The Keira Update

The first bit of news about Keira is her health. She's made a full recovery -- yay! We will still be giving her steroid breathing treatments twice a day through the winter. These are supposed to help keep her lungs strong and clear even when she gets sick so that we can avoid another hospital visit. I've also been told that they can help kids grow out of this baby asthma stuff. Hopefully.

Keira and I went to the pediatrician this morning for her six month checkup. The doctor said she looks and sounds great -- no wheezing! Here are her stats... she's 27 inches long, which is the 85%, she weighs 18 lb. 15 oz. which is the 91% and her head circumference is 45 cm which is the 96%. She's a big baby. She's following in her brother's footsteps. Until he was about a year old he hung out in the 90th percentile, too. Now, he's usually between the 40th and 60th. I won't be surprised if she follows suit. She got a ton of shots today, seven different vaccines, including the seasonal flu shot and H1N1. Now, the whole family has had both flu vaccines, although the kids will have to go back in for their follow up shots. She was happy, bubbly and smiley for most of her doctor visit with the exception of getting her shots (duh!) and when the doctor looked in her ears, poked and prodded her.

Other exciting news since the hospital is that she's now sitting up. She started being able to sit up a little by herself before she was admitted. But, now she's basically perfected it. She loves it. She loves to sit on a blanket on the floor with toys all around her and a Boppy behind her for support.



Sitting up has allowed for more play options including her first foray into the tupperware...



Since she's now sitting up, she has no interest in reclining. She's no longer fond of her vibrating seat, which used to be a staple. These are most likely the last pictures I'll take of her in it.



Keira's two other news tidbits regard her mouth. She's teething and she's just started eating solids. She still hasn't cut another tooth, she still has just the one, but the other bottom front tooth looks like it's about to break through any moment. And, the doctor said that even her top gums have started to bulge. No wonder she wants to nurse all day and night! I've tried everything that I know for teething. Nothing seems to help. For a while, we were using homeopathic teething tablets, which Eli loved to give Keira. Here they are on our bed after he's given them to her. Notice the chalky remnants around her mouth and the teething tablet bottle top in Eli's hand.


The most obvious sign that she's teething is that her fingers are always in her mouth. Although, interestingly, she doesn't put anything else in her mouth, which is why teething toys don't help. True to form, even when her teeth are bothering her, she smiles through it.


Finally, Keira tried her first solid food yesterday -- bananas. We were at IHOP with Grammie, without our camera, for her first bite. But, last night during dinner we let her try some more. Unlike her brother, she seems very interested in food. Despite our efforts, Eli didn't eat many solids until he was about a year old. We basically skipped the baby food phase and went straight to table food. On the other hand, Keira will probably eat her share of baby food. Here she is trying bananas (and solid food) for the second time. She watched the spoon with anticipation.


She wasn't exactly sure what to do with her tongue.


She liked to help feed herself.


And, of course, the tactile experience was maybe the best part -- she definitely earned her bath.