Our very "hip" kid...

Sooo we got some rather disappointing news this week. On Wednesday I took Violet in to her "hip doctor" for her 3-month post-cast checkup. The x-rays show that her right hip is dislocated again. We are now scheduled for an open reduction (an actual surgery where they go in and clean up the hip ball and socket to make sure it stays in place) and another 3 month stay in a hip spica cast.

Although we are very sad and frustrated and all those things, we also know that 1) we can handle a spica cast again. We did it before, we can do it again! and 2) this 12 weeks will hopefully go by faster than last time.

Here are her x-rays so you can sort of see what's going on. Unfortunately the thing that you can barely see on the actual x-ray is pretty much nonexistant in this copy-of-a-copy, but you can see that her left hip bone is positioned correctly and her right hip is not. Above the left hip in that gray space is a very light almost transparent kidney shaped dot that is her socket forming. There is no such thing on her right hip. And it's too far up.

This one is a little easier to see how different the bone fits into the hip.
First, I do want to mention that there was nothing we did or could have done to dislocate her hip. Standing up, being thrown onto the couch by her high-flying-fun daddy, or anything else would not have done it. It just plain wasn't growing right.

We'd like to ask a favor of everyone. Over this past week we've had so many wonderful friends and family ask what they can do and we now have a JOB for you! Jon and I are firm believers in positive thoughts and how they really can make a difference. We want to ask you all to send good thoughts, prayers and positive vibes our way. THINK that hip back into the proper place and the socket forming correctly! My wonderful sister put it so well - she said "Miracles happen every day, why not for YOU?" so we're going to try it :)

I'm vowing that from today on I'm going to be POSITIVE about this whole thing. I'm done with my pity party (and it was a good one!). I'm thinking good thoughts about her hip. If we all can think it back to where it's supposed to be, GREAT! If we still end up in a body cast - GREAT! We'll survive! So I'm asking everyone else to be positive with us if you can!

Okay. On to more news (it's been a rather wild week around here!). We accepted an offer on our house on Tuesday (yep, that would be the day before we found out about Violet's hip!). We still have to get through the inspection, but we're confident that things will go well. We have a close date of April 30... Colorado, HERE WE COME!!! (spica cast and all!).

And many thanks to our AMAZING REALTOR - my mom!! Regardless of the fact that she was overseas the entire 2 weeks our house was on the market, she was still there to answer our questions and give us the advice we needed as both her kids and her "clients" - thanks mom!!

Oh, did you still want to see some Violet pictures?? Here you go!

Sweetly sleeping (she NEVER sleeps on her back so I had a rare moment to get a picture of her face and not the back of her head while she slept!)
And some pictures of her in her Easter Dress. Let's just ignore the fact that it's 29 degrees here and 3 inches of snow on the ground (Ah, Michigan weather. We shall not miss you!)

I could NOT get her to smile while she had the Easter Basket! Ugh!

** Think Good Thoughts!***

If you found this blog searching for info on spica casts,
please visit this wonderful and incredibly helpful forum:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hipbaby/
Also, please take a look at my Spica Cast Survival Guide, which you can download here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hipbaby/files/
It's the first thing on the list.
Sending lots of good hip healing vibes your way!!

March Madness

Violet's legs are getting so much stronger! She loves to stand up - mostly on the furniture but here she is with her daddy. She still hasn't figured out that she can move her legs and take steps, but she can stand up much longer and LOVES it! And check out her itty bitty Vans shoes. We got them almost a year ago and they FINALLY sorta fit!
She has figured out how to put necklaces on. The only problem is that she tries to put pretty much ANYTHING on like a necklace! Toast. Grapes. Her bath toys. And here with one of my hair ties. You can't see it because it's behind her neck. Silly!

Our little reader! She LOVES books!! She "reads" them to herself and loves to be read too. Her favorite book is "Goodnight Moon". She goes so crazy for it that we have to put it out of her sight when we put her to bed, otherwise she'd want us to read it 15,493 times!
Silly goose on her car.

She still LOVES climbing through the coffee table, and has now added an extra bit of flair - now she peers over the edge at her little toes hanging off the other side!
In our never-ending quest to find something to do while our house is being shown, we ended up at the grocery store today. I generally don't have my camera with me OR think to take pictures in a store, but she looked so cute with her turkey that I couldn't resist!Look at that HAIR!!! It is getting SO LONG! This is after her bath tonight.
"Hey mom! Here's a bone for ya!" She LOVES bringing the dogs their bones. In fact, she will often take one away from Obi and take him a DIFFERENT one. He is so sweet - he lets her take the one bone and then veeeeery carefully takes the new one from her.
Our crawling maniac. She can go SO FAST!!

Violet Says Hi!

And I finally got her to say it to a CAMERA!! She's been saying "hi" for a little while, but it's not just "hi." It's more sing-songy and so adorably cute! She really says it about 20 seconds in. :)

Here she is sayin' hi to mom:

What is Easter without Peeps?

"Oh Peeps. Although I have never tasted your sugary and marshmellowy goodness before, I do so love the crinkle of your package."

"Purple Peeps Bunny? Yes Please!!"
"Yes, I do believe I like sugar. Really, really like it."
"This thing is GOOOOD!"
"YAY FOR PEEPS!! Now give me more. IMMEDIATELY!!"
She did start crying 2 seconds after this picture when she did not, sadly, get another peep.

Aren't I cute in my pigtails?

Parachute, Please!

Ah, father/daughter bonding. It's hard to tell who is having a better time! I love Violet's laugh in this one.

AIRBORNE!

And while most parents might suggest a nice song or reading of books to wind down for the evening, around these parts we consider a good Baby Toss to the Couch the perfect end to the day.
And here is Violet in the midst of her dogs.