A friend of ours, Hayley Hill, took some family pictures for us. The weather didn't quite cooperate that day and we were VERY cold!  Even so, Hayley did a great job!

Katelyn spent last weekend with Nana and came home with some cute new Christmas clothes. The snowman jacket is my favorite!

 

She can now sit up on her own-- for a limited time.  Once she realizes her independence, she kicks her legs in excitement and then falls over.  But she's gradually falling at decreasing intervals, so that's good.  I'm VERY much looking forward to her being able to sit upright in a shopping cart!

Katelyn's first Thanksgiving went well.  We traveled to Mississippi to visit the Taylor family, and quite honestly, I was dreading the 10 hour drive with a baby.  But Katelyn surprised us and, for the most part, did VERY well in the car!  We spent some quality time with Papa and family and she started crawling for the first time on Thanksgiving Day.  Watch out, world!

Here is she playing with a toy in the car.  It was a little too big to grip with one hand, so she is cleverly using her left foot to assist.  Flexible little problem solver!

Katelyn has had a nasty cough that wasn't getting better and her breathing just didn't sound right, so I took her to the doctor.  Since allergies and asthma run pretty rampant in our family, the doctor prescribed a nebulizer since she'll need it eventually anyway.  The challenge is getting Katelyn to sit still long enough to successfully take a treatment, but there's a significant improvement in her breathing.

Katelyn at the doctor.  I had to take this photo quickly because our little goat was determined to eat the paper.

We've also started adding rice cereal to her milk.  She immediately took to eating from a spoon, which didn't surprise me since this baby loves to put things in her mouth.  I expected it to help her sleep through the night... so far, no luck.  Maybe someday (yawn).

A few updates...

1. Hello, teething!  She. Chews. On. Everything.  Sometimes I wonder if our sweet little girl is part goat.

2. She can hold her bottle on her own.  She does the same with her pacifier and is clear about when she does and does not want assistance.

3. Last night she watched Praise Baby very intently.  For the first time, she really studied what was on the screen.  And with the exception of her legs kicking to the music, she even laid still for the duration of several songs! 

4. She is fascinated by water.  Bath water that splashes when she kicks, water running from the faucet, Baylor lapping up water from her bowl... it's all very interesting!

5. I think Katelyn and Baylor find each other equally interesting.  Baylor curiously licks Katelyn's face, and Katelyn wonders why she does it.  Baylor has her moments (like eating a sock Katelyn somehow kicked over the crib), but for the most part she is the perfect dog to have around a baby. 

I love our little family. :)

4 Months Old

Katelyn is now 4 months old!  She is becoming a more content, happy, and lively baby.  As one stranger commented, "God may not have given her a complete arm, but He sure gave her an extra dose of personality and cuteness!"  I would have to agree.  Her eyes sparkle with curiosity and excitement about everything around her, and if she sees something of particular interest, she'll stop squirming long enough to study it intensely.

Last weekend Katelyn met her Great-Grandma Do and Aunt Kathie.  Love my sweet family!

Four Generations

Grandma, Aunt Kathie, Mom, and Katelyn

I realize now that I'm a little behind on blogging, so back up another week to Halloween.  Dave's work had a costume contest.  When we went to the store to see what costumes were available for Katelyn, Dave was quickly distracted by an adult gorilla suit.  Who knew my husband had long dreamed of owning a gorilla suit?!  Long story short, we left Target with the gorilla suit and an infant banana costume.  I'm hoping Katelyn inherits our sense of humor.  :)

Katelyn Sounds

New Perspective and New Sounds

She rolled over! Back to tummy and over her right side.  Seems like her left side would've been a little easier since there's less arm to get in the way, but I kind of like that she didn't take the easy way out at first.  The next day she rolled over her left side.

Katelyn is also "talking" quite a bit. She seems to confide most in Daddy. The other night while Dave was in class, Katelyn and I played and she talked and cooed to me some, but when Dave came home, she sat in his lap and babbled on and on to him, as if she was telling him ALL about her day! She gave him facial expressions, giggles, the works. Very sweet to see the daddy/daughter bond developing so early!

I'm not sure at what point a baby's memory develops.  Either Katelyn is a) very moody, b) very forgiving, or c) very forgetful.  I'm not sure which, but it's entertaining.  It makes me laugh that she can be so mad one minute and grinning at me the next.  And every day is truly a new day with her.  Regardless of how good or bad the previous day was, she has a big smile waiting for me the next morning.

I hope to post some video soon!

3 Months Old

Katelyn will be 3 months old on Saturday!  Has the time passed quickly?  Well, some days/nights are longer than others, but watching her grow is a huge blessing!  Here are a few updates:

- Colic is not nearly as prominent in our lives as it once was, thank goodness!  Shout out to the creators of Mylicon, the kitchen vent, and the roads of Waco (...and, at times, the surrounding communities).  Riding in the car worked better than any pacifier, so our gas expenses should go down now.  If you've never explored the area, I recommend going for a drive. 

- Katelyn's attention is held by that which has rapid movement or makes noise.  Preferably a combination of both.  When things get a little too quiet, she makes noise (a lot of noise!) to compensate.  When things are too still, she wants to be bounced or swayed.
 
- Every time she wakes up, I find that her right sock is missing.  Only and always the right one.

- She hasn't rolled over yet but is getting close. 

 
- True to her genes, Katelyn loves music.  We have a Praise Baby DVD and she is especially active during "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee."  This doesn't surprise me; when I was pregnant with her, she kicked like crazy every Sunday morning during the worship time at church.  One of the greatest blessings for me has been watching her eyes light up when music is played and seeing her smile when I sing along and "dance" her arms and legs to the rhythm.  Fills my heart with joy!

Pierced Ears!

Katelyn had a big weekend! Nana came to keep her so that Dave and I could take a mini-vacation for my birthday.  When we got back on Sunday, Dave finally agreed to piercing Katelyn's ears, so Nana, Katelyn and I were out the door before he could change his mind!  She screamed, of course, but she also screamed when we got into the car... and again when we walked into the mall... and by the time we got back home, she was smiling.  Even the lady who pierced her ears said she was a bit of a drama queen. :)

Annabelle and Katelyn

Sweet cousin Annabelle!

Annabelle was very proud of her idea to use the burp cloth as a blanket in case Katelyn was cold.

Scottish Rite Diagnosis

Katelyn's arm condition is called Symbrachydactyly (sym·brach·y·dac·ty·ly).  When pronounced correctly, it sounds like a kind of dinosaur.  It's NOT amniotic band syndrome as previously suspected.  Here's what we learned from the doctors at Scottish Rite:

1. Symbrachydactyly is not genetic, and there's no risk (other than pure chance) that any future children would have the same condition.

2. It occurred during the 2nd month of pregnancy.  The group of cells responsible for forming the bone in Katelyn's hand just didn't finish the job.  The cause for this is unknown, and there's nothing that could've prevented it.  It just is.

3. Scottish Rite treats 1,900 patients with Symbrachydactyly, so we're not alone.

4. No other body parts are affected on Katelyn.  It's common for patients with Symbrachydactyly to be missing a chest muscle, but her little body is normal (yay!).

5. Next steps are in July 2012, when Katelyn is one year old.  Scottish Rite will then do x-rays to check the arm's development.  She can be fitted for a prosthetic no earlier than 3 or 4 years of age, but it could be later than that depending on her preference.

Scottish Rite is a wonderful place and we thank God for access to knowledgeable doctors!  Thank you all for your prayers as well.  We are blessed!

2 Months Old

Katelyn had her 2 month check-up at the doctor yesterday. He said she is a "textbook perfect" 2 month old... 10.5 lbs, 22" long, and very healthy. Her vaccination shots initially triggered a new decibel of screaming, but that's okay. It's a small price to pay for keeping our little one healthy. Besides, thanks to colic, a screaming baby no longer triggers anxiety in me, at least not to the extent it once did. I've learned to take a deep breath, comfort as best I can, and remember that the sound won't last forever; either she'll eventually stop or I'll go deaf, whichever happens first. :)

Katelyn's nights are gradually getting better. Lately she's waking up only once during the night and falls back asleep once her tummy is full. Speaking of tummy... it's been an adventurous week. Katelyn and I are both GREAT eaters, and few foods make me happier than fresh fruit. I had no idea that the numerous delicious peaches I consumed would come with unfortunate consequences. Four bottles of peach-filled breast milk later, Katelyn came home from daycare wearing a onesie labeled "Room A2."  Uh oh.

Those who know me know the respect I have for curiosity (because it sparks creativity, of course!). Seeing Katelyn develop her own baby sense of curiosity and wonder is truly rewarding! Our girl can finally sit in her Bumbo, which she loves. She hates lying on her back and much prefers the freedom to sit up and assess her surroundings. As long as I rotate the Bumbo every now and then to give her something new to look at, she's content. I love watching her expression change and seeing the wheels turn as she absorbs everything around her. I just wish I could read her mind! I wonder what's going on in there...

8 Weeks Old

Katelyn is now 8 weeks old.  She is developing more personality and attentiveness to her surroundings.  She seems particularly amused by Daddy. :)  With the exception of bursts of colic throughout the day, she really is a good baby.  She's a great eater and a great sleeper (when not interrupted by colic).  My heart melts when she smiles at me!

This is while we were watching the BU v. TCU game.  I'm pretty sure Baylor had just scored again!

7 Weeks Old

Meeting MawMaw and PawPaw Taylor

Meeting Bro. Roy

6 Weeks Old

Drama queen.