Sunday, August 26, 2012

She's Mobile!

Mylah officially started crawling on Sunday August 19th. I am just now getting around to posting about it, I am a busy Mom of three, and sometimes our blogs get put on the back burner! But because they are our family history, I have to get caught up!
And don't mind the blurry-ness of the pictures, Mylah was moving so much I couldn't snap them fast enough!

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I really never thought Mylah would crawl. She never had any interest in reaching for thing until about a month ago. Then she started laying on her stomach and reaching for objects far away. Finally she started getting on all fours and then Sunday she just started crawling!

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She's not really fast, but she gets where she wants to go, and you have to keep tabs on her or she will end up somewhere she isn't supposed to be!

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She's so much happier now that she can crawl. Before I would set her down and leave the room for a second and she would just bawl! Now she can follow me, it makes it easier for all of us.

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She's also an expert at crawling, reaching and then sitting up from crawling. Pulling herself up to standing is in the works too.

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We are just so proud of her, and can't believe that in only four short months since her surgery she has accomplished so much! Now to baby proof the house!

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Pediatrician and Caridology Check ups

On Thursday we took Mylah to see her Pediatrician for her 9 month check up (a month late) and also took her to see her Cardiologist.

The Pediatrician was impressed with her and how well she is doing, but was concerned about her weight gain. She is only 17lbs. 4 oz. and is 28 inches long. She is only in the 10-20% for her weight and so her doctor told us to have her eat foods that contain more calories. Other than her weight, she's doing well!

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Her last appointment for the day was with her Cardiologist. It was our quickest check up to date! We waited about a half hour in the waiting room, then we were taken back to have her EKG done. Mylah was really curious this time around about all the little tabs stuck to her body and the wires attached to those. She tried to pull it off a few times, but sat still long enough for a good reading.

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She also had an amazing Pulse Ox reading...98%!! I took the picture before it read the actual 98%, but you get the idea. She also tried to pull that off of her toe! Curious little girl.

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We were moved to the ECHO room shortly after that and Dr. Thomas came right in! He was happy to see Mylah and we talked for a bit and then I laid her down for her ECHO.

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He began taking pictures and then Mylah became a bit squirmy. Out came the magical pink light up wand! She loves that toy and had fun playing with it!

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It even allowed me to take a good picture of him doing her scan!

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And what did he have to say about her heart? It looks really good, very little regurgitation from her Pulmonary Valve, the flow and function of her heart looks amazing and it sounds good.
The best part came next...he doesn't want to see her for six months! SIX MONTHS!!! I almost cried. It feels so good to know that she is progressing and working towards a very healthy and happy life!

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We are so blessed. So thankful. Modern Medicine is truly a miracle!
Now we can prepare for all the upcoming fun we are going to have, vacations, holidays and most importantly...Mylah's First Birthday!

We are grateful everything went so well with her check ups!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Latest Developments

Mylah has been doing some amazing things lately, and I don't want to forget how special and precious these moments are to me. It's amazing to think that she had open heart surgery only 3 months ago and now is developing as she should and amazing us with her ability to learn and grow!

Here's a few of her latest developments:

She is working on crawling. She now gets on all fours and reaches for objects. She hasn't quite mastered the put-one-hand-in-front-of-the-other-and-simitaniously-move-the-knee thing, but she's getting there! She also is able to sit from a crawling position.

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She also thinks she can pull herself up on things. She hasn't done it yet, but practices when she can. It begins like this:

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And ends like this:

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with a look of terror on her face. She tries and tries. I am thinking in a few weeks she will have it mastered!

Mylah also loves drinking from a straw. It is so much fun for her and she loves to open her mouth in your direction if you have a straw cup!

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This last development came as a surprise to me, and just goes to show how smart our little sweet pea is. I handed her a baby brush to play with one morning while I did Rylee's hair. I looked over and she was brushing her hair with it!! Now she does it all the time! I couldn't believe that she knew what it was for!

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This girl amazes me daily, I am so blessed to be her Mommy and love to watch her grow. Too many Heart Mamas don't get to cuddle, love on, and watch their babies progress and grow. I am grateful daily for her health and progression and treasure each milestone!

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Monday, August 6, 2012

Sisters by Heart Hospital Gowns

Today I shipped off our first big order for The Mended Heart. It was bittersweet. I have been working so hard to finish all of these gowns and had so help from others in my community who donated time. I am so thankful and blessed to be able to do this. It honors Mylah and all other Heart Warriors. I love sewing for a good cause!

I tried to get Mylah to smile with the piles of gowns, but all she wanted to do was play with them!

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Rylee joined in the fun and helped box them up!

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I tried again with the photo of Mylah and the gowns, she just wanted to pull them all out of the box!

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I truly loved being able to make these and that I am partnered with such an amazing group of women! These gowns with help bring a little smile to the families of heart babies. I am praying they make it easier for a family to deal with a long hospital stay!

Here are the varieties of gowns made. Aren't they adorable?!

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It has been such a wonderful way to honor our sweet Mylah and to bring awareness about CHD's. I am hoping my shop continues to stay busy and I can keep on sewing!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

A Heart Friend

My friend Angela has a niece who is a Heart Baby. Sweet Shelbee was born with transposition of the arteries or TGA, which is a Congenital Heart Defect. Her sweet Mom Rochelle had no idea that she had a heart problem until Shelbee started turning blue around her mouth and showing signs of distress. Unfortunately her doctor shrugged it off as a Heart Murmur and did nothing about it.

When she told me this I was so frustrated and irritated. Too many doctors are doing that these days! Mom's intuition knows best and so she ended up finally taking her to the emergency room. They checked her pulse ox and immediately sent her to Sunrise Hospital. She had her heart surgery the next night by Mylah's same surgeon - Dr. Ciccolo. She's a miracle and was so excited to meet Mylah!

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It's always fun to meet other Heart Families and Heart Friends. We are so glad that Shelbee is doing so well. It gives us so much hope for the future!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

10 Months Old

Mylah turned ten months old today. The poor girl was sick, sick, sick. I feel so bad that she has already endured so much in life and has to be sick for the very first time this week!

I did get some pictures of her, she was pretty happy in some of them,

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especially while chewing on a fake flower stem (safe I know),

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but then happiness turned to tears and frustration, she was so weak and tired from being sick.

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Isn't that picture the sadest/cutest ever?! I finally quick taking pictures and just cuddled her.


Here are her monthly stats:

♥ She weighs 17lbs.

♥ She is 29 inches long.

♥ She is 3 months post op and doing really well!

♥ She only wakes up once a night.

♥ She loves to nurse still, but is taking a bottle on occasion.

♥ She no longer eats baby food, she has to have whatever we are eating.

♥ Her favorite snacks are yogurt melts, cheerios, graham crackers, bananas, grapes, and goldfish.

♥ She can clap and sign the word "more".

♥ She loves to suck both of her thumbs.

♥ She now can go from sitting to all fours and is starting to reach for objects. Not quite crawling, but I think in another month she'll get it!

♥ She grabs the sides of things to try and stand. Hopefully she can figure that out soon too!

♥ She waves Hi and Bye.

♥ She can tell you the sound a chicken, dog, and cat make.

♥ She loves to watch cartoons with Dallin and Rylee.

♥ She bounces up and down to music and will be a great little dancer someday!

♥ She is very smart and learns something everyday. We are so proud of her and can't believe how fast these ten months have flown by!

Happy 10 month Birthday Mylah!

MRI

Today Mylah had an MRI to map out what we will do in the near future for her heart health. Currently her left ventricle is slightly ...