1 week ago today, Maddie Gray got tubes put in her ears. I was so nervous, but the procedure took about 6 minutes, and Dr. Reed was absoultly WONDERFUL! Friday, we got to the hospital at 6, they took her blood pressure, temp, weight, etc. A nurse came in and gave her some Tyelenol and then a few minutes later we were in the surgery prep area where we stayed with her until the nurse came and carried her off for surgery. Josh and I barely had time to sit down in the waiting area when Dr. Reed came in and said she's all done and in recovery! She cried for a little bit, but was otherwise so good. We were released and went home to my mom's house where Josh, Maddie Gray, Bailey, and I all piled up in my mom's bed and napped for about 3 hours!!! It was some of the best sleep.



Now, 1 week later, she's making more baby noises than she ever has! She's eating better, and now she's really started pacing around the furniture. I wish we would have had this done sooner. She's so much happier, and I don't have to worry about pushing antibiotics on her any more which makes me feel loads better. She actually stood up and let go of what she was holding onto today. She was standing in the living room floor.

What is it about motherhood that makes you somehow turn into a doctor? I can look at Maddie Gray and know when she feels bad... her eyes give her away. I can feel the back of her neck and know that she has fever, even when the rest of her body is cool. I can also tell when she has an ear infection... I think we have one now. Last night she woke up, and I can usually go into her room, give her back her binky, and I am back to dreamland until the alarm goes off or she wakes me up again! I went in her room, gave her back her binky and got back into bed. I, being Dr. Mom, knew something was wrong and that I should have just gone to sleep in the guest bedroom. I listened, and then I heard it, the sound of someone throwing up. I pray for about 30 seconds that I was wrong, but of course I'm not. I call for Josh over the baby monitor, which isn't working too well, because he didn't hear me. It was sad holding this 17 pound person over the toilet. Her little arms just hung there like a rag doll. Then today I stayed home with her and she was extra fussy. She slept most of the day which seemed great at the time, but now that it's night night time, it's proving a little more difficult. Here's where my "medical degree" from the Motherhood School of Medicine fails me... Is it teething that's making her run a little fever, (100.4) have a runny nose, and look so sad or is it something more? I hate to take her to the doctor, because I'm sure they are thinking I'm a crazy woman, but I don't want to let her suffer. Now I'm rethinking my decision to wait until next Friday to have the tubes put in her ears.

I have a meeting that I have to go to tomorrow morning from 7:30 until about noon, and then depending on what Ms. Judy says, I may take her to the doctor. I will keep you posted!

Maddie Gray, Amber, and I went to see Dr. Reed yesterday. He is the ENT. Maddie Gray HATES for someone to mess with her ears, I guess because they are always hurting her. Any way, she fluid behind both of them, and her right ear is still infected. Josh is out of town until Sunday, so I didn't want to make any decisions regarding surgery until he came home, but after he and I talked we decided it was better to go ahead and get tubes than to wait, so Friday, May 22, 2009, she will be getting bilateral tubes! Dr. Reed said everything from sedating her to waking her up, including putting in the tubes will be 10 minutes! He said she may be fussy for about 30 minutes or so and then be sleepy afterward, but she'd be fine to do whatever that same day. I'm not looking forward to the surgery part of things, I am however, looking forwad to fewer ear infections.

I am also grateful that Amber went with me to the doctor's office yesterday. Ever since Maddie Gray figured out how to move around, she doesn't want to be held anymore. She's no longer content to watch the other kids play, she wants to do it too! She wanted down at the doctor's office. She found my Cherry Limeade Amber brought me and knocked it over, then she squirmed everywhere while we were talking to the insurance person, wanting down, wanting to take a few steps while holding onto me, trying to crawl. At the check out window, she again took my drink, only this time she threw it against the wall! Thankfully the office staff thought she was so cute and were used to young children. It's days like yesterday when I really wish my gadget arms were working!

As you can see Maddie Gray is all over the place. She's crawling all over and pulling herself up using things I never would have thought! She's so much fun and definately keeps us on our toes! I'm trying to baby proof this house, but I thought I had so much more time. I've tried to get down on her level and see things maybe as she would, but she still seems to find things I never would have thought. I have moved all the cleaning stuff to above the dryer in the laundry room, and I'm hoping to make that cabinet the Maddie Cabinet, where all her sippy cups and stuff are. I also have to start sweeping the floors all the time, because not only is she all over the place, but she's also putting everything in her mouth! I just thought having a new born was hard. She does clap her hands which is so cute. She smiles so big and looks so proud of herself.

We also went back to the doctor this week. I truly just wanted Dr. Price to check her ears before she went to stay the weekend with her Chubba and Grumpy, but she ended up having croup, a yeast infection caused by all the meds she's been on for her infections, and... You guessed it another ear infection. We are going to see Dr. Mark Reed at UMC in Jackson. This makes ear infection # 7 I think. She's had so many I've truly lost count. Thank goodness Dr. Price finally thought so too. I know that tubes are "no big deal" but I hate the thought of it. I also hate the thought of her suffering through another ear infection too. I hate the thought of this more, and I'm a little anxious to find out what Dr. Reed wants to do. I will do my best to keep everybody posted her.