We have a 1 year old!

Landry is 1! 

Auntie Erin made this sign for her birthday!

Landry finally met her Auntie Krista and her sweet cousins- Kynlee and Katelyn!
Landry was in love!

ALL of the cousins

February= Awareness

February is CHD Awareness Month!  

Prior to our 32nd week of pregnancy, we knew next to nothing about congenital heart defects or for that matter Digeorge syndrome.  Throughout our experience with Landry, her heart surgery, visits with cardiologists, and many, many echocardiograms, we've learned SO much.  In addition to the information from doctors,  we have also heard from several close friends about the heart defects they have encountered through their children or for that matter the CHD that they have.  One of my best friends had heart surgery almost 32 years ago.  Hearing her story in college was amazing and inspiring. Never did I dream that my own little girl would share the same experience, but we are so grateful that Landry has Auntie Maggie so that she can share ALL that she has been through with someone who understands at a deeper level.  It is amazing how you can go through life never realizing the prevalence of something, then when it is a part of your world you see it everywhere.  God is so good in that he allows built in support from others who share in a part of your testimony. 

We have recently been reflecting on how grateful we are to live in todays age of technology because of the ways it has directly impacted Landry's life and well being.  Words can't fully express the gratefulness we feel towards those medical professionals that continue to learn, research and understand how to help babies born with hearts that need mended.  Below are some facts about CHD...

• Congenital heart defects are America’s and every country’s #1 birth defect. Nearly one of every 100 babies is born with a CHD.
• Congenital heart defects are the leading cause of all infant deaths in the United States. 
• In the United States, twice as many children die from congenital heart defects each year than from all forms of childhood cancer combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHD.  
• Each year over 1,000,000 babies are born worldwide with a congenital heart defect. 100,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday and thousands more die before they reach adulthood. (Facts via CHF)

6 months old

We are excited to share that December 11th we celebrated Landry's 6 month birthday.  Celebrated might be a little bit of an overstatement, but we reflected on the last 6 months in awe of God's grace in our lives.  Landry is thriving and at times it can feel overwhelming to think of all that has happened in her short little life.

6 months has proven to be such a fun age.  She has developed quite the personality.  She is typically a very smiley little girl.  She tells us very long stories and she loves playing with all of her toys (especially anything that makes noise and has lights).  She is working on sitting up and she does great with a little support.  The boppy has been wonderful for her "timber" moments.  She is rarely inconsolable and if she is we recently found that if her dad does a "routine" of sorts (which may or may not involve dancing, singing and leg kicks) she goes from crying to cracking up.  I have officially conceded and realize that dad is going to be the fun parent.  It just isn't the same when mom does the routine.  Not that I am surprised that Kyle would be the fun parent.  Between his silly antics, unending voices and accents, and love for Landry, she will have life long, built in entertainment (as will I).

Our visits to the doctors have slowed down a bit.  We did recently get to the 6 month well check at her pediatrician.  Aside from having to get some shots, the check up went well.  We also just followed up at the cardiologist.  Prior to this appointment we were curious to know if everything was looking good with her heart because on and off we have heard some rattling in her lungs.  She hasn't been sick, but whether it be something in the air or our ever-changing weather we went to the pulmonologist and he suggested we just have her heart checked out again just to be sure that her noisy lungs weren't stemming from anything other than weather change or allergens.  Hearing him say that really made me nervous and as I would get fearful or worried, I just had to give it to God.  Knowing where He has brought us, it is silly that I would question his sovereign provision and plan.  That's my flesh though.  Even seeing him do miraculous things, it can still be so easy to default to fear, worry, control.....etc.  I have been daily trying to submit all things to God and work on not letting my default be such an earthly response, but instead for my default to be prayer.

Other big news that we are THRILLED to share is that Landry got off of oxygen November 6th. The first week we kept her hooked up to the pulsox throughout most of the day to make sure she maintained a good oxygen saturation.  She did great!  That said we have been cord free for nearly 2 months.  I can't tell you what a huge difference this has made. No longer do we have to be teathered to a corner of the room.  It has opened Landry up to a whole new world.  As silly as it sounds, we find great joy in carrying her around the house.  It's the little things.

It has been so humbling to continually receive emails, texts or phone calls to check in on our little one.  Time and time again we have been told that you "checked the blog"  only to find that we hadn't updated it.  It truly is our goal to be better about our updates.  We love and appreciate all of your love and interest in our little bug!  It means so much! We are so eager for all of you to meet her and get a sense of her fun personality.  As EVERYONE continues to get sick in some form or fashion, we pray a hedge of protection around Landry. We pray that she will continue to thrive and as we come out of RSV/FLU season she will be capable of meeting/playing with many of you.

Thank you again!

 

This is Landry's new doll. It is a handmade doll. It shares the heart scar that Landry has and the dress and bow was made from Grandpa Rick's shirt.  Though she won't spend time with Grandpa Rick here on Earth, we know that she knows and loves the man he has been!

Four Generations!