First stroller ride!

Hi everyone,

It was quite the busy week for us. I spent my birthday (Tuesday) driving to Wausau, and was down there Tuesday and Wednesday nights, getting back on Thursday at about 8 PM. It was hard to be away from Willow that long. I will admit though, that a tiny part of me sort of appreciated being able to relax in a hot tub with a beer and no one needing to be fed or changed! :) I was glad to get back, though not glad to come back to the humungus pile of work (at work, not home, thanks to Josh) that accumulated while I was gone.

While I was gone, Willow finally got her first dose of Synagis. What a relief that was. She will get it once a month now through the winter to protect her from RSV. I still can't believe the amount of hassle and paperwork and phone calls it took to get it for Willow when, as a 26-weeker, she obviously needs the protection. On Monday she also got her second seasonal flu shot...now she just needs the second H1N1, and then we can get back to her regular shot schedule. Poor kid is a pincushion!

Willow also saw a physical therapist on Friday, just to check and make sure she's developing properly as far as gross motor skills and neuro-muscular somethingorother. We weren't expecting her not to be, and that was the result: she is at or ahead of where she should be for her corrected age. Another relief! In two weeks she's going back down to Marquette for the first time since discharge to attend the NICU follow-up clinic, which also assesses her development. We're looking forward to seeing everyone down there again.

We had great weather this weekend, and Willow got out on two good walks. Yesterday, me and her and my friend Emily took a nice long hike on the Tech trails, and today, Josh and I took her out in the stroller for the first time! We have two strollers, and they're both the kind you're not supposed to use until the baby has good head control. We decided Willow was ready. There probably aren't going to be many more stroller opportunities since winter is coming, so we're glad we got it in now!





















If last week's sounds was "gee", this week's sound is a blood-curdling scream. Not like crying, but just a really loud SCREAM. Actually, she's been working on it for awhile, but I think it's now perfected - it's most effective when done 6 inches or less from mom or dad's ear.

Two more friends had baby girls! Congratulations to Ash and Rob, and Josh's cousin Mike and his wife Katie. Welcome, Vaeda (hope I spelled that right), and Natalie!

Here's a shot we forgot to put in on the last post. Her other Halloween costume, a pumpkin: