Alexandra's Harness

I took Alexandra to her four month check-up last week and the paediatrician found her right hip to be a bit stiff. She told me it was probably nothing but that I should take her to an orthopaedic doctor just to be safe. I took her this past Monday. I thought it would be quick. However, the doctor came in and moved her leg for about two seconds and immediately diagnosed her with hip dysplasia or a dislocated hip. She then had a series of ultra-sounds done which confirmed the prognosis. She has congenital hip dislocation – where the hip is frankly dislocated, but reducible (I assume that means fixable).



Basically she has developmental problems in her hip which is often present at birth. However, they did not catch it at birth and are only realizing it now. The incidence of hip dysplasia is 4 per 1000 births. It occurs more frequently in girls, breech babies and first-borns (she is a girl but she was neither breech nor the first-born). It also tends to run in families (Neither Abby or Sammy had this problem and Abby was my first-born and breech). If left untreated the long-term consequences are very serious, including a shorter leg and a pronounced limp, with premature onset of arthritis and hip pain.


As a result, the doctor told me she has to wear a harness (or brace) to hold the hip in a reduced position to allow the head of the femur (the ball) to mold the acetabulum (the cup or socket). She has to wear the harness 24/7 for the next two weeks. If there is improvement, she will wear it for another two weeks (four weeks total and possibly longer). If there is no improvement, she will have to have surgery. I was completely shocked at this discovery and quite upset. I did not expect it at all. I felt this massive weight descend on me. I was a mess. They fitted her with the harness that day as well and I took her home. I can’t put any clothes on her, just a onsie and zip-up sleep sacks. Her diaper is difficult to change because you have to squeeze it in through her thigh and belly and the straps get in the way as well. She is difficult to hold and more difficult to settle at night. She also does not fit in the carseat as well.


However despite it all, she really has handled it well. I on the other hand, was a basket-case all day long on Monday. I was completely stressed and upset about it. When night came, I was even more upset, stressed and overwhelmed wondering how she would sleep at all. I was so upset that Charles forced me to sleep in the guest room and took care of her all night. He only came to get me when she was ready to feed at 5am. I basically got a full night’s sleep and have felt much better about the whole situation ever since. She has done well and improves each day to the point where she doesn’t seem very phased by it. I took the harness off for the first time on Thursday to give her a bath and her right leg just stayed in the upright 90 degree angle. She also slept better Wednesday night than she has ever – going to bed at 7pm and not waking until 5am. I am so glad that the doctors caught this now. I just hope that this harness can do the trick and she will not have to have surgery.

Here is my poor baby with her legs in the position she will be in for the next two to four weeks or longer - who knows!

This is from the packaging for the harness. As the doctor was taking out the harness and showing it to me for the first time (and my stress levels were increasing by the second), he pointed out that this baby looks quite happy in it....

January

The following pictures are all out of order but I can't be bothered to take the time to arrange them all. It just takes too long. Sorry! They are all from the month of January.

Abby shows off her new kinky-do in her Belle dress. This do is the result of her reggae-do the day before. (scroll down for picture of reggae-do)

Abby's reggae-do. She loved her braids and even wore them to school the next day. It only took me about an HOUR to do it. I am not sure how often she will have this hair style...

Alexandra's FIRST bubble-do

The sign above reads: "Breakfast at the palace. Waffles at the palace. Happy Birthday Cinderella." I still can't get enough of the way Abby spells. It is so cute. I absolutely refuse to correct her "S" too. I love that it is backwards.

I think Alexandra is so happy in her bumbo seat because I got early Valentine Day roses.

This is an adorable picture Sammy drew of Ammon, the sheep and the cut-off arms from the Book of Mormon. (the sheep is at the bottom)

Sammy can now write her own name and is very proud of it! She has one of the best teachers - Miss Abigail - who diligently and patiently works with her on all her letters. It is a very good school, I would highly recommend it.

Clowning around with Aunt Cindy. Abby and Sammy couldn't get enough of Aunt Cindy. They had lots of movie parties, dance parties and early morning cuddles when Auntie Pat and Cindy were in town. Cindy was wildly popular.

Auntie Pat holds little Alexandra. She and Cindy are the first people in the family to meet her.

Abby learned about Martin Luther King Jr. one day at school and became obsessed. That day she asked to go to the library and get some books about him. How could I turn her down? So on Martin Luther King Day we made a paper chain representing all of the different skin color of people in the world. We also made black and white cookies (famous in NY), read books about him and colored some pictures. Abby said to me that "Martin Luther was a good man. He made it so little black children could go to school with little white children."

Here is what Abby made at school for MLK day.

Every morning during Auntie Pat and Cousin Cindy's visit, Abby would put messages on the board for them to read. It was a sad day when Pat and Cindy had to leave.

Another message for Auntie Pat and Cousin Cindy!

We were so privileged to have a visit from Auntie Pat and cousin Cindy. It was so fun to have them at our house. We had lots of good food, ate out at some great restaurants and just enjoyed each other. We celebrated Auntie Pat's birthday with a giant cake, lots of decorations, a hawaiian lei made by Abby and Sammy and a fantastic sign wishing her a happy birthday.

Abby and Sammy worked very hard on the sign for Auntie Pat's birthday. We secretly decorated the house, made her lei and got everything ready to surprise Auntie Pat when she woke up from her nap.

The lady of the day!

Daddy somehow managed to get under Alex's playmat and get some good kicks in with her.

The girls!

My big three month old girl!

Another drawing from Artist Sammy

....and here is the Artiste herself, hard at work!

Two sisters squeeze into a chair together for a cuddle

Here is our little artist again in her ballet/princess gear hard at work.

Thanks for viewing our pictures. The month of January was a good one for us. Thanks to Pat and Cindy for making it extra special and so much fun!

Holiday Happenings

The biggest news from our house is that Abby lost a front tooth....

...and then she lost another one (her fifth tooth lost this year). She was so excited for the tooth fairy to come and I was so excited to sing "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth." (She wasn't into the song as much as I was.) She couldn't wait to go back to kindergarten so she can show her teacher and all her friends.

The girls posing in their Christmas dresses from last year with Alexandra. Santa brought them new dresses for Christmas that I haven't taken pictures of yet.

Here is Abby and Sammy pointing to the little Santas they made on Christmas Eve.

The Advent calendar FINALLY is on 24! Tomorrow is Christmas!

Sitting in their new pajamas with uncle David watching the Nutcracker on Christmas Eve.

Sammy was so excited about the New Year. We threw a little party for her and Abby with games, food, treats, hats and a New Year's countdown (at 8pm).



Abby with her New Year's hat and little Alexandra

We made clock cookies. This is Sammy's.

This is Abby's clock cookie.

Happy New Year!

Smiles, Art and Cuddles

Abby wrote me this little note. It says: I hop you haf a grat day. Translation: I hope you have a great day! I love that she is writing now and spells everything phonetically.

Abby still can't get enough of holding little Alexandra. In fact, a few days ago Alex wasn't feeling well and Abby was so distraught that she couldn't hold her. She was grumpy the rest of the day as a result She is getting more and more confident with her and is quite a good little babysitter. While I am making dinner she still holds her but now I see her move her from the couch to the swing to the bouncy chair and back. She never felt confident enough to do that a couple of weeks ago. Alexandra is perfectly content with her and gives her big smiles when she sees her.

This was a family project to dress up the gingerbread girl. Daddy did her outfit (nice work, it even matches!). I made the high heel shoes and lips and Abby and Sammy did the hair and the rest of her face. I think she turned out looking a little like a tramp but the girls loved her.

Smiley little Alexandra. She is such a happy, easy-going baby.

Sammy's alligator puppet

Abby's Hungry Caterpillar

Goofing off at a birthday party

Last but not least, this is our Tom Turkey in disguise, so he won't be eaten for Thanksgiving dinner.

(He is a clown if you can't tell.)