Random Update

I really don't have anything too exciting to share. I know there are some grandparents just itching for picture posts, so here are a few to satiate your voracious appetites. As for the answer to, "How's life without milk?" It's not so bad. I'm substituting Sprite ;-) I'm not really sure if it's helping or not. The crying does seem more manageable, but I'm not sure if that's because I'm learning how she prefers to be soothed, or because she's getting older and becoming more capable of dealing with the crazy gassiness, or because of the new diet. I'm going to give it two full weeks and then possibly reintroduce the dairy and pay close attention. We'll see. I'm trying to remember all of the other interesting things going on lately, but my brain is fried. Hopefully I'll have something more lively to share soon.

I love milk

God bless the person who invented the baby swing. It took about ten tries, but I finally got a shot of her with the swing in the center of the photo (maybe I should have just taken a picture before I turned it on...hmm...oh well). As I mentioned before, Charlotte is a good bit fussier than I'm used to, so I'm incredibly grateful for any apparatus that allows me to put her down and not hear screaming as a result. This Cadillac of baby swings goes either side-to-side OR front-to-back. Amazing. Thanks so much to the Alleys for blessing us with this glorious gift. This is related to the title of my post, I promise. Because of said fussy daughter, I'm going to give up dairy for a week. Total insanity. I adore all things dairy (except cottage cheese--anything that looks like it's already gone bad should not be put in your mouth). I can drink a gallon of milk by myself in four or five days. Yogurt is one of my favorite snacks. Cheese goes on everything. However, my daughter poots and poops like nothing I've ever seen. And she's not happy about it. So at her doctor's appointment today it was suggested that I stop consuming dairy for a week to see if it makes a difference. I don't know whether to hope that it will (so she won't be fussy) or hope that it won't (so I can resume drinking milk every morning). I suppose this is where I put her needs above my own and hope for a big change, but I'm not going to like it.

And on a totally different note, meet Frosty. Our whole inch of snow two weeks ago was just enough for Will and Owen to make a 12 inch snowman. Isn't he cute?

Everybody say, "Aww"

Maybe I'm biased, but I'm pretty sure I have the cutest kids in the world. But anyways, just thought I'd let all you inquiring minds know that we're doing well here in the Alley house. Charlotte is amazingly like every other newborn, though a bit fussier than her brother was back in the day. She's quite a good eater now though, so praise God for that. She had her follow-up appointments with Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery. They were all very pleased with her healing. However, her aorta does show a bit of narrowing where they made the repair, so please pray that it will stretch with her as she grows. They're going to keep an eye on it for the next six months. If it does not, then she will be back in for another cardiac cath with a balloon to increase the diameter of the aorta. This would by no means be the end of the world (God has done such bigger things in her already), but we'd rather not send our baby girl back into the hospital.

Fair Weather Friends

Today was day three of our beautiful weather. In Norfolk, it only takes a few days of warm sunshine to bring out our friends, the American Cockroaches. Some people call them water bugs, but that's only because they are afraid to say the word cockroach. They believe it implies dirty, unpleasant living conditions. However, I have learned that everyone in Norfolk battles these little punks every spring. (At one point I have found a ginormous cockroach eating cookie crumbs from a still-warm cookie sheet, and making a scritching noise with his front legs that could be heard in the next room.) So every spring I buy a load of giant bug hotels and place them around the house. But who would have thought it was cockroach time already? Apparently, it is. We were at Hardee's yesterday (free Roastburger day). I was waiting at the counter while Will sat at a nearby table with Owen and Charlotte. To my utter horror, one of the largest cockroaches ever is headed straight for my family. I'm fairly certain that it's going to zip up Will's leg and attack them all. I make a mad dash for the table, yank off my flip flop, and beat the mess out of him before he can complete his killer mission. I'm sure the people in line, along with several employees, think that I have lost my mind. But one savvy employee realizes I deserve a free cherry turnover for that. So if you're looking for free food, keep an eye out for cockroaches.

PS Don't worry, pictures of Charlotte (instead of cockroaches) on the way.

A Few Questions

What do you do when both of your children are screaming at the same time and you are the only one in the house?

Why will Owen not poop in the freakin' potty?

How can a 7 pound little girl poop and pee more than she seems to actually consume?

Does breast-feeding frustrate all women on earth or is it just me and most of my friends?

Homecoming

Charlotte is home. I cannot tell you how surreal that is. She had open-heart surgery a week ago today. I am blown away. Sometimes I'm holding her close, and I start to cry. I'm overwhelmed by God's answers to our prayers. There was a point at which I was afraid to walk in her room, because I was afraid she wouldn't make it through surgery to live there. And now she is just like any other newborn (minus the giant healing wound on her chest)--sleeping, eating, and pooping. By the way, she projectile pooped on me today. Will thought that was absolutely hilarious. And on a similar note, Owen let out a giant poot the other day and declared, "I made a honk!" I should really be getting some sleep, so that's all for now.

P.S. Isn't Will the best dad ever? He started a fire outside in the freezing cold, just so Owen could roast some marshmallows. Too cute.

Progress

These are pre-surgery pictures (plus a bonus picture of Owen having fun with his Papa). I didn't think everyone would want to see Charlotte with all of her tubes, but hopefully we'll have some post-tube pictures soon. I am so excited to report that she is improving every day. She has been extubated and had her chest tubes removed, along with her arterial line, catheter, and a periferal line. From here on out we're waiting for her lungs to stay clear and her eating to improve. As long as she has some lung congestion, she has to undergo chest PT. Please pray that this problem resolves itself quickly. This mommy is not very good at watching her baby girl get drummed and suctioned. As for eating, she is still very sleepy from the anesthesia and pain medications, so that makes eating a little more of a challenge (I'm not so good at drinking milk in my sleep either). Thanks again to all of you who are reading this and praying with us through this challenging time.