banana, bottle and x-ray...

7:45pm
Abi's sound asleep. We are after the night routine, that is getting better and better every day, namely less fussing before going to bed. Sometimes, I think she reminds herself: " hey, I haven't cried all day, that's my last chance today'.. In other words, she is such a content baby. She cried only 2 times today, both times when she was super hungry and I was super slow, preparing all the ingredients for supper: milk with rice cereal and a banana.. It was a feast this afternoon. 
We LOVE banana!!!!!!!
As I get to spend more time with her and much less working, actually not working at all...I've become a first witness of her many very "firsts". It's so exciting to watch her grow so fast. Since her mended heart doesn't beat like she's run a marathon anymore, the changes are even more noticeable, because she has strength to focus on other activities... 


For example, today, she started raising her hands as I approach her and tell her to "come to mommy". I don't pick her up until I say that and wait for her response and sometimes I lift her hands, so she knows what to do when she wants to be picked up.... She's such a fast learner!!


Also, for the first time she held her bottle and drank from it!!! 

I still am unsure whether it was a planned action, but it looked like it was intentional.. and she looked a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e.!!


Tomorrow, our first follow-up visit with the cardiologist. We are bringing the chest x-rays we did today for him to review. It was quite a ride with the radiology technicians today. They asked us back 3 times to take pictures, after we continued to dress and undress Abi and headed to the  registration area to wait for the pictures... 3 times!!! Unbelievable! And every time, we had to unstrap and take Abi from the car seat, undress her and put her on the uncomfortable, hard table in 2 different positions, dress her back up, put in the car seat and leave the radiology room. 
So yes, Abi was mad! I need to correct my previous statement about how many times she cried today... add three more :)
At the third time, I requested to stay in the room and wait for the technicians to come back to let us know if the pictures were clear... third time lucky..., so Merry Christmas and 1,5hours later we were done. Oh, and the x-ray pictures take 3 seconds for those who may wonder.
With a hint of sarcasm and a spice of humor... I'm saying: "better those pictures are really goood!!"


Have a blessed night,


J.

Good Days Rough Nights

7.28pm

Today was a good day after second rough night. Last night Abi was up every 1.5-2 hours to eat. Yes, definitally snacking. She does pretty well during the day staying on 3 hour shedule, but for some reason evenings, after the bath are very difficult and nights are pretty exhausting. We haven't figured this out yet. Before the hospital our evening routines were so sweet and she slept through the night waking up once maybe twice, but it has changed since we came back home.

Now she's sleeping again after screening bloody murder and we couldn't figure out what was wrong. We ended up giving her some infant Tylenol in case it was pain related.

We'll see what this night will bring.

And on Tuesday cardiologist follow up visit. Before this visit we have to get her x-Ray done. So tomorrow we will need to find a place near home where we can take care of it.

Have a good night everybody!

Art


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2 weeks ago...

10:00 pm
It's been almost two weeks since we said our goodbyes to grandma at the Charlotte airport...

and the Atlanta roller-coaster....

J.

First laugh!!

12:45pm

I can't believe Abi finally laughed out loud for the very first time today!
I barked while showing her a doggie she recevied from the Lab nurses in the hospital last week and she found it extremely funny. What an awesome sound!
The same day we left the hospital she started cooing like never before, like she wanted to say something or burst out laughing...

A week before Christmas and I have already received my gifts.. Have you?

Blessings,

J.

The lottery...

9:20pm

I feel like I won the lottery today... Still mesmerized and with a note of disbelief I am looking at my happy, super hungry baby as the 8th day is passing by since the surgery... She is a gift from God and her speedy recovery after the extensive surgery; smiley face; adorable coos are like winning a million bucks.
Today she has eaten as much as she used to within 2 days! 34 ounces so far and the day is not over yet. We fed her cerial twice today and she tasted some bananna.
Hopefully, Abi will get some rest tonight after very few cat naps during the day today. Last night she woke up only twice, so I think my hope for an interupted sleep for 5 hours is pretty
realistic.

Abi amazes me every day. It's intersting how a barely 5 month-old can impact and change your life.
I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful daughter!




Thank you for your prayers for a quick recovery for Abi...

J.

Morning Apetite

8.04am

When we got home last night Abi ate great and went to bed. She woke up at midnight to eat again. Now she surprised us when she ate 175ml (almost 6oz). That was incredible and it was just a prelude to the next feeding at 5am. Yes, Abi slept another 5 hours and then ate 210ml (7oz) !!!!

Just to make it clear before the surgery she ate about 90ml (2-3oz) per feeding and ones she ate 160ml and we were so happy. It's an almost instant jump from 2-3oz to 6-7oz. In the hospital they said they would be happy if she started with 80ml (almost 3oz) per feeding.

Another great news and the day has just started.




Art


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

We are home!!!

10:15pm
We made it in 4 hours, with no stops and Abi sleeping through the whole trip!! How great is that? She drank a bottle just before we hit the road and slept like an angel till we stoped on our driveway! She ate a full meal, chilled with us, auntie Allison and uncle Drew who made dinner for us; took a quick bath, ate MORE, smiled and talked to mommy; took medicine and went to bed!






It is so wonderful to be back home, that to our big surprise was beautifully decorated with flowers, baloon, Christmas accents and a Christmas tree with presents underneath in the leaving room! Fresh food in the fridge just completed the picture.
We are so thankful for our friends who have been supporting us in this difficult time! Your prayer have paid off and resulted in Abi being at home after barely 7 days after the surgery(!) with only 1 medicine, no feeding tube and a huge apetite! Sometimes people need more time to recover from a cold!!
Abi is my hero! Such a brave and strong little girl!!!

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRAYERS!

J.