Showing off her dress

Isabel loves her Xmas dress. her cousin Emma who is now 4 years old gave it to her. Emma worn it when she was two. Isabel loves her dress and has learned how to turn.



- Lei

Playing with Xmas ball

Isabel is showing off her Xmas dress and playing with Grandma's Xmas ornament.



- Lei

Always see a doctor early

I definitely benefited from this rule just last week. I had a painful stabbing headache that I never experienced before. It felt like someone was jabbing me with a needle every few minutes. I also had a small bump on my head. I thought it was a mosquito bite by a giant mosquito that happen to bit me on a nerve on my head - thus causing the headache.

The theory also made sense since only a few days earlier I killed a giant mosquito, the size of a fly. Still I am not a doctor and thought it would be better to see one. I belong to a medical group that can set up same day visits so I went to the doctor the next morning. He checked my symptom and also my lymph nodes and said "You have Shingles"

I was floored. I actually had Shingles on my back 15 years ago, but never thought this was that. He said "you are lucky you came when you first had symptoms and you don't have an open sore. You are not generally contagious and can still go to work. Just don't scratch your head. With a 7 day Valtrex medicine, you will recover fairly quickly and should be pain free soon." The drug would just get me a bit tired. I still didn't believe him and insisted on a blood test to verify. He agreed. He also asked me to see an ophthalmologist in case it affects my eyesight. Shingles can cause loss of vision too.

Long story short, he was right and I am fine. I saw an ophthalmologist the next day and no eye infection and I am all better now. I am still glad I did the blood test so I know that I didn't take some strong medicine unnecessarily.

Moral of the Story: Always go to a Doctor early to double check a medical theory I am not really qualified to make. And make sure the doctor can prove it with fact (such as a blood test), so you don't get misdiagnosed.

Stay healthy and happy holidays!

- Lei

Very healthy Isabel

We took her to her 18 months check up last week and all is good. She is

• 33.75 inches tall at 90%
• weighs almost 24 lbs which is at 50%
  
• and her head size is at around 75%

She had 3 shots and cried for 20 seconds and was over it with no reaction afterward which is awesome. The doctor only had two advice for us

1. try to have her sleep 12 hours at night + 1 to 2 hour nap during the day. We been putting her to bed at 7:30 now and she gets up around 7pm and smiling even more, so it's great
2. less milk and more table food - she should have less than 18 oz of milk and more food from our dinner. Which is also working out great. She is even stealing Agnes's wrap sandwich now. Very cute - we have a video we will share in another post.

All is good. We also got referrals to dentists as Isabel has 6 teeths and many more coming out, so we are supposed to go see one in the next 6 months. Her stitches from her surgery is healing well. Had some bruising on one side and a little bubble but is much better now. She is such a strong, happy little girl. We are very blessed.

Lei
p.s: this picture with the post is old - probably when she was only 15 months old but it's so cute!