It's about time...

Hi everyone,

Sorry again for the very long delay in posting - I just never seem to get a spare minute lately, especially since Brody has completely decided that he is just too old for naps. We've given up trying to make him take them and now we just try for an earlier bedtime.

As far as Lila goes, she continues to do really well. We had our 3rd follow-up with the surgeon today and he was very pleased with her progress. She weighs about 12 pounds, 13 ounces and is now hovering between the 7th and 10th percentile curves. We did schedule Lila's surgery for her umbilical hernia repair today. She will be having that surgery on December 2nd and hopefully that will be the last issue we have to deal with around her stomach. Lila started rolling over from her back to her stomach this past weekend, smiles a lot and is pretty pleasant the majority of the time, except when Brody tries to "take care of her" (e.g. brushing her "teeth" while I was out of the room for 1 minute the other day - he insisted that she needed her teeth cleaned no matter how many times I told him she did not have any). We introduced cereals, bananas, applesauce, and a few other babyfoods and Lila has tolerated them really well and seems to like eating which is such a relief. She literally yells at me while she is waiting for me to get her food ready. Sleeping is improving too and she has moved from the bassinet in our room into her crib as of 2 nights ago. Lila still wakes up 1 or 2 times per night to eat, but I don't mind at all. We continue to be amazed at how well Lila faired through everything she went through and are anxious to have her hernia repaired so all the surgeries are behind us.

I have heard some complaints about not posting pictures of the halloween costumes, so here they are as well as a bunch more from the past 2 months.

4 month picture:

Mario Andretti-in-the-making...

Lila's first cereal:

Riding the tractor with daddy:

This is what happens to the visor on Brody's helmet because he insists on keeping it down:

And this is what happened when I made him keep it up because he couldn't see:

Our little Chiquita banana:

It's been a while...

Hi everyone,

It's been a while since I updated the blog, but it has been a VERY busy month, so I have an excuse. Lila turned 3 months old a few days ago and is still doing very well. She had her second follow-up appointment with the surgeon last week and weighed in at 9 pounds, 15 ounces. He was very pleased with her progress and she is staying her course around the 5th percentile curve. We don't have to go back to see the surgeon again until she is 5 months old at which time we will schedule her surgery to repair her umbilical hernia, which is still present. The surgeon said it will be a routine outpatient surgery procedure so we will worry about it when we come to it. Lila is starting to smile a lot more, has been cooing a lot, and even rolled over from her stomach to her back today (although it was on the bed with a little incline helping her out so I'm not completely counting that yet!). 

As I said before, this has been a very busy month. My brother got married, Lila was baptized, Brody turned 2 years old (potty-trained, moved upstairs to a big-boy race car bed, and stopped taking naps!!), and I started a new job. Tom took the week off for Brody's birthday and we got to take some mini-vacations around here taking Brody (and Lila) to an animal park, to Idlewild, and to the Aviary. Brody loved having his dad home so much and it was so nice to spend so much time as a family with all of us there (even if Lila did sleep 95% of the time). 

I want to take a minute a say thank you again to everyone who provided positive thoughts, prayers, and support for us through all of this. I keep hearing of all the people who were praying for us all along and it continues to amaze me how far that web of people stretches. We are so fortunate to be where we are today and I truly believe that is largely in part to everyone's support. At my new job, I am working with more medically complex kids. Seeing these kids and what they and their families face every day really puts it into perspective what a blessing Lila is and how lucky we are. I don't think I will ever drive past Children's Hospital without getting chills, or look at the parents sitting outside without going back there in my mind to our time in the NICU when we wore those pink stickers displaying "NICU Parent." So thank you, thank you, thank you...

And now for some pictures, because every post is better with some cute pictures!

Living Treasures Animal Park:

Brody wasn't too sure about the zebra, but he wanted to feed him...

Our "genius..."

Figured it out this time!

Idlewild Park:

Brody on his first roller coaster - you can see the top of his hat next to Tom in the 2nd row. You had to be 36 inches to ride and Brody just made it (I think his hat put him over the requirement!).

Brody meeting the Aviary's Simon the penguin!

Captain Underpants in his new race car helmet

Happy girl!

Before Craig and Amy's wedding...

And this is what he looked like at 11:30pm after not napping...

Brody's race car cake

Lila with her great-grandma after her baptism

Our blue-eyed babies - I still can't believe neither one has brown eyes!
Brody "reading" to Lila
Our Steeler fans!
Big 3 month old!

Steady, steady wins the race...

Hi everyone,

Lila had her 2 month well-visit last week and weighed in at 8 pounds, 11 ounces! She is still on the 4th percentile curve (12th on the preemie chart), but is making steady gains. The pediatrician was happy to see that she is continuing on that curve and said not to change anything we are doing. Brody has his 2 year check-up in 2 weeks so the doctor said we can weigh Lila again at that visit to see how she is progressing then. We will meet with the surgeon again on Sept. 8th. 

Lila continues to do well and is starting to smile a little more. I've gotten a few full-blown smiles from her in the past week and it makes my day when I see that! Brody is still a great big brother - he loves to kiss her and hug her and thought it was hysterical when I put her in the crib with him. 

He is growing up way too fast and has moved upstairs to his "big-boy" race car bed for naps and to sleep at night. He is also doing really well with the potty-training and loves wearing his "big-boy" underwear (specifically Buzz Lightyear or Handy Manny). I just have to have a lollipop handy at all times as a reward! 

Lila's umbilical hernia looks like it is here to stay until it is surgically repaired. It has gotten a little bigger, but the pediatrician said as long as it stays soft with no redness, not to worry about it. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the last few weeks of summer!

Brody during one of his last naps in his crib - obviously he was so tired he couldn't even put the book down...
Brody and Lila's first ride in the double stroller. Also, one of Brody's first outings wearing underwear - he is clutching a lollipop in his hand.

Just for fun...

Nothing really new to report - just wanted to post some pictures from the past couple days. Brody has had a very exciting few days. He got fitted for his ringbearer tux and got a new quad - all of these activities involved Brody's new prized possession - his baseball helmet (complete with face mask). He insisted on wearing the helmet through the entire fitting (this was a battle I didn't feel like fighting). 

Here he is on is new quad (thanks to his Aunt Cathy and Uncle Dan!) which he is in LOVE with...

And because Lila's too cute not to post any pictures of her...