Baby Talk

Emma is talking like crazy all of a sudden. She is constantly chattering & even talks herself to sleep sometimes. She says "hi" to everyone we she while we are out shopping, as long as they don't come too close. She is constantly pointing out everyone or everything's body parts (eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair, feet, toes, hands & belly buttons). She is actually calling her heart surgery scar her belly button too until we correct her. She has also looked on our chests for a scar & isn't quite sure why we don't have one. She has learned the cats are not suppose to be in her room or the pantry & tells them to get out, in her sweet little voice. I just love watching her learn & can't wait to see what happens next.

Emma's 1st Snow

Yes technically I know this isn't her "1st" snow since we got snow 2 weeks ago but this is her 1st experience playing in it, so to her its the 1st. We didn't take her out last time because we didn't have any gear for her but then I saw Casey's pics & she took Sophia out in an old plastic laundry basket, how smart is that. Perfect we have one just sitting in the garage, so that is what we used & she had a great time. I wish she was a little more expressive, but it was nap ime but I know she had a great time.

Video will be uploaded later, having difficulties.

Look Aunt Karen, I have on the coat you gave me & it fits over my cast. Yes all you moms out there, she doesn't have any gloves or mittens on because they are way too big & wouldn't stay on, they are for next year.

Bag Baby

Last night was our first attempt attempt at giving Emma a bath with her cast on. Needless to say she wasn't very fond of the bags on her arms & her bath lasted maybe 10 minutes which was mostly due to Mama trying to keep water from going down the bag. I quickly learned I needed to pull the bags over her shoulder (which are held on by ponytail bands) to keep the water out, that was when she was ready to get out. She says this is weird & I don't like it anymore. Poor baby, I don't blame her. She has had so much to endure in her short life. I told her it will all be over soon & she can be a "normal baby" very soon.

(Note: For those who have wondered what her heart surgery scar would look like, its here in plain view. The worst part is the end towards her belly button where the drain & chest tubes were.)

Bad Hair Day

So I went to get Emma up from her morning nap today & look what I found. She's a pretty heavy sleeper & enjoys sleeping on her tummy which makes the hair do crazy things. I immediately ran downstairs to get the camera. I knew I wanted to share this moment. I am sure she will hate me for this when she gets older.

The Cast

So we have been home from the hospital for a day & 1/2 & Emma seems to be doing pretty good, all things considering. She doesn't seem to be in a lot of pain, just mostly frustrated that she can't crawl very well so she has resorted to scooting on her bottom. She is quite clingy & dependent on us right now. She wants to be held or wants us to sit in the floor with her to play, but of course who could blame her.

She did ask me today for the first time & only one time to take her cast off. She has also bee pulling the stuffing off the edge by her fingers so we may need to doctor it up a bit. She is starting to wiggle her fingers which they strongly encouraged us to get her to do to help reduce any stiffness that may occur after it comes off in 3 weeks.

I think its going to be a long 3 weeks. I had to run out yesterday to the local consignment store to find a few more shirts that would fit over the huge green bear cast. Silly us actually believed the surgeon (Dr. G) that her shirts would fit over it as long as the cuffs weren't tight. The only coat of hers that fits over the cast is her rain coat, which I think is just adorable (thanks Grammy & Paw Paw), this just gives her more time to wear it.

Look at this precious baby with the huge green bear cast.

The whole giant cast.

The tiny speck on the upper left is her new "thumb" poking out.

Can you imagine trying to fit a shirt of coat over this? Its bigger than her thigh.

Pre-surgery hands

Hands

We are home from the hospital after a nights stay for observation & Emma seems to be doing very well. The surgery took about 2 hours & Dr. G was very pleased & thought her hand/thumb reconstruction turned out better than he anticipated. He repositioned her thumb & shortened, moved some skin around on her hand to give her new thumb the wide span on her hand & that was all. He was planning on taking a tendon from her ring finger & attaching it to her thumb so it could be aposible but he said she already had muscles & tendon at the bottom of her hand so he used those.

Now unfortunately they did have to put a breathing tube in Emma during surgery but they had to use a smaller tube than normal due to her laryna malicia which probably helped her a lot. Her past complications & lack of O2 intake + poor breathing after surgery is why we had to stay over night but she did very well considering. She slept most of the time & thankfully slept all night until 8:30am this morning except when they had to check for vitals every 3 hours. Now Mama on the other hand, didn't sleep at all & is exhausted. As soon we got home I went straight to bed, tried to nap but was unsuccessful.

So far Emma isn't crawling with her cast on, she is scooting around on her bottom & isn't very happy about it. She is still pulling up to stand, although she is very wobbly since her cast is so heavy. (I will try to post pics of her cast so you can see how big it is). Pain wise, she seems to be doing well too. The only thing she has had so far today is some Mortin at 2pm & that is all. We do have heavy meds but we pain to give that to her at bedtime or if she seems really uncomfortable.

So she will be in her cast with decorated with green teddy bears (very few choices & most were bold/ugly colors) for 3 weeks & then he will continue to watch her from there. Dr. G did say she may have to have another minor surgery when she is around 8 to mobilize the growth plate in her new thumb or else it will end up being long than her fingers (since it is actually a finger reconstructed into a thumb). He will also continue to watch her right thumb since it is trying to turn inward & it has a small piece of extra bone floating inside.

Cousins

Yesterday Emma & I went to aunt Karen's house to spend time with my cousin Trisha & her two little ones Alex (2.5) & Carson (6 months). We all had a great time. Somehow Alex managed to avoid all the pics I took but Morgan was in most of them.

Emma & Morgan were fascinated by Carson's blanket

Me with Emma & Carson

Emma gently touching Carson's face but she soon started scratching her head, not sure why.

Morgan loved baby Carson & kept getting right in her face, sometimes kissing her.

I am not sure which if cuter, Emma in these glasses or Morgan's expression in the background.

Randomness

I discovered over the weekend Emma is cutting 2 more teeth, her back right molars (top & bottom). She also has a front top tooth coming in as well. Thankfully she isn't very fussy she just always wants her "papi" (paci) & if it makes her feel better I must admit we give in. Normally I don't give it to her unless she is sleeping, in the car, in church or out shopping but if it makes her more comfortable why not let her have it.

Emma had a great appointment at PT on Monday. She actually took several steps, several times with us either holding her hands or hips, plus she didn't fight us as she normally does. She has also been letting go while she is standing up next to furniture so it seems she is getting closer & closer to walking.

I took Emma for her pre-op hand surgery appointment today & was surprised how fast it was. I am used to several hours of testing & waiting but we were out of there in 1 hour + they didn't even have to run any labs. They of course weighed Emma & she is 19.12 lbs completely dressed (including shoes). YAY!!! They actually tittered with the idea of keeping her over night, just for observation, after hearing all the previous heart surgeries she has had but they are pretty sure it will still be same surgery.

Oh & yes we did get snow this past weekend, I am just way behind on posting. We got 3-4 inches on Friday & it stayed all weekend, they even cancelled both services at church on Sunday. Needless to say we all got cabin fever & were ready for it to melt.

Wiiing Cousins

Isn't this a precious face, messy hair but still precious

Our snowy cul-de-sac

Our house, the white snow really shows that its time to powerwash the house again, it should be white like the snow.

This is the spot Chris raked off for Spencer so her would go potty outside. He was not digging the snow at all & wouldn't leave the patio before the grass magically appeared.

Emma & her buddy Zoie. She is the only one of our pets who will let Emma pet her.