Blessed

Well I started this post about a week ago, I am sorry it has taken so long to finish up and publish.

Many of you already know, but I wanted to post an update about little Emily.  All her tests that were done as a follow up after her recent UTI came back normal!!  I feel so very blessed!  On the 29th (of Dec.) we took Emily to Mercy Hospital here in town and she had a renal ultrasound done to look at her kidneys and bladder and make sure everything was formed normal.  She then had a VCUG (Voiding Cystourethrogram) to look for urine refluxing out of the bladder up to the kidneys.  Everything was normal.  Emily did a great job, she was such a big girl and cooperated for the doctor.  He was able to get a good look at everything, and was very impressed by her!  The most difficult part of the day was when I was told I could not accompany Emily during the VCUG, only one parent could be in the room and they recommended Paul go back with her.  It was VERY hard to be waiting in the hall not knowing what was going on and I could hear her crying.  Paul said that she was a trooper for the test and did not mind it at all, she was crying after it was over because they were not letting her sit up right away (Emily thinks she is bigger than she really is sometimes).  So for now we do not know what caused the UTI, and just have to hope it was a fluke and she does not get another one.  After talking to her pediatrician she said we would just have to wait and see, if Emily did for some reason get another UTI she would most likely start Emily on a daily antibiotic to prevent any other infections (the treatment for urinary reflux) to be one the safe side and then repeat the test in a year.  Usually the reflux is something kids out grow at some point anyways.  She also said that if a child has the reflux it is something that is always present, so it would have shown up on the VCUG.  I felt much better after talking to her.  I am sure this is something we can put past us, it bothers me that I don't know what caused the infection, but I am glad that everything is normal and working as it should.  Afterall the most important thing is that Emily is healthy and her kidneys are working as they should. 

On a brighter note we had a wonderful holiday season filled with lots of family.  Some family got to meet Emily for the first time.  We really enjoyed seeing everyone and catching up with family we have not seen in some time.  Emily was an excellent traveler.  It was very nice to celebrate Emily's first Christmas! 

Emily celebrated her three month birthday recently as well.  At three months she is talking all the time.  I love to listen to her talk.  When I am running errands she will just sit in the back and talk to herself, it is such a sweet sound.    She just laughed for the first time a few days ago.  You really have to work to get a laugh from her still, but I'm sure they will become more frequent.  Emily rolled from tummy to back for the first time yesterday.  She did it about 6 times in a row!  She is starting to play with toys alot too, she will reach out and grasp onto toys and everything goes to the mouth.  She has a few crinkle toys, stuffed animals/dolls, and some rattles that are her favorite.  She still is a fan of her swing - though we need it less and less to keep us happy.  She still must be swaddled tight at night.  I need to get a video of her coming out of the swaddle in the morning it is so cute how she throws her arms up in the air after they are free.  She sill loves bath time, music, books, and pacifiers (if no paci then she will use her fingers). 

We are loving every second of being parents, and I can't believe it has been three months already.  Emily is our little princess and she is figuring that out already :)  She finds ways to get all the attention back on her if someone dares to direct attention away from her.  It is amazing watching her little personality develop.  Oh I love her :)

Fun in the hotel pool :) 

Some pictures from the last few weeks. 

  

First time in the snow, we had about 8inches that fell on Christmas Eve.  This was taken the day after Christmas.  Emily made her first snow angel with some help from her Daddy :)

Some more pictures from the hospital