A flashback to Greta's youth.  She was about 10 days old.  Her ducktail is no longer thriving (as seen above), though her baby bird spikes are still in full effect. 

**I would like to make a shout-out to Katie Ketner Rieffenberger, who is currently vacationing in Hawai'i right now.  We are no longer friends until you come back to the armpit of the world, also know as, The Midwest.  I hope you DON'T meet Don Ho's family, drink a million pina coladas, and NOT catch ten on your first wave.  Peace and love.

Greta slept with a carabiner in her hand last night.  Did I mention it was positioned in her hand for 2 hours BEFORE bedtime, during her last bottle, being changed into her pajamas, storytime, rocking, and bedtime?  AND, it was STILL there when she was up this morning.  It continued to stay in her hand through her morning diaper change, morning bottle, morning cruise session through the television room.  Sadly, their adventure together came to a screeching halt when she was introduced to a magazine reorder insert.  Interesting.

She's definitely grown attached to some new toys, dropping her old crew.  Not okay for William, Alphonse, Gingerbread Man, and Farmer Ted.  Thankfully, Cyndl is still in the mix every night, offering Greta solace and comfort as she processes her day of cruising, Cheerio eating, and walking on squishy/circly feet.)

Remember this post.....


Greta's Starting Line Up, i.e., Her Gang
1. Jaleesa
2. Lamby
3. William
4. Vern
5. Ms. Cleo
6. Farmer Ted
7. Cyndl
8. Alphonse
9. JaMarcus Russell
10.Gingerbread Man (real original)
11. Cleo

I was lucky enough to have them stay still long enough to take this picture. (Missing from the picture is her musical dog, Julio Jones, as well as El Guapo, her trusty burro, and Veronica, Vern the Giraffe's life partner.)

It should be noted that Greta goes to sleep, at every nap and every night, with Cyndl, the mysterious white unicorn. She strokes her flowing locks and her sparkly horn. Through this activity, Greta is invigorated with strength, bravery, and courage. She is ready to face any opposition with Cyndl's great powers.

It should also be noted that Ms. Cleo, the musical dog, was Greta's first friend. Ms. Cleo has stuck around through hard times---NICU visits, teething, constipation, diarrhea, and nightmares. Thankfully, Ms. Cleo resonates the spirit of Clarence Clemons, famed saxophonist in the E. Street Band, who passed last year. Mr. Clemons has transferred his musicality into Ms. Cleo to help Greta relax and sleep. 

Minivans with extra fab key are great....here's why:  When GFP falls asleep in her carseat, Momma Carrie can keep the car running, lock the door, and continue on with her house chores knowing her GFP won't be hijacked.

Minivans with comfy seats are great....here's why.  My fat ass can rest nicely while I navigate the mean streets of Btown.  Check yo' self before you wreck yo' self, son.

Minivans with great suspension are great....here's why.  It takes me back to the days of high school when I would partake in doobie smack joint hits with friends in their minivans, enjoying the scenery, as if I was a penguin, floating on a cloud.  Que the Pink Floyd.

(The Subaru, affectionately named #19 for the great Steve Yzerman, was sadly injured in a car accident last week, at the hand of an old man who can barely see.   She is getting some Botox and fillers this week.  In the mean time, old man river's insurance company has hooked me up with a minivan.  I love it.  I'm riding in style.  I blasted ( at a safe volume) some Tribe in my ride while driving home from Enterprise yesterday.  Cool?  No.  Comfortable?  Yes.)

On a serious note.....
I have noticed some major differences with Greta (compared to her little friends).  While I am not anxious about her cognitive development (she is verbal, she seems to understand what I'm saying to her, she favors toys and activities), she definitely demonstrates a significant delay in her physical movements, gross movements that is.  By this age, most babies are scooting/crawling as a form of forward/backward movement to get to something they want.  When Greta is sitting down, she is stationary.  There is no movement at all.  She has no transition changes from standing to sitting/sitting to standing.  When she is on her belly, she does not get her legs underneath her at all.  She cannot pull herself up.  When she is standing (from someone helping her), she walks.  She has taken several (up to 12) steps by herself.  She cruises along furniture very well, often taking short walks from one piece to the next.  However, she is going to fall, there is no cautionary/balance adjusting movements.  She'll fall flat on her butt, or on her face.  She does not try to brace herself at all, as if she has no arms to speak of.   She also does not bend her knees when she is sitting as a means of any movement toward any object, and this is also when she is trying to crouch down to get something from a standing position.  I'm a bit nervous because I understand the majority of our body's balance comes from the posterior portion of the brain (cerebellum).  This was an area directly affected during her birth.  This was the point of the majority of the fluid/swelling after delivery.

I'm worried that this is the beginning of a slippery slope for Greta.  Again, she shows signs of normal development, but this seems to be a doozy in the growing up department.  I'm worried that she won't be able to match up physically with her little friends and she'll look different.  (While I love Greta NO MATTER WHAT, I don't want her to look different to others, as something to make fun of her for.)  I also don't want her to experience any setbacks in her life from someone elses hand, i.e., the OB that delivered her.  I'm more than willing to wear that badge for the rest of my life, as I am her mother.  I am thankful up 'til this point, she's presented herself as a very normal little person who loves bath time, swings, spatulas, yogurt, and bouncing.  Again, this thought of fear and anxiety for Greta's well being has been at the back of my mind since I first saw her in the NICU.  While every mother fears for their children's well being, which is normal for any mom in moments of danger/peril/uncertainty, I suppose for me, it was going to be inevitable at some point.

I understand children are extremely resilient, but looking back, her head was in bad shape.  And again, I as her mother, would take all of her injury/pain/discomfort so she could have a happy and normal existence.  (And as Dave would say, someone did THIS to her.)  That is the hard part of all of this---I could accept some sort of delay if that is what God intended for us---but with her injury, there is always a question looming in my head if this was at the hand of my OB, not God.  And for that, I will never forgive the OB.  I know I won't ever accept choosing her as my doctor, but I have to go about my life and try to be the best for Greta and Dave.  My injuries aside, I have to keep moving forward for my family. 

It has almost been 1 year since Greta was born, but on days like today, it seems like yesterday.  I have to be confident that she'll be okay because she's my daughter and she's a tough chick.  I don't think I've passed the weak gene down to her, at least, I hope not. 

Wagon.  Her newest form of transportation.

Greta and Oliver's first yachting date.

Testing the wind speed/velocity/humidity before stretching her "sea legs."

If there is one thing that the last several months that I'm thankful for, it is the women I call friends.  Without my "Mommies" and "Cookies," and teaching friends, the last 11 months would have been much harder.  (While I'm also thankful for Effexor and Concerta.)  

Have you ever met someone that you can completely be yourself around?  Like they are a sister from another mother?  Yep, that is Mackinzie.  She has 4 sisters, likes reality television, loves carbs, and often bitches about housecleaning.  Yep, she is a good friend.  Her son, Oliver, is a magical pirate, who loves to eat, dance, and play with his dog, Lola.  Greta loves being around Oliver--I would not be mad if they decided to marry at a young age.  We see them at least 4 times a week.  They are a great pair to do an activity with--even if it is grabbing coffee, or discussing couponing with.  PLUS, Oliver's dad has a fun boat.  Whoo hoo.

I'm also thankful for my friend, Jamie.  She knows EXACTLY what it is like to have a baby who isn't always operating under the best circumstances---her little girl, Sophie, has some neuro issues.  She has spent countless days in the hospital.  Jamie knows exactly what it is like to have a sick kid, unsure of the future, with little faith in doctors.  Jamie totally gets it.  Totally.  She was there when Greta was born, doing her best to make Dave and I feel comfortable, bringing us food, checking on us, checking in with the doctors---these friends are almost impossible to find.  I'm lucky---I have two.

Greta's PT appt is on Friday.  I'll surely post her consult results afterward. 

I am a bad blogger. Greta had her first boat ride this week, as well as several dates with her BFF, Oliver. Her poopy situation is on the up and up, and her walking abilities are improving. No crawling, pulling herself up, or sitting from standing. Physical therapy starts on Friday as well as a new neurologist to see in July. More on this later.

Before the choking incident tonight (and thankfully she is okay), Greta doing some walking with Mackinzie at the Banneker Center today.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3zh-1U78H4

And some swinging (with her crew yesterday)...........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VcgfxkOeVI

Greta is 11 months old!  I have yet to take the monthly picture.  I'll get around to it.....

A tuckered out GFP after a day of playing with her homies.

Cooling off, Indiana style.

And we're walking.........

 

 

Oliver and Greta comparing "Noz" configurations on their whips.

I've been duped, once again, by Ms. Greta Button.  Yep, I was CONVINCED she had another ear infection.  CULPRIT?  Teething.  Yep.   Dental Trickery at its finest.  NOT OKAY.

 

This is Greta's band:  Diaper Elastic

They play every other Thursday at Oliver Rekers' house.  

Greta mixes it up on the ivories AND the drums.  Owen prefers the tambourine and Oliver enjoys the maracas.  They usually do 80's cover tunes, with the occasional Neil Diamond mash-up.  

I have finally figured out when Greta has been receiving D-'s on the sleep chalkboard for the last several weeks.  While this is NOT rocket science, or some deeply intricate sewing pattern, clearly, I have NOT been smart enough to figure it out.  I GIVE YOU......................Teething.  Yep, once again, this little "blip" in her life's roadmap will include several weeks of non-sleepy night times, all because of teeth.  Teeth blow.  NO ONE told me how hard this was going to be---breastfeeding was a snap compared to this.  NOT TO MENTION teething, paired with a growth spurt, and throwing in a flair for throwing things---yep, I'm dealing with a almost-11-month-old monster.  Aside from whipping her sucky (pacifier) out of her crib at night, aside from getting her foot tangled in the spokes (crib bars) or her crib, ASIDE from gas, Greta is not being a good sleeper.  This absolutely sucks.  So I am once again going to call up my Columbian drug lord friends for some sweet deals on Children's Ibuprofen.  I understand that Greta is not old enough to understand the true healing magical powers of rubbing Beanie's ears OR the tender feeling of slapping on a clean pair of sweatpants.  Until then, we are back on the sauce.  THEN maybe I can get some shut eye.  Until then, enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrNXUbD53Mg

This is Greta eating her morning biscuit, i.e, blueberry waffle.  She enjoys this time, because it allows her moments to reflect on her previous night's sleep as well as the day's activities.  This is also a time for her to focus on creating a "situation" that would entail a new thorax, i.e., diaper.  This is also the time when Biscuit and Beans come out of the woodwork to steal Greta's crumbs when they fall to the floor, or when she turns her head.  Biscuit is a master at thievery, taking several pieces of food in an instant.  Beans, on the other hand, is much more low key---she usually takes this time to get lots of pets and rubs from me.  (Which is followed by a short walk to a nearby closet for rest and relaxation). 

Greta also uses this time to work a bit until the snack time hour---tinkering with a spatula, block, or random sock.

You may also notice that her hair looks extra "flat."  Yep, that is what going to bed without a bathies will do.

FYI---she did poop twice today AND there was NO poop in the bathtub.

If you look closely at this picture, it may resemble a certain Ewok named Wicket, enjoying a tasty snack (this scene can be viewed in the great motion picture, The Ewok Adventure: The Battle for Endor.)
Here is a clip from this amazing film.  No treats for Wicket, but if you watch the whole movie, you'll see plenty.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvZm6fl1040

I give you Greta "walking".........

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s16lJ8eT8R8

FYI, she can take steps by herself.  She has difficulty pulling herself up (she doesn't at all).  We start physical therapy in two weeks to help her with her "transitional movements" i.e., standing to sitting and sitting to standing.  She doesn't bend her knees at all to get up and when in the tummy position, she is unable to get her knees up underneath her.  It is as if it is really uncomfortable.  She sees her buddies Sam and Oliver moving around like crazy, and she wants to roll with her homies.  

I'm a horrible mother because I have been neglecting this blog.  I've been quite busy trying to be an extreme couponer while also keeping the house afloat.  Well, the couponing is going okay, and the house is seriously suffering.  I folded about 35 loads of laundry this week.  I'm a bit closer to finishing all of it.  I'm so over it.  Greta has been very busy socializing with her bestie, Oliver.  He had a BIG birthday last weekend (1), and with their playdates, she is quite the social butterfly.

Dave had an interesting night with GFP last night---I went to fetch some Mexican food with some of my Cookie wives, while Dave was left to wrangle the furbabies and the two-legged.  They played, and at around 7:45, he fed her the last bottle of the day.  She finished her bottle, no problem.  He then proceeded to burp her.  While he was burping her, she fell asleep (gross play clothes, and wet diaper in all).  I went in to check on her at around 1 a.m., only to find her completely asleep with a SUPER PEE BOMB for a diaper.  But, there was NO WAY I was going to wake my sleeping child.  NO WAY.  Well, around 3 a.m., she woke up, SUPER DUPER WET.  I then had to completely change her clothes and give her a new thorax (diaper).  NOT HAPPY GRETA.  I brought her into bed with me, a big no-no, but when I am this tired, this is the only option.  Fast forward to 4 am, and she is still awake, thrashing around.  She finally fell asleep before Dave got up for work.  Needless to say, I'm exhausted, looking super hot, and Greta is putting herself to sleep right now.  NOT OK.

And finally, Greta received a magical package from her Pepe----two Navy teeshirts to celebrate the upcoming Navy football season.  Go Navy!  Beat Army!