Growing

I took Sweet Pea to her 9 month check-up at the pediatrician this week.  She weighs 11 pounds, 13.5 ounces now.  That is still tiny even for her adjusted age, but she is growing nicely considering she was only 10 pounds when we got her.  The doctor mentioned we might end up having to wake her in the middle of the night to feed her just so she can gain more weight.  That seems silly.  She's gained nearly a pound a month since she's been here.  She had a little growth spurt a few days ago and is just about to finally outrgrow some of her 0-3 month pajamas with the feet because she's getting too tall.  Some of her clothes that she was just swimming in before are starting to fit her now.  It's fun to see these changes.

We fed her solid food for the first time last night.  Just oatmeal, but a huge step for us.  We finally got the okay from the pediatrician since we're still waiting for the speech therapist to get authorization from Medicaid to start coming out weekly.  And Sweet Pea did awesome, way better than I'd expected.  She really was ready.  Opened her mouth right up each time, barely pushed any out with her tongue, all with a big smile on her face.  I wish I could share the pictures on here!

After her pediatrician appointment, I had to take her to the hospital for bloodwork.  They said I could take her anywhere, but that they'd probably be best prepared to handle an infant at the hospital.  I was reluctant to take her there because I had to go there several times for bloodwork in my various pregnancies and the idea of having to go back there sounded traumatic.  But just as other things have been, it was better being there for Sweet Pea.  It felt like another experience coming full circle.  Life from loss.

I was so glad that I did take her to the hospital in the end.  They were so careful and gentle with Sweet Pea.  They even called in someone special to help draw her blood.  They ended up having to stick her in each arm and even then they weren't sure if they got enough.  But Sweet Pea was such a trooper.  She only cried a bit when the first needle went in and not at all for the second, even though they had to hold her down and move the needle all around to find the vein.  It was difficult to watch, but I knew it was important for me to be there for her.  It's amazing that just in these two months she's been with us that she has been able to become so attached to me that just me being there can comfort her.  I remember her first pediatrician appointment I took her to where they gave her two shots and she just screamed and screamed, unable to be soothed until she finally just fell asleep.  At this week's appointment when she got a shot and cried, she stopped quickly when I picked her up and calmed her down.  Amazing.

She is just about to get her second tooth.  There's been a big bump where you can see the tooth just about the break through for several days now.  Poor baby.  This one is really hurting her more than the first.  I just finally got her down for a nap after lots of screaming in pain.  I gave her orajel, tylenol, a teething ring.  Finally I just held her and bounced her to sleep.  Breaks my heart when I know she's in pain and there's such a limit to what I can do to help her.  And to think we could go through all this and she could still be taken away from us...