Appointments Appointments!

The last several weeks, Between Brielle and myself we have been averaging 5-7 appointments a week! Its quite exhausting! But well worth it in the end when you see the progress it is having on Brielle!

Brielle had her 2 year post laser eye surgery check up on Monday. We were facing a potential tear duct surgery, but it resolved on its own!!! YAY! Her retinas look great from the surgery. And once again, she got the rockstar stamp from her doctor! He said that as fast as her ROP progressed and she needed the laser surgery so fast (They did it on a saturday as an emergency) that he is really really surprised she is not in glasses for near sightedness. Ill take it! Be as surprised as you want Doc!! We will go back in April to have a dialated appointment which is more invasive so to speak as they dilate her eyes and really really look in them as where Monday I just held her still and he just shined the light and looked thru his magnifying glasses into her eye. We know she can see. She spots things that Josh and I have to look for. Its incredible and Im so grateful her eyes are doing so well with all the oxygen she was on, the laser surgery, and how premature she was!

Brielle was fitted for new orthodics last week. Her therapist was up in the air as far as to keep her with her SMO on the right and her DAFO on the left. SMO is short and covers her ankle, DAFO is up the mid of her calf and seperates as she walks so she doesnt have to work as hard to walk. She had debated about putting her in both SMOs as that is our goal long term. She was worried however, because she really needs both the SMO and DAFO for her left as she varies day to day. One day her ankle is so flippn tight she tip toes and or drag her toe on the ground and the next day she looks great but her hamstring fires to quick so she is high stepping. She really does change day to day! So we had Peter come to fit her for the new orthodics and he watched her walk and stretched her, well TRIED to stretch her, and said her left was SO SO SO SO SO tight it was crazy. So him and I talked about some options and the one we chose was to go with the DAFO but made alittle higher than her one now, which Im not crazy about, but glad winters coming! And to attach a night stretch dohicky to it so that it stretches her toes straight in the air and back to give her ankle and he calf a stretch the entire night she sleeps. NOW, I am extremely excited that she will be getting this incredible stretch that she will NOT let me do to her! But I am skeptical that she will not sleep with it and tolerate it. All we can do is try and hope for the best. I just have a bad feeling it is going to be a nightmare! This is a child who HATES to wear shoes/socks and everytime she gets in her carseat things she needs to shed her shoes immediately. I hope she rolls with the punches and it doesnt bother her! It is really going to help her if she will tolerate it! Even if she gives me half a night Id take it!!

We have been battling a chronic wheeze with Brielle. It all started when she got pneumonia about a month ago. We've been to the doctor almost weekly and nothing is working. Her doctor now has her on singular. Our battle is getting it in her! I opted for the chewable tablet as she has learned to spit and spits the liquid out on us! Well now she takes one bite of the tablet and throws it to the dogs. Oye! So then we tried to crush it and hide it, well shes to smart and pushes it away and says "I dont like it." So this is my new past time, trying to hide all her meds in her food so they get in her one way or another! Not an easy feat when she is pretty much watching for any trace of medicine in her food!

Apple....Apple is head down and giving me incredible hip pain galore! When I went in for my 31 week check she was measuring right on 31 weeks. Now at 33 weeks she is measuring 35 weeks. Her heart rate was 128 which is low compared to her normal 150-160's. But still within normal limits. So my doctor is ordering a growth ultrasound to see how big she is and if she is growing too rapidly as the last jump was unexpected. I was alittle nervous, because I had asked around 24 weeks when my next Ultrasound would be and she said I would not have another unless something was wrong with baby. So when she said ultrasound my head started to spin. But from what Ive read and from talking to others, its just to make sure she isnt growing to quickly and I can still do a vaginal birth etc. So until the ultrasound, remain chill! Josh and I went and got all Brielles NB clothes Sunday so I could start working on them. I just pulled the first load from the dryer and I cant belive how big Brielle has gotten. Shes still alittle peanut, but man looking at these New born clothes really puts it into perspective how small she was at one point. And she didnt even fit in preemie clothes in the beginning. These kids grow too dang fast! I am grateful to be a stay at home mom and watch her grow. I can not imagine missing all the stuff she does. But I live by the saying "You need to be apart of your childs memories to make memories" If your not around and miss all the stuff they do and experience what do you have left? Nothing but looking back when they are 14 and want nothing to do with you lol With that being said, Apple is going to be here in no time! 4 weeks and she is full term already. EEEKKS! I really dont know where this pregnancy has gone! Its flew by all so fast!!!