When I Grow Up

Today my precious daughter, Elizabeth, brought tears to my eyes. In a good way. She was looking at Melody's new Pavlik harness and she said to me, "When I grow up, I'll make fashionable ones!" If you know Elizabeth, she is all about fashion. She sews and sews and has her own sense of style. I've often wondered what God will do with that talent and passion. Could it be that having a disabled sister will lead her to make fashionable, pretty and fun accessories for the handicapped? What a wonderful use of her gifts that would be. Of course, I don't know what the future holds and she is only 9 1/2, but I do enjoy dreaming with her. Especially when her dreams are so wonderful. I know that Melody will have a dramatic impact on who her siblings grow up to be and do. Today I saw just a glimpse of what that could look like and I am proud.

Doing the Pavlik

Today Melody received her Pavlik hip harness, AKA The Rhino Kicker. It is for her hip dysplasia (dislocated hip.) It is basically is a bunch of velcro straps. It is softer and more flexible than I anticipated and Melody seems to be doing okay with it. She has been fussy today, but her nap schedule has been all off and she just wants to sleep. She seems to be sleeping fine with it on, so that is a blessing.

Mommy, however, is very frustrated with the whole harness. The man at Orthodics put it on Melody, but that was about it. I asked the few questions I knew to ask at the time, and he either didn't really know the answer or made it seem easier than it is. He also told me to put the harness on the complete opposite from the written instructions he sent home with me. I think the harness is actually not around Melody's feet properly in these pictures because of that.

However, in a few days we'll work all the bugs out and be old pros at this contraption. Changing her diaper is a major ordeal as it is over her clothing. I found cute little leg warmers today and hopefully I'll be able to show you some adorable fashion options we've discovered in the next few days. If she could just wear a onesie, we'd be fine, but it is far too cold for that right now. I'll follow up with Orthopedics tomorrow as they apparently are the ones who really tell you how to use the brace, not Orthodics. Melody will have a hip ultrasound in 6 weeks to see how this whole thing is working.

We also need to discover a solution for spitting up on the pavlik. The name sounds like something you should ralph on, so Melody did. Numerous times. It will be a very stinky Rhino soon. I can wash it, but am also supposed to keep her in it 23 hours a day, so that will be a trick. The Orthopedics said 23 hours. The man at Orthodics said aim for 20 hours a day. Another discrepency. She will have to wear it for "months" or "a year" have been the answers I have received so far. I figure the more faithful we can be with having her wear it, hopefully the shorter the duration will be over all.

Pray for our Pavlik adjustments.

4 months

Our Cutums

Melody is now 4 months old! It is hard to believe. She is such a cutie. Her bright blue eyes are showing no signs of changing and I often find myself calling her "blue eyes." If they stay blue, she'll be the only one with blue eyes in our family. She loves to look people in the eye and just study them. She talks, coos, laughs and interacts so much. The real fun is watching all of the rest of us try to make her laugh, though.

Our Cutums 2

Thursday morning Melody will be fitted for her Pavlik Harness hip brace. So, our adventure with bracing begins. We'll see what that all entails. Though her right knee also makes a clicking, we have been told by the PT that they will not do anything for that right now.

My new ride

A friend got this wonderful supersaucer for Melody. She enjoys it though it dwarfs her and her little feet dangle in the air. She can't be in it too long, yet, as her head is still a bit unsteady. It has a place for balls to go in the legs of it, so Joel thinks that is cool, too.

Hanging in my crib

Melody has been growing rapidly and I've begun to put away all her 0-3 month clothes and pull out the 3-6 month ones. She put on a pound and a half in one week. Last I weighed her she was over 12 pounds. She still wears the smallest socks we can find and only a few pair really stay on her feet.

Miss Crazy Hair with Elizabeth

Miss Crazy Hair

Our Bathing Beauty

Not My Mommy 2!

My Mommy did not go back to bed at 8:30am, not MY Mommy.

My Mommy did not forget how many days it has been since we've had a bath, not MY Mommy.

My Mommy did not decide between baths and sanity today, not MY Mommy.

My Mommy did not get up from her morning nap, only to feed us lunch and take an afternoon nap with us as well, not MY Mommy.

My Mommy did not give herself a time out today, not MY Mommy.

My Mommy did not do schoolwork with us on Saturday because we were behind, not MY Mommy.

My Mommy did not rent movies from Redbox and say they were for us when they really were for her, not MY Mommy.

My Mommy did not receive a lap-full of baby barf and seriously consider just letting it air dry, not MY Mommy.

My Mommy did not go to bed with a sinkful of dirty dishes, not MY Mommy.

Someone else must have been at our house today, cause it was not MY Mommy.

I Wish, But . . .

I wish spina bifida was a phase, but I'm thankful for medical miracles that make living with SB easier.

I wish Melody would outgrow spina bifida, but I'm thankful she has the opportunity to live to grow up.

I wish the hospital would resolve all the medical billing disputes so we can close out the bills, but I'm thankful for provision for paying all of them either way.

I wish Melody didn't need a hip brace, but I'm thankful for braces that can help her hip.

I wish Melody's right knee didn't feel "dislocated" as well, but I'm thankful I noticed it early.

I wish I didn't get discouraged so often, but I'm thankful for God's mercies which are new every morning and give me the strength to go on.

Christmas

Christmas has come and gone and we had a wonderful time. I am busily trying to wade through a very long "to do" list before the kids resume school on the 11th. Thankfully, we still have this week off.

Melody has begun to grab for things and was mezmerized by her hands this afternoon. Grandma and Grandpa sure enjoyed all her cooing and talking. She just looks everyone right in the eye and just keeps eye contact while she talks and interacts. Definitely a social baby.


Of course, Christmas was enjoyed by all the kids. It took Joel a few days to realize there would be no more presents for awhile. I have lots of other pictures and dedication photos to post, but for now enjoy a few pictures of Christmas.