KA-BOOM!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

***Make sure you scroll down & pause the music at the bottom of the blog!


Finally, we're able to get out as a family! We've been waiting almost 2 years to be able to do things like this, but with Vaeh's medical status we hadn't been able to... until now! Last year this time, Vaeh was just days away from her second open heart, so we were under a kind of "quarrentine." But now, we're all go!

Every year, our church has a wonderful event to celebrate the 4th of July. They have a carnival-type set up, with rides for the kids, junk food stands (ie: funnel cakes, yum!), face painting, & they even have free hot dogs & hamburgers! Each year they have more people come, with upwards of 7,000 last year & each year it grows! We usually spend the afternoon there & then stay for the fireworks. They usually last about 45 minutes & are set to music.

Gabby had a great time playing on the rides that they have set up, jumping & running all over. They also had a puppet show by the kids in the church inside & the girls both loved it.

Once it was dark & time for the fireworks I wasn't sure how Vaeh would do. At first she was a little scared by the noise, but once she realized that she wasn't going to be hurt she had a blast! It was just so nice to be able to go out as a family & not have to worry! Hope you all enjoy the 4th of July!

Sisters playing together

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This morning the girls were both standing at the table, playing & arguing like little sisters do! It was all so 'normal' that it almost brought tears to my eyes. I've been waiting since we found out that Vaeh had a heart defect to have these 'normal' moments in life & they've finally arrived! I just love seeing my girls standing & playing together. And of course (as you can see & hear) they do act like normal sisters competing for the exact same thing. Even though they both have many different things to choose from they want the same thing. Its just so wonderful to have 'normal' problems to face instead of all the medical mumbo-jumbo!

**Make sure you scroll down & turn off the music at the bottom so that you can hear them arguing! lol

Starring... Miss Vaeh!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This is our morning routine. Vaeh sits in her rocker seat & I do her bolus feeds. There are some mornings that she almost sleeps through her first feed, but the other day she was a little chatty. You have to watch the whole thing, because its not until the end that she really starts to chat things up! Of course, during the day she gets so talkative, but the minute the camera comes out... she clams up!

**Make sure you scroll down to the bottom of the page & pause the music so that you can hear miss chatty!

From then to now!

Its hard to believe watching Vaeh scoot all over the house & playing that just six weeks ago today, Vaeh had her 3rd open heart! She is doing so well & making progress each & every day! The therapists (physical & speech) were both here today, & the PT was quite suprised at how well she is starting to cruise around the furniture! She walked (while holding onto my hands, mind you!) about 5 ft. without much support at all! She was also sitting herself up from sidelying without help! She was even able to "army crawl" about 5 ft. - which is like a mile for her! I just find myself staring at her in disbelief that she's come so far in such a short time!

In Ann Arbor right after surgery, 6 weeks ago today.

Six weeks later... look at me now!







I get a big smile on my face just thinking about where she'll be 6 years from now! UGH, I think I'll stop that for now!

On a lighter note, our little heart friend Elaina is improving each day. They were able to get her chest incision closed over the weekend, & are now working to get her off the vent. The next step is home! Elaina & her family have been through quite an ordeal over the past few weeks, so please continue to keep them lifted up in prayer! We all know that prayer really does help!

Speaking Vaeh!

She's certainly no "Gabby" (boy, did we name her right - lol!), but Miss V is really starting to develope her vocabulary. If you "speak Vaeh" you can really catch on to what she's saying. And believe it or not, can almost interpret her different screeches! But here lately she's really been getting some understandable words out, even to the 'untrained ear'.

She's been saying 'mom' (mah) & 'dad' (dada) for quite some time. Here lately she's been making some more formed words. "Mawmaw" came out clear as a bell about two weeks ago & has been saying that one every time anyone in the house mentions my Mom, or especially if she walks in the door - "Mawmaw!" Yesterday we got back from a parade celebrating our city's 175th anniversary. Jon & his Dad were working on putting in our new screen door & Miss V said "Pawpaw." Plane as day, & when Jon asked her if she had seen her Pawpaw, she shook her head yes!

Her other big new word is "Sassa" meaning Sasha, our family cat! As much of a sour puss that the cat can be, she has really taken to Vaeh & actually tolerates her pretty well. Of course 'yeah, no, hi & byebye' have been coming out for a while too! I don't know... the rate she's going, we'll have to call her Gabby, Jr.

Playin' around!

Darn, you caught me!














I'm taking my baby for a stroll! Wanna come?














Having some fun with the cannulas!















We're finally back to normal around here (except for the whole nasal cannula thing!). Vaeh's bug seemed to be a 24 hour thing that she inherited from her big sister & she was over it after a day's worth of Pedialyte. Since Wednesday morning when I started her back on her Nutren Jr. she's been great! I'm just so glad that she's stopped the vomitting & I can actually put cute outfits on her (instead of the one piece outfits to help keep the tube under wraps!).

Today we spent the day just hanging out watching the Hannah Montanna marithon on Disney. Its already started, & Gabby is only4 years old! What am I gonna do when she hits the tweeny-bopper stage...UGH! But what's really scary is that Miss Vaeh likes to watch it, too! Oh boy, am I in for it or what?!?! As long as they both stay healthy, I'll take it!

A quick update on Elaina. The last update was very guarded. She continues to struggle with her oxygen saturations, as well as now running a fever. As her Mom said, her chest has been open for a week. She is holding her own, but fighting a hard battle. PLEASE continue to keep her in your prayers!

Here's a couple of pictures of the girls from the past few days. I had a request for more pics, so here you go - Enjoy! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Prayers for Elaina

Just a quick update here! Gabby is back to her ornery old self. She's been playing & eating like she never had an upset tummy. Vaeh had a sleepy day yesterday & still managed to sleep through the night! She hasn't vomitted since early yesterday morning, & so far today is doing well. I just did a first bolus feed of the day, at half her normal amount, & she seems to be tolerating it okay. So hopefully things are getting back to normal at The Walp House!

Basically I wanted to post this morning to ask for prayers for a little heart friend of ours, Elaina. She remains in the hospital & has had some major set backs. She again went into emergency surgery last night. She wasn't maintaining her oxygen saturations even on the ventilator. At last update, she is a very sick little girl. Please send prayers her & her family's way. She is a tough little girl & has been through so much in the past few weeks. Pray that she begins to improve soon & she is able to return home with her family where she belongs!

Visitor's Map!

I know, I know - two posts in one day?!?! I was playing around on the computer this morning (after the first post of the day) & decided to add a little something to the blog. I got the idea from a couple other blogs that I watch (the latest one was Elaina & Hollie, so thanks girls!) & thought this would be a neat way to track who all checks in on us. So, PLEASE pop down to the bottom of the blog & add a pin for yourself so we know who all is checking in on us! Thanks!

Rough night...

Our weekend was plagued by Gabby being sick for Father's Day. So yesterday we headed to the pediatrician to have her checked out, & he said that it was most likely a virus that's been going around. Great! Just what we need is for a virus, that includes vomiting, in our house. But by last evening she seemed to be back to nearly 100%, so I thought that maybe we would be okay. So much for thinking!

We were quite careful, using the hand sanitizer at every opportunity, but unfortunately... it started last night around 9 PM. I had my back to Vaeh because I was busy with some silly thing & she was playing with Gabby, watching Disney. The next thing I know I hear that all to familiar "splash" of liquid hitting the floor - not good! I wasn't sure if she had gagged herself, as she had just finished a bolus feed only a few minutes before. I was hoping for the gag theory.

When I started her on the feeding pump, I was sure to give her a dose of prevacid. I have been trying to wean her off of it, & so there's another theory of why she had gotten sick... We headed off to be around 11:15. So I kind of knew what was going on when I heard Vaeh get sick around 12:35. Poor little thing, over the course of about a half hour, she vomitted 5 times basically emptying her stomach. So, we headed out to the living room, called MawMaw to get us some Pedialyte & settled in for the night... again. I gave her a dose of zophran (which she was prescribed the last time we went through this whole vomitting thing) & started the Pedialyte. It only took about 3 mL's & she was throwing up again, so we stopped the pump. I waited until about 6:30 this morning to start her back up & started with a dose of zophran. Its about 8 AM now & so far, so good... Hopefully this turns out to be just a 24 hour bug like Gabby had & all will be well again tomorrow this time!

Just a quick update on our little heart friend Elaina. She had surgery last week, & has been struggling since. As of last evening, her Mom reported that her chest was still open because of her lungs not tolerating the surgery very well so far. They are struggling trying to wean her off the vent, among other things. Please keep little Elaina & her family in your prayers! We all know that prayer changes things!

*PS - Thanks, MawMaw!!! We couldn't do it without you! (& the rest of our family!)