A Little Hope

Today #2 had another doctor appointment.  We visited her doctor for what is called an OMT appointment.  I don't have a clue what OMT stands for.  It is hard to explain what these appointments are like.  By applying constant, gentle pressure, the doctor aligns different things in the kids bodies.  They generally focus on the skull.  It is slightly like a chiropractor... only to the untrained eye (like me) it really doesn't look like anything is happening.  The average appointment involves about 20 minutes of adjusting.  And they do the entire body from hip to head.  Today it took 25, and almost all of that was on #2's hips.

And I can see a difference.  The doctor taught me some things I can do to help keep it aligned.  If we can continue to keep things right, and if we can keep getting this much change at each appointment, we may be able to avoid surgery!  It is going to be hard work to get here there, but there is some hope!  I would MUCH rather have lots of doctor appointments and be inconvenienced by having to change the way I do things and do lots of stretching and adjusting here at home, than do surgery.  We were meeting with the doctor every six weeks, we have switched to every two.  For now we are keeping our appointment with the surgeon, just in case.  But, if things continue to change then we will be able to cancel!  SO HAPPY!!

Giggles

#1 and #2 are really starting to enjoy each other.  Not always, but sometimes, most often when we are in the car, I will hear giggles coming from the back seat.  They aren't doing a lot.  They just look at each other and smile.  #1's smile makes #2 giggle.  #2's giggle makes #1 smile.  It is a beautiful cycle.  I love it.

In other news, we finally got an appointment with the surgeon for #2.  Unfortunately, the next open appointment is on October 5th.  That is really far away.  Something about this city, if you are good at all, your next available appointment is always at least a month away.  It totally bugs.  So... guess we just try to keep her comfortable and happy til then?  She is starting to get frustrated when her body holds her back.  She tries so hard to roll over, but then ends up giving up with the saddest little cry.  Poor kid.  She is such a sweet girl!

 #1 has decided she really likes my shoes.

Just playing under the coffee table.  #2 scooted herself there.  She lays on her back and pushes herself around with her heels.  Way to adapt kid!

So, my phone does this thing where if I take a bunch of similar photos in a row it puts them together into something like this.  #1 really felt the need to do my hair.  (I hadn't planned on all of the pictures being put together, so please pardon my crazy faces!)

Little Help

So, in about an hour I am going to the hospital with #2.

A few weeks ago, I started noticing that something wasn't quite right.  #2 can't straighten out her body.  If she is standing up her little bum is sticking out.  When she lays on the floor she always has her legs up.  If I try I can force her legs down, but then she has to arch her back. She also can't roll over.  Her top half can do it, but she can't get her legs to follow.  I could tell something was off.

She had a well check today and I talked to her doctor about it.  We currently know very little.  Her left leg is longer than her right.  And something is off with her hips.  We are going to the hospital for x-rays to see what is going on.  In a perfect world, everything is normal and we just need some physical therapy to get her hips to work correctly.  In an imperfect world we will find out that she needs surgery.

I'm kind of freaking out, and trying not to.  I mean, really, in every other way she is perfect.  I just hope a little physical therapy is all that we need.

So, if anyone feels inspired to pray for my sweet girl that everything is fine, that would be great.

*UPDATE 7 hours later*  I heard back from the Doctor, and I guess the x-rays aren't awesome.  They didn't take shots of what the doctor wanted so she couldn't see everything she hoped to see.  However, she did say that the hip is where it is supposed to be, and nothing looks broken.  (I didn't even know broken was an option!)  She is still pretty concerned, because there is obviously something unusual going on.  I just keep hearing that her "hips are really tight!"  I don't know what that means.  The doctor wants to meet with us next Wednesday morning to look at her hips some more.  For now, she is thinking that we should probably meet with a pediatric orthopedic surgeon because they would have a better idea of what to look for to figure out what is wrong.  So, I guess we still don't really know anything except that the obvious isn't the problem.  We'll have to keep trying to figure this out.  Thanks for the kind thoughts and prayers!

Accidentally Inactive

While serving my mission, I met a lot of women who thought they were still active in the Church.  They hadn't been to church for over a year, but because they knew the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they still felt they were active.  They had just gotten out of the habit of going to church.  I never understood those women.

But I'm starting too!  (Don't you worry, all, I'm not losing my testimony or anything.)

The month #1 turned 18 months old (yeah for being able to go to nursery!) Hod switched positions at work.  Now he has to work two Sundays a month.  I have learned who is willing and able to help me during Sacrament meeting, so we still go.  I get a little help during that meeting, and then for the rest of church #1 is in nursery so I'm fine!

But, you aren't allowed to go to nursery if you have a cough or a fever.  Lately about once a month #1 has both.  Now, because we have 1:00 PM church, I always miss Sunday School.  #2 does not like to sleep while being held, and that is nap time.  Because of this it takes me about 30 minutes to get her to sleep.  Our Sunday School teachers are very enthusiastic, (which is awesome!) and their loud voices wake her up.  When Hod is at church we trade off who gets to go to Sunday School.  #2 is usually super happy during Relief Society, so it is all good there.  Our building is currently under construction, so as of last week, only the Chapel, the Nursery, and the Bishop's office have doors.  If you have a crying kid in the halls EVERYONE can hear you.  Because of all of this, if Hod has to work, and #1 gets sick, we just stay home.

Now, I did try going to Church one week by myself with a sick #1.  We left half way through Sunday School.  After 20 minutes of screaming by both girls I just took them home.  We weren't getting anything that day.  It has been a full 6 weeks since I have been to church with Hod.  Either he has to work, or #1 is sick so one of us stays home.  (Usually me, cause I get to go to church more than he does.)

I miss church.  Have two under two while your hubby works is hard.

In other news, someone tried to break into our apartment last night.  They pulled the screen out of #1's bedroom window.  The window was locked so they couldn't open it.  I called dispatch to have someone come and look at it, but there isn't really anything we can do.  SO glad we put our 60 day notice in last week!  I'm giving sick #1 a few extra kisses today.  (cause she is sick and because someone tried to break into her room.)

#2 can sit up, and can stand.  She still can't roll over.  But she is getting close.  She seems to not have any desire to crawl at all.  When I put her on her tummy she holds her head up for a while, but then she gets all pitiful and plants her face on the floor and cries.  It is pretty sad.  She is such a cute kid!

I think #1 is getting close to being ready to toilet train.  We decided to start sitting on the toilet, just to get her used to it.  She hates it and screams.  I think she is afraid of falling in.  We need to get one of those little toilet seats to help with that.  I wish she could communicate better.  But we are getting a referral for a speech therapist.  Just waiting for the nurse to call me back.  (Well, not today, cause it is Sunday.)

The other day our couch broke.  So, we went window shopping.  Looks like it is time to start saving up!  We actually found a couch that we both like.  Seriously, that is a big deal, we have very different tastes.  It is a couch where we don't have to touch each other, and we can both be comfortable.  We feel old that we are to that point.  Sometimes, at the end of a long day, you just need your own space.

I am FINALLY feeling like a non crazy person again.  Yeah for being 6 months postpartum!  So glad to feel like myself.

Hod is working hard.  He is kind of over his job, so he is looking around for a new one.  And he starts online school in a few weeks.

Busy times at our house!

The Monster

#1 has always been a champ.  Don't get me wrong, when things aren't the way she wants them she can throw a fit with the best of them, but she has dealt with a lot in her little life.

I guess between Hod and I, we refer to #1 as the Ornery One, and #2 as the Happy Camper.

It seems those days are changing.

#1 is finally starting to get over her orneryness.  #2 is just starting.  What is the culprit of #2's orneryness? Teething.  When #1 was teething it wasn't ever a big deal.  We'd give her some teething tablets, and she'd go to sleep, and life was good.  #2 can't handle it though.  We try teething tablets, we try Tylenol, we try everything.  And the poor girl can't get a break!  The only thing that relieves her is chewing on a cold bottle of water.  Currently that is the only way I can get her to sleep.  This is making for long nights.  A bottle of water only stays cold so long.  And then she moans and starts chewing on her hands, but then she bites too hard, so her life keeps being sad, and there is no hope in her world.

My sweet little girl is turning into a bit of a monster.  But I can't really blame her.

I mean, how can you be angry when she gives smiles like that?

 And This?

 And a little of this.

And just because I have two cute girls, and I can't leave #1 out.

These Girls rock my knee highs.

Parenting

#2 is a pretty sound sleeper.  Our apartment has really thin walls, and we have noisy neighbors.  She also has a pretty loud big sister.

However, there are certain very quiet sounds that she easily wakes up to.  The hardest one for me: the sound of my jeans swishing as I walk.  You see, I am not a super skinny girl.  My thighs touch.  I'm good with it.  But when I walk, if you really listen, you can hear the denim of my shorts swish.  This is a problem because #2 still sleeps in my room.  In our home, you always have to go through a bedroom to get to a bathroom.  If #1 is asleep, I can't go use her bathroom, because the door sticks and wakes her up.  #2 can easily sleep through the squeaky bedroom door, the closing of the bathroom door, all noises made in the bathroom (like hand washing and flushing toilets) all of that.  However, the sound of my jeans wakes her up.  I have now adapted with this really awkward walk where I space out my legs and squat down a little so as to not let my jeans swish.

I just ran through her room to get my phone that was ringing.  (She won't sleep through that.)

I think I pulled something doing my awkward "don't let the thighs touch" move.

The things we do for our kids. ;)

The Fam

Well, I am not really a regular blogger, am I?  I just feel like my day to day life isn't cool enough to report.  However, I have had family members tell me that reports of my normal days are fun for them, because they all live so far away. So, let us chat about what the family has been up to.

Hod is working hard.  This month he is doing an AMAZING job with his goals.  He is a selling machine!  He is looking into online school so he can get his Associates degree.  When not at work, he is playing with the girls, and they love their Dad!

#1 is a handful!  She loves to make friends, but she has very selective hearing.  This can get us into trouble.  She has finally reached the stage where she enjoys picking up, so that is exciting.  We have been talking both of the girls to an OD.  She adjusts their hips, back, and skull.  I feel as a result of this, #1 is finally progressing at a normal pace!  She is now doing complex babbling, and also works hard to mimic the sounds that Hod and I make.  Granted she should have been doing that way before 20 months, but I am just glad it is happening!  It seems her current goal in life is to be a parrot.  She screeches a lot, and likes to try to climb up and sit on my shoulder.  She asks to blow bubbles every day, and her favorite way to pop them is with her mouth.  I think that is gross, but she loves it!  She is pretty obsessed with all things sheep.  Right now she is walking around with her favorite pink blanket on her head.  That is a common occurrence, and as long as she doesn't run into the wall she is great!  She loves it when we style her hair, and gets excited when it is time to brush her teeth.

#2 is huge!  Between 3 and 4 months old she grew almost 2 inches!  She is in the 95% for height and 50% for weight.  We have started her on solids, and she doesn't get it.  But we will keep trying!  #1 always thinks she needs in on the rice cereal action... til she tries it.  #2 can hold her own bottle, however she doesn't yet really understand that when she pulls her hands away the food goes too.  If she understood the concept of holding onto things, she would be able to stand by herself for about 45 seconds.  She refuses to roll over.  She is such a bright point in my life, and has a ready smile for anyone who decided to look her way.

As for me... well, I spend my days trying to keep up with my crew!  My current project is learning to cook without using anything that could produce any sort of heat.  I'm failing at that.  Our apartment air conditioner is pretty much useless.  This makes for an unhappy family most afternoons and evenings.  We spend a lot of time letting #1 play in the children's place at the mall.  It has a good AC.

Anyway, here is a little movie I made of the girls.  It has very little editing, just cutting out the parts when I called the girls by name.  We have been working very hard on animal sounds with #1.  #2 likes to growl... I think it is adorable.

Sorry it gets so shaky at the end.  #1 was trying to climb up on my shoulder.  Oh, and it is #1 that says "Hi," not #2.

On another note... Any of you know of a great tutorial of how to add sleeves to things?  I used to just put a onsie under everything, but the girls have been getting heat rashes with those.  We put on sweaters when we go places, but that is too hot, and they are unhappy.  I would really like my girls to have sleeves!

Say What?

#1 is not much of a talker. She wants to talk, but she is super behind on the skill. We practice, and she is improving.  She says hi, bye, mom, dad dad (she always says it twice), no, and a new word:

Num-nes

Any guesses what she is saying?  After a few guesses from you, I'll tell you in the comments.