Trimming the Tree

We have had quite a busy week, we had Turkey Day at Donald's parents with his and my families. On Friday we got the girls Christmas pic made, they did very well. However the girl that worked there should be a used car salesman because she was so rude and pushy and when I finally just said I wanted the $9.95 package that comes with about 250 pics, she lost her cool. So at the register I asked her if she worked on commission assuming she surely had to since she was so devastated by my choice, she said no, so I asked why she took it so personal when I only wanted the package, she said she worked so hard on those and it took her time to do it. In reality to actually take their pics took between 15-20 minutes. I think I will email her company b/c this is not the first time they have been like this. If you don't want people to buy the package, then DONT SELL IT!!!

So Abby spent the night on Friday, on Saturday morning we finally went to the post office to mail Amelia's hair. We went to a few places, we got the deal of the century for Abby on some Sperry shoes at Goodwill for $3.21!!

On Saturday afternoon we put up our tree. Amelia is SO proud of the decorating she did!!

Avie just kicked back and watched.

7 Months

It is hard to believe, but today Avie is 7 months old. She is doing so good with her eating, she eats a bowl of cereal and a jar of baby food 3x a day!! She has pretty much lost all the hair from the back of her head and the top has thinned out quite a bit :( She loves to sit in her saucer seat and watch Amelia. She still looks just like Donald.

She smiles and laughs all the time.

Last night she was watching Amelia and just fell asleep.

The rest of the Ateam (Amy, Abby and Anna) came to eat tonight, of course Anna wanted to "hold" bebe (Avie).

In the choke hold.

Now she is kissing bebe

Then she decided to hide the blocks under the cushion on the couch when I went to change Avie.

Twilight

Billye, Katherine and I went to see Twilight last night. It was GREAT!! I highly recommend you read the book before you go to the movie so you will understand some of the parts, Katherine had not read the book yet. I thought that there would be no way the movie was as good as the book but I was surprised! I was also surprised how funny it was.....We did sit in the handicapped seats, but I told Billye and Katherine since we were about the oldest ones there it was probably ok.

Anyone else seen it yet??

Atlanta and back, cereal and a sippy cup

We had a long day today. Avie had to go for her post op in Atlanta, we made the appt for 11:45 so we could just get up and make the drive, having to stop and feed her it takes about 4 1/2 hours. So we get there at about 11:15, they call us back at 11:45 and we are back in the car by 12:03.....Dr Williams said everything looks great, she has one little stitch in the back that should dissolve anytime. We will go back when she is 12-14 months old to meet with Dr Riski who is over the speech part of the clinic, we will also see Dr Williams again.

Now for the pics....

This is Amelia before school this morning. When we saw our Pediatrician last week she said go ahead and start cereal, baby food and a sippy cup once we were cleared from surgery.....so tonight we did. She LOVED the cereal ate it up as fast as she could and very neatly!!

Amelia wanted a turn feeding her. She could not get the spoon in her mouth fast enough, Avie had to dive for it.

So we then tried the sippy cup, she did ok, I think she is still going to have to work on the suction part. Until she gets better we will still have to use the Habermanns......of course they are usually attached to a larger bottle since they only hold 5 ounces.

Also....her hair is falling out.....badly. I kept telling Donald that just happens to some babies, she has a clear bald spot on the back of her head, I ran my fingers down it today and had quite a few hairs in my hand. So Donald asked the Dr about it and he said it could be her bodies way of reacting to change and the surgery. I told Donald she was just trying to look more like him, considering he keeps shaving his head much to mine and Amelias protests!!!!!

Girl cousin and a niece

Kevin and Lori found out today that they are having a GIRL!!!!

Amelia is especially excited, she said if it was a boy she was not going to hold him.

Lori, when yall come next week we will work on that blog!!!!

Extreme Makeover.....

First a pic of Avie, she is doing good!! Now to Amelia.....she got her glasses today. She looks so cute doesn't she??

Also tonight was the BIG haircut. We have been growing her hair out for over a year for locks of love. So we went to Theresa's for the cut.

Here she is in the chair with her long hair, in a very tangly state.

Mrs. Theresa measured it out to make sure it was long enough.

Then the cut, it made me kinda sad. I had a very emotional attachment to it. I knew once it was cut any look she had of my little girl would be gone, I knew she would not look the same.

After the cut, I had gathered myself up at this point.

then Mrs. Theresa washed it in her special sink.

How cute is she!!!!!! She does not even look the same.

Here she is holding her ponytail to send in.

6 month checkup

I took Avie for her 6 month checkup today, she weighed 14 lbs 2 ounces which is the 9th percentile and she was 24 3/4 inches long which is the 10th percentile. She has moved up on the growth chart.

We have had LOTS of people ask about the restraints on her arms, they are to keep her from getting anything in her mouth, she is not able to bend her elbow. However, she is a smarty because she can shimmy stuff up her arm between her neck and shoulder and get things in.....but Amelia is always quick to correct her.

Should have a big update Thursday night on Amelia.......

did they forget to tell us that....

Last night at Church when Abs was holding Avie, after Paige and Anna had their turn jostling her around, she spit up...shocker. A little bit came out her nose, which kinda freaked me out. It happened in the hospital, but they said until the pallet was not has hard it may happen. My theory was milk could get through those stitches. Anyway....her stitches are all but gone so in all my medical training it should not have happened....so I called the Dr today.

A very nice bubbly nurse called me back, I explained what happened and she said, and I quote "that is very normal, it probably came out the little hole that was left to allow for swelling" no she kept talking, not sure what she said, so I said "STOP, what little hole are you talking about" she said "did no one tell you about the little hole" I said "no, I do not know anything about a little hole, will she always have the hole, what about........................."she interrupted and said it will close on its own. She said the "force" from the spit up probably forced some out the "LITTLE HOLE".

Now, I would think that mentioning that would have saved me from almost hyperventilating, my thoughts were going ramped in that 2.5 seconds. I mean now it makes perfect sense, but if one of the times I was prying her mouth open with a flashlight to "check" on things I would have seen that "little hole" I may have very well have had a nervous breakdown.

Any other cleft moms know about this......

On another note..........

Lori-
Amelia prayed for you at supper the other night, we had told her you were finding out what the baby was and she said "please help Lori figure out what her baby is". We need to make sure you and Kev hear one of her LONG prayers this weekend!!

Postcard picture

Here is Amelia and Abby's pic in the paper on Sunday with all the postcards.

Avie is doing much better sleeping, she slept all night on Saturday and again last night. She goes to the Dr here in town tomorrow, Donald thinks she has gained about 2 lbs since we were in the hospital. Poor girl if she did I think it is all in her thighs.

Amelia has a week of changes ahead of her........

We had a better night tonight, Avie only got up twice, took her bottle well and then went back down good. Hopefully the worst part is behind us.

Trunk or Treat and a bunch of other stuff.....

This was our hospital room view, it is the helicopter landing pad. On Wednesday they had 2 come back to back, we could see them unloading the kids off. It was very sad.

She finally would sleep in the metal cage on Wednesday.

Avie is doing good, she did not sleep well on Thursday night but did a little better last night. She finally had a dirty diaper which I think made her feel better as well. When they cut the sides of the top of her mouth they packed it, Dr W said as it heals and grows back it will come out and it already is. She has her follow up on Nov 20th. I asked the Dr after that would we have any more appointments, he said every 6 months for years, yes plural. I guess, not sure why, I did not realize this. He said after a few years it may get to once a year.

Last night was the Trunk or Treat at Church. We had a good time and a good turnout.

Anna the Pirate.

Amelia, Jenna and Seth.

Amelia was a butterfly, at this point of the night she still had her wings. It is amazing how skinny she looked in black tights and black leotard...

Anna and Avie (bumblebee).

Avie is staring Abby down.

Anna likes the bebe....a lot!! She was so excited to see her.

Brooke, Brittni (not sure which...), Jenna and Amelia.

Anna and Anrey (that is still the best I can get on my name.)