The illustrator obviously has never seen this exercise performed, there is no smiling involved. By anyone. In a two mile radius.

I'm not handling this particularly well. I noticed the muscular oddity in her neck when she was about two months old, but said nothing of it to her pediatrician, for only God knows why, it was just a small difference in muscle proportion, it didn't seem significant. She had no other signs of the condition, and I just brushed it off. I feel like this makes me responsible, and no one will ever be able to convince me otherwise.

If you look at the pictures posted more recently, you can see the slight head tilt, huge blaring sign of aforementioned condition, and more evidence that I am horribly stupid, unobservant, and the World's Worst Mother.

I think Ben is posting an update later about the other goings-on around here as of late (and many they are, and tired I am). We have been busy, oh Internets, we have not neglected you without good reason. Many apologies and pinkie promises to be better.

1. Dutchins Bunny (she will not sleep without him)
2. Cuddling
3. Nakedness
4. Baths
5. Billie (the cat)
6. Ceiling fans
7. Her Alli Gator (he's machine washable, I love him too)
8. Kneebouncers
9. Having her hair brushed
10. Dancing (huge Frank Sinatra fan already, likes Perry Como also)

10 Things Libby Hates:

1. Snow (a true suthnuh)
2. Naps (she might miss something)
3. Tummytime
4. Back Sleeping
5. Cereal with apple juice
6. Socks
7. Noisy Crowds
8. The smell of Doritos (hilarious)
9. Nose suctioning
10. Vaccinations (and again I say, shots are bad)

Happy Five Month Birthday Libby, We Love You

He is Risen

Keester Greetings, Ya'll.

(Oh, and P.S. to Emily, the pillow Libby's in above is a Boppy.)

• 9 pounds
• 20 inches

Her stats at four and a half months:

• 17 pounds 9 ounces
• 25 and a half inches

When the doctor came in, she was sitting by herself on the table playing, and he was more than a little taken aback. He couldn't believe she was sitting so well at her age. With her sitting up so straight, he noticed something that I had seen more of the last few weeks; Libby has a slight head tilt toward her left side.

Upon examination, the doctor suggested that the tilt is from some minor muscle weakness, most likely because she consistently sleeps with her head turned toward the right (toward me), but that we should have some xrays taken of her cervical spine just to be certain it's nothing skeletal.

He otherwise pronounced her fabulous, and told us what a wonderful job we've been doing. And continued to gush over how she sits up. Our baby, she is terrific. Oh, and shots are bad.

So I sent Ben back to work, and Libby and I headed over to the nearby University City Medical Center to have the xrays done.

After many oaths and pinky-promises that I wasn't pregnant (HA!), they had me strip her to the waist and position her on a cold table. Did you hear the screams? No? I am truly surprised. My hearing shall never recover. I held her arms and legs while a tech used pads to hold her head still. After every shot, they would develop the film to make sure it was clear, and I would have to calm her down. While we waited, I sang softly to her, and we danced, just as we've done a thousand times here at home, and every now and then I would catch a glimpse of someone peeking out of the lab, or standing in the doorway just grinning at us.

After several repeated shots, and much more screaming, they called in a pediatric radiologist who pronounced two of the films good enough, no more torture needed. We must have looked a bit shaken, because another tech walked us all the way to the front door (oh the joys of the Magnet hospital).

By the time we made it home, it was 1:30. Libby had been up since 7:30. Oh the humanity. It was 2:30 before I got her calm enough to take a nap, but when she went out she. went. out. Like a light. Gone. ZZZZZZ. Till around 5. She dozed a bit off an on through the evening, but never would take another nap. It was almost midnight when she finally went to sleep for the night, and I was half out of my mind with exhaustion.

And the good news: Libby's xrays came back normal, its just a muscular thing, easily fixable with a bit of physical therapy. We're expecting the referral on Monday, and looking forward to getting started.

Baby Bear.

Pretty in Pink.

Quiet Time.

Happy Feet.

Changing Table Chic.

Chubby Little Buddha Baby.

Libby's First Carrot.