First trip to the Urologist

Our first visit to the Urologist was more just of an informative meeting and a consultation about getting the work-up done to rule out "reflux".  Since Ashlyn had a fever and vomiting with her UTI a couple of weeks ago, they have to assume it was a kidney infection vs a bladder infection.  When a baby has a kidney infection at this age, they have to rule out reflux (where the bladder pushes urine back to the kidneys when it fills as it is trying to empty).  Untreated reflux can lead to chronic kidney infections which can lead to scarring and damage to the kidneys.  We learned a lot about reflux and the procedures they do to test for it. Ashlyn is scheduled to have the work-up done May 4th.  We aren't thrilled about the x-rays and the radiation exposure, but trust the specialists and agree it should be done.  It is very little exposure, but still...we would rather none at all.  And the procedure is done under gas sedation which we weren't too excited about either.  But it makes it easier on the baby and those trying to do it.  It takes less than 10 minutes.  They basically insert a catheter and fill her bladder with dye.  They take a series of x-rays as the bladder fills to determine if there is any reflux.  They will also do another sonogram of her kidneys to look for scarring (which is highly unlikely).  They did a basic sonogram in the office and her kidneys looked good...same size and no hydronephrosis.  Prayers would be appreciated for a good check-up and no reflux!  Will keep you posted.

Easter bunny at school

Ashlyn got to have her picture taken with the Easter bunny at school.  This was the first time she has ever seen a person dressed up like this.  She did pretty well....really wasn't too concerned about him.  Only had an iphone for pictures so the quality is terrible, but it was still pretty cute!

A girl's day

For the past several years, Chance has gone fishing with my dad for their annual guy's trip.  They get up really early Saturday morning and drive to Lake Texoma.  They get on the boats around 7 and head out with the guides.  They usually pull in over 100 fish!  This year, Ashlyn and I stayed in Arlington with Gma and Aunt Sarah. We had a fun girl's day.  We ate lots of good food and spent sometime outside at the park and met a horse.

Here are a couple of pics from the fishing trip

And a couple from the girl's day

Leapin' Lizards!

Ashlyn and I were enjoying a nice afternoon out on a blanket in the front yard, eating her watermelon from school.  She was laying on her tummy picking the grass and out of the corner of my eye I saw what I thought was a leaf fall from the tree on her back.  With a quick second glance I realized that was not a bright green leaf, it was a GECKO!  On her back.  Now, I am not scared of geckos, but they can be startling.  Out of reaction and maybe a protective reflex, I swatted the gecko off of her back and sent it sailing into the bushes!  Ashlyn looked back at me like, "Mom, why did you just hit me?"  I may have brushed her a little during my instinctive swat.  Oh well, at least I saved her from that ferocious lizard!

Can we get a break???

Seriously...another cold???  The last cold finally went away on Thursday.  We had 2 healthy days...count them 1, 2!  Started with a runny nose last night and now a full blown cold!  Sheesshh!  She has seriously been sick since December when we started school.  Everyone warned me, but I thought "Eh, they are exaggerating.  Surely she won't really be sick for an entire year?!?!"  Now I am beginning to think she might be.  Even in the midst of a cold she is still a happy baby.  Gotta love her!

A Saturday full of birthday parties!

Yesterday was a very busy day!  The morning started off with chores around the house, a few errands and Chance and Justin painting the garage!  The garage is painted, along with some touch up stuff around the house. Yay!  Thanks Justin.  One more thing checked off the to do list.  And it looks great!  Chance was still painting the garage so Ashlyn and I loaded up and went to Briley's (my good friend Katie's daughter) birthday party.  

Katie and I have been friends since the day I was born!

The party was at this really neat gymnastics place.  The kids had a blast running, jumping, tumbling, eating cake, playing hide and go seek and opening gifts.  Ashlyn and Brady got to play together for a little while.

Brady (8 1/2 months) and Ashlyn (11 months)

Aunt Sarah and Ashlyn

Look at all of those red faces!
Those kids had a blast.

It was a great birthday party.  Happy 4th Birthday Briley.  

Briley Baughman
Age 4

After the party we loaded back up in the car and headed home.  Ashlyn snoozed on the way home.  We picked up Chance and headed back out for another birthday celebration.  One of my co-workers, Sarah, had a birthday dinner at Eno's Tavern in Bishop Arts.  

Crazy Sarah
The Birthday Girl

There were about 20 of us crowded around the table.  It is always so much fun to see co-workers outside of work (and scrubs).  

Kimiko
Fashionably Late

Michael and Julie
(Leaving us for Houston)

Rob and Jennie

Edward, David (The Pharmacist) and Mark

Ashlyn was such a trooper.  She was passed around the table and in and out of a lot of different hands!  She didn't seem to mind it at all!  

And she was only quick enough to spill 2 glasses of water!  

Drying off from the 1st spill

With such a large group it took a while to order and eat.  We finally left around 9:30 which is an hour and a half past her bedtime.  She didn't seem to mind! She is a party animal!

And when all else fails...give her a strap!  Her favorite thing in the world.  Entertainment for hours upon hours!  It's the simplest things.

It was a great day of birthday celebrations!

11 months old!

There is no way!  Our sweet baby girl cannot already be 11 months old.  I really have to get busy planning a birthday party!!  I get very emotional thinking about her turning 1 year old.  But that is not what this post is about.  I will save that for next month :)  This post is about what an amazingly beautiful, smart, sweet, funny, happy, loving 11 month old Ashlyn is.

Weight-17 lbs 14 ounces (Had a check-up yesterday for her ear infection and UTI..both are gone!)

Height-not sure, but getting longer!

Diapers-Size 3

Clothes-mostly 9-12 months, but can still squeeze into some 6 month stuff (if it is really cute;)

Eats-3-4 bottles (6-8 ounces) and 3 solid meals a day with some snacks in the afternoon

Sleeps-12-13 hours at night.  Goes to bed around 8.  Naps are still sporadic, but seem to be getting a little longer.  Still the queen of cat napping!

Medicine-we are down to 1 dose of the medication for her hemangioma!  WOOHOO!  And it looks AWESOME!  We follow up with the plastic surgeon this month and I know he is going to be so pleased.  We are still watching it closely because we are just now entering the involution phase of the birthmark. These types of birthmarks growth rampantly for the first 9 months and then start going away.  The medicine she is taking did exactly what it is supposed to do.  And more!  In theory it is supposed to halt the growth, but since we got on it so early and we were so consistent with it (it is very hard to give a newborn oral medicine 3 times a day...especially when they have reflux!) it actually began involuting much earlier than normal!  She has responded so well to this treatment, her doctor is going to use her a case study.

New achievements-shaking her head no, her claps actually make sound now, scooting around while sitting, going from sitting to lying down (controlled...not just falling over), she has gotten up into sitting once on her own (time to lower the crib again), consistently waving hello and bye-bye, banging toys together to hear the noise they make, taking toys out of something (doesn't put them away yet;), jumping in her johnny jumper, pushing buttons to turn toys on and off, drinking from a real cup, mimicking many more sounds, expressions and movements, holding her bottle (still needs a little help, but is getting much more independent with it), she can stand while holding on to something if you help her get there, and she has 2 new teeth (the top front ones)!

Loves-being silly with her daddy, her dogs, puffs, sunglasses, cell phones, remotes, keys (all of the things we really don't want her to have), bath time, is starting to get into reading books (where it seems like she is listening and looking at the pictures and not just trying to eat the book), being on the floor (she really doesn't want to be held much, especially in the house), her pacifier at night, other babies and kids, music, yogurt, tickling my feet,  all of her new toys from Aunt Kristin, her teachers and friends at school!

Not so crazy about-getting her diaper or clothes changed, getting strapped into the car seat (unless she can chew on the strap), finger foods (unfortunately we took a backslide with her eating.  For the past 1-2 weeks she hasn't really liked eating table food.  I think it was because of the 2 new teeth and am hoping we are coming out of that phase.  She had been doing so well and was eating so many things and  was pretty much capable of feeding herself an entire meal), having her nose or face wiped, and having to share her teacher's lap at school!

I guess I have been a better blogger lately, because I have already posted most of the pictures from the past month.  Here are her 11 month crib pictures!  It is almost impossible to get a shot of her on her back!  Meanwhile, I will be emotionally preparing myself for my sweet baby girl to turn 1!