The Sattler Scoop: "Oh Yes I Can!"

I swear our child must have some kind of radar when a doctor or therapist asks me if she is doing specific things and I respond with "Not yet." It is like I have issued her a personal challenge, and she often promptly proves me wrong within days (and has even been known to do it in the very same therapy session). I am just waiting for the day when she can actually respond "Oh yes I can!" right in front of a doctor. She is making so much progress in Physical Therapy, and just today Casey shocked both of us by pulling up on the coffee table from her position on our therapist's knee. When Brian came home from work I was bragging about her new feat, and wouldn't you know she performed it repeatedly as if it was no big deal at all. I was also telling our physical therapist that she has been trying unsuccessfully to go from a sitting position down onto her belly, but keeps getting one leg stuck underneath her. Low and behold, she proceeds to lean forward, starts to get stuck, and then actually manages to pull her leg out from underneath her. I have a feeling crawling is just around the corner! Casey has also become so much stronger (and strong willed for that matter) lately, and she is only needing a little assistance to pull herself from a side lying position up into sitting. It is crazy how fast she is learning and changing, and it is really just so amazing to watch her learn.

We had another follow up with our Developmental Pediatrician last week, and she was so impressed with her progress, and stated that she has no concerns as of now. It was also the first opportunity we have had to get a weight check in over a month, and Casey now weighs in at 16 pounds 10 ounces. This is a gain of well over a pound, so we'll take it! Of course, it is a bit bittersweet because just as we started celebrating, The Doodle decided to throw us another curve ball and go on a bit of an eating strike. She continues to gobble up purees, but is really starting to put up a fight with the bottle again. The big concern is that purees just don't have enough calories to support enough weight gain, and since Casey is pretty opposed to trying other textures of "people food" right now (although I continue to try and have had several things thrown at or thrown up on me lately), bottles continue to be her main calorie intake. As you can imagine mealtime is super fun in the Sattler house these days. Not! Our best guess for her reluctance to take a bottle is that she is getting so used to the other tastes and flavors of purees that she is just not as interested in that same old boring taste she has known for the last eleven months. I can't really blame her, but I must admit that every time I throw another bottle labeled with a time of 2 a.m. down the drain, it definitely makes me cringe a bit. Guess she hasn't quite developed an appreciation for how hard I worked for that! I called our former Dietitian this week, and she gave us a few pointers to try and get her through the last month or so of our frozen supply, and then we are planning to give cow's milk a try.

In yet another effort to prove her mother wrong, Casey has developed quite the attachment to yours truly. That will teach me to brag about how easy going she is and always so willing to sit contently with others! In the instances that she will sit with someone else for a few minutes, if I dare to walk in the room or she hears my voice, she will let me know her displeasure with being left behind! Even Brian has been a victim of her separation anxiety lately, as Casey will stare at me longingly from across the room and whimper or cry until I come get her, and then breaks out into a huge grin. Poor Daddy! We have been told that this is very developmentally appropriate, and it is very sweet that she adores me so much (what can I say, I am pretty adorable!), but I sure do miss the days when I could put her down to go to the bathroom with out a major meltdown!