On her 4 month birthday, she weighed in at 9 lbs even. The following week at her actual pediatrician appointment, she weighed 9 lbs 6 oz! Still in the 1st percentile on the 34 weeker growth chart, but our pediatrician said she's staying on the "Sawyer curve" and that's what counts!
This month she's made a bunch of leaps. She's babbling like crazy and mimicking noises that you make. The other day I was washing bottles and singing her Amazing Grace and she started "singing" with me. If I stopped, she stopped. If I sang, she sang. She either likes singing or she was trying to cover up my voice because it's terrible. :)
She is also starting to giggle! I pretty much spend all day trying to get her to do it. My trick? Tell her you're going to get her neck and give her lots of kisses. You'll at least get a big smile, but sometimes that precious laugh.
Still hating tummy time, but dare I say not as much as usual? Really working on strengthening those arms. Poor girl got her mom's upper arm strength (or lack thereof), but that core though! She is desperately trying to sit up in her rock n' play. Still has physical therapy twice a week and some days she's good with it and other days her sessions end in tears. The following picture was how she felt after therapy this past week.
Current LIKES:
Feeding-wise within the last few days, she has magically started taking straight EBM without any sort of thickening! I don't know where this came from, but hopefully it continues (and her reflux does not worsen) and we can start whittling down on the freezer stash.
- Reading stories
- Looking at reflection in mirrors
- Singing
- Bathtime
- Car rides and stroller rides
Current DISLIKES:
- Tummy time...
The general orthopedic specialist was wonderful. She told us what we expected regarding her feet---not much to do surgically for functionality and not much they could do cosmetically. However, she reassured us that Sawyer would walk and run with the best of them and not be slowed down by her differences. She also did a spinal ultrasound because Sawyer has a deep sacral dimple---all normal! Yay!
Truth be told, I originally wrote this post all fired up to say that we would not be returning to that particular hand surgeon and I had already made appointments with two others to get second opinions. Then yesterday we had an appointment with a hand specialist here in Austin for that second opinion. He was everything I could ever dream to have in the surgeon who would be operating on my daughter in the future. Kind, personable, thorough, gentle, amazing with Sawyer, and humble. After looking at the x-rays and doing an assessment of Sawyer, one of the first things he said was "I'd really like to refer you to a surgeon in Dallas." I smiled and told him we had already been to Dallas and turns out we had actually met the hand surgeon that was his very good friend and had played a big part in his career. He spoke the world of her, said she was brilliant and the best of the best and if his children needed surgery, he would choose her in a heartbeat. I didn't openly tell him about our experience with her but he could definitely tell my hesitation because he continued to look me in the eyes and reassure me that she was the best.
He gave us his opinion on what could be done with her hands which is exactly what I was hoping to hear. He then asked what his friend had recommended, which differed regarding separating the fingers on her left hand and he said to just tell her what we wanted and she could make it happen. Maybe it is as easy as that, we'll see. He thought the right hand with cleft would be very complicated (and he wasn't quite sure what to do with the cleft) and that he thought it was in Sawyer's best interest to continue on with Dallas. I appreciate his honesty, but disappointed because we really, really liked him.
Now we are kind of torn about how to proceed. I realize we have time, they don't want to begin surgeries until December or so, after she's a year old due to the anesthesia risks. But you know me, I like to have a plan ready to go. We still have one more appointment with a surgeon in Houston in April and I guess we'll go from there. If any of you mommas have advice on choosing specialists and what qualities are most important, send it my way!
Thanks for the continued notes and messages, as well as your thoughts and prayers. This sweet girl is doing so well and we can't wait to see how she continues to grow!
love,
Team Sawyer
