Our daughter has completed her third week post surgery and, wow, what a hectic week it was. Fall weather has finally swept into the region and the cold front pushed in quite a bit of bustle with the rain. As for Hip Chick, her disposition mirrored our lawn, which glistened with a delicate frost by week's end.
Our week began with a reintegration into childcare- a big step for Hip Chick! This reintegration was a little more difficult for her than prior ones. She would chatter excitedly about seeing her friends on the drive over, but the first two mornings were frought with very teary separations, as she did not initially grasp that Mommy would not remain with her to play. By Thursday, however, she was excited to select books for storytime and play outside in new ways.
We were encouraged to notice that her sleeping patterns improved on the days she attended daycare. The stimulation of her classroom and classmates helped tire her more than one-on-one time with Mommy and Daddy or even fun with Big Sis. This was reinforced over her three day weekend, as she reverted to 3am wake-ups by Sunday. Her current cast form simply does not enable the mobility of her prior casts and we are challenged with tiring her daily. Below are additional thoughts.
1. With Hip Chick's return to childcare, is she still utilizing the spica desk at school?
No. Over the course of her first two spica casts, she grew frustrated with her physical distance from her classmates. She wanted to do things in as similar ways as possible as her friends. This included activities ranging from meals to painting. As she is currently casted in a seated position of sorts, her teachers have developed smart ways to secure her in their toddler chairs, so she can be part of the class.
2. If Hip Chick is not potty training, how is she affected by watching her classmates potty train?
She tells her teachers when she needs a diaper change. One of her teachers remarked this week on how she shows signs of readiness and will likely potty train easily once she is walking again.
3. How is her disposition?
That is a difficult question. Her mood swings quickly and sharply. We cannot easily pinpoint whether this is her personality's natural progression through the "terrible twos" or her reaction to having such little independence and control right now. Either way, she takes additional time and attention to manage at this stage- especially on days that she wakes early.
4. If her sleep patterns are erratic, is she having nightmares?
This does not seem to be the case. She had night terrors when she wore the Rhino Brace last summer and the two sleep issues are very different. We often ask her what she dreamt of and she usually says that she dreamt of being a fairy, flying in the sky like Peter Pan, but with pink wings. Big Sis often flies beside her in the dreams. To us, the sleep issues seem to correlate more directly with her immobility.
5. How is Big Sis navigating this phase of Hip Chick's treatment?
She is doing a fantastic job. She has been very understanding and offers to help push the wheelchair, play with Hip Chick, or do additional things at home. We do not demand these things of her, however, as it is her job to be a grade schooler and not a caretaker. I still think it is good for her own disposition that she is not at our home full-time. The time at her other home provides a buffer that other siblings do not necessarily receive in these situations.
6. How are Mommy and Daddy's disposition?
We are tired. Hip Chick's erratic sleep patterns have added a layer of unexpected complication to what we hoped would be a familiar routine. She is heavier than before, which is also challenging for Mommy and Daddy's bad backs. BUT... we are fueled by the hope that the osteotomies will fix her hip- or at least fix it enough to last several years between surgeries.
7. How are Mommy and Daddy taking breaks?
We received babysitting help this weekend! We stopped by a house party and then enjoyed a dinner out. We are grateful for the help, as Hip Chick is heavy to lift and diapering requires special care. At the same time, Mommy and Daddy need time out together, as we need to ensure our relationship also receives attention.
8. Have either Mommy or Daddy attempted another solo excursion with Hip Chick?
Yes! She stayed home from daycare on Friday, so Mommy took her out for a Mommy-daughter breakfast. Breakfast was a positive experience, with the help of a Minnie Mouse stamp set.
9. Is Hip Chick generally well behaved during outings?
Not necessarily. This morning, she began a breakfast with friends with some peppery meltdowns. Clearly, her 3am awakening did not help matters- we just have to address each outing individually and hope they grow sunnier over time.
10. With weather changing, how are we dressing Hip Chick?
Thankfully, we have enough hand-me-downs from Big Sis and a good friend to help us transition the seasons and a few extra purchases and gifts have rounded out what was lacking. As before, we can most easily dress her in either dresses or shirts of an appropriate size.
11. This is a fun time of year for children... what's next for Hip Chick?
We need to select her Halloween costume for this year and are a little stumped. Who has creative suggestions?!
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