Happy Birthday Lily

We celebrated Lily's 3rd birthday yesterday. She woke up first and so I was able to spend about an hour with just her early in the morning, which was extra special for me. Fred, my husband, was out of town, Mason was at a friend's house and Morgan and Liam were still sleeping. As usual we started the day with Lily's birthday cupcake for breakfast.

After everyone woke and we were ready for the day we went to see the Lorax.  This was Liam's first offical movie experience.  Lily has only been to a couple of movies herself.  They both did great.  Liam didn't move a muscle the entire movie. Lily ended up on my lap for 3/4ths of the movie, but that was fine with me.  We went and grabbed lunch after that and then it was back home for nap time!  Overall it was a great day.  We will offically celebrate her birthday with family and friends next weekend at Build-A-Bear.  She can't wait!!!

My sister and I ventured out to take pictures of the little ones on Friday in one of the memorial gardens nearby.  This truly is always a challange.  The younger they are, the harder it is to get any cooperation.  Here are some of the photos that we were able to get...

Cousins

Faces of Liam..

Faces of Lily...

So Sweet...

Siblings....

Grace..

Olivia...

What a Difference!

It didn't hit me until I was looking through some old photos while we were at the beach over spring break the difference in Lily's nose.  She has undergone 2 surgeries since we brought her home in June of 2010 and after the last surgery when her nose was done there has been some tremendous change.  Because I see her everyday it wasn't as easy to recognize until I came across some photos of her before.  These two pictures were taken almost exactly 1 year apart.
                                                                        
                                                                                Spring 2011:

Spring 2012:

This really isn't the best picture of her, but one that I could really show you the difference.  We are blessed to have such great doctors to care for her.  She really is a beautiful girl.  She is growing and changing so much.  She is caring, spunky and truly a free spirit. 

Our next hurdle is her expander.  She had that put in last Monday.  Up until Friday she was still complaining of pain when she ate.  Now she seems to be doing really well with it.  Her orthodontist called Monday night to check on her and the nurse called Tuesday to do the same.  I was really impressed/touched by their concern for our daughter.  I am not sure how long she will have to wear it, but I know that it will have to stay in until there is enough room to do her bone graft.  The device also pulls her top jaw forward at the same time to correct her under bite.  I was praising God that she does not have to wear the horrible device on her face at night (at least not for now and hoping never). 

She will be seen by the cleft clinic on May 5th and go back to the orthodontist in 6 weeks for some adjustments.  That's it for now....more on Liam to come later!

Be Bold!

That's what Pitter Patter Art's giveaway is this month!  I LOVE it.  Go check it out at her website on my sidebar and enter for you chance to win.

A Sneak Peak (it's only day 1)....

Where do I start?

I will backup a little here to the last time I updated and start with Lily. 
Lily had her orthodontist appointment last Thursday.  She has been scheduled to have her expander put in on the 16th.  This will pull her upper teeth apart so that eventually she can have her bone graft done.  She will also have a contraption that she will wear on her face at night in order to pull the upper jaw forward because of her under bit. 

Oaks of Righteousness had our first women's retreat last weekend.  I can not say enough about what an amazing experience it was.  God showed up in a BIG way and brought healing, joy, restoration, a deeper knowledge & revelation of who God is and amazing connections between these women.  I was humbled and honored to be apart of a weekend that I know in my heart was orchestrated entirely by Him.  We were merely His servants willing to show MORE of HIM and less of us and to take off our masks and be truly vulnerable and transparent.  We have a team of women who love Jesus will all there hearts and I am privileged to call them my friends and women who I am honored to do life with. Check us out at www.oaksofrighteousness.info.  Our next retreat will be in October.

Liam is home and doing well.  He was VERY sore when his Tylenol wore off yesterday and was in tears saying his bottom hurt.  He has had 3 bowel movements yesterday after we arrived home and his little tummy just gurgled.  Poor guy.  He is such a trooper though…the best patient I have ever witnessed.  He had to take Mira lax every hour from 9:00 am on Wednesday until midnight .  He started having bowel movements after the 3^rd or 4^th dose and didn’t stop going until 7:15 that night.  Yesterday morning when he woke he had one more and I will save you from the details of that one, but it was a little overwhelming.  I have to say what affected me the most was when they gave him is IV Wednesday morning.  He sat on my lap and did not move an inch, but the tears just flowed and he cried.  Oh man, I can handle it better when the try to fight it.  But not him…it hurt and he was scared, but he didn’t move.  He never complained about not eating and was his silly normal self all day and night.  I can’t say enough good stuff about him….just amazing.

We hope to know something by Monday.  The report could come back over the weekend and the surgeon will call us if it does.  We are hopeful that his test result in China was a false positive.  The surgeon said that this was a possibility depending on where the biopsy was taken by them. 

And of course some much desired snuggle time with mom!

A HUGE thanks for all of you who visited us at the hospital.  It made the time go by so much faster.  A a big thanks to Elizabeth for the wonder bag of snacks, water and magazines for my down time.

We head to the beach this Monday with my sister and all the kiddos!  This will be Liam's first beach experience.  I can't wait!!!