Crawling, Walking, Talking, Rolling, Standing...

Our baby is officially mobile!

In case you missed it, Melanie has already learned how to sit up on her own.

It wasn't long after that she learned how to stand by pulling herself up. Melanie is now standing in her crib (a very adorbable sight to see when you walk into her room in the morning/a very annoying sight to see when you thought you put her down for a nap).

For a while now, she's been walking everywhere, as long as there are two fingers she can grip onto. Poor Gramie's back! I only have to deal with her on the weekends and it's killing me! I can't imagine what she's going through!

Melanie first began to crawl on Christmas Eve and of course, her quickest way to get from point A to point B is still rolling. It's amazing how much she moves now!

A Christmas Eve Miracle!

This happened on Christmas Eve:

- Melanie got on her hands and knees and slowly began crawling! She was very wobbly, it was kinda sweet! Brian and I cheered her name, but let her rest after a few minutes. I can imagine crawling for the first time would be very tiring.

- While walking the neighborhood, checking out the neighborhood Christmas displays, Melanie started saying, "Da da da da da." Yup, Brian's taking credit. :)

Grandpa & Melanie

Christmas Cookies from Grandma!!

Grandpa Kimble stopped by last night with a tin of fudge and cookies and Mommy knew exactly what to do with those Christmas Cookies - Give 'em to the Baby, of course!

Melanie Greets Mommy!

This walker is made for walking...

A couple of weeks ago Gramie recommended to us to let Melanie get in the walker more often - and whoa Nelly! It's amazing how you perspective changes so quickly from thinking your daughter is dependent on you for everything and getting everywhere to realizing that your daughter is a pretty independent, quick mover. Melanie is so mobile in that thing!
We've decided to do a little baby proofing and embrace this new stage in Melanie's life. We've got the electrical sockets plugged, the cabinets latched and the plastic bags stowed away. We still have no idea what to do with the dog food, cat food, kitty litter bins and water bowls, but we'll figure something out.
It's great now to come home to my daughter squealing and laughing at the sight of me and running towards me. :) Am I bragging? You betcha!

New picture of us (11/25/10)

My cousin Quint took this picture of us on Thanksgiving. Isn't he great?

Have you missed us?

Sorry we haven't been around much lately. Melanie is going through a little separation anxiety and it's difficult to get our daily routine accomplished, let alone the extras like blogging. And having a wriggly baby that wants (and usually gets) to grab everything that's in a 3 foot radius of her and put it in her mouth is a little dangerous for keyboards and laptops.
But am I complaining? No sir. Sure everything takes a little bit longer to do, but I'm soaking in all this "Mommy is my universe" time that I can. One day, I know I'll miss all this neediness.
Melanie is also thisssss close to crawling. She's now going from the sitting to crawling position, but instead of moving her knees forward, the slides down on the floor in what Gramie calls the "flying nun" position - lying on her belly with her arms and legs lifted up in the air.
We also have 2 teeth, and have begun experimenting with chewable, soft adult food. She's had pumpkin pie, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, ice cream, pasta sauce, bread, carrots, chocolate, cookies, and whatever else Gramie or Grandma have sneaked in when I wasn't looking. :)

We're moving and a shaking!

Melanie is a HUGE wiggle worm! She's sitting up very straight, rolling back and forth, and it looks like she's going to be crawling very soon. The cats are a huge incentive for her - they always seem to be just out of reach.
It's a little heartbreaking though, because she's not as much of a cuddler as she used to be. Instead of resting on my shoulder, she's twisting her top half 180 degrees and watching the world. Right now everything is fascinating and belongs in her mouth!

Another Day, Another Tooth

Melanie is now debuting her second tooth - the front bottom twin. We're giving her tylenol every night now, which I'll admit I'm becoming dependent on... is it possible to have your child develop and addiction or immunity to childrens tylenol?

Betsy recommended we give Melanie a big stick of carrot to chomp down on to help teething. We didn't have any in the house, so I gave Melanie a celery stalk instead. Oh she loved that! Just chomping away and enjoying the celery pulp. The only problem is, her belly didn't like it at all a couple hours later. So we'll have to invest in some carrots for Melanie.

Happy Halloween!

Dear Tooth Fairy

Melanie now has one tooth coming in - the lower right front tooth. It's barely noticable but you can feel it when she's chomping down on your finger. Speaking of which, her teething has definitely caused a change in behavior but it's still tolerable; there's a lot of spit-up, a little more fussiness and a little less sleep. And a couple of times, we've cracked open the baby Tylenol and gave her a half dose to make her feel a little better. All in all though, she's taking it like a champ.

Melanie's First Halloween!

Melanie's first Halloween deserves a very special Jack O' Lantern, don't you think? So, without further adieu, I present to you, Baby Mel O' Lantern - complete with pacifier!

Green Beans!

Brian gave Melanie green beans for the first time today, and unfortunately I wasn't there to watch it/record it. But Brian said she took it like a pro and didn't make the yucky faces that we were looking forward to. Oh well, we'll get it one day!

Melanie at the Pumpkin Patch!

I'm Squashing It!

Yup, I have discovered Squash. And it's not bad, I guess. I'm not totally psyched about it like I am sweet potatoes but it is food. So I can add squash to my food experiences of foods: carrots, sweet potatoes and bananas. Next up is pears - and I think I'm going to like them!

Mommy is worried I'm a little behind in my food development. We haven't even tried out all the flavors on the 1st Step and according to the internet, I should be on 2nd Step foods. But, as Grandma pointed out, "It's not like Melanie's starving..." There's plenty of time for all those fantastic flavors!

Melanie in Perry

Hello my adoring fans! Melanie here, sharing with you my recent trip to see Great Grandpa and Grandma in good ol' Perry, Florida.

You see, Gramie wanted a vacation from me (Can you believe that? A vacation from perfect, adorable, sweet ME! It's ridiculous!! ...anyway) so Mommy and I were going to spend a long weekend together. On Thursday evening, after Mommy realized we already did all our usual weekend chores and we'd have nothing else to do, Mommy called Grandma to see if she wanted a visit. Well of course she did!

So Friday morning, after my morning snack of cereal and carrots, Mommy and I made the trek to Perry. I was good for the first 3 hours of the trip but then I got a little hungry and I needed a new diaper. So Mommy had to pull over the side of the road (no convenient stops in the middle of nowhere) and administer some quick NN (that's Ninny Nourishment to you). But Mommy started to worry that someone would pull over and stopped my feeding short so we could get back on the road. Big Mistake. Mommy had to pull over again a little further down the road, and then again at the Perry Walmart. While I was enjoying my NN in the Walmart restroom, I looked up at Mommy and said, "You take me to the nicest places!"

We arrived at G-Grandpa's house mid afternoon and hung out till Grandma came home. I was so excited to see her! Grandma scooped me up and Mommy disappeared to get our room in order for the weekend. I giggled like crazy at Grandma saying over and over that I was getting so... BIG and tall! ...BIG and tall! Then we all just hung out until my bedtime.

Saturday morning Grandma woke us up to do my very first yard sale! It was a ton of fun and I must say, I got some pretty cute duds. Then we went back to Grandpas for some more chilling out. Mommy tried to do all the house chores so Grandma and I could spend some valuable 1 on 1 time together. We took some photos of me and Grandma out in the fields (pictures to come). Then Grandma made Mommy a cream cheese pound cake (Mommy's favorite, apparently).

Sunday morning and it's time to leave. Grandma real quick helped us out by finishing out Melanie's Halloween costume, then we were on the road. And I was a little hellion again! I slept very well in the first leg of the trip - but the second half - ooooohhh boy! We stopped at McDonalds and two rest areas to try to keep me happy.

When we got home, Mommy had enough of me! But luckily, Daddy missed me terribly and stole me away. :) I loved being with Grandma and G-Grandpa, Perry is awesome and I was adequately spoiled, but I sure do like coming home to my Daddy!

Melanie's Raspberries!

Sweet Potatoes

After days and days of carrots, Brian introduced Melanie to sweet potatoes. And (big surprise!) she LOVES them! Up next: Green Beans. Oh, this'll be a hoot!

6 Months and CARROTS!

I turned 6 months old on September 18th! To celebrate, Mommy and Daddy took me to Hollis Gardens in Lakeland to take a whole bunch of pictures of me with Gramie, Grandpop and G-ma Maribeth.

...yay?

Grandpa took a lot of the pictures, and I tried to be on my best behavior - but it got hot quickly and then I got sleepy. Mommy and Daddy were so proud of me though. They got some good shots. We'll share the pictures soon, we promise.

Then Grandpa, Mommy, Daddy and I went home for a quick lunch. Mommy prepared my usual cereal meal and then added a strange orange paste to the cereal. Mommy took a bite and made a yucky face, so I was a little apprehensive. But then she sounded really excited about feeding me the orange paste, so I figured it couldn't be that bad. Turns out, this orange paste is called carrots. And it ain't half bad!

Afterwards, Grandpa and Mommy took me to IKEA. I missed a big portion of the showroom, on account of my carrot-induced coma. But once I woke up, Mommy carried me around in the Baby Bjorn, which she thought was clever. Mommy sure can be silly sometimes. Grandpa showed us what he already bought for a camper he's building - which sounds neat! - and he picked up a few more items.

After IKEA, Grandpa left to go back to Perry, it sounded like Grandma had her hands full with cousin Elsie and Wil and Grandma needed backup. So we just relaxed for the rest of the day.

All in all, a great 1/2 birthday!

Melanie's Sitting Pretty!

Melanie Update - Sitting

I sat up independently for the first time tonight! Gramie asked me to demonstrate my new skill to Mommy when Mommy came to pick me up. Mommy was so proud of me, that I decided to show her again when I came home. She says she has a video of it, maybe she'll post it next.

Oh yeah, it's ON!

From Melanie:

Teething season has begun my friends! I'm grabbing. pinching, pulling, chewing, and drooling everything in sight! Nothing is popping out yet, but I'm working on it!

Melanie Update - First Illness

Hello my adoring fans - here's an update on what I've been up to!

I had my first illness - a common head cold. Mommy, being the crazy control freak that she was, took me to see Dr. Hiben on the 7th to make sure I didn't have an ear infection or a sinus infection. I was weighed and measured - 18 pounds, 11 ounces and 27.75 inches long. I had my temperature taken - no fever. And Mommy listed off my symptoms. Dr. Hiben said I had the common cold and gave Mommy instructions on how to take care of me. Dr. Hiben also called me a Michelin baby. ...I don't know what a Michelin is, but it sounds tasty!

Carlton Family Reunion!

Here's the pictures the Pitts took of the family reunion yesterday. Enjoy!

She Got Me Good...

Last night after feeding Melanie a tasty dinner, I had her over the shoulder and was burping her as usual, patting her back. Melanie then leaned back and plaed her hands on my face, playing with my mouth, nose and cheeks (something she's been doing a while now).
Then Melanie discovered that my chin made a very durable, convenient chew toy. So I let her chew on my chin for a little while, figuring why not? It'll give my fingers a break from getting chewed on. And it looked and felt cute too.

Then I heard the liquidy burp...

... too late

She burped up all over my chin, neck and hair.

At first I was grossed out... but then I started to laugh and I couldn't stop laughing. Melanie looked at me and started to laugh too.

I hope to have this memory for a while - Melanie and I looking at each other, laughing with each other and having matching spit-up on our chins.

Then I took a shower!

Pooper-de-Duper!

So I have some poopy stories, of course... and I hesitated sharing them, but then I decided why not? If you don't want to read it, you don't have to. But at least I'll have it on record:

Poopy Diaper Story #1 – Brian’s Dilemma
While I’m finishing up my work day, Brian watches Melanie at the house. Brian said Melanie was playing in her jumperoo when he smelled her poopy-stench. He picked her up out of the jumperoo and discovered that the poopy travelled out the back end of the diaper, seeped through her onesie and just barely missed soiling the jumperoo itself.
Brian went into Melanie’s room and laid her on the changing table, pulled out a new diaper and the wipes bin, but alas! Katie forgot to fill the diaper wipes bin. So Brian had to find the refills and unfortunately, the poopy didn’t wait. Poopy was everywhere – on the changing table, on the onesie, on Melanie, on his shirt. Brian said he was tempted to pull a Mr. Mom and wash Melanie’s bottom in the shower. He said, “This was my biggest Daddy-challenge to date.”
I rinsed out the onesie later on and I tell you – it was pretty rough. Brian walked by and gagged - which I thought was hilarious because he was able to handle it when he was by himself.

Poopy Diaper Story #2 – Karma's Revenge
Brian and I were at Babies R' Us before going to Walmart to pick up some supplies. I asked Brian if I should check Melanie’s diaper here or at Walmart, and he said it was up to me. So I decided to wait till Walmart. Then Melanie’s poopy-stench wafted to my sensitive nose and I decided to go ahead and change her there.
So while Brian went to pay for our items, I took Melanie into the bathroom. I laid her down and took the diaper off and saw about a quarter’s worth of poopy. I thought, “Wow – that’s not so bad. “ …But then I lifted her legs. That poopy travelled out the back end of the diaper again! And while I reached for the diaper wipes case, Melanie stuck her foot in it – literally. Then I opened the wipes case and saw the one, single diaper wipe. Dang it. There’s poopy everywhere – on the changing table, on the changing pad, on her feet, on her back on the onesie and I have only one wipe.
Luckily, there was a never ending supply of papertowels. (If I had waited to change her in Walmart – I would have been screwed. They have those automatic hand blowers there!) I had trouble cleaning her up because I wiped with a papertowel, then laid her back down on the soiled mat to get another paper towel wet. I was tempted to open the door and yell at Brian to get in there, but somehow I managed to wipe all the poopy away. At the end of the change, Melanie had a clean diaper and a clean new outfit and the trash bin was full of wet-poopy paper towels. I feel really really sorry for whoever had to clean that bathroom.

You Outta be in Pictures!

Guess who's in the running in the Cutest Daddy Photo Contest? If you have a chance, please vote for us and do it daily - the contest ends on 09/05/2010!

http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/477144

Brian's Sweetism 08/26/10

While I was changing Melanie into her sleeper, I noticed her coffee spot on her left chest was getting darker. I came out and said to Brian, "I'm worried Melanie's spot is going to get darker and she's going to become self-confident about it. She might not be able to wear a strapless because it's right over her breast. I was self confident about my birthmark and she might be too."

Brian said, "No, because we're going to tell her that we decided to put the mark there so she would know that her Mommy and Daddy were right there, always in her heart."

Awwwwww!

Brian's Sweetism 08/21/10

While I was making Melanie's mid-day cereal meal, I had her sitting in her bumbo on the kitchen counter. She gets so excited when she's sitting in that thing because she KNOWS she's getting some yummy cereal!
We were listening to some classic rock while prepping, and Brian dances his way into the kitchen, dancing towards Melanie. Then he started dipping in front of Melanie, kissing her forehead and holding her hands. Every time Brian dipped in for a kiss Melanie kicked her legs up in the air and smiling. They had a ball "dancing" together.
Brian looked at me and said, "I can't wait for the father-daughter dances."

Melanie Bounces!

This is mainly for my dad. He said one of his fondest memories was of video-recording me in my bouncer with James Taylor's "Something in the Way She Moves" playing in the background. Unfortunately my baby video is gone, so I got Melanie to duplicate it for us!

Pretty Melanie!

Thanks Gramie for taking such a pretty picture!

Melanie's a Rolly-Poly!

Last night while we were enjoying our tasty taco dinner, Melanie rolled over from her back to her front! We were too slow to catch her first roll on camera, but we got the second one!

Oh, and sorry about the length of the video - she was teasing us!

I'm so proud of my little girl, but now I'm getting worried - we got to baby proof this house! Any day now, she'll be crawling. Why? Because she's on a roll! :)

A Whole New World!

Melanie has discovered food! Well, she's discovered oatmeal cereal mixed with mommy milk. I chose oatmeal because rice cereal doesn't seem to have as much nutritional value as oatmeal cereal. And guys, this kid loves cereal. She's very eager and interested in the whole eating process but her tongue is still getting in the way. In my opinion, she's wearing more than she's eating but we're really just having fun with it for right now. I have a video of her first meal, but it's too long to upload to the blog. So if you'd like me to email you the video, I'll see if I can do that!

It seems like Melanie has now discovered that those large lumps of fur moving around the floor are highly entertaining dogs and cats. She's now watching their every move, sticking her hand out to be licked and kicking their faces when they try to sniff her diaper (mostly Tonka). She's even squealing at them.

Which brings me to my next topic - Melanie is a talker! She's been cooing up a storm these past few days and she seems to be enjoying herself. So be prepared to get a phone call from Melanie if we have your number. Aunt Becky and Aunt Betsy have some pretty informative voice messages!

Melanie's also a giggler - especially when you try to nibble on her ticklish neck. And she loves it when I eat her toes as much as I do! :)


We're having so much fun with our little babydoll!

Brian's "Sweetism" 08/02/2010

Me: I'm sorry you had a bad day with Melanie today.
Brian: It's okay. I'd rather have a bad day with her than not have her at all.
Me: AWWWWWW! (grins in sheer happiness)
Brian: What?
Me: That's so sweet!
Brian: I love my daughter!

(Who's the luckiest gals in the world, huh?)

Christmas in July!

Okay so the real excuse is I wanted to get Melanie in her Santa suit before she outgrew it. And just in case, by some small miracle, she's still able to wear this in December, pretend you never saw this picture. :)

New Discovery!

Recently Melanie has discovered her toes and she loves them almost as much as I do! She especially loves to play with her piggies when I'm changing her diaper. Because of this Gramie and I think Melanie is going to work backwards and roll from her back to her belly, instead of from her belly to her back. When she does belly time, she just lifts her head and chest and seems content just looking & playing. But when she's on her back, she's grabbing her piggies and rocking side to side.

Lil' Melanie!

Yo yo yo check it out - Before I start to pout
I'm not even 1, but we's about to have some fun!
I ain't yet walkin - but I got ya'll talking
Bout how I'm the next big thing in a babyswing
Everyone I meet wants to pinch my cheek
And those that don't know me think I'm sweet
But don't let my diaper fool ya playas
Cause I'm about to out-do ya haters
Yeah I got buh-dunk-a-dunk-dunk
But that ain't junk in my trunk
Like Xtina, I get Dirrty too
So grab a new huggie, size 2
You best make sure that the milk's non-stoppin'
Twenty four seven my crib is rockin'
Doctor Dre's got nothin on how I wail
Snoop Dogg's too busy chasing after tail
Lil' Wayne, Fifty and Eminen - has beens
You wanna battle me in the play-pen?
I'll knock you down with my sippy-cup
And cover yo' bling in spit up!
I'm the best baby rapper you've ever seen
I'm little Melanie!
So cute it's a felony
I'm little Melanie!
Until I get B-I-G... yeah you know me
I'm lil' Melanie!

Melanie's 180

This morning I woke up and went to the bathroom, when I heard the mobile music coming from Melanie's room. I went there, and Melanie was turned toward the mobile - a complete 180 degrees from where I laid her at night - and cooing. I wondered if Brian put her like that, but Brian met me at the crib and asked if I had turned her. And just then, Melanie turned the mobile on and back on again by kicking the on/off button. Such a silly girl!

Ramona's Birthday Party - 7/10/10

The Prey is Stalked Once Again

Escaping in the nick of time previously, the Prey is now being hunted by the terrible, ferocious Diaper Muncher! Will our Prey live to see another day?
(No babies were harmed i the making of this film - but the diaper is on life support.)

Looks like Mommy's flipped!

Brian caught me standing over Melanie's crib, crying like an idiot. I just got so emotional seeing her beautiful face looking up at the mobile, smiling and cooing at it. It hit me - I have a beautiful child who is going to take such enjoyment out of life, and I am fortunate to witness it all. I'm so blessed and I am so thankful for this!

The Hunter slowly stalks his Prey...

(No babies were harmed in the making of this film.)

Milestone Met: Sleeping

(Yawn) Hey there - Melanie (yawn) here... or should I say, Sleeping Beauty?

Friday night/Saturday morning was a whopper! I checked out at 8:30pm and slept through the whooooole night. Around 6am, Mommy came to wake me up. She said she was worried about me but something told me that she had an ulterior motive. I don't know how I figured it out... maybe because she was grabbing her chest in pain?!
So I relieved Mommy of a little milk and with such a sweet nightcap, I went back to sleep for another hour and a half. That's right, people - I slept 12 hours!! I'm getting to be more like Mommy every day!

Happy Father's Day!

My Favorite Outfit

I don't know why - but I absolutely love this onesie! And thank you Shelly for the cute hat!

Water Baby!

Hey there - Melanie here! I told you I'd let you know when I have any firsts - and this is a great one! On Sunday, Mommy, Daddy and me went to the pool and met up with Aunt Dana, Uncle Ken and Serafina! Oh we had a ball (except that one little bit when Mommy dunked me under the water - I didn't like that too much). Wanna see some pictures? Of course you do!

Facebook Posts About Melanie

I'm worried I'll lose all my posts about Melanie on facebook, so I figured I'd copy/paste them here!

03/19/2010:
Melanie Haven Pitt is here! 8lbs, 3 ozs. 20.75 inches. Born 03/18/10 @ 12:29am (just missed St. Patty's day by 30 minutes!) I just posted a lot of pictures on my blog, but don't have the energy to write the story out. Things didn't go so well and we're having to make due. But we'll pull through!

03/31/2010:
Good day today. First day as a loner and I only felt shitty for a little while. Then I got over it! :)

04/05/2010:
Hmm... I feel like i should do something outdoors today. Maybe Melanie and I will go for a stroller ride!
Well, Melanie's just like her daddy - hates the outdoors!
Wow... she REALLY hates the outdoors... this is a strictly AC baby!

04/11/2010:
Melanie sucks! ...Really, this girl loves to suck!

04/22/2010:
My milkshake brings all the babies to the yard - and they're like, it's good to be yours - damn right, it's good to be yours - I could feed you, but you'd have to burp.

05/03/2010:
First day of the rest of my life: I'm back to work while Linda, "Mom2" is taking care of Melanie. I'm not sure how I feel just yet - happy, sad, anxious, nervous, and extremely tired. I know tired is not an emotion, but it's not helping either! Wish me and Mom2 luck, folks!

05/06/2010:
I just realized I'm REALLY jealous of my daughter. Yesterday she took a 5 hour nap, woke up and was instantly fed, then snuggled for about an hour, had a nice warm bath and then went to sleep. I WANT A DAY LIKE THAT! :)

05/13/2010:
Becky Kimble Bailey - I chuckled to myself the other day...kinda glad I didn't come down to be Melanie's "wetnurse"...I'd never have been able to keep up w/ her demands! She'd work me silly!

05/22/2010:
It's only 8:30 and I already want a nap. My little punk... well, you know. Why else would I be complaining of not enough sleep?

05/31/2010:
Ever sleep next to a breastfed baby? ...yeah... me neither.

Melanie Tells Us a Story!

2 Month MD Checkup

I forgot to share with everyone!

Melanie went to the doctor's for her 2 month check up and immunizations. She's now weighing in at 13 pounds, 11 ounces and she's 24 inches long. Yup, I got a big baby! And she took her shots like a pro - she only cried an itty-bitty bit.

A Moment of Clarity

One of my friends asked me if I felt like a mom yet, and I told her no. When I hear the word "Mom" I have visions of driving a van, arguing with my toddler in the store, knowing the lyrics to Hannah Montana songs, play-dates, trying to connect with my child by speaking jargon that's not hip anymore (probably the word hip isn't hip...) you get the idea.
I'm young! I'm cool! So I have a baby, that doesn't mean I'm a "mother"!!
Anyway, I'm going through the baby pictures and I came across the day in the hospital when I was under treatment for my pulmonary embolism/pneumonia and Melanie was in the NICU for low white blood cell count. I think we've been separated for two days by that point. The nurses from NICU were kind enough to bring Melanie to me for a very, very short visit before stealing her back away to NICU.
I was looking at those pictures of that short time I had with her and it all came back to me. The overjoyed craziness of seeing my little baby girl, my miserableness and helplessness of seeing both of us with IVs and the absolute grief and anger that swallowed me whole when they took her away. I remember crying huge tears of frustration and loss when they left.
And it hit me: I'm a mom. I feel like a mother now. Because I will do anything - ANYTHING to keep my daughter safe and happy. And if I can do that while keeping her forever with me, then I'll be the happiest mother in the world!
I'm a mother! We're mothers! But we aren't JUST mothers. We're friends, lovers, wives, girlfriends, workers, teachers, developers, cleaners, cooks, chefs, organizers, coordinators... you get the idea!
I scooped my sleeping baby into my arms and covered her in kisses. And the next time someone asks if I feel like a mother, I'm going to say, "Absolutely!"

Now... what was I saying?

Watch a conversation between Melanie and I!

How's this for a Cute Moment?

Moments I Fall In Love...

When I sneak in to see her sleeping in her crib - Her arms splayed out overhead, she's completely wiggled out of her blanket, and she's so darn content.

When I peek from her bedroom door to see if she's awake and her feet are up in the air, popping over the crib top.

When she's being burped, she stands tall & rigid against me and looks around at her surroundings, checking the scene.

When she's sucking on her hand - her new thing.

When Melanie is about to latch on, she looks up at me and smiles a big gummy smile. It looks like she's saying thank you! Then she slowly leans in and begins to nurse, keeping eye contact the whole time.

When I'm changing her morning diaper, she's alert and perky. This is when I get the big ol' gummy grin.

Hickory Dickory Dock...

A mouse ran up the clock



The clock struck one

The mouse wailed in protest



Hickory Dickory Dock!

Yay! It's Friday!

And what better way to express our excitement about the weekend than to bring on the wiggles?!

Clean Bill of Health!

Yesterday I followed up with the lung specialist to see what the status was on the blood clots in my lungs. Dr. Menezes said they were completely gone and my lungs were clear. So I have a clean bill of health! Yay!
(Mom, Dad - Dr. Menezes asked how you were doing and said hello.)
So I am to continue the warfarin until November and have one final CT scan to make doubly sure. I'm also still going to see a hemotologist to see if we can determine the cause of the blood clot.
There's still work to be done, but the danger is gone!

My New New Favorite Picture of Melanie

My New Favorite Picture

And I just found out that Gramie has been taking pictures of Melanie EVERY DAY since she's been taking care of her - maybe she'll share the pictures with all of us! :)

The Quivering Pacifier...

If you pay close attention, you'll see one of my favorite Melanie-moves: she does something with her mouth that makes the pacifier quiver. :) Enjoy!

Observations on Melanie

Aside from Melanie growing leaps and bounds, I figured I should document some other things I've noticed about her:

Melanie’s long! I don't know how long, exactly, but she's longer than the length of my arms. When Melanie's feeding, sometimes she curls & uncurls and curls her toes into my arms. It's the cutest thing, and she probably doesn't even realize she's doing it. She must be so content!

Melanie’s chunking up – cheeks and thighs are filling out nicely! She's got the cutest double chin that's almost always present. Gramie Linda thinks she's at least 15 pounds by now.

When Melanie wakes up, or wants something (most of the time, just to be held) she gives off a warning cry. It's a cute little burst of a yell, lasting about 2 seconds. It sounds like, "Eh-ah!" And shockingly enough, that's all it takes to wake me up at 3:00 in the morning nowadays.

Melanie is still very much a wiggler, especially after she's gotten a clean diaper and she knows she's about to eat. Now she's getting her arms into it too, so she's kicking and punching. Hmmm... I wonder if she's into the Castle music...

When she's being burped, Melanie sometimes stands straight up on my lap, leaning into me, of course. Which I find hilarous since she still doesn't have complete control of her neck yet, but she's trying to stand!

Melanie's eyes are still a grayish-blue and I'm starting to wonder if they're going to stay that way. If they do stay brown, Wil will still be the only grandchild with brown eyes. Her hair did recede a little, but now it looks like she's growing back some brown fuzz.

Melanie's Weekly Review: 04/26/10-05/02/10

So as you all know, I’ve been giving you weekly reviews. But what you may not realize, is that since I am a baby and therefore unable to type, I’ve been dictating to my Mommy. Unfortunately, Mommy has to return to work so this will be my final weekly review and we’ll have to go back to random posts of eventful happenings. But don’t worry, we’ll keep you up to date with all the eventful happenings I can muster!

Monday: Mommy had to get some diagnostic testing and I was afraid I would have to sit out in the waiting room by myself. But Aunt Dana came to the rescue! Aunt Dana and I hung out at Panera, munching on some scones and bagels while Mommy had her testing done. Aunt Dana had a fun time letting everyone think I was her baby – even once Mommy returned! Then Mommy, Aunt Dana and I stopped by Publix Greenwise to pick up some Mother’s Milk herbal tea and dinner. Mommy said the tea tastes like licorice, which luckily she likes. I like that she’s doing everything to keep me happy and chubby!

Tuesday: We had a pretty lazy day of chilling out until mid-day, then Mommy and I got dressed and drove out to meet Grandpop Harry and Maribeth at Giordanos. It’s a pizza place that serves these huge stuffed pizzas and Tuesdays it’s half off!
Daddy met us up there while we were enjoying an appetizer of fried zucchini, mushrooms and cheese sticks. At first, Daddy ate a fried zucchini, thinking it was a cheese stick. Mommy ate the rest of it, once Daddy figured out what it was. Then Grandpop tricked Daddy into eating a fried mushroom by telling him they were apple bites. Poor Daddy – he doesn’t like mushrooms either.
Me? I slept through all of it, but I’m pretty sure I like zucchini and mushrooms – especially if they’re fried and served with marinara sauce. Everything’s better with marinara sauce! Hmm… I wonder if Mommy’s willing to dip a ninny in marinara sauce for me…

Wednesday: Mommy and me did absolutely nothing today. Mommy figured there was so little time for us to enjoy each other, so she rescheduled one of her doctor’s appointments and just played with me all day. We ate, slept, dirtied diapers… well, I dirtied the diapers, at least.

Thursday: Another dreaded appointment with Dr. Hiben. It started out all right. They stripped me down, but I was hot anyway so I didn’t mind, and weighed me. I now weigh 11 pounds, 4 ounces – that’s over a pound gained in a week! I’m pretty sure I’ve gotten taller too, but they weren’t able to get my height measurement. You see, I peed all over the table again. Why? Because I knew what was coming and I wanted Dr. Hiben to know how I felt about these shots he has me get! I’ll admit, I take shots like a pro – I only fuss for 2 seconds – but I still don’t like it for two seconds!! After that torture, I was exhausted and I crashed.

Friday: Rough night for Mommy – I was wide awake! After sleeping all afternoon on Thursday, I didn’t see the need to sleep all night too. But we had an easy morning and in the afternoon, we went to Mommy’s work to get her caught up on her job. I like visiting Mommy’s office – there are a lot of friendly people there. Ms. Amy took me over to her desk so she could play with me while Mommy got caught up. Then we went home, picked up Daddy and went grocery shopping.

Saturday: I woke up at 3:45 and since Mommy was so tired, Daddy decided to take over around 5:00 while Mommy slept in. I like spending time with Daddy! He’s great – as long as he has a bottle or two for me! Once Mommy got up, Daddy had some errands he wanted to run so we had some more Mommy and me time. And boy, Daddy must have had a lot of errands because he was gone a long time!
…What? Mommy just mumbled something that sounded like, “…If I could leave you home, I’d have lots of ‘errands’ too…”. Surely I didn’t hear her right!

Sunday: Daddy woke up with me again, letting Mommy sleep in a little. Then Daddy went to a comic convention. Well, I decided to do something for Mommy to make her feel better – so I gave her a big ol’ gummy grin! She giggled and asked for another smile, but I decided one smile was enough – no need to spoil her. And that big bulky camera she was sticking in my face was kinda intimidating.
Then I took a nice warm “shower” – my bath water tends to get a little poopy (don’t look at me!), so Mommy just lets the water run over me. Mommy didn’t want to give me a bath until my belly button came off, but I was stinky – and we had big plans today! But, I decided to do another good thing for Mommy and finally let my belly button come off (with a little encouragement from Mommy). And it’s looking like I’m going to have a pretty innie!
Mommy then took me to Lakeland to visit my cousins, Wyatt and Ramona and Aunt Becka. Then Grandpa came over, and he brought Grandma! Well, I was so excited to see Grandma again that I just peed all over her. Grandma didn’t seem to mind though – she said, “It’s just a little baby juice,” and finished changing my diaper.
Then Daddy met up with us once Aunt Becka came home and we had a nice dinner. The waitresses and other restaurant patrons loved our table – we were the desert bar of babies, serving up a 2 year old Wyatt, a 9 month old Ramona and me, a 6 week old. It’s sickening how cute our table was.

Well, that’s all for now. Monday I’m going to stay with Gramie during the day and Mommy’s going back to work. I’m a little upset – I’ve done such a good job breaking Mommy’s will, now I have to start all over again with Gramie. These adults, they make good servants once they’re broken but it takes so much effort!

Melanie's Weekly Review: 4/19-4/25

Monday: So Mommy was sick overnight, and she spent a good portion of the morning taking it really easy, eating plain toast and drinking ginger ale. I probably didn't help out her recovery with my feeding requirements - I kinda sap the energy out of her anyway...
Later in the day, Mommy felt a little better so Grandma, Grandpa, Mommy and I went driving around the land to take pretty pictures. The scenery was amazing, but I wasn't the best little model this time - I still don't have enough strength to keep my head up and it was pretty bright so I didn't want to open my eyes. But Mommy has the pictures to go through, and she says she'll post them online soon.
After the photo shoot, we just chilled out at the home, eating potato rolls and potato soup, watching Bonanza and then took a long nap straight through dinner. Well, Mommy slept through dinner. I laid next to her and managed to sneak a meal or two. >:o)

Tuesday: Mommy was feeling a little bit better, but I started to get hungry!! Mommy's lack of appetite and intake of food depleted my food source - I was not happy! It also took Mommy a while to figure out what was wrong - she and Grandma thought I had the same stomach bug. But luckily they figured it out and made me a bottle from what Mommy had pumped. Later Grandma made a big, strong meal for Mommy to eat and Mommy got back on track.

Wednesday: Even though Mommy still wasn't 100%, and I still had some love to give Grandma and Grandpa, we had to go home. We had appointments to keep in Tampa. So we left at the very last minute and got on the road. I'm a pretty decent travel buddy - for three hours. Unfortunately for Mommy, the road trip from Perry to Tampa is at least 4 hours. :)
We arrived to Tampa and had to go directly to Dr. Hiben's for a weight check. I was 8 pounds, 7 ounces last time I was weighed, which was average weight gain. Mommy was concerned my weight wasn't going to be enough because of our stomach bugs. Imagine her surprise when I weighed in at 10 pounds! I'm a little porker!
Then Mommy had her appointment. Hers wasn't nearly as productive or fun as mine. Even though they took 10 vials of blood from her, they still weren't able to determine the cause of her PE. So, Mommy is going to go to a hemotologist to see if he can determine the cause.
When we got home, I was so happy. Not only was it a long day, but I was FINALLY reunited with my Daddy! He sure missed us and we missed him. We spent the night cuddling each other and catching up.

Thursday: I'm 5 weeks old today! I was a bit irritable in the morning, as I'm sure you can imagine. I had a big day yesterday and now I'm realizing that there is 75% less willing hands to hold me during the day than there was yesterday. :( I didn't give Mommy much of a chance to do much in the morning. I fussed every time she put me down. But then mommy put me in a car seat and I was out like a light!
We met Ms. Amy, Ms. Cindy, Ms. Lisa and Ms. Tabitha for lunch at PF Changs for Admin Appreciation lunch. I slept through most of the lunch, but then was passed around with the other desserts for everyone to enjoy. Everyone at Mommy's work is so snuggable, I had a great time there!

Friday: This is one of those days where we did absolutely nothing. There were so few days like this left, so Mommy and I enjoyed it as much as possible. Mommy discovered another use for the baby sling when I refused to be put down while she was cooking dinner. Even the vibrating chair wasn't acceptable! So she wrapped me up and bounced me while cutting up vegetables. My refusal to be put down carried on into the night as I refused to go to bed. Mommy and Daddy tried to put me down from 9:00 to midnight. I had so much fun being fed, rocked, burped and cooed at for 4 hours, but unfortunately I eventually collapsed from exhaustion.

Saturday: We all slept in a little this morning and then slowly made our way out into the real world. Mommy and Daddy went to Buy Buy Baby and Babies R' Us, just browsing the aisles. Mommy and Daddy did buy some formula as a back up/supplement in case Mommy didn't pack enough lunch for my upcoming days with Gramie when Mommy goes back to work.
Then we went grocery shopping , where I WASN'T forgotten this time - thank goodness.
After that, we went home for a relaxing afternoon. Well, that was the plan until Gramie called and said she was on her way with company to see me. I was super excited to meet more adoring fans! After a quick meal, I chilled out while Mommy and Daddy rushed to put the groceries away and tidy up as much as possible before our company arrived. Then I met Ms. Nancy, a longtime friend of Gramies. Aunt Bobbie also came over, and she's so much fun! She loves to talk to me, and I love talking to her!
After my adoring fans left, Mommy and Daddy finished cleaning. Well, Daddy cleaned while Mommy cleaned for 5 minutes at a time - then I insisted she held me. Mommy felt pretty bad about not being "a help" to Daddy, but I have needs too! Mommy then decided we needed to do a mini-home improvement project after cleaning the shower. So we packed up and headed to Lowes. I slept through the whole thing, but Mommy said that was exactly what she needed me to do - so I felt I contributed!

Sunday: We did absolutely nothing again today. And this marks the beginning of the end of Mommy's freedom. She goes back to work full-time on Monday, May 3rd. She's scared, happy and sad about leaving me with Gramie while she returns to "normalcy". I don't even know what that word means... but I'm in denial. She'll never leave me!
Mommy says that we have a lot to do this week, and I'm ready for my next adventure!

Wiggles and Sneezes

I've been meaning to post this video for a while now. On April 6th, Melanie caught a case of the wiggles and sneezes - and I caught it on video! Enjoy!

Melanie's Weekly Review: 04/12-04/18

Monday: Well, as I said last week I was refusing to settle down for a nap, planning on going to sleep early and waking up just in time for bedtime so Mommy and I can party into the wee hours of the morning. Mommy didn't like my idea though... she woke me up around 7:00. But I still went to bed an hour later than usual! Mommy's trying hard to solidify a nighttime routine so I won't be confused when she goes back to work in May. I understand, but sometimes you got to remind these adults that everything doesn't go according to plan - and I LOVE to remind Mommy of that as often as I can!

Tuesday: Today wasn't a bad day for me... just same ol' same ol' - laying about the house, doing a bunch of nothing. But Mommy? She flipped out. Apparently my refusal to be set down, Tonka's refusal to leave me alone and a pacifier were the cause of an emotional breakdown.
You see, I've been spoiled all my life by being held, so when Mommy tries to lay me down to sleep, I wake back up and fuss until I'm back in her arms again. I see nothing wrong with this!
As for Tonka, he still hasn't gotten used to me yet. Everytime I cry, he barks at me, which makes me cry harder. And then when I'm in his reach he's either sniffing or licking my hands or feet. But he is a good indicator to Mommy when I have a dirty diaper!
This is all normal behavior, so the pacifier was the real catalyst. Mommy didn't realize that Chunk took it from me until it was too late and Chunk and Tonka both destroyed it. I guess my slobber on the pacifier combined with the chewyness of the rubber is just too much for them to resist. This is the second pacifier that they destroyed and Mommy felt helpless, hopeless and responsible all at the same time.
So Mommy called up Daddy and asked him to bring home some chocolate. Then when Daddy came home, Mommy abandoned us and took a quick walk outside. But Mommy came back real soon - she said it was hot and she wasn't feeling well enough to walk anymore. Luckily the walk and chocolate did the trick and Mommy turned normal again.

Wednesday: Again, a whole bunch of nothing happened. But when Daddy came home, he volunteered to take care of me alllll afternoon. It sure is fun to hang out with Daddy! We watched TV in his room - something called Stargate Universe, or something like that. Well, he watched the TV while I watched the wall.

Thursday: Today we ran errands! It was time for Mommy's weekly blood-draw to check her levels, and then we went to the mall for some mall food! Mommy got lo-mein and ice cream. I didn't really approve of her choice of diet - I saw no veggies or fruit or meat in this meal, did you? But I'll find a way to get the nutrients I need!
Later that night, I wasn't satisfied with what Mommy prepared for dinner. So Mommy broke down and gave me a bottle of formula. It wasn't as tasty as I remembered it being, but I still sucked most of it down anyway. I say most of it, because I'm one of the messiest bottle feeders ever!

Friday: We began the day right, with a massive throw up all over Mommy. I tried to tell her I wasn't feeling well, and I was waking her up every 10 minutes to be burped, but she wasn't doing it well enough. So I took matters into my own hands and notified my belly to do it's thing. After the deed was done, I was worried Mommy would be upset with me, but she just looked down at me and asked, "Do you feel better?" I sighed with sheer contentment and then went back to sleep while Mommy took a shower.
Then we met Michelle for lunch - I think I'm going to like this lady! When we were at her office she insisted on holding me the whole time and kept my pacifier readily available in case... wait a second... she was only keeping me happy so I'd be quiet! Well, I'll show her next time! Then Mommy had a cheeseburger. I guess that's a little better than lo mein and ice cream - at least we have beef!
Then when Mommy got home, we went grocery shopping with Daddy. Which wasn't too exciting... until we got to the frozen food isle. After Mommy and Daddy debated over which frozen pizza to get, Mommy said, "Okay, let's go." But Daddy didn't move. Mommy then said, "I'm ready, let's go." Then Daddy pointed out that Mommy was walking away from and about to abandon the stroller - WITH ME IN IT! So Mommy felt a little foolish and careless for a while. I mean really, how can you forget about me?!
After that much activity, you understand that I was tired. So I skipped my 2am feeing time and slept from 10pm - 5am! Mommy sure was happy with me!

Saturday: Daddy took care of me while Mommy packed the car for my very first ROAD TRIP! It took Mommy a whole 2 hours to get us out of the house, and the trunk was stock full of baby equipment. Then we were off to Gainesville for my cousin's birthday party - Wil's, Wyatt's and Elsie's! The road trip was a sucess, I slept most of the way and only started fussing 3 minutes from the house.
We had so much fun at the party - I was passed around from family member to family member and enjoyed their company. Even though it was my cousin's party, I think I was the main attraction! :) But boy - that Elsie sure got into her first birthday cake. I hope I get that much frosting on my cake!
We stayed pretty late, since we were going to Perry that evening. But Grandma rode with us to keep Mommy awake. Mommy and Grandma talked the whole way while I slept the whole way. We got to Perry around 9:30, just in time to meet Great Grandpa and wish him goodnight. Great Grandpa is a sweet guy - he said he's too nervous to hold me but I've managed to slink into his arms a couple of times. I've learned it's hard to say no to me!

Sunday: Today Grandpa and I went to Tallahassee to meet Great Grandma, Great Aunt Karen and Great Uncle Richard. I was on my best behavior, even though Mommy did pull me out of my deep sleep in my carrier... Great Grandma is nice and soft, I loved cuddling with her and Aunt Karen rocked me the whole time she held me. Uncle Richard didn't ask to hold me, but I know he was enjoying me too.
After a few in-town errands, we headed back to Perry just in time for a fish-fry dinner of trout, shrimp, chicken, hush-puppies, fries, grits and salad. Mmmm-mmm! I think I'm going to like visiting Grandma!
After dinner though things went sour, literally. Mommy complained of an upset stomach and went to the bathroom. Seemed to me like Mommy had more than an upset stomach - she was puking and pooping more than I was! The rest of the night, Mommy made frequent trips to the bathroom. So everytime I woke up, Grandma woke up with me to make sure everything was okay and that I wouldn't be abandoned with a halfway done diaper or something while Mommy had to throw up. She's a great big help, isn't she?

Now I know that's the end of my week, but I don't want to leave you guys hanging. Mommy is feeling much better now. She was able to get most of it out of her system over the course of the night. But for more on our trip to Perry, you'll have to tune in next week! We're having a ball!

Melanie's Weekly Review: 4/5-04/11

Mommy said that people really don't want to hear how she's doing - they really want to hear how I'm doing. And you know what I say to that? Smart people! :)

Monday: We went back to Dr. Hiben's for my weight check-up and I gained 7 ounces! So I'm now a whopping 8 lbs, 8 ozs. Dr. Hiben came over to check me out, since Mommy and Daddy wanted him to look at my belly button (my umbilical cord still hasn't detached). He said it'll take a while longer, since Mommy had to give me a bath and get my belly button wet. So now I get to have alcohol rubbed on my belly to dry it out - something I do NOT appreciate. Ouchie!
Dr. Hiben said I was perfect - well, duh! And since he didn't stick me with any needles, I decided not to pee on his exam table this time. ...THIS time...

Tuesday: Gramie stopped by for a nice long visit! I sure like it when she comes over, she holds me practically the whole time. Mommy and Gramie hung out while waiting for Daddy to come home and then we all went to Chilis for a late lunch/early dinner. I ordered the southwestern egg rolls and mini-tacos. But then I fell asleep and Mommy ate my meal! That's just so wrong, I was looking forward to a little variety in my diet.

Wednesday: We did absolutely nothing all day, which meant that Mommy was able to feed me all day - and I sure took advantage of her! Mommy discovered the following day that I was sleep eating for a large portion of the afternoon, which made me very difficult to put down at bed time. Heh! Well, it was nice while it lasted... breakfast in bed.

Thursday: Today was my show and tell day! To prepare, Mommy gave me another bath. She did all right - but didn't follow Dr. Hiben's instruction on keeping my belly button dry. Well, she tried to, but I proved to be a little too squirmy.
Gramie showed up, and we went to the doctor's first so Mommy can do her weekly blood draw. She came back a little weird looking and said they took 10 vials of blood from her to hopefully find out what caused the blood clot. But my Mommy's a warrior - she can take it.
Then we went to Mommy's workplace to show me off and talk to Ms. Amy. We went in and I was surrounded by adoring fans, just as it should be. Mommy went to sit down at her desk to rest, and Ms. Amy and Gramie stayed with me to make sure no one gave me a cold or stomach bug (Mommy says those brokers will work through influenza to close a deal). Everyone wanted me to open my eyes, but I was a little sleepy still from the car ride. I did open one eye a little after a while - my signature "Popeye" face. I slept through most of the office visit, until Ms. Amy changed my diaper (on the conference room table! What a rebel!). After that a few people saw me awake... it couldn't have been prevented. I was awake and hungry! But Mommy, that big ol' meanie, said I'll eat later and we had to go.
So we were able to stop by Daddy's work place, just in time for afternoon break. There weren't as many people there but they made a big enough fuss over me. It was pretty warm so I didn't even wake up a little for them. Daddy was so happy I came by though - he was dying to show me off.

Friday: I threw Mommy for a loop this morning during what seemed like a routine diaper change and dirtied 3 diapers in less than a minute. That has to be a record! But you know, records are meant to be broken, so I'm working on 4! Then I took a quick nap to prepare for FAMILY TIME!
Aunt Betsy, Uncle Jason, Cousin Wil and Cousin Elsie came by to visit me. I think I'm going to like hanging out with my cousins when I get older and we can play together. Right now though, they damage my REM cycle. Aunt Betsy was nice and snuggly though - I like her! We hung out at home and chatted and snacked until Daddy came home. Then after an early dinner we went to the neighborhood park. Again, something that will be more fun for me when I get a little older but it wasn't too hot outside so I just napped in Mommy's arms while Wil and Elsie expelled some pent-up energy. After we said goodbye to them, I crashed and wouldn't wake up till bedtime. :)

Saturday: What a boring day! No one came to visit me today... Mommy and Daddy said they enjoyed having a Saturday to themselves, but I like visitors! Daddy hung out with me in the morning while Mommy slept in. I guess she can't handle my partying hours... wuss! But Daddy had a bottle so we had a good time together. Then Mommy and Daddy cleaned house a little then we went grocery shopping. That's about it... Yeah! Talk about lame!

Sunday: Daddy and I hung out while Mommy slept in again. I don't know why - I gave her 6 straight hours of sleep last night! Mommy said that had something to do with weekends and Daddy wanting to spend time with me. Yeah, whatever Ma - you're pawning me off, I get it. After that, It looked like it was going to be another lame day... until Dana and Ken convinced Mommy and Daddy that we could all go out and see a movie together! So my first movie at a movie theater - Clash of the Titans! It was a little loud, but I didn't add to the soundtrack - Mommy brought me plenty to snack on... although I would have enjoyed some popcorn...

So far, this week is looking a little slower, but I'll do my best to find some way of having my fun! Right now I'm refusing to take a nap. I plan on crashing around 4:30 so I'm good and rested for Mommy's "bedtime". Muah-hahahahahaa!!!

Melanie's Photo Shoot

Thank you for your patience while I photoshopped! We had a little case of baby acne and I figured I could take care of a few wrinkles on myself while I was at it. :)
If you're interested in ordering any pictures for yourself, I also set these up under Snapfish under the same name. Go here: http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=3711325007/a=30746255_30746255/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

A Review of Last Week, by Melanie Haven Pitt

Hey folks, Melanie here - giving you a review of the highlights of last week.

Monday: Mommy, Grandma and I went to two whole doctors offices! The first doctors office was for Mommy to draw blood, so Grandma and I stayed in the car. After that, we went to Dr. Hiben - he's my pediatrician. I was ready for him too! After getting a vaccine shot, I let him know exactly how I felt about him by peeing all over his exam table. Heh! Shows him! After that I hung out with Mommy, Grandpa, Grandma, Gramie and Daddy... well, I hung out, they did some more home repairs and cleaning. But I was introduced to oldies music. It's not that bad!

Tuesday: Grandma and Grandpa left today. Mommy and I were kinda bummed. Mommy because she says she likes communicating with her parents. I tried to tell her I'm a great listener, but I haven't developed the power of speech yet. As for me, I was bummed because Mommy doesn't hold me as I slept like Grandma and especially Grandpa do. She says I was being spoiled with being held so much and it was turning me into a brat at night. I sure miss my grandparents!
Well, we went to Labor of Love to follow up with our midwife, Bea. It was pretty much a sit down, making sure Mom isn't crazy - I mean making sure she doesn't have postpartum depression. I tell you, Labor of Love was much better than Dr. Hiben's! I was held, not forced to strip to my diaper, didn't get a shot, and cooed over like crazy. That's my kinda doctor appointment!

Wednesday: Mommy made another MD appointment at the last minute to her regular doctor to follow up on her PE. We spent three whole hours at the doctors, trying to figure out what the ongoing treatment plan was for the PE. Come to find out, Mommy's doctor didn't review the hospital records, so Mommy asked them to please follow up with her once they have. What a waste of time!
Then it was my turn to get frustrated. Later that night Mommy decided my milk-neck needed cleaning so she decided to give me a bath. First she doused my entire head in way too much baby shampoo and it ran into my ears and eyes. Then she drowned me in cups of rinse water, completely filling up every hole on my head with water. I screamed at her, "Why don't you just hold me by the ankles and dunk me a couple times while you're at it?". She didn't hear me though. Then she became so frustrated she just did a little wipe down of the rest of my body - the dirtier part! - and dried me off. I wish I could say I got even with her and kept her up all night, but I was too traumatized & exhausted by the whole experience.

Thursday: Not much happened during the day until Gramie and Great-Aunt Bobbie came to visit. Aunt Bobbie sure knows how to rock and I was happy - I was back to being held while I slept! Then Gramie told Mommy and Daddy to go out and have a nice early dinner while she stayed with me. I never saw Mommy move so quickly! I guess I could have been upset, but Gramie's better than Mommy and Daddy anyway. Gramie even gave me a much needed manicure while my parents were away!

Friday: Mommy's lost it - she started cleaning the house... It wasn't that bad, I just had to cry a little bit longer to get attention and Mommy's hands smelled like bleach. But most of the day was spent in my favorite toy - a bouncy, vibrating chair with fishies that gurgle when I kick them. It got better once Daddy came home, he played with me while Mommy finished her cleaning project.

Saturday: Mommy said I was going to get another bath and I flipped out! What did I do to deserve such torture? But it wasn't that bad - Mommy had a new tub she borrowed from Gramie that was my size and it helped out a lot. Sure the bath was a little too warm, but I got used to it. At least Mommy didn't get that much water in my ears this time! And I did smell extra sweet for Family Time!
Gramie came over with my very first easter basket! It was severely lacking in candy, but I guess she didn't want me to spoil my meals with Mommy... oh well, there's always next year. We took lots of pictures with the most annoying contraption I've met yet - bunny ears. Who's great idea was it to make bunny ears for babies? Well, I made Mommy and Gramie quite aware of how I felt about them, that's for sure. I then met Great-Aunt Jay and Great-Uncle Ronnie. They brought over some cute outfits and Aunt Jay tried to get me to open my eyes. Nice try, lady! Afterwards we did what we do best - hung out & chilled out!

Sunday: Happy Easter! The morning was just Mommy and Me while Daddy took Tonka to the dog park, which made me happy. Tonka's all right, I guess, but he's just too hyper for me and he tries to wake me up by licking my hands. In the afternoon we went to Aunt Bobbie's house for lunch. Since I don't have teeth yet to eat, I settled for a long nap instead. I was woken up afterwards to be entertainment. I performed well enough, I think! Everyone loves me.

Now we're on to today. We have a follow-up appointment with that mean ol' Dr. Hiben. Mommy's got a lot more questions for Dr. Hiben and Daddy want's to make sure my belly button is okay, my stub is still in place and it disturbs Daddy.

Happy Easter!

From our Little Spring Chick!

From Tuesday to Friday - oh what a difference!

Tuesday: woke up around 10:30, made breakfast, visited with Mom and Dad - cried uncontrollably but still wished them a safe journey. Began wondering what the hell did I get myself into. Called Brian, cried that my parents were gone and that I was lonely. Took a shower, somehow... went to an MD appointment with Melanie. Managed to "cook" dinner for Brian (Is it really cooking if all you do is heat up a ham and nuke some potatoes?). Crashed after a couple hours of TV.

Friday: woke up at 9am after only waking up with Melanie twice during the night (huzzah!!). Ate a hearty breakfast, spent a little time with Melanie. Took out the trash, laid down the contact paper under the sink and moved the cleaning supplies back under the sink, washed the dishes, took down the Pack N' Play (we decided to use the crib in Melanie's room instead of having the Pack N' Play next to the bed) did some good old fashioned floor-scrubbing with bleach and elbow grease, spent more time with Melanie, took out the maternity clothes, brought back the regular clothes, then went grocery shopping at Walmart and Publix.

*Lick finger, touch toosh* - tsssst!! I'm on fire, baby!

Melanie herself is also doing well, for those of you reading this for an update on her. She's doing what newborns do best - use the most diapers possible and keep their parent's guessing. It'd be nice to figure out if Melanie is making a routine for us to modify, or if she's playing it by ear.

By the way, I'm not being ungrateful - the thank you cards are on the way!! I've been so blessed with so many of you that I'm just having difficulty keeping up! Love to you all!

A message from Katie

Hey guys! Whew! What an adventure we just had, huh? We had a baby, pneumonia, a pulmonary embolism, IVs, respiratory treatments, countless specialists, lactation consultants, nice nurses and crazy nurses. The little time we had to ourselves we spent sleeping and eating.

Now we're finally home, and onto the big challenge of adjusting to newborn life... sure I just went through something life-threatening, but this is the big time!
Melanie is a little night owl and spoiled rotten with being held so much, so we're being challenged a little bit in the middle of the night... but Brian and I are determined to get Melanie on a set schedule and hopefully soon, since he's going back to work on Monday. Cross your fingers for us!
Chunk and Tonka are adjusting as expected to Melanie. They want to lick her all over and sometimes I underestimate the length of their tongues and they get a few lickings before I'm able to push them away. Chunk is getting less and less interested in Melanie, but not all the time. Tonka hasn't had as much socialization because of all the activity around the house. But what we've seen has been very promising - Tonka's interested, but he seems more gentle than Chunk at investigating Melanie. Both dogs still aren't trusted unsupervised with Melanie, but we'll get there. And I guess all the months in my womb have acclimated Melanie to the weird doggy noises, so she's okay with them.
My supply has definitely come in and Melanie is a great encourager to keep it coming! We were so worried I wouldn't be able to provide for Melanie, with all the medical interventions and complications we suffered, so this is a pretty big deal.
And that's pretty much all I have energy/physician clearance to do - eat, sleep, feed & maintain personal hygiene. I'm on antibiotics, iron pills, prenatals, and cumodin (blood thinner). I have a breathing gadget I'm supposed to use to open up my lungs and extract fluids from too.
So with those limitations, I haven't "nested" yet still. :) Big surprise, right? But everyone else seems to have caught the bug around me. Dana and Ken started while I was in labor and Mom, Dad, Brian and Mom2 have been tearing the house up, doing honey-do projects and deep cleaning since I've been home. I feel lazy and plain shitty watching everyone work their tails off... but everyone told me that this is what they WANT to do, and that I'm doing exactly what I should be doing.

I do have fears about how I'm going to handle being just me and Melanie on Tuesday morning when Mom and Dad leave. I've been spoiled with having family with me since last Wednesday, taking care of me and Melanie, and I don't want to deal with all the responsibility myself. Well, I got to let them get back to their lives eventually... but there is a house right across the street for rent...

Well, I'm going to wrap things up right now with an open invitation to everyone to swing by the house and meet Melanie. Just give us a call and we'll be here!

Love to you all - and thanks for all the well wishes, encouragements, prayers, thoughts, etc. We had no idea how much you like us - you really LIKE US!!

Wednesday...Will this be Discharge Day?!

Katie's got the green light from the pulmonary Dr. to go home today. She's just waiting on clearance from the OBGYN and it's home sweet home for the 2 ladies in waiting. Melanie's kinda gotten used to the bottle and hasn't instantly taken to the breast but Katie is sticking to it!

From Katie's dad...AND MORE PICS BELOW!

Katie has been moved back to the women's health wing where she and Melanie were reunited. There are smiles on every face now and spirits are high. The lactation nurse arrived to help with the first real attempt. More practice is anticipated. It looks like Melanie will be "rooming in" with Katie for the time being. The room is quite large and has a second visitor's bed which will be put to use.

We have hopes that Melanie may be released tomorrow (Tuesday 3/23). Not only is she perfect, but she's gorgeous as well.

Katie has not had a fever in days. She's in very good spirits although she is still getting respiratory treatments and trying to clear her lungs of fluids. Coughing is encouraged. The clot issue seems to have taken a back seat now and everyone seems quite pleased that it has been addressed. Antibiotics continue and the focus is on getting Katie's o2 levels up. No estimated release date on her at this time.

Some Happy Pictures!

You Go Girl(s)!!

It gets better and better--Katie's temperature is still stable and she's improved from the IV Heparin to the oral Cumidin meds. She will also be transferred back to the maternity ward to be reunited with her little room mate! Katie's supply still has not come in yet (this is normal considering what her body's been through). But Melanie will soon be able to offer her assistance in that area, no doubt! :)

She takes a lickin' & keeps on tickin'!

I spoke with Katie herself today and she was the upbeat energetic Katie we all know and love. Those 10 beautiful minutes she had with Melanie did wonders for her and she also had the first good night's sleep she's had in a while. She still caughed through the night, but it wasn't the nagging cough that kept her up like nights prior. They are going to ask if Melanie can go home today since she is at 100% (Katie says she's around 60%). Temperature is still stable.
The blood transfusion went well. Katie said the bags looked like hot sauce to her! But she's got a good amount now and that will also help her to regain her strength. She said Brian is doing okay, just ready to have his girls home.

What a difference a day makes!

I'm so happy to report that Katie's temperature has come down! And since Melanie was missing Mommy, the nurses brought her for a little field trip to Mommy's room. Seeing her girl again just really put the wind in Katie's sails. Katie received a blood transfusion at 3ish today because her hemoglobin was down. And in probably the most surprising turn, Katie's lactation nurse did some deeper digging and found research to contradict dr's fears that the meds Katie is starting would be dangerous to Melanie. So the breast pump was brought back into the room and although Katie is still not producing much, she is getting the process going. :)

Emotional toll

Just got a call from Dad. He gave me more details. All along, Katie has put on such a brave face and finally broke down tonight before she was transferred to the other wing. The nurses took a risk bringing Melanie to her, but did so that Katie could have a few more moments with her before being away from her angel for 5-7 days. Once finished with the Heparin (which serves 2 purposes: to keep the clot from moving and breaks down the clot) she'll have to take Cumidin (another blood-thinner) for 6 months. You cannot breastfeed on this medication. So they returned the breast pump and this was another difficult moment.

Dad says Katie's been running on adrenaline and will soon pass out. I'm not certain about the discharge prerequisites, but assume there will be a follow-up CAT Scan to see if the clot is gone and her temp will still need to stabilize. Another stressor on Katie and Brian's mind is the financial ramifications. When I asked about Brian Dad used the word "overwhelmed". He sits quietly, just staring and thinking with a troubled expression.

But the good news in all of this is that Melanie is super-healthy, managing well on her own and damn good looking! Formula is jam-packed with vitamins and minerals and Brian and Katie may qualify for WIC. And Melanie is not at a loss for TLC: she's got family to hold her and love on her around the clock! :)

Results of Katie's CAT Scan

Our champ has a pulmonary embolism on one of her lungs, in addition to pneumonia in both lungs. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage of the main artery of the lung or one of its branches by a substance that has travelled from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream. (Wikipedia) They are moving Katie to an adjoining facility under University Community's health system, and onto the Heart wing. She'll go on a heparin regimen to treat the clot. Katie's looking at another week's stay.

On the Melanie front, she's ready to go home. But for the time being, Melanie will stay in the NICU, where gentle nurses can provide for her needs. Katie is starting to become "blue" as Mom put it, facing the reality that she will most likely not be able to breastfeed and, of course, the distance from her girl.

Update

Now Katie is getting a CAT Scan to see what is on her lungs...

All the Details

Hello, I am Katie's ghostwriter, here to give you the account of Melanie's birth and details about how she and Mommy are doing!

Katie was feeling under the weather with what she suspected as a sinus infection since Saturday, coughing and sneezing and had been commenting since Sunday that “the slightest thing makes me pee my pants!” More than the average pressure a pregnant woman feels, Katie was having great difficulty holding her bladder. She thought it was pee…now there’s some thought that maybe that was her water leaking since Sunday. At around 11:30 in the morning of 3/17, Katie noticed that this time the fluid was greenish in color. Katie drove straight to Labor of Love to get checked out.

Katie had been sick for the past few days leading up to this, running a fever, and the midwives suspected that Katie's water had been broken for over 3 days. Since her temperature was still elevated, it was also causing Melanie’s heartbeat to increase. For this reason (and because she’d had some spotting) it was decided to send Katie to the hospital. Although this was not at all what Katie had signed up for in the birthing plan, better safe than sorry—for both Mommy and baby.

Katie called Brian out of work to come pick her up at Labor of Love and a midwife agreed to act as Katie's doula until Mona arrived from Perry. When they arrived at the hospital, Katie was 2 cm dilated. Several hours of waiting did not change things so a pitocin drip was started to induce labor. Mona arrived and shared her birth coaching with the doula, Amy. Amy had Katie do some exercises on the big ball.

Because a baby should be delivered no more than 24 hours after the water breaks, the pitocin was increased. If things didn’t start moving though, a c-section loomed. Katie remained in good spirits, but her labor pains were at a 6 (dealing with terrible cold symptoms to boot). Katie wisely accepted the epidural at around 9:00 but even that was difficult—it took 2 tries to get it right! But the relief helped Katie to get some needed rest for the delivery ahead of her. It was not long after this that Katie transitioned and began pushing. At 12:29 Melanie was born. She weighed 8 lbs 3 oz. Other than a little fluid on her lungs, she presented as a healthy baby with a head full of brownish black hair! All the Pitts cried (Brian, Katie and Brian’s mom).

At first Katie was diagnosed with a respiratory infection. But later she was told she had pneumonia. She was also told that she might have to have a blood transfusion because the delivery had left her anemic. Katie managed to beef her blood supply up but her temperature continued to give her problems. For fear that she might pass on her illness to the baby, lab work was taken from Melanie. The results came back with a low white cell count so Katie was forced into a separation from Melanie and ordered to rest as much as possible, while receiving antibiotics. Melanie also had antibiotics via IV. Melanie was moved to the NICU to be monitored. Baby could continue to have (healthy) visitors as long as they sanitized first. Katie would need to be 24 hours fever-free to be with Melanie again.

When I spoke to Katie at noon today, she reported that Melanie is “all better” but Katie’s temp is still high (100.2). They’ve given Katie a breast pump so that she can start getting the supply going. Katie said she wasn’t pumping anything, but I told her this is normal. Not until the “breast fairy” visits you will you see any liquid---just colostrum. In the meantime Melanie is receiving formula.

So until Katie is fever-free for 48 hours, she must remain at the hospital. She is at University Community Hospital in Tampa. The hospital’s website has a web nursery but at last check Melanie hadn’t been entered yet. Katie needs to focus on resting to get better so please keep calls to a minimum and visits are discouraged (Katie doesn’t want to get anyone else sick). For us inquiring minds, she graciously put up pictures on this blog and has also checked in with Facebook. I will post what I find out! Katie sends her thanks for your thoughts, well wishes and prayers.