Edie Update

Well as you can see she can pull herself up. We were just looking at these pictures and thinking to ourselves 'she isn't a baby anymore'. Well she is and isn't at this point.

• Health: We met with Edie's specialist today. She is doing really well. She is growing that's for sure. She is at 21lbs. Keep in mind her sisters only weigh 24lbs each! She is on a new medication in conjunction with the Miralax. She is now taking a Soluble Lactulose Syrup which will help her intestines and colon retain water to help her move stool along. The problem is ; she can't successfully expel waste, therefore, her body takes all the water out of 'it' and then it becomes backed up and dry making it EVEN harder (no pun intended) for her to pass.We are going to try this for another six to eight weeks, then she will go for a test called an Anorectal Function Test. This test will evaluate muscle strength, a tiny balloon with go...yes...there, and measure muscle strength and contraction strength. Our specialist thinks her problem now rests in her rectal muscles. OH my poor baby!! It's painful to watch her try to go, but we are getting somewhere. The combination of her medications over the next couple of weeks will hopefully make her more comfortable.
• Diet: She continues to remain on a strict diet. NO cereals, starches, dairy, or binding foods. He said 'get creative' you know the things she likes, steam them or boil them turn them into finger foods, at 9 months she is itching to eat. Slowly, we will move from the teether/feeder mesh bag to finger foods. He also said we should also keep liquids/drinks at her fingertips. Diluted Pear and prune juices, water are helpful with hydrating her digestion.
• Development: It's been a huge month for Edie baby! She can pull herself up to a sitting position, then onto her knees then her feet. It is for a short period of time and she is a little wobbly but she will soon be mobile. She'll clap when the twins sing, or dance. She loves it when Grampy sings itsy bitsy spider. She'll shake her head left to right when we say no, no, no. She is just pure delight to be around.
• Meme and the girls and I went out this week for new shoes (Aubrey told Meme she needed new shoes.) The twins EACH measured a size larger. Just 6 short weeks ago they were fine, Aubrey is now at an 8, Reagan also an 8!
• Edie will soon be walking so we wanted to get some for her too. Unfortunately, baby shoes (soft soled) are not sold at Be Be Shoe. He referred us to Stride Rite. The fantastic salesman at the shoe store stated that most pediatricians recommend infants only wear hard soled shoes out, (when they are not on their feet), the hard soled shoe could affect arch development. At home no shoe at all. (OK I remember that a bit from the twins, but we had them in sneakers early). I stopped in to Stride Rite at the mall, and it's...get this...$40.00 for crawling shoes!! CRAWLING SHOES !! Basically a tiny soft baby shoe with a bit of rubber on the toe. What ever happened to the basic soft white lace up little number my mom had bronzed from when I was a baby? Please let me know if those are still out there!