Laney's smile

Laney's smile melts my heart. Every single time. There is nothing better than a smile that involves the entire body.

I'm not sure if infant cooing is any indication of a future gabber, but this girl likes to talk! Reminds me of someone else ...

A few nights ago, Tutu and Papa Bill took Luke downtown to get frozen yogurt. And because she's grandma, Luke often gets to watch movies in Tutu's car. This night, however, the remote wasn't in the car, so a movie was not in the cards.

"Oh, that's okay Tutu. I don't need a movie, I can just talk."

The story goes that he did.

From 0 to 60

I am two months old (and 4 days)!

I have already given my parents a glimpse of teenage girl drama when I go from this:

To this:

In a matter of seconds.

I am still growing like a weed, weighing in at 11 pounds, 7 ounces. That's the 75 percentile, which I caught my parents high-fiving over. It seemed like they were pleased with my 22 beautiful, smoochable inches, too.

I am still the queen of spit-up, but since I'm happy 99% of the time I spit-up, and because I am gaining weight, the doctor doesn't want to make me take sour medicine. I guess my mom will just keep having to change her shirts all day!

I love, love looking at my birdie mobile in my crib, but that's about all my crib is good for right now. I sleep best in my cradle swing and my mom said something about survival and exhaustion, so it sounds like she's going to let me keep swinging for now. In gratitude, I gave her another six hour stretch the other night. But I like to keep my mom and dad on their toes, so last night I woke up to eat every three hours.

I am pretty happy when those big people put me on my tummy, and I even impressed them by rolling onto my back two days ago. Don't tell them, but I had no idea what I was doing!

My brother is still really loud, but I think I'm getting used to it. I also don't think he's going to change, so I figured I better! He is such a funny guy, making silly faces and showing me his toys. Just this morning, my mom caught us both in my crib while Luke was showing me his Batman. He is so excited for me to start laughing. He thinks he'll make me laugh all the time, and I think he's right.

So, I love my mobile and my brother and milk, but I also love being outside. If I'm fussy, usually a walk outside will calm me right down. I'm glad my parents are getting to know me better! Now, if I could just get them to stop putting me in the car...

Except for two more vaccinations, I don't go back to my doctor until I'm four months old! I like being two months, but four months old just sounds so cool.

Sat check

After examining, reexamining, thinking, over-thinking and fretting the last two weeks about Luke's coloring in his hands and feet, I finally took him in to our cardiologist's today for a sat check. Two weeks ago, Luke got a summer cold, so I chalked up his purple-ness to that. But his nose has been clear for a few days and I still felt like his color was off.

His sats were from 81-84 at the office today, staying mostly at 83%. This is about the same as when we were in for his big appointment in May. He was congested back in May as well, so I didn't think too much about it, but now I'm wondering if this is his new normal. Since his Glenn four years ago, Luke has always satted 85-87%, so I am not loving the lower 80's. I asked Dr. S. today if in the next couple months they don't bounce back up a bit if we would start talking about the Fontan. His response was that he doesn't really want to talk about the Fontan unless or until Luke is satting in the 70's. He reminded me today that Luke is still strong, sats of low 80's are acceptable, and this next surgery will not be an emergent one. All good things to remember, but I have a hard time seeing any kind of change in Luke.

I know the Fontan will happen eventually. I also know that it can benefit Luke, but there is much of me that wants to believe he'll never need it. Luke has two cards stacked against him going into the Fontan, which cause our cardiologist to hold off as long as possible. One is Luke's history with pleural effusions. The second is his plicated diaphragm. Neither help a body adjust to a Fontan circulation. That doesn't mean that Luke won't tolerate it, it doesn't even mean that he won't sail through the surgery, it just means he has a higher chance of a tough recovery.

After today, and reflecting on how much of my thoughts have been taken up by Luke's health the past two weeks, I realized again how closely worry correlates with the time I spend — or don't — with God. Worry is such a thief; stealing joy and peace right and left. Experiencing peace and joy doesn't mean I don't think about Luke's heart, or advocate for him, or take him to the doctor when I'm concerned. Experiencing peace and joy means that I live with the assurance that God is bigger than a heart defect; that His plan for Luke's life is perfect as is His love for our family.

Today I return to this truth: "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal." —Isaiah 26:3-4

Sleeping Beauty

Miracle worker

We've only had it three days, but it appears that this swing is a game-changing miracle — and the best $129 we ever spent:

Do you see how peacefully she's sleeping? Outside of someone's arms and the front pack? This little one is a finicky sleeper, but I have been able to lay her in this swing (awake!) and she falls asleep! On her own! (Can you tell I'm a tad bit excited?)

Laney sleeps awesome in her bassinet at night, but she has had a hard time sleeping there during the day for any extended period of time. It's usually 30-45 minutes max and then she's up, and wanting up.

Thank you, Fisher-Price! And thanks to my friend Pam who suggested we try a side-to-side swing. Luke's old front-to-back swing will be promptly going on Craig's List.

Speaking of sleeping babes, Laney Jennifer has slept a six hour stretch two nights in a row. I love this girl! (Unconditionally of course ... )

My little firecrackers

For our little family, it was a year of firsts this fourth of July: Laney's first holiday party, the first hot and sunny 4th in western Washington in ages, Luke's first time trying the slip and slide, and maybe most exciting of all, Laney's first five hour sleep stretch in the night! Granted, she hasn't done it since, but now we know she has it in her!

Here are Luke and Laney before spit-up and the slip and slide ruined their outfits.

The past two years, Luke would have nothing to do with the slip and slide. His cautious nature has never let him experience the fun before, but yesterday we couldn't get him off the thing! He has been fighting a cold for a few days, so I finally made him sit for a few minutes because he was coughing and coughing from running back up the hill. I hate to make him rest and really believe that he will self-monitor his activity level, but he wasn't letting up and his cough wasn't either.
 

Here is Rog telling Luke how proud he was of him for finally giving the slide a go.

We felt like Laney was a little too young to try the slide, so while brother was slippin' and slidin', little miss was happily being passed around from arms to arms. I so clearly remember Luke's first fourth of July. He was 6 months old and we were a month out from his second open heart surgery. I don't think I let anyone else hold him that day, for fear of him getting sick. What a freedom and joy to let Laney get passed around without anxiety setting in!

And who knows? Maybe 4th of July 2012 will be the year Luke finally stays outside to watch the fireworks!