Visit with the Ophthalmologist

Since birth Abigail has had blocked tear ducts in both eyes.  For the first few months we tried everything to open them up...massage, warm compresses, and medications to treat the infections she got initially.  A couple of months ago the right one opened up but the left one is being stubborn.  We were advised by our pediatrician to wait till she was 10 months old to have it seen about.  He gave us a referral to Dr. Cogen an Ophthalmologist at UAB.  After checking with Casey, my friend and Optometrist to make sure he was the best person for us to see we set up an appointment.  The office was nice, the staff great and Dr. Cogen was very friendly and as gentle as possible with Abigail.  They dilated her eyes and did a full exam.  He said every thing else about her eyes is great...she just has a blocked tear duct in the left one.  To correct this all he will have to do is run a tube down the duct to unblock it.  Very simple, but unfortunately this will have to be done in the OR.  We considered waiting to see if it would correct itself but Dr. Cogen explained to us that every month after she is 12 months old the chances that the surgery will be successfull drops by 10%....so at 17 months old there is only a 50% chance that the surgery will work.  We have decided to go ahead and schedule for the end of this month.  Even though I hate the idea of her undergoing anesthesia, I cannot wait to get it fixed....her eye stays wet and irritated all the time.  She constantly rubs it like it itches or bothers her.
Here is a couple photos of her eye, red and with tears.  It is really hard to get good pictures of how bad it can get but I tried.

We went to the lake this weekend for the first time this year.  The water was covered with pollen and cold but the pups didn't care!  

It was a beautiful day Saturday.

10 Months Old

Abigail turned 10 months old this week.  She is growing soooo fast.  At 10 months old she is wearing mostly 9 month clothes and size 3 diapers.  She is pulling up easily and is slowly cruising.  She cut a new tooth this week (lower right) and has been a little fussy but not too bad.  She still has not said ma ma or really anything other than babble and dada.  She eats almost anything you put in front of her and is growing like a weed.  She is such a sweet sweet girl and will give hugs sometimes which are amazing.  She will also give kisses but she has to be in the right mood which is not that often.  

Here are some pictures from our monthly shoot.  They are getting harder and harder to get, especially in the chair, since she wants to move around so much.  

Her new favorite face.

Glad I have a fast shooting camera because she was happy
and still for only a few seconds before wanting in the floor.

She looks like she is playing here but she is
actually starting to pitch a fit.

Abigail was tired of the chair so Andy took over.

Finally got in the floor where she wanted to be.

Easter Pictures

I am so late posting this!  We had a great Easter weekend.  Sunday we went to my moms for lunch....ham, carrot souffle, green beans, hashbrown casserole and rolls...YUMMM!  Abigail loved all of it.  I wish I had a picture of her at the table.  We forgot to take her highchair so my mom got an apron and we tied her into a big chair.  It was really cute and she sat still and ate all her lunch.  I had a hard time all day getting a smile from Abigail.  She has started making this new face where she sticks out her lower lip.  Its really cute and she is doing it in almost every picture.  She is wearing her new dress...it looked so adorable.

The one smile I caught all day.

Abigail and Grammy

Abigail is too interested in the tv to look at the camera.

Abigail with Reagan & Monica.

Getting as close to the tv as possible!