Days 136-140: another weekend with Dadda

Wow, didn't realize it had been so long since I updated the blog. Sorry about that! Everything has been going just fine. Mina Brigitta started tentatively putting weight on her foot about Tuesday or Wednesday, and by today she was practically running around the house. We're still having her wear the walking boot outside, but she doesn't wear it inside. She's still limping, but she also has the hip issue, so the limping will probably continue. We did make a brief visit to Pole House today; Mina Brigitta developed a little rash on her neck and back, so Dr. Horn said to bring her in today and she would examine her. She said it doesn't look like GVHD, but it doesn't look like a virus either. We've been using a new sunscreen lately, so that's the most likely culprit. If it's worse by Wednesday, they'll send us back to the dermatologist. The rash on her legs is almost totally cleared up, so otherwise there would no need to see the dermatologist.

Otherwise, Mina Brigitta seems to be doing pretty well. She's more and more energetic these days, which is nice to see. Still not much of an appetite, but people are telling me that's pretty normal for toddlers. So hard to tell what is a "normal" worry and what is something more serious. Keri and Isaac are gone for the weekend again, this time to Kristy and Bill's house in Idaho for Karissa's wedding. Congratulations to Karissa and Mitch, sounds like it was a really lovely weekend! Wish we could have been there.

Mina Brigitta and I have had a good time hanging out by ourselves. I took her to see the sea lions on Pier 39 on Friday and to the carousel in Golden Gate Park yesterday. There was a small carousel at Pier 39 too, and Mina Brigitta rode the horsie by herself. But I think the big carousel in Golden Gate Park is still kind of intimidating for her, because she still will only sit on the bench. There's a playground next to the carousel in Golden Gate Park, but it's covered with sand so Mina Brigitta can't really play there. I did put her in the swing for a while, but she was more interested in watching the other kids play. She wanted to see different play areas - the little kid sand box, the swings, the teeter-totter, the jungle gym. She kept asking if she could go and play on various things, but I had to tell her no. The boundaries are kind of softening as we're beginning to engage in the world again, but she's still very immuno-compromised so we have to try to be as firm as we can. It's not always very easy.

Then as we were walking back towards home, she told me she wanted to see "strum strum strum", which if you know your children's literature is a line from where the monkeys are playing banjos in "Hand Hand Fingers Thumb". So we walked down Haight Street until we found someone playing guitar, and sat for a while listening.

Today we went to the "yighthouse" at Point Bonita. For some reason she really loves it there. Mina Brigitta is talking so much more these days. As I was pushing the stroller back up the hill, she was talking to herself the whole way. Finally I realized that she was singing "Baa Baa Black Sheep", and she pretty much knew all the words! Then we talked to Keri on the phone after we got back to the car, and Mina Brigitta told her mother for the first time "I yuv you momma!"