FREEDOM at last!

Here is Alexandra on the day she got her cast off. They put ear phones on her because the saw was very loud. She didn't cry at first. I think she was just stunned and not sure what was happening to her.

Here she is a minute or so into the sawing and still not crying. What a brave little baby. You can see Abby, Sammy and my doodles on her cast. I thought I was pretty clever to write "Baby Under Construction" on it. Heh heh!

I love that she is also holding on to the ear phones, bracing herself for what is coming.

It was so nice to see that thing come off.

She started crying after a few minutes. Charles said it was probably from the strong vibration more than the sound.

She was pretty much screaming and really having a fit by this point.

All done! Her legs looked remarkably good. They were a little dry and flaky but nothing too serious. We also found the petals of a little flower under there. (You can see it just above her ankle.) I don't know how that got there. Also, the doctors and nurses said that her cast was one of the CLEANEST they have seen. I took that as a great compliment to myself for being such a fabulous mother and attacking any leaky diapers with severe force. It was a lot of hard work and it made it all worth it for them to say that... I am so good!

It has been fun to watch Alexandra discover her legs. The first day she literally looked at them and felt them with a little puzzled look on her face.

Her cast came off on Thursday and by Saturday she was already rolling over. By the following Tuesday and Wednesday (today) she is scooting herself in reverse and covering some ground. It is so fun to see her progress. I guess the doctor was right, she won't need any physical therapy.

I am loving giving this girl a bath. Charles can't believe how long it takes me but I am just enjoying it so much and so is she. I love having a clean baby for REAL. Abby loves to carry her around and Sammy can now carry her too. They get in fights about who gets to carry her next. I have to limit them though because she will never learn to move if it were up to those two.

She is now also wearing a rhino brace which is NOTHING compared to the cast. It basically goes around her hips and keeps her legs in the spread-out position. It is made of foam. She has to wear it for 20 hours a day until the beginning of August. After that, she will just sleep in it. I have realized when we have taken her out that she prefers the brace to sleep, otherwise she doesn't go to sleep. Who wouldn't want their cozy brace that makes you do the perma-splits while you sleep? Aaaahhh now that's comfort!