Doctor's Appointment Update

Avy had her 4 month doctor's appointment on Monday November 12th. Here are her stats: Weight: 13.9 lbs, 32% percentile Height: 23.25", 6% percentile Head: 40.5", 42% percentile It looks like she might be short! Avy also got her 4 month shots. She did really well and only cried for about 10 seconds after the second shot. The doctor told us to wait about one more month until we introduce baby foods. She said it was ok for her to start on oatmeal, so I plan to start spoon feeding her oatmeal and see how she does. We might start one baby food next week over Thanksgiving since I will have five days off. She said start off with either sweet potatoes, carrots or squash first and only introduce one food per week to see if she has any aversions or sensitivities to the food. I think we will start with sweet potatoes, which will be perfect for Thanksgiving! Avy continues to grow and surprise us with new tricks each day. She likes to do sit ups all the time. She raises her head and her legs as if she is doing a crunch. She continues to squeal and jabbers every now and again. I always get a BIG smile in the morning when I go in to get her out of her crib. That always makes me happy! She is almost rolling over. She gets stuck on her arm and if we give her a push she can roll over. She is sitting up so good as well. I usually just have my hand behind her and she will stay up while she plays with toys. She LOVES to see what is going on. Her eyes always following us wherever we go. She also knows mommy and daddy's voices. She turns her head to our voice when we talk. She is such a delight and we are looking forward to all the surprises she has in store for us!

4 Months

Age: 4 months Height: Not sure, doctor’s appointment Nov. 12 Weight: Not sure, doctor’s appointment Nov. 12 Head: Not sure, doctor’s appointment Nov. 12 Milestones: Avy loves to squeal and blow bubbles. She will make eye contact with you and follow you around the room with her eyes. She is reaching and grabbing her toys when she is on her back. She starts to roll over, but needs a little help to get all the way over onto her tummy. She is so close to laughing, it’s only a matter of time! She is sitting up better with only a little support. She still loves to stand up. We got her a jumperoo that she can stand in, but she doesn’t quite have it down yet. Sleep: Avy does well when we put her to bed. Her sleeping habits have changed a little. She seems to have become a very restless sleeper. We have to go in and put her back to sleep quite often. She hasn’t been doing long stretches of 5 or 6 hours like she was. She is going to bed earlier, around 8 or 8:30 at night. Then she wakes up to eat about twice before I get up for work. Best Moment: I love when she interacts with me. She smiles so frequently now when you talk to her and I love when she is so excited that she squeals! Worst Moment: Avy still has the GERD (acid reflux) issue and continues to spit up a lot of her bottles. She is still on medication which seems to help somewhat. I’m hoping that once she starts eating thicker foods and can sit up, she won’t spit up as much. Health: So far, no issues. Eating: Avy continues to gain weight and looks chubby, but doesn’t always take her bottles. She tends to eat every 4 or 5 hours, sometimes taking 5 ounces and sometimes 3 ounces. We still have to mix her bottles with rice cereal so I think that keeps her full longer. Teeth: Nope, but drooling a lot and consistently putting her hands in her mouth. Extra comments: Avy is really getting fun! She loves to play with her toys and talk back to you when you talk to her. She likes to look and books and be read too. She goes on frequent stroller rides and walks in her carrier, which she enjoys most of the time. She continues to love her baths. I’m not looking forward to when she discovers she can splash the water!

3 Months

Age: 3 months Height: 21 inches = 7th percentile at 8 week appointment Weight: 11lbs, 8oz. =24th percentile Head: 37.50= 40th percentile at 8 week appointment Milestones: Avy loves to talk. She will make eye contact with you and talk back to you when you talk to her. She is able to roll over on her back to each of her sides. She is beginning to reach for toys or objects that she likes. Avy loves standing up. We hold her hands when she is sitting down and she will pull up on your hands to stand. She is beginning to gain better head and trunk control and is able to sit in her bumbo seat. Sleep: Avy does well when we put her to bed and sleeps pretty good throughout the night. She usually goes to bed around 9 or 10 and wakes up once in the middle of the night and then once in the early morning. She is pretty easy to get back to sleep during her middle of the night feeding. The doctor said once she doubles her birth weight, she should start sleeping through the night. I can’t wait!! Best Moment: I love when she interacts with me. When she talks and smiles at you it just melts your heart. Worst Moment: Avy was diagnosed with GERD (severe acid reflux) at around 9 weeks. She was vomiting after every feeding and became very fussy. She was not gaining weight either. The doctor put her on a medication for reflux and told us to start mixing rice cereal in each of her bottles. We have noticed a tremendous difference. The doctor said most babies out grow reflux around 4 or 5 months, but some may take up to a year. Let’s hope she out grows it soon!! Health: The doctor said she looks very healthy; she is just a small baby. Eating: Avy continues to eat pretty well. She is now on rice cereal mixed into each bottle to help keep the milk down due to GERD (acid reflux) Teeth: Nope, but drooling a lot and consistently putting her hands in her mouth. Extra comments: I went back to work when Avy was 10 weeks. My mom watches Avy when Greg is working. It’s been so nice knowing that Avy is in GREAT hands while I am at work. Greg has been taking Avy outdoors a lot on walks and hikes. My mom also bought a stroller for Avy so she can take Avy on walks when she watches her. She’s not spoiled or anything!

Avy loves her bumbo!

Avy is starting to get good head control. We have been putting her in her bumbo seat and she loves it!

Avy's first hikes

Daddy watched Avy this week while Mommy went to work. Daddy took Avy on some of her first hikes!

GERD (Acid reflux)

A couple of weeks ago we took Avy back to the pedriciatrian because she was vomiting when she ate and would get extremely fussy after eating or sometimes during eating. She would not like to be burped and would try and throw herself backwards when we would try and burp her. She had only gained 1 oz in a little over a week so the doctor seemed concerend. The doctor said these were all signs of GERD (acid reflux) and gave us a medication to try. The doctor also told us to thicken her feedings with rice cereal. Usually rice cereal is not introduced until around 4 months, but Avy gets to start it early. With the medication and the rice cereal, Greg and I have seen some good changes. She is not spitting up as much and seems a lot less fussy. Let's hope everything starts to look up from here!

2 months

Age: 2 month Height: 21 inches = 7th percentile at 8 week appointment Weight: 10lbs, 1oz. =27th percentile at 8 week appointment Head: 37.50= 40th percentile at 8 week appointment Milestones: Avy is starting to make good eye contact and smile back at you. She will imitate coo sounds when you talk to her. She likes to stick out her tongue and pucker her lips. She can roll onto one of her sides when on her back. She is holding her head up better when sitting up right. She is trying to find her thumb to suck on, but just can’t get it quite right yet! Sleep: Avy does not have a schedule for sleeping down yet. She usually, but not always, goes to bed between 10 and 11pm then wakes up once at night between 2 or 3am. The hardest part is getting her back to sleep. She sometimes stays up for an hour and a half or two hours. She will then wake up again around 6am and then go back to sleep. I am hoping that we will start seeing some sort of routine or longer sleep periods in a couple of weeks since I will be going back to work. Best Moment: I was talking to her the other night and she continued to talk back to me by making cooing sounds one after another! I love to see her smile too! Worst Moment: Lately, Avy’s fussiness has quieted down a bit. After figuring out she had anal stenosis and managing the problem she has seemed to be a little happier. She still acts like she strains sometimes, but I think that’s somewhat normal. She still continues to have some episodes of colic, but not as bad as before. Health: The doctor said she looks very healthy, she is just a small baby. Eating: Avy continues to eat pretty well. Teeth: Nope Extra comments: Avy had her 2 month shots and did very well. She fussed for a second and then seemed all better. I go back to work in two weeks and am not looking forward to that. She continues to change each and every day and brings lots of smiles to my face!