Go Cowboys!

One of the best things about little girls is just the fun of dressing them up...for no reason! However, I think dressing them up on a day the Cowboys play, is a reason! 

LC got two sweet Cowboys onsies and a huge, pink Cowboys bow from Aunt Britny, so we got all decked out for when Daddy watched the game.

I love my little Cowboys fan!!

Another Hospital Stay

I've been in touch with our favorite OT, Judy, off and on since LC left the NICU. We've made some adjustments to her feedings a little bit, but for the most part, she was still using the bottle like a champ and we were thickening her liquids since she was making some "wet" sounding noises during her feedings. 

After her four month appointment, Dr. Straughn thought that we should have an outpatient visit with the OT just to follow up....her noises just weren't getting any better. Once we met with the OT, we found out I was depriving her of thickener - proud mom moment right there - NOT! I misunderstood the difference in the consistencies, and was giving her less than she needed. So, we changed that and the OT scheduled a swallow study just to see what was going on when she swallowed since she was making those noises.

On August 7th, I dropped AB off with Andrea and LC and I headed to Medical City for what I thought would be a quick evaluation and then we'd be on our way home. I knew the "worst case scenario" just because Dr. Straughn had gone over it with me. I didn't anticipate the "worst case scenario" being the case for Landree because she had been taking her bottle so well. I mean, look at how happy we were before the swallow study!

I was THRILLED because our favorite OT was the one conducting the study. We love Judy! It was a sweet reunion between the two, who hadn't seen each other in nearly three months. By this point, Landree was starving, because I couldn't feed her after a certain time, so she was ready to eat. Judy set her in the little chair to conduct an x-ray of her throat to see what happened when she swallowed. I didn't know what I was looking at necessarily, but once she swallowed the barium, I knew. I knew that what I saw was not good. All the liquid Landree took in, she aspirated. It went straight into her airway. Judy and the doctor freaked out a bit. They upped the consistency of the thickener to see if it made a difference. Nope. Not at all. My poor baby was silently aspirating her fluids. I had no idea. I felt terrible. I was shaking. 

I could tell by the look in Judy's face...we were headed for an alternative way of eating. Probably a G-tube. I wanted to cry.

They got Landree a room on the pediatric floor, and it seemed like we waited for an eternity for somebody to call an order in for this poor baby to get some food!!! The nurse came in and put in a feeding tube. No, not again. I had some serious flashbacks to the NICU. How could it be? It seemed like we were taking five steps back, not leaping forward. My sweet baby girl who came home from the NICU eating like a champ, was back to eating through a tube. Bless her heart. I could tell she was agitated by it.

We waited forever for the doctor. She came in and told us we needed to try out the NG tube for a couple months, then we'd re-evaluate and do another swallow study to see if things had improved. I asked if it had to do with her syndrome. She said, "probably." I can't tell you how much I hate that response. No doctors have a darn clue if what Landree has is syndrome related or not.

So, I took comfort in the fact she wasn't going to have surgery...not right away, anyway. I just had to mentally prepare myself for learning how to put in and take out the NG tube myself. I was NOT looking forward to that.

Poor baby girl had had a long day. Luckily, her favorite people came up and brought her a sweet little present. Thanks, Lexi. She loves her soft, comfy dog.

We stayed in the hospital one night. Both Austin and I learned how to put the tube in and take it out just fine. So, they gave us a feeding pump, supplies and sent us on our way. So, now our sweet LC has a new accessory, but luckily her cuteness factor is enough to overlook it. I'm thanking God for His mercy and grace. Who knows how long she had been aspirating, and how thankful I am she didn't stop breathing, get pneumonia or breathing problems because of it. If this doesn't prove that she's a strong little cookie, I don't know what will.

Thankful for our little miracle. Love her so much!

4 Months Old

Happy Four Months to my Sweet Angel!

 

 

You just get sweeter and sweeter everyday! You've really started developing such an awesome personality. I mean, check out your pose!

 

You are such a gift to Mommy and Daddy, LC. I've said it all along, you're here to teach me/us something, and I find you are doing that a little bit everyday. Yes, we do have to take each day one day at a time. Otherwise, I tend to get very anxious and wrapped up in what you are or aren't doing. However, even though there are some things you aren't "developmentally" doing, you seem to make up for them in the best ways. First of all, that smiley face! That sweet, precious smiley face! 

 

This month is really where your smiles started shining through -  a lot! You were smiling here and there at three months, but this month you started smiling on demand and for the camera - my favorite. Also, this is where we noticed your alertness hit an all new level. You are so aware of everything. Especially Mommy. We are still really close.

Oh, how I love dressing you up! I thought it would be super fun to dress you up in your big sister's hand-me-downs, but I find that I love dressing you in new things! I guess I thought I would sort of relive your sister's infancy by dressing you in her clothes, but you are your own baby and I like new things for you! Including the going home dress that Bebe originally made you to come home in. That's not what you ended up wearing, but it was fun taking your picture in it!

We see Dr. Straughn on a monthly basis just to make sure that you are growing like you're supposed to and gaining weight. Well, you have no problem growing, length wise, but the chunking up that you need to work on a little bit, sweet girl. However, Mommy loves you anyway you are. I love your sweet, soft flabby skin that isn't filled out by fat yet. Everything about you is precious to me.

I could just eat your sweet face up! You are amazing in every way possible. You're Mommy and Daddy's miracle. We think the world of you! Your big sister does, too! She's still all about hugging and kissing all over you - silly girl. Sometimes she can be a little overbearing, but you handle it really well.

I love your sweet, tiny face, your big brown eyes, button noise and soft skin. I could kiss you all day - and when I go back to work in a couple of weeks, I will miss doing so. We've had a nice long four months together, and that's way more than your sister and I got. I'm so glad I've been able to be home with you for these last four months. We've had our ups and downs, but all of it so worth it just so I can be called your Mama. I love you precious, baby angel.

Our prayer for you is that you will be just who God has intended for you to be. I couldn't ask for anything more. Thank you for being you and teaching Mommy lots of things, already. I love you, Angel!

Love,

Mommy

Tattooing My Testimony

For those of you who know me, and you think that you mis-read the title of this post - you didn't. That's right. I got a tattoo! I did it to share my testimony. My testimony that I really didn't have until Landree was born. So, I wanted to get one - small, dainty and visible so I can share it with people when the ask me about it.

Austin was re-doing his dove tattoo and adding to it as his birthday present. So, last night I met him at the tattoo shop while he got his. I honestly didn't plan on getting one last night because I knew his would take so long. However, the longer I sat there and talked about getting one, Brian, the tattoo artist, convinced me to go on ahead and do it...THAT NIGHT! It freaked me out because I hadn't mentally prepared to do it that night! I've gone three other times in my life with my friends to get a tattoo. All three times I walked out of there without a tattoo. I'm quite the wimp. I also knew I didn't want to get something so permanent unless I had a really strong meaning behind it. I finally do. 

I sat there and watched my handsome, brave hubby get his arm worked on for nearly three hours. Whew, it hurt just watching it, but it looked so amazing! 

Then, it was my turn. Since Brian was busy doing Austin's, Danielle did mine. I'm glad she did. She was VERY gentle and knew how nervous I was. She put it so well before I did it. She asked me if I've ever had a migraine headache. I have. She said, "Well, I'd much rather get a tattoo than have a migraine." Yes, well said! I agree!! It really wasn't that bad at all. A couple of parts of it hurt, but not unbearable.

If you notice, Austin is holding my hand {he took a break to come and hold my hand while I got started - I was REALLY nervous}. I held his hand so tightly, I couldn't move my fingers when he let go. I do have to give myself props - I was very brave. I even let him go back to his chair to finish his tattoo while I was getting mine. Let's just be clear, though. I did call my BFF, Laura, to come up there and hold my hand while I was getting it...but she didn't have a car. So, I did call for re-enforcements.

The end result was pretty amazing.

And Austin's was awesome - it was just slightly bigger than mine....

So glad that I went through with it. I have wanted to share my testimony with others, and I'm happy with the way I'm going to do it.