Cast Off, Birthdays, and Cake - OH MY!

Since my last update a ton has changed (which is probably why I should post updates more than once a month :) ).  All of November went really well for our little family.  Thanksgiving was right around the corner but first we had to take care of Caitlyn's MRI of her hips.  The medication they gave her to drink which caused her to sleep during the MRI didn't go over very well, but once she was asleep the rest of the procedure went along smoothly.  We had the MRI on the 23rd and Thanksgiving was the 25th.  The nurse told me before we left the results should be finished by the next day, so of course I was really hoping we could have her cast off by the time we went to see my side of the family for the holiday.  Unfortunately, Caitlyn spent Thanksgiving in Spicaville.  We still had her birthday to look forward to, so I kept my mind on December 3rd instead.  

I got a phone call from the Orthopedic Clinic in Milwaukee on the afternoon of December 1st.  Dr. Thometz's nurse said we could take the brace off for 2 hours that day, 4 hours the next day, and up to 8 hours each day after that.  FINALLY!  The MRI showed her right hip was still in place; however, the report read that her femoral head had some flattening.  So until the femoral head starts to round out we have to continue putting Caitlyn in the brace for at least 16 hours a day.  I am a little disappointed that we couldn't quit the spica completely, but I would much rather have her out of it for 8 hours everyday instead of leaving her in it all day, everyday. 

Caitlyn's first bath!

One of the first things we did was give her a REAL bath! I wasn't sure how she would handle it. Especially since for the last 3 months baths have been a nightmare and I tried to avoid them for as long as possible. I filled the tub with warm water and all of her old favorite bath toys. Peter threw on some shorts and sat down in the bathtub first and I handed Caitlyn to him. I could see how curious she was about being brought back into the tub. After the initial apprehension, she adjusted quickly and started splashing about in the water joyously. We had her on her belly and she played and laughed in the water until the water ran cool. I honestly haven't seen her have that much fun in a long time.

Getting ready for pedis with Mommy

One December 3rd, Caitlyn's birthday, Peter and I took her to a salon to have her first haircut and even get Mommy/Daughter pedicures! On December 4th we celebrated with a party and even had more fun since it was her Daddy's 26th birthday, too! The day went extremely well! Great homemade chili, great cake and ice cream, and great gifts for my baby girl too! It's hard for me to believe that it has been a year already. The time really does go by so fast.  As the day progressed, I found myself constantly replaying the events that took place exactly a year before. I remembered the doctor calling me into the hospital to be induced, the painful progression of contractions, and then welcoming an epidural. I winced at the memory of the painful delivery once the epidural wore off. I replayed the tiny squeak of cry she let out as the doctors laid her in my arms. It's just amazing how much of a fighter she was been literally since the moment she was born, throughout this whole roller coaster of a year, right up until this very moment as I sit here writing this blog. As I told somebody recently, she is my whole world, the very air I breath and I will be damned if she gets taken away from me.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!