Visiting

Well, we made it through the craziness of this past week in one piece.  Next week is much quieter, but it will be a challenge to see how well I can transition in to getting two kids ready on my own and out the door on time for Keegan's morning appointments! 

Here are a few pictures from the end of our week, visiting with friends, family, and just each other.

Great-Grandpa Huffman with Audrey & Keegan

Great-Grandmother and Audrey sharing some deep thoughts

Keegan showing off his Toy Story toy collection.  Earlier that morning, Gray and I treated Keegan to a "big brother day" and took him to see Toy Story 3 at the movies and to lunch.  He really enjoyed it having a morning of Mama & Daddy to himself again. 

Our friend, Stephanie, and Audrey

Keegan visiting with Audrey while she spent some time in her crib

I told him to read her one of her books, so he grabbed this one and threw it in the crib.  Not exactly what I had in mind, but at least it was a soft book!

This is her "I've had enough of you, Keegan" look.  ;)

Cardiac Clinic & 2-week Appointment

Wow, what a busy week in the Harrison household!  Cardiac transplant clinic, five therapy sessions for Keegan, breathing treatments, Audrey's 2-week appointment, my follow-up appointment with the OB, and more.  Geez, I'm tired just thinking of it all.

Watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse & saying his new catchphrase, "Oh, Toodles!"

Monday was our first transplant clinic carting two kids to the hospital, and I was so scared!  I couldn't have done it without my mom's help.  But we made it there on time and in one piece!  Keegan got one of the best reports he's ever had from clinic.  I swear his labs were screwed up with someone else's.  Everything was so rock-solid stable in "Keegan's normal" ranges and even some truly normal numbers!  And believe it or not, his white count was a touch higher than it ever was ON his shots.  I hate to admit that my first thought was not celebratory but rather worried that he was getting sick.  Just one more sad antecdote as the mom of a child with so many issues.  What else?  Chest xray was picture perfect, and his weight was stable.  He hasn't gained any weight since we cut out his daytime tube feeds a few months ago, but he hasn't lost either.  He has gotten a bit taller though, and we'll definitely take that.  Every single person we saw could not believe how big Keegan seemed...and trust me, people came out of the woodwork to meet Audrey.  Another sad anecdote to our life is that Audrey's first official outing was to transplant clinic.  I guess she better get used to it quickly because it will be a part of her life too.  She gets to meet everyone at the Legacy campus tomorrow for Keegan's breathing treatment at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.  It's just the way things are in this family.

Sleeping like a little angel

Audrey also got two-thumbs up from the pediatrician this week.  She has gained a whole pound!!  6 pounds 12 ounces!  The only time Keegan has gained a pound in two weeks was when he was in renal failure and retaining fluid.  He also didn't weigh 6lb12oz until he was 2.5 months old!  Wow, life is different with a healthy child.  The doctor said she looked beautiful all around.  We don't go back in until she's 2 months old.  I'm sure I will go crazy wondering if she's growing properly...just might have to sneak her on the scale at the hospital in between her appointments!  We will be doing one follow-up test with her in about three weeks.  Being female and breach, she's in the highest risk category for congenital hip dislocation, so we'll have an ultrasound of her hips done at six weeks old.  The doctor thinks she'll pass with flying colors and so do we. 

I wish I could wrap up this post with something a little more insightful, but I just can't muster the energy right now.  One day my mind will function properly again, but not tonight! ;)  Thank you so much for your prayers for our little family.  Truly, they mean the world to us. 

Father's Day

Gray's uncle Larry and aunt Diane were in town from California on Father's Day, so after naptime, they came over with his parents, his grandmother, my parents, and Alex for coffee and dessert.  Keegan celebrated his Daddy by making him put him on his shoulders about 210 times.  ;)

Always entertaining everyone...

What a goofball!  Thanks for playing, Uncle Larry!

Larry & Diane with Audrey

Great-Granny, Gray, Keegan, and Audrey

Oma & Pops with Audrey

Look at that little girl!  ;)

Settling In

We've been settling in to our new routine around here.  Or what little routine we seem to have left now!  Overall, Keegan and Audrey are both doing well.  Keegan is still pretty indifferent to her, but he has his moments of sweetness, especially in the morning when he wakes up and just before he goes to sleep.  He's starting to get frustrated that I can't pick him up though.  I'm going to knock on wood hard as I type this, but so far, Audrey has been a laid-back, easy-going baby.  She is sleeping and eating well and seems pretty tolerant of her brother's antics!

Audrey had her first bath at home on Saturday.  She didn't mind it too much!

Not sure she likes it yet...

Much better...all clean and warm.

We've also had some family and friends visit.  Everyone is excited to meet Audrey and is kept laughing by Keegan!

Chum and her great-grandbabies

Cousins Maya and Marley

Our friends and Audrey's godparents, Todd & Marci and baby Noah

We had a nice time today with our family celebrating Father's Day.  Looks like Pops (Gray's dad) got all the pictures, so we'll have to post with that soon.  Please keep Keegan in your prayers tomorrow, as he has cardiac clinic and a full work-up.  We pray that his heart is strong and doing well.  It's going to be a busy week around here with clinic, therapy, breathing treatments, Audrey's two-week appointment, and my follow-up appointment.  Whew!  I'm tired just thinking about it!  We'll update more after clinic.  Thanks so much for prayers!

Our girl

Cuddling with Daddy

Sweetness

Snuggling with Mamie

I put Audrey down in the chair for one second to help my mom with something.  When I laid her down, there was nothing in the chair.  I turned around to find two cars had joined her.  I grabbed the camera, and as soon as I snapped the picture, another car joined her in the chair...

I think her posture says it all!  Get used to it, girl...your brother is going to be a pain in your side for the rest of your life!! Ha!

Daddy with his babies

Walker and Audrey's first picture together.  Can you believe these two are only just shy of 4 months apart? 

Audrey is One Week Old!

Wow!  I can hardly believe Audrey is one week old already.  Although, it also feels like a lifetime!  She's spoiled us this week and has been an absolute rockstar.  Everyone talks about how hard it is to have a newborn.  I may be new to this game, but Keegan is much harder to keep up with than Audrey at this point!  She has a wonderful disposition so far.  We only hear her complain during diaper/clothes changes or if we wake her up to eat but don't have a bottle yet.  We took her to the pediatrician on Friday to check her weight and possible labs.  She was up two ounces since we left the hospital, weighing in at 5 pounds 10 ounces.  The doctor thought her color was good enough to not have to recheck labs.  Other than that, we've just been trying to adjust to our life as a family of four.  We really appreciate your well wishes and prayers.  They mean so much more to us than you know.

It's really hard to sit here tonight and not think back to where we were when Keegan was one week old.  It's almost 10pm as I type.  At 10pm on day seven of Keegan's life, we were sitting in the dark waiting room of the CVICU at Children's, praying that this was the beginning and not the end for our son.  Keegan was being stabilized in the OR as Dr. Guleserian flew back to Dallas with his new life in her hands.  In a few short hours, he would be the blessed recipient of a healthy heart.  Tonight, I sit here typing as Gray holds Audrey next to me.  She just finished her bottle and is happily enjoying time with her Daddy.  It's so different from everything I have known this far.  I have no frame of reference for anything she is doing now or will do for the rest of her life.  In the same breath, I am hopeful and ecstatic for her and yet full of grief for what we were denied with Keegan.  I know he is well and happily sleeping in the room down the hall now.  I love his smile and the insane energy he always seems to have despite his struggles.  But it certainly doesn't make it any easier when I remember our past.

I read this post by Angie Smith this evening.  Angie lost her fourth child at birth, and she just gave birth to a new baby girl a few weeks ago.  We actually were due with our girls the same day.  In that post, Angie describes a conversation she had with one of her older daughters, who had just broken her arm while doing a cartwheel.  She made her daughter promise her that she wouldn't let the pain of what happened keep her from enjoying cartwheels in the future, and she realized the poignancy of that advice to her own experience of having another child after losing one.  Tonight, I'm comforted by her words.  I cannot let my fears of the pain I have experienced with and for Keegan keep me from enjoying Audrey...or imagine what I might miss.

I don't want to miss a minute with either of these two miracles.

Notice his tshirt..."Sister for Sale - $1.00 negotiable!"

Keegan and Aunt Alex filled his water table with shaving cream and went to town!

Audrey was exhausted by her brother's antics in the sprinkler.

I'm not sure this picture needs explaining....this child is an absolute ham!

Swimmin'

Home

We are home!  All four of us are home!  I simply cannot describe to you what it feels like to say that, to be here.  My heart is so full.  We are so blessed beyond measure, beyond what we deserve. 

So tiny in her carseat

Keeping this kiddo entertained has been a weeklong exercise in creativity for Aunt Alex and Mamie.  Alex took Keegan to see Shrek earlier in the week, and today she brought him a "big brother cupcake" to decorate.

Champagne Delight cupcakes to welcome home our sweet girl...with a champagne toast to boot!

I felt I had been healing well, and everyone was worried about how Keegan would deal with my limitations on picking him up.  I have to say, that was the least of my worries!!  This character was cracking us up today, and nothing hurts more than laughing right now! 

Big Daddy could not be happier with his two grandbabies in his lap.

Great Granny was too sweet to bring us a yummy spaghetti dinner to welcome us home.  Thanks so much, Granny!  It was so nice to enjoy dinner with Keegan while you spent time with Audrey. 

So far, our first day home has gone well.  We'll see what happens tonight! ;)  Thank you so much to everyone for prayers.  We definitely feel them, and it means so much to us. 

Enjoying Audrey

We all had a pretty good day getting to know Audrey and enjoying spending time with her.  She is a sweetheart, and we can't wait to bring her home tomorrow!

I swear I have a picture of Keegan with his pacifier that looks so much like this!  I'll try to find it...

Sweet angel

Big Daddy came by tonight to spend some quality time with Lady Bug after everyone else had left.  I think she already has him smitten! ;)