Annabelle's Eight-month Update

Annabelle was eight months old on Christmas Day, so I am a bit behind.  I'm a bit behind on everything these days, it seems, but somehow the really vital stuff always gets done.

When I wrote about Annabelle at seven months, we were still unsure how the g-tube and Nissen fundoplication surgeries were going to affect her growth and development.  Well, she now weighs almost three pounds more than she did before the surgery, and she has continued to be a much happier, much stronger, much more interactive baby.  She also has a lot less hair, due to a miscommunication between Mommy and Daddy about how much to cut off.  Thankfully, though, a lot less matting, cradle cap, and hair in her eyes.

Now that she can lay flat on her back without spitting up, she enjoys lying on the floor to practice rolling (still not getting all the way over, but getting close) and to kick her ever-fattening legs and reach for toys.  Her legs are getting more and more active, which makes diaper changes and those darn pajama snaps more of a trick to accomplish.  She is delighted whenever her kicking legs make contact with something, as if she just can't believe that she can use her legs and feet for exploring, too, just like her arms and hands.  Just as she loves having her arms moved around, she has also gotten really into having her legs moved around.  She will put her weight on her legs very briefly if I hold her up, which is progress.

Sitting is still a ways away.  I think that she has the strength and balance to sit, but her hips and knees are still too stiff.  Annabelle was born with joint stiffness (arthrogryposis is the fancy term)
that has improved tremendously in her shoulders, elbows, and hands.  We are hoping that as she continues to move her legs and use them more and more she will loosen up and be able to get the foundation she needs to sit on her own.

Annabelle's vision continues to improve.  Her eyes scan a lot less than they used to, and she seems more focused and quicker at tracking objects and locating objects that are making a sound.  She will reach for toys that we hold up for her, but she seems to be having trouble with hand-eye coordination.  That's one of our physical therapy tasks these days.  Annabelle is smiling a lot more, especially in response to Keegan or Sophie or me being near, which is HUGE.  You have no idea what a difference it makes to feel even that small amount of recognition and appreciation after so long lacking that connection.  

Annabelle bonding with Grandpa.

Annabelle bonding with Sophie.

Annabelle bonding with Mommy.

Annabelle's oral feeding seems to be slowly improving.  We switched formulas for oral feeding in hopes that having something a little less bitter might help her to eat more.  Over the past couple months, she has slowly increased the amount of formula she takes by mouth, and over the past few days, she's been eating pretty voraciously.  I hope this trend will continue.  We are going very slowly with introducing solid foods.  Right now we are focusing on letting her smell new foods and taste them with her tongue without actually putting them into her mouth.  She has a very sensitive gag reflex, so we want to work gradually and keep eating a pleasant experience.  So far, sweet potatoes, which we tried for the first time tonight, seem to be a huge favorite.  Sophie also loved sweet potatoes the first time she tried them, but unfortunately, the sweet potatoes we could find in Korea at the time were so starchy as to be practically inedible, so she didn't get to enjoy them.  We'll let Annabelle have her fill!

I can't wait to see what the next month or so will bring.  I'm so encouraged by the progress we've made in the past six weeks.

I've got big things in store for all of you!