Monday, May 31, 2010

Virginia Here we Come!




It's final, Matt signed his contract last week and the Moving money is in our account! Matthew leaves this Wednesday to drive our car out there and find us a place to live. I will then follow two weeks after with the girls and my mom on a plane! Thank goodness for not having to drive 34 hours!! We're having our stuff moved with a moving company. They are going to pack the truck, drive it out and unpack the truck! So great!

I hate packing though! It's almost done but it sure looks like we have a long way to go!

We're looking at going to Manassas or Fairfax. His job is in Chantilly so we're going to be right near DC! I can't wait to get to go to all the fun history places with the girls!

And Fairfax has a Spina Bifida Clinic! Yeah for only one doctor appointment a month instead of a million different days!

My baby had surgery!


The main reason we did the MOM's trial was that chance that Charlotte wouldn't need a shunt. But each doctor visit our little baby's ventricles kept growing. Dr. Wu even said that he wanted to get the full ultrasound to make sure her head wasn't getting to big that I would need a special c-section. I read the notes of the doctor who did the c-section and they said that they had to keep cutting me open wider cause her head wouldn't go through. I guess that was a sign that a shunt was most likely inevitable. We never did meet back up with Dr Gupta the neurosurgeon but I read his notes as well and he said that if she wasn't part of the study and if she had any other signs of bad hydrosephelos other then the big ventricles he would have done a shunt surgery before we left. She was such a great baby at the hospital. no side affects or any kind. Her back healed all up in the womb and was able to be on her back the next day. Anyway back to the reason for the shunt.

We got home 8 days after she was born and her head was measuring at the 75% for head size. On day 12 of life her head had grown and was now at the 95%. Still no signs of aggitation or anything to show she needed a shunt other then the growth so Dr Shaffron said to come back in a week to do a quick MRI and see who her head inside looks. We'll one week later her head was now off the Charts for head size at her age. He said that even though she is doing fine the ventricles are starting to put pressure on her brain and could cause brain damage. We opted for the surgery right away. We went in the next day Friday the 14th for surgery at 3:00pm. Our little one didn't get to eat from 8:00 that morning tillabout 8 the next morning. She did great though. She wasn't fussy at all. I feel so blessed. She ended up having her surgery pushed back to like 6:00 pm. We waited in the waiting room at watched Princess and the Pea.

I wasn't worried at all. Just anxious to see her and make sure the surgery went ok. 2 hours later we got to go back to her room and they said everything went beautifully. She was still under the anesthesia so she was still sleeping and had a breathing tube in her mouth. It was so scary to see my little one all tubed up and bandages everywhere. I think they should have waited a little longer to have us come back. her skin reacted to the adhesive they used so her skin was all red and blotchy. That is what made me cry. She was in the hospital all day Saturday and then we brought her home Sunday afternoon.


She still has her bandages on the top of her head and behind her ear. I've put a little headband on her head for church and my little shower and you could hardly see she had anything on her head. I'm not ashamed for her I just am not ready for all the questions. She's just so beautiful to me, my normal little baby with a few challenges.


One of the best things I like about having a new baby is after I've fed her I put her on my shoulder to burp her and get to nuzzle into her head and kiss her little face. I even like the feel of the shunt agains't my cheek. I think it reminds me that we did and are doing everything we can for her.


Charlotte is such a joy to have in our little family. Kathryn adores her little sister and loves giving her kisses all over. I know both will be the best of friends!

Having a Daughter

Having a daughter means loving
more than you knew you could love.

It means giving
more than you knew you could give.

It means receiving
so much more in return...

Having a daughter means knowing
that whatever else
you did or didn't do,
you gave the world
something Beautiful!


Kathryn Olivia
Charlotte Adara

The girls!


Monday, May 24, 2010

just some more fun pics of my sweet girls















































































Trip to the Inlaws/ Mothers day

Here is Matthew's Mother's day card/ gift for me. Enjoy!












Happy Mothers Day! My sweet little girls.



Here's grandma getting to hold and feed Charlotte all for the first time.


The weather was perfect up there for playing out side. Not that it's not perfect right now in Mesa, at 73 degree's but well anyway Kathryn had way to much fun playing with daddy in the grass.





Over Mothers day weekend we took our little family up to see Matthew's parents in Snowflake, AZ. It was a nice drive and Charlotte did so well. Only had to stop once to feed her in Heber but she made it like a champ!


We arrived late Friday night left Sunday afternoon in time to make it to my parents house for Sunday dinner. Kathryn loves it up at her grandma and grandpa Weir's house. They have a huge yard and a cat that she loves and she's got her cousins that live right next door. Kathryn just loves Chelsea!

Mick, Matthew's dad, is an awesome gardener. And in a place like snowflake where the ground is hard and it is windy 90% if the time his garden is awesome. I got pictures of the startings of the summer garden. He uses these funny water tents to keep the plants warm and to keep them from being blown to pieces. I can't wait to come back in July to see the fruits of his labors. And I guess kathryn's he said she was such a good helper the weeks she was staying with them while we were gone.


Charlotte was a hit with her grandparents and her new cousins. I'm glad she did so well! Cause the next weekened she ended up in the hospital getting her brand new shunt placed.. my poor baby. She's doing great but now has a big bump in her head. Gotta love head bands right now until her hair comes in.

Anyway It's great to be a mother to two beautiful girls.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Pictures



Kathryn has been such a great big sister. I tried getting a picture of her holding Charlotte today but wasn't quick enough to hold Kathryn's attention long enough to go find the camera.

She doesn't like it when I have to change Charlotte's diaper cause she thinks I'm hurting her. (I have to cath her every diaper change). She tells me not to hurt baby Charlotte. and I have to tell her and remind her that I have to help baby Charlotte go pee cause she can't on her own like she can. She truly looks concerned when I have to change her diaper. Lately though she likes to watch and I have her in charge of helping Charlotte keep her Binky in her mouth she doesn't cry as much if she's sucking on that while I cath her.


I will need to invest in a double stroller soon. but this had to do the other day for our first walk outside. Kathryn sitting up and Charlotte in the back laying down. works pretty good until Kathryn says she wants to lay down... No smushing Charlotte!!



Charlotte's first bath at home. She did great! I love little hoodie towels.






I made matching beanies for Kathryn and Charlotte. Kathryn really likes hers and wears it around the house.
Our first day back together as a family! My girls are so precious to me. I missed Kathryn so much and having them together is such a blessing.

This is her first bath at the ICN. She is getting bigger I can tell from these pictures. I love, love having her home. She is a perfect little baby. Sleeps 3-4 hours at a time and is just the happiest baby when awake! She is a really load sleeper though. lots of baby sighs and grunts. wakes me up a lot but it just makes me know she's still there and breathing.





































She had a little IV in her had while in the ICN for the MRI. It was not fun. I hated seeing that in her hand.


We had quite a time going back and forth from the Family house to the hospital every few hours. I think I used the Taxi money they gave us for the whole 3 months in that one week after she was born.


Welcome to the family my little Charlotte Adara! We love you!