Easter!

Holidays are just much more fun with kids and though Charlie and Adella don't understand Easter yet, it was fun to give them a few fun gifts and introduce them to the fun of Easter Eggs.  Most of the gifts they got were things we had laying around to give them already, plus cute backpacks for church!

They had Jelly Beans for the first time!  Adella especially loved them!

I tried to get pics before church but they would not hold still!  Adella got a new dress to wear, but we didn't get anything for Charlie.  He insists on wearing the same blue tie every week so what's the point!

I asked them to touch the tree hoping I could get the two of them together, but of course they didn't do it where they would be shaded, so the pics are very over exposed!

After church I headed to the hospital to see Marilee and do a little photo shoot!  The nurse let me take her monitor cords off and since her tape on her tube was coming off anyway, she took it out too!

After getting her swaddled back up, I kept her hat on and she poked her little hands out, just like she was a little bunny!

We headed over to Mesa for dinner with Adam's family and gave the kids a little Easter egg hunt.  Adella cought on pretty quick, but Charlie took a little longer to figure out the point. 

The kids checking out their findings!

We were trying to get a picture of all of them, but Charlie spotted another plane.  He loves being at grandma and grandpas and seeing all the planes go by!

Adella had so many jelly beans in her mouth she was literally dripping jelly bean juice!

Sister Marilee!

Charlie and Adella still haven't got to meet Marilee yet but are getting very good at attaching her to pictures and objects.  Charlie calls her Sister Maramee!  Adella is still a bit behind verbally and says Me, but we know who she's talking about!   They LOVE to look at pictures of her and will ask for more anytime you show them one.   Adam was showing them pics on his phone and they were having so much fun looking!

More blocks for the win!

Blocks are really the best toy ever!

Especially when the attach to cars.  Win win

And look!  I got all of Adella's hair in one pigtail/bun!  I wish I could have put her in a leotard and tutu and pretended she was a ballerina!

Marilee update!

April 15th

Marilee had been doing OK with her feedings, taking the full bottle (about 40-45 ml or 1 1/2 ounces) at a time on just about every other feeding.  The rest she would get through her NG tube.  However, last weekend (the 13th) she started to take less and less to where the most she would take was about 20 ml.  This all happened right around the time she had a Hep B shot and also had her eye exam.   It was a little frustrating that she stopped really progressing.  The Dr's and nurses assured us she just needed time, which I know is true, but still we want our girl HOME!  

April 15th

Last Friday a speech therapist came in, I know sounds weird, but they work with feeding issues too.  She listened to her swallow and breath while eating and we tried a few different nipples.   It was actually quite amazing!  She instantly stopped drooling as much and took nearly her full bottle in that feeding even with us changing the nipple out a few times.   We finally seemed to have found something that has worked for her!  Since then she has taken many more bottles and has finished a full bottle - now 50+ ml several times!   In the last 24 hours she took a bottle all but 1 time (so 7 for 8) and took the full or at least minimum amount in most of those feedings.  As soon as she takes the full/minimum amount for 8 straight feedings her tube will come out and then 48 hours later she can come home!   We are sooo excited and are hoping this will happen later this week.

April 17th

Yesterday the nurse actually took the tube out so I could do some Easter pictures (the tape was getting pretty bad and it was only a matter of time till Marilee pulled it out as she has been known to do!   She made it through 4 feedings but had to have it put back in on the 5th.   But really, it has been so much improvement!!

April 18th