The Life and Times of Charlotte Sara: June 2010

Monday, June 14, 2010

Major update!

Charlotte's pappa was resting on the arm of the couch. She reached over and grabbed it. This is the first time she's ever attempted to pick something up. It didn't make it to her mouth (she grabbed the nipple,) but she did pick it up. I'm amazed--this is the first time she's wanted something and then made it happen. Yay, Charlotte!

(And a pappa picture, because what's a blog post with no pictures?)

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Thursday morning was Charlotte's 4 month well-baby visit. She's 13 lbs 14 oz, 24 3/4" long and her head circumference is 17". That puts her in the 50th, 75th, 96th percentiles, respectively, and she's up 6lbs 13oz and 4 1/4" from her birth weight and length. Her visit went well. She's hitting all of her developmental milestones and then some; her pediatrician was surprised at her strength and ability to pull up/stand while holding someone's hands, (which we know is a reflex, but Charlotte does it with little or no coaxing/help, and is pretty strong, so she'll stay standing for pretty long periods of time.)

On Friday we went to her first actual physical therapy appointment (the last one was an evaluation.) It was basically 45 minutes of hardcore playing. We learned how to play with her in a way that will benefit her neck best, and that she loves the football hold, and doesn't mind having her neck stretched when she's laying that way.

Physical therapy also resulted in a trip to Babies R Us, in an effort to find a ball, since we've learned that she's a big fan of them. Went spent a good amount of time there, lamenting the loss of toys that don't require batteries, but ended up finding one, plus a few new books. (Mama's a book addict, and is trying to indoctrinate Charlotte similarly.)

Last night Charlotte met up with her ~~future husband~~ friend, Jack, who is 3 days older. (We were in the same birth class with Jack's parents.) I didn't bring my camera (silly Mama) so, alas no pictures. But I assure you, it was pretty cute. And there will be many more baby dates in the future.

All in all it was a pretty good, eventful weekend.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Tilty head--be gone!

Last Thursday, Charlotte had her first physical therapy appointment. It was to evaluate the severity of her torticollis (From webMD: "Torticollis is a twisted neck in which the head is tipped to one side, while the chin is turned to the other.") We saw the doctor about it, because torticollis can lead to flat spots on the head, (which can lead to needing to wear a helmet to re-shape the head), facial features like cheeks & eyes developing asymmetrically, and probably some other stuff that I'm forgetting.

Her physical therapist, Natasha, did the Bayley development evaluation (or whatever it's called,) and she did pretty well. She was kinda ticked during parts of it; she wanted to be back on her tummy (go figure...the kid who hates tummy time) chewing on the sparkly purple ball they had. When Natasha made her sit up or was holding her she was fussy, but mostly because she wanted that ball. :) So, really the only things she didn't do that she should've been able to do we've seen her do, so we know she can. She just wouldn't. The therapist was trying to get her to roll, but it didn't happen because of her big cloth-diapered bum (though she hasn't rolled fully even naked.) She tried to get her to grab her feet too, which didn't happen until I took her jeans off, then bam! feet-to-hand-magnet immediately.

She's got good range of motion in the neck, it's just that her "default position" is with a bend on the right. It's not a true torticollis, she said, since Charlotte bends to the right but doesn't rotate/look to the left. She faces straight out, just with her head tilted.

So we got a list of exercises & stretches to do, and we go back Friday, but the therapist said she imagines Charlotte will only need 2-3 visits before she's discharged. So, yay!