The adventures of Emma

Sorry for the long break. I'm going to try and do better as a blogger. My goal is to post an update every two weeks, even if its just pics of whats been going on in our lives for the past two weeks.

As Dr. Seuss says "Oh the places you will go". Granted he had a much deeper meaning then traveling but I find it applicable for this post. Emma has been all over the place in the past couple weeks.

Emma turned three months old. My how time flies when your having fun. We are having such a great time being this little girls parents! She continually amazes us, just by her good spirits and disposition alone we are amazed. Let alone all the other things she has overcome.

Emma went to see her aunt become an american citizen at the Lexington Federal Courthouse. That was such a cool experience to be part of! She sported her red white and blue and was such a good baby (per usual).

Then we went to the Spina Bifida confrence in Louisville. This was also very neat. It was neat to see people of all different ages and walks of life with one major thing in common. We learned so much, though it'll be more useful when she is older but still great things to get us thinking. We also got to spend some quality time with friends that we met through a forum for children with SB. I keep telling this story and I'll tell it one more time. They had a 30th anniversary bash on Saturday, it was just a simple cook out, but there were two little girls there, they couldn't have been older then 6. They were in their wheelchairs, the parking lot was on a slight incline, and these two little girls started at the top of the hill let go of their wheels and went FLYING down the hill. Now me being a stranger I just stood there in COMPLETE shock, thinking to myself surely they are going to crash or go careening into the food table. The little girl grabbed a hold of her wheels came to a SKIDDING stop and just started laughing, she didn't have a fear of the hill she just saw it as an opportunity for fun. Their parents were just watching them. I sure hope I can be this relaxed and chill when it's Emma's turn to go flying down the hill, whether its in a wheelchair, on crutches, with her walker, or just in her sneakers.

She has also started laughing, we can't really figure out quite yet what is so funny but its adorable to hear it when she decides something is funny!

In other HUGE NEWS... Uncle Matt has moved home!!! We couldn't be more excited that he will get to watch her grow up, that he will be here for her milestones!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for our family. The peace we feel is overwhelming. We ask for your continued prayers, for Emma's health, that her shunt doesn't malfunction or get an infection, that she doesn't have symptoms of her Chiari II, that she doesn't have any seizures, and just her overall health. Please continue to pray that Peter and I are vigilant to her needs health related and otherwise. Thank you again, it's very much appreciated!!

Kisses from the best daddy ever! 

Mommy love! 

Such a happy girl! 

All smiles! 

So sweet! 

Our first Reds game as a family of three! 

She was unimpressed by the dinosaur...

Didn't really care about the Cincinnati display either. 

So sweet

Just hanging out! 

This was a tasty toy! 

Just another update!

Hello faithful readers and friends! I'll keep this short and to the point. EMMA IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!

We are just living life like any other family with a newborn would, and loving every single minute of it!

We've had another PT visit and we were told to just keep doing what we are doing, focus on tummy time for her head control and core strength, and to work on her range of motion with her legs. Emma is tolerating tummy time much better now, shhhhheeewweeeeeeeeee, I was getting worried that she'd forever hate that exercise.

I emailed Dr. Pan (plastics) to see what he thought of her back closing, he needless to say was impressed and said we didn't have to cover it anymore and we could just leave it open to air. WAHOOOOO!!!!

We also saw the neurologist, he was a very nice guy. He decided that there is absolutely no reason whatsoever that she had those seizures that I posted about while we were in the NICU. So that being said she no longer needs her phenobarbital. I'm very thankful for this although it gave us a sense of security but if she doesn't need it then of course we don't want her on it!

Thank you for your prayers, they are greatly appreciated and as always keep them coming. We are so blessed to know that you all are our faithful prayer warriors. We ask for continued prayers that God watch over our little precious girl, that he keep her general health good, that he keeps her shunt functioning properly, that he keeps her non symptomatic from her Chiari II and that she doesn't have seizures. Also please continue to pray that God give Peter and I the vigilance that is needed for Emma. Thank you again!!!

We saw Rosie Red Legs 

She was enjoying the giraffe

She attended her first crohn's walk for her uncle.

She was a little concerned by the shark in the following picture.

She was REALLY awake at the zoo, this is proof

Sitting in her bumbo seat like a big kid. Where'd my newborn go? 

Getting her all dolled up for her baptism

Proud parents! 

Sleeping angel! 

Baptism photos taken by Amanda Walriven Photography

2 Months Old!!

We've been a busy little family in the past few weeks. Since I've last posted we had Emma baptized, we met her new pediatrician (which we love by the way), we had another physical therapy visit and tomorrow we have a follow up MRI to check her shunt since Dr. Stevenson changed it 3 weeks ago. We've also been to the aquarium and the zoo! Emma celebrated her 2 month birthday as well. I can't believe how fast time is going and how much Emma is changing. I see change in her each day!

Peter got us memberships to the museum center and the aquarium for Mothers Day, and my mom got us a membership to the zoo for our anniversary! We are going to have sooo much fun exploring all these places. Emma seemed slightly unimpressed by the aquarium and the zoo but I know deep down she was excited to see them both.

Emma's progress and milestones are awesome. She is now smiling in response to things rather then just involuntary. She is making a noise that we've decided is her laughing. She can track people and her toys, boy does she love to follow her daddy!! She can also hold her head up for extended periods of time without any assistance!!!

She also got her first REAL bath. I'm not just talking about a scrub down with a wash cloth, NO NO, I'm talking full on bath in the kitchen sink with soap and water kind of bath. I was a little hesitant because I wasn't so sure of how she'd like it, but I think she truly enjoyed it. There were no tears, no crying, just one happy go lucky girl!

Each day my heart just swells with pride that God chose us to be this precious baby girl's parents! We honestly couldn't be luckier!!!

We'd like to thank each and everyone of you for your prayers. They are so appreciated and each day I can see God's continued grace and blessings on our family. Please continue your prayers. Emma still has a little bit of healing to go on her back before it is completely closed but her progress there is unbelievable.

Please continue to pray that her shunt functions as it should and that she doesn't have any symptoms with her Chiari II. Please pray that Peter and I remain vigilant to her needs both health related and otherwise and that God continues to bless her and our family with good health. Thanks again, you all are AMAZING!!!

Progress

Emma is making so much progress it amazes me! Emma had an MRI on Friday and then we had a follow up with her neurosurgeon. We waited quite a while but Dr. Stevenson is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO worth the wait! He said everything was looking amazing. He was actually able to turn her shunt down a notch. So she went from a 3 to a 4. This means that her shunt will actually drain less fluid. This is why I am so glad she has a programmable shunt. If she had a regular one and he wanted it to drain less it would require another surgery. He said he'd like another MRI in 3 weeks to make sure that everything is still going well.

We had our first MM (spina bifida) clinic on Monday! That was pretty neat. Emma had a renal ultrasound before we went to clinic. Then we grabbed a bite of lunch then headed to clinic. They took Emma's vitals then put us in our room. First came the rehabilitation doctor. She was very sweet. She looked Emma over and said that everything was looking good. She did notice a few things that were a bit baffling to her. We have noticed that Emma's right leg is weaker with less muscle tone then her left. The doctor agreed, but then she also noticed that her right leg is longer then her left, she said its typically the other way around that the stronger leg is the longer one.

Next up was the Urology fella... he was also very nice said everything looked good on her ultrasound. That was good news! He also told us that we don't have to cath her at night. That means that mommy and daddy get a full night of sleep as long as Emma feels the same.

Next we saw the developmental pediatrician, this was Dr. Oppenheimer (Dr. O for short). She also said everything was looking good and that we should come back to clinic in 3 months!

So all in all Monday was a good day. We have much to be thankful for!

On Wednesday we met with her plastic surgeon, Dr. Pan, he said her back was looking great. He told us that he was comfortable not seeing her anymore and that he can just be updated through email with pictures! This is bittersweet, we've grown to really like Dr. Pan, he is an awesome doctor who has provided such great care to Emma, but she's healing so well that we don't need to be under his care anymore. The only time he'll get re involved in her case is if they have to operate on her spine again.

All in all we've had a great few days of appointments. We continue to ask for prayers for our sweet baby girl, as she continues to heal and her shunt continues to function properly and that she doesn't have symptoms from her Chiari. Also please continue to pray that Peter and I remain vigilant to her needs health related and otherwise! Thank you so much for your continued support to our family!

Here is what you all have been waiting for... PICTURES!!!!!

We try and do daily mini photo shoots! 

She is such a good model

So sweet! 

She was trying to talk to mommy

Jabber jaws

Pretty girl! 

First time wearing a headband! 

Tummy time can't you tell she just loves it?  

Celebrating mothers day! 

Three generations

Kisses!!!