Met Elle's Surgeon

Well we met with Elle's surgeon, and it went great! Nice doctor, and I am feeling more and more better with the whole situation. God is just preparing me for this whole thing, and I can feel it! We will be getting a call in the next week to set up an appt with the ENT and Speech therapist because they need to see if Elle should get tubes put in her ears during her surgery. Babies with Cleft pallet don't have fluid drain out of their ears easily because of the muscle back by the tubes don't work very well when you swallow, which causes the fluid to stay in the ear, and then causes ear infections. Knock on wood, Elle has had one ear infection so far (hoping it stays that way!) but since she is already going to be put under anesthesia for her cleft repair, they always do the tubes then if needed.  So we will go to the ENT appt in 3-4 months and see what they recommend doing for tubes. We will also be getting a call I am guessing in the next week to set up Elle's surgery date. The doctor was saying we will be doing it when Elle is around 12 months. Before Elle's surgery she needs to be off of her bottle, and drinking out of a cup, or a special sippy cup (which we have 3 of them for her when the time comes to introduce them to her). They are really cool, never seen them before until I talked with a mom with a child that had cleft pallet and has been through all of this, told me about them (her daughter also went to the same surgeon Elle is going to).  They look like this........ http://www.amazon.com/Philips-AVENT-Natural-Drinking-1-Pack/dp/B006GYLL8Y/ref=pd_cp_ba_3

So the surgeon recommended introducing Elle this cup when she is about 10 months old and slowly getting her off the bottle. Crazy to think that is only 4 months away to start that! We asked him how long the surgery typically takes and he said about 3 hours, thats including pre-opp, surgery, and post-opp. He said that when they take her back for the surgery that don't do the surgery right away. They get her ready. Put gas on her to make her sleepy, get i.v in her and the tubes, then put her under and do the surgery. Thats hard for me to think they will do all that and I won't be there with her to comfort her. Makes me tear up when I really start thinking about it, but I also know that it is for the best that I am not there, cause I know it will be hard for me to see it. I am just praying now, that she doesnt have stranger anxiety, cause that will be really hard for me! So after surgery, the doctor said that we won't be able to see her till she has waken up from anesthesia and is breathing ok, and everything is good. He said that could be 30-40 min till she wakes up, its hard to say. Doctor also said that they will have "no-no's" on her, which is bands that go over her elbows so she doesnt put her hands in her mouth. He said that they will send those home with us, cause she is going to need to have those on for naps, bed time, and not being right by us to supervise hands going in mouth. She will need those for 3-4 weeks. He said that we should be there for one night, thats if everything goes good. Typically one night is all that is needed. Then we go back to see him 2 weeks after surgery, and then back again 4-6 weeks after surgery. Then if everything looks good at that last follow up we won't need to come back till she is 2 1/2-3 for the yearly clinics.

I think thats all that was discussed and I don't think I am forgetting anything. I am hoping that her appt is early August because thats before Eli goes to school, and it would make things a little bit easier during this, but really when ever it is, we make it work! Not that I haven't been praying about it since we found out Elle had cleft, but lots more praying until the surgery date comes.

1/2 a year old!!

Well I can't believe the time has already come that I am writing Elle's 6 month blog post, but it has, so here I am!

Elle is getting so big!! She has a 6 month check up on the the 28th. So we will see how much she weighs! Last appt which was Jan 2nd (her last weight check) she weighed 12 lbs 11.5 oz and if I remember correctly she was 25 1/4 in long! She also has an appt the 23rd at U of M Mott Hospital for her consolation with the doctor that is going to do her surgery. Looking forward to meeting him and seeing what he has to say on what to get ready for, for Elle's surgery. I have been dreading Elle having surgery since we found out she had a cleft pallet. In fact I get choked up. I know sounds silly! They do surgeries for this sort of thing all the time, and we are going to the best place to have it done,  and she is going to be just fine, but its my baby, so thinking of her going through that makes me sad. But I know it is going to be all good. I am slowly getting more at peace with the whole thing, which is answer to prayer.

Elle has been eating baby food along with oatmeal. She loves her oatmeal and seems to like sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, apples, and pears. We are going to try some bananas this week. A week ago we started putting her in her crib at night (cause she was co-sleeping with us and has been doing naps in her crib for awhile) and is doing amazing!! She has made this whole transfer a piece a cake! Especially compared to Dom!! It was not fun making the transition with Dominic and I was preparing for something along those lines. She is ready for bed between 7:30-8:30 and sleeps till 1-2 am and is ready for a bottle, then goes back to sleep till 8. Sometimes she wakes up for a bottle around 5:30 am. She is getting on a set schedule now, and it is so nice. She is doing 2-4 naps, it all depends on how long she takes a nap for.

She is such a happy baby!! She started this thing where she loves to jump when you stand her up (she probably started that because she figured how to jump in her jumper she has). But she will also try jumping when she is sitting. Its quite funny! She can now sit up on her own for a few min at a time, and sits up well when a hoppy pillow is enclosed around her. She has been drooling a lot since she was 2 moths old, but the last week, she has been drooling a ton! The flood gates have been let open!! So I think the whole teething process has started.

Aunt Mandy will be doing her 6 month pictures this coming up Sunday, can't wait to see her in her tutu I made her! Well thats whats new with Elle :) She is such a blessing, along with our other two little boys!!