Cardiology follow-up; Dory is 4 months old

We followed up with Harry's cardiologist today.  The effusion is the same, maybe a little better, definitely not worse.  So.  That's probably the best news we could have gotten.  She still doesn't know WTF is going on, but she reminded me that we have already ruled out all of the worst case scenarios when he was in the hospital.  In fact, his most recent panel of bloodwork is completely normal, including markers for inflammation.  She said that some kids have recurring pericardial effusions and no one knows why, which is bizarre and unsatisfying.

She upped his Ibuprofen (he was discharged from the ER with the wrong dose) and sent him to the pediatrician for a TB test-- that's the only test he didn't have in the hospital because it is a ridiculous PITA to do an inpatient TB test-- something about negative pressure isolation.

Our HMO is wonderful and never feels HMO-y, but today it sort of did 3 different times (this whole town is not-for-profit HMOS, by the way-- a couple of private practice chiropractors and dentists, but everything else is in 3 competing HMOs).  When we got to the children's hospital, the person checking us in said that our cardiology referral was closed-- no big deal, she just had to call our insurance company's member services department and have somebody on their end check a box or something, but we stood around in a cubicle for an extra 5 minutes while Dory loud crapped herself.  Next, Harry's cardiologist came back into the exam room to do a PPD skin test for TB and said that our insurance company wouldn't let her-- we had to have the test done at our own clinic.  She helpfully made us an appointment for 8:30 tomorrow morning, meaning I would have to take all 4 kids to the doctor's office alone which is always a total party.  Thankfully, our pediatrician's awesome nurse saw the order come in and called me while I was checking out of the cardiologist's office and told me to swing by on my way home and she'd do it really quick whenever we got there.  I LOVE HER.  Finally, I was at the Walgreen's drive thru to get a giant bottle of Ibuprofen (because the kid takes 14 mL 3 times a day and it's way easier to fill the syringe out of a big old prescription bottle than a dinky children's bottle), and the pharmacist told me that because we just got a bottle the other day, the insurance won't pay for it again until the 17th-- SO ANNOYING-- so I could either pay $35 or buy a dinky children's bottle, which entailed taking everyone out of the damn car.

But I am happy to be bitching about all of these things because that means Harry is pretty much OK and I can sweat the small stuff again.

In other distractions, our little Dory is 4 months old today!

In honor of her birthday, she outgrew all of her clothes pretty much overnight and is solidly a 6-month size.  I have been trying to buy her new pajamas for like 3 days, and today, Jack and I finally made it happen (I also had to buy a new Keurig, which is also totally annoying).  Jack, by the way, has been acting TERRIBLE since Saturday night, so I figured a one-on-one trip to the mall (Dory went too, but she slept in her stroller), a slice of cookie cake, and a shark t-shirt from Gymboree might help (holy shit-- the watermelon girls clothes!  they are adorable!  I exercised restraint and only bought a clearance sundress and a giant floppy hat, but I will be back for them, especially the sweater and the shoes-- oh my god the shoes).  It did, and we scored some adorable Gap jammies and a few from Carter's, so now she can sleep cuter. (And I was gone from 12-1:30 with Jack and from 2-7 with Harry stopping home from 1:30-2 to feed and change the baby and grab 4 dried apricots and light string cheese.  By the time H and I made it to Chipotle at 6:15, I was so wilted.  I perked up like a houseplant, though, as soon as I had my salad and water.  I ate my salad so fast I didn't even notice how spicy it was until it was gone.  Then I had to run immediately to Orange Leaf for medicinal purposes.  Harry didn't mind).

Although how could she sleep any cuter than this?

 4 moths old?  Seriously, this time has flown by.  She is such a precious, perfect, lively little baby.  I wish you could hear her singing and see her roll over, grab her toes, and play with her toys like she's a little cat.

 She looks neckless in this picture, but she is starting to grow into all that stretchy neck skin and no longer has lots of fuzzballs and puke in there.

 I don;t set out to make her cry on purpose,

 BUT IT'S SO CUTE to watch her expressions of displeasure.