#jude log

a lot has happened since my last journal entry

something activated the portal

I can’t stop thinking about the portal

I have countless theories on what it is... what it does... but one thing is absolutely certain: that it’s vastly important... beyond anyone’s comprehension

I know it is

it has to be

ever since europa’s destruction, I’ve had this overwhelming sense of dread

I mean, more than usual...

I feel like the alternians are going to burst through my window at any second, swinging from suspension wires, messing up all my things looking for important information before they sock me right in the kisser... or shoot me... or stab me... or any other number of things

the possibility is higher than it’s ever been since the condesce revealed herself

I wish there was someone I could say hey I told you so! the condesce is still alive!!! ... like joey... but I guess it doesn’t really matter

the crocker corporation already controlled everything

a takeover was easy

I can see them constructing another crocker building just up the street from my house

My poor baby is going through the ringer these days. She developed hives on her upper body yesterday. We have no idea what caused the hives. We spoke with our doctor this morning and she recommended giving her Benadryl. We gave her 1/4 teaspoon and her skin cleared up, but daycare called after lunch and told us the hives are back. We are thinking about taking her to an allergist in hopes of getting some answers.

Our doctor thinks it might be a reaction to the TB preventative meds. It's hard to know because of all the shots and meds she has had over the last 6 days. I'm nervous that we should not have given her any of her 12-month shots. Especially since it is clear she was developing an ear infection and would eventually need antibiotics for it.

We had to take Jude to the doctor on Saturday because she spiked a fever Friday night of 104.5. We gave her Tylenol prior because her temp was 102.2. It was a scary night that included Jude vomiting on my chest.

It turns out she has an ear infection. I think she was getting an ear infection when she got her shots on Wednesday which would explain the low-grade fever and why our doctor had not noticed anything when she checked her ears.

She screamed bloody murder when the doctor we saw was checking her out. I felt so bad. She has also been so snuggly which I love but find alarming because it is really out of character for her. She slept most of the day on Saturday which again was completely out of character.

Yes, I am two weeks late, but Jude just had her well baby check up yesterday. She is right on track developmentally. She is 29.5 inches long and 20 lbs 11.5 oz. She got three shots yesterday: 2nd influenza shot, MMR, and Chicken Pox. For some reason, they gave her the shots in her arm this time. Well, she screamed her little head off.

I've noticed I am not as overwhelmingly affected by her cries anymore. When she was tiny, I could barely stand to hear her cry because she seemed so helpless. Now when she cries, I do what I can to comfort her but I don't get as sad.

Anyway, our doctor checked her out. She told us is was perfectly normal for Jude to not be walking yet. She can stand independently and we have seen her take a few steps, but she is showing no real interest in walking. She has several words which include: hat, cat, up, hi, uh oh, and dig dig (which is dog!). She can sign eat, more, and milk. Although her sign for milk is rather original.

She sleeps pretty well at night. I can't really complain. She is not taking in nearly as much milk as she once was. These days she takes one bottle at daycare, she nurses maybe twice before bed, and 1-4 times at night. The night nursing depends on how much of her lunch she ate and how much dinner she ate. If she eats all her lunch and dinner and snacks she will only nurse twice at the most at night. She also tends to nurse more at night when she is teething which I think is because she doesn't want to eat food during the day.

She can point to our noses when we ask, and sometimes our mouths as well. She just discovered Molly's belly button. She still won't identify these same body parts on her own body. Our doctor was very impressed that we use anatomically correct language when referring to her genitalia.

I have no intentions of forcing Jude to wean from nursing if she is not ready. I think that she has been doing a great job with that on her own. But night time has always been a struggle for me. I love to sleep more than most things in the world. So having a baby that wants to nurse a lot at night is hard for me because I can't pass her off to Molly I have to take care of it by myself all night.Well for a few weeks now Jude has been slowly needing less milk at night and sleeping for longer. 

Well for a few weeks now Jude has been slowly needing less milk at night and sleeping for longer. Last night she went down to bed, she nursed from one breast and sleep from 9-12:15. At 12:15 I moved her to our bed, she nursed from the other breast and then she sleep until 6:10. I nursed her again at that point because 6am is not our normal family wake up time and she was asking for milk.

I was so pleased when I woke up and I feel that by telling everyone I've jinxed myself but I am willing to take the chance.I've noticed that she is eating more solids and asking for less milk. Part of me is sad about that but part of me is so excited to not pump. I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but a girl can dream. 

Just a quick update this month.

Jude weighs 18 lb. 9.5 oz and is 27.5 inches long. She gained almost 2 pounds in three months, but is not getting very long. I was sure she would be longer because she seems to be getting too long for her car seat. It seems I was just hiking her up too high.

She got a flu shot and blood drawn to check her lead and hemoglobin levels. I assume her lead levels were fine because her ped didn't say anything about them. Her hemoglobin levels were a little low, but that's because there was a mix up at Costco and we couldn't get her prescription filled for like 7 weeks.

She hates taking her vitamins. She loves to eat! She is an insanely fast crawler. She is very mobile, and loves moving about the condo. She loves to stand, and she loves chasing the dog.

She started daycare three weeks ago. She seems to be adjusting fairly well. Drop off has to happen quickly or else she freaks out.

She started her transition to the crib on Saturday. She sleeps from 8:30p to about 12:30 or 1am before she stands up and cries in her sleep. I haven't quite gotten myself to place her back in the crib after "wake up" number one, but I'm working on it.

Jude has the best personality ever. She is so happy all the time, and the silliest baby. She is always smiling or laughing, and rarely crying.