3 months ago, We met!

And I fell in love with the little darling girl I had only seen in pictures. The little girl that was said to be terrified of strangers and cried at the sight of them even from a distance, was mine! And by the grace of God, she knew I was her mommy! She knew I loved her and she attached very quickly!
3 months later and things are finally settling down a bit.

She has just become mobile again, crawling and creeping along the furniture if it feels worthy of the princesses energy Ha! I have yet to have parented a child as stubborn as Ivy. If Ivy doesn't want something, Ivy is having NO part of it! So if Ivy does not want to crawl, nobody is making her! If she doesn't want to try something, HA if you think you can make her! Not happening! When her physical therapist was here last week she had her crawling to her and walking along the kitchen set. When I walked in the room she quickly plopped down and began to cry holding her arms out for me to save her! I had to cover my face the next time I walked in and instead of pretending she was in extreme pain she shot me the stink eye! Yes, you remember the famous stink eye, well she gave it to mommy! Of course when the hour was over she dove in my arms and kissed me 10 times and clung to me. Before our therapist even got out the door she was asleep in my arms! Oh Ivy!! You hear those two words a lot in our house. Mostly from the sister. Oh Ivy!!

Ivy was not happy about having to take a picture after church. She was ready to go home, after all it was 105 degrees!!!!!! 

She LOVES her sister!! Gets so excited when she sees her in the morning and copies everything she does. So so sweet to watch.
Lexi loves Ivy to pieces and makes sure they have 2 of everything and brings her everything that mommy is trying to get her to crawl to. She just can not stand to see her unhappy. It is absolutely precious and Little Ivy knows that her sister will take care of her.  Lexi gets so excited when she see's Ivy waking up on the video monitor, shouting Ibee's up!!! Ibee's up!!! Yay Ibee woke up!! Lets go get her! It is the sweetest thing.

Lexi plays dolls now (this is new, she had no interest until just recently). She thickens her doll's milk,  gives them medicine. She pretends they have tubes and tells them just one more tube off and you can get out of your hospital bed! Then one last tube and you can come home!! I love how she plays pretend. She has an incredible imagination and plays with her doll house and her little mermaids and princesses more than anything outside of just dancing all day long and making up dances all day long! She loves to sing. She sings all the time and is currently always singing tawor dwift (Taylor Swift) songs. She hears the songs that her sisters dance to and since they are on the iPad she uses them to make her own dances. It is the cutest thing to watch this tiny 3 year old get in her little zone and make up these dances! Her recital is in 2 weeks. She is in 2 dances. She told me yesterday that if there is a part that is too boring she might just do some pirouettes and some split jumps????? Uhgh? She is so funny. The things she says keep us laughing all day. I am so in love with my sweet little Lexi and the adorable joyful spirit that she constantly has! I try to be more like her, appreciating the little things, being content in each moment, giving thanks (she is so thankful), making people happy, loving life!

Today was Ivy's swallow test. She has graduated to nectar thick, so a little thinner but still yucky to our little girl. She will get tested again in 2-3 months. We are able to give her plain water in a slow flow sippy cup as a reward for medicine and in small amounts as needed. Thank goodness!!!!!! Ivy would rather have plain water than any candy or treat! She does not get motivated by treats or rewards just water and outside time.


Our next cardiology appointment is this Thursday. She was having some trouble with some pretty intense swelling but it has gone way down and she looks great. She eats really well as long as it is her current favorite. We just go with the flow. Right now she is still an oatmeal lover (thank you Lord!) she eats it at least 3 times a day. I put carnation instant breakfast in it, or fat free protein powder, and honey. I have found all sorts of very low fat/no fat foods like granola bars and even chips (IVY LOVES CHIPS! They make her sooo happy!)

 This angle makes Lexi look like a bobble head!!!!

Life is Good! 
God is Great!! 
He gives us more than we can imagine, He carries us through things we did not think we could survive, He never says, ~This will be easy~, but He promises we will never go through anything alone. He takes all things and makes them beautiful!!!! Thanking my God, my father, today and ever day for the tough times that have lead me to the relationship I have with Him today!! I am blessed!!!