All About Viviana

Viviana will always be our baby.... 

but is growing up way too fast.  

Exhibit One:  First day of Big Girl Pre-School.

Viviana tested and qualified for speech therapy through the school district.  It was not that big of a revelation that we speak "Vivie" but pretty much anyone outside our family does not speak what we've come to know as the language of Vivie.  So she gets to go to a speech therapy preschool class twice a week for a couple hours and LOVES every  minute of her time and new-found freedoms as a big girl.  Just ask her and she'll be happy to rattle off ALL her friends' names.

 It's quite hilarious to watch how she figured out how to open the car door of a 

large SUV 3x taller than her... on her very own:

Step one:  step up on running board

Step two:  Pull multiple times as hard as she can

Step three: finally it clicks open, and she flies in the air with the door, hanging onto the door handle for dear life,  then lets herself down onto the ground.

Step four:  happy she made it into her car seat.

Exhibit two:  Preschool Co-op

This year I started a preschool co-op with six other moms and three-year-old friends.  This is also twice a week, for a couple hours each... 

so I only teach once every seven weeks... JOYOUS.  

Seven three-year-olds for a couple hours twice a week.  Good times.

Viviana waits and waits and dances around & holds herself  to avoid

going potty quite as often... but she always makes it in time!

Exhibit Three:  Viviana Picaso

Is that a tramp stamp?  Seriously she can't get enough of the body tattooing with a marker. Maybe she'll get over her fix before she's a teenager.  I think she just wanted her nails painted, and then her A.D.D. took over.  

This is about a monthly occurrence.  

Exhibit four:  Obsessive Viviana.  

All three of my little ones are obsessed... with boobs.  "Look at me, I have boobies like you!"  This will be one of those blackmail pictures to save for those all-important teen years when it will surely come in handy.

Exhibit Five:  Serious sleep apnea Viviana.  

Pre-surgery picture & video... breaks our hearts that she's had to live with this for more than three years.  This video was how she was anytime she tried to sleep.  Somehow, we all adapted, she's alive... which brings us to.....

Exhibit Six:  Soon to be happier Viviana

Surgery Day October 13 and hospital stay... she had her enormous tonsils and diseased adenoids out, as well as an exploratory bronchoscopy to rule out tumors on her lymphnodes.  She's in the clear with any internal hemangiomatosis complications... and we're grateful.

Exhibit Seven:  Post-Surgery

Viviana had a really rough time coming out of her anesthesia.  She had to be intubated, which brings back horrifying memories for all of us.  

And might I add that she's the worst patient EVER.  She has a mind of her own and kept on trying to rip her IV's out in the same manner that she ripped her intubation tube out 3 1/2 years ago.  She wanted Daddy when Mommy was there, and wanted Mommy when Daddy was there... Inconsolable most of the time.  We had to beg the Dr's to let us leave on the 2nd day because I simply couldn't endure one more sleepless night listening to beeps and buzzes coming from our roommate, crying because so many tubes and machines were hooked up to her, etc.  Even after having her throat ripped out, all she wanted to eat when she woke up was pretzels and crackers.  So when Daddy was with her, guess what she got?  Yup, pretzles, crackers and even chips.  The nurses were not happy, to say the least.  Imagine TWO WEEKS recovery minus the tubes, at home.  

More good times.

Exhibit Eight:  Favorite Treat

She now knows how to help herself.  She gets her own popcorn, slides the chair over to the microwave, puts it in...with the right side up, pushes the button and gets a kick out of watching and listening to it pop away.  Best part-- eating the WHOLE bag... by her three-year-old self.  Fiber, right?  

She prefers salty snacks instead of sweet any day.

Exhibit Nine:  She thinks she's bigger than she is.

Alexandra has a ball roller-skating, so why can't Vivie do the same... using her big sister's skates?  At least she got some laughs...scooting herself along in the house.  I wonder why our carpet is so disgusting?!  

The skates were clean, actually.

And that's how Viviana has kept us busy and given me a few gray hairs in the last few months.

Just Rest... HOW ?

How?  When, in the last 2 weeks we learned that...

Three kids needed glasses

Two kids need braces (both medical-necessity cases)

One kid needed 13 fillings (thank you, Menzie teeth)

Same kid needs 2 root canals 

One kid needs 6 teeth extracted

One kid needed a CT scan to rule out a tumor on the brain (ER visit this week for chronic acute migraines)

One kid needs surgery ASAP for a severe case of obstructive sleep apnea which requires 48 hours observation in the ICU prior, and at least 48 hours post ICU recovery ... in a hospital 1 1/2 hours away.

One kid needs another surgery on a few problematic cutaneous tumors (hemangiomas)... 

that she can't have until we resolve the sleep apnea with surgery

One kid has high cholesterol and needs follow-up and careful screening

One kid needs to see an Endocrinologist due to precocious puberty.... at six years old

One kid needs a speech evaluation and possible speech therapy

One kid needs an IEP because of her visual impairment

One mom's full-time job has become scheduling and managing Doctor and hospital visits... not to mention everything else any large family deals with

One momma needs a good night's sleep

And one family is ever-so-grateful to have insurance that covers all of this 100%.  Even if it means we're one of 'them'... the leachers, that is.  We all take our turn at some point and turns out.... we really needed it.  Blessings come in really round-about unexpected ways?  Perhaps. 

"Merry" Mary Birch Project 2009

It has been a sweet experience to carry out our end-of-year service project at the Mary Birch NICU/PSCU. This year was no different and in many ways, more rewarding as we asked for help and were richly blessed with so many extra goodies and special handmade treasures, as well as funds to help with it all from YOU.

The project itself is such a feat to organize and coordinate... this year it proved even more difficult as the social workers weren't the easiest to work with. Due to the not-so-lovely Swine Flu, procedures and policies have changed quite a bit. My heart goes out to those families struggling through their trials and experiences especially this year. The moms stuck on bedrest for sometimes a month or more can't even see their children younger than 16 years old, as they're not welcomed past the reception area of the hospital with this ongoing epidemic.

I can't even imagine.

As if their experience wasn't tough enough already!

Most days, the only thing that kept me sane and upbeat was looking forward to the semiweekly visits with my three kids that were at home (My babies were in Utah with my mom). These baskets were extra special to those moms on strict bedrest this year. Even though we couldn't deliver them to the 4th floor as we have in years past, it was a blessing to spend hours putting it all together.

A Ginormous Thank You to ALL involved.

Truly, this year, it could not have been done quite as successfully without all of the love and care you helped put into this service.

I stand humbled, amazed, and impressed with all the lovely things you sent.

Erin donated luscious lotions for the PSCU moms

& Julie donated some magazines

Tina donated some boredom busters

Becky & fam hand made creative & darling journals for the ladies...

as well as a donation to help with other goodies

Ama crocheted darling sweaters & beanies fit for a NICU princess.

Trisha made chic burp cloths & gave gift cards for the coffee cart

Amy made yummy nursing/kangaroo hold/pumping covers

I made jewelry for all the NICU & PSCU moms and bling for the babies.

hand-stamped lovlieness (yes, another new hobby for me)

"every little girl needs some bling"

Kjristi whipped up some minky lovies

I made miniature quilts for the miniature babies:)

Brooke B. donated Mary Kay treats & baby beanies...

...and she also donated homemade succulent strawberry jam.

too bad my flash wigged out.

Lee & fam donated hand dipped chocolate pretzles galore!

Ama also crocheted around minky cozies for each of the babies

(Vivie is about to adopt one of them)

The McLaughlin girls helped make mini bows for the NICU baby girls

and we purchased all sorts of other goodies

from a most generous donation given by George & Char.

We are deeply grateful.

This is the letter that adorned the baskets:

As I was walking out of the hospital, I ran into Darling Dr. Daneshmand, my amazing Perinatologist, the one that delivered Viviana, and to whom we give credit to for knowing when to say when and saving her life as well as mine when I was in danger of being septic (the human side of that at least)...

We all adore Dr. Daneshmand. He couldn't be more loving and gracious. Recently, he started a foundation called Miracle Babies and asked me if I would be part of his organization. I'm thrilled to meet with him soon and perhaps be a part of blessing other families' lives year- round.

This service was priceless to many families...

For those that would like to know details, the social workers quickly jotted down some notes detailing the family dynamics of six of the ten whom received the baskets.

* PSCU 26 y/o single mom. Lives two hours away in Brawley. Separated from her 2 & 10 year old children, having a difficult time coping. She has limited support. Her income is also limited, and since she is on bedrest she cannot work. She has about four more weeks expected on bedrest and has already been hospitalized for two weeks.

*NICU family- mother was hospitalized in the ICU for 6 weeks & delivered her baby at 30 weeks. The father is unemployed because he had to care for his severly ill wife. The mom has improved and is now home, going back and forth to the NICU to visit their baby. They are under a great deal of financial stress.

*PSCU Patient is 30 weeks along and hospitalized until delivery. She has 2 & 4 year old sons at home. Her husband lost his job recently. The patient is having difficult time coping being away from her family.

* PSCU patient is on strict bedrest, 23 weeks pregnant with twins. She has multiple complications and is at great risk for preterm delivery. They recently moved here from Colorado and are overwhelmed and just trying to get through the days.

*PSCU patient is 23 weeks and will be hospitalized until she delivers. Her water ruptured at 18 weeks. She is very sweet and appreciative of any support.

*Baby Girl born at 25 weeks + 6 days. Father has to work two jobs. They have a two boys at home (one and six years old). Due to transportation problems and visitation policy, mom can only visit baby once a week on father's day off. They have no support system and financial difficulties. They are having a difficult time emotionally.