Tettletime

Abigail's First Year

2012-02-13T22:03:00.000-08:00

Alright, so we've been really busy with work and preparing for Abby's big day so we haven't posted in a while. We'll do an easy post for the time being and update everyone after her party when things settle down.

For the time being though, let's take a look at how far she's come. The pictures below are of each month of Abigail's life.It's easy to forget how rough those early days were but she is doing great now. What a ride it has been and what a miracle we have been blessed with.

Day 1

Day 1 - Mom saying bye as Abby is taken to another hospital

1 Month - Two weeks post Kasai

2 Months - Just after Heart Surgery

3 Months - After G-button/ Fundo surgery

3 Months - Headed home

3 Months - A homecoming

4 Months - Working hard

4 Months

4 Months - Taking a bath

4 Months - First day at Church

5 Months

6 Months - Jammin'

6 Month - Photo Session

6 Months

6 Months - Enjoying the sunshine

6 Months - Ridin' high

7 Months

8 Months

9 Months

9 Months - Photo Session

10 Months

11 Months

Lots of photos huh? We can't wait to celebrate Abigail's birthday!

Fun on the Weekends

2012-01-28T22:14:00.000-08:00

Abby has been doing pretty well lately and we have enjoyed the last few weeks with our big girl. We have been hesitant to get her out around other kids because it's cold and flu season so we have been somewhat isolated. She got over whatever bug she had at the first of the year and we aren't exactly ready to risk her getting sick again any time soon. At the same time, the weather the last few weeks has been unseasonably warm so we have been able take her outdoors. We have been taking Abby to the park down the road which is great because it isn't too busy with lots of kiddos. She seems to enjoy being outside and we try to get her out of the house whenever we can.

With all of her surgeries she has been behind in some areas of development and we are working to catch her up the best we can. She is currently doing well with sitting up on her own with no assistance, rolling over, and occasionally getting after solid foods when we attempt them. She has physical therapy once a week, an occupational therapist comes twice a month to help work on feeding, and a dietician comes once a month to check her growth. Abby is 11 months old now and she is currently 28-5/8" tall and 18lb and 6 oz. Her latest direct bilirubin level was 1 and that is fantastic. Her first birthday is coming up and we are really looking forward to celebrating her big day. Here are a few photos of the last few weeks.

Learning how to sit in the high chair by watching her friend Audrey

Swinging in the park with mom

Cooper's favorite part of the day. Bath toys!

Holding on tight.

I'm 11 month's old look at me.

Happy girl

Neither were wanting to have their picture taken.

A New Year

2012-01-08T22:19:00.000-08:00

The start of 2012 wasn't that fun for Abby. She was sick with congestion, a cough and some low grade fever for the first week or so. Not much help was to be had because the doctors office was closed for the holidays. She is finally getting over those symptoms and is returning more each day to her happy self.

She was well enough this past weekend to take a trip to the Fort Worth Zoo for a while. The weather was a bit brisk but she did good. Neither of us had been in several years so it was a good time for us as well. The flamingos were Abigail's favorite because they were bright, loud and flapped their wings a bunch. She babbled to them and squawked back a little, which we got a kick out of.

Big Mama

Taking a break

Flexible Giraffe

Our little critter

Meerkat

Sloth Bear

Indian Rhinoceros

We hope to enjoy many more trips to the zoo but I'd say the first trip was pretty successful. We look forward to taking her in the warmer weather as well. It's so fun watching her discover new things.

Abby is currently working on solids and still getting feeds overnight through her g-button to help gain calories. We are trying to beef her up and get her back to working on developing strength in her arms and legs with tummy time and other activities. She has a mouthful of teeth and needs to put them to work.

Playing with my food

One thing that has been on our minds quite a lot lately is the passing of Abigail's Cardiologist. We received news last week that her heart doctor had passed away while riding bikes with his son. His name was Dr. Benjamin Siu, he comforted us as we faced very scary situations this past year and loved our daughter. More importantly he prayed over Abby with us before her heart surgery and on our follow up visits. They were the kind of prayers you don't lift your head up from without tears. Our family was blessed by knowing him and I thought I might let you all know so that you all would say a prayer for his family. I didn't know him that well but I'm certain where he is now. If you read his obituary here or watch this video of him here, you can tell he touched many lives.

As we finally got to put away Christmas decor and take down the lights we can look back on Abby's first Christmas as super busy but incredibly special.

A Reflection

Our family had many ups and downs in 2011: The loss of a job, the joy of welcoming of a child which turned into a scary event, several life saving surgeries on our baby, the loss of a grandparent, bringing our daughter home, the health scare of a parent, getting to show off our pride and joy, watching her grow, getting a new job, and celebrating Christmas as a family of three. Ready or not though, 2012 is here, and we have to keep on trucking. As we reflect on the year it seems like it was pretty rough but the special moments truly were incredible. God is good, all the time. Thanks for sharing in this journey with us.

Jody & Steph

Abby's First Christmas

2011-12-29T22:09:00.000-08:00

Well, things have settled down a bit and we finally got the chance to give an update. Throughout all of the hustle and bustle we did manage to stop a few moments and enjoy sharing in Abigail's first Christmas. After a bit of trading Abby duties between each of us and our parents, we were able to get some last minute shopping in. The malls and traffic can seriously ruin the Christmas spirit if you don't watch out!

The pace didn't stop because we had five different venues to open gifts. Thursday we opened gifts and shared a meal at home with Abby's Aunt Brittany and Granddad Pappa Mike. Next, we took Abigail to the Christmas Eve service with both sides of the family and spent Christmas Eve with Jody's family. The three of us had our own Christmas morning at our house and then drove to Abilene. Christmas afternoon and evening was spent with Stephanie's Grandparents and extended family. Finally we came home and opened gifts with Steph's family back in Arlington.

Aunt Leaza and Uncle Jon

Christmas Eve service at FBCA

Abby and Daddy

Abby and Mommy

Grandmother Tettleton

Sleepy faces

Christmas morning sleepy face

My own smart phone, nah, I'd rather have yours

Chomping on Mum Mums

Steph's family

Aunt Brittany

Grammy Sherry

While it seemed frantic and chaotic it worked out just fine. We find great joy in spending special moments like Christmas with Abby. As you can imagine she got some practice at opening presents. As her first birthday approaches she will need it.

Health-wise, Abby is recovering well from her last surgery but still has moments where pain is evident. She will definitely let you know if she doesn't like how you are holding her and is getting a little partial to having her parents hold her. Abby is reaching, rolling, does crunches when laid on her back and loves to stand-up on her strong legs. Her arm strength is still lacking so she works hard to push up and look around. She was just released to start physical therapy again so we can get back to tummy time and working on those arms. She has a mouth full of teeth and we love watching her chomp into "Mum Mums." We are currently giving her formula and some solid foods to try to add some calories.

We are looking forward to trips to the zoo with our "Abigator" this coming year

Our big girl is now 10 months old

Merry Christmas and a happy new year from the Tettletons.

Fort Worth Fun!

2011-12-11T21:16:00.001-08:00

Friday night we celebrated Stephanie's 30th Birthday at Southlake Town Square and ended the night at Cheesecake Factory. On Saturday we took a trip back to Cook Children's but this time not to get poked or prodded by doctors and nurses. It was fitting that Abigail meet Santa Clause where she has spent a lot of time in her short life. Abby did great as she sat in Santa's lap for the first time. She was very curious and reached up innocently to grab his beard.

Abby is recovering fairly well from her surgery but occasionally has pain issues when sitting up for a while or being held. They sent us home with a mini do-nut like you get if you break your tailbone for her to use as a cushion. We take lots of baths to keep her bottom clean and she has a few follow-up doctors visits this week.

Sunday we headed back over to Fort Worth for a Christmas Event at Thistle Hill. The old home, now a museum, was decorated for Christmas according to the illustrations in the Tasha Tudor version of Twas the Night Before Christmas. Abby was probably a bit too young for some of the activities but she and Stephanie made a b-line to the petting zoo. The happiest kid in the pen was the thirty-year-old. Abby did pretty well until a few goats tried to nip at her hat. Stephanie just about put the goat in her jacket and snuck him out.

Get in my jacket while no one is looking

Somehow during all of the craziness this week we managed to get our Christmas tree up and the lights on the house. We have much to be thankful for this Christmas and we are enjoying sharing this time with our family of three.

Our little lamb

Back Home

2011-12-02T13:36:00.001-08:00

Last of the Pedialyte

Not that thrilled

Preacher Abby

No Food, no smile

Lets get this thing over with!

We just got back from the hospital and are trying to settle in. Abigail was released this afternoon and we stopped off to get some prescriptions on our way home. The surgery on her bottom Monday morning was successful and she was recovering in her room by early afternoon. She had a short bout with pain right after she got back but it wasn't that bad in hindsight. She had a decent day Tuesday but by the time the anesthesia and strong pain medications wore off on Tuesday night, she was progressively getting worse. She started getting uncomfortable and would whimper, scratch her face, kick her legs and arch her back with ten/twenty minutes in between episodes.

By the time Wednesday afternoon came around she continued to have these pain episodes with just a few seconds of down time in between. We were doing all we could do, which was very little. We couldn't pick her up, give her a bottle, or give her extra pain medication. It was excruciating to watch and not be able to help. Finally, the pain management team tried Ativan, and it calmed her. Someone came to the conclusion that it was probably muscle spasms and Ativan did the trick. She got some much needed rest and was allowed to have some pedialyte through her g-button shortly after.

Thursday she was feeling better and was being weaned off of the stronger pain medications. Abby was also allowed to have formula which meant that she needed to get rid of all of what she was eating. Once she did that we were one step closer to going home. After a much better, but still tiresome night, we made it through Thursday. Friday afternoon the doctor came by came by and said she was ready to go home.

Grandmother Jane entertaining me

Kick the bubbles

Whoaaa!

So - thank you all for praying for our little girl. Your prayers are greatly appreciated and we remain humbled by your support. We are hopeful that she will have a speedy recovery and we can report more progress soon.

On my way outta here!

PS we are wiped out so it may be a bit before the next post.

Preparing for Surgery

2011-11-26T10:04:00.001-08:00

We haven't posted in a while but things have been very busy lately. We have been out of town the last two weekends. With work, a holiday and doctor's appointments in between we are just trying to stay afloat. Abigail will be having surgery this Monday so today we have the duty of preparing her for surgery by putting her on a clear diet. It will be a huge challenge. Twenty-four hours with no solid foods or formula for a nine month old is a ridiculous request.

Abigail has been doing really great lately. She is learning to eat solids, babbling, and learning many new things. It has been a joy to watch her learn and grow. For these and many other reasons we are not looking forward to another surgery. However, this surgery has been looming and the time is finally here.

Abigail has to have a surgery on her bottom and it is best done before she begins to potty train. The surgery will be Monday morning at 9:00am and the same surgeon who has done two of her previous surgeries will be performing this one as well. The surgery should last 2-3 hours and the recovery time will be hopefully only a few days in the hospital.

We hate that she has to have this right now but at the same time it needs to be done. No time sounds great for having surgery. We ask for your prayers as we try to make it to Monday. Tomorrow we will admit her to the hospital and continue cleaning out her system. We hope that everything goes well at nine on Monday and that Abby can recover swiftly.

Pictures from "Papaw" Bill Spurgin's 80th birthday, Thanksgiving and nine months old.

Hill County & Halloween

2011-11-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we headed back down to the Texas Hill Country for a trip to Fredericksburg. Stephanie's friend Katherine, from nursing school, was getting married so we sped down 281 again to get there in time to catch game seven of the World Series. I probably should have just coasted in and enjoyed the ride but I tortured myself. Anyways, I won't write all about the Rangers but it was rough coming so close.

We managed to have a good time even though I had a sour attitude to start the weekend with. My mom, Jane, accompanied us to help watch Abby during the wedding and to enjoy the sights. We visited the wildflower farm outside of town and then spent a few hours in town before the wedding. We really enjoy the area and the weather was great last weekend.

Steph, Grandmother & Abby

Taking a break to eat lunch - enamored with the menu

We had a great time at the wedding and it was good to get to catch up with friends for a bit.

Christy, Katherine, Stephanie

Katherine, Stephanie, Abby & Lindsay

The weekend wasn't over when we got home either. Our church was having a fall festival and we made it back in time to bring our big girl to it. Abby was a ladybug this year and she did great in that stuffy costume. We had the most fun watching her response to all of the animals at the petting zoo.

Mom & Abby

Our Ladybugs

Stephanie, Abby, Audrey, & Courtney

Audrey & Josh

Abby & Dad

The poor animals were getting run ragged by all of the kids

Our Family

Stephanie, Abby, Brooke, Sarah

All in all, it was a great weekend despite the sports disasters (Tech got trounced too). We got Abby all cleaned up Sunday night and ready for another week. Our big girl is eight months old and doing great.

Eight Months Old

San Antonio Trip # 2

2011-10-31T22:23:00.000-07:00

We got back this past week from another trip to San Antonio for Abby's three month follow up visit with the liver transplant folks. We also did a little sight-seeing while we were there. The hospital is in the downtown area so we stayed close by and our hotel was directly across the street from the Alamo (hotel pictured in background - The Emily Morgan).

On the way there we stopped at a little mom 'n' pop restaurant and Abby got to try mashed potatoes for the first time! As soon as the lady put the plate down she smashed her hand right in them. Thankfully they were not too hot.

Remember the Alamo!

We took some time to walk around and take a few pictures near the Alamo. It was just as we remembered it - extremely underwhelming. It is hard to believe such a significant place doesn't make a very big impact in person.

Abby and Dad @ the Alamo

After the Alamo we made our way over to the Riverwalk. We had a great time walking around and we had to stop and look at the ducks. Any animal is fun for mom and Abby to look at!

We stopped for lunch in the market area before our appointment and Abby took a little siesta.

When we got to the appointment the doctor was in a meeting. A long meeting. So that meant a little extra play time in a tiny room. She was a good sport, so it really wasn't too bad.

After the visit with the doctor it was time to get her labs drawn. Good thing there was a fish tank in the waiting area! Abby loved looking at the all the fish!

Lab time

This wasn't the most fun part of our day. She is one tough cookie though. She is telling the lady...." I may only be 8 months old, but this ain't my first rodeo. My mom will tell you which vein to use and you will only need to stick me one time!"

The Alamo

Our brave girl at dinner.

Dinner at Boudro's on the Riverwalk

Davy Crockett

Overall, the trip was fine but we didn't have much to report until the blood work was complete.
Today we received those results and are happy to report that her direct bilirubin was 1.1 and her total bilirubin was 1.5. So great. So wonderful. So amazing. Her levels have never been that low. The doctor gave us the ok to see him in 6 months. That means we will go back at the end of March. Until then we will do our best to keep her as healthy as possible. We are so pleased to be able to give everyone a good report.

A Great Day!

2011-10-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

Stephanie and Abby

This past weekend our family enjoyed a very special time at our church's baby dedication service. Many relatives came in town to show their support and the day went really well. Abigail and about six other kiddos were dedicated in the 9:30 service as well as several babies in the other two services. The pastor said a brief word, the congregation said a verse of encouragement, and then he came down the row and said a word to each of us. It was a moment that we had looked forward to for several months. While
Abby was in the hospital we received invitations for the spring and summer dedications and those weren't an option for her. The struggles and setbacks early in her life made sharing that moment with our family members, church family and our precious girl Sunday that much more joyous.

Abby did great throughout the short time up at the front, it was us that had a hard time trying to hold it together. The promise to raise our child up in a faithful and loving family was not one we take lightly. We know that HE will be with us every step of the way as we try to teach, encourage, and love on Abby.

Another incredible moment occurred after the service had ended. We were waiting for the rest of the group in the lobby and a women came up to us and asked if she could pray for Abby. We said sure and the woman, named Susie, prayed for Abby. She asked god to walk with her as she became a godly woman and I can't begin to describe how special this was. If you've ever had some one say a good prayer for you, you understand this feeling - it was powerful.

We took pictures with family members and headed to share a meal with everyone after the service. It was a great celebration and Abigail did so well being passed around and photographed so much. She is loved by many for sure.

Grammy Sherry

Aunt Brittany

Cousin Craig

Steph's Family

Jody's Family

The whole crew, minus "G"

Okay the "G" had to be patched but it was good!

The Johnson Crew

Thanks to Karen Jo Matsler for taking pictures for us during the service and afterwards. It was a memorable moment and we are glad it was captured.

As I reflect about last Sunday and Abigail's life, I keep thinking of a song by Shane & Shane. It's called "The One You Need" and if you are a parent/or even if you aren't the message is significant and very fitting. Here is the link- ShaneandShane. The video is a tad bit distracting but don't miss the point: As much as we love our children, we hope that they will seek a relationship with the lord. Because HE loves them/us immeasurably more.

Next week we are headed to San Antonio again for a check-up with the liver specialist. We aren't certain what all they will want to check on but we are hopeful that they will give us a good report and send us on our way. We hope to fill you in on Abby sooner that last time. Tomorrow Abigail will be 8 months old! Holy Moly, that was fast.

Doing Just Fine

2011-10-06T21:54:00.000-07:00

We've been too busy to blog lately but much has happened since the last entry. Both of us working and figuring out how to manage the change has kept us from writing. Sorry about that.

My parents have been taking care of Abigail on days when Stephanie worked the night before. So far that has worked out great. I drop her off in the morning and Stephanie comes to get her in the afternoon after some much needed sleep. It has been fairly manageable and we are really thankful they are available to take care of her.

Here are a few pictures of the last few weeks.

Abigail turned seven months old last month and she is now 15 pounds 8 ounces and 26-3/8 inches long. She is growing well, learning to eat solids, working on sitting up, and getting a mouthful of teeth. She is pretty stinkin' cute too! Hopefully we won't let as much time pass until the next post but I'm not promising anything.

Good News!

2011-09-17T01:27:00.000-07:00

We got a few really great phone calls this week!

Frequent calls concerning Abigail's health are not uncommon and they are always a bit nerve racking. The calls are anything from doctor's appointment reminders to important test results and they all pretty much come from out of the blue. While Abby was in the hospital unfamiliar phone numbers on the caller ID brought a great deal of anxiety. The calls are less frequent now but still put us on edge a bit.

Call number one happened while we were out to lunch earlier this week.

"Hello. Yes, this is Stephanie. Uh huh, yes I'm a nurse, I am familiar with those. Ohhh, wow!"

That's what I heard sitting across from her at the table. Not comforting. Then her face revealed what the nurse on the other end of the line called to tell us. Her latest labs showed that her direct bilirubin level had dropped to 1.5!

Cause for celebration!

It was a different nurse than we usually deal with so Steph wasn't sure what she wanted at first. The GI specialist had asked her to call and tell us the good news. That is the lowest her bilirubin level has been since she was about a week old. A sign that the Kasai procedure is really doing well. We were pretty stunned and thrilled. Truthfully we never expected it to be much better than what it had been. Three to Four was where it remained steadily for the last few months.

If you are wondering what that all means. It means Abby's liver is functioning much better than it had been. Back when she had surgery on her liver, Abigail - Surgery Day and Liver Problems, her bilirubin level was as high as 17. So, that's pretty incredible! Right? Hopefully it will be a long time before she needs a liver transplant.

As if that wasn't enough good news. I (Jody) had an interview Thursday afternoon and got a call Friday about the position. I will start Monday morning and I am looking forward to the challenge.

I have been hesitant to mention my job hunt on this blog because it has been pretty rough times for many people lately. Frankly it has sucked. The architecture field was no exception. I was laid off about ten days before Abigail was born and have been looking for a job since that time.

Little did we know how important it was for me to be available to be around with Abigail and Stephanie. We got to spend the entire time she was in the hospital by her side and that was truly special. I know because I saw countless people that came to visit their sick children after working a full day. We were very fortunate and we had many people helping to make that not so stressful financially. So thank you if you were one of them.

Stephanie, though, had spent all of her maternity leave and had to go back to work right when Abigail was released to go home. It was especially difficult for her but she headed back to work and supported our family. I am very proud of her! Her job is not easy. It's physically and often emotionally taxing on top of taking care of us.

I have been the stay-at-home dad and that has been tough but really special at the same time. Taking care of Abby (as I'm sure any other child) is a full-time job. I am eager to get back to work but I will miss spending the day with my little girl for sure.

So, praise the Lord for two amazing phone calls!

As things get even more busy in our lives we will do our best to share with you. Now, hopefully it makes more sense why the blog took a slightly more masculine writing style over the past few months.

Road Trip - West Texas

2011-09-05T00:09:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a road trip out to west Texas. It was another weekend of firsts for Abigail but it didn't come too easy.

Friday morning Abby had a follow-up appointment with the Ear Doctor (Otolaryngologist, pronounce it really slow and you might get it) Friday morning bright and early. Our friend Lindi is an Audiologist in the same office and she always helps us out. She gave us some earplugs so Abby could go swimming.

Dr. Lindi and Abby

Waiting on the Doctor

Being silly

After the ENT appointment we headed over for Abigail's monthly blood draw. I can't tell you how tough this little girl is. She took it like a champ.

No more needles

Next, we headed to the pharmacy to get the medication for her liver. We have to jump through hoops with insurance to get it every month and its a beating.

After the pharmacy trip we headed home to pack things up and pick up Grammy. Grammy accompanied us and helped out with baby duty often. Once we got home from the blood draw Abby had a huge fit. She has a third tooth coming in and I think it was causing the problem. We finally got out the door and five hours later we made it to Lubbock. It made for a really long day.

In case we haven't already mentioned it a dozen times on this blog, we love Texas Tech! We purchased a mini pack this year and headed out there to watch the opening game of football season. Also, Abby's Uncle Ryan goes to school there now and it makes for a good excuse to visit.

We ended up staying at the same hotel the team did which was cool. We watched them go through some walk-throughs in the morning and it explained why we saw about 100 pizzas arriving when we checked in.

The hotel had an indoor pool so we took Abby to the pool for the first time. She was much more interested in working on that new tooth than swimming but we got a kick out of it. She did well in the water.

The weather was hot for Abigail's first Red Raider game. Our seats were in the shade so it wasn't bad at all. The first half of action was not that hot. We were losing to Texas State who isn't that good. As the second quarter of the game got going the wind really began to pick up and a huge dust storm blew through. That isn't uncommon in Lubbock but we went below the stands and watched the game on TV for a while. We thought it was going to rain so we ended up leaving around halftime. It didn't end up raining until way later that night but oh well. We got her to bed at a decent hour and the Red Raiders came on strong in the second half. Game number one for Abby will be considered a success.

Abigail did great in her carrier and we were surprised to see many more infants at the game. Really, we thought we were the only idiots taking our child out to a really loud environment. Abby had her earplugs in and didn't seem to mind the atmosphere.

After breakfast with a friend and stopping by the great-grandparents house, we finally made it back home safely. The trip was hectic with a six month old but we managed to have a little fun. It was a trial run for another big game we'll go to later in the season and now we know what to expect.

Memaw Spurgin

Papaw Spurgin

Wreck 'em Tech!

In Keeping With Traditions

2011-08-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the tradition of taking milestone pictures in the big green chair...

And a little time at the piano.

Six Months Old!

2011-08-24T22:59:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Abigail turned six months old on the 21st. Wow! To god be the glory, great things he hath done.

We have been busy with doctors appointments and a home construction project, see We Must Protect This House!, so we haven't had much time to update the blog lately. We extended our backyard, put a gate across our driveway and built a moat to secure the place. Well only a few of those are true.

Yesterday Abby had her six month shots and also had a visit to the cardiologist. We got great news on both visits. Her heart is doing great AND the MRI from a week ago showed NO ISSUES with a tethered cord or any other problems. We are so relieved! Praise the Lord!

Getting ready for the EKG

Somehow enjoying her 12 lead EKG

All hooked up

Today Abigail took a trip to the GI doctor for a follow up appointment. We meet with a nutritionist and they answered some of our questions about starting solid foods. The GI doctor said we were doing great! He has stayed in contact with the doctor in San Antonio and they are both happy with her progress. He also said to go ahead with solid foods.

So we headed off to Baby's-R-Us and got a high chair and some level one solid foods. Abigail did great with the carrots we tried today and made sure to get them all over her face! It was a great first effort and we hope it continues. Many kiddos that deal with surgeries early on have an oral aversion so we hope she keeps up the good work!

Funny Girl

Yum!

Messy

All done

We have so much to be thankful for as we look back at her six months of life. Thanks for checking in on our little girl. Here are the few pictures of the last few weeks.

A visit from Aunt Lesa!

A visit from Aunt Marcy!

A play date with my cousin Evelyn!

Someone's ready for college football

A night out at the dinner table

Sleeping on Grammy

Playing in the bumbo

All of the essentials for a road trip

Tubes & MRI

2011-08-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

Abigail made a trip back to the hospital Thursday for a pre-op appointment. We answered the normal questions about things like allergies and medical history. They had us stop feeding her Friday morning at five and go to pedialyte until nine where she would be NPO.

Waiting in the exam room

On our way out we stopped by the NICU to say hello to all of the good folks there. It was great to see everyone including her neonatologists. It was pretty emotional walking in there but we were getting to show her off not come to visit her. Seeing the reaction of the doctors and nurses was also great (Alex we were sad we missed you). Happy moments like these are a great reminder of how far she has come.

A visit back in the NICU

The good doctor

Abby's MRI Friday was scheduled at noon and we arrived at 10:30am. At 1:30pm she had gone into a trance from being so hungry. They finally told us that she would be getting the ear stuff taken care of first and then get the MRI. She was taken back and put under anesthesia shortly after and about 2:30pm or 3:00pm the doctor came out and told us that she did have fluid in her ears, it was clear (not infected) and that he put in the smallest tubes that they had. Next, Abigail went for an MRI, still under anesthesia, followed by a ABR (hearing test). The hearing test, which we were nervous about because of the drugs she was given in the NICU, showed normal hearing. Hallelujah!

The MRI she had was to check to see if Abigail has a tethered cord. This sometimes occurs along with the issue she has with her bottom that is called imperforate anus. A tethered cord means that nerves wrap around the base of the spinal cord. The tethered cord can cause a myriad of problems down the road in development. We have to wait a few days before we hear back from our doctor who ordered the MRI. A radiologist will read and relay the information to their office. Of course we are worried but we will wait and see what the MRI reveals and go from there.

Gown on, ready to go

Waiting

and waiting

In the waiting room

All done, and really fussy

Feeling a bit better

Ready to head home


Much more aware of noises now that her ears are clean

Working on tummy-time

The PT is showing us some techniques

More work

As we wait for news of the MRI we keep marching forward. Sometimes it gets lost in busyness of the day but we are so thankful for each day with her. Abigail is doing great right now and we are truly blessed.

A Nice Day

2011-08-10T00:52:00.000-07:00

We had a nice day today. Tried rice cereal for the first time. Funny. Didn't totally hate it.

Took a walk with the family. Didn't sweat too much. Non-Texan readers its been hot here for a while now.

Had a visit from ECI today to evaluate diet. Weighs 13 lbs 1 oz and is 25 1/2 inches long. Keep up the good work.

Great-Aunt B

Great-Uncle Jerry

Got to meet Aunt B and Uncle Jerry for the first time.

Mom

Aunt Brittany a few days ago

We Must Protect This House!

2011-08-07T22:55:00.000-07:00

Well we woke up Friday morning to this...

Yukon sitting on landscaping blocks

The front of our house sits on a nice quite cul-de-sac, unfortunately our driveway faces a busy street. We've lived here for almost six years now and this is the first time anything like this has happened. We were up late so it must have happened sometime in between two and six Thursday night. It's pretty creepy thinking about people doing this crap while we were sleeping. Apparently our dog is a heavy sleeper too. I'm still mad at him about it.

Stephanie drives a Yukon and it has 20 inch wheels on it. It was the car she always wanted and she finally got it a few years ago.

Stephanie's new car 2007

If you have one of your own, head's up. We park underneath a carport which is a few steps away from our bedroom (and currently Abby's) so we were a bit freaked out. Needless to say we are making a few changes for safety's sake. I feel like the Under Armour slogan "We must protect this house."

We have four landscaping blocks if anyone needs some.

This week Abigail will be making another trip up to the hospital. She'll be put under anesthesia for an MRI, hearing test, and possibly tubes which we wrote about in the post Five Months Old. We hope this goes smoothly and she doesn't have any hearing loss.

Here are a few more pictures of Abby lately.

I have a ways to go until my owl hat will fit.

Taking it Easy

2011-08-04T14:56:00.000-07:00

The last few days we have been just taking it easy. We have had a few days with no doctor's appointments and it has been nice. Here's a few pictures of the week.

Grammy, Abby, and Coop

Grammy and Abigail

Cooper trying to get some attention

Need a little boost!

A visit with "G"

A visit with Andrew

Funny Face

San Antonio - Part I

2011-07-27T23:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Girl

Well, we are back from San Antonio. We went down Sunday afternoon and stayed with Stephanie's aunt and uncle in South Austin. On Monday morning we drove in to San Antonio where we met the Doctor and the Liver transplant coordinator and their staff. This visit was basically an introduction of their program for us and a preliminary screening of Abigail for them. There will be a full evaluation of Abby should she be accepted and get closer to needing a transplant down the road. We went over her medical history, current health, and options for her future and scheduled a follow up visit. The doctor was upfront but courteous when talking about the issues she/we are facing which we appreciated. He told us that right now she looks good and that the bilirubin levels are showing that she is in-between 2 (what he would say was a good level with her surgery) and 6 (which would be an unsuccessful surgery). Her levels have stayed around 3-4 so she is right there in the middle. Currently her total bilirubin level is 3.8 and she is 12 lbs 6 oz.

Meeting the doctor

After he answered all of our questions and gave us some advice we spoke with the Transplant Coordinator. She went over some of the specifics of being listed on their liver transplant list. It will be panel of people that decide whether or not she (or anyone else) is a candidate for a transplant. The surgeon, GI specialist, and a few others will be in on the decision. When we were through in the doctors office we took Abigail across the way to the hospital for some tests. This was where the day started to go south for Abby.

Getting my blood pressure taken

Still happy

Gray's Anatomy - Liver Transplant

The doctor ordered some blood tests, an Echo Cardiogram, and a Doppler/ Ultrasound of her liver. They wanted to know A) is her heart in good shape for the foreseeable future, B) what is her current bilirubin and a few other levels, and C) what is the liver looking like and the vessels and things around it? We waited for 45 minutes in the lab area and then were told we should go see Radiology. We thought we wouldn't get all the tests done because it was getting late in the day. Abby got the Echo done with non-stop crying and then we headed down the hall to get the Doppler/ Ultrasound of her liver done. More crying. After those tests were complete we went back downstairs to the lab where she needed blood drawn. Three needle sticks later and a lot more screaming and she was finally done. We all were worn out after the drive back to Austin.

Passing time in the Waiting Room

I like standing up

Packing up all of our gear

So what next? Well we heard from the Transplant Coordinator this afternoon and she verified that Abigail is stable enough to keep doing what we are doing. They would like to see her in three months pending things go smoothly. So she is now plugged in with the right people for a transplant which is great. The next visit will be just a check up and blood work if she remains stable. That will be our prayer. So that was San Antonio Part I. To be continued.

Five Months Old

2011-07-22T22:27:00.000-07:00

Abigail turned five months old yesterday! She's kind of a big deal. Having been discharged from the hospital at three months old she has now been at home with us for two months. She gives us a run for our money sometimes but she can totally melt your heart with one of these smiles.

Check out my two teeth!

Wednesday we went to the E-N-T and set up a time for Abby to have a hearing test. After an unsuccessful attempt a month ago with a hearing test, they prefer she have the test done while under anesthesia. Abby has an MRI scheduled in early August so they can combine the hearing test and MRI while she is under. They also will be looking for fluid, removing it as necessary, and possibly putting tubes in her ear that day. If there is hearing loss we will discuss the options with the doctors. We pray that she doesn't have one more thing like that to overcome.

Here is Abby at five months...

Five Months Old

With my Owl Friend

With my pillow

We will head off to San Antonio this week for Abigail to be evaluated by a liver specialist. If Abigail will need a liver transplant this will be the place it is done. Therefore, we are making some early connections should we need to get on a donor list in a hurry someday. It will be her first night away from home and we will find out how difficult traveling with an infant is. How does the pack-n-play fit back into its bag? We'll give an update on the visit when we return.

Abby also got a visit from the Blankenship family last week. Ben, Hannah and Emily have been praying for Abby and finally got to meet her. She was pretty fussy at the time so they were a little shy. Crying babies are pretty scary even for grown-ups though. Thanks to everyone for praying for our little girl. We can't tell you how much that means to us.

Hannah, Ben, Emily, Coach B, Coach T and Abby

Abby Update

2011-07-16T23:01:00.000-07:00

Well Abby is finally feeling better since we wrote the last posting. The stomach bug or whatever she had ran its course and she is back to her smiling self. Yesterday, Abigail had her four month old shots and took them like a champ. She is nearly five months old but is behind on shots due to the surgeries she has had.

Visit to the pediatrician

Ready or not? Shot time!

We've really been entertained by Abby lately. She is using her hands more; grabbing, reaching and finding her mouth. She is also cooing and babbling more and rolling over on her side. In addition, she is improving at taking her bottle which is a big deal for her. She currently weighs 11lbs 12 oz and is 25 inches long. That's 66th percentile in length and barely making it on the growth chart for weight in the fifth percentile. Her last direct bilirubin level was up slightly to 3.3 but that change was minimal. We will get another blood draw Monday to compare. Her color still looks good so we are encouraged.

Abigail got to meet her Aunt Debbie for the first time this week.

Unaware of the shots to come.

Happy girl

The end of the month will be busy for Abigail. She will see an Ear-Nose-Throat specialist who will take a look at her ears to see if there is any hearing loss. She received ototoxic drugs while in the NICU and we are still unsure how/if her hearing has been affected.

We will also be taking a trip to San Antonio to see a liver specialist. Though her health is stable right now, it is very likely she will need a liver transplant sometime in her life. Whether it will be a year from now, five years from now, or twenty we don't know. At present, she is not even a candidate to be put on a liver transplant waiting list. We will be going to get her evaluated by the doctors that would be doing the liver transplant. Our doctors here felt like this would be a good thing to do early on. That way if things turn south quickly we would not be unfamiliar with them and vice versa.

Still working on holding my head up.

Still figuring each other out.

Not Feeling So Hot

2011-07-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

Not feeling well can you tell?

The past few days have been especially hard for Miss Abby. On Tuesday morning she woke up with 102 degree fever and really fussy. We gave her a cool bath and took her to the pediatrician. She had trouble using the restroom which is a much more complicated fix than a suppository for her. Also, she isn't supposed to have much, if any, tylenol for pain. It's not good for her liver. In other words, it hasn't been very easy for her the last few days. The pediatrician said it is probably a stomach bug and gave us some medication. We also can give her small doses of motrin for pain. In addition, Abigail has two teeth coming in that are more than likely adding to the pain. We hope the stomach bug runs its course and that she feels more like herself soon.

My new teeth

We did have a play date with Audrey T

We did have a few bright moments during the past week as we celebrated Independence Day with our family. Abby is making all sorts of funny faces as those teeth are coming in. We captured a few of them so click on the collages to make them larger.

My granddad can't get enough of me!

Camera Phone Pics

2011-06-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

Below are a few camera phone pictures as we haven't been diligent with the good camera the last few days. Picture quality isn't the greatest but the phone is easy to grab when funny faces occur.

On Wednesday Abigail had her follow-up Swallow Function Test and I snapped a few pictures of her getting ready for it. The process is fascinating to me so I thought I would share. They basically take a video xray of Abigail taking her formula with barium added and watch what happens when she swallows. The goal is to try to find the correct nipple to use on the bottle and the correct consistency of formula. They can see if she is aspirating or if the formula is going up into her nasal passages. At the end they show us the video and let us know what works best. It sounds fairly complicated but it was a good thing we did it because she aspirated a little with a standard nipple. We will use a slower flowing nipple to feed her because she has more control and coordination with it. She is still working at taking the bottle and we put the rest through her g-button.

After the Swallow Function Test we made a trip to the Build-a-Bear shop inside Cook's for a souvenir. Abby was transported in an ambulance after her birth so we got her a stuffed ambulance with sirens.

Some funny faces after eating.

Abby really, really loves being on the changing pad of her play yard. It is odd, but that is where she smiles, babbles, and kicks the most. We will have to get some better shots of it but here are a few.

We practice holding her head up a few times a day like this.

That's all for now we hope you have a good weekend. Thanks for checking in on Abby.

The End of Another Busy Week

2011-06-26T22:26:00.000-07:00

Well we wrapped up another busy week and it is on to the next. Below are a few pictures of Abigail throughout the week.

The end of the week has been busy but we were able to make the trip up to church as a family for the first time Sunday morning. Our Sunday School class has been so supportive and it was nice to get to bring her up and show her off a bit. She did a pretty good job of not making a scene.

Showing off at Sunday School

We have been working with Abigail on strengthening her neck lately and she is getting a little stronger. With tips from the physical therapist, we put her on a couch cushion on a slight incline, sit on the ground in front of her, and give her some encouragement. Frequently Cooper doesn't appreciate that the spotlight is not on him and barges in the middle of the action.

Sunday was also my parent's 35th Anniversary. We had dinner with them and our family friends from Nocona, the Waters. We celebrated the special occasion and visited between Abigail's feedings.

Joe, Jane, Abigail

Abigail shares a birthday with Barbara and we are happy they finally got to meet.

Barbara, Stephanie, Abby, Norman

This coming week Abigail will go back up to the hospital for a follow-up Swallow Function Test. The test is done in Radiology so we will head up there and check to see how she is doing eating. We will find out whether or not we need to make some changes with the way we feed her. So far, that's all she has scheduled for this week but I'm sure it will be busy. Have a good week.

Needles and Car Rides

2011-06-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

(We are running out of decent titles for our posts)

On Monday Abigail had a visit to the lab for a blood draw and an in-home visit from ECI. The lab visit went well considering they had to stick her twice. She is such a tough little girl. We have been there two times and each time an older kid in the next room is screaming bloody murder. Abby, fortunately, finds her happy place with a pacifier dipped in sugar water and that consoles her fairly well.

The ECI visit included a physical therapist who will help us come up with some goals for her to work toward. She needs to make up for the lost time in the NICU. Right now we are working with her on tummy time. The PT showed us some ways to help strengthen her neck and we are trying those out.

Abby also made a trip to Dallas to visit Papa Mike in the hospital. He is recovering well and has moved out of the ICU to a private room. She has been back and forth across the metroplex often the past few weeks but thankfully she likes car rides and doesn't mind being in the carseat too much.

Looking cool

She made a visit to see Uncle Ryan at his work.

Getting stronger

Father's Day

2011-06-19T22:05:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning to Abigail greeting me with a smile. I'm not sure it gets much better than that.

Today we visited Mike, Stephanie's dad, in the hospital. He will have quadruple bypass surgery tomorrow morning at 830 in Dallas. Please keep him in your prayers for a successful surgery and swift recovery.

Tomorrow Abby will head to the lab for blood draws. Then she will have another in-home evaluation from ECI with a physical therapist and nurse. We hope for continued improvement in weight and bilirubin levels.

First Father's Day

We are certainly very thankful for our dads.

We've Had Some Company

2011-06-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

Abigail has been doing great lately. She is progressively getting better at taking the bottle and is sleeping well throughout the night. She is doing well enough to receive visitors and get out and about a little. Our friends the Berry's, the Downs' and the Templin's stopped by in the last week to meet Abby. Jon and Leaza, Abigail's Aunt and Uncle, also came in town for a visit.

The Berry's brought their daughter Vaughn over to say hello to Abby. Their dad's were college roommates and apparently big Mav's fans.

Steven and Vaughn/ Abigail and Jody

Vaughn and Stephanie

Lindi and Abigail

On Monday the 13th Abigail turned 16 weeks old. We took some pictures of her in the glider to mark the occasion and Cooper made sure to make his presence known.

16 weeks old

Curious Cooper

16 weeks old

Jon and Leaza are moving to Washington. They stopped in for a while before they settle down in the Northwest. They are part of a team that is planting a church in Spokane and we wish them well in their new challenge.

Aunt Leaza

Aunt Leaza, Uncle Jon and Abby

Brothers

Stephanie's coworker and friend Heather and her family also stopped by to meet Abigail for the first time.

Eli, Heather, Abby, Sadie

The Templin family, back from New England, came over and met Abigail as well. We are so glad they are back in Texas.

Jody, Abby, Audrey, Josh

It is great to finally get to show off this little girl to all of our friends. We are so thankful she is well enough for company.

On a much more serious note, Stephanie's Dad, Mike Brown, had a heart attack this week. He is stable and will undergo bypass surgery early next week in the DFW area (Currently he is in Mesquite). As if we haven't asked for enough prayers from whoever is reading this thing. Keep him, Stephanie and Brittany, and the rest of the Brown family in your prayers please. Thanks.

Doctors and Softball!

2011-06-11T23:16:00.000-07:00

Abby's busy week is over. Thursday she had an in home visit with ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) to assess if she needs some assistance for areas like speech therapy and occupational therapy. Friday she had a follow-up visit to the Cardiologist's office. Abby had an EKG and a sonogram along with her check-up. The heart doctor was happy with the results of those tests. It was great to hear that her heart is healing well! The doctor prayed with us before we left and that was incredibly comforting. That kind of thing doesn't happen often but it is pretty powerful when it does.

Getting my 12 lead EKG

Worn out after all of the tests

They sent her home on a 24hr heart monitor

Today we took Abigail up to a nearby park where some friends of ours were putting on a softball tournament to raise money for her. We don't know exactly all of the details or how long it took but Cody Bush, a friend from church, organized a thirteen team tournament and it went really fantastic. The tournament lasted from nine in the morning until four and it was dang hot out there. We would like to sincerely thank Cody, several members of our Sunday school class and many people we don't know for their hard work. They helped organize, set up concessions, booked the fields and umpires and sat out in the heat to raise money for an incredible little girl. We were able to bring Abigail up there for a little while and show her off. We appreciate all that has been done on her/our behalf. It pretty much blows us away how we have been supported these past few months.

Below are a few shots of mostly our team and helpers but there were many more folks out there who pitched in and played. Thanks to all of you.

Happy Dad

Proud Mom

Jenna, Jamie, Heather

On Monday, Abigail will be sixteen weeks old, what a crazy ride it has been. We are so blessed! Thanks for sharing the journey with us.

Follow-Up Appointments

2011-06-08T00:18:00.000-07:00

Monday Abigail had a trip to the eye doctor, the outpatient lab, a stop for lunch and finished her day at the GI doctor. She did pretty great considering she went half the day with her eyes dilated and her hand and foot stuck. We stopped for lunch in the area and she did great at the restaurant. Her last visit to the GI doctor ended with a fire alarm and an evacuation from the building.

Eye Exam

Waiting room entertainment

Practicing holding our head up

What a trooper

Fire Alarm!

The doctor wasn't too concerned and finished the exam

Today Abigail had a follow-up visit with the surgeon, we stopped by home health to pick up her formula, and we went to the pharmacy. Her meds and formula are difficult to come by so we get them at the hospital and from home health. It's also fairly chaotic trying to start a feeding pump in a waiting room or in the car but we will get the hang of it. We also brought her up to the restaurant to watch some of the mavericks game which might have been pushing it. She did pretty well there but was worn out by the end of the night and let us know about it. Tomorrow she doesn't have any appointments so that will be a nice break. Our little girl is 10lbs 5oz and finally on the growth chart. She is looking good and her bili level was 3.9 on Monday. That's the lowest it has ever been. We are loving having her home with us! It is truly a blessing to get to love on her.

Side note: I got to go watch the Mavs Sunday night at the NBA finals and had a blast. Go Mavs!

Thanks to Ben Goodyear! Go Mavs!

What are We Up To?

2011-06-04T00:55:00.000-07:00

What have we been up to? Well, Abby has been playing on her play mat while her dog keeps a lookout. She absolutely loves it! She smiles and kicks and wiggles all around.

Papa Mike came to visit and got to hold her for the first time!

We had our first outing to Buy Buy Baby today. Abigail actually liked riding around in the cart. She did great as long as we just kept moving. She looked so cute in her Red Raider gear!

Now that she has had a few baths at home she doesn't think it is so bad. We even got a smile this time! Next week our schedule is jam packed with follow up Doctors appointments and hopefully we won't have any surprises. It will be a big challenge trying to manage feedings and office visits. Things have been going well lately and we pray that continues.

G-button Mishap and Owl Update

2011-06-01T05:24:00.000-07:00

The g-button has been pretty great at night so far. We fill up a bag full of formula and push a button on a pump without disturbing Abby. Then wait about an hour and get up to turn it off. Well sometime last night after three it came loose and I had a big mess on my hands. The pack and play at the foot of the bed was pretty soaked and so was Abigail. A few new sheets and new clothes and no big deal...

...Well, as it turns out the owl showing up yesterday was weird but maybe there was a some reason why. The good bird dog was on high alert last night as we passed through the garage to go outside. He had good reason. As I got the wet bed all cleaned up and took the wet diaper out to the garage trash I noticed an odd noise. Screech...Screech...Holy crap that's not Abby crying!

Wow! Two feet away!

Sitting by the back door recycling bin

This one was coaxing him out

He finally hopped out of the garage

and hopped under the truck

And finally he hopped off...

That will wake you up out of a fog real quick at six in the morning. I am not sure but I think they made a nest in the attic. Either way, I have no idea how he ended up in the garage. Hope you have a good morning readers.

A Walk and a Bath

2011-05-31T21:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a day of firsts for Abigail. She went on her first stroller ride and she had her first real bath in the tub. She had a few baths and sponge baths at the hospital but yesterday she finally got a bath in our tub. She did well during both events and Cooper was there to help. She has been doing great at home and was up to 9lbs 10oz when the home health nurse came yesterday.

Tuckered out

She's not sure what to think about this (Her g-button is stained by meds)

Cooper the supervisor

All clean

Today we had an interesting visitor in our driveway. I think he felt welcomed by some of the decor in Abby's room. This screech owl has shown up a few times in our yard. He is awesome and I finally got a few shots of him.

Mr. Owl

Abby's room

Hanging out in her crib

A Few Recent Pictures

2011-05-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

Hello

Grandaddy Joe

We've had a few visitors over the past week but other than that not much new. Aunt Terry and Uncle Pat came in to visit and got to meet Abby for the first time. They went to a Ranger game to celebrate Aunt Terry and Grammy Sherry's birthday's. Abigail wore her Ranger gear to greet them.

Uncle Pat and Aunt Terry

We are not condoning this but it was pretty cute

Aunt Terry

Twins Grammy Sherry and Great Aunt Terry celebrating a birthday

Yesterday we had a few folks over to celebrate Grammy Sherry's Birthday. We had a nice time visiting and catching up.

Aunt Brittany

Today a home health nurse came to draw labs for Abigail's liver. Getting stuck is nothing new to her, she did just fine. We are just getting used to feeding her and giving her meds while getting everything else done. Not alot has gone on other than that which we are okay with.

Getting my foot stuck is a piece of cake!

Trying to Find a Routine

2011-05-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been going just fine. We have been trying to get used to life at home with Miss Abby. Just about everything revolves around feeding every three hours. We are trying to find a steady routine. Abby is our first child so we are finding out about the joys of sleeplessness and exhaustion. We both would trade sleeplessness for hospital vigils any day of the week.

Yesterday we got our first dose of traveling with a feeding schedule. Abigail had an appointment with her pediatrician, then we headed to my mom's retirement party to celebrate. My mom is retiring from teaching and many people came out to show their appreciation.

Grandmother Jane and Abigail

It was pretty crazy trying to manage the carseat, diaper bag and the backpack that carries her feeding pump/formula. We learned the first lesson the hard way, gravity is key with the feeding pump. We will get the hang of it soon I hope.

So far, we are managing well at home and haven't had too many mishaps. Today we added another bit of crazy to the mix. Cooper, our five year old German Shorthaired Pointer, came back home to a big surprise. He is probably not that thrilled with his new sidekick right now but hopefully he will warm up to her soon. He already started barking at me when I was trying to console her by rocking her in my arms. He's a bit high-strung to say the least.

Cooper's first time to meet Abigail

Get used to it man!

We did take a few minutes yesterday to get her all cleaned up with a sponge bath and she didn't mind too much.

Tonight Stephanie went back to work from maternity leave. She will be missed at home but she has to get back to taking care of other kiddos now. That's all for tonight, take care.

Welcome Home!

2011-05-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

Time for an update on Abigail's transition to home. Everything went well during our night "rooming-in" and we managed to get a few hours of sleep. Abigail gets fed every three hours and has a few medications periodically so we were in charge of those. We bottle feed her at 9, 3 and 9 and put the remainder of the feed on a pump that goes through her g-button. Preparing the pump, bottles and meds can keep a person busy. After a night in a room by ourselves taking care of her we signed all of the documents for discharge. Someone from each specialty came by and gave instructions for her care and made sure we were prepared. Many others stopped in just to say bye. We were very antsy but finally by 2:30pm she received her immunizations (which she did great with) and had her final feed.

By 3:30 Abigail was all dressed up and ready to go! A few final pictures later and Stephanie, her nurse Alex, and Abby in her carseat met me at the front door to load up. It was a great feeling to have her all loaded up and driving away.

Abigail did great on the ride home and we were greeted by our parents as we pulled up to the house. We have been busy ever since. Tomorrow we will take Abby to see the pediatrician for her first visit, so we'll see how that goes. Thanks for checking in on our family.

Rooming In - Headed Out

2011-05-22T23:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight we are Rooming-In and tomorrow we will head out of here! For the past few days Abigail has been in the Progressive Unit, a step down unit of the NICU. We have been busy during that time making arrangements for Abigail to come join us at home. Stephanie was able to miss work on Thurday, Friday, and Saturday nights so that was a huge blessing.

Abby's set up in the Progressive Unit

We moved her into a private room this afternoon and so far it has been a busy day. We had our morning visit, got the house fairly squared away, and came up here at 230pm to begin our stay. Since then it has pretty much been us taking care of her. Giving meds, preparing and running feeds, giving Abby a bath, and all the other cares have kept us busy. We will no doubt be exhausted like every other new parent but we have been waiting too long to be worried about that.

Abigail is weighing in at just over 9 lbs and her color is looking good. Early this morning she will have one last set of labs drawn and before we leave she will get her 2 month old immunizations. Enough time has passed since heart surgery and she can finally have those shots.

Abigail had two primary nurses during her stay here at the NICU. One for days and one for nights. Alex was her day primary nurse and Rachel was her night primary nurse. She has been here for long enough to have had most of the nurses in the unit and we are grateful for all of them. These two girls in particular, helped to maintain continuity of care and we are certainly thankful for them.

Abigail's night primary nurse Rachel

No caption needed

Abigail's day primary nurse Alex

So we hope the rest of the night goes well here and we look forward to Abigail being sent on her way with well wishes from the staff. Thanks for checking in. Perhaps we will get to show her off in person with you soon.

Something We've Been Hoping For

2011-05-19T22:46:00.000-07:00

On Monday, February 21 Abigail Elise Tettleton was born. She has spent the past 90 days in the NICU. On Monday, May 23, if all goes as planned, she will be released to go HOME. We are somewhat hesitant to announce it because we know what can happen in a few days time. But when Monday comes, and we are really walking out the doors, then we will take a moment to rejoice. And believe me, we will rejoice!

We will say goodbye to this scary but amazing place!

We have spent the past few days arranging outpatient doctor visits and trying to get things in order. Miss Abigail will be a busy bee for a long time to come with doctors and therapists and who knows what else. The tentative plan is to Room-In on Sunday and be discharged Monday. Rooming In is part of the process to leave the NICU and will include us doing all of Abby's care.

She will leave her castle and all of her crying friends.

She will move in here and meet her good bud Cooper!

We would like to once again express our gratitude for your diligent prayers for our daughter and our family. This is great news and we are so thankful for it but please continue to keep Abigail in your prayers.

Lessons and Verses

2011-05-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

Three months have past and our little girl has had three surgeries with at least one more in the future. We started sharing this blog with some family members and close friends the first few weeks because they couldn't come see Abby. The blog has since been shared and passed on to others to the point that many of you are strangers to us. That's okay in our eyes because we know that many of you are praying for Abigail. We are truly thankful for your prayers because we know they have been heard.

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:22

For the last three months we have driven a car around with an empty carseat. In our home an empty swing sits in the bay window and a beautiful pink nursery full of wonderful gifts awaits up the stairs. Time has stood still for us these past twelve weeks and we are out of the loop on just about everything other than blood pressures and respiratory rates. What we expected to happen three months ago didn't go as we planned. The days and weeks that followed Abigail's birth didn't seem to go that well either. Those weeks consisted of a few ups, many downs, countless prayers, and constant fear.

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

1 Peter 5:7-10

That is are hard lesson.

Did that second paragraph sound like complaining or what (read-This is not meant to be a pity party)? We have, however, had those thoughts of despair, anger, and frustration over the past few months. More often than not though, we were able to walk through the NICU doors and smile down on a child who helped lift our spirits. Not all can say that, though. We are so blessed!

Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 1 Chronicles 16:11

In the last 3 months, HE has shown us a how precious each day is (literally), how important a church family is, and how HIS plan is better.

A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9

We don't know what life will be like once Abby is home. Will her health hold up? What trials will she face throughout her life? And even simply what will tomorrow bring? We will take it day by day and press on in faith.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:19

Twelve Weeks Old

2011-05-17T00:39:00.000-07:00

Monday Abigail was twelve weeks old. She has overcome many difficulties in those twelve weeks and she continues to fight. She was weaned off of the nasal canula (oxygen tube in her nose) early this morning and her replogle (tube down her nose - used to drain off fluid from her stomach) was removed about noon. No tubes on her face for her to try to pull out. Abigail got her first feed of 30ml given over 30 minutes through her g-button at three this afternoon. They will slowly progress to a full feed of 90ml by tomorrow afternoon if she does well with them. She is more alert and seems much less groggy from meds today. Abigail's heart rate continues to puzzle everyone by how low it is but all other signs are showing the heart is doing its job. We will continue our journey tomorrow and pray for continued strength, healing, and comfort. Thank you for joining us in that prayer.

Progress

2011-05-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to report that we are making some progress. This morning Abigail was extubated (breathing tube removed) and is tolerating it fairly well. She is still on a small amount of oxygen, but they are taking things slow because they don't want her to be under any more stress. The doctors are being very cautious because her heart is still recovering from the repair. While on the ventilator Abigail was on a sedative that helped her relax and keep her calm. With that came a very low heart rate. Her heart rate is still pretty slow right now, but we are hopeful that it will pick back up once she is more alert and there are no more heavy drugs in her system.

Another concern that has been lingering is the fear of infection. Shortly after she was re-intubated (Thursday night) a blood culture was drawn. It would tell us if she had some sort of bacterial infection in her bloodstream. That could be very dangerous because of the recent repair to her heart. The first culture that was done on Friday morning came back positive. Abigail was then put on several anitbiotics to fight whatever infection it could be. We have been waiting the past few days to see what kind of bacteria it was. In the meantime, they have been drawing a culture every day to see if those grow anything. They study the cultures for a few days and the last two (from Saturday and Sunday) are currently showing negative for bacteria. Today we found out that the bacteria that was growing on the first culture (Friday) was most likely a contaminant. That just means that it could be bacteria that is on the skin normally, but got into the specimen. We are relieved because that means she can be on less antibiotics and will not need to be on them for the 10 or more days they could require. It also means she does not need a new IV line at this time. That's good because it has been very difficult for them to get IV access on her lately due to the swelling. Also, her poor body has been stuck so many times they are running out of good veins to use.

All of that said, she has had a really difficult time the past few days fighting pain and stress. We hope they will start small feeds of pedialyte soon and wean her off of the small amount of oxygen she is requiring. We are praying for steady improvement and no setbacks. Thanks for checking in on our sweet girl.

Slow Recovery

2011-05-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was really, really rough. Abigail was extubated from the ventilator Thursday morning and had a real tough time with pain all day. It was gut wrenching to watch. I guess it was too soon because she was intubated again Thursday evening and given more pain medication. There is a fine line between being able to breath on her own with her pain under control versus being medicated heavily enough that she needs to rely on the vent. We were hoping for a speedy a recovery and a ticket home but now we just need to get over the pain issue. It is extremely difficult to see her like this because last week we had a happy, growing baby that just had trouble eating on her own. Now we have a really, really sick kid again. Today she is doing a little better and we hope things continue to slowly progress. More than likely she will be on the ventilator throughout the weekend.

We ask for your prayers specifically for healing, comfort and no infections. Abigail has overcome several major health issues and we pray that this will just be a slow recovery back. Thanks.

The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him

Nahum 1:7

Fundo and G-Button Surgery

2011-05-11T22:45:00.000-07:00

Today Abigail had her third surgery. The Fundo and G-Button surgery went well. Abby came back to the unit intubated (on a ventilator) and will be weaned off of it by tomorrow morning hopefully. That's pretty much all we know right now. We hope she will make a swift recovery and we look forward to sharing that news with everyone.

Surgery Number Three

2011-05-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning bright and early Abigail will head over to get a Fundo and G-button. It will be her third surgery and she is not yet three months old. The same surgeon who did her Kasai procedure will be doing the procedures tomorrow and he will be extra careful not to damage his other work. We will get there early tomorrow and head over to surgery at 730 am. We pray that surgery will go well tomorrow and Abigail will have a swift recovery. Thanks for your prayers.

Mom's and Bath Time!

2011-05-09T23:57:00.000-07:00

Abigail's direct bilirubin level dropped again this past week from 5.4 to 4.4. Awesome! Today we discussed the surgery with the surgeon and signed consent forms. The surgery for the Fundo and G-button will be on Wednesday morning sometime. Also a new tube was placed down Abigail's nose to reduce the amount of spit-ups she is having. The trans-piloric tube passes through her stomach to the intestine and the feed is put through the tube continuously. As a result her bottle feeds were stopped. She will be NPO (nothing per oral) tomorrow night sometime to prepare for surgery. So hopefully two days away from the bottle shouldn't be a huge deal.

Happy Camper!

The weekend was tough for another reason though, it was Stephanie's first Mother's Day and it was overwhelming. We are thankful for our mother's and all that they have done for us. We got to share a nice dinner with our families but it was shared without an important little person at the table. We were glad we could get together but it was a little bittersweet. There are many people with tougher situations than we are in and we know that. Stephanie has done an incredible job though and she deserves a great deal of credit.

Stephanie, Sherry and Brittany

Our Mother's - Jane and Sherry

A proud Mother is a pretty cool thing

On a lighter note, our daughter is a night owl and sleeps throughout the day. The NICU is generally pretty loud and bustling during the day so maybe she just shuts down. I don't know. For whatever reason Abigail is just wide awake when its fairly quiet back there and it is so fun to watch her look around and interact. She had a bath tonight, the first one since heart surgery, and did great. Those moments help make up for the sucky ones.

Are you kidding me!

What Happy Girls!

All Cleaned Up!

G-Button and Fundo

2011-05-07T23:10:00.000-07:00

The results of the ph probe showed 150 episodes of reflux in a 24 hour period. That seems like a bunch. The tube that was put down her nose and into her esophagus Wednesday measured ph levels at different depths. The reflux was primarily formula reflux and not acid reflux. If it had been acid reflux they could have tried to treat it with Zantac or Previcid. She has been on Zantac for a while now. Her hiccuping, coughing, and spitting up all correlated with the ph levels and helped verify the results. I think the danger is that Abigail would reflux and then aspirate the formula causing all sorts of problems for her lungs. It would also over time do a great deal of damage to her esophagus.

So Abby will be getting the Fundo and a G-Button on Wednesday, the 11th of May. We are not that thrilled with it but hopefully it will go smoothly and fix the reflux problem. We will find out more about the surgery and the time it will be in the next few days. For now I am sure we can rely on wikipedia for a glimpse. I'm kidding but it does give you a picture.

Feeding Update

2011-05-05T23:36:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that after all of the things that Abigail has gone through (liver surgery, heart surgery, etc.) that learning to eat again would be so difficult. The last few days we have continued to work on Abby taking the bottle at every other feed. Her progress has been slow going and she is usually able to take 1/3 of her full amount (now 70ml) through the bottle. The remaining amount is put down the tube in her nose. We were trying to give her time to catch back on before other measures were taken but this could take a while to get up to the full feeds for all of the feedings. Needless to say we have been really frustrated lately.

G-Button

The decision was made Tuesday to go ahead with the process of putting in a "g-button" to assist with feedings. A "g-button" is essentially a direct port to the stomach. It will be yet another surgery but it will make going home a reality. We would continue to work with Abigail on taking the bottle and run the rest of her feeds through the the "g-button". We had hoped we wouldn't have to go this route because the poor girl has gone through so much but we could be home shortly and that would be really fantastic.

Fundo

Before this next operation occurs several tests are being run to rule out reflux. Yesterday, she had an Upper GI test done and today they put another tube done her throat to track ph levels. This ph probe will be left in for 24 hours and will determine if Abigail has acid reflux or not. Since she is having occasional spit-ups the doctors are trying to find out why. If indeed, she does have acid reflux it is likely that when they put the "g-button" in that she will also have to have a "fundo" or fundoplication. The "fundo" has typically been paired with the "g-button" surgery because it prevents acid reflux. Unfortunately, it is also more invasive. In Abigail's case, she has already had significant surgeries and we hope that she doesn't need another one. We will see what the results are when the test is complete but we are sure hoping that she will just get a "g-button".

Another tube, please...

Liver

On Monday, Abigail's bilirubin level dropped to 5.4, the lowest in a really long time. So that's a bit of good news and her color is quite a bit better as a result. Her labs can be done outpatient should we get to go home soon.

Next Step

Alright, so long story short, we want to bring this girl home! We would also really love it if she didn't need to go though a whole lot more just to get there. Tonight we took a CPR course and checked that off the list of requirements to get to go home. It's been really tough seeing the possibility of getting to go home and having the fear of something occurring to hold it up. Abigail has been more active and alert over the past few weeks and we know she will thrive even more at home with nonstop attention. She is growing steadily and currently weighs 8 lbs 1.8 oz.

As the time creeps closer for Stephanie to return to work, the frustration of not having our baby home is taking its toll. We look forward to writing about Abby eating, and smiling, and babbling while she here at the house. More than likely there will be a surgery early next week. The extent of the surgery we will know more about in a few days. Thanks for reading to this point and keep the prayers coming. Below are some pictures of the last few days.

Getting a sponge bath!

Actually not hating a sponge bath!

Resting with Mom

Another Thing We Are Thankful For...

2011-05-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

Abigail's primary doctor since her birth, a neonatologist, has rotated off duty at the hospital. He has been fantastic and we will miss him a great deal. We feel like Abigail has gotten amazing care over the past few months but this particular doctor was her main one. He had several important conversations with us and helped us make some sense out of all of this. Doctor N, Thank You!

Feeding and Photos

2011-04-30T00:03:00.000-07:00


This is my job, eat and grow.

We are still working on bottle feeding with Abigail and the progress has been slow. We are holding out hope that she can pick it up soon. In the mean time here's some recent photos.

We took a break from the hospital to catch a Ranger game!

Dad, Granddad and Abigail

If you could not see the photos from previous posts of Abby's photography session check a few of them out here. paigewalkerphotography

Paige did a great job especially considering the location and time constraints. Thanks again Paige!

Learning to Eat Again

2011-04-27T23:13:00.000-07:00

We have been working really hard with Abigail lately on taking a bottle. She gets to try three times a day and it has been a challenge unlike before she had her first surgery. She usually spits, gags and turns her head away fighting us. Yesterday the speech therapist came by to assess her eating skills and after working with her she decided we needed to do swallow function test. Today Abby took a trip downstairs to radiology. The test was an x-ray done while the speech therapist fed her with different nipples and different consistencies of formulas to see how she swallowed. From the test we found out that we have been using the wrong nipple and that she needs her formula thickened. With those things ironed out we hope to have better success feeding Abigail. With the first effort this evening we didn't have much luck. This may seem fairly minor but we really hope she gets the hang of it soon. That's all we've been working on. We'll keep everyone posted if there is anything new..

Mom and me

Dad and me

Our transport to radiology.

Taking a peek at the camera through the porthole.

I deserve a nap after that hard work.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T22:01:00.000-07:00

Abigail - Post Op

2011-04-23T23:50:00.000-07:00

Abigail is still on the road to recovery from heart surgery. She will be one week post op on Monday and considering what we were expecting, she is doing fantastic. The doctors are gradually increasing her feeding volumes and the amount of calories she is getting with the formula. We have settled back in to our routine and we bottle feed her 3 times a day. Our goal for now will be just to work on getting bigger.

Mom and Uncle Ryan

Story time!

2 Months Old

As I pray over Abigail each time we leave her bedside I ask him to comfort her, heal her and give her strength. I thank the Lord for blessing us with Abigail, and when we walk away I always end up thinking about how much we love her. Isn't it amazing though, HE loves her even more.

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21

Making A Swift Recovery

2011-04-20T20:54:00.000-07:00

Abigail had a few more busy days Tuesday and Wednesday. Following heart surgery Monday she was moved to the Cardiac Pod of the PICU. She came back with her chest closed up, on a ventilator, oxygen, and a pace maker. She came off the ventilator 530am Tuesday morning and started very small feedings later that afternoon. The chest tube, used to drain off fluid, was removed on Tuesday as well. At 12am this morning, the pace maker was discontinued.
As the morning progressed we found out that our stay in the PICU would be short lived. Abigail was recovering from her heart surgery very well and quicker than we had expected. She had her foley catheter, pacing wires, arterial line, and central line removed by eleven am this morning.

Tuesday Pictures

All of the equipment, in a nice, quite room. Crazy huh!

Abby and Mom

A little swollen but looking great!

Sucker for tiny fingers!

A visit from Great Uncle Doug and Grandaddy Joe

Wednesday Pictures

This pretty girl was looking good today!

Resting after several lines were taken out.

Mom and Dad's friend Blake B meeting Abby.

Cousin Lindsey and Mom.

Getting ready for my trip.

Moving time!

After a few visitors, we were headed back to the NICU around 2pm. Leaving was bittersweet because we had a nice, quite, large room all to ourselves and a relaxed visitation policy. However, we are pleasantly surprised by her rapid recovery. Several of the NICU staff members were shocked to see Abigail back so soon.

Abby is all settled in back in the NICU and will continue her recovery there. They will gradually increase her feeding sizes and ween her off of the small amount of oxygen she is still using. Over the coming days we will watch the liver closely to see how it will respond. Thank you for your prayers, I have no doubt that they were heard. Our little girl is incredibly strong! By no means are we out of the woods, so continue to pray for her. We look forward to sharing good news with you all.

Resting in the NICU after a long day.

Abigail Two Months Old - Heart Surgery

2011-04-18T21:38:00.000-07:00

Well we are back home and I can finally take a second to let you all know that the surgery went well. Praise the Lord! The day was busy with doctors and nurses trying to get three different surgeries completed with one heart surgeon to do the work.

Abigail with a tape mustache before surgery.

Resting and Comfortable

Abigail's surgery was delayed a little bit which turned out to be a good thing because several of us got a chance to be with her this morning. Aunt Lesa and Aunt Sudie got to see her for the first time. We got to have some special moments all together that would not have been possible otherwise.

So thankful for these moments!

G

Granddaddy Joe and Grammy Sherry

Aunt Sudie and G

Abby went under the knife at about noon and the doctors completed the operation quicker than we had expected. They called about 330pm to say that the surgery had gone well and that they were closing her chest up. We were prepared for her to come back from surgery with her chest open so that was also another good thing. The swelling and bleeding must not have been bad enough to need to leave her open. Also her liver did its job once she was off of the heart and lung machine. The surgeon said that the TAPVR repair was straight forward and that he repaired almost all of her VSDs (See old posts for some explanation). In other words, I am not sure the surgery could have gone any better. Of course, we are not out of the woods yet but we are thankful that it went well today. We got to see her as she passed by and then we got to go visit her in the PICU a little bit later.

Abigail is currently on a ventilator and doing well in her recovery efforts. Hopefully she will be ready to go back to the NICU in a week or so to continue the recovery process. We will update as we know more but probably no pictures for a little while. Our family is so grateful for your encouraging words and prayers these last two months and especially today. Goodnight.

A Family of Faith, Caring for You

2011-04-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

Both of us grew up in Arlington, Texas and were raised in Christian homes with loving parents. We have attended First Baptist Church Arlington almost our whole lives. We were both baptized there, regularly attended on Sundays, went to Children's camp, Youth Camp, and many other significant moments in our lives occurred there growing up. We knew each other from the church Youth Group went off to college and started dating. We both came back to Arlington and were married at FBCA. We are now in the Young Married Sunday School class. Long story short, "The Church" has played an extremely important role in our lives. I remember ten years ago how my parents friends surrounded our family with love and prayers when my mom was battling brain cancer (Jane Tettleton, 10 years cancer free. Praise God.). The same church family, and friends we have gained along the way, have "lifted us up." It has been a constant reminder how important it is for believers to gather, worship, and pray. Those of you who are our age and older, who went to FBCA might recognize the blog post title. "A Family of Faith, Caring for You" was the church slogan while we were growing up. I really can't think of a more fitting description of how I feel about the people God has enriched our lives with.

As I tell people our daughter's story I usually end up saying something to the effect of "Yes, we have gone there all our lives and never truly realized how important the Body of Christ can be. It has been so comforting to know all of you are praying for Abigail." We have received many generous gifts from people from our church, people from our family's churches, people we don't know at all. We have been showered with your prayers, gifts, money, letters and even washing our cars and mowing our lawn. I am writing today to say THANK YOU to each of you who stopped what you were doing in your busy lives and did one of those things for our family. You will never now how much it means to Stephanie and I. As my mom often says "Your reward will be in heaven!" My mom also taught me to write a thank you notes for gifts. I will write them, I promise, but for now please accept this "Thank You".

Your letters of encouragement
and kind words they have been such a blessing.

Another special visitor, Aunt Leaza got to meet Abigail this weekend!

So I got a bit side tracked. What I was trying to get to was that our Sunday School Class organized a massive garage sale to help out with Abigail's care. If you have ever put on a garage sale you will empathize with the group. I was there Friday night and people kept coming and coming with truck loads of stuff to sell. They managed to get everything put away by midnight and were up and at it bright an early. Each one, with there own families to take care of, stopping to help take care of ours. Thanks to the Bush Family for hosting and countless others who contributed with time, donations, bargaining skills and sweat equity. We are so blessed to be a part of this community of believers!

Thanks to everyone involved!

Another thing we got to do today was have a photographer come take some pictures of Abby. All the IVs and cords were gone for a brief time and we got special permission to have a small session at her bedside and for a few minutes outside. It was a very special moment for us as we wheeled her bed out onto the rooftop patio into the sun and fresh air. We would like to thank Paige Walker for doing a great job and being incredibly flexible with the environment. Paige was one of Stephanie's sorority sisters and is a talented photographer. You can see some of the pictures from Abigail's session here and some of her other work here.

What a challenge!

Sunshine and fresh air!

So you can see the last few days have been pretty busy so I am doing a last minute post before Abigail has her Heart Surgery. Tomorrow morning at 8am they will take her back and begin pre-op things like IVs and anesthesia. We expect that by 10am they will be about ready for operating. One of the key factors of this surgery will be how Abigail's liver will respond once the surgery is complete. The surgery will last approximately 5-6 hours and they will leave her in the OR up to 2-3 hours for monitoring post-op. She will be taken to the PICU to recover and will remain there until she is able to be weaned off of the ventilator. She will remain in PICU for probably around a week and will then go back to NICU to continue her long road of recovery.

Please pray for her doctors, the staff and that Abigail will continue to be the strong little girl we know she is. Thanks for caring, praying and loving on us.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6,7).

"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16).

Bathtime!

2011-04-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

Today Abigail got her first real bath! She was less than thrilled and let us know the whole time.

Aunt Brittany was there to help.

All wrapped up and cozy!

Enamored with her mobile.

Goodnight Everyone!