On Wednesday Peng Peng will have his first big surgery in the States. His lip was repaired at about seven months old in China, but now we are on to the next big step, which is to start repairing his palate. What we were told is that the plastic surgeon at the craniofacial clinic is going to cut along the gum line on the roof of his mouth behind his front teeth. He will then patch and stretch the tissue to close off the hole that encompasses the full top of his mouth all the way through his uvula. It sounds so painful, but our little man has been through so much already in life and is so tough, I have no doubt that he will be a trooper through the process. I am so thankful that I am able to be there for him and to comfort him when he needs it. Knowing that he didn't have anybody who loved him as I do when he was a baby just breaks my heart, so I have lots of making up to do this time around.
While he is out the ENT will also give him tubes in his ears. Once he is healed we will need to having serious hearing testing done to see if/ how much hearing loss he has. It is common for kiddos with cleft lips/ palates to have some hearing loss, and the fact that he has failed the previous hearing check concerns me.
This will be it for surgeries (hopefully) for the next few years. His next surgery will be when he is preschool age on his palate again, then bone graft surgery when he is seven or eight, and then more work done when he is older and finished growing.
We have been preparing AJ and Abby for this as best as we can. They have seen inside his mouth (he loves to be flipped upside down and laughs really hard when we do this, so this has been a good way to get a good and quick peek). Last night I drew out a calendar for this week so they could see what days of the week Peng Peng and I will be gone and when my mom will be here. Friday should be interesting as that is the day we are scheduled to come home and it is also Halloween. I have to be honest, I am not looking forward to the doorbell ringing every five minutes while my little one is miserable, but maybe that will prove to be the distraction he needs.
When the surgery is complete Peng Peng will have arm restraints. These look like molded pieces of plastic that have Velcro on them. They are not casts and there is nothing wrong with his arms, but it will prevent him from going anywhere near his mouth and hurting either his stitches or putting things in there. All food will have to be liquid or pureed for two weeks minimum. It will be very important that we keep getting nourishment in him so he doesn't loose any weight and can heal quickly. We have been trying different baby foods, yogurts, and pedialyte so we know which foods he likes and which ones to stay away from.
A few days ago we had his pre-op appointment and had his height and weight recorded. In the past five weeks he has gained TWO pounds and grown an INCH & A HALF! Whoo hoo! For the second time since we have been home they also heard a heart murmur. Sounded like no need for concern at this point, just to keep a close eye on it over time.
In the area of signing, we haven't been working on adding new words this week, but Peng Peng has more and more consistently initiated these words and continues to amaze me with his communication skills!
Current Signs (bold new): all done, apple, ball, banana, bath, bike, bird, book, brush teeth, bug candy, car, cat, cereal, clean up, cold, color, come on, cookie, cow, cracker, dad, diaper, dog, down, drink, eat, fish, flower, go, grandma, hat, help, horse, hot, hot dog, jump, laundry, milk, mine, mama, more, monkey, music, pig, play, popcorn, shoes, sit, sleep, socks, slide, swing, time out, wait, walk, wash hands, water, up
Thank you all for your continued prayers.
My Little Sweeties
Monday, October 27, 2014
Monday, October 20, 2014
A Week of Blessings
This last week was a gift from God. AJ and Abby were home for the whole week due to MEA, conferences, and a comp day. In the past this has been a stressful week. I have had to line up daycare plans for AJ as he is normally in school, I barely get to see my munchkins during conferences, and then we have a few really nice days together as I recoup and try to get my house back together.
This time around was a week full of blessings. Peng Peng had a fabulous week. He continues to have tummy problems and we are starting our fourth prescription for his tummy today as a result, but other than that he has been healthy and I dare say thriving. He continues to learn more signs, his cough is gone, he is sleeping better (more on that later), he has not bit in weeks, and he is growing (we think). He is playing more independently and allowing me to be in a different room while he entertains himself for short spurts, which is appreciated as much as I love playing with the little bugger.
The weather this week couldn't have been any better. The sky is blue, the leaves are a brilliant golden, the birds are chirping, the pumpkins are ready for baking, and the apples are ready for picking. We spent a lot of time outside, we opened the windows, and we did a lot of baking.
Our vacation started off with a bang. My cousins from Oklahoma and California were in town for my cousin Brad's wedding. They came by Friday night and we so enjoyed their company. The kids really took to them and it was so nice taking the time to catch up. Saturday we went to the wedding, which was just beautiful. Everything was perfect and we were able to show off our newest addition to many family members. AJ and Abby danced the night away as did Peng Peng. Abby would kill me if she knew I shared this, but one of the sweetest memories that day was her barely able to stand her romantic anticipation waiting for the wedding kiss. She loves fairy tales, and there is nothing more romantic than a bride and groom sharing their first kiss as husband and wife.
Sunday we had family pictures in the afternoon. It was so nice being able to sleep in and relax after having such a busy day the day before. Adam went to a fish tank meeting in the morning and the kids and I just played outside and I ran around putting outfits together. I think I prepared thirty outfits that weekend counting clothes for the wedding, playclothes in the mornings, two outfits for pictures, and pajamas. The kids did the best they have ever done and the few pictures I have already seen have brought tears to my eyes. I am so thankful to capture this magical time in our lives.
Monday we went to the Good Times Park. This place is amazing! The kids ran for three straight hours and I eventually had to drag them out of there so Peng Peng could have a nap. We easily could have spent another three hours there. The place was super quiet too since most districts still had school that day.
Tuesday we had conferences for the kids. I was so proud of how well AJ and Abby are doing - both academically as well as behaviorally. They handled all of these life changes like real troopers and I am so so proud of them both. That afternoon we picked up our friends Lauren and Ben and we had a playdate at our house for the rest of the afternoon. We made sugar cookies and decorated them. It was so fun seeing their creations with a little sugar, sprinkles, marshmallows, and chocolate chips!
Wednesday I took the kids to Barten's pumpkin patch with our good friends Gina and Melissa and their children. This place had all kinds of fun activities for the kids - like taking the kernals off of corn (I am sure there is a name for this but I have no idea what it is), walking on stilts, bean bag toss, bowling with pumpkins, playing in a corn teepee, and photo ops. That night Abby and her friend went to gymnastics while the boys and I picked up more meds for Peng Peng's tummy.
Thursday was a real treat. We went to the Mall of America and went to the Underwater World. Peng Peng LOVES fish, so he in open-mouthed awe pretty much the whole time. We had a few free tickets left from AJ's birthday party back in April, so the kids all got to go on a few rides as well. Our grand finale was a treat at the Toll House cookie store. On the way home we went to their dentist appointments. No cavities! Well, I shouldn't fully say that. We know that Peng Peng has a cavity and are hoping to get it filled during his surgery while he is out. The dentist looked in his mouth and gave us some advice as his mouth has many needs and we are trying to prioritize his greatest needs first. That night we had Bible Study and after that Adam and I hosted a music practice in our garage for this Sunday's service.
Friday was a lay-low day. We went to story time at the local library, played at Wagners Park, then spent a lot of time playing and relaxing. The kids read their books from the library, watched movies, and I cleaned for a few hours and then we enjoyed the beautiful outdoors.
Saturday we had our friend Linda and her two boys over for a pj & donut playdate. That afternoon I took the kids to a movie from a Family Movie Series we had purchased for super cheap a few weeks ago through the school. We got there a little late as I had the time confused and we ended up having to sit in the front row. I started to feel sick - and I thought it was from sitting up front - but ends up it was the start of a nasty 24 hour stomach bug. No fun! I slept most of the afternoon in between being sick and Adam had kid duty.
Sunday we were involved in one of our preview church services for Crossroads. I made it with singing, but still felt pretty sick and run down. Our pastor did a great job though and the kids had a blast. By the afternoon I started to feel better and the kids and I had fun playing for hours in the front yard. We peeled apples that my in-laws gave us from their apple tree and made apple crisp. We also took out some seeds and they are drying right now so we can try planting our own trees this spring.
Grossest moments this week both involved the dogs. Peng Peng has been open-mouth kissing the dogs while they lick his tongue. SO disgusting, but tricky to prevent as they are the same eye level and gravitate towards one another - especially his mouth as he constantly has a stinky odor coming from his mouth. The worst was... we have been encouraging Peng Peng to brush his teeth often. So, when I let him brush his teeth on the kitchen floor while I did dishes I didn't think too much of it... until I realized he had run over by the dogs' water dish. I ran over saying, "no no!" but I was too late. The toothbrush went into the water dish, he smiled, then he popped that toothbrush into his mouth and started scrubbing. EEWWWW.
Current Signs (bold new): all done, apple, ball, banana, bath, bike, bird, book, brush teeth, bug candy, car, cereal, clean up, cold, color, come on, cookie, cow, cracker, dad, diaper, dog, down, drink, eat, fish, flower, go, grandma, hat, help, horse, hot, hot dog, jump, laundry, milk, mine, more, monkey, music, pig, play, popcorn, shoes, sit, sleep, socks, slide, swing, time out, wait, walk, wash hands, water, up
As much as I have been thankful every day for this gift of time home with Peng Peng, I can't express enough how grateful I am to have this week with all three kids. We cuddled, we did big activities, we read, we hugged, we laughed. So many great memories all bottled into one week. You know how when you first fall in love with somebody, how you get all tingly just thinking about them? That was this whole week. Even when I was sick and at my worst, the kids made a point to see if I needed anything and to give hugs. God is so good.
The timing of this week couldn't have been any better either. We have just over one more week until Peng Peng's big surgery next week. I am so nervous for it - for him. Medical concerns aside, I do worry about his little and highly active body to be in pain and confined in arm restraints. He is signing so well, I worry he won't be able to communicate with his arms bound either. Please keep him and our family in your prayers these next few weeks. I know the end result will be well worth it, but it will be a difficult time for our family. The doctors are optimistic that within a few weeks from the surgery he should be able to start producing more sounds and the roof of his mouth should be healed and closed.
Have a blessed week!
This time around was a week full of blessings. Peng Peng had a fabulous week. He continues to have tummy problems and we are starting our fourth prescription for his tummy today as a result, but other than that he has been healthy and I dare say thriving. He continues to learn more signs, his cough is gone, he is sleeping better (more on that later), he has not bit in weeks, and he is growing (we think). He is playing more independently and allowing me to be in a different room while he entertains himself for short spurts, which is appreciated as much as I love playing with the little bugger.
The weather this week couldn't have been any better. The sky is blue, the leaves are a brilliant golden, the birds are chirping, the pumpkins are ready for baking, and the apples are ready for picking. We spent a lot of time outside, we opened the windows, and we did a lot of baking.
Our vacation started off with a bang. My cousins from Oklahoma and California were in town for my cousin Brad's wedding. They came by Friday night and we so enjoyed their company. The kids really took to them and it was so nice taking the time to catch up. Saturday we went to the wedding, which was just beautiful. Everything was perfect and we were able to show off our newest addition to many family members. AJ and Abby danced the night away as did Peng Peng. Abby would kill me if she knew I shared this, but one of the sweetest memories that day was her barely able to stand her romantic anticipation waiting for the wedding kiss. She loves fairy tales, and there is nothing more romantic than a bride and groom sharing their first kiss as husband and wife.
Sunday we had family pictures in the afternoon. It was so nice being able to sleep in and relax after having such a busy day the day before. Adam went to a fish tank meeting in the morning and the kids and I just played outside and I ran around putting outfits together. I think I prepared thirty outfits that weekend counting clothes for the wedding, playclothes in the mornings, two outfits for pictures, and pajamas. The kids did the best they have ever done and the few pictures I have already seen have brought tears to my eyes. I am so thankful to capture this magical time in our lives.
Monday we went to the Good Times Park. This place is amazing! The kids ran for three straight hours and I eventually had to drag them out of there so Peng Peng could have a nap. We easily could have spent another three hours there. The place was super quiet too since most districts still had school that day.
Tuesday we had conferences for the kids. I was so proud of how well AJ and Abby are doing - both academically as well as behaviorally. They handled all of these life changes like real troopers and I am so so proud of them both. That afternoon we picked up our friends Lauren and Ben and we had a playdate at our house for the rest of the afternoon. We made sugar cookies and decorated them. It was so fun seeing their creations with a little sugar, sprinkles, marshmallows, and chocolate chips!
Wednesday I took the kids to Barten's pumpkin patch with our good friends Gina and Melissa and their children. This place had all kinds of fun activities for the kids - like taking the kernals off of corn (I am sure there is a name for this but I have no idea what it is), walking on stilts, bean bag toss, bowling with pumpkins, playing in a corn teepee, and photo ops. That night Abby and her friend went to gymnastics while the boys and I picked up more meds for Peng Peng's tummy.
Thursday was a real treat. We went to the Mall of America and went to the Underwater World. Peng Peng LOVES fish, so he in open-mouthed awe pretty much the whole time. We had a few free tickets left from AJ's birthday party back in April, so the kids all got to go on a few rides as well. Our grand finale was a treat at the Toll House cookie store. On the way home we went to their dentist appointments. No cavities! Well, I shouldn't fully say that. We know that Peng Peng has a cavity and are hoping to get it filled during his surgery while he is out. The dentist looked in his mouth and gave us some advice as his mouth has many needs and we are trying to prioritize his greatest needs first. That night we had Bible Study and after that Adam and I hosted a music practice in our garage for this Sunday's service.
Friday was a lay-low day. We went to story time at the local library, played at Wagners Park, then spent a lot of time playing and relaxing. The kids read their books from the library, watched movies, and I cleaned for a few hours and then we enjoyed the beautiful outdoors.
Saturday we had our friend Linda and her two boys over for a pj & donut playdate. That afternoon I took the kids to a movie from a Family Movie Series we had purchased for super cheap a few weeks ago through the school. We got there a little late as I had the time confused and we ended up having to sit in the front row. I started to feel sick - and I thought it was from sitting up front - but ends up it was the start of a nasty 24 hour stomach bug. No fun! I slept most of the afternoon in between being sick and Adam had kid duty.
Sunday we were involved in one of our preview church services for Crossroads. I made it with singing, but still felt pretty sick and run down. Our pastor did a great job though and the kids had a blast. By the afternoon I started to feel better and the kids and I had fun playing for hours in the front yard. We peeled apples that my in-laws gave us from their apple tree and made apple crisp. We also took out some seeds and they are drying right now so we can try planting our own trees this spring.
Grossest moments this week both involved the dogs. Peng Peng has been open-mouth kissing the dogs while they lick his tongue. SO disgusting, but tricky to prevent as they are the same eye level and gravitate towards one another - especially his mouth as he constantly has a stinky odor coming from his mouth. The worst was... we have been encouraging Peng Peng to brush his teeth often. So, when I let him brush his teeth on the kitchen floor while I did dishes I didn't think too much of it... until I realized he had run over by the dogs' water dish. I ran over saying, "no no!" but I was too late. The toothbrush went into the water dish, he smiled, then he popped that toothbrush into his mouth and started scrubbing. EEWWWW.
Current Signs (bold new): all done, apple, ball, banana, bath, bike, bird, book, brush teeth, bug candy, car, cereal, clean up, cold, color, come on, cookie, cow, cracker, dad, diaper, dog, down, drink, eat, fish, flower, go, grandma, hat, help, horse, hot, hot dog, jump, laundry, milk, mine, more, monkey, music, pig, play, popcorn, shoes, sit, sleep, socks, slide, swing, time out, wait, walk, wash hands, water, up
As much as I have been thankful every day for this gift of time home with Peng Peng, I can't express enough how grateful I am to have this week with all three kids. We cuddled, we did big activities, we read, we hugged, we laughed. So many great memories all bottled into one week. You know how when you first fall in love with somebody, how you get all tingly just thinking about them? That was this whole week. Even when I was sick and at my worst, the kids made a point to see if I needed anything and to give hugs. God is so good.
The timing of this week couldn't have been any better either. We have just over one more week until Peng Peng's big surgery next week. I am so nervous for it - for him. Medical concerns aside, I do worry about his little and highly active body to be in pain and confined in arm restraints. He is signing so well, I worry he won't be able to communicate with his arms bound either. Please keep him and our family in your prayers these next few weeks. I know the end result will be well worth it, but it will be a difficult time for our family. The doctors are optimistic that within a few weeks from the surgery he should be able to start producing more sounds and the roof of his mouth should be healed and closed.
Have a blessed week!
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Exponential Love
This past week, in all of it's simplicity, has been our best week yet. When AJ was born I was amazed with the love that my heart could feel for this baby. Then, when I was pregnant I wondered how I could possibly love two so much, but it happened. Now, with our final baby, I am just in awe with the love in our home. Sure, we have moments of frustration and chaos, but in those simple moments of cuddling on the couch reading a book, watching them play ball outside, or seeing AJ & Abby pulling Peng Peng on a blanket around the house, I sometimes wonder if my heart will just burst.
AJ and Abby have adjusted so well to all of these changes. Peng Peng continues to communicate more and act out less. He loves to play and interact well. In the daily activities, like going grocery shopping, the library, or karate class, life is crazy busy but every moment is a gift and we are so blessed.
Last week we had some medical updates, and this week will be on the same path. Last week we met with the craniofacial team at the U of M. It was hard to hear all of the medical procedures he will need over the next few years, but was a great reminder of all the opportunities we have through insurance and where we live. We have his first major surgery in the States scheduled for October 29th. He will need tubes in his ears (he has had fluid in his ears at every visit so far and they said he might have some hearing loss - we will know more about this after the surgery and his ears have healed). He also will need some repair on his nose (his nostril is mostly closed off and he only breathes through his mouth). The main purpose of the surgery is for his palate repair, which we will learn more details about today.
I also brought Peng Peng back to the doctor's office for the third time since being home (three weeks now). He had the beginning of bronchitis and the start of an ear infection, so we started our second prescription antibiotic. He seems to be doing better, but we are mostly staying inside to protect him from the cold and wind outside.
We decided to hold off on his educational evaluation for a month or so due to surgery being this month. The doctors said within a few weeks he will be a different kid talking and his speech needs will be very different.
Last weekend was fabulous. My parents came into town on Friday and brought their RV. They went to karate lessons and watched AJ & Abby show off their skills. After hanging out for a while they brought Abby to the RV and AJ & I had a special night together while Adam did bedtime with Peng Peng. We played boardgames, watched a movie until 11 pm, and snuggled. The next morning we sold popcorn for the boyscout fundraiser. He said countless times how much he enjoyed this special time together and it made me so thankful to have this time together. My mom sat with AJ for a while during popcorn sales and Abby and I did some projects. The second night was pretty much the same and Sunday we had church. Sunday afternoon we met Adam's mom at Chuckee Cheese and all three kids had a great time. Peng Peng was a little overwhelmed, but he seemed to enjoy himself and clung pretty close.
Signing has many many advantages and Peng Peng is just picking them up so well. He is starting to sign 2-3 words to communicate. An example is he wanted goldfish crackers. He signed "eat" "fish" and "crackers". It gets a little complicated in the car because he grunts to get my attention and loves to comment while driving. He signs water every time we pass any form of water or cow. If he is hungry or thirsty he signs eat and drink. While he seems to understand a lot of our words we have been signing while talking with him and in general he seems to understand signs better. So, sometimes it is a bit comical and dangerous driving because he is grunting and signing and I am trying to look and sign back.
Current Signs (bold new): all done, apple, ball, banana, bath, bird, book, brush teeth, candy, car, cereal, clean up, cold, cookie, cow, cracker, dad, dog, down, drink, eat, fish, flower, go, grandma, hat, help, horse, hot, jump, milk, more, monkey, music, play, shoes, sit, sleep, socks, slide, swing, wait, walk, water, up
AJ and Abby have adjusted so well to all of these changes. Peng Peng continues to communicate more and act out less. He loves to play and interact well. In the daily activities, like going grocery shopping, the library, or karate class, life is crazy busy but every moment is a gift and we are so blessed.
Last week we had some medical updates, and this week will be on the same path. Last week we met with the craniofacial team at the U of M. It was hard to hear all of the medical procedures he will need over the next few years, but was a great reminder of all the opportunities we have through insurance and where we live. We have his first major surgery in the States scheduled for October 29th. He will need tubes in his ears (he has had fluid in his ears at every visit so far and they said he might have some hearing loss - we will know more about this after the surgery and his ears have healed). He also will need some repair on his nose (his nostril is mostly closed off and he only breathes through his mouth). The main purpose of the surgery is for his palate repair, which we will learn more details about today.
I also brought Peng Peng back to the doctor's office for the third time since being home (three weeks now). He had the beginning of bronchitis and the start of an ear infection, so we started our second prescription antibiotic. He seems to be doing better, but we are mostly staying inside to protect him from the cold and wind outside.
We decided to hold off on his educational evaluation for a month or so due to surgery being this month. The doctors said within a few weeks he will be a different kid talking and his speech needs will be very different.
Last weekend was fabulous. My parents came into town on Friday and brought their RV. They went to karate lessons and watched AJ & Abby show off their skills. After hanging out for a while they brought Abby to the RV and AJ & I had a special night together while Adam did bedtime with Peng Peng. We played boardgames, watched a movie until 11 pm, and snuggled. The next morning we sold popcorn for the boyscout fundraiser. He said countless times how much he enjoyed this special time together and it made me so thankful to have this time together. My mom sat with AJ for a while during popcorn sales and Abby and I did some projects. The second night was pretty much the same and Sunday we had church. Sunday afternoon we met Adam's mom at Chuckee Cheese and all three kids had a great time. Peng Peng was a little overwhelmed, but he seemed to enjoy himself and clung pretty close.
Signing has many many advantages and Peng Peng is just picking them up so well. He is starting to sign 2-3 words to communicate. An example is he wanted goldfish crackers. He signed "eat" "fish" and "crackers". It gets a little complicated in the car because he grunts to get my attention and loves to comment while driving. He signs water every time we pass any form of water or cow. If he is hungry or thirsty he signs eat and drink. While he seems to understand a lot of our words we have been signing while talking with him and in general he seems to understand signs better. So, sometimes it is a bit comical and dangerous driving because he is grunting and signing and I am trying to look and sign back.
Current Signs (bold new): all done, apple, ball, banana, bath, bird, book, brush teeth, candy, car, cereal, clean up, cold, cookie, cow, cracker, dad, dog, down, drink, eat, fish, flower, go, grandma, hat, help, horse, hot, jump, milk, more, monkey, music, play, shoes, sit, sleep, socks, slide, swing, wait, walk, water, up
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