Smiles!

Gage timed her first smile for Mom's 30th birthday - a very fun gift. Dad's gift was a set of Lyle Lovett/John Hiatt tickets. In a couple weeks we'll have our date while Gran and Grandaddy come to babysit! It's been a busy few weeks for "Billy" (her coos sound very much like we have a billy goat living in the apartment, and thus she has been dubbed "Billy" for the time being.) She had a weekend of playing with Deke and Aurelia and went for her first run with Mom - was sound asleep the entire time... the bumpier road, the better. She went with us to NH to check on the house (dry wall is up!) and fought her first case of baby acne - pretty sweet stuff!) She's still very happy in Gaga's swing and is starting to be aware of more that's around her. Linds and Nathan come this weekend! :)

Bath time in the kitchen sink

A new, happier ME

We went back to Shriners today and Gage's hips looked great on the ultra sound. She is out of wearing the harness full time and just has to wear it at night and during naps... our little over achiever ;) ...did it in half the time that was anticipated. As a result of being "free," her grunting, frustration, and fussiness has almost stopped - finally able to stretch those lanky legs. Yay!

Going to NH

What do you mean I can't go skiing??!

Some light reading

Gage was feeling a bit fussy today and wanted a good read to brighten her mood. She loved Aunt Carly's photography and Alex's prose in their article on hiking in the Alps in the February edition of Backpacker. The rest of the magazine bored her though and she decided to pass out cold in the sitting position. Hope you are all doing great.

Rich, Katie and Gage

p.s. Thanks to the Berry's for her awesome socks!

Good news this morning

The three of us made our second trip to the hospital in Springfield this morning to meet with the pediatric othopedic again. He was so pleased and a little surprised to see how well Gage's hips were doing and we got the OK to bath and change her onesie once a day now. (The harness had been on full time this past week and was supposed to be that way for five more weeks) Two weeks from now we return for a bigger! harness and hopefully continued news of progress. It's been a while since we have checked in and I"m convinced our little peanut appears more like a little linebacker these days (although this could be the look she gets by wearing the harness underneath layers of t-shirts... it's been frigid here lately!) She is sleeping more at night and for that we are so thankful! She also made her first trip up to see Gran and Grandad in NH and check out our her new house in Sugar Hill. It is on schedule to be finished in April and it is really beginning to take shape. The windows and stairs are in and the sheet rock goes up next week. I have a photo of her in the middle of all the construction. (Well, she is hidden in that car seat somewhere!) The other photo is Gage watching football (the Patriots must have just scored) with Dad.

Thanks for all your comments and well wishes, Katie

The Aunties visit

Carly and Beda Calhoun just visited their niece and spent several days helping us out! We had extra hands around to cook and clean and it was great to see them. Gage hammed it up for her aunties and Aunt Carly took tons of photos - nice having a professional photographer in the family! Check out Carly's shots in our new slide show.