Other random Januaryisms...

Talmage got a Mr. Potato Head for Christmas from Uncle Chase and has seriously played with it everyday since. He loves it, and can spend hours putting together faces and then taking it apart. My boys and I spent Sunday morning planning our dream Disneyland vacation. And if you think I'm kidding, I'm not. We watched video after video of every ride in the park. We toured Mickey and Minnie's houses, and Talmage has declared that the train rollercoaster...

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Seven.

Everett has been in our lives now for seven months. A part of me feels like it's been a whole lot longer--two heart surgeries and a lot of worry will do that to you. The other part of me still thinks of him as my newborn. Yes, I know he's now closer to one than zero, but I can't help it. He's so much smaller than T was as a baby (he weighs the same now as Talmage did at 4 months old) and I forget that in actuality he is growing older with each passing...

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Courage

Upon being admitted to the CVICU, we were given a long string with beads spelling Everett's name. The nurses introduced us to the beads of courage program which is designed to honor the challenging journey kids take while receiving care for cardiac conditions. Each time Evie had a procedure done, was poked or scanned, stayed over in the hospital, had an infusion, etc. he was given another bead to add to his string. I don't think we remembered to...

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Getting to know each other

Since being home from the hospital we have been doing a whole lot of nothing, and yet it's been an exhausting lot of nothing! Everett and I are becoming reaquainted. We are trying to re-learn how to co-exist, and do even the simplest of things. He's trying to remind me how he likes to nurse, the new ways he likes to be held and the owie spots that he'd rather I not touch. I'm trying to remind him how much he loves kisses and gentle squeezes, trying...

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Elder Uncle Chase

{my brothers--Chase and Jordan}A big, fat, crazy congrats to Uncle Chase for receiving a mission call to serve in Ogden, Utah. I honestly don't think I could be more proud if I tried. Chase has bloomed this past year (although I don't think he'd think that was a very manly way of saying it) into a strong, valient, and incredible man and just thinking about him and about his mission call makes me want to cry. So proud. So proud. We love you Elder...

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You're not going to believe this!

The dressing came off so the scar can breathe. A much-needed bath was given and the last line was pulled.I was taught how to carry him and we took a few walks.It was determined that Evie's left vocal cord was paralyzed from the surgery and we went downstairs to do a swallow study (an awesome test where they take multiple x-rays while the baby drinks a bottle to determine where the fluid is going). We have a few eating restrictions, but luckily...

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A busy 24

The last 24 hours have been super busy for our little man. Here's what he's been up to:Smiling. Oh yes, my friends, that sweet smile is winning nurses over by the dozens. The whole pediatric team rounded on him this morning instead of half the team ONLY because they were told he was such a cute baby and had an amazing smile :) Sleeping sideways in bed.Being weaned from his nasal canula and breathing room air.Sleeping off surgery.Being transferred...

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Pictures of the boy

It's been another long day, but it was a good day. Everett is recovering well from surgery. His heart was playing some games with us this morning, but they discovered that the pacing wires were actually adding to his arrhythmia (irregular heart beat). Once they reset them, the irregularity stopped. The pacing wires are there just in case his heart needs a boost. I was told today that he was actually on a pacemaker for about 15 minutes after he came...

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Evie Ev.

Surgery went well today. Dr. Reddy was able to repair the coarctation and transverse arch, as well as fix the VSD with four little stitches. We learned today that Evie has another heart defect--supra mitral membrane and an abnormal mitral valve. They were able to peel away the tissue of the mitral membrane (also called mitral ring) but we will have to continue watching the mitral valve. Let's hope and pray that it isn't an issue for a long, long...

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In the meantime

Since Everett's surgery was postponed to Friday, we had two days to spend with family that had come into town. Here are some of the things we've been doing (and about a million and a half pictures of Evie). T entertaining Grandma, or Grandma entertaining T? Maybe both. Owl-man getting in all the swings he can.Pizza My Heart with the fam.Papa & GG with the boys.We've gone on lots of walks. T is so sweet and always has at least one hand on Ev....

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