Back at the Hotel

post-op day 3--swelling and bruising almost gone

out to eat

a tub full of baby...gotta love it!

We got discharged this morning and are enjoying some down time at the hotel. Riley is doing great. Eating 5-6 ounces every 3 hours during the day and Tylenol is controlling her pain. She only woke up once last night (to eat) and I'm hoping she'll repeat that tonight. She's talking (cooing) and playing and trying to get her new smile figured out. I'm amazed at how great (and how different) she looks!

New Face

Here's a look a Riley's new face! She's very swollen, but you get the idea. She's doing good...resting pretty well but not eating much. We are SO very fortunate to have a private room and that makes things so much easier. I'm going to post later about our trip in more detail, but just wanted to give a little peek at my angel...

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Our flight leaves today for Boston. We will be there for 9 days for Riley's final lip repair. I'm dreading it so badly. I wasn't this anxious with her lip adhesion. I guess because it was a much shorter procedure and we were only gone for 5 days. I know that this has to be done and that it's what's best for Riley, but for some reason it's not making it any easier. The nurse in me is not nervous at all, but the mama in me is! Please join me in praying for safe travel, wisdom and a steady hand for Dr. Mulliken, and a quick and as painless as possible recovery for Riley.

We went to my brother and sister-in-law's house yesterday to celebrate Adam's 25th birthday a few days early. His birthday is Tuesday (Riley's surgery date). It was great to be able to have time with our family and allow them to see Riley's "first face" one last time. My grandparents from Mississippi were here and they hadn't seen Riley since she was 2 weeks old and were amazed with how much she's grown.

Riley and Adam

Riley and my mama, aka Biggie

Riley thought my sister, Brandi, was so funny


Riley and Brandi

Riley and her great-grandparents

Me, Riley, Lilah and Heather

Oh, how I'm going to miss Sawyer! Maybe that has a part in my dread. Nine days without him is going to be tough! He will be thoroughly spoiled in my absence, though. He will spend time with Brock's parent's, my mom and my aunt. My aunt is taking him to the Georgia Aquarium so I know he'll have lots of fun.

Check-ups

I took the kids for their check-ups on Thursday--Sawyer for his 3 year and Riley for her 4 month. Sawyer was 31.14 lbs and 37.25 inches and Riley was 15 lbs 2 oz and 25.25 inches. Wow! Riley has grown...a lot! She was in the 75% for all measurements. Just as a comparison, Sawyer was 16 lbs at 6 months. I'm glad Riley's on the chunky side, especially for her up coming lip reconstruction. I tried her with some baby rice cereal, but she's not ready--lots of bad faces and even some gagging. Sawyer wasn't ready either until around 5 months, so I'm just going to wait to try again after Riley's totally recovered.


I then took them to have portraits made on Friday. I cannot wait to see the proofs. The photographer said they should be up by this Friday. Later Friday afternoon, Riley rolled over from stomach to back. She is trying really hard to roll over from back to stomach, but can only manage to get on her side.

before

mid-roll

tada!

I just love this face! I'm having really mixed emotions about her surgery. We leave a week from today for Boston. This is my Riley. She is beautiful. I love her just the way she is. But I am also excited to see how she will look after her lip repair is done. I feel so much more reluctant, anxious, nervous this time. But I know she is in great hands (God's and Dr. M's) and that she will be beautiful.

Lilah

My, how fast they grow!

sleeping beauties

My brother, Adam, and his wife, Heather, welcomed Lilah Faye on July 27. Lilah weighed 7lbs 15oz and was 20 inches long. She is beautiful and we're so happy to have her in our family! I'm also thankful that Riley will have a cousin the same age. We went to visit with them on Wednesday. It's so funny so see Lilah and Riley side-by-side. It's hard to remember that Riley was that little just 3.5 months ago! Lilah was a little jaundiced and spent a few days under lights...hence her little "tan" is a stark contrast to Riley's snow white skin! Sawyer is in love with Lilah too and wanted to take her home with us.

It's been a while

div>It's been a while since my last post. Since then, my brother and sister-in-law welcomed their baby girl, Lilah (I'll post about her later). Nothing else too exciting has been going on. Just enjoying the summer and getting geared up for Riley's final lip repair on the 25th. I bit the bullet last week and put Sawyer in big boy underwear. He's been doing pretty good so far. Usually only one accident each day but he's still in pull-ups for naps and bedtime. Sawyer really could care less if he's wet or not. When he does have an accident, sometimes he tells me, other times he goes about his business in wet clothes. I'm proud of how well he's done though and hope by next week (maybe) he won't be having any more accidents.



Here are just a few random pictures from the last week of my precious two!

Happy girl!

My beautiful two!

Having fun!


His Indian war paint (flour)!

Riley's serious look