Day Two - Released to Go Home

Friday, November 12, 2010

Since Mia did great (all things considered) through the previous afternoon and throughout the evening, we were cleared to go home Friday morning, though we didn't end up hitting the road until about 1 in the afternoon.  Tyler, the darling little boy we met our first day there when we were admitted also got to go home.  He'd had a unilateral cleft that was repaired in China prior to his adoption.  An American team had done the repair and it looked absolutely wonderful!  Tyler (18 months) had his palate repaired with the same doctor right after they finished Mia's lip repair surgery.  Being older than Mia, he had a really hard time understanding why he hurt and was such an unhappy little guy.  Unfortunately for his sweet mom and grandmother, along with the nursing staff, Tyler's way of  trying to make sense of everything was to get angry.  Poor little guy ripped out his IV, got out of the arm restraints, refused to eat or drink anything and did not want any of the nurses around him.  Luckily for Mia and Tyler, strolls in the hall seemed to comfort and calm them both down.  Tyler's mom and I spent a lot of time walking the halls together with our sad little ones during the previous evening and night.  Thankfully we all made it through!

Morning of day two, still some swelling - especially in her cheeks - and underneath her eyes are starting to blacken.

Mia cooing with her papa the morning after surgery - our happy little one just couldn't help herself!

IV line got taken out. I thought she would have a hard time with it, but it didn't phase her at all.

Chilling in her bed/stroller. :) Oh, and why I call her "Toots".

Tia Bertha, mama, papa and Mia - ready to head home - yay!

Packed up and ready to head home - and out like a light for the whole three hour trip!

The cool Shriner's symbol on the side of the hospital.

Thank you Shriner's and Shriner's Hospital for Children of Houston for taking such great care of us!

The next time you see a Shriner, would you mind thanking them for us and for all of the children and families they help?  I'll never see the little tasseled cap gentlemen the same way again and have a new found respect for them an the organization they belong to!

The Rose Story


Zeus's mom Lina loved roses, so for her birthday this past May I bought a rose bush for our house in her memory and we named it RosaLina. We still have not transplanted it and it's almost died many times and hasn't bloomed at all since we got it. Well, when we got home, Zeus saw that our rose bush had sprouted a beautiful red rose. We decided it was a beautiful little sign from Zeus's mom that she was watching over Mia during surgery and that everything was going to be okay.

gorgeous red rose on RosaLina

RosaLina, papa and Mia

It was SO good to be back in our own little home!

Mia chilled and napped in her swing...

...and read some stories with papa.

Mia must have recognized that we were back in our own little house because her appetite kicked back in (for the most part) and she's slept 10 hours straight again since we've been home. We continued the pain meds through until bedtime. They had prescribed liquid Lortab for her, which is what she was on in the hospital. We were going to give it to her through the night if she woke up a lot and needed it, but she didn't wake up so we didn't end up giving her any more.  Does this mean we are almost out of the woods on our way to recovery?  We sure hope so!

Quick surgery update

Just a quick note.  We wanted to let everyone know that Mia was a trooper through surgery, all went well and she is doing well enough today that we are being released and driving home from Houston this afternoon.  Mia had her lip revision surgery yesterday morning.  It was a rough day and night with a very sad little girl.  She hardly ate anything yesterday until night time and then started out very slowly, only eating an ounce to an ounce and a half at a time.  We did a lot of walking the hall with her in our arms or in her stroller as that seemed to be the only thing that could distract/soothe her.  She slept in her stroller so that she could stay upright to help reduce swelling and finally this morning she started eating better and at one point we were up to 4 ounces.  Of course, this last feeding we could only get 2 ounces down her again. 

Thank you so much for keeping her and our little family in your thoughts and/or prayers!  I will update soon with pictures and more information.  We finally found out today that there was one room in the hospial WAY down the hall that if you sit RIGHT against the window you can get a faint signal SOME time.  Otherwise, there is no internet in the hospital so I was unable to upload pictures or blog. More to come soon.  Hopefully all will go smoothly on the 3 hour drive home!

Mia pics and video

Sorry, but we just can't get enough of her, and now that mommy's feeling a little better, prepare yourself for mass Mia picture posting!  :)

Holy Hannah does a having a baby change your whole view of packing for a trip!  How many bags and items did we check for our little Mia?  Can you say FOUR?!?!  Car seat, stroller, diaper bag, and big black duffel bag with diapers, wipes, blankets, outfits, socks, hair bows, and a thousand misc items of necessity.  Oh my!

Our little family heading out on our first family flight/trip to Seattle for Michael and Deena's wedding.

Mia's first flight and a little smile caught on video.  Mia did great on the flights to and from Seattle and just chilled on mommy's pillow on either mama's or papa's lap.  Such a great baby!!!

Yay! - cooler Seattle weather means we can finally use some of the cute long sleeved outfits we were given!

Our little family on our first "cruise", a boat ride to an island in Seattle, dinner on an island and then a ride back.  All bundled up on the chilly ride over.  I think Mia liked the rocking of the boat.  :)  Thanks to Auntie Brienne who's cousin hooked us all up.  We were able to go on the $80 a person tour for only $20 a person - woooo whoooo!!!!  Smokin' hot deal!!!

Our little cutie pie, all bundled up and wide awake in mama's arms.  Love those big brown eyes!

Oh, and there WERE other people from the family on the trip.  :) 

Newlyweds Deena and Mike (oh, and us in the background).  :)

Grandma snuggling on grandpa, Uncle Kevin, and Uncle Dan and Auntie Brienne with Dan doing his sexy "kissy lips" pose once again.  :)

Where's darling cousin Sadie you ask?  Well, down here of course, enjoying the view from her stroller. 

Such a smiley little thing!

Grandpa, Uncle Kevin, and Auntie Tiffany chillin' on the boat trip over.

Now, here are some of Mia's "official" one month old pictures that we were finally able to take now that we are home safe and sound and have the blanket and giraffe for the monthly shots.  :)  Thanks to Auntie Michelle who got Mia the blanket.  It's design name is Mia Rose, so we just had to register for it and Auntie Michelle couldn't resist getting it for her when she saw it's name.  Thank you Auntie Mish, even though you are now officially "across the pond" in the UK, we won't forget you!!!

All stretched out in a food coma.

Oh, little one, all stretching and yet not...  :)

In grandma Lina's rocking chair as cozy as can be.

Tia Bertha learned how to feed me her very first try!!! 

(Mama was a little - okay a LOT - envious of her learning curve, but don't tell Tia Bertha.)

Below are some practice shots of Mia on papa's arms.  We're going to try again when she's in a milk coma and not quite so wiggly, though we think we still got some good shots.

I love this one of her stretching!  :)

Reading with mama.

Auntie Jaclyn sent us this book in a care package for Mia, along with another book and some darling outfits.  You can always count on teacher friends to send books for babies!  :)This one is our current favorite and Mia loves to be read to.

And last, but not least, a video.  :) 

Mia has, in the last few days, started smiling more and more.