Mini Hole = Mini Stroke

   Our life is never dull at the Laird house!! I know I do not have a hard life or to bad because I know so many other people in such harder and worse situations than me. So this is not a sob fest, just an update fest for all the people that have been getting a play by play phone call from my mother.
   Last week I experienced something that is very hard for me to explain. So sorry if things don't make sense or a little off. Well Alexis and I were watching The Bachelor last week. She was playing on the floor and I was on the computer looking at Facebook eating Ice Cream. (Very Exciting so far!) Then my ears started to ring, my eyes started to do something funky, and I was extremely dizzy. I thought I was faking it or making myself do it so I tried to talk myself out of being dizzy for a second when it got worse and I really thought I was going to pass out. I have never been that disoriented and dizzy ever. My eyes weren't normal but I can't tell you what they were doing cause I don't know I just couldn't focus or see normal. But because I was extremely disoriented and dizzy I decided I should lay my head on the table just in case I did pass out.  So as I was moving to do this I got stuck. I just couldn't move. My left arm was all numb and  I couldn't move so I was like a rag limp doll hanging there. I couldn't talk. I was just stuck there but was screaming in my head what is going on!! Then my hearing went back to normal and I could move. And I found Lexi trying to get into her swing. So I had to start thinking about her.
    So to shorten the long story up. I ended up going to ER to make sure I hadn't had a stroke. My mom and mother in law were both very worried and convinced I needed to be checked out. The ER Dr. asked me some ? and once finding out all my medical history of head injuries. He was convinced it is a weird neurological migraine that can give you stroke like symptoms that I was experiencing. So I'm like ok I look like a complete idiot. Get me out of the ER. So they gave me medicine to help me with my nausea and dizziness. Then I got out of there as fast as I could. I felt dizzy and nauseous for days after on and off. So I figured it was just part of the head ache.
   Luckily I had my regular follow up with my neurologist a few days later. I told him what happened. He was didn't believe it was a neurological migraine because I had no head ache before or after this. If I was getting these type of headaches I would get some type of symptoms usually before, which I had none.  So he told me that there could be a few things that could have caused this and I had to get some tests done. First was a MRI to see how my brain was doing after this, Second was a ultrasound on my carotid artery to see if it was blocked, and Third was a TEE to see if I had a whole in my heart. He said he has seen this a few times before and that was usually the problem.
   So Friday I went for the MRI, and Ultrasound. Yesterday I talked to my neurologists MA and she said those came back normal. So I asked her what does that mean and she said just that my artery wasn't blocked, and I didn't have a blood clot in my brain and I had no memory loss. But I would have to ask the Dr. the rest on my follow up. So because all of that came back normal I tried to get out of the heart test because it is so freaking expensive. (Yes, I'm one of those people that when you get hurt I care more about the bill than the health.) But they wouldn't let me get out of the TEE. (a TEE is like a ECG but instead they put a tube down my throat and test behind my heart. It is more accurate than a ECG and shows more info such as chamber size, how much blood is flowing, and all that besides just the rhythm.)
   Today we got up bright and early for the test. The actual test is super short but they have to put me out for it so it felt like it took days to get it all done. Well we found out I do have a whole in my heart. When babies are born they have wholes in their heart and when they grow it closes up. Mine never did. This happens quite often for people. A lot of people never even have any problems with this. And then some are like me where they experience a Mini Stroke. So I know I will be getting this fixed now.  It's a super easy procedure they go through a artery and put a plug in where the whole is that opens up kind of like a umbrella and then it grows to my heart. I have a lot of people calling me and stressing and this is why I am writing this to let you know you don't have to. It's not a big deal and will be fixed very easy. I will keep you informed on when I will be getting this done and how it all goes!
   Thank you for everyone that has been praying for me and supporting me! I love you all so very much!!!

10 Months

   Alexis is 10 months and a week! Didn't I just write about her being 9 months old. I can never say it enough but time goes by way to fast.  As we are inching closer and closer to the 1 year mark I freak out more and more! Here is what has been going on with my baby lately.

   Right before the New Year we found out Lexi was lactose and tolerant.  She was having some loose bowel problems for the last few months and it was just getting worse and worse.  We always were getting diaper rashes from this on going problem, but they were very manageable. But then we got this one. Oh my poor baby! It was so sad! I would cry because she was in so much pain and screaming. That is why we took her in to the Dr. to see how we could clog her up to get rid of this bleeding rash. That is when they decided she was probably lactose and tolerant. So we have switched formula and doing much better! I learned a ton about diaper rashes now so if you want to know what really works hit me up and I can tell you! Enough of the poop talk.

   In the last week Lexi has grown up SO much! Everyday she is learning something new. Like huge developments... Well to me. She is not a child of many words still. She loves to say and scream MA MA. Every once in a while she will say Da Da, Ba Ba, and tries to say Hi and Yeah but it doesn't always come out very clear. She goes in fazes where she says it a ton that day and then won't say them for a week. We will tell her to say Da Da DA DA and then she goes Ma Ma. It makes Jaron so mad. I just laugh. It's so funny. 

    She is still not a full on crawler up on her knees. She will push up and move once then goes right back to the belly crawling. But she is much faster at it. We put her bottle in the middle of the floor and make her crawl to it. Yep I'm mean. She also loves to try to get Roxy's toy when we play catch with her so she always is going after it but of course Roxy is much faster than she is.

    She is pulling her self up to things. She is trying to climb the stairs, but luckily hasn't quite gotten it. Because we haven't gotten a gate yet. She can stand up and balance by herself, but she is my child and is a chicken! When she realizes we let go she hurries and sits down. So it's hard to trick her into doing it.  She isn't ready to walk yet and I'm not ready for that either!

   Yesterday she started clapping! I am so excited for this! These are our updates here!

Christmas

   Christmas this year was so fun! I love having my baby girl! It totally brings back that giddy feeling you had as a child wondering what Santa brought you.  But now I am just Santa. Our festivities started with a friends party on the 23rd. We had a fun white elephant gift exchange. On the 24 I had a family lunch in with my moms side of the family. Then that night we went to Jaron's parents for our traditional huge dinner and seeing Christmas lights. We usually go to SF to see the festival lights but with all the construction work this year we just went to Thanksgiving Point. (I know it sounds silly why wouldn't we do that in the first place since we live right by it, but it's all about traditions. lol) Alexis loved the lights! We ate yummy crab and steak. Then opened pajama's. They got a Wii and gave it to the kids early so we played it that night and the Michael Jackson game. That was the funnest game I have ever played! I am dieing to get it now! We all took a turn even my father in law. My brother in law Tyson was the funniest to watch. He got so into it. It was my best Christmas Eve in my older person life. (I don't consider myself an adult yet ha)

    I could not sleep Christmas Eve I was SO excited for Alexis's first Christmas! We had her open presents the last 2 days so she knew what to do when the big day came. Santa brought her a bike/walker thing. She LOVES it! I am very happy with this purchase. Then she opened a ton of presents. She got a ton of clothes and some fun toys. Jaron and I had told each other that we would not get each other gifts... Well after black Friday we got us some things and it was all down hill from there. So I got Jaron golf clubs yeah finally! And a few other little things. I actually sewed him some stuff. I was very proud of myself... don't look to close I can't sew straight. Jaron got me a Mommy's ring. It has Potato Bug's birth stone in it. I love it! I got some other fun things such as a pink shake weight (ever since the South Park with the shake weight Jaron is obsessed.)

    After we opened presents at our house we went to Jaron's parents. We all got spoiled there. Lexi got the cutest rocking horse, a ball pit and some really cute clothes!!
    Then it was down to my Mom's. And of course got spoiled there too! My mom went crazy with sewing her clothes. She got a few fun shape toys as well.

   Then we had a great Christmas dinner at my dads house. And of course got spoiled there! I got this fun whisk and that was Lexi's favorite thing to play with.

   Then off to home. Lexi was so tired and onry when we got home she did not even want to play with any of her new toys. So as of for next year we will be doing things different. We will not be going everywhere parents might have to come to us so Lexi can have more play time.  I loved Christmas with her! It was so much more fun having my baby girl and getting stuff for her. It will only get more fun as she learns more about Christmas and actually knows what is going on.

Florida

Alexis and I flew out to Tampa Florida last to week to meet Jaron there. He had been working there for  few weeks so we went on his last day of work. It was a lot of fun!! I had a lot of anxiety about flying there with a baby with out help. Well it wasn't a piece of cake. We got stuck in Minneapolis because of all the delays, cancellations, and plane maintenance problems. We finally got on the last flight out of there for the day and got to Tampa late that night. It was kind of crazy but luckily my sister in law works for Delta and helped me stay sane by changing my flight after problem after problem. Then I got a litlte extra bonus and flew first class there. Lexi is pretty lucky to be 9 months old  and already have had that luxury. lol
   So we get to Tampa and we go to meet Jaron and I had not even seen him yet before I hear Lexi yelling "DA! DA!" and flapping like crazy in her stroller. It was the cutest thing ever!
     My aunt, Kiersten lives there so she was nice enough to let us stay with her. She showed us all around the city.  We went to Pass-A-Grille Beach with her.  There were a lot of sea shells there.  Alexis was the first to put her feet in the water, which was not a smart idea. She screamed because it was so cold and would freak if we would put her down. Jaron wouldn't even get in the water because it was so cold. I would hold Lexi and stand in the water and she loved that, to watch the waves come up and bubbles. We also saw wild dolphins swimming about 40 feet from shore. That was super cool!! After that we went to St Pete Pier. It has a upside down triangle building at the the end of it.
   I had the ultimate test of being a mother... so far. Alexis got sick on the trip. She woke up in the middle of the night puking, not spitting up, really projectile puking. She did this 4 times one night. It was not fun. My poor cousins room. She let us stay in it first we took over it by our bags then my baby throws up all over her room and on her blankets. The next morning when Lexi woke up and I was holding her and with out any warning she puked all down me. I had pedalight, formula, crackers, and peaches all down me, on my face and in my hair.  She was just fine after that.

   The last full day we were there we went to Clearwater Beach. It was gorgeous. The sand was so fine and water so clear.  Alexis wanted to play in the sand that day. She kept trying to eat the sand and we kept telling her No and she kept getting mad. So we finally let her. Her face was so funny. But she did it again.  It was so fun. It was 72 degrees so not super hot but not cold like it was at home. My mom was getting 2 feet of snow so I would send her pictures of my view just to rub it in.

    It was sad to leave but I was excited to go home to all the fun Christmas events! We again had trouble getting home because of maintenance problems with the plane. But I was ok because I had Jaron with me that time. We barely made our connection in Atlanta. We had 10 min. and if you have been to Atlanta that is hard to make. But we didn't wait for stroller and we just took off running. It was so funny. We hopped on the subway thing and ran up the stairs and all over. It was crazy but we did it! I couldn't believe it! If we hadn't we would have had to spend the night in Atlanta. We got home around midnight on the 22nd well I guess that made it the 23rd. I enjoyed myself so much! It was so nice to get away!

Pass-A-Grille Beach

My Aunt and Lexi

St. Peter Pier

Clearwater Beach

Eating sand

After eating sand

Worlds Largest Bowling Pin

First time on a plane

Pony

Alexis's hair is coming in more and more. Or the few strands she has is just getting longer. But a few weeks ago we were able to get a pony to stay in hair. Just a little one, but it was there all day long! I was super excited!

9 month Update

Little Miss Alexis is now 9 months old. These last 9 months went a lot faster and have been so much more enjoyable than the last 9 months! She is so big now. I have seen a lot of new babies lately and I can't believe how much smaller they are than her. I took her into her 9 month old appointment last week. She weighed 17 lbs 2 oz and was in the 25%, her height was 27 1/2" in the 75% (where did she come from?), and her head is in the 50%.  She looks like a normal chunky baby so it's hard to believe she is in the 25%.

She is getting stranger danger. I have spoiled her so much that now she thinks I have to carry her everywhere or she will cry. So yep, I keep spoiling her. My right arm is going to be buff and my left will stay all flubbery.  She is such a Mommies girl! The last week Jaron was home I was really busy so he had to watch her a lot and after a few days she was freaking out and wouldn't leave my lap with out crying for 2 days. I do love that she is so attached to me but when this mommy needs a break it doesn't work so well.  Even though she is a Mommies girl, Alexis does LOVE her Daddy! No one can make her smile bigger than him. All she has to do is flash those gums to him with a big smile and she can get anything out of her dad.

She no longer says any words but ugh and grunts and growls. If she really is upset she will cry "MA!" But rarely do we get anything else out of her. She loves standing up and dancing! I don't think she will be a huge crawler before she is walking. Her army crawl hasn't progressed in the last month, where her standing/balance has. I talked to the Dr. about her not crawling and just walking because of that study. He said he thought that study was useless and not to worry if she isn't that into it. So I'm not pushing it anymore. She gets all over the house though between rolling and the army crawl both. I was worried about her getting into the Christmas tree and she hasn't because she hasn't figured out that the presents a re wrapped in paper. She will love Christmas morning and playing in the paper mess! Last thing to add in the monthly update is that she will not put her tongue away. It is always hanging out of her mouth. The tooth I thought had came in I guess didn't but you can see it so I think that will be cutting soon because that is where her tongue always is.