, but this keeps her baby fresh all day!

3M micro foam tape.  KEEP ON HAND!  It's what they petal the cast with at the hospital. Make sure you get some to take home.  It's thick like foam, easy to wipe clean and very thick.  A MUST for around the diaper area.  Problem is it doesn't stick to the cast very well, so I use duck tape over it on the edges to keep it down.

Dun dun dun DUN!!!!  THE BEST PRODUCT ever made.

I swear by this stuff.  My Lucy has NEVER...yes, I said NEVER had a diaper rash in her 14 months of life thanks to A and D ointment.  I use it on her after every bath/sponge bath before her diaper goes on.  I even go up a tad bit in the cast with it (still by the tape, though) to get all creases.  The best part about this product is this.  It creates a barrier on the skin to wetness, but is a drying agent as well.  So diaper rash doesn't stand a chance.  I have also used this on my bulldog's wrinkles for years!

Pampers Swaddlers.  The only way to go, in my opinion.  It has the built in line in the front that changes color when it's wet.  Since diapering is a pain in the butt (haha) you only have to open the top diaper, peek in, and if it's a blue color, it's wet.  If it's not, you are good to go!

They are worth the extra money.  I rip the tabs off, open the diaper up ALL the way.  All of the elastic on the sides is open and flat... Haven't had a leak yet.

We use size 1 on the inside, and a 6 on the outside.  The hospital suggested Newborn on the inside, but no way.  At night I even use a size 2 on the inside!!!!

I hope some of these grooming tips have helped someone!  

I am sure I will add more at some point, but for now, this is what is working for us. :-)

I start her bath routine at 6:30, and finish around 7:30.  It's insane, I know. It takes awhile, but it's worth it!  She gets her feet massaged, her fan on, and feels nice and cool.  :)

Fun in the Arizona sun

So, continuing with the 'focusing on what we CAN do' theme...

Today was so fun!  

We went to a park called Freestone Park right here in Gilbert, AZ.  They have a railroad, a carousel, ducks to feed and beautiful landscaping! 

Lucy LOVES carousel rides.  She sees a carousel and starts dancing up a storm!  I thought this would be something fun for us to do together today.  

We went with one of our friends who has a baby girl a few days older than Lucy.  She also brought her 3 half-brothers and sisters, so there were kids galore!  Lucy, being the only child (so far), LOVES other kids.  She could watch kids playing for hours!  Just for her to be around other kids makes her day.  This was perfect! 

We rode the carousel FOUR times.  My head is still spinning and the feeling of hacking at any moment hasn't left yet.  BUT WHO CARES!  The baby loved it... and my whole life long mission is to make her happy, so I will deal with the spins.  Who knew, the carousel actually goes pretty fast.  At first Lucy's eyes turned to saucers, then she was like, 'YAHHHHH!!!!!!'  

After the carousel we headed over in line to ride the train.  It goes around the entire park.  Dani and her girl sat behind us, and Lucy started getting giddy!  She kept playing peek-a-boo and hiding her face from everyone.  Then the laughing and dancing started.  She is such a doll. (Bias?!  Maybe.  But it's true!)

I am still hating the looks and stares from people, but ya know what?!  Screw em.  (Excuse my french, again...) When we first got to the park, some lady actually gasped and pointed her finger at Lucy.  REALLY??  The lady wasn't worth my time, but I did have to say something at this point.  I said, 'really? Was pointing at my child necessary?  HOW RUDE.'  She apologized as I walked away.  It's a cast people, move on.  It's there to help her heal.  God forbid people like her EVER have to deal with anything in their lives.  She is lucky I am on good behavior lately. (haha)  I walked away thinking my normal, rational thoughts... 'Lucy is cuter, smarter and WAY more adorable than your kid even while IN her cast, so shut it lady!'  That's what I said to myself... and a few other choice words... haha!  It's hard because I really DON'T care, but I do... hard to explain.  Basically, I feel that it's none of anyone's business, but if they must know, ASK!  Don't point at people's kids.  ANYWAY... off that subject and on to our fun day. 

After we left the play area where the train rides are, we headed over to a shady spot and ate some chicken nuggets, applesauce and graham crackers... YUM!  I swear a big ol graham cracker chunk went in her cast, but I couldn't fish it out.  GROSS!  

We fed the ducks right before we left, and Dani presented Lucy with a 'Get Better Soon' basket!  It was so cool!  Toys, candy, you name it!  So awesome... Lucy LOVES presents... anything new to toss across the room and watch me run and pick up... good times.

Here are a few pics of our day today... Lucy had so much fun and is in dreamland now...ahhh, the silence in the house.  Makes me sleepy!

Have a great day blogging world! 

I refuse to look at the camera.  Won't happen!  

Feeding the duckies

How cool is this park?

Dancing with momma!

Sleepy baby!

Her awesome get well basket! Thanks Dani and Josie!

Lucy and co. just chillin!

WHOA the carousel is starting!  HOLY COW!!!!!!!

Friends!

Lucy and her BEST FRIEND FOREVER AND EVER, momma!

Gymboree for me!

Well, today was WAY more of a workout for momma than it was for Lucy!

We decided to go to her normal weekly Gymboree Play and Music Class.  SO FUN!  For those of you who don't know what Gymboree is, it's a little gym with mats and toys.  They have a teacher that sings songs and blows bubbles.  For any person without a child, Gymboree would be worse than Chinese water torture.  haha.  BUT... for babies, it's a blast!  

We decided to go to the younger kids class.  The 6-10 month class, since these little ones aren't walking yet.  I don't want to make Lucy sad! 

I found that there were only a few things that Lucy 'couldn't' do.  The crawling through the obstacle course routine wouldn't work, so we went over and found a mini basketball hoop and threw the balls in the hoop while the other kids did the course.  

She sat on my lap the rest of the time and clapped her little hands! SO cute.  

She loves the bubbles.  The song goes, 'it's bubble time, bubble time, bubble time. B U B B L E bubble bubble time.'  (HAHA!)  Well, it gets Lucy going.  I thought she was going to dance right out of her cast!  

The other parents were really nice and understanding, except one 'genius' who I don't even know... she said 'how did you break her leg?'  REALLY?!  How did I break her leg?  So... (wait for it)... You will be VERY proud of me when I bit my tongue, smiled and explained that her hip was dislocated.  In the back of my head I said 'I am going to break YOUR leg lady!'  BUT... I was good.  I deserve a gold star for good behavior today.  :-)

It should have been called GYM-bor-momma today since I was literally about to die of heat exhaustion lifting this big ol baby up and down, up and down and all around.  I think I lost like 10 lbs!  YAH!

Today was a great day of how we are learning to focus on the things we CAN do.  Sure, she can't do everything at Gymboree, but she loves it SO much, so we will find things she can do.  She rode the rocking horse.  The teacher made her a little 'bed' out of an inner tube and some mats, so I pulled her around like the queen of Sheba.  Lucy loves being the queen.  Little does she know, she is just the princess.  

Here are a few pictures of my trooper.  

This cast isn't going to stop us from doing the things we love.  We just have to be creative!

Keep your fingers crossed her X Ray tomorrow is perfect!

Lucy waiting for the clown 'Gymbo' to come give her a kiss 

The rocking horse never looked so good. :)

We stopped to visit Grandpa for lunch after!

Bring on the toys!

My party baby

I love this... I know I always throw a few quotes in my blogs, but how true is this?!

Grandpa tickling my toes!