What a difference a decade makes!

Where were you at the start of this passing decade?

This question was posted on TheBump and OMG... WOW... it just hit me how HUGELY different my life is now! This time 10 years ago, as the 90's were drawing to a close, I was in the hospital recovering from multiple surgeries after a severe spinal chord injury counting my blessings I was alive but depressed seeing the world-wide festivities on TV from my hospital bed... wondering if I could ever find happiness again with disabilities, facing a possible life in a wheel chair and plenty of physical an emotional scars.

The start on 2000 was spent sadly wondering "what now?" My life had been carefully planned out and those plans, my Air Force career as a pilot was no longer possible and the very idea of dating was now something of a sick joke. Who the hell would want this shell of a woman? What will I do if I never get out of this wheel chair?

I sit here crying with joy at how amazing my life is. Now, the start of 2010 draws near and I am healthy, running again and happily married to my best friend who gave me a beautiful daughter... WHAT a difference a few years make [:D]

First Laughs!!!

Last Friday while doing Christmas shopping, we were going through the Starbucks drive-thru and she was fussing so Damen hopped into the back seat and was beat-box'n to her to make her smile and she let out the cutest baby giggle! I had thought I got a small laugh out of her a few days prior but this was a loud sweet baby giggle for sure! We were so excited and laughed our heads off. The few grunts before the laugh were hysterical like she was feeling the urge to laugh but didn't know what this urge was our how to let it out to express it.

Damen was the only one to get a laugh out of her since... but yesterday I finally succeeded in producing that sweet infectious sound. The key is to make funny sounds to music with our mouth and bop her hand to the beat as well.

Now to get it on camera!

2 Month Checkup and Shots ...oh my!

She is actually 2 month and one week old today. Her checkup went well and the doctor said I am doing a great job... LOVE hearing that! Ariana weighed 9 lbs. 8 oz. and was in the 50th percentile for weight and length. She showed off when he put her on her tummy and she held her head and chest up and was semi scooting and then almost turned over onto her back. That was more than she does at home cause I think her play mat is kinda slippery and the doctors table is more firm and has more traction... or she pushed it more to show off! ;o)

As of last weekend, she has been grabbing at toys and not just batting at them. She grabbed her rattle from Papa for the first time last Sunday and we got it on camera the 2nd time she did it. She is also grabbing the feet of the giraffe hanging on her play mat and some bright objects I put in front of her. Its so exciting to see her "firsts" and relieving to see she's meeting her milestones.

She also got 2 of her shots today which was harder for me to watch than it was for her to get. She cried during the shot but stopped as soon as I picked her up. We are doing a more conservative shot schedule to not overwhelm her still developing immune system. Its a reasonable compromise between not vaccinating and following the aggressive shot schedule outlined by the CDC. Instead of getting 5-6 shots today, she got 2 and will only get 2 per visit from here on out. We also did not allow for the HepB shot the day she was born. Its a shot for an STD which we don't have so it can wait. After all of my research, we feel comfortable with our decision. She will not be in daycare so we can be more conservative. She will have all the required vaccines before the start of school but at a reasonable pace to guard against the chance for side effects and the risk of developing ADD or Autism. A good book to read to start informing yourself on this issue is The Vaccine Book by Dr Sears.