Madelynn Rolls (One Way)

Madelynn is doing so well at hitting her adjusted age milestones. (While technically she is 8 months old, you can only expect her to be able to do 5 month-old things because of her prematurity.)
She can:
*Do raspberries
*Grasp objects
*Turn toward voices
*Keep her head steady while on her tummy.
*Scoot
*Smile spontaneously, and react to your smile.
*Make vowel shapes (the noises are not there yet because of the vocal cord)
* Roll from tummy to back: Yesterday while visiting Grandparents Hurst, Madelynn decided she would start rolling from her tummy to her back. I had left the camera at home, and was unable to capture the first time on film.

This morning we were doing tummy time and she did it again! This time I was ready with the camera.

This video is of her holding her head, demonstrating her neck strength.

Here is the roll! The camera work is unsteady because I was watching her and not the screen. Sorry!

Matthew's Tricks

We don't have a dog so we make him do things:

Matthew's First Birthday

(Matthew 4 days old, Matthew at 1 year 3 days)

On May 22nd the family gathered to celebrate the first birthday of Matthew. The theme for the party was baseball. With Darren being a die-hard Seattle fan, there was Mariner memorabilia around. Before the cake, and cupcakes there was a barbecue. While Darren was out roasting hot dogs, Matthew found Madelynn on the couch and wanted to play.

He later found his Daddy outside.

After eating, it was finally time to sing and let Matthew have at his cake.

Matthew and Maddie right before we sing.

He's not quite sure about the hat.

Maddie's not impressed. Sometimes, with the faces she pulls at me, I think she's a teen in a baby body.

He starts out slowly.

Very slowly.

After his parents put his hands in the cake, he gets the idea.

He didn't really eat a lot. He just put cake pieces in his bib pockets.

He's done.

After cleaning him up it was time for presents:

Some Cute Videos

This one is of Jeremy playing with Madelynn. She doesn't seem too amused.

More of Madelynn laughing. She was very entertained by her father. He had her rolling.

Random Photos

People have been asking me to post newer photos, but I haven't had a theme posting to put them on. So these are just different photos I've taken throughout the last couple of weeks.

Her favorite toy.

She fell asleep on Daddy.

She has such a cute smile.

Her cute dress.

Daddy accidentally got water in her eyes.

She was throwing a tantrum. I thought it was funny.

Then and Now

The first photo was taken in December, and the second photo was taken today. She's come a long way.

Mother's Day

It was my first mother's day on Sunday. I was pregnant with Madelynn last year, but I didn't feel like anything but an incubator, and didn't count it.
To be honest, I never thought I would be a mother. I never had the desire to have children, mostly because I never thought I would get married. Then Jeremy came along and I knew I was to spend the rest of my life with him. We started talking about children and decided to stop preventing it. We got pregnant with Madelynn, and our lives have never been the same.
Being a mother has changed my life. It is amazing to me how this little person can make me feel the whole spectrum of human emotions. She has taught me unconditional love, and has renewed my faith in miracles. With each new milestone she reaches, my heart bursts with joy. I can be having a bad day, but when I see my child she smiles at me. She knows I am her mother. (Something that still flabbergasts me as she had so many people around her in the NICU, and spends her week days with her Aunt Elly.) I am a very lucky person, and it is never lost on me how blessed I am.

Helmet

We had to go to PCMC to meet with the plastic surgeon about Madelynn's head. He doesn't think she needs one. He said exactly what Jeremy and I had been thinking the whole time. She's a girl, and her hair will cover the slight flatness of her head.

We can't really tell.

Thoughts?

Maddie and Matthew

Matthew is so good with Madelynn. He has been really stepping in to almost a big brother role.
He helps burp her, and gives her his toys and blankets. Elly is teaching him how to be gentle because sometimes he gets so excited he smacks her in the head. (Maddie doesn't seem to mind though.)

Last week Elly and Matthew stayed over so the husbands could have a guys night. Here are some pictures from the next morning.

Neonatal Follow-Up

On April 13th Madelynn had her first neonatal follow-up clinic. We met with a pediatrician, a neurologist, a speech therapist, a physical therapist, and a audiologist. We also had a student NP shadow us for the day. I am all for letting students come along and learn because some day they will be helping families just like ours in the NICU.

I digress. We met with each specialist individually so it was a lot of repeating Maddie's history. For the most part everyone was pleased with Madelynn's progress. The one concern they seemed to share was her head shape. I explained this was because PCMC neglected to turn her as IMC diligently did. They all suggested she get a helmet.

The pediatrician was the first one who saw Maddie, and stressed her out so bad it was hard for the other specialists to examine her as she was either still trying to organize herself or she had fallen asleep.

The neurologist brought up Madelynn's MRI from February 1st, and thought there may be something wrong with her pituitary gland (something PCMC neglected to tell us). He sent orders to Riverton to have her blood work done to make sure she does not have a thyroid problem. As he spoke he looked me up and down and I told him I don't have a thyroid problem, I'm just fat.

Her next appointment will be when she is six-months adjusted age. Some time in June or July I'd imagine. Hopefully Jeremy will be able to go to this one.