the trach is out!

hi babe=)

you did it. your trach came out wednesday. we got to the picu around noon and played with you in there for a few hours. you flirted with everyone who walked by and then dr rodgers got there around 3:00. there were probably just as many people in the room as last time, but you were loving it! you were maybe in the best mood you've ever been in. that worked out nicely. they got all the monitors on you and daddy just took it right out. i didn't even know it had happened until after the fact-you were laying on one side of him and i was standing on the other. i looked over toward you and saw the trach laying on the bed-i jerked my head over to you and realized it was out and you couldn't care less! you were just laying there looking around at everyone. wondering what the big deal was. your sats didn't change at all. i think they actually might have gotten better since you got it out. so everyone watched you for about 15 minutes-daddy played with you and threw you up and down in the air and you laughed at him. all was well and we were pretty giddy. you got a new boyfriend in the midst of all this, by the way. his name is pete. that's not to say that doug has been replaced-you still love him very much and light up when he walks in the room. so the next few days were spent staring at your neck and listening to your sweet voice-we love hearing you laugh, and cry...daddy is a little guilty of actually trying to make you cry just so he could hear that sweet sound=). we were supposed to go home saturday but you had consistently looked so good since the trach came out (and the hospital needed your room) so dr rodgers let us go friday! daddy asked if i wanted to take you to virginia beach to celebrate and i thought that was a great idea. we went home first to get some more food for you, then took off for the beach. all was well until we were about 40 miles out of richmond and we got a flat tire! so change of plans-daddy put on the spare tire while you watched intently, occasionally staring at the cars and trucks whizzing past us...then we drove back to sam's in richmond to get a new tire. it's 7:00 by this time, and since virginia beach was clearly not an option anymore we decided to take you to a japanese steakhouse to celebrate. i thought you'd like watching the guy cook in front of us and i figured it would keep a one year old fairly occupied during dinner. it was very fun=) so there's the story of getting your trach out. pretty non-eventful. but pretty incredible, nonetheless=)

i know without a doubt that i'm not fully comprehending what a big deal this is. we're so thankful, that's for sure, and i kind of realize that we have been blessed beyond our wildest imagination. but i just don't want to miss for a second or ever take for granted the gift God has given us in you. and all these steps toward health that you're taking. i pray that He will show me every day what a treasure you are-that He will remind me of where we started with you and in that help me recognize and remember His hand of healing and provision that He's shown us-and that i will be continually humbled by the fact that He chose daddy and me to be your parents and for us to be a part of this journey with you. we are so thankful. we are full of praise.

"Praise the Lord, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits--

who forgives your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things..."

-Psalm 103

you draw our eyes upward, sweet girl. i love you. you are our greatest joy=)

mommy

before...

and after!

talking to pete, your newest boyfriend

you're gonna miss having your suction tube to play with!

daddy and i, on the other hand, will not miss it at all.

wondering how to get out there...

such a happy girl=)

doug heard that he might have been replaced, so he rushed on over to reclaim your heart.

i think it worked=)

silly daddy and daughter

i love my sweet girl=)

you and me with megan and lindsay, the sweet girls who kept mommy fed while you were in the hospital=) (yes-that's a plastic fork in your hand)

at the japanese steakhouse!

you look like such a big girl!

this is how you reacted to the big flame! the cook asked if he should make the flame smaller for you but we said no-that you'd be alright. you just grabbed onto my sleeve for a second and then went back to your business. you big brave girl=)

this is a video we took about 15 minutes after the trach came out-we were goofy over your sweet laugh=)



this one was a couple days later before we came home from the hospital. you love your gilly fish. and your silly daddy=)