Transitions

I'm calling this "Transition Summer"...

A new baby on the way. The husband started his own business. And, drumroll please...today is Noah's first day in her big kid bed! So far she's come out of her room 5 times in about 2 hours. We've seen her go through a roller coaster of emotions...at first she actually asked to go to bed early so she could lay down in her "big girl bed"! About 15 minutes later she was sobbing and begging to read all of her books (stall tactics!) It would be easy to just put her back in her crib, except for the fact that the crib will have a new resident in approximately 6 WEEKS! (I swear each pregnancy has gone by faster than the one before it.)

It's nice to know that through all of life's many transitions, God is still God.

"Be still, and know that I am God" -Psalm 46:10a

Cheeks Magee is getting her heart fixed!

Let me start off by saying that this post will only be of interest to those of you who REALLY care about what's going on with Noah. It's going to be long-winded, so if you're just mildly interested, you may wanna turn back now! :)

When Noah was born and our pediatrician came to the hospital to do her newborn screening, he noticed that she had a mild heart murmur. We ended up staying at the hospital for almost 4 days while she was poked and prodded by various specialists. The verdict? Noah has what is known as a VSD (or Ventricular Septal Defect). A VSD is basically an opening (or hole) in the wall (septum) that separates the two ventricles in the heart. VSDs are actually quite common in newborns, so we were told that there was a good chance it would close up on its own with no medical intervention (as is the case with most babies). We began seeing a pediatric cardiologist regularly so he could monitor the size of the hole. Upon further investigation, he discovered that Noah's VSD was highly abnormal. While it was a VERY tiny hole, it was positioned directly beneath the aortic valve instead of further down on the septum. As you can see in the diagram, a normal VSD can be quite large and is usually somewhere in the middle of the septum.

Because Noah wasn't experiencing any side effects, the doctor concluded that we could take a "wait and see" approach, with annual visits to the cardiologist being all that was necessary. Since the hole was so tiny, we were very hopeful that it would close on it's own....

Fast forward to Noah's 2nd birthday and it was time for her annual cardiology appointment. The echocardiogram revealed that the hole was still there and was now affecting the performance of the aortic valve due to their close proximity. We were told that surgery was our only option and that, based on the surgeon's recommendations, it could happen any time in the next two years. If we were to wait longer than that, the VSD could cause significant damage to the valve which would require a much more complicated surgery. So off we went to meet with the surgeon! Based on Noah's size (let's face it, she's huge), the surgeon said we could do the procedure now! I was so happy to hear that...I'm not very good at waiting for things. I can't imagine having that cloud looming over my head for months and months! We went ahead and scheduled the surgery for December 20th of this year. *Side note: The surgeon informed us that Noah's particular type of VSD is almost unheard of in the caucasian population. It is most commonly found in.....ASIANS! Maybe we need to check our family tree?!

As far as heart surgeries go, this one is fairly simple. However, it's also pretty gruesome. Many VSDs can be closed by inserting a probe/tiny tools up through the patient's leg/groin area. Due to the unusual location of Noah's VSD, that is sadly not an option for us. The procedure will go something like this....

First they will put her to sleep and insert a breathing tube as well as a a tiny probe that will ultrasound her heart. Next they will make a 3-4 inch incision in her chest, cutting through the skin, muscle, and eventually her sternum. Then they will "put her heart to sleep"...those were the surgeon's words so I'm thinking that's just a nicer way of saying "stop her heart" (but I could be wrong). A tiny patch will be sewn into the hole and they'll close her back up. The whole process should take about an hour. Also, because she is so young, it is likely that she will need a blood transfusion. After surgery, we will spend about a week in Intensive Care (the surgery is at Phoenix Children's Hospital). Christmas in the hospital sure will be an interesting experience! Once she is released, I will have to keep from immersing her in water for 6 weeks. So basically, she's gonna stink for a while. Hahaha! I'm sure I'll get creative. :)

The Friday before the surgery we will go to the hospital to do pre-surgery testing (x-rays, EKG, blood work, etc.) We've been told that if Noah even has so much as a sniffle, they will have to re-schedule her surgery. So, from now until then, we are basically hermits. No church (the nursery is a breeding ground for cold/flu), parties, or contact with kids (other than Ike). Luckily, the surgery is scheduled over Christmas break, so my entire family will be home and available to help us with Ike. Poor little guy won't get to spend his first Christmas with us...I'm sure he'll be scarred for life. ;)

I know that December 20th will probably be the scariest day of my life. But, surprisingly, I'm pretty much at peace about it. My time at PCH has taught me that we are VERY blessed. Noah does not have cancer. She doesn't have a debilitating disease or malformation. Her brain functions properly. Her problem is fixable. She will be a normal child with no limitations in life. Our surgeon said that the risk of complications from this procedure is ONE PERCENT. Praise God that this is the 21st century and we live in this wonderful country! But you know, even if complications do arise, that doesn't change who God is. Noah is His. We're just her earthly babysitters...and we're so thankful for that.

I'm planning on keeping everyone updated during and after her surgery through facebook and will also be tweeting photos and info on Noah's twitter feed (@CheeksMagee). Until then, we hope everyone has a wonderful holiday this year...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Ike & Noah Update

What a month it has been! I finally started Ike on solids (I was being lazy...bottle feeding is so much easier!) So far he seems to like everything, but he's still not quite sure what to do with his tongue. Needless to say there's a lot of cleanup involved. Ike is also the proud owner of his first tooth! It appeared at age 6 months...right on schedule! As far as Ike's health is concerned, we have good news to report! At his last visit with the neurologist, she informed us that his soft spot is finally starting to shrink. His head is still on the large side, but it is following the growth curve and is also rounding out nicely. Now, instead of visits every 6 weeks, he only has to go once every 3 months! This is good for my sanity as well as our family wallet! :)

Noah's health update is, unfortunately, not as positive. She had her annual echocardiogram (basically an ultrasound of the heart) this month and the hole in her heart (a.k.a. "ventricular septal defect") has not shrunk in size. This means that she will definitely need surgery. Our cardiologist has referred us to a surgeon and we will be meeting with him on December 3rd. It is pretty much up to him when he wants to perform the surgery. It could be some time in December, or maybe not until she's closer to age 4. Since her condition is asymptomatic, it doesn't need to be rushed, but as a mom, I'd rather just get it over with so I don't have to think about it anymore. The waiting is the worst part! Other than that, Cheeks Magee is doing great. She's getting to be quite the artist. Her coloring projects are definitely good enough for the Museum of Modern Art...have you seen the crap they put in there? Good grief!

Despite the disappointing news about Noah, we have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. This time three years ago we were recovering from our second consecutive miscarriage and in and out of specialists' offices. We weren't sure if we would ever be able to have children of our own. Who would've guessed that 3 years later we would have two little rugrats? Hey, I'll take a big-headed son and a daughter with a hole in her heart over no kids at all any day!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Halloween Bloopers!

As anyone who has ever tried to take pictures of children knows, it is very difficult to get that "perfect shot." In fact, I'm not even sure the "perfect shot" actually exists! But, I think that's what gives the photos of our children their character...the imperfections of life captured at a specific moment in time (that you can look back and laugh about later!) With that having been said, here are the Taylor family Halloween picture "outtakes"...

Happy Halloween everyone!

I call this one "The Hitler"...

I don't know what they're both chewing on, but it must be tasty!

Ike really needs to work on his arm control (or maybe he knows exactly what he's doing)...

Noah's not a fan of sharing her mustard...

Finally, a semi-normal picture! Well, as normal as kids dressed up as meat can possibly look...

Happy 1/3rd Birthday Ike!

Ike had his 4 month check-up at the doctor yesterday and the verdict is in....he's gigantic. Surprisingly, in terms of percentages, Ike's head is actually the smallest thing about him! He's in the 100th percentile for height (27 1/4 inches), the 95th percentile for weight (17 lbs, 13 oz), and only the 90th percentile for head circumference (17.5 inches!) He was very good for the doctor, only cried for a minute after his shots, and was even nice enough to bring a Care Bear sticker home to give to his sister. What a kid! :) Here are some of Ike's 4 month pics that I took today...

A Nursery For Heaven

I've been thinking about prayer a lot lately. After having a discussion with my dad about it, he let me borrow his book of old Puritan prayers a few weeks ago. I was immediately drawn to a prayer called "The Family," and a particular passage really spoke to me...

'Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion, instruction, discipline, and example, that my house may be a nursery for heaven.'

Wow! I'd never thought of it that way before. My home...a nursery for heaven? That's a HUGE responsibility, but it's also a wonderful blessing.

Who would've guessed heaven's nursery is an ugly mint green house in central Phoenix? ;)

Nazi Mom - 1: Baby Helmet Manufacturers - 0

Yesterday was Ike's first follow up visit with the neurologist. What a relief! His torticollis is gone, so no more neck therapy! This makes my life a LOT easier. Also, the doctor said that his head is rounding out nicely so he won't need that 3,000 dollar helmet!!! There are some in my family who have resorted to calling me "Nazi mom" because I tend to be very strict about certain things with the kids. Well, as Jordan mentioned to the doctor, this time my Nazi mom qualities paid off! I was religious about keeping Ike off the back of his head (except for nighttime sleeping, diaper changes, and the occasional photo op), and wouldn't you know, I just saved our family 3 grand. Anyway, the doctor said that while Ike's head is still in the 95th percentile for growth, so is the rest of his body...so she's not going to order another ultrasound yet. She is still concerned about the size of his soft spot (it's very large), but based on his progress, she is extending the time between follow up visits to every 6 weeks! Thank you Jesus!