While there are still closets to be organized and small things here and there that need to be done, we are finally settling in.  We finally got our mail key, and just in time too.  The box was packed to the brim.  JJ, our mailman was incredibly nice and walked me to our box and explained how packages are delivered.  Most importantly the dining room table is cleared off, showcasing the gorgeous flowers G got me for Valentines Day.  We had dinner at the table two nights in a row this weekend…it was awesome!

G took Ady on a bike ride to the big park down the street on Saturday (mommy found a new nail place), and then we all walked there together on Sunday.  It was so relaxing and beautiful.  The big park as smaller play structures that are more age appropriate for her.  There is also a small water/sand table that I am sure will see many hours of play this summer.  Her vocabulary continues to grow by the day.  She is repeating words more frequently and her pronunciation of most words is getting better.  Water, sock, walk, Bauer, Mckenzie, all done, milk, and ice are the ones I can think of right now.  I will try to post another video later.  In the meantime, there are some pictures for you at the end.

Last but not least, little man has his eviction date set.  To ensure that my mom is here for the birth, we went ahead an scheduled a c-section.  I still kinda wish we could have tried a vbac, but I am not the only one affected by this decision.  Besides, if he continues to grow like they are estimating…I may be glad he doesn’t come out the normal way.  Our new doctor requested we see a perinatologist – just to double check.  The scan showed everything was perfect, and that he was actually measuring about two weeks ahead of schedule.  33 weeks and 4 days, he was measuring a little over 35 weeks – at 5 pounds 9 ounces, he already weighs more than Ady did at birth.  The c-section is scheduled for March 20, which happens tp be my great great grandmothers birthday.  I of course never met her, but she was an extraordinary woman that meant the world to my grandmother/Beebs.

Here is little man…and no we aren’t withholding his name…we still haven’t decided.  Look at those cheeks!

Ady knows she has a specified place she can play in the kitchen.  Her cabinet or drawer is full her of cups and things.  She with pull them all out and put them all back.  Apparently that wasn’t enough this weekend…she needed a new challenge.

I think climbing into things is a trend…what do you think?  (it’s also a milestone, hallelujah!)

She is also developing a love for purses and bags.  She sports them like her Gran, around the neck.

On the other hand, our dining room is filled with pictures that need to be hung, and the table full of decorative items that don’t have a home. Here and there are piles of items that need a new home – a side effect of squeezing 2000 sq ft into a little under 1000. The motto of the weekend seemed to be “For now…” My mom graciously gave up her weekend to fly here with Ady and me, and then stayed a few days to help us unpack. This was a huge help because 8 months pregnant, child in tow and moving is about a tiring as it sounds. Box after box, “Where does this go….?” my response most of the time was “Uhhh put it there….for now…” We will be masters of organization after this, as every square foot it being utilized. I wish I could trade all my stuff for to Ikea…and they could come and remake the place.

Ahhh, so this is your update…for now. I’ll post more with pictures later.

here is one of Ady at the park that is seconds from our door.

3 Great things –
Ady loves the park
Picking up produce picked that morning (from the farm) for super cheap is beyond awesome

Adalyn\’s Vocabulary

Hutto House – we have buyers, inspection and appraisal done.  All we need to do now is close on the house.  That will happen next week.  The POD will be delivered next Monday and we will start packing it up.

CA apartment – We now have a place to live in California.  Geek and I put down our money to hold a place in Irvine and will sign all the paperwork after the house closes.  G’s car is already there.  We also have a doctor for me, whom I met last Monday and a pediatrician for Adalyn and little brother.

There is a gap in moving dates and we aren’t 100% what those two and half weeks will look like for G, but I will spend it with family and friends in San Antonio.  Ady and I will head out there once we have the keys to the new place. I am looking forward to that time – we are even hoping to make it to Corpus to visit cousins down there. If you want to see us before we go, this is your opportunity.  By the way, we didn’t send out Christmas cards this year, because I wanted to send out We’ve Moved cards.  So expect those sometime in February.

If anyone wants to help us move on either end, let me or G know.  I can still pack boxes – but at 30 weeks pregnant I am a worthless mover.  (I will fetch food and refreshments!)

Here are the updates from the other specialist we have seen since 16 months.

Gastroenterologist- While she will probably have issues with GERD and reflux forever, the need to see a doctor routinely is no more.  Dr. B dismissed her from GI, along with instructions for us to discontinue her relux meds (prilosec) next month.

Cardiologist – There is still a lingering issue with one of Ady’s valves – a word I cannot seem to remember.  It’s there, but a non-issue – so I don’t spend the energy to remember it.  She will need to follow up with cardio in a year, and then hopefully every 2-3 years from then on.

Pulmonology – Her lungs look and sound great – but it’s difficult to test their function.  While they fill up the space in the chest, it’s the number of avioli that truly matter…and there is no test for that.  For now Dr. S is happy with her saturation levels, and her growth.  She will follow up in a similar pattern to cardio.  She qualified for synagis again this fall – and RSV shouldn’t be as much of a risk from after this cold and flu season.

Therapy

-Occupational – dismissed.  Currently she does not has any resemblance of an oral aversion.  She eats well, manages bites, chewing and swallowing.  She tends to over stuff her mouth from time to time, which could be associated with sensory issues…or not.  We will have a true assessment of fine motor after tomorrow’s appointment.

- Pre speech – dismissed.  Her ability to community is steadily increasing.  She is a master of communicating most of her needs, and is finally starting to say some words.  Apple, banana, ball, bye bye and a variety of names – Mommy, Daddy, Ady, Meme, Papa, Zain, Beebah, Nana, Eli and even Bauer.  Her sign language is still the main source of communication – her favorite three word phrase is- Mama/Daddy, up (verbal) and please in sign.  She has a habit of combining the two methods.

Physical – dismissed.  Now that she is walking and climbing – her gross motor should be about on target.  We will know for sure tomorrow.

Dietitian/nutrition – now that she is on the growth chart (20+ pounds!) and is eating well, there is no need to see Mimi anymore.  She gave us the name of book that will continue to guide her eating, it will also be useful for Baby brother. We are still on a bottle a day, at bedtime.  Lately she drinks very little of it.  Hopefully soon she just won’t want it anymore.

i will add more tomorrow with the update from Dr. F.

We spent Christmas in San Antonio split between the families.  It felt so different from the small quiet gathering we had last year here in Hutto.  Large groups of family gathered at each house to open presents and eat great food.  Adalyn enjoyed ripping paper and watching Zain open his presents.  Her favorite gift was the small trike my parents/Santa got her.  She immediately knew that she was supposed to ride it somehow.  Even adjusted she is about an inch away from the peddles, and even then I am not sure when the coordination for peddling kicks in.  No matter, she enjoys being pushed around just as much and has already mastered getting off the bike solo.

(Need to get picture from mom)

Grow: 19 pounds 10 ounces was her weight last week at her synagis appointment. We don’t have a current length, but we will see her dietician this week so I will post it then.

Play: With some new toys (thx Schnieder Family!) Ady is playing and playing and playing. Her ability to walk anywhere makes entertainment easier these days. She loves to throw the ball to any one that will throw it back, and that includes the dogs. Watching other children play is also super enteraining for her. We go outside and “play” with the neighbor’s kids. Ady sits on the sidewalk and laughs at them while they play.

Learn: Walking is officially mastered, and she is finally standing up independently withough pulling on something. She is learning new words, both verbal and non verbal.
Verbal:
Up (uuuch…sounds german)
Mamaa (mama 2.0 emphasis on the second half of the word, is required with Up for me to pick her up)
Dadaa
Down
bye bye
uh oh (u ooooooh – adorable)
bath (baa)
Animal noises (mooo, ruff, roar)

Non-verbal (mastered words — will sign without prompting)
eat
more please
strawberry

Eat: Her eating has been on and off all month with the ear infections. Some days she eats great, and other days she is picky as a bird. She is getting better about eating meat, but has shown a really desire for sweet things.

New foods:
Carne guisada
blueberries
green beans
chocolate milk
donut (one time thing)

Favorites:
Peas
strawberries
peaches
mandrain oranges

Adalyn is no longer “signigicantly delayed” which is measured as four months behind or more. She is actually barely behind at all.

Gross Motor/Big muscles/Walking – 14 months
Fine Motor/Small Muscles/Manipulating objects – 20 months
Cognitive/Problem Solving – 18 months
Receptive – 16 Months
Verbal/Expressive – 14 months

We couldn’t be happier with the outcome of the assesment today. Even though Adalyn was a little more clingy than usual she still allowed her personality to shine. We also know that as her gross motor catches up, so will her other areas. I am a super proud momma to see her rated so high on fine motor and problem solving. Just last night she learned that tennis balls are hidden under the coffee table. She will crawl around until she can reach one and then play fetch with Bauer…stinkin’ adorable. She is proud of herself every time she throws/drops the ball for him.

Update: I started writing this on November 11, and anyone with kids knows how much a month can change things. Since this was written, Adalyn is fluent in her walking ability and has started to try to climb on things (unsuccessful but so cute).

As I was talking with her case manager from ECI, she carefully brought up the possibility that Ady won’t need ECI when we move. I think she expected me to be upset, but we are thrilled! Although she may continue to need Speech therapy, and still needs her hearing tested, she is no longer delayed enough to qualify for ECI services. We are hoping to get her involved in a play group, and maybe even a gymnatics program when we move to encourage motor development…but one on one therapy will no longer be a must.

Philippians 4:6 has been on repeat in my brain for weeks now. It didn’t help that they were a tech short and our ultrasound was pushed back an hour and half…but I wasn’t leaving until we had it. And the wait was worth it.

Even though she went super fast, we saw that sweet stomach below the diaphragm, we saw a complete spine, normal sized body, 4 chambers in a beating heart, normal kidneys and bladder. And the money shot as our sweet boy stuck his legs out and showed off the plumbing. It is most certainly a boy. Praise God for a healthy baby, how blessed are we. I am still right on track for a March 26 due date. We will know more details in January after the big move. While we have 3 potential names picked out…we have had them since before Adalyn actually…we have yet to decide on one. We may end up waiting until he gets here…for some reason I don’t feel the rush to decide right now. Let me know what you think.

Ethan Michael Taylor

Aiden Gregory Taylor (or another A name)

Obadiah Aaron Taylor

There are pros and cons to each name obviously, we’ll just have to see which one fits him best.

Grow:
I always end with grow…but not this time. Adalyn was 16 pounds 4 ounces at her 12 month checkup, Friday she was 18 pounds 6 ounces. That’s 2 pounds 2 ounces folks…in TWO months. In their second year, most kids will gain 5-7 pounds. We we would love to see 8 pounds…so she is 25% there…and 25% of the year isn’t over yet. She is also 29″ long and her head is big…with lots of hair.

Play:
Manipulating toys, getting into things, discovering how things work. It is so much fun to watch her play. She loves to pretend to talk on the phone, and is learning how to hold a writing utensil thanks to magnadoodle toy NaNa got her.

Eat:
She eats 3 solid meals with 1-2 snacks per day. Loves water and milk from the sippy cup and at night gets a bottle of high calorie formula. In a month or so we might start weening her off the night bottle, but for now it’s a ton of calories and more often than not a full night sleep for everyone.
Loves: nutella, graham crackers, cheese, popcicles, canned fruit, and whatever mommy and daddy are drinking.
Doesn’t like: bland flavors or big junks of food she can’t much easily. If it takes more than a few bites to chew she spits it out.

Learn:
WALKING!!! It has not been mastered, but steps were taken last Monday night after we returned from California. She will walk almost anywhere if she is holding your hand, and will take independent steps with lots of attention and praise. The girl appreciates an audience. She has also firmly grasped the signs for “all done” “please” “more” and is learning “banana”, “food” and “drink”. She can tell you what a dog says, and loves the word ball “BAA!”

A few other skills include “instant cry” and pouting when she is unhappy. She wails and puts her runs her hands from the back of the neck up to her forward. It messes up her hair and makes her look very distressed. It’s kinda funny and I have no idea where she learned it from. My pout looks nothing like that.

While the separation anxiety stage is hard to see, I can’t say I hate that I am her favorite. I could cuddle with that kid all day long.