Update

It seems as if we have fallen off the face of the earth since Gracie was in the hospital, but that isn't the case, we have just been kinda crazy around here. So this is my attempt to update what we have been up to and hopefully stay on top of blogging again.

Morgan--She is doing great. She just started preschool again in January and though has only gone once, just loves it. Morgan is and always has been a social butterfly. She never worries about making friends and just knows that everyone wants to be her friend. It really is a great quality---wish I had it.

Morgan had a hard time with Gracie's last surgery and really struggled for weeks even after Gracie had come home. But she is back to her happy self and is so proud of her sister. Yesterday, Morgan accompanied us to Gracie's feeding therapy session and while in the waiting room was playing with a little girl. The little girl wondered why Gracie has oxygen and Morgan told her about Gracie's heart and even had Gracie raise her shirt to show her Gracie's heart. I love that Morgan embraces all Gracie is lovingly and with such enthusiasm.

Christmas was good for Morgan. All she really wanted was training roller skates. Dad made sure it was one of the last gifts she opened--it was kind of sad, after each gift she got more and more discouraged because it wasn't what she wanted. Morgan loved all the joy and excitement that came with the Christmas season, one of her favorites was hearing the many knocks on our door of surprises our wonderful friends and neighbors left on our doorstep.

Gracie---As you all know she had her 3rd open heart surgery and shocked us all at what a superstar she was. She was out of the hospital in just 10 days!! After her other surgeries, she wasn't even extibated after 10 days. And other than a four day stay a couple days after being released, her recovery has been amazing.

The fontan really has been great for Gracie. She has more energy, her speech isn't as labored and breathy and she is eating more orally. Though she is still completely dependent on her g-tube, she has gone from eating barely 2 TBS of food a day to about 1/2 c of food a day. It's incredible, yesterday we actually talked with feeding about the things we need to do to start making her less dependent on g-tube feeds.

Gracie started going back to preschool this week and couldn't be happier. Her teachers can't stop commenting on how much more energy she has, hope they think its as good of a thing as we do!

She is loving Primary at church and loves that she gets to sing and be with her friends.

And perhaps the most exciting news is that she is now down to only 2 different meds each day, one is just once a day, the other is 3 times a day. No more diuretics!! She has been diuretic dependent her whole life. And if she looks good at her follow up cardiology appointment in February she just might be able to lose the oxygen!!! I cried when her doctor told me this, then I freaked out. Will I be able to sleep if she doesn't have oxygen on at night?

Gracie loved Christmas too. She loved to sit on Santa's lap and told everyone that he was coming to her house to bring her presents. Santa didn't disappoint. Her favorite gift is a doll house Grandma and Grandpa helped us get(they bought new furniture and there was a promotional for a 50' doll house for cheap) for her and Morgan.

Ryan---This boy does not stop growing! Perhaps it is because he doesn't stop eating!! Ryan is such a joy to be around. His personality really reminds me a lot of Morgan's. He is a flirt and plays and flirts with both men and women. Last week at the grocery store he found a guy who he must of thought looked interesting and every time we passed him, would just point at him with this cheesy grin on his face.

He is walking like crazy now and thinks he can do everything his sisters can do. His favorite words are cracker, too (both refer to food), wa wa (drink), and moo (move). Grandma and Morgan have taught him to say poo poo and because they laugh when he says it, he always laughs now when he says it. And on occasion, if I am really lucky, he will tell me da do (love you).

Ryan is a mama's boy through and through. If I am holding Gracie or Morgan, he immediately climbs up to my lap and starts pushing them saying, "moo, moo". Even if Jason just puts his hand on my shoulder he freaks out and starts telling him to move. It is quite funny, though we are trying to teach him not to do it. This boy is going to have a real hard time come summer.

Jason--He is doing well, especially now that work has slowed down quite a bit for him. Mailmen really do dislike December! But he really can't complain much, he has had no snow to deal with yet this season.

As for me, I'm doing well. Things have been tough these last few months taking care of Gracie and helping everyone overcome the emotions that came with her last surgery. Its amazing no matter how long of a stay at the hospital, it really does rock the whole boat. Hopefully things will now get easier and I will stop being so sick, but other than that, I really can't complain.

Life is good. We are loved, blessed, and together. I am so grateful for my family, it really is a good one, we all love each other and just want to be with each other all the time. What a great change from what I experienced growing up!!