One Year Old!

It has been an amazing year! I say this in both good and bad ways. Lily came into the world in a very exciting way. My water broke Sunday over night. I went to work, and the mailbox place on Monday before even thinking that something may be wrong. By that afternoon I was admitted to the hospital and Lily was on her way into the world. It still took 24 hours of trying to be induced to have her naturally(with pain killers of course) and a baby who was backing up into my ribs and away from the monitors before they decided it was time for a c-section. Lily came into the world as Tom and I were in the OR trying to think of her name. And to think I was actually scared of a c-section, boy was I wrong, it was super easy on me. The first 24 hours I couldn't be left alone with her in that my legs wouldn't work. I sent Tom home for a good nights rest. The next day the pediatrician saw Lily and informed us of a little problem and that she was calling in the pediatric cardiologist. The next couple of hours were torture. To top that off the cardiologist that tried to explain the issue they were seeing on sonogram had really no bed side manner and was not aware of what Tom and I had been through with the loss of Brendan and the decision to have another child. Within minutes Grace and Grandma were on their way to meet little Lily and Tom and I had to get ourselves together. Grace was in heaven with her new sister but cried on the way home missing mommy.

The next couple of months went by in a blur of doctors, tests, throw up, and even an ER visit for Miss Lily. Turned out to be bad acid reflux, and an upset tummy due to the formula. We put her on prevacid - $30 a month with insurance, the champagne of formulas - Alimentum $10 a bottle and her stomach settled. Unfortunately the little heart problem noticed in the nursery at the hospital got worse as time went on and by Christmas the specialists were talking surgery.

As you all know February came and so did the surgery. I wish not to relive that time in her life. I relive it every time she cries, or wakes me up in the middle of the night, or gives me a hug. I can see her little swollen face and her eyes that she can't open, the hole in her chest that pulses with her heartbeat, the inability to eat or suck on a paci, all the machines, tubes, blood and other things that I NEVER want to see again. And every time I close my eyes, I thank God that she made it through. I will never forget the second call from the OR within minutes of the doctor saying he was closing that the nurse was telling me that they had to go back in.. that Lily's heart rate was over 300 and her BP was way too low. I remember dropping to my knees and crying and all those near me praying for her and her doctors. I appreciate the Presbyterian ministers, the Baptist ministers and Methodist ministers that came from friends and my own church to pray with us and for us even the Hospital chaplain. I appreciate all the prayers from around the world for my little Lily. I love that her pediatricians office called daily to check on her progress. She is my starting to walk, starting to talk MIRACLE! (sorry I relived and now I am crying)

Since February, she has crawled, sat up, starting to walk, starting to talk, and all the other "normal" developmental milestones except teeth have come and flourished. She is 21pounds 9 ounces and 28 1/4 inches long. She is starting to like whole milk, moving away from bottles, still does not use a pacifier or suck her thumb. She terrorizes the dog by chasing him around the house, tries to climb the stairs, takes everything out of the drawers or toy baskets. She loves to go to the bus stop to pick up her favorite person in the whole wide world and never smiles for a camera. She loves music, is starting to enjoy the Wiggles and loves her nap music. She has a favorite blanket and loves to sleep in a onesie - even when it is cold outside and the heat is not on.

We spent her first birthday in Disney World as a gift to our family after our difficult year. For this we have to say a big thank you to all Tom's friends and co-workers and acquaintances who gathered money for Lily and her recovery. We used it to pay the medical bills and with what was left over and our tax refund and Papa too, we were able to go to Disney. We had a great time and personally I can't wait to go back.

I can't wait to share what the next year has in store for us with our two beautiful girls. May we be as blessed in the coming year as we were this past year. We have a wonderful extended family, special friends and a great life. When I am complaining of the trivial please gently remind me that i have been through worse and it does get better. Thanks!