Olivia: 3 year well visit

For the most part Olivia's 3 yr. well child visit went well.
Until this past year, Olivia had always been so healthy that these appointments were pretty much just for immunizations. I didn't really have any lingering questions.

This year, I went in with a list.
She's been having a hard time coping with her anger, and has taken to hitting herself.
She often complains of an upset tummy and being congested.
She was diagnosed since her last well visit.
She doesn't eat well. And by well, I mean at all.
and She's been having night terrors.

We have a great PA at out pediatrician's office and April quickly cut through my list of concerns. She was a little concerned about the behavioral issues we'd been having so we have a follow-up appointment next week to discuss some things as a family. She also put Olivia on zyrtec to manage what is likely seasonal allergies. I'm not usually a throw-medicine-at-it kind of mom, but Olivia is doing much better since we started the zyrtec.

Olivia has always been a teeny little nugget, and hovered around the 5-10th percentiles. She even fell off the chart one time.  This year she made a pretty big leap and is ranking much higher.

Olivia: age 3
           Well Child Visit, March 26, 2013

Height: 3' 1" (45th percentile, a 40% increase)
Weight: 30lb. 2oz. (40th percentile, a 35% increase)

Olivia: Age 3

photo credit: Deborah C. Turner Photography

Favorite Color:   Pink

Favorite Toy:   "Penny" her Little Bit Funky HoHo

Favorite Fruit:   Pineapple

Favorite TV Show:   Sofia the First

Favorite thing to eat for Lunch:   Clementines

Favorite Outfit:   Ruffle Pants 

Favorite Game:   Candyland

Favorite Snack:    Dora Fruit Snacks

Favorite Animal:   Cheetah

Favorite Song:   "Holy, Holy, Holy"

Favorite Book:   "Guess How Much I Love You"

Best Friend:   Momma

Favorite Cereal:   Cheerios

Favorite thing to do Outside:   Play in the Mud

Favorite Drink:   Tea

Favorite Holiday:   Christmas

What do you like to take to bed with you at night?:   "Penny"

Favorite thing to eat for Breakfast:   Pancakes

What do you want to be when you grow up?:   A doctor             

letting go.

Y'all. I'm a hot mess.
This post may be a bit of a ramble, and if it is - I'm sorry; I've just got to get all these words out of my head.

Olivia starts day care on Friday.
No big deal right? Wrong.
Olivia has never been cared for by any one but me, her daddy, a grandparent or the church nursery.
My palms are getting sweaty.

Here are my worries. In list form because lists make type A people happy, and I can't form coherent thoughts, much less sentences.

• My Olivia, she's a delicate thing with a sensitive heart. How can I be sure that her teachers and class-mates will be sweet to her?
• Weighing in at a whopping 24lbs. at 28 months- she's TINY. Like, can still wear dresses that are size 9 months, tiny. She barely weighs enough to sit in a front-facing car seat. These 'normal' kids are going to trample her. 
• She's an only child. What if she's the bully?
• Olivia has recurring fevers, that require close monitoring of her body temperature and swift action in the event of a fever. Will they monitor her fevers the way we do?
• We just learned that she has a milk intolerance; and the child seriously loves milk. Will they make sure she doesn't drink milk? (a post on that soon)
• Is she ready for this? Am I?

 I should add that this facility came with a glowing recommendation from a good friend who I trust completely. Also, during our visit to the facility Olivia played well and seemed to have a perfectly lovely time; she loved the teachers. I'm clearly not sending my child to the wolves. I know that. But in her 2 years, she's had some hard times. And I've held very close because of that. I've been what one might call over-protective. I'm not ashamed of that fact, and I never will be. Olivia is an articulate, funny and compassionate child. But my momma-heart can't help but worry.
 
My stomach is in knots. I keep praying and trying to give it over to God. I keep reminding myself to have open hands. After all she's not mine, she's His. And He loves her far more and far better than I could ever hope to. But, goodness is that ever hard to do. I just finished my second devotional study with the She Reads Truth ladies. This study was called Living the Surrendered Life. I'm trying so hard to surrender my fears for Olivia's safety and health.

A little late....

730 days..

63,072,000 seconds..
1,051,200 minutes..
17,520 hours..
104 weeks ago my world changed.
In an instant my view of the world shifted.


It's difficult for me, sometimes, the realization that it was only 2 years ago that she joined our family. I can't remember a time when we didn't love her.


This week we celebrate her.

20 months!

Olivia, my sweet girl, you are growing so fast.
Just the other morning when I was dropping you off to spend the day with Gran and Mimi I looked at you and it hit me. You're not a baby anymore. All the little baby features are gone. You are truly a little girl- and we couldn't be more proud.
You are so smart, the doctor was so impressed with your development at your last appointment. You love books and magazines. And I think you'd color all day long if I'd let you. You've started calling your Daddy Chance, it started as a means of getting his attention when you were frustrated and now you just think it's funny! You're vocabulary is HUGE! I'm guessing you're nearing 350 words. You looked at your Dee Dee the other day after she told you "no no" and asked her "what did I do wrong?" We are so proud of you and how well you communicate. People are so surprised when we're in the check out line and you're just babbling on about colors, someone that's sad, telling me a cow says moo, that your toes are in your shoes and that you want M&M's.
You have a lot of fun on our weekly play dates with your friend Adley. It's so fun for Miss Dana and me to watch you girls play. You ask about Adley all the time, especially if you hear me mention Miss Dana.
You're to the age now where you understand your movies. You're favorites are Finding Nemo, Little Mermaid, and Toy Story 3, but you still love Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Bubble Guppies. We watched Beauty and the Beast and Snow White for the first time on Thanksgiving night. I loved being able to share a childhood favorite of mine with you!
You are growing and changing so fast. I feel like I'm going to blink and you'll be in kindergarten. We are so excited about all the fun things we have planned for you- Christmas parades, going to see Santa and gymnastics classes.

We love you more than life sweet girl!
Forever and ever,
Momma and Daddy

Another First

October 7, 2011

First's aren't a frequent in our house any more. Olivia has really settled into her own and is figuring life out as a toddler. She's running around and talking up a storm. {seriously- the vocabulary she has is insane!}
So I was super excited when we got to experience another first the other day.

Her first hair cut. Kind of.

Her bangs had been hanging in her eyes for a couple of weeks, so I finally decided to bite the bullet and have them trimmed. So we popped into a local salon and had a family friend fix Olivia up. Thanks Ms. Wanda!!

Olivia did great, as always. She sat so still. I did pretty well too. I somehow managed to avoid tears.

 

Doesn't she just look all grown up? So bittersweet.

 

I didn't manage to get a good "after" shot. She was too worried about getting those Smarties opened.

Movin' on up..

September 17, 2011

To a big girl bed!

Yes, happily, the time has come to move our girl to a big girl bed.
We made the move just before her 18 month birthday.
18 months!?
Where does time go?

Some of these pictures are pretty fuzzy. I just couldn't wait to show Liv her bed. Not even long enough to find the camera. Therefore we have pictures from the ole' iPhone.

Seeing her big girl bed for the first time.

In a big girl bed you can really stretch out..

relax with a good book..

maybe do a little day-dreaming..

Give your Mommy kisses.. {All the "Thank You" I'll ever need.}

have tickle time..

play peek-a-boo through your side rail..

get tucked in..

and sleep the night away.

Olivia was a rock star! She slept the whole night in her new bed. I couldn't keep myself from checking on her every couple of hours. I just couldn't believe she didn't wake up!

The next morning was full of special treats..

watching Veggietales in bed..

Teddy Grahams and money from Dee Dee..

and determined to not be out-done; Papa gave her his entire coin jar.

{Yes it took both piggy banks. The polka dotted one is now full and weighs in at about 15 lbs.}

We are so proud of our girl. She is growing and developing so fast. It is such a blessing to watch her learn and grow!