Ther really IS something wrong with me!!! Awesome!

A few months ago, I went to the Dr to have my thyroid checked because I had the feeling that that might be the underlying cause of my low milk supply. So, he did bloodwork and had me take a pee test to check for diabetes. He claimed that my bloodwork came back normal, but I had elevated proteins in my urine, so he referred me to an endocrinologist. I finally got to see her the other day, and love her! She actually cared about my low milk supply! She ordered a blood test to check my thyroid levels more in-depth and was curious about my prolactin levels, so she checked them, too. doesn;t think I'm diabetic, but had me do a 24-hour urine test anyways (which was loads of fun - collecting my pee for 3 days because the day after the first two collections, I ended up not being able to take it in.... the first two were practice, right?).

Dr. Chu called back on Tuesday with my lab results, and I am in fact hypothyroid. She put me on Levoxyl, and hopes that this will help my milk supply and my weight issue (I've actually gained a few lbs since the post-partum weight loss, despite my eating well and walking almost every day for 45 min or more, while pushing a stroller). I'm not expecting any miracles, but I really hope there is a slight increase. And I hope this makes my hair stronger and less fuzzy....

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My little girl isn't so little anymore. She is only 7 months old, and is already outgrowing her 9-month clothes! Oh, Lord, this is going to be interesting!! We bought her some new clothes in 12- and 18-month sizes, and I just can't believe that she's already fitting into those! I swear it's the cloth butt. It's so much more poofy than a disposable-diapered booty. I love it.

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Man! I wish Shannon's tooth would just pop out already!!! She has been waking up screaming the past few nights, and arching her back in pain. Poor thing. One night, I sent Mike out at 11 pm to get MORE Tylenol and extra-strength Baby Orajel. For some reason, we can;t find the teething tablets that everyone swears by. We've looked at WalMart, Target, Vons, Longs, CVS, and Walgreens. We even asked the pharmacist at one place, and he said he'd never heard of them. Great. I hate the Orajel because she licks it while I'm trying to put it on her gums, then she freaks out because it tingles & she can't feel her tongue. Then I try nursing her & she bites me because she can't feel anything. Fun for all involved. I just wish it would pop through already!!

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But on a lighter note, Shannon has changed so much in the past few weeks. She is sitting up on her own like a champ! She sat up on her own for the 1st time on March 25th, and has been going for long stretches at a time. Now, she;s so good at it, we don't even worry about her falling back anymore (though we do continue to leave a pillow behind her just in case).

She's also getting even more vocal, she screeches and chirps like a little bird, and carries on long coversations with "dadadada," "mamamamama," "bababababa,' and what sounds like "mbdambdambdambda." She clicks her tongue & blows raspberries back at us. And she has learned to "puh" when we are feeding her solids. That was fun. I had taken to wearing my robe over my clothes in the mornings before I go to work. She stopped after a few days of wiping her face with a wet washcloth every time she did it. Mommy's first encounter with punishing Shannon.

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Easter was interesting in the Lafferty house. On our way to church, we ended up being hit by a woman who just wash't paying attention. We were making a left turn (not the first in line, by the way), when the woman sped down the hill, running her red light. Mike gunned poor Cargo, but she still hit the rear wheel. Poor Cargo had a broken hind leg. Had Mike not sped up to try to avoid her, she would have T-boned us, hitting the passenger side, where I was sitting. The woman felt terrible, especially once she saw me pull Shannon, who was screaming from fear, out of the car. Luckily, the lady admitted to not paying attention, and we both had the same insurance company, so there was very little work to do on our part. We just got Cargo back today, almost 2 weeks later, the day before we leave for Utah to go hiking. Sheesh! It's pretty fortunate that we had not sold our Civic, Turbo, yet. I'd much rather drive her around than some random, stinky rental.

So obviously, we didn't go to church that day. We took a cab home, which turned out for the best because: 1) Shannon's first taxi ride was not in a drunken stupor in Vegas like mine, and 2) we needed to prepare food for our Easter dinner for my dad, Mike's dad, and my friend Colleen, whose husband was deployed to Iraq for a couple of months.

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Last weekend was HOT! 101* in April is not normal! Poor Shannon was miserable between teething & sweating her booty off, so I laid out a towel on the lawn and ran the hose, and sat her down on it. She was so much more comfortable. I sat down with her & played with her, and I was much more comfortable, too.

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And now for what you've been waiting for: PICTURES!

My big girl sitting up on her own for the 1st time (notice how short the legs are on her 9-month outfit):























Easter:





















































































Having a Crazy Hair Day: