Eye Surgery

Em had eye surgery to correct her strabismus and 4th nerve palsy in late June. Easy as pie surgery. We were in the Day Surgery Floor where she was prepped and got to wear some cool, blue kid-scrubs. She loved pretending to be a doctor. Prior to surgery, Dr. Edmond came in to say hello and mark which eye was to be operated on. I don't think Em was too pleased about that. See below.

A few days out of surgery, the eye was still blood red and looked a lot worse than it really was. I'm sure people were going to call child protective services on me. Having the surgery was fantastic and corrected her head tilt and evened out her balance issues. She also showed improvement in her drawing skills and other fine motor skills. We're going on vacation pretty soon, and one of Emma's lingering concerns is whether or not she'll be able to swim, since bathing was postponed for a few days. Somehow, I think we're going to have a great vacation.

It's a Boy!
Yes, you heard right. We're pregnant! Not totally planned, though we wanted to have another eventually. I got pregnant in February on the heels of a really trying year. I won't lie, I wasn't ready. I was emotionally and physically exhausted, as well as working through my depression of Emma's cancer. I was angry at Mike for a while and in some sort of denial. How was I going to handle three children on top of mine and Emma's already hectic life?

We found out on the first of July, on a 22 week ultrasound that we're expecting a boy! Finally a son! We are totally elated, and Mike says that the only reason I haven't killed him yet, is because having a boy saved him. Yeah, that's the truth.

As time passed, and I slowly began to realize that this is all a part of God's plan and this little baby is our blessing. I am due on November 19th, right around the girl's birthdays. Perfect. Ha ha. November is a crazy birthday month for us. Mike on the 5th, Emmy on the 13th, Hannah and my Dad on the 20th.

The girls are so excited to welcome their baby brother. Em wants to name him Max but Hannah prefers "Tingy." Tingy is a name she made up, her little pet name for everything: Barbies, oven mitts, stuffed animals. They have already divided up the baby chores between them, arguing about who gets to change the dirty diapers and who gets feeding duties. It's too cute. I have peace of mind knowing that he will be so loved and we will have a full, happy and healthy home this fall.

Full Circle

I can't believe it has been a year already. One year since Emma's diagnosis and surgery. Our lives have changed so much.

It's kind of bittersweet. Do you celebrate it? Is it a milestone because she's survived a year past diagnosis? I don't know. Mike and I decided not to make a big deal out of it lest we jinx ourselves. So the day went by quietly and unmarked by any sort of celebration.

June 2009 MRI Results
The last MRI in March showed that her brain scans were clear. This time we weren't expecting anything less. We got results that everything looked good. No signs of any "spots," no nothing. She was strong, healthy and doing great. We are so happy that everything is well.

To the Beach!
Emmy has always loved the water. This year we decided to spend as much time at the beach as we could. We headed down to Galveston for day and the girls loved it so much. A few photos as evidence.












In July, we've got a vacation planned for Rockport, Texas. A good friend of ours has loaned us a beach house on Key Allegro and we are all excited to go. Can't wait. Hope you have a great summer!