Almost 6 months...time really goes by fast

Noelle is doing great. She plays in her exersaucer all the time, she is rolling, almost sitting by herself, and as tried to crawl a few times. Its hard to believe that she is almost 6 months. Oh, and she has her first 2 teeth too. And lets just say they hurt me too (when i nurse her). She interacts with her sisters alot more now and laughs when they are just sitting there.  Sometimes I still have my moments where I just break down because its hard to think of what people will say behind her back. I had a little taste of it when it was just her and I at the store. People were starring and someone even commented to the person she was with "did you see that baby's foot?"

At the end of this month, Cayla, Noelle, my brother, and I will be going to Arkansas to see family. They haven't met her yet.

Noelle, Aubree, and Cayla

Play with Cayla

In her exersaucer

Sitting

4 months old

Noelle is now 4 months old. Crazy how time is flying by. We took her to her 4 month appointment, she is 27 inches long and 15lbs 10oz. 95th percentile in height and 55th percentile for weight. She rolls from laying on her back to her tummy now, just working on tummy to back. The difference in her legs is still about an inch, so her right leg is growing at about the same rate right now. Poor baby got shots, but thankfully she didnt have the same reaction as she did to her 2 month shots. Her 2 month shots made her leg swell to twice its normal size and I could even gently touch it with cloth. We almost went to the er because she cried inconsolably or nurse for about an hour and a half.  But she did and she slept all night that night.

Its just so crazy how time flies.

Harder days are comeing.

Since Noelle has been putting weight on her legs, all the emotions that I was told I would feel have started to show their ugly faces. When she "stands" on my lap i have noticed that 3 things happen, she either stands on the toe of her right foot or she slants her left leg out to the side or I have to raise my leg up a little. All to make up the difference.

And as I'm typing this, I'm watching Cayla jump around. That also stirs up emotions because Noelle will never be able to do that normally.

We haven't gone to Shriner's yet, but we know all the options. Its just really hard to think of them all.

I pray every night that she will be kept safe in the future and that it gets a little easier for me. And every night, as she is falling asleep, I tell her "no matter what the future holds, mommy will always love you, and no matter how many surgeries, mommy will always be there when you wake up".

Getting so big

These 3 1/2 months have gone by so fast. Every parent on the facebook page I joined said that she will amaze me everyday. And she has. She has started to put weight on her legs, mainly her right leg (which is affected by fh). It makes me so nervous because we dont know how weak or strong her ankle is and its starting to turn in. She is starting to do "sit up's", and likes to sit up on my lap (leaning against me of course). She does tummy time so well, better than her big sister. When I would try to do tummy time with Cayla, she would scream until i flipped her over.

She will be 4 months old on the 12th, I'm having such a hard time believing it.

3 months and perfect

Well its been a little over 3 months since Noelle was born and 2 months since we found out what was wrong. She is such a happy baby, all I have to do is look at her and she smiles the biggest smile. Its still hard for me to think about her future and I'm trying my hardest to not think about it right now. I love her with all my heart.

Her oldest sister always asked what happened. Each time it gets harder and harder to tell her that this is how God made her and she is perfect in every way.

I'm hoping to get Noelle an appointment at Shriner's hospital. I heard they are excellent.

She has started to bare weight on her legs (mainly her right leg, the one affected be FH). And when she does, her ankle kinda turns in. That could be genetic because Cayla and I do the same because of high arches, but her's is only her right ankle that turns in so that worries me.

Here are a few new pics of her.

Here are her little feet.

She is getting so big.

Noelle's story

When Cayla was 8 months old we found out we were having another little one. I was happy and scared at the same time because of how young Cayla was.At my 20 week ultrasound everything seemed fine except her stubbornness. She wouldn't flip for the tech to measure the other side of her heart. She finally did.  On dec. 11, 2011, I started having contractions. We got to the hospital at 2:45pm she was  born until 3:05. The nurses were cleaning her and while they were John was doing his finger/toe count. All of a sudden I hear from across the room "SHE ONLY HAS 3 TOES!" At first i though he was joking, because he jokes all the time. Then he brings me her footprints, I was shocked. When i saw her foot, I broke down because i thought it was my fault. Every nurse and the doctor were shocked we had no idea. We didn't see it on the ultrasound. Fast forward to when she is a month old, John and I take her to her first orthopedist appointment where we find out that she has Fibular Hemimelia. FH is when a fibula is short or not existing, her is short. Her right leg and foot is shorter than the left and she has only 3 toes on her right foot. We also found out that she will most likely need leg lengthening and she will need an ankle brace for support. At her 2 month check up, they measured her leg and there is a 1 inch difference when there was a centimeter at birth. We are just letting her be a baby right now and not worrying about it until she is at the age to walk, which is when the orthopedist wants to see her back.

Miss Noelle at 3 months old

Noelle with her sister Cayla and half-sister Aubree