Aisling's First Year

It's been a while since we've last updated the blog, but this should make up for lost time. Ger and I put together a little video montage of Aisling's first year. If you have a few minutes to spare, click on the video above. We hope you enjoy it!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Love,

Chuck, Ger, and Aisling

October has been a great month for Aisling. She had two doctors appointments and both report that she is doing well. Our little Bears fan is now weighing 15lb.s 8oz. and is a staggering 251/2 inches long. She obviously gets her height from her parents. Along with cheering on the Bears, Aisling has been busy hanging out with her buddies Alex and Andrew, enjoying visits from grandma, and getting dressed up for Halloween.

It's Been A While!

As you all know, life gets quite hectic and before you know it two months goes by. Anyway, we wanted to update and post a few new pics of Aisling over the past two months. As you can see, she's been quite busy taking swim lessons, getting Christened, playing at the park, rockin' out on her new instrumental toy thingy (which has helped tremendously with her sitting up development), and cheering on her daddy at the Chicago Marathon.
As for her growth and development, Aisling just checked in at almost 15lbs. and 25 inches in length. She is now eating solids and has built up the strength to roll all over the condo. Recently, she has begun lunging forward in an attempt to crawl.

Look What Chuck and Aisling Have Been Up To!

Hello!

We have been busy enjoying the summer and each other! First off, Aisling is sooo close to 12lbs, just an ounce off, yipeee. Our big news is we just had our second NICU follow-up. This time they administered the Bayley Scales of Infant Development to assess her development. Aisling did very well, scoring above average on her testing for her adjusted age of close to four months old. She is continuing to learn new "tricks" everyday; she enjoys rolling from her tummy to her back, but still dislikes tummy time intensely. We had fun celebrating Father's Day; brunch at Misercordia was a huge success; Aisling was really the star of the show; she loves people and is very social. She had a chance to bond with Auntie E, though bested her on going to bed while Chuck and I went out to dinner.
On the other hand, we are still grappling with reflux. We have been trying to make some changes, but reflux has reared it's very ugly head, so we continue to work with her pedi and try to make it easier for her.

Pictures!

Hi Everyone

Wow, it has been quite some time since we updated. We have received some texts and emails so here goes...we have been very busy doing what I am not sure...we are in a first time parents fog...

Aisling has been busy with NICU follow up appointments, seeing her pediatrician, and meeting with EI (Early Intervention). First, I have to say we adore her pediatrician, big shout out to Dr. J Hupert (UIC) for being such a caring and kind doctor and checking in on her well being and keeping in constant communication with us. He is happy with her growth, as of yesterday she is 8lbs 14 oz; her growth curve is more like a rocket taking off according to Dr. Hupert, I suppose when you come into the world at 1lb 10.8oz that may not be too difficult, but so many preemie babies struggle with gaining weight, especially IUGR (Intrauterine Growth Restriction) babies, so we are extremely happy and pray for this to continue.
We also had her first follow up appointment with the neo's at UIC and she was seen by our favorite NICU doctor Dr. Rekha Bandapalli. Her first follow up appointment went very well and the PT's also evaluated her and we were thrilled with her scoring in the 50th percentile for her adjusted age.
The EI team (PT, OT, Speech, and Developmental Specialist) has come out and as of right now she does not need any services, once again we are ecstatic, but Chuck and I believe in taking the bull firmly by the horns and dealing with any issues Aisling may have due to her prematurity. So far so good though! We will meet with the EI team again in June, as well as have another NICU follow up.
We are still battling Reflux, but are hopeful that the new medicine will be the "one". If anyone has any advice we are open to suggestions.
We are also having fun at home with tummy time ;-) and wearing our little girl. Aisling loves to be held constantly, so slings (safe ones of course, peanut shells) and our Beco have become our best friends. We are also having fun going on walks with her two boyfriends, the adorable twins from our building ;-) We are getting great smiles from Aisling and she loves her favorite black and white rattle, though she is still fascinated by lighting fixtures. We also had fun celebrating our first holiday together at home over Easter, in fact it has been the first holiday we have had the energy to acknowledge since her birth.
I am still going to PT, my knee is improving, but we still have a little way to go and it will probably be a year before I am 100% recovered. My medicines have finally been stabilized, so I will only have to have my levels checked every two weeks as long as they remain stable. Yipeeee At some point in the next few months I will go for more tests to check on the PE, but for right now I feel really good and I thankful that things are going so well.
As for Chuck...well those of you who know him, are probably aware that he LOVES being a dad; tummy time, night time feeds, walks, babywearing, he excels at them all.

Bye for now,
Ger, Chuck, and baby Aisling