Low Hemoglobin

Just as I laid both girls down for a nap yesterday (and myself) the phone rang.  It was Dr. Russell's office.  I was thinking, hmmmmm, that is odd, the girls don't have any appointments to be confirmed.  It was Dr. Russell herself calling and then I thought it was really odd.  She was calling to tell me that Avery had some abnormal lab results come back.  Just a bit panicked now, and I knew that she only had her lead level and hemoglobin checked at her one year appointment.  Dr. Russell said her lead was normal but her hemoglobin was low.  I immediately asked how low (as a nurse who takes care of children with Leukemia I was freaking out when I heard this).  Her hemoglobin was 10...normal for a one year old is 11-13.  She said to me "its not 6 it is 10."  I think she could hear the worry in my voice and she knows what kind of nursing I do.  She told me that she has been thinking about this for 3 days deciding how to treat Avery.  She was thinking about having her redrawn to see if it was a fluke, but then decided to start her on liquid iron supplements twice a day.  She has taken the iron like a champ.  I have been more careful about what I feed her, and I try to make sure she is eating more iron in her diet.  She will be rechecked in one month to see where her level is going, and if she is still low or not much higher she will have a complete blood count drawn and iron studies done.  I keep telling myself that a hemoglobin of 10 is not bad at all, but when you are in the field that I am in it is hard to not get worried.  I wonder if part of it is because my hemoglobin was low too.  She was breastfed until she was a year old and I had to take iron 3 times a day for 3 months after she was born because my hemoglobin was down to 8.  I was back up to normal when I was rechecked, but maybe it had a little something to do with it??  I just hope in a month she is up within the normal range.  I do appreciate Dr. Russell being so kind and taking 20-30 minutes on the phone with me. 

One Year Check Up

We took Avery in yesterday for her one year check up.  I met Jason and both girls at the peds office after I got off work Monday morning.  Jason had said that Lily had thrown up in her sleep Sunday night.  She looked fine and was playing, but she was supposed to get her flu mist and I was a little hesitant in letting her get it.  I told the nurse that she had thrown up but she didn't have a fever so they said it would be fine.  Lily then got as white as a ghost and had diarrhea at the office, so I opted to wait until another day!  She obviously wasn't feeling well and we are still early enough into the season so we will just make another trip back to see Dr. Russell!  Lily really wasn't feeling well and was asking to go home, so Jason left with her and she threw up again in the car on the way home.  Poor kiddo! 

On to Avery...

She is healthy and happy and doing great!  Her hemangioma's on her back may be starting to fade...the upper one anyway.  It is turning a grayish blue in the middle and appears to be spreading out.  The lower one looks the same.  Avery could have gotten 5 shots (because the flu shot was an extra one this time), but I opted to only let her have 3 since she could get the rest in 3 months at her 15 month visit.  They checked her hemoglobin and lead levels with a finger stick and she didn't even flinch!  She did cry with her shots, but only for a minute until Mommy scooped her up and cuddled her!  She is babbling more and more and she sounds like she is saying "pickle, pickle, pickle"...so cute. 

Avery's One Year Stats:

~weight 20 pounds 6 ounces~36th percentile

~length 31 inches~94th percentile

She is long and skinny.  Her sister was long and chubby.  Avery is almost exactly 3 pounds smaller than Lily was at a year old and about the same length (Lily weighed 23 pounds 3 ounces and 31 1/4 inches).  I am thankful that Jason had taken the day off and was there with me.  I don't know what I would have done with a pooping, puking girl and a screaming baby after getting shots and a tired mommy who had been up since 7:00am the DAY BEFORE.  Jason had been out of town since Wednesday on a hunting trip with his brother's.  I enjoyed my time with my girls, but we all missed daddy terribly!  Each night that he was gone all three of us girls were in bed before 8:30. I looked at the clock on Friday night when I crawled into bed after putting the girls to bed and it read 8:06pm...my how the times have changed!

Happy FIRST Birthday to my BABY Girl!

Dear Avery,

Happy first birthday sweet, sweet baby girl!  Mommy isn't late with your letter this month...in fact...I'm 48 minutes early!  This time last year at 9:11pm you entered this world.  I remember hearing your precious cry for the very first time, and it instantly brought me to tears.  I had just delivered another beautiful baby GIRL.  I remember just like it was yesterday when daddy said to me, "It's another beautiful baby girl."  I was thrilled to have a SECOND daughter.  I knew that you and your big sister, Lily, would grow up to be the best of friends.  It is amazing how this new little life that wasn't here a few minutes ago now just seems to fit so perfectly into our family.  It was like you were meant for us and as if you were with us all along.  There is a quote from an unknown author that says "A daughter is a gift of love."  You are every bit of this.  God blessed me with the most precious gift the day you were born.  You have filled our lives with so much love this past year, and I can't wait to see what the next year brings to us.  You and your sister are my treasures in this life. 

I was telling your daddy the other night that 9-11 is very special to our family.  Daddy proposed to me on 9/11, I was induced with your big sister on 9/11, and you were born at 9:11.  Pretty amazing huh?

We celebrated your first birthday at  Vala's Pumpkin Patch.  You were surrounded by lots of family and friends who love you very much, and those who couldn't be there sent their wishes to you in the form of emails, texts, cards,gifts and phone calls.  You woke up this morning at 6:30 and I couldn't wait to scoop you up out of your bed and sing to you.  You had the funniest little smile on your face...kind of like...what the heck mom?!  Why are you singing to me at this hour?  We had a bottle on the couch and then you fell back to sleep in my arms on the couch.  Daddy brought you your very first McDonald's cheeseburger home for lunch today, but you had just eaten your fruits and veggies so you didn't even try any of it.  We took you to a new restaurant in Omaha to celebrate tonight...Cheddar's.  You shared your sister's grilled cheese and french fries.  You had your very first taste of chocolate milk and I think it's fair to say you LOVED it!  GaGa and Papa came over to sing happy birthday to you and to watch you DEVOUR your birthday cake!  I hope your day was as special as you are little Avery Gracie.  I would write to you all day long, but you are at my feet...I suppose you know its time to now open your presents.

 

What you are doing at ONE YEAR OLD:

~eating mostly table foods

~favorite foods are mac and cheese, cheese roll-ups, pizza, yogurt, cheetos, ice cream, bananas, chocolate pudding, ham and cheese sandwich

~you wear size 12-18 month clothes

~still in size 3 diapers

~take 2-3 short naps a day

~wake up once a night

~stopped nursing exactly 2 weeks ago and have taken formula since(you knew when you were done and just weren't interested anymore)

~will try your first WHOLE milk  before bed

~walk around furniture

~finally crawl on all fours

~drink from a sippy during the day and bottle at night and middle of the night

~can say dadda, momma, MINE, more, and up

~love, love, love your big sissy (and love to harass her!)

~have a bit of a temper (just a bit :))

~love to rock and cuddle with mommy every night and before naps

~still suck your thumb with your snuggly blanket (so stinkin cute)

~finally wear shoes

You have your one year check-up with Dr.Russell next Monday so mommy will post again then.  I love you higher than the sky and deeper than the sea little girl.  Thank you for being my daughter.  As always, you put a smile on my face and in my heart.

Love,

Mommy

Avery's First Birthday Party

Last night we celebrated Avery's first birthday at Vala's Pumpkin Patch.  We couldn't have asked for a more perfect night.  It was perfect bonfire weather!  We rented a bonfire site and we roasted hot dogs and smores.  October is my favorite month out of the year, and I'm so happy that I had a baby born in that month!  It will always give us an excuse to go to the Pumpkin Patch (who am I kidding, we always went before we even had kids)!  I am thankful to all of our family who was able to make the trip to Omaha to help us celebrate our little girl's special day.  She was sound asleep in her stroller before we even left the patch, which is proof that she had a good time!  Watch for Avery on channel six news Monday morning at 0835.  She should be on during the First Birthday section ( hopefully I didn't get it submitted too late!).  Tomorrow is Avery's actual birthday.  I remember everything about that day.  She is such a blessing to our family and I can't wait to spend HER day with her tomorrow!

Family Pics (Lily 3 years and Avery 1 year)

We had family pics taken last week at Elmwood Park.  Carly Urbach Photography took them and I LOVE them!  She took my sister's reception pics so I knew they would turn out great!  These are just a few of the ones she took.

 

Gameday!

Here are a few pics of the girls in their HUSKER gear over the past few Saturdays.  Hoping for a BIG RED WIN tonight against the Badgers!