To Miss Hattie

Dear Grandma Morgan

Dear Grandma,

I had a great time playing with the blanket you made me and the cute bag. After dinner tonight, I spent a good hour dragging the bag around, putting my socks in it and carrying around the doll size version of the bigger blanket you made me. I tried hopscotch on the squares, put it on my head to play peek-a-boo and tried it on like a bib. I covered the dog, tried it out as a pillow and tried just about anything I could think of.

I will be taking the blanket to the hospital with me and I heard my mom say she would be bringing the one you made her, too. We will need a cozy reminder of home.

Thanks for all the hard work on the blanket and all the love....

Oh, and please excuse the pictures if they are blurry-I was a busy girl and wouldn't hold still for mom to get a good picture.

Love,

Hattie

Fall Update

Hello,

We have been busy around here. This week, Hattie had an appointment with an ENT who recommended she have tubes put in her ears. (No surprise there as this is VERY common with CL/P Kids)

Hattie and I headed to Grand Rapids in the midst of the major wind storm and that proved to be an interesting drive. We were driving right into the wind and I seriously wondered if the hood of my car was going to blow off. Thanks goodness for the new Taylor Swift CD, Hattie and I enjoyed listening to that and she was a good little traveler. We left Wednesday and did some shopping and eating out and then on Thursday she had her appointment with the Surgeon. I liked him very much and appreciated that he took lots of time to explain how he does things and also answered any questions.

We were in there an hour and a half and Hattie was very good but getting tired. I didn't want to pull out my snacks for her as they had just told me they didn't want me giving her Cheerios or anything but Stage 3 type baby foods and the puff type snacks. (AHHHH, where were the puffs when I needed them? :) )

Anyway, Hattie had a clipboard with her questions for the Doctor and she took lots of notes. Check the photos!

The plan is to have tubes in her ears on Nov 8 here in TC. Then (we still are waiting on the dates) we will go to GR and have a partial lip repair done. 4 months after that we will take her to GR for her palate surgery and after that one more lip repair.

In other news, Hattie sure likes to go out to eat. One night in GR we went out for Mexican food; she enjoyed rice and black beans and guac.

After her appointment we went to Red Robin and she enjoyed a grilled cheese and mandarin oranges.

The best news? She is walking around giving kisses to us and when the boys come home she walks right up and hugs them and they love that. It is sweet to see that she knows and expects love and affection from all of us. What a wonderful thing!

More soon! We will use the blog to keep everyone updated on the medical journey we are on with Hattie. So keep checking back!!

A Hodge Podge Post

Hello.

We are still here and doing well. In fact, I would say this week has been the most settled and normal week since we have been home. Since Kory and the doll episode, Hattie has been sleeping alone in her crib in her room from 7 at night until 7 in the morning. !!!!!! On Monday, I think I was in a total state of disbelief as both Culley and Hattie took naps at the same time and they slept a good while. What a treat and what a difference a little breather makes!

Hattie had her first spaghetti dinner and quite enjoyed herself. See the photos for yourself!

We all had flu shots this week. The boys and I had the mist but Hattie had to have her first shot in the US. She didn't even cry. This photo is of the kids after a long day at school for Hike-a-thon and then to the Dr's office.

Today, I walked into the grocery store after church and a girl was holding an armful of fruit and trying to get a cart. I couldn't believe my eyes so I asked her if she was really holding dragon fruit. She must have thought I was a bit off my rocker, but she confirmed yes, it was dragon fruit.

I was so excited to bring Hattie a taste of China and our time together in China. I was also excited to see if the boys would like it and they did. But get this, for three little dragon fruits it was 16 dollars! Whew! I won't be buying those like we do banana's but it is important to us to try and blend some of what we experienced in China into our lives here in the US.

Oh, and what a funny contrast. Lots of Star Wars Cookies were baked tonight in preparation for Hayden's birthday. Check out the counter picture-Star Wars Cookies and Dragon Fruit. I love it!

Beautiful!

This photo is one of my very favorites of Hattie. Isn't the setting amazing? This was taken in China.

Hattie continues to do well. She has been sleeping in her crib all night with her daddy on the floor right next to her crib. Last night, I peeked in there as Kory was coming out. He said, "look who is in bed" so I tip toed in there wondering who was in his spot, Hayden or Culley? Well, it was pillows and some doll with black hair. He was hoping to fool Hattie in the night. If she looked down from her crib she would have thought it was Kory or I:) It worked until about 3 am!

She truly is a wonderful little girl and we are so thankful for her.

Hattie and Crew go to the Pumpkin Patch

Hello Again, two posts in one day must have you all thinking we are back in China again? :)

We had our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch today, this time with Hattie. How fun to take her places and see her experience new things.

She really just enjoys life and going anywhere with her brothers is fun for her!

Enjoy the pictures.

Rub-a-dub-dub Three Kids in the Tub

Hello,

All is quiet in the house right now. But in order for this to happen, Hayden is playing Wii. Culley is napping. Hattie is napping-only because Kory is wrapped like a burrito on the floor next to her crib. I actually went out on the town and stocked up on yogurt, fruit, lunch meats, and pillows. Yes, you read that right-pillows. We seem to be attempting sleep on the floor these days so more pillows were in order.

As I have said before, Hayden and Kory are doing well. Hattie is doing well-except for sleep. Culley is testing us constantly and then when he gets in trouble says, "mama, I want you to be happy!!!" I tell him, "I am happy. I am not happy with your behavior. But I am happy!!!!!" (as I grit my teeth and sweat to death behind the scenes in pure frustration!)

Me? Yes, I am happy. I am still in great need of sleep. I am still longing for a bit more of a predictable routine around here. I love having a girl in the family though. Hattie is just a sweet baby. Thanks to my mom and Kory's mom she has a whole new wardrobe of warm and cozy clothing. We also have purchased a few things for her.

My favorite things?

Having three kids piled in bed with us in the morning. (as long as they don't sleep with us!!!)

Watching Hayden play with his sister. He is really in love!

Culley and Hattie (just as we thought!) fuel each other and they roll around on the floor, bouncing off couch cushions, laugh like crazy and basically cause all kinds of crazy stuff and noise.

In health news, Hattie will be seeing the doctor regarding her lip/palate on Oct. 28. I look forward to hearing what he says and getting moving on the lip surgery.

Over and out!