We had a bunch of appointments today, and they were all very productive!

We got KB's 12 month shots done, finally. I hate the thought of poor Pumpkin getting poked so I begged Jason to take the morning off work and go with us. I'll admit it - I'm a wuss when it comes to Baby Girl.  She was such a champ, though!

First up was her TB poke. It's required once a year for children in Hawaii because TB is still a problem here. Well, it's not required if the baby isn't in childcare, which KB isn't. I wanted to get it for her, though, because she does spend time with other children at her babysitter's and at church. You just never know, right?  My brave baby literally just watched the tech place the needle under her skin and inject her. Just watched it! She didn't even flinch!  Then we had to do HEP B. *It should have been finished at 6 months, but the awesome clinic in Guam didn't do it. Thanks guys, one more shot for Baby Girl to have to get today.* She handled that one like a rockstar, too. She watched, didn't even flinch, and didn't cry.  Then came Hep A.  Again, no crying.. but this time there was flinching. MMR was next, and she was beginning to be annoyed by the needles. She started crying about half-way through. Last was Chickenpox, and I'm sad to say she did cry. She didn't scream, though, and she only cried for about 30 seconds!  By the time we left the clinic 10 minutes later, she was blowing kisses to the nurses. She's such a sweet baby!

Next we met with KB's pediatrician for a weight check. On August 29, she weighed 14 lbs, 9 oz. Today she weighed 15 lbs, 1 oz. The ped explained that it was a good, normal growth rate, (13 grams a day.. and only other preemie parents will appreciate weight being measured in grams) but not the catch-up growth she would like to see in a preemie. Dr. Koss is referring us to a nutritionist at the hospital, with whom we'll probably meet next week. The nutritionist will have food/calorie/intake goals for KB to meet on a daily basis. I hope he/she has some ideas for fatty foods other than what we're doing right now, because we're lost. Right now she eats a lot of cottage cheese, avocado, and cheddar slices. She's doing alright with peanut butter, but it isn't her favorite.

Now on to me and BF2.  Today I met my OB for the second time. I got excited first of all because my blood pressure was so good at only 121/79. It's funny that I even notice that now, since my BP has been perfect my entire life. But when it sky-rockets once, you tend to notice the numbers later on.  Dr. Chapman came in and found BF2's heartbeat right away. I was hoping for an ultrasound, but it was not on her agenda for today.  We discussed a lot:  My baseline numbers (liver enzymes, platelets, etc) all came back completely normal from my first appointment.  I'm scheduled to meet my Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist in mid-October, around 18 weeks.  They'll run a bunch of tests on me and BF2, as well as do the full anatomy scan then.

Dr. Chapman put my mind a little further at rest about recurring problems. She told me that chances are higher in your first pregnancy, or your first pregnancy with a new father. Since Jason happens to be my baby daddy with both babies, my chances are lower of recurring issues.  I knew that little piece of information, but it was nice to hear it repeated by a professional.  We also discussed my aversion to meat. She'd like to see me getting a little more protein, so protein shakes and smoothies may be the answer.

All in all, today was great. I'm glad to know that I am progressing well, and that KB is gaining weight. Keep the prayers coming for all of us, please! We definitely appreciate them!