Warning.....there are a LOT (as in 69 pictures!)....and some are not pretty.
This was the Sunday before we left. Ash was here and trying to help Wren get her shoes on while Iley was perched on his head! Would that be considered multitasking?
Then Thatcher came in for the tackle and it's a little hard to know who's appendages belong to who.
Grandpa and Grandma got here that evening to stay with Wren, Harrison and Sherman.
Iley fell asleep on the way to the airport....it's only a nice little 4hr. drive.
When she entered the bathroom and heard the music......she broke into a little dance! Kids are so funny.....they don't care who's watching:)
There was a play area at the airport in Minneapolis. She was chatting with this chicken in the crate.
Waiting on the luggage.....she is like "WHERE is it??"
Eating at a mexican restaurant right across from the hospital the day before surgery. We had a bunch of different appointments at the Mayo clinic and the St. Mary's hospital. I was cracking up at her little crossed legs:)
Using the bandage from her blood draw to "doctor" her bear.
Looking out the window at the hospital while waiting to see the cardiologist.
She spotted the swimming pool that morning before we left and asked all day if it was time to swim. We forgot her swimsuit so her leggings and undershirt had to work.
Sitting on Daddy's lap the day of surgery.....waiting on our escort to take us to our room.
In the prep room....she was not keen on the arm hug.
She wanted mommy to ride on the bed with her.
And she wanted mama to go with her to the surgery room...so I got to wear this pretty blue suit. That was the easy part! When we got back there they made me put a mask on....and she wanted one too:) They brought her one just like mine.....then they brought the happy mask....which did not make her happy....even if it did smell like bubble gum. She cried and fought it and I dutifully held her and I was fine till she went to sleep.......then I felt SO guilty! She looked so tiny and vulnerable and completely at the mercy of all the big people in her life. She didn't really understand why her heart needed fixed...she felt just fine. Holding her while they held the mask over her face made me feel like the only person she was depending on to keep her safe......had let her down.....and she was going to wake up with a really big ouchie.
This was how we first saw her after surgery.....well almost. the very first picture we took on a cell phone, and she had a blue hat on. Poor tiny baby. She was completely unconscious the first night, so we went back to the hotel just across the street for the night. They said they would call us as soon as she started waking up.....they did.....JUST as I stepped out of the shower the next morning! Troy was already showered so he threw on some clothes and rushed over to the hospital. I dried my hair put it up in a pony tail and rushed over soon after. She was fighting the breathing tube and wanting it OUT! She kept signing "DONE" She didn't like the whole process AT ALL! they had to go back in and suction out her lungs with a little tube down her nose. Made her MAD.
This was her ICU room. check out all the monitors!
Look at those beautiful PINK lips!!
Little Amelia was just two weeks old. She was in the same room on the other side of the curtain. She had just had heart surgery too. She had to stay in ICU until she could learn to eat on her own.
Her little line up of cute animals......got puked on soon after this picture. My sweater and skirt didn't fare any better:(
She fell asleep while listening to dad's program and watching Curious George......that had to be a little confusing! Guess she's just learning to multitask early.
This was her fluid drainage meter.
Just cute sweetness:)
We gave her a brush and a mirror.....she occupied herself preening for a while....then the mirror became her cell phone. Her hair was wet from sweat. I think they had just came and removed several tubes.
Playing in the playroom on day 4. She had to carry her heart monitor with her in the little back pack.
Sitting on Dad's lap before he left to go back home. This was Sunday afternoon. Troy flew out on Sun. Eve. and they released us from the hospital on Monday right after lunch!
Life is good:) got my chocolate milk, a purple purse, and a Winnie the Pooh movie.
The wound unveiled.....not bad for 5 days! and look at those PINK lips:)
Headed across the road to the hotel! She was glad to be DONE with the hospital!
Day 5....just released from the hospital....up and about....hamming it up for the camera. No one could believe she had surgery 5 days ago!
Day 6 post op. Eating breakfast at the restaurant in the motel....we were on a first name basis with the waitresses by the time we left!
My personal favorite:)
Seriously mom?
She loves her giraffe!
"Raffi" went everywhere with us.
By the last night.......we were BORED stiff! We walked down the street to Kentucky Fried Chicken...I ate the chicken.....she polished off the mac and cheese and mashed potatoes! There was a self serve Yogurt place across the street.....so we walked over there and did our own little photo shoot. We were the only ones in there for a while.
I told her to sit like this........
...then she swivels around like this:)
Walking back to the hotel......chilly!
Since Dad always wants the isle seat.....but she insisted on sitting by Daddy....she had to sit in the middle on the way home instead of by the window.
I'm thinking it was a poor trade off......we lost Dad before the plane left the runway!
If you poor people are still with me.......that's all folks.
