Somersaults!

Melanie has discovered somersaults! She has done one every now and then, but on Tuesday night, we weren't sure she would let us stop with this newfound trick! I was dizzy, so I really don't know how she was able to keep her wits about her. She slept like a rock last night, so it must have gotten to her!
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Mel is also feeling much better from her "sinus infection" - I almost didn't even start the meds because she seemed better on Monday, but whether it's the Amoxycillian or just the natural course of the infection, she's clearing up a lot each day - and the snot is less and less, thank goodness! She has been eating a ton of table food at daycare the last two days, and even held her own bottle the entire time today for one of the feedings.

16 pounds, prominent ears, and a sinus infection

The best news of the day is that Melanie's pediatrician, Dr. Megremis, is back to work full time!! Yippee! I'm not just excited about this for selfish reasons, I am thrilled that it seems he has beaten the cancer, and is feeling great!

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Mel went to the doc this morning because this cold of hers just doesn't seem to be going away. Also, it seemed she might be getting an ear infection. Based on everything I told him, Dr. McG decided it sounded like a sinus infection, which could go away on its own, or we could treat it with antibiotics. So, meds, here we come! Good news that there is no ear infection; he even deep-cleaned the gunk out of her ears for her! (which she was NOT very appreciative of!!) She weighed 16 pounds even!

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As I was checking in, I saw the letter from Mel's new Pedi GI in her patient folder, so of course I looked through it. He was reporting on the fact she's underweight, etc, etc., and then said that upon physical examination, he could find nothing wrong with her except for being underweight and that she has "prominent ears." I'm so glad we got a medical diagnosis on that :) So of course I asked Dr. McG about it - and he said that there was nothing to worry about - that if she had other physical deformities, or was developmentally delayed, we may be looking at something chromosomal..... but that in this case, she just has big ears! I thought it was funny!

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After our doctor's appointment, Mel and I did a bit of shopping and met Laura & Lily Haeberle for lunch; Mel was still quite exhausted from the doctor's, so was not her usual happy self. We had a good three-day weekend; Saturday Grandma & Grandpa Doan babysat Mel while Jeff & I went to lunch, a movie, and did some errands. Jeff wasn't feeling very well, but luckily it hasn't hit him like it has Melanie! Sunday after church we met Suzi, Ernie, Wyatt, Cameron, Jim & Shirley for lunch, and then today I got to see Laura & Lily. Food, food, food!

15lbs, 14oz

Yes, that's the same that Jeff weighed her the other day, but this weight, yesterday at the follow-up GI appointment, was significant. Dr. Fitzgerald told us that the rate at which she's gaining is on the 75% for kids her age! So she's actually "thriving" versus the 'failure to thrive' they may have previously classifed her as. (Actually, he said that she used to be "malnourished...") She's now ON the charts, at 3% for her weight, and 3% for her weight/height ratio. She is 27.5 inches. Dr. F was VERY pleased with her progress, and we don't have to see him for five weeks. Mel is fighting a bit of a cold this week - manifesting in a river of snot - but is doing great!

New room at daycare

Yesterday was Melanie's official first day in the next room up at daycare! Typically, babies don't move up until they're a year. However, at our daycare, they changed the structure, and they move babies up at 6 months. Yes, Melanie is 10 months old. She wasn't "held back," they just determined that she was too little and they didn't want the bigger kids to fall on her :) Her friend Courtney is older than her and is just now making the move too. So bottom line, the reason for the restructuring is to get a higher weekly rate until the kids are 18 months old! In any event.....Mel did great, took some good naps, had THREE bottles, and played hard. She was pretty cashed last night; she is definitely getting back into the swing of things as far as playing with all of her friends
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Edited to add: Tuesday, upon pickup, I was even more pleased with the progress Mel is making in the "big kids" room. She ate beef stew and a roll (and a few bites of a banana and didn't have a reaction) - she is learning sign language, held her own bottle, is sleeping on a cot (2, two-hour naps!!), and is doing great! Her reaction when I walk in in the evening is priceless, but I know she's having a great time! Miss Sandra was shocked to learn that Melanie sucks her thumb! She said "well, I guess it's only been two days" - but I assured her she should have known in the first two hours. Not sure what's going on there, but maybe Mel is trying to act older to impress her new friends :)

Happy Birthday, Grandma Doan!

Monday, January 5 is Grandma Doan's birthday, and Melanie wanted to wish her a VERY happy birthday!! Melanie is sooooo lucky to have all of her grandparents in her life; Grandma Doan gets to do all kinds of fun things like take Mel to the doctor, hang out with her on overnight visits, go shopping with her, and see her fairly frequently. Grandma Doan also teaches Mel new fun tricks every time they're together; and sometimes Mommy & Daddy use the following days to un-learn these tricks (such as the deep-throated "monster" noises:) Melanie is so lucky to have her in her life, and wanted to give her lots of (open-mouthed, wet) kisses on her very special day!

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Happy Birthday Mom!! I hope your day is as special as you are!

Happy TEN MONTH Birthday!

Melanie Grace Worzala is TEN MONTHS old!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where does the time go??? She can now do SO many tricks. She's walking full-time now; she falls quite a bit, but she rarely crawls as the alternative. She waves a lot (sometimes it corresponds to coming or going).... She claps a LOT. She dances! She just started this week putting things "back in" the container - mind you, not putting her toys away - but putting the ball in the basket, etc. She continues with the nonstop "dadadadadadada" - but is also saying "baba." She even says it while waving "bye-bye." Tonight, she did almost the whole "itsy-bitsy spider" with Grandma Doan (all the hand motions). She has discovered her tongue - running it all over her FIVE teeth and all the gums corresponding. She also makes noises while hitting her hand against her mouth (is it politically incorrect to say it's "Indian noises"? - I want to try to describe it better).
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She continues with a cereal & fruit every morning, veggie at lunch, and "something" at dinner. Usually it's mac & cheese. Last night it was a veggie AND a fruit. She's been averaging over 30 oz of formula a day, but that may have been a growth spurt. She's comfortably in 3-6 month clothes, and also wearing 6-9 month clothes. She's in a Size 2 diaper, and she now takes baths in the "big tub" - no infant tub for her!
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I babyproofed the living room a little better last night, so now Melanie can roam a little bit freer. She likes to sit in a corner and play by herself for longer periods of time; she's getting a longer attention span with some of her toys, too. Today she started "kissing" (open mouthed) her toys and her mommy. She also gave Molly some hugs. She continues her reign as the happiest baby in Indiana. I've now realized the one thing cuter than Melanie sucking her thumb......
Melanie sucking her thumb while walking around the living room!
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Melanie has been home from daycare for the last two weeks; I'm anxious to see how Monday goes with her going back! She loves daycare, but she's had a lot of home time - we'll see how it all goes!! It's been SUCH a trip to have her home; her daddy has had a lot of fun time with her!!

Happy 2009!!

I hope everyone had a happy and healthy holiday season! We had a great Christmas week, spending time with all of our immediate family. Jeff's parents arrived Monday 12/22 and were here through Monday 12/29 (more on that in a minute!) Randy, Cory, Charlie and Sammie stayed the night Tuesday night due to the weather - it took me TWO AND A HALF HOURS to travel the 20 miles home from work that night, so I was soooo glad they stayed and didn't fight the roads! Christmas morning we spent here at the house with Jeff's parents and Melanie, and then we all headed to the Doan house for Christmas with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Julie, Uncle Matt, and Molly.

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Melanie enjoyed Christmas, at least what she understood of it. She understood that there were a lot of people around her a lot of the time making a fuss about her (she liked that). She understood that there were a LOT of new toys (she liked that - especially OTHER people's toys). One of the highlights of Mel's first Christmas was when she was climbing on Molly's still-wrapped mirror/microphone set, and "fell through" it, breaking the wrapping paper and initiating songs. While she was freaked out at first, that became her favorite toy - and the toy to which we first saw her dance! Now she dances occasionally to some of her own toys too - as long as you don't ask her to!

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Friday, Cory & Randy and the kids came back for dinner, and Sammie was having some breathing issues. Cory, being the Super-Mom that she is, decided that something didn't seem right, and she took her to Clarian North - the hospital that Mel was born in and is about 10 minutes from our house. Well, mother's instincts proved right yet again, and Miss Samantha was in the hospital through Monday!! She is doing much better now, and we pray that 2009 is a healthy year for both Charlie and Sammie! We were able to enjoy the company of Jeff's parents, Randy, and Charlie for that much longer, but under the circumstances, we would have rather them be gone and safe at home (you know what I mean!)

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All in all, we are very very blessed, and Christmas is yet another time to celebrate our family. We hope nothing but the best for you and yours in 2009!