Successful Trip

First off I want to say how good it was to see three of my favorite people today!! Micah, Becky and Amy. I miss you girls so much and I was so happy you took time to spend with Bella and I. I so wish I could convince Matt to just move to KC!! Micah, you know we have to convince him. But anyways I love all three of you and I am glad we got to see you. And I also got to see sweet little Ava today. She was so precious. I just wanted to pick her up and cuddle her. So thank you Amy for letting me see your baby girl.
Now on to Miss Bella Boo. She had a fabulous check up. She cooed at the Dr. today. So everyone in special care was impressed. She is now to be weaned from the vent up to 1 hour two times a day as tolerated. They did in echo in cardiology and her heart looks great. They took her off one of her diuretics and also took her off the potassium. So we are headed back down the path of weaning the vent and the meds. We are also going to try out Peptimen Junior (big kid formula). So all good news. She got immunizations, so she is running a bit of a temp right now. She seems happy though, she is just laying her crib chattering away and watching her little light show.
I have pictures to post but I am way to lazy to upload them tonight. So I will be hopefully get that done tomorrow. The audiologist is coming to the house tomorrow to check Bella's hearing. I am sure it is fine. That's all for now!! I am going to bed. 6 hours of driving in one day is too much for me!!

Check Up Tomorrow

Little Miss Bella Boo showing off that wonderful smile of hers!!
Me and my sis.
Sione and Madison. This was at Sione's birthday party. He turned 3 on Friday and Madison will be 3 this Thursday. My sister and I had them 6 days apart.
The birthday boy
Another of Sione and Maddy because they are just way too cute.

So it was a pretty good weekend. Not much to tell. Tomorrow Bella goes up to KC for her monthly appointment. She will go to cardiology for an echo also. It will be the first time I have taken her without Matt. Erin is going with me. I think we will be okay. I will post a report as soon as I can. I am sure she will have a good one though!!
And, tomorrow is Matt and I's 7 year wedding anniversary!!

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

My friend Christina found this website Smilebox. It is great and it is free for making scrapbook pages and slideshows that you can post to your blog. Thought I would try it. Since she looked so cute in her sunglasses today, I thought I would do a slideshow about her new sunglasses. ENJOY!!

A Day Of Shopping Will Make Any Girl Smile

All Smiles Yesterday
Today after Physical Therapy, we went shopping. Bella got a new pair of sunglasses. Is that not the cutest?? Oh and she also got this new dress. It is so fun to dress her up!!
Look at that toothy grin
"Yeah, I know I am cool!!"
"Okay mom, that is enough with the pictures!! I am done with these sunglasses!!"

Bella slept through her entire therapy session. As soon as it was over she opened her eyes and started looking around. I think she likes to "pretend" to be asleep to get out of doing any work!! We learned some new techniques with her. Again they feel very confident in her ability to rehabilitate. Her first goal is to turn from back to side. I am so proud of how much she has been accomplishing.
The new addition on the house is coming along slowly but we are making progress. Link over to my blog pics of our progress.
Also Ava is doing better. They did a heart cath yesterday and all went well, but please continue to keep her and her family in your prayers.

Bella's new self

Over the last few weeks, I have begun to notice how much Bella has changed. What used to be a few smiles here and there has now turned into constant smiles, giggling and cooing. She is SO interactive. Her interactions are appropriate with what is going on around her. If you talk to her she smiles and mostly tries to "talk" back at you. She giggles and smiles every time her daddy claps his hands. She loves to be loved on and when you pick her up, she turns her body into yours in order to snuggle. I have tears as I post this, because she is doing all that many thought she never would. I can see daily changes and growths in her. She is so amazing. I think she is seeing better each day. She seems to be really focusing on my face more and watching my mouth as I talk like she is studying what I am saying. You know how babies do when they are trying to learn how to talk. I really think it is a matter of time before she says something other than ahhhh. Tomorrow we are heading to Pittsburg for physical therapy. I will let everyone know what they have to say and I will post pictures tomorrow. I am too lazy to go get my camera and upload pictures right now. Sorry!!

Busy Weekend

Well Saturday, we spent most of the day marking garage sale stuff for our city wide garage sale. We are going to use all proceeds for Miracles Happen Ministries. Then about 5:00 p.m. Matt decided he wanted us to all load up and go to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Ernesto's. So for the first time since Bella has been on the vent, Matt and I took the girls out my ourselves. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Abby and Maddy were well behaved and we are so used to getting Bella out anymore that it doesn't take as long as it used to. We went to eat and then to Wal-Mart. We did a little birthday shopping for Abby and Maddy and for Matt's Mom. Bella loved every minute of being out. She smiled and looked all around. You can tell she is getting used to going out more and is starting to really like it.
Then, today we went over to Matt's parents for his mom's birthday. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! We grilled out and had a great time. We came home and I mowed part of the yard and now everyone is in bed. Matt starts his new job in the morning so we have to get to bed earlier.

Little Ava Really Needs Our Prayers

Ava continues to fight everyday and is in need of our prayers. She was finally extubated after getting her G-tube placement but was unable to stay extubated for long. She has gone into respiratory distress and had to be re-intubated. Now the Dr.'s have had the talk with Amy and Nate about possible tracheostomy and going home on the vent. As most of you know their little boy Kaden is also on the vent. Amy and Nate are amazingly strong people but they are hurting so bad for their little girl. There is nothing like sitting and waiting in a hospital for your child to get better. You are helpless in all ways. Please pray for their strength along with Ava's recovery. These times are so hard when you have to be there at the hospital day in and day out. So again I am asking for anyone who would like to help Amy and Nate out a little bit. Even if you just want to send cards of thoughtfulness. This is the kind of family who would be there at the drop of a hat for anyone else in this kind of situation. Trust me they are amazing!! So please if you can help them in anyway. You can send stuff to:

Children's Mercy Hospitals
PICU- Ava Boeckman
2401 Gillham Road
Kansas City, MO 64108

OR

Ronald McDonald House-Longfellow
Attn: Nate and Amy Boeckman
2502 Cherry Street
Kansas City, MO 64108

First Therapy Appointment in Pittsburg

Today we took Isabella to her first occupational therapy appointment in Pittsburg. I was really impressed with them. They were all so nice. Isabella was quite the little show off today. She was awake for the entire time. She cooed and cooed at the therapist and she held her head up. She just kicked and played and had a really good time. They really think she has the potential to completely rehab!! What great news!! Afterwards, we went shoe shopping and then went out for lunch. So it was an eventful day. Isabella is now sleeping. I better go wake her up so she will sleep tonight.

Please Pray for Ava

Ava Boeckman continues to be at Children's Mercy in Kansas City after her first open heart surgery. She is back on the vent right now following a procedure to get a g-tube placed for feedings. She has has some temps and they found out she does have an infection. Her family desperately wants to take Ava home. They have been in the hospital for over two months now. It is so hard when you have to be there for that long. They don't know when she will get to come home. Matt and I have been talking about what we could do for them as Miracles Happen Ministries. If you would like to help, please e-mail at megangudde@hotmail.com
Things that may be helpful are: Gas Cards, food cards (so they can go out to eat once in awhile), of course money is always helpful, snacks, any regular day to day items that everyone uses such as laundry soap, toothpaste, ect. or even Wal-Mart cards so they can get what they need. Like I said, if anyone would like to help or if you have some good ideas, e-mail and we will get a care package sent to them. To visit the Boeckmans: http://kadenboeckman.blogspot.com
And Amy, I know you are going to try and protest, but you know me!!! We adore you guys and we want to do whatever we can to help.

Also, we are going to start building on the new addition soon. I am going to log all building progress on my blog. I have some before pics I am going to post at http://megangudde.blogspot.com

Still Talking

Well, Isabella has once again got her days and nights mixed up. What are we going to do with that girl?? Last night she was in her crib next to my bed and just babbling away. I don't know who or what she was talking to, but it was soooooo cute. I just kept giggling at her. She did this until 3:00 a.m. She finally went to sleep about 5:00 this morning. It is just once she gets turned around, it is really hard to get her back on track.
Starting next week, we will be going to Pittsburg for PT, OT and speech. I am so excited that she is going to get getting therapy. I think she is going to benefit from it so much. She just needs to get back a lot of strength. I can't wait until she starts getting up and going. Yes, I know we are a ways away from that, but a mother can dream, right??
On another note, Madison got into pre-school for the fall. I am so excited!! (I need a break once in awhile)
Also we are starting on the new addition, hopefully, soon. It has been raining and raining here, so that puts a delay on stuff. We are getting a huge delivery of materials tomorrow.
Also, (yeah I know I am full of all kinds of news today) Matt got a new job. It will change how things work for us as far as Medicaid goes, but his job has excellent benefits. I am so happy for him. It is going to be an adjustment for us. We are so used to having freedom.
As soon as we start the building project, I will be posting pictures. I am so excited. For those of you who know about our previous luck with living situations, know that this is such an answer to our prayers. Things are finally starting to fall into place!!

Chatter Box

Can you beleive how much hair she has now!!
Great Grandma Smith came for a visit.

Well you heard it here first, Isabella has finally figured out how really use her voice. She has been able to make some noise around her trach as air would leak around, but she wasn't able to actually use her "voice" But she figured it out!! It takes her a minute to do it and you can see on the video she is trying and trying, and then she gets it. I personally think she has the sweetest voice.

She is finally using her arms!!

Right now as I write this, Isabella is finally starting to bat at objects that are hanging above her. She has not really used her arms since last July. In fact, just over the last few months, has she even acted like she has arms and hands. Now that she has figured out how to use her arms, she is just so excited. Every time she hits her little mobile she just smiles so big. You can see it in her eyes that she is proud!! You know that look kids give you when they have finally accomplished something. She has also stopped puking so much. I don't know if it is the new med she is on or if it is because they have taken her off some of her other meds. She also started back on her regular Captopril that our pharmacist here makes. I think it agrees with her stomach more than the big dose. I have misplaced my camera (well I haven't actually taken the time to really look for it) I am always putting it up away from Madison but then I forget where I put it. Anyways, as soon as I locate it, I will post some new pictures. Also, since I have so much free time....HA HA I have created my own blog. I don't really know what I am going to do with it yet. There is not too much there to see yet, but my blog address is http://megangudde.blogspot.com
On another note, Ava is having surgery to have her G-tube placed in the morning. She has been having trouble with anesthesia so please pray for her. Stop by http://kadenboeckman.blogspot.com to let them know you are thinking of them.