Isabella: July 2009

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Proud Mommy Moments

BELLA IN HER STANDER. DOESN'T SHE LOOK LIKE A BIG GIRL?

ISABELLA PLAYING ON THE GROUND ON THE 4TH. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE EVER GOT ANY DIRT ON HER. I FREAKED!!

MY AUNT JUDY WITH ANNIE

THE GIRLS AND I AT THE ZOO IN INDEPENDENCE

ABBY AND MADDY ALWAYS WILLING TO POSE TO PICTURES

THE GIRLS AT THE PLAY PARK

SORRY A SIDEWAYS PHOTO ;)

MADISON FEEDING THE DUCKS

THE GIRLS AND I VISITED A LOCAL ORCHARD AND PICKED OUR OWN BLACKBERRIES. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. THE GIRLS HAD A BLAST

I LOVE THIS PICTURE OF MADISON PICKING BERRIES

ABBY IS PROUD OF HER HARVEST

ABBY AND MADDY WERE SUCH GOOD LITTLE BLACKBERRY PICKERS

LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE BLACKBERRIES. I PUT UP 8 GALLONS!!

Bella continues to wean off the vent. We can now take her into stores while off the vent, we went out to eat and she stayed off the vent!! It is amazing how much easier it is to get around without the vent. I am just so proud of her. And as always she is just as happy as can be. She is such a blessing in our lives!!

Annie is growing like a weed. She smiles and coos all of the time. She even did a little giggle the other day. Well, it was more like a coo with a hop!! She is just so precious :)

Abby and Maddy are growing up so fast. Maddy will start her second year of pre-school and Abby will be in the 2nd grade. I can't believe how much they have grown this summer.

10 more days until my 30th birthday!! WOW. I can't believe I will be celebrating my 30th and that I am the mother of 4 beautiful girls and so lucky to have such a wonderful husband whom I adore. I think my 30's are going to be awesome!!

Sunday, July 5, 2009

PICTURES!!

MISS ANNIE

ABBY WAS TIRED OF ME TAKING HER PICTURE BY THIS POINT!!

ANNIE WITH HER COUSIN MOLLY AND MOLLY'S MOMMY MANDY

BELLA LOOKING UP AND SMILING AT SOMETHING.

MADDY DOESN'T LOOK HAPPY TO BE TAKING A PICTURE WITH HER MOMMY

ANNIE WITH HER GREAT UNCLE RONNIE

"HEY SIS"

MADDY STRIKING A POSE

ANNIE WITH HER COUSIN JARIKAH

MADDY AND ABBY SPENT MOST OF THE 4TH IN UNCLE STEVE AND AUNT SHELLY'S POOL. THEY HAD A BLAST

MATT PLAYING GAMES WITH THE BOYS

LOOK AT THAT SWEET FACE

ANNIE WITH AUNT STEPHANIE

MMMM, THESE FINGERS ARE GOOD!!

MY BEAUTIFUL BABIES

SILLY GIRLS

MADDY WITH MY SIS AND I

BELLA WATCHING THE FIREWORKS

ANNIE WITH HER COUSIN CHELSEA

MADDY AND ABBY GETTING READY TO WATCH THE FIREWORKS IN OSWEGO

UPDATES: ANNIE IS ABOUT 10# ALREADY. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW FAST SHE IS GROWING. SHE IS ALREADY SMILING AND COOING SOME. SHE TURNED 7 WEEKS LAST FRIDAY!!

ISABELLA IS DOING GREAT. IN FACT SHE IS DOING BETTER THAN SHE EVER HAS. SHE IS OFF THE VENT FOR MOST OF THE DAY. I FEEL LIKE WE ARE FINALLY STARTING TO GET SOMEWHERE WITH THE WEANING PROCESS. SHE GOT A STANDER THE OTHER DAY FROM EQUIPMENT EXCHANGE. IT IS THIS MASSIVE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT HOLDS HER IN A STANDING POSITION. IT HAS A TRAY ON THE FRONT SO SHE CAN PLAY WITH HER TOYS. WE HAVE TO TAKE IT TO PHYSICAL THERAPY ON MONDAY SO THEY CAN SIZE IT TO HER. I CAN'T WAIT TO START USING IT. IT WILL BE GREAT TO STRENGTHEN HER LEG MUSCLES.

ISABELLA LOVED THE FIREWORKS. SHE WOULD JUMP A LITTLE WITH THE BIG BOOMS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART SHE JUST LOOKED UP AT THEM IN AWE.

I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A HAPPY AND SAFE 4TH!!

Story of Isabella Grace Gudde

Isabella was born December 23, 2006. She was born with a congenital heart defect called Truncus Arteriosus. She also was diagnosed with a deletion on her 22nd chromosome known as DiGeorge Syndrome. She had her first open heart surgery Febuary 27, 2007. She had 5 med flights last year. She had pulmonary hypertension and kept going into respiratory distress. After the 4th med flight, they decided to put in a trach and put her on the ventilator. She was home for 4 days before she was flown back. The fifth time was the worst. I really thought we were going to lose her. She again showed great strength and determination. She had a cardiac arrest on Aug 1, 2007. She was left brain damaged and we were told she was blind and deaf. Matt and I never accepted this fate and as time has gone on we have seen miracle after miracle. Bella now has her hearing back and much of her sight. She is still very far behind, but is making progress everyday. She came home September 12, 2007 after spending almost 160 days at Childrens Mercy in 2007. She was at home up until this February. She went in for her monthly check up and we found out she had a huge aneurysm at the conduit site on her heart. She underwent her second open heart surgery on February 21, 2008, just 6 days short from being one year post op from her first surgery. She is now home and doing fabulous. Enjoy the stories of our everyday miracles with Isabella.