6 weeks and 4 days

One of the recurring thoughts I've had for the past few weeks is that I really wanted to make sure to get some real photos of Pearl in her cast. I've taken lots of snapshots, but I wanted to really preserve the details of what Pearl has looked liked since August 9th. We were just hanging out at a park a couple of weeks ago, I had my camera in tow, and I decided to try to shoot a few pictures right then, with zero preparation or planning. I am so glad I did. When I look at these photos years from now I really will get a perfect picture of what the past 6 weeks have looked like on our sweet Pearl.

She rarely has had her hair done; for some reason I just haven't done it. Maybe because I can't just easily stick her up on the bathroom counter to do it, maybe it's because I subconsciously don't want to confine any more parts of her than already are. I'm not sure why, but she really has been a little hair-in-the-eyes, stringy-strands flowing-in-the-wind baby ever since she was injured. I also love that she isn't wearing anything except her cast (and her diaper cover). The cast is hot, and since it hasn't seemed to slow Pearl down, she gets very sweaty when she plays. She is constantly requesting, "I wanna be a naked baby, Mama," and I am constantly obliging. This is about as naked as she can get, and she has spent a large portion of her time sans clothing. Also, shoeless. I have only recently started to remember to put shoes back on her. At first they weren't necessary; she didn't really walk for the first 4 weeks with the cast. But for the past 2 weeks she has been walking, running, bouncing, scootering, jumping, climbing, and tiptoeing around like crazy, and I just can't seem to keep shoes on those filthy little feet.

These photos are just so totally her, so perfectly what I will see in my mind's eye when I think about those weeks that she lived in a spica cast. She is messy and wild and uninhibited and spirited, and I am so glad to have that captured.















John grabbed the camera and snapped a few of me with my girl. I will be so happy when I can really squeeze her tight and cuddle close! Just a few more hours until we get that bulky, hard thing sawed off!



Pearl and I have also been exploring Corvallis by way of our morning run while George is at school. We found a super cool running path that was surrounded by a field of thistles. I had hoped to find some place to take some more "put-together" cast pictures, and this spot was perfect. I don't like these as much, but they are still her, and show how her cast was just a part of it all.












It's sort of weird to think that I tucked that casted body into bed tonight for the last time. We are off to Shriners in Portland first thing in the morning where they will break Pearl out of that filthy pink thing, and I will get to see those delightful little thighs and tickle that darling, soft belly. And give her a bath! Oh, give her a bath! And pick out a pair of PANTS for her to wear! Or better yet, TIGHTS! :) We are so excited! (Okay, actually, Pearl is not excited-- she says she does not want her cast off, and has not been receptive at all to the idea. I think now that she's used to living with the cast, she's nervous to live without it. The last time she was at the hospital for her leg it was a very painful, traumatic experience, and I think the whole idea of it makes her anxious. I've tried showing her youtube videos of casts being sawed off so that she'll be prepared, but that hasn't seemed to change her mind. I'm hoping that she'll calm down about it and do okay once she sees what's going to happen because that cast is coming off whether she want it to or not :).)