My new found appreciation for ace bandages, burp cloths, pillows and teething toys...

So, we just passed our 1 month marker for Leila's casting. We have been doing pretty well and the adjustment period went much smoother than I had thought. That is mainly due to the fact that she is the most even keeled and easy to please baby on the planet. I will say that there have been a few "household items" that have made this journey more bearable. One of the first things that the OR nurse told me when Leila got out of surgery was that the back side of the cast will feel like a crow bar in her back (and rib cage) if we were to pick her up improperly. She then proceeded to give me a demonstration on just how painful the cast feels on her back if we were to pick her up wrong. Let me just say that I almost elbowed the women in her face when she showed me because it was so damn painful and she was very forceful with her demonstration. Needless to say I was determined to never let the cast poke and prod Leila in her back so I quickly came up with a solution. I decided to fold up one of the burp cloths (cloth diapers) and shove it between her back and the cast. This created a very nice little padding between the cast and her and also acts as a constant reminder to be mindful of how the cast feels on her back. I never, ever let her go without that padding. I am also very proud of myself for finagling a way for her to still ride in her beloved baby swing. She was my first and ONLY baby that ever LOVED the swing so I was dead set on making sure she could still enjoy her small pleasures. I first had to unscrew the tray of the swing. Then I put a pillow and a folded blanket in the swing to raise it up (because the base of the swing seat is too narrow for her cast). The final touch was my (new best friend) the ace bandage. Yup, you guessed it...I tied her into the swing with an ace bandage. Go ahead and judge me but it was the only way that she could swing without plummeting to her death. Oh, and lets not forget, PILLOWS...pillows are my "old standby". You see, Leila cannot be laid flat on her back due to the fact that the cast is concave (to allow for growth) around her torso. Pillows are used in any and every situation (diaper changing, TV watching, bathing, etc). I can create an incline in which to place her so that she can be comfortable and I can do all the things that I need to do to care for her. Lastly, teething toys and rattles. Since this poor girl is so immobile all she can really do to entertain herself is play with rattles and teethers. She is endlessly amused by new toys and can tell instantly when it is a new one verses and oldie. We have my mom to thank for that one. She can buy a teether/rattle anywhere, it is truly a gift. For example, she will be like "Oh, look what I picked up at the dentist's office...a new rattle for Leila." or she will say "I just ran out to get gas and I also got Leila the cutest new toy." What The F@#&?? I can literally scour the isles of Target, Walmart and Toys R' Us for 3 days and not find one damn cute toy but she goes to 7-11 and comes back with a hand crafted, organic, custom made rattle made in the shape of a baby girl with hip dysplasia. Are you kidding me?  Like I said, it is truly a gift.