Pediatrician Appointment 1/19/09 and update

We actually had two visits in the last week. i took Ashlyn because she has been coughing a lot and we were starting to get concerned. The ARNP said she has a cold and maybe a touch of RSV. The only way to test for RSV is in the ER and they give babies breathing treatments that Ashlyn can't have because of her heart. So if it didn't improve, she wanted to do a chest x-ray and go from there.

The cough is better and she isn't as congested. She had her four month immunizations. She weighed in at 14 lbs. 1 oz. and is 24 3/4 inches long. Brooke at this age was 14 lbs. 10 oz. so she really is growing well considering all she has gone through and not eating at all after surgery. She is now eating 6 ounces every 2-4 hours and we have tried cereal. She is not into it, but last night I tried applesauce and she loved it :)

Ashlyn is playing with toys a lot more and reaching for things. She also within the last few days has been pushing up higher on her arms during tummy time. She kicks her legs and ends up scooting herself around a bit. My favorite thing she does is when I hold her she lays her little hand on my shoulder, it so cute!

Other than that, we are all doing okay. Everyone but me has been sick with coughs and fevers, and Ashlyn didn't get the fever part either. It has been cold her the last few days, big difference from wearing shorts and tanks just a few days ago!

Cardiologist Appt, 1/9/09

Chunky butt is up to 13lbs. 14 oz. and in the 70th percentile!!! Her heart is looking good, still a small hole but doesn't seem to be getting larger. She is still off meds but he may put her on lasix next month. She is breathing abdominal breathing when she gets upset and we also think she has a little cold. She had been coughing a lot, so he wants to look at her when she gets over it to see is she needs to go on lasix (diuretic). He also wants to keep her home still, to avoid extra exposure to germs. She has been home for two months already! Surgery was over 2 1/2 month ago too. It has gone quick.

Ashlyn is super alert now and tries to pull herself up to a sitting position when propped up. Still hating tummy time, but holds her head up well when we do it and likes inverted tummy time. She is also grabbing at things and starting to play with toys.We had a few real rough days last week with the coughing and fussiness. She wanted Mommy to hold her a lot. She is trying to laugh too. She will be four months old on the 18th. Here are some recent pictures:

Christmas pictures

The girls had a great Christmas. Ashlyn loved the lights! Here are some pictures:

Three month old on 12/18

Wow! Three months have passed since Ashlyn's birth, and it's been a crazy three months! Ashlyn is doing great. We got the approval for her RSV vaccination, and we went on Thursday for it. She is weighs 12 lbs. 4.9 oz now, so still gaining great! Ashlyn is eating 4 ounces every two hours still, but as of last week she is sleeping 11-12 hours straight at night!!! Mommy loves that. She also has found her hands and feet and stares at them moving, it's so cute. Bath time is a nightmare, she hates it! But hopefully in time she will love it. Such a smiley girl now too and very talkative. Developmentally she is right on track, holding her head awesome and very alert, which is good because I was concerned with the low oxygen saturation she may be delayed or develop cerebral palsy but so far so good :) We go to the cardiologist and pediatrician next month and I will update about those appointments (1/9 and 1/18) and add some Christmas pictures. Last week Ashlyn got to meet her Uncle Tim and Aunt Karen from Connecticut, which was a huge, but great surprise! Brooke and Saphyre loved the visit too, but it was too short :( Happy holidays to everyone and also a big thank you to everyone for their help, love, prayers and thoughts for Ashlyn and our family. We appreciate everything! Merry Christmas!!!

One month after discharge

Yesterday was one month since Ashlyn was discharged. She is doing very well. We don't go back for a check up until next month, but I am sure she is gaining weight. She is now up to 4 ounces every two hours, sometimes a bit longer or more milk. She loves to eat! She is also sleeping longer at night, about two six hour stretches, and then three hours. So Mommy is getting a bit more sleep now! She is also getting really playful and loves her play mat. Here are some recent pictures of her and of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was her first holiday that was not in a hospital.

Thanksgiving:

11/26/08 Cardiologist appointment

Ashlyn had a cardiologist appointment today. He O2 saturation was 98%, which is great! Dr. Huhta also took her off the Enalipril, which means she is not on any meds! She weighed in at 10lbs. 14 oz. and last Tuesday she was 10 lbs. 1 oz. so she is gaining weight great. She should be for eating 4 ounces most of the time every two hours! She had an Echo and an EKG and it looked good. She still has a leak around the VSD patch, but that should closeup on it's own in time. All in all he said she looks great and healthy. Now we are in the process of getting her insurance to approve the Synergist vaccine for RSV. They don't like to pay for it, seeing it is $200 a shot, but in her weakened condition it would be very dangerous for her to get RSV. So hoping that goes through for her. Her next appointment is not until January 9. Next Wednesday we will be going to our first Mended Little Hearts meeting which is a support group for families of children with congenital heart defects. I am looking forward to it! Everyone else is doing great. I am still home with the girls, Ashlyn isn't ready for day care yet. Saphyre joined Girl Scouts this week, which will be very good for her. Brooke is getting bigger and smarter each day, and is a great help to Mommy, but can be a sassy brat when she wants too! We wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving, this year we have a lot to be thankful for!

Two months old and doing great!

Ashlyn continues to do great each day. She is gaining weight great! At discharge (11/7), she was 8lbs. 8 oz. At her cardiologist appointment (11/12) she was 9 lbs. 7 oz. and at her well baby check (11/18) she was 10 lbs. 1 oz.!

The cardiologist appointment on 11/12 went well. She had a chest x-ray, EKG, and Echo done. There is till a residual leak, but only one now, that they are monitoring. We go back on 11/26 for a check-up.

Ashlyn is two months old now! We had her well baby check on 11/18 and everything looks good. She had her immunizations and we also talked about the Synergist (RSV vaccination). They said they have trouble getting it there because it is a $200 vaccine so hopefully she can get it at the cardiologist. They need it every month during RSV season. Dr. Rodriguez also hooked her up to the pulseOx and she was running 98/99 for oxygen saturation! Way up from 80-84 pre-surgery.

She is so smiley now and coos and "talks" with us often. She has changed so much already and loves attention. If I don't look at her when she is eating. she will make little noises to get my attention. She also has started to find her fingers and chew on them.

Ashlyn is eating a lot now. The last few days it has been 3 ounces every two hours sometimes three hours. But she has been sleeping great through the night, 6-7 hours. So I would much rather feed her every two hours than get up twice a night! Her scar is healing nicely as you can see below.

11/7/18 Day 11 DISCHARGE DAY!!!!

Yes, you read that right, Ashlyn was discharged today! VSUC test was negative, bacteria and urine cultures negative so she is home. I will post more tomorrow, I had my tubal done earlier and I am pretty sore. Thanks for all yout thoughts and prayers, my baby girl is sleeping peacefully in her own bed!!!

11/6/08 Day 10

Ashlyn's blood and urine cultures are still negative, but not final yet, yay! So she may be discharged tomorrow. She had a good night and day, ate well. her night nurse said she has wanted to be held a lot. I think she is just so done being there and wants the attention she had when Mommy was there and from all of us at home. She is probably so confused. If she is discharged tomorrow, we will have to get her late because I am finally getting my tubal done. no more babies for us! This was definitely the icing on the cake, never in a million years would I have thought we would go through this and I NEVER want to do it again. Ashlyn also has the VSUG test tomorrow where they shoot dye in her kidneys to make sure everything is okay. So fingers crossed tomorrow is the day and that the cultures are negative. Will Day 11 (Mommy's favorite number) be discharge day???