Ellie is whole!

The day we've been waiting for finally came!  We checked into MCG 5th floor on Saturday, May 7th to begin Ellie's bowl prep.  That was 48 hours of lots of leaky bags, liquid poop, and a pulseox that wouldn't stay on her foot!  :)  Then it was off to surgery.  Monday morning, at 7:30am, they took my baby back.  They left Eric with a pager so he could get updates as the surgery progressed.  At 11:30, Dr. Hatley comes to get us from the waiting room.  All had gone well.  She was extubated and being sent up to the NICU.  When we arrived to the NICU, we had to wait for them to assess her and get her settled before we could go in to visit.  After an hour, we took turns (me, Eric, Poppa, PaPa, and Grandma) going back to kiss on Ellie.  They were keeping her in NICU tonight and hopefully sending her to the floor on Tuesday, if that is what I wanted.  Her Monday night was a little painful, she was given some good pain medicine that helped her rest fairly peacefully.  They had trouble keeping an IV in, so she went through 5 in about 24 hours.  They called the PICC team to come help out.  On Tuesday night, the PICC team was unable to get a PICC in, so they stopped poking, and let Ellie rest overnight.  Dr. Hatley preferred that she stay "another day or so" in NICU for close monitoring.  Wednesday morning, MiMi tries to visit, but the PICC team was at it again, so she had to leave.  By the time Poppa and I got there at 11, Ellie had a successful PICC line in her right arm, and yet another IV in her head.  PITIFUL.  Dr. Bhatia let us know that he had a few concerns that would keep her in NICU for a few more days:  Her belly had swollen more than expected.  They started her on an additional antibiotic just to fight off an infection, if there was one.  Her cough was also a little alarming, the nurses were concerned and really wanted to keep an eye on that.  Her chest x-ray also showed that her right lung was "more cloudy" than the other.  He suspected aspiration.  Dr. Bhatia would like to do a barium study as soon as she starts her feedings back at the end of the week to watch her milk as it travels.  GOOD NEWS FOR THE DAY: Ellie had her first poop.  When I changed her diaper this afternoon, there was just a little bit.  Later on, when her nurse changed her, there was, what she called a "pretty good-sized meconium diaper":)  Dr. Hatley didn't think we'd see that until much later in the week.  That is a sign that she is ready to start eating again.

It isn't looking like we are moving back to our room on the 5th floor any time soon... but one day at a time.  The good news is that Ellie will make a FULL recovery, and her ostomy bag will be a thing in the DISTANT past!!

Thursday morning, I walk in to see this:

She was happy, sitting up, smiling, cooing, and getting attention from everyone that walked through the NICU.  Her belly was MUCH softer, and she was having small poops much more frequently.  Dr. Hatley was not willing to move her to the floor just yet.  "A few more days" or so.  Although I never lost hope, I did realize that the chances of her moving out to the floor over the weekend were slim to none.  Friday and Saturday roll by and Ellie is improving drastically each time I see her.  You could just look at her and tell she was feeling better.  The nurses made a boppy for her out of blankets so she could prop up and see what was going on.  Sometimes, they would even unplug her and walk around with her if she was fussy.  I never once questioned whether she was getting enough attention (or love).  By Sunday, they were ready to start her feedings.  They gave her half an ounce of pedialyte at noon, another half ounce at three and moved to formula at six.  She cried when you pulled the bottle away, wanting more.  :)  Tuesday night, she got her PICC line removed and was able to be discharged straight home on Wednesday, May 18.  I couldn't get to the hospital soon enough that afternoon!  When I got there, she was snoozing on her belly.

  We unplugged her and ran out the door waited patiently for Alan, the nurse practitioner to discharge us.  It only took about 20 minutes.  When we pull up at the house, we see this:

The Davis kids had made Ellie a welcome-home banner and brought some balloons (for Eve).  Finally, my twins were re-united again!  They had been apart for 11 days!

I love them.  I love them individually, but I really love them together...can that possibly make sense??  Eve and her afro wanted in on the "welcome-home" pictures :)

She is a dream of a big sister...eager to help mommy and GENUINELY loving the girls...God has done something amazing there...and you can bet I am going to continue to foster that "sister-bond"for the rest of their lives.  I am praying against jealousy, annoyance, and being left out.  I believe these girls will grow up wanting to play and share with each other.  Families are one of God's greatest blessings.
Well, with all that said, my family is whole again.  Everyone is home and healthy and happy.  God is faithful to us.    

Rapunzel

Eve has fallen in love with the movie "Tangled".  She can pretty much quote it.  She starts by saying, "Once upon a time, a single drop of sunshine fell from sky and made a golden flower.  The golden flower had special power that healed the queen.  And in that moment, the world was perfect."  I LOVE IT.  I just got bits and pieces of this on video.  She will ramble on and on about "Gothel" (not sure what the mothers name really is, but this is what Eve calls her) and how she stole the baby and put her in a tower, and the floating lanterns, and someone cutting her hair, but that first part is the BEST.

out of the mouth of Eve...

Tonight, Eve was in the bathtub after some fun at the park.  She said to Eric, "Daddy, I want mama to take me a bath."  To which Eve replied, "Eve, I want to give you a bath."  Eve says, "Let mama do it, daddy.  You're not very good at it."  :)  Adorable.

We can always tell when Eve is into something she shouldn't be.  She'll look at us with a guilty face and say, "dont worry about it, mom" or "you guys just talk" (meaning: dont watch what i'm doing over here!").  

When I give Eve an answers she doesn't want, for example: "Eve it's time to go to bed" "Mama, can I do one more puzzle?" "No, baby, I said it's time to go to bed." "Can you say 'sure?'" :)

She is telling everyone that Jesus has taken Ellie's booboo away.  She is very proud of the new tummy her sister has.  

puberty at 2??

Eve was having a REALLY BAD afternoon this week... VERY dramatic.  Everything was making her cry, it was plain pitiful.  I guess she just woke up on the wrong side of the nap-bed!!  I was giving her a bath and she was crying...uncontrollably.  I said "Eve!  What is wrong, baby?"  She replied "Absolutely nothing!" with a miserable little face.  When we finished the bath, I took her to Eric to dry off and put on jammies.  Eric said, "Eve, what is wrong?"  She said "Nothing hurts, I just wanna cry!"  Oh my!  Is she about to start her period?????  I am NOT ready for this with THREE girls!  Someone.... help!!!

:)

My Miracles

I dont ever want to forget these moments...

 Ellie -- Christmas Eve night.  This is the way she and Clara looked the first time I saw them (outside of the operating room, of course).  We were able to hold Clara for a bit that night.

 Clara -- Christmas Eve night

 Ellie -- Christmas Day -- leaving for surgery with the transport team from MCG.

 Clara...off CPAP!

 Ellie...after surgery

 Frail Ellie

 Eve peeking in on Ellie for the first time.  She was really bothered by all of the tubes and garb.

 Eve holding Clara...she did fantastic with her...Clara looked a bit more "normal" at this point.

 Ellie...seeing her FACE for the first time without all of the wires and tubes!!

 Ellie...finally eating and pooping :)

 Clara...jaundice and yellow, but otherwise healthy as can be!

God really did perform a Christmas Miracle for us in 2010.  It is bittersweet for me to look back on these pictures and remember where we have come from.  At the time, I didn't realize just how frail they both really were.  They were mine, and to me, they were perfect and normal.  Thank you, Jesus for those "rose-colored glasses".  Without them, I would have been a wreck.  Thank you, Jesus, for holding me together for my family, for Eve, and my little bits.  I cannot imagine my life without these girls.  They are such a light for me, such strength, and a story of God's goodness and hope.  May I never stop telling them where they came from...and making God the hero of their lives.    

The Sweet Side of Eve

Eric is out of town celebrating his parent's 50th wedding anniversary, so the girls and I are on our own :)  On a typical day, Eric will take his lunch break around the time Eve gets off of school so he can see her for a few minutes before I lay her down for a nap...every time we pull in the driveway, Eve will ask "is daddy here?" Well, yesterday after school, she asked if daddy was home and I told her that daddy was out of town.  She walked in the house and up the stairs and said "Let's go find our father.  I think he's hiding!"  I LOVED it, and she LOVES her daddy.

I walked upstairs this afternoon to wake Eve up after a good nap.  I turned off her fan, took off my shoes, and crawled into bed with her.  She sees me, rolls over, strokes my face, and says, "did you sleep so good last night?" I smile at her and say yes and she begins running her fingers through my hair saying "your hair is so beautiful!"  She is precious :)

Eve is IN LOVE with her sisters.  Some of her affectionate sayings for them are "you're so cutie", "you're my little zombie pea", "hello precious", and "you're so beautiful".  I think she is the best big sister.  No jealousy, no annoyance, no inconvenience...she just loves them.  She wants to teach them everything she knows...how to say the pledge of allegiance, how to raise your hand, how to talk, how to hold hands, how to kiss...and the list goes on.  She is SO proud of herself when she can get the babies to hush by giving them their pacy.  She'll look at me with this huge smile and say "I made them happy, momma!"  I sure do love my sweet angel girl.

bossy and sassy

Not sure where Eve has picked this up (Ella Kate, maybe)...but she has started telling me to bow my head and put my hands together like i'm praying and say "your hiiiggghhhness" :)   some days I indulge her and we practice a curtsey to the queen.  Today, I said "Eve will you please put on your crocs?"  She replied, "Of course, your highness!"

While at Dr. Getts' office today for a weight check on Ellie (she is 8lb 2oz, Clara is 11 lb 5oz), Eve was growing impatient.  She would open the door of our exam room, stick out her little head and call Dr. Getts.  "Dr. Ge--tts.  Oh, Dr. Ge----tts!"  She'd close the door and say, "uccck... he's not coming."  A minute would go by and she'd do it again.  One time she looked out, he was in the hallway.  She exclaimed "Dr. Getts, come in here!"  He just laughed.

Eve WILL NOT do this potty training thing!  She complains and whines everytime I put her on the potty.  Usually, she will tee-tee, but man, she hates it!!  She asks everyday if she can wear a diaper.  This is NOT how it is supposed to go!  My 2 1/2 year old is advanced!  She is smart!  She should have been potty trained MONTHS ago, she knows EXACTLY what she is doing.  My mom says that I deserve this... I'm not sure I agree with that.  Eve is so stubborn... who knows when she'll WANT to get out of those diapers. I guess for now, I will keep my sanity and quit trying so hard.  Experienced moms have told me when she's ready, it will be easy.  We shall see :)