For my Prayer Warriors! 4:57pm

I'm posting early.  We are in need of our prayer warriors to do what they do best:  Pray.

Gracie goes in for a Cat Scan of her head tomorrow.. this is to make sure that

her sutures (bones in her head) have not closed yet.. no one thinks they have,

we are just making sure of the 'thinks'.. her appointment is at 10a.m.

Of course, it's at Hasbro.. soo we are feeling good about it!

She will be under sedation for it, so she doesn't move around

 (you know our wiggly worm).

So if you have a spare moment at 10, a happy thought, a quick prayer..

we appreciate it all!!

A good, long weekend was had by us!

She's growing by the minute.

It's getting hot!!  We are experiencing July weather at the end of May.

So keeping Grace inside, and we put the AC in her room last night..

on low & then off just enough to cool off her room.

I took some pictures today of her feet & mine.. lol..

she's soo cute!! Lots of smiles.. we played on her mat this morning, her on her belly.. and then this afternoon read some books.

No teeth yet.  This was her dress, she wore this weekend.

 Tummy time with Mama! (her incentive is the binky!!)

I think she needs a pedicure! Cute feet!

 And her little, cute hands.  She has very long fingers!!

We love all her parts! :)

Thanks for keeping us in prayers!

Love,

pattie & gary, Gracie & max



Our 4th Anniversary! 4:34pm

Traditionally, 4th anniversary gift is Flowers. 

Modern gift is appliances..(glad I don't need any! lol).

Yes, Gary & I have been married, for a wonderful 4 years!

The last year, has certainly been the hardest.. it has been filled with sadness & worry.

But we got thru it, and if we can get thru the past year, then we can get thru anything!

We argue, and sometimes disagree or 'agree to disagree', but the truth remains

that when faced with despair & sadness..we hold on tight to each other!!

Thank you, Gary! For being a great dad to Grace, and a great husband to me!!

It's blurry because I took a picture of us from the wall.  But here is our wedding picture!!

And as promised, this is our  12 lb. 2 oz...

Gracie !!!

When she left the hospital on 4/18..she was 10lbs.  Last week, at her doctor's appointment, she was 11lbs. 11oz.  She is now 12lb. 2oz!!

She is growing & doing well.  With nutrition yesterday, we've upped her ml's daily to 800 ml's, which is 26oz. in a 24 hour period.

We are also trying a bottle, and anything she takes over 15ml's will be counted toward her daily intake.  She's getting 125 calories for her weight..so we can 'fatten' her up just a little more.  She is doing great in the gain weight department, but she is just a little under for her adjusted age (which will be 7 months.. already!) at the end of May.

Did I say that..end of May?? Wow.. time certainly is flying!!

After much input from friends alike, Gary & I have decided to go to a local restaurant on the water, "Waterfront Grill".. for our anniversary!

Thanks to Auntie Paula for babysiting!!

Love you, Gary & Gracie!!

Thanks for reading! And for praying!!

love,

pattie & gary, Gracie & max



Thankful Thursday! 1:42pm

Thankful for those who read my blog, and come back day after day!!

Sorry, I haven't posted in awhile.. Grace & I are enjoying each other and this weather!

I've also gotten my a little part time job, so I've been busy Mon & Tuesday night with minute recording of two different meetings, and then typing them up & sending them on their way.  Just finished the 2nd one this morning.

Today, is our nutrition appointment with Grace..can't wait to get her weight (of course every scale is different..but we definitely think she is gaining.. she looks & feels heavier).  I was going to wait to update later (i will anyway)..but here are some good shots from today & the last few days!

Monday, we had Abby over for the day.. a fun day..her & I, and of course her "baby" Gracie:

Wednesday, we went to the Plymouth Mall with Auntie Heather & the kids (Abby, twins: Olivia & Jackson)..and my first time being able to push Gracie in her stroller in a mall setting & Abby pushed the stroller alot! lol

She's lucky she's cute, too!!

With Auntie Heather.. at the jumpy gym!!

Lots of tummy time this week has paid off.. Gracie did GREAT with OT today..she is nearly looking all the way to the left with her head.  Her OT was very happy with her progress.

 And these pictures are from today.. LOVE her little beautiful dress.. and below.. this is what we are blessed & thankful to see ALOT more of daily.. She SMILES alot!!

(do you realize how many weird sounds, tickles, and pictures I had to take to get this picture, finally??? I know she thinks her mommy is weird!!  But, Gracie..thanks for lettting Mommy take you're beautiful smiling face!!

Thanks for reading!  Love you guys!!

love,

pattie & gary, Gracie & max



Beautiful day. 8:23pm

What a beautiful Sunday..and weekend! 

 The weather was just perfect for walking & enjoying family time!!

Honestly, Gary & I were a family, and now we have Grace..and the three of us are

a family..and we enjoy each other's company!!

This morning I was taking tons of pictures in a row so I could show you how much she smiles now, but of course with a shutter delay, this was the best I could do. 

This is her sitting after breakfast of a tablespoon of oatmeal & some pureed squash!

We had a nice walk at Ft. Phoenix beach today & Gary got some yard work done.

Gracie & I went to church this morning & she was wide awake..

sat on "Grampie H.'s lap" (Grampie is our friends dad.. we all call him Grampie)

She was all smiles for him! 

In her pretty, new dress:

 

Mom & Grace!!

Thanks God.. for such a wonderful weekend with MY family!

Love you G & G & m!! :)

Love,

pattie & gary, Gracie & max



Whoo!! Hoo!! 7:39pm

Grace had a follow up appointment with her doctor at Hasbro.. the last time she saw him was two weeks ago & she weighed, 11 lbs. 3oz.

& TODAY.... (drumroll, please!!)

11 lbs. 11 oz!!

YEA!! She is definitely gaining, which he was very happy about.

She is taking 735ml's via g-tube, which is 24 1/2 oz.  a day..which

sustains her for good growth & nutrition.

Her g-tube area looks great.  He was impressed with all the new fresh, new growth

skin that has taken place around the gtube area.

We don't see him for another month!

And we will start to see a nutritionist to manage her calories.

Still teething! :)

 

In her very cute new pajamas that have fairy princesses on them..

With everything that happened in the last month, it did put Grace

behind a little bit, but then I see her smiling face..and when I sing

to her, or she sees someone she recognizes.. she just is smiling so much more!

I just feel so greatful that she is finally healing with her g-tube area & really

taking the volume that she is.  She is still eating twice a day with purees & tries a bottle.  We will continue to try with her.  She is spending more time on her

tummy as well.. and that's going to just strenghten her core muscles.

Thanks for all your prayers!

We are blessed!!

Love,

pattie & gary, Gracie & max



We have a car.... 1:58pm

... at home, that is! Gracie & I finally have the use of the newer car for the day.. we went to pick up the Vue today, it didn't go as smoothly as expected (of course!).  Apparentely, the battery light came on, upon starting (they replaced the battery).. and after an hour or so, they tell us they need to replace the alternator.  Geesh! We're already paying a little over $2,000 to get it repaired, add an additional $1300, that will get the throttle fixed within the next 60 days.  So, they agree to do the labor for free & we find the alternator at a lower price somewhere else.  Once that's done, Gary will be driving the vue, and Grace & I will have the mazda!

As it goes, it seems we can never get ahead.. but we have to be greatful at the same time that we can have two cars!

You've probably missed pictures of Gracie.. here she is in her new 2-piece pajamas we got for her over the weekend!! We love 2-piece pajamas..because she's soo long, she's in a 6 month!!

And today, her little onesie outfit..remember the days when we couldn't dress her in a onesie??  We just came back from a visit to vevo & vovo's house.. soo she's ready to fall asleep.

Just a quick update on stuff:  Grace had PT come to the house yesterday for an evaluation & it went well.  We need to do lots more tummy time with her, to help strengthen those neck & head muscles.  PT will start working with her weekly beginning in 3 weeks.  I have to take a step back sometimes and realize she really is only 6 months adjusted & has had alot happen to her.  She will get there, but just might be longer than others.  Believe me, I'm not comparing her to anyone.. she handles very well on her tummy now, just need to get more time on it in.

OT came today..and again she did great.

Tomorrow is an appt at Hasbro with her pedi surgery doctor to check on the g-tube, which looks great..and is handling more volume, so that we don't have to do continous feeds.

It's suppossed to be nice this weekend.. soo we are planning for a walk down in Newport on Saturday; and lunch with my parents on Sunday. (saturday too!)

Gracie & I have been going for walks in the stroller & I've been doing bowling & tennis on the Wii!!  I joined WW a few weeks ago, and down 6lbs.  Starting to feel better!

Thanks for keeping up with us..

Love,

pattie & gary, Gracie & max



Back to Reality.. 8:45pm

Back to reality.. Monday!! It's always hard to get back to a routine after a nice weekend away, but thankfully, Grace is such a good baby.. she's back to her bottle/feeding & g-tube feeds too.  And, she sleeps really well tooo! I know we are very lucky.. she goes down at 7pm til about 5:30, and if we're lucky, stays sleeping til about 8 in bed with us. (co-sharing!)

Today our new food try was peaches.  They seemed a little watery, so I gave her thickened oatmeal with it.  She had three teaspoons of fruit this morning, with a tablespoon of oatmeal.  Then at dinner time, she had 3 teaspoons of peas & some applesauce.  (the applesauce is new too).

We had speech therapy in this morning.. we are going to work on feeds, as well as getting some tricks to help with speech.

Here are a few more pictures from the weekend..(from my phone):

 Chillin on the couch at the condo..

And of course wearing my sombrero'.. LOL..

Grace spent some time on her belly today, she's doing much better just resting there...

and lifting her head.

Gotta have that binky!!

It's blurry because she was moving to get her head up!!

No teeth yet, but the lower one looks pretty close to be popping up!

A quick visit this morning from Vevo & Vevo'.. and I did lots of laundry

and cleaning up the house.  Tomorrow hope to go for a walk.. we have no appointments coming in.  But busier from Wed thru Friday!

Thanks for the wonderful 1st Mother's day card from the Welty's! It was a very nice surprise in the mail!!

I haven't talked to my buddy, HH today.. Where are you??

Love you guys,

pattie & gary, Gracie & max