Uhhh Mom...this pillow they gave us is nice, but I don't think it's going to work.

Avery trying out the exersaucer

I LOVE rice cereal!

Jill rocking her button!

Our first Thanksgiving!

So we have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, but most of all that we have two healthy baby girls! We have had a minor setback in Jillian's recovery though, she doesn't want to eat. It's not that she can't or doesn't remember how, she just doesn't want to. I'm not positive, but my gut feeling is it's the medicine they are giving her to wean off of the pain meds. She's very happy, but has no appetite. We are back in the hospital tonight and she is receiving continuous feeds through the night so she can make up for what she's missed. Tomorrow we will work on bottle feeding, but we have the feeding tube in now so that she can get the full feed even if it's not through the bottle. We're not at all happy to be back here, but we know that we have to do something now before she gets dehydrated. Otherwise, we'll have a much bigger problem on our hands.
In the meantime, Avery is VERY close to rolling over. We are all watching her and willing her to just have a little more momentum. She, unlike her sister, is very hungry and has started rice cereal. She LOVES it and we LOVE watching her eat it. She gets very excited and let's you know if you're not moving fast enough.

We are so very grateful for our precious girls, and they are most definiatly the best things we never knew we wanted. Please continue to pray for both of them, but most of all for Jillian's recovery and that her eating improves quickly so we can go back home.

Sister time

Sisters who play together...
nap together!

Jillian is doing awesome and should get to go home tomorrow as long as all of her tests in the morning check out! Grandma had a dentist appointment today so Avery came to visit and Steph helped out.

Moving on up!

Happy to see you sister!
This picture says it all.

Rolling to my new room

So glad to be awake!

I don't know about this...do you have a license to drive this wagon?

Jillian is doing AWESOME today! She started the day by pulling out her feeding tube and then not taking her bottle for the nurse so Dr. Roten was concerned it was going to be a rough day. However, she has taken all of her bottles for me and is nothing but smiles when she's awake. It's almost like she's seeing things for the first time, I can really tell how awful she felt before her surgery. I am so grateful for the doctors and nurses who have helped us all get through her surgery and recovery. All we have to do now is prove that she can take her bottles and gain weight, then we'll be homeward bound. God is amazing and I know he has been by our sides through this whole experience. He gave us Jillian and has helped make her healthy, I know she is going to accomplish great things in her life!

Jill's Back!!

Jill watching the Cowboys

Big eyes

Taking a bottle!

Snoozing

Snoozing Avery

Jillian was much more herself today! She took one full bottle and 3 partial ones. She remembers what to do, she just gets tired. She had some really good naps today and was sleeping very well when I left this evening. It was good to see her acting like her old self, and it made a mommy very happy to see her sweet smiles!

No pics tonight

Today was a rough day for all of us. Jillian is going through withdrawls from her pain medication and had a hard morning. She was very jittery, out of it, irritable, and running fever. We hope that the fever is just due to the lack of medication. The doctors gave her something to "take the edge off" and she finally gave in and went to sleep around noon. This was the first time she really slept in a couple of days so we're hoping that it helps her heal and that when she wakes up she feels much more herself. When Wes and I left the hospital around 9 she was still sleeping and her nurse was going to leave her that way. We're praying for a much better day tomorrow and that maybe she'll show some interest in taking a bottle.

Jill Bug

Very awake...and still a little loopy!
My favorite nurse Krystalynn

Daddy I don't want my paci.

Jillian had several milestones today! She had her art line, chest drain, and pacing wires removed. She also kicked one of her IVs right out of her foot. She's feeling much better now that some of that stuff is out of her. They started her feeds today and she's tolerating them so hopefully her central line can come out tomorrow. Right now she's getting her formula through a feeding tube because she has to relearn to take a bottle. This was something that I hadn't even thought about, and was a little upset because we're just so ready for her to be out of the hospital. The doctors assure me that this is very normal for kids who have had big surgeries and had to be intubated for a significant amount of time. She did take her paci for a little while tonight, but then was acting like she couldn't figure out what to do with it. Much like when she was in the NICU, it should just click and then she won't turn back. Maybe tomorrow will be her day.

Breathing on our own!

Avery visiting Jill
Looking good thanks to my favorite nurse!

Cuddling with mommy

The first time I've held Jill in a week!

The doctors took Jill off the vent today and she's breathing great on her own! Her numbers all look good so they're ready to start trying to feed. The next things to work on getting rid of are her art line, central line, and her chest drain.

Jill's all closed up and Avery rolled over...kind of!

Jillian is closed up and looking much better

Her numbers are fantastic!!

Thank you Dr. Tam!

Avery was tuckered out after playing

I rolled onto my side all by myself, and my fingers are delicious!

Jillian has finally been closed up and we are so glad! All of her numbers are holding steady right now so they have just begun weaning her off of the vent. Her doctors are very pleased with her progress, they just had to let her do it on her time. They are continuing to give her lasix to get
the fluid off and are keeping her comfortable on pain killers right now. She is a champ!!!
Not to be outdone, Avery decided to roll onto her side by herself today several times. She thinks it's a pretty neat trick! I would guess that in a day or two, she'll make it all the way over to her belly.

Not for the faint of heart

Avery and Mommy resting

Jill's prayer bears

Jill 12 hours after surgery. Yes those are purple bows!

Jill right after surgery. Poor baby.

Today is the girls' 4 month birthday and my how they have grown! Avery is enjoying her time with Grandma and Grandpa, and Papa and NaNa are in town too! Jillian is doing well after her surgery. Dr. Tam was able to completely repair her heart so that she shouldn't need another surgery until she is in her teens or later. She spent 7 to 8 hours on the operating table, most of this time was on bypass. Because of this, she has a lot of swelling and pressure in her chest cavity. Dr. Tam tried to close her up but didn't like her pressure numbers, so he left her open to allow the swelling to go down. He hopes to close her on Saturday, but in the meantime she is covered with a sterile dressing. Her swelling is beginning to go way down, she was able to close her mouth tonight and was even sucking on her pacifier a bit. Please continue to pray for our sweet girl.

Jillian Update

So hungry after my heart cath

Trying to keep her leg still.

Jillian's heart cath went well and they were able to get the pictures and numbers they needed for her surgery today. As of now she is in surgery and on bypass. Dr. Tam intends to do a repair of her heart tonight, which will mean she shouldn't need another surgery for several years. Please pray for our baby, that there are no complications and that she comes off bypass with a working heart. Pray that her recovery is swift and that she's back home with us smiling that sweet smile soon!

We know...we're long overdue! : )

Sweet Jillian

Avery Rose

Avery

Grandma and Jill

Jill in her church clothes

Dedication, October 9th

Stretching feels nice!

Boo!

Jacksboro's cutest!

Happy Jill

Happy Avery!

You have no idea how many pictures we took before both smiled!

Things have been busy at our house. Both girls are smiling lots and love to play on their activity mats. They've found their hands and are so cute when they put them together and grab things. They're getting so big and will go for their 4 month check up next week. Jillian is outgrowing her shunt and as I write this she is having a heart cath done. Hopefully this will tell us when her shunt needs to be replaced for a larger one.