A Mei Mei

YouYou will finally be getting a sister! I started a new blog if you want to follow along with us again...http://ameimeiforyouyou.blogspot.com

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Happy Family Day

I can't believe it's been 2 years since we met our sweet girl! It's amazing how much our love for her has grown. YouYou is doing so well and growing in so many ways. She is such a joy and we are so blessed to call her our daughter.

We celebrated tonight, but not in the way we originally planned. It rarely ever snows in our part of the south and when it does it usually doesn't stick around. Well Sunday night we got hit big!!! We didn't go anywhere yesterday...the city pretty much shuts down when there is any snow at all. But today some of the main roads were opened so we ventured out to the grandparent's house and went sledding on a hill my husband's brother created. We had THE BEST time! We also ate lots of yummy Chinese food...and YouYou's daddy bought her flowers (I think that was her favorite part).

Here's a glimpse into some of the "celebrating" that went on today...



We love you YouYou and we are so glad you are part of our family!!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to you all!!!

This picture says it all...

She loved every single bit of it!

***This picture was taken as we walked into the Magic Kingdom and she saw Cinderella's castle for the first time.

Cardiologist update

Here's a quick update on how YouYou's appointment went last Friday (quick because it's late and I should be finishing up packing since we leave for DISNEY WORLD tomorrow :)

Overall her cardiologist (Dr. R.) was pleased with how she is doing. She has grown 2 inches in 6 months and gained about 9 ounces. He did an EKG and an echo. If I ever get too laid back about the seriousness of her condition though, all I have to do is sit through an echo of her heart. I usually feel sick to my stomach at some point during the procedure. It was probably a little worse this time because there was a student Dr. with Dr. R. and so he was explaining more about YouYou's unique heart. There was a lot of..."insufficient" this and "leaky" that. But then as soon as it is over YouYou hops up and begins to explore the room and be her usual curious self and then I take a deep breath and whisper a prayer of thanks to the One who created her special heart.

I talked to Dr. R. about our concerns that we feel like we might need some more information about the Double Switch surgery. He listened intently, and as always I gained more respect for him during our conversation. He does not think YouYou should have this surgery (and I already knew this) but he does understand our desire to explore this a little further. Basically I just explained that I did not want to get to a point where YouYou starts having complications in a few years and then someone tell me, "Well, I'm sorry but your daughter is too big for the Double Switch now so her only option at this point is heart transplant."...when we hadn't even really researched the Double Switch as an option in the first place? I hope this makes sense? Dr. R. does not think that YouYou would be an ideal candidate for the Double Switch (and he still wouldn't recommend it if she was). But we don't know this for sure because we haven't had her records looked at by someone who performs the surgery. If I am completely honest, then I will admit that I want someone to tell me that she is not a good candidate for the surgery at all...because then our decision is easy! We will just continue what we are doing now (medicine's, monitoring her, etc.) and pray that God will sustain her heart for many, many years just like it is! But we just need more information...

So basically, we are on a prayer and fact finding mission. Dr. R. is sending out some emails and will be in touch with us within a couple of weeks and then we will go from there. I will keep you all posted!

Thank you all for your kind words, prayers, and support! Now I need to go pack... :)

What we've been up to...

We've been pretty busy around here lately. Here are a few of the things Miss YouYou has been up to...

"Doing school" with her brothers...


Gymnastics one morning each week...


A visit to Ch*ck e Ch**se...



And several visits to the science museum...


A little bit of soccer...


We've discovered a few new things...like that she is allergic to penicillin


And that she loves ballet...


And she's pretty good at rollerskating...


And finally, that sipping Sprite through a "sour noodle"/AKA Sour Straw is lots of fun!



We will be going for a checkup with YouYou's cardiologist next Friday. Even though she is doing great (gaining weight, has lots of energy, etc.) I still get a little nervous about these visits. Aaron and I have been talking and praying about some specific things that we want to discuss with her doctor this visit. See, there are things we would like to just "pretend" aren't there because when you look at YouYou you would never know anything is wrong with her. Her condition though, is very complicated. There are two sides really...the side that says a child with L-TGA needs to have a very risky surgery called a double switch so that they will not need a heart transplant when they are older...and the other side, that says that the double switch surgery is too risky and has not been performed enough and is not even proven to increase lifespan so why perform it on a child that is doing well. When we first brought YouYou home, the double switch was not really an option because her lungs were in bad shape, so the immediate thing to do was to close the hole in her heart and try to let her lungs heal, etc. But now...should we be thinking about the double switch? It's hard to know? It's hard for me to even talk about this, much less write about it on the blog. I hope I will feel like sharing more once we have more information from our visit next week. Will you pray with us?

Happy Birthday!!!

I can't believe our sweet girl turned 4 yesterday (I also can't believe it's been 4 months since I updated this blog :)

We celebrated with family at our house...much like last year, we ate, we swam, we had a pinata, we opened presents. It was all about Hello Kitty, or "Henno Diddy" as she calls it. This was fine though, because I had some plates and napkins left over from last year :) And just like last year, I think YouYou's favorite part was when we sang Happy Birthday to her!




Happy Birthday YouYou!! Your mommy, daddy, and two brothers love you so much!!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Even more thoughts...

I desperately need a hair cut, but one nice thing about my hair getting longer is that I can put it into a small pony tail. I tried this today for the first time. As I walked out of the bathroom this morning YouYou looked at me a little puzzled and wrinkled her face...

Y: Mommy, you look sinny (silly).
Me: I look silly?
Y: Uh huh, you ear rings, you shirt??
Me: You don't like my pretty ear rings and shirt?
Y: Uh huh, I like you ear rings but I not like you hair.

Hmmm...can't wait until she really has an opinion!

Thoughts from a 3 year old...

We've watched the video of our time in China a few times recently and we have also looked through a scrapbook that TCH gave us that has pictures of YouMei from 11 months on. She loves looking through that scrapbook, she asks for it by saying she wants to see pictures of "me when I little bitty baby". I think she's trying to figure things out in her little head. It's a lot to process, and we're trying to talk about everything on a three year old level. My SIL also had a baby this week, so there has been lots of baby talk in our family for many months now. She has wanted me to wrap her up in her blankie a lot and rock her "like baby", and not just at night. Of course, I have obliged. I wonder sometimes where this desire comes from, is it from all of the baby talk or is it because she somehow knows she missed out on something...the cuddling and rocking that most children receive when they are infants. What matters really though, is that the desire is there now. She WANTS me to rock her and snuggle with her. It has been a process to get us to that point, but it has been a process I'm thankful for.

Several times this week YouMei has told people, somewhat randomly with pride in her voice that, "When I baby I in China". It's neat to be at a point where she can communicate things like this.

And then...this conversation took place.

Y: I wan go back China
Me: You want to go back to China?
Y: Yes, I wan go back China
Me: Why do you want to go back to China?
Y: Because I wan go back China
Me: Why sweetheart?
Y: Because I wan go back China be little baby and you come get me!



Yes, my love, I would come get you.

Tonight.

Dear YouYou,

Tonight as I held you I thanked God that you clung to me like a little monkey and didn't want to be put down. You see, last year on this night I wanted so badly for my arms to comfort you but my arms were not what you wanted. But over this past year my arms have become one of your favorite places to be...and I'm so grateful for that.

Tonight was a night of celebration! We ate lots and lots of Chinese food, we sang "Happy Family Day to you" and you blew out a candle on your cake, and we watched some video of our time in China. I'm not sure you understood the significance of the day but we celebrated none the less!

You have changed so much this past year. You have gained almost 7 pounds and grown almost 3 inches. You have learned a new language, had heart surgery, been to the dentist more times than I can count, learned how to aggravate your brothers and weaved a special little place for yourself into this family.

You are such a brave little girl and I am so happy that God allowed me to be your mommy.

One year ago today...

Right now it is January 12th in China, although it is still the 11th here in the States.

One year ago today...I can't believe it has been a whole year.

I got to hold, smell, touch and cry with my daughter for the first time...one year ago today.

We signed some papers and became a family of 5...one year ago today.

My family and friends back home were sitting anxiously at the computer, refreshing, refreshing, refreshing...one year ago today.

My life was forever changed...one year ago today.

The Dentist today

I'm taking YouYou to the dentist this morning for the first of many dental procedures she needs. Their goal for today is to put in 3 temporary fillings. She'll be given nitrous oxide and demerol to help calm her so that she cooperates. Will you pray for her? Her appt. is at 8:30 am CST.

And on a more exciting note...on this day last year we were boarding a plane to GO TO CHINA!!!!! I can't believe it has been a whole year!!! I'll be posting several times over the next 2 weeks to celebrate this occasion.

Thank you all for your prayers and support over this past year, and even today :)

***UPDATED***
Ms. YouYou did GREAT at the dentist. He was able to put in the temporary fillings and they look wonderful. She had chipped her front tooth back in June of last year and since then more and more of that tooth and the one next to it, which also had a cavity, had been crumbling. The dentist was able to "fill" in the two front teeth and you can hardly tell there was ever anything wrong with them. I'm so pleased. And YouYou was so cooperative...definitely the prayers!!!

The Best Ever

So I know I'm late, but I just had to post a few pictures from YouYou's first Christmas. I can honestly say I think it was the best Christmas we have ever had. Not at all because of the number of presents under the tree (b/c there weren't that many), but because of lots of other little things...like hearing YouYou sing "Happy Birthday Jesus" and listening to the boys recite the Christmas story. We sat around the tree Christmas morning and it was so nice to not feel like someone was missing. It was a beautiful day spent with family and celebrating the birth of our Saviour.

Look for several posts in the next few days...there is a one year celebration coming up!!!!

Joy

This time last year my heart was aching. We were so hopeful that we would travel to China before the end of the year but it just wasn't His plan. I tried to put on a happy face, but all I really wanted was to hold my little girl who was still on the other side of the world.

It's different this year. She's here...I can hold her, kiss her, listen to her laugh. It's almost been a year now that she has been a part of our family and now we are getting to celebrate the birth of our Saviour with our daughter. What an amazing gift that was given to us and what a wonderful gift she is to our family.

Merry Christmas to you all!

The Princess is in her own bed...

Little Ms. Princess decided that she was ready to sleep in her own bed for the first time Saturday night after a fun time "Trunk or Treating". She has been talking about it for several weeks and we decided she was finally ready. This was a a big step for her (and for me :) And she has done great!!

I do wish, however, that the whole daylight savings time thing could be explained to her so that she would go back to sleeping in until around 8:00 am. She's up a little earlier now that she's in her own room, it's a little brighter in there which I think also helps her to wake up earlier. So since she's been waking up earlier she has been falling asleep in the car most days while we're on the way to pick up one of her brother's from school. On Tuesday of this week she actually fell asleep on the way to pick up the brother that goes to school for half day...so this was around 11:15 in the morning! I guess this will always be a part of our life, but I actually started to get a little concerned and wondered about why she was falling asleep during the day so much now. Could it be heart related? I kept a close eye on her while she slept and for the rest of that day, but her energy level was completely normal after she woke up from her nap and her breathing was fine. So I eventually just chalked it up to our extra busy weekend and her getting up earlier than normal. I did mention this to my husband though and he assured me that he would have been concerned as well (so it makes me think I'm not just over-reacting :) I wonder if little things like this will always make me think of her heart. Probably so. This is our life...and I'll rejoice in every healthy day we have!

Cardiologist checkup

YouYou and I went to B'ham yesterday for her 6 month post open heart surgery checkup (it's actually been 7 months but that is what happens when mommy forgets to call to get an appointment until the month we are supposed to be seen :)

Dr. Romp was very pleased with how she is growing. She now weighs 24.6 pounds (that was with clothes on though). That's a gain of around 4 pounds since surgery! She also measured 36 inches tall, which means she has grown a little more than 2 inches since we brought her home! Oh yeah...she's getting big :)


YouYou did great with all of the procedures/tests. She had a chest x-ray, an EKG, an Echocardiogram, and they took her blood pressure and pulse ox (which by the way was a perfect score of 100!!) As always, the Echocardiogram took a little while, but YouYou mostly sat still the whole time :) I always get a little anxious during this part of the checkup because Dr. Romp gets this serious look on his face as he tries to interpret what he is seeing on the monitor even though her ventricles are reversed. He said that this echo looks to be the same as the echo that was done prior to the heart cath in June...the pressures are about the same, the ventricles seem to be pumping strongly and he still sees (and hears) some small VSD's. But this is all good news really! We know her heart will never be perfect (at least not here on Earth) but she is really doing well. He also took her off of one of her medicines and he reduced another one. So for now, she will continue to be on 2 medications that she takes twice a day. And...as long as no problems arise we don't have another checkup for 6 months!! Yippee!!!

Here are a few pictures from our day. This first one was taken in the waiting room...



Watching the nurse blow bubbles during the EKG...



Reading a book while we wait to see the doctor...



YouYou and our favorite cardiologist Dr. Romp (well, he's the only cardiologist we've ever had but he's still our favorite :)!



This was taken as we left the Dr.'s office. I told YouYou to stand in front of the light pole and smile for me. She decided it would be better to dance...


She is holding our appointment reminder card and her two stickers...


Now she's getting a little sassy with her hand on her hip...


Hmmm...what is this on my finger?


Okay, now she's through taking pictures and this is what she does when she has had enough. She just refuses to look at the camera...such a little stinker.!

A little girl who loves the beach...

This time last year we were here at this same beach, wondering, waiting, hoping, and praying for our daughter who was on the other side of the world. Now she is here with us! And let me tell you...she loves the beach!

She's chunky...

"She's so tiny"

"She's sooooo little"

I can't tell you how many times people (usually strangers) say these things to us about YouYou. And it's even worse when they follow the comment by asking how old she is...their jaws usually drop when we say she just turned 3 years old.

You know what I have been saying to people the past month or so? Here are my exact words...

"Actually, no. THIS is chunky"

And I say this with a smile on my face and joy in my heart.

I knew YouYou was gaining weight. I could see it in her face, in the little muscles that have appeared on her arms and legs, and in the crease that she has which defines a little bottom that used to not be there :) This is exactly what the Dr.'s want her to be doing. If she is gaining weight and growing it is a good sign that her heart is functioning well. So imagine how excited I was today when it was confirmed that SHE IS GAINING WEIGHT!!! We had a 3 year "well checkup" with her pediatrician and guess how much she weighs????

TWENTY THREE POUNDS AND TWO OUNCES!!!!!!

That means she has gained a little more than FIVE pounds since the beginning of February (which was when she was first seen and weighed by our pediatrician). She has also grown almost an inch taller! WooHoo!!!

So if you are around us much you might just hear us saying to our little one..."Girl you chunky" :)