+ Hip-py chick +
Well, it was a super-quick checkup as predicted. But he did do x-rays, and they looked fine! Even daddy said they looked fine, thank God! You'll have to go back in February for one more checkup, and the doctor said it would probably be just as quick a checkup. Whatever. As long as he's looking at the x-rays closely enough to know they're fine, I'm happy. Yay!

+ Did hell freeze over? +
Seven o'clock p.m.
Six o'clock a.m.
That's how long you slept. Wha-? You had a VERY slightly elevated temperature, I'm sure left over from your immunizations. So I gave you a dropper-full of baby Tylenol around 6:30. You had squash again last night but really didn't want much of it. That was strange. So after a final good nursing at 6:50, you were rubbing your eyes a lot. I put you down and you were out like a light. Tired myself, I retired at 8:30. I never even heard daddy come home from work - I was very sleepy. This morning about 5:15, I woke with a start! I ran into your room and put my hand on your little back and you stirred a little. Still breathing. *phew* You started stirring for real again around 6:00 and I heard you kick on your Fisher Price Aquarium (another of your neat tricks) about 6:15. Up at 6:30, you were just fine. Wow.

I, on the other hand, could use some help. I nursed you at 6:30, earlier than I usually do our pre-work nursing (though I did it again at 7:30 for good measure), but I was (TMI alert) SOOOOO full of milk, I had to get it out! I pumped one side as I usually do in the morning, and got 4 oz. out in no time. The other side you emptied even faster, though I'm guessing you probably got about 6 oz. out of there. Yikes! Thanks to Michelle for the camisole things. They actually helped last night with support, and I hadn't even planned to need it for that!

Anyway, as we speak you are at the orthopedic surgeon's office with daddy for a checkup on your hips. I'm still hoping they'll x-ray them to make sure they're solid. The Dr. is a weird one as I've mentioned before. And if all we get is his quickie checkup, daddy and you will only be in there about 30 seconds, tops. I'm not sure I will feel confident that everything's okay with a super-quick check. Hopefully daddy will call me soon with an update.

+ Momma Milk +
Another good read as to the long-term benefits of breastfeeding, especially for small babies. Must be all that milkfat.

+ What else? +
Other little developments I keep meaning to log... You have an amusing new pasttime: Looking behind you over your carseat to stare at me while I'm driving. Charming. You also will open your mouth wide in anticipation if I even pick UP a pacifier/binky. You find your binky in your crib in the morning and play with it, and have gotten quite adept at putting it back in your mouth (even if upside-down sometimes). When nursing, you still suck off and look around all the time. Now though you have developed a habit of sucking off and sitting up. "Okay, I guess you're done" is my usual response. And yesterday I caught you "waving" goodbye to Maria with a swing down of your arm. Neat trick, that. She apparently taught you this and it's very cute. It's accompanied by a huge grin. :)

+ Squish +
You also like squash. What's up with that? Your grandma said maybe I'll learn to eat like you. Nah. I just figure you've got Daddy's ability to eat anything. You ate a ton of my homemade applesauce, and 1/2 jar of squash, gobbling them both down. We haven't found a single food yet you DON'T like. Wow.

+ What a big girl! +
Your doctor's appointment yesterday went very well! You weighed 14 lbs. 4.25 oz., which is the 25% - exactly what you have been since right after your birth (when you were 10%). You are 27 inches long, in the 75%! Long and skinny little girl. We knew that, though. Your head was 17 inches, and I don't know what percentile that is. Everything looked great, she said your hips felt good (yay!) and everything is as it should be.

Then you showed off for her, sitting on the table like a big girl. You sat for a long time, too. The doctor was very impressed and said "That's great. That's a 7-9 month thing!" Well, who knew? After she left, you showed me how well you can roll from sitting to a crawling position. Of course, you're not actually crawling yet, but that's just a technicality. You are SO close, I realized I must begin babyproofing, and pronto! Last night you were on the floor, playing with your Learning Table and you pushed up on all fours and started rocking for a long time. Finally, you looked up at me and started chatting up a storm. Ugh. You are growing so big, so fast.

I have some more pics, now that I finally changed the batteries in the digicam. I will post those in her newest album (not made yet) shortly. Feel free to email if you want those. I might just go back and email everyone who previously had access if I get the time. If you haven't heard from me and want in, just shout! I'm still working on the password section yet. *sigh* Someday, I promise...

+ Poor thing +
Shots today. In about an hour and a half. :(

+ Dreft stain remover +
...is some good stuff. I got ALL of the stains out of the bibs and outfits and burp cloths from last week-ish. A couple needed 2 runs through, but that Dreft stain remover (combined with Baby Care All) did the trick! Yay!

I think you might be getting sick again, dammit. You are sniffly and sneezy. It might just be our wonky weather, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

+ I'll be right by your side, come hell or water high, down any road you choose to roam +
That's from a Live song out right now I love. It makes me misty every time I hear it.

Anyway. Nice weekend, not very restful as usual. You have now eaten: rice cereal, applesauce, carrots, sweet peas, sweet potatoes and pears. Tonight it's homemade applesauce and probably in a few days we'll try green beans. I didn't mean to switch you through foods so fast, but I only bought one jar of each and you eat a lot! Last night we had 1/2 a jar of pears and a decent serving of rice cereal. Little piglet.

Mason, Chris and I bought the stuff to make your Halloween costume on Saturday. Guess what you're going to be? A purple monkey. Heh. It's basically the tiger-looking one here, only the body and tail will be lavender flannel and the ears and tummy will be royal purple. It's going to be adorable, trust me. Uncle Mason is the domestic sewing type, but he's going to show me how to do it too. Fun!

You're getting so incredibly strong. You can sit, when you don't realize you're doing it. You were sitting at Grandma's yesterday, and with me on the couch last night and this morning. The key is not drawing your attention to the fact that you're not being held. Oh, and having toys in front of you to keep you leaning slightly forward. You are also closer to crawling for me. You are almost always on your tummy now, at least doing push-ups if not on all fours. On all fours, you're mostly just rocking but that's how it starts! In push-up position, you can scoot pretty far in search of a toy.

Your sense of humor is developing more and more all the time. You love to sit with me and play fetch with "the doggie" (Princess). She jumps up on the couch with the ball, and you giggle. I throw it and you watch her run to get it, and run back. Wash, rinse, repeat. You also like to grab onto Princess's fur and beard which she is not enjoying. Oh well!

This morning you were sneezing a LOT. I really hope it's just allergies. You were rubbing your face and eyes last night too, so I hope it is environmental (i.e. pollen) allergies and not food. :-( I didn't see any real rash and your tummy seems okay, so I don't think so. By the way, poop enters a whole new realm when starting solids. I always heard that but didn't truly understand until now. I got the poopy booby prize last night. Ewwwie. It looks healthy, just very different. Sorry. TMI.

There was something else I was going to write but I can't remember. Wednesday is your (late) 6 month checkup and Friday Daddy is taking you for your orthopedic surgeon (hips) checkup. I am not worried about either, though I'm really hoping things are still okay with your hips. I think they are, but how can I really tell?