Really? February?

Really, is it February already?  Not that I am complaining!  I would love to have green grass, sunshine and the warm breeze that Spring brings.  The time just seems to be flying by.  If you haven't heard already February is American Heart Month.  The American Heart Association sets aside the month of February to  raise awareness for research and education into our country's #1 killer:  cardiovascular disease.  In addition this Friday, February 5th is National Wear Red Day.  On this day you are encouraged to wear red to raise awareness of heart disease and stroke in women.  Show your support and wear red this Friday.

Wow!  There is a lot going on in February.  Iowa Governer Chet Culver has proclaimed the week of February 7-14 as Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week.  To raise awareness in my community I asked Mayor Roy Buol for a similar proclamation for the city of Dubuque.  Last night, with family and friends I attended the city council meeting and was presented with an official proclamation!  It was pretty exciting...and nervewracking as I didn't expect to have to get up in front of everyone and speak.  I made it very short and simple. Thanks to my family and friends for coming to support us.  Next week I plan on speaking to our 8th graders in Wellness class about congenital heart defects since they are currently in their pregnancy unit.  Most of them know about Lily and what she has been through in the past 9 months and they are always interested when I talk about her so I really think this lesson is going to get their attention.  It will be nice to step outside of the algebra/pre-algebra realm and teach something so close to my heart.

Lily had her 9-month check up on Friday and she is doing great!  She falls right at the 50th percentile for weight and 50th percentile for height.  She is meeting most of her milestones.  She holds her bottle by herself, plays pat-a-cake, uses the pincer grasp, starting to try to pull herself up on furniture.  She is still working on crawling forward.  She has definitely got the backwards movement down though!  Lily has also discovered the joy of splashing in the bathtub.  She started to imitate what big sister Ellie was doing last night at bath time and by the time baths were over I was soaked!  It was well worth it though.

Lily hasn't been sleeping well lately, which means mom and dad don't sleep either.  Since the beginning of January she has had two infections both requiring a 10 day course of antibiotics and my instincts tell me she has another one.  At her check-up on Friday the Dr said she still has some fluid in there but it should drain.  I don't think that has happened.  She has been waking up in the middle of the night screaming.  Sometimes there is nothing we can do to get her settled back down.  I really hate to put her on another antibiotic so tonight I am taking her to the chiropractor to see if he can't do something to help her.  I am willing to give it a try to avoid another medication added to our daily regimen so wish us luck! 

Ellie has become Ms. Independent!!  She nows insists that she must close the door and all adults must leave the bathroom when she goes.  Gosh, and don't you dare open the bathroom door either when she is in there or she will let you have it!  She continues to enjoy her gymnastics classes and this week is open house so we will get to see what she has been learning the past couple weeks.  Maybe one of these days when shows us her forward rolls she will actually go all the way over instead of falling sideways...she is so proud of herself though!

As I finally finish this post (it has taken me three days), I am asking for some suggestions.  I recently became a certified Baby Signs instructor and am going to be teaching classes at our local YMCA.  When I was speaking with the director of the YMCA I expressed my opinion that in the Dubuque area we really have no activity offerings for the 0-3 yrs age group.  I am looking at doing some other programming through the YMCA for infants and toddlers.  If you have any suggestions of activities you would be interested in seeing in our area or if you are in another area that has some great activities I would love to hear from you.