WEEK 36 - January 27 - February 2, 2011 - 35 weeks old

Well that was interesting!  I turned 8 months old this week AND I went to have my Swallow Study done at Seattle Children's.  Mommy was so nervous, she didn't take ANY pictures (shocking, I know!).  Also, because it was in a room where they took pictures of your insides, Mommy and Daddy weren't sure they were even allowed to take pictures!  But, I thought I should describe what happened anyway.

We checked into the hospital and a very nice lady with long blonde hair (that I would really have liked to get my hands and mouth on!) put a bracelet on my ankle.  Then a man came and took my Mommy and Daddy and me back to a room where I got undressed except for my diaper and fancy shoes  and then sat in a REALLY tall high chair (it had to be 4 1/2 feet tall!) and Daddy held my arms above my head while the man took two pictures of my chest.  Mommy stood back with the technicians and watched all the wizardry they do on their computers.

Next, we went into another room and they put the smallest little hospital gown on me.  It was at this point that Mommy started to get nervous.  Then they laid me down with my hands above my head and strapped me to a board that rotates 270 degrees!  Most kids cry at this point.  I did not.  I am a big girl.  And  good girl.  Everyone said so :).  Daddy stayed in the room with me, Mommy went back with the technicians to watch on the fancy screens.  A doctor came in and Daddy helped them give me some cherry flavored stuff to drink while the doctor moved me all around on the board and took lots of pictures of me while I was drinking.  Mommy said you could see me swallowing the cherry drink and then watch it in my tummy and then see it empty into my duodenum (whatever that is!).  The doctor spent a lot of time looking at the pictures and then she talked to Mommy and Daddy afterward and said that all my parts look good!  She said there is no anatomical reason for my "urping" so much, but that she would send all the results to Dr. P. 

The nurses dressed me (they actually fought over who got to hold me...they loved my chunks :)), and then Mommy and Daddy got to bring me home.  Dr. P called later that day and said she thinks we can take care of this!  So, she switched my prescription from Zantac to Prilosec and told Mommy and Daddy to keep me on soy formula and try giving me a little cereal before or during each bottle.  I'll go back to see her on Valentine's day to check my ears (to make sure the infection is gone) and to talk about my belly issues.  So, we'll see how it goes!  Mommy and Daddy are relieved that there doesn't appear to be anything physically wrong.  They'd sure like to figure out why I urp so much, though (and so would Ms. Audrey!).

Speaking of Ms. Audrey and school, one of my teachers, Ms. Kathy, has left for a few months.  She's going to have a baby in the middle of February and spending all her time playing with, lifting, and following around a bunch of babies/toddlers was getting to be a little too much.  I sure hope I get to meet her new baby girl when she comes...I've spent a lot of time talking to her in her Mommy's belly!

At school this week, we did a really fun art project.  Ms. Audrey traced my body on paper and then I got to paint it with my whole body!  I LOOOOVED doing this and Mommy loves the pictures! 

Getting started ... before the paint!

What is all this wet stuff?

Hey!  This is kinda fun!

Do I have something on my face?

I DO have something on my face... :)

Have a great week!