Day 92- Pickles!

My aunt came over with a doll, swing, and lunch- yum!
The doll was fun, the swing we will put up tomorrow, but the lunch pickle....

Rowan really enjoyed it, although her faces say otherwise!












Hahaha!!!

We did some jogging around the neighborhood, checked up on my grandpa, and then had some good quality play time before her bath!













Chheeeeeeessssseeeee!












Love her!!!

3months Post Transplant

Where has the time gone?!

Sometimes it feels like just yesterday Ro was in the hospital, but other times it feels like years have passed.

Congratulations to Rowan for being 3 months post transplant!

Lately, Chance and I have been very busy with "grown-up" things like taxes, laundry, work, and others just to name a few...

So- no cute pictures or fun outings.

Tomorrow, I'm thinking Ro will be ready for something new!



Gearing up for our big day of appointments on Tuesday....

Day 86- Play Date

Today was a major milestone. Rowan played with other babies for the first time since her transplant at our monthly mommy and baby lunch in Austin. (Moms from Brackenridge where Chance and I both work)

I may have been a wee bit terrified of germs, so being the psychotic mom I am, we brought our own toys, and I tried my best not to let her put anything "not ours" in her mouth.
My heart raced when I heard a few sneezes, but all of the toys, blankets, and clothes are quarantined and ready for disinfection:)


Patrick, the youngest at one month, was so quiet, we forgot to take pictures of him. And I missed Ryan, the oldest too.
Here's a group shot of the remainder:






Yes, Rowan and London are both trying to take Harper's shoes!






The girls.






With the bachelor.


While seeing everyone, chatting, and eating was fun for me, the highlight of Rowan's afternoon was playing with her new friend London!
They were instantaneous friends.


















I can't even describe how adorable they were together... Pulling each others clothes, kissing, playing with the toys I brought ;) and "talking".
Sara, London's mom, took way, WAY better pictures than I did. Click Here to see those pictures posted on her blog.







This was big girl yesterday playing... She is just a little peach!











Check out those rolls coming in:)

It's nothing short of wonderful how we feel- just a normal, healthy baby, fun day with a few extra precautions. Amazing!

Medications are still going so well! This is also a major miracle. It's truly a breeze- no crying, no screaming, no problem!

Day 83- The Smiles are Out

Today, Rowan went out and made the rounds.

(Side note- I do not care for the color yellow. I never have. It is a very popular color for walls in homes, but I just couldn't do it. I don't even like yellow candy- it always tastes gross. This being said, only naturally would I have a child who turned yellow! I hate liver disease....
Anyway- my point is- I have never dressed Rowan in yellow- until now. Prepare your eyes for below if there are any of you who share my yellow distaste.
I may hate yellow, but not today. She looks great!)

First we visited Great Grandma Janet. She is going through chemo right now, but she is doing great! Here's a little sunshine for her...










Next, we travelled to grandma name-still-to-be-determined's house. No photos here.

On the trip ride back home, she enjoyed a straw.






Then it was off to our girls night dinner.






She had so much fun with all the girlies. There was even some wonderful live music;) Rowan really seemed to enjoy it even if no one else did.



Weston is out of the hospital! His mom works at Brackenridge too. He was diagnosed with BA and also had a liver transplant. Little toot pulled out his tube the first day he was home! Other families we know thru the baaware Facebook page are going through a lot right now.... Some are battling rejection, both immediately and months out of transplant. Praying that Rowan doesn't have these issues and cherishing every single one of those precious smiles!

Day 82- Field Trip

Rowan has a baby calf named Roy. His mother abandoned him, so he's a bottle fed baby at my parents house. We went to go visit him today...



















And....
This is what happens when daddy and Rowan sit down to eat...






Yogurt:)

Day 80 + Houston = Unbelievable Bliss

First, I want to give a quick shout out to my wonderful husband who works very hard so I can stay HOME and take care of our little angel. It is absolutely amazing to be a stay at home nurse:)

Tuesday night we had a girls night out to eat in Houston.



With KT at Escalantes


Cookies at the managers reception.




Jumping on the bed with aunt TaTa.







Wednesday morning we packed up the room, checked out, drove to the hospital and had our labs drawn.
One stick!!!

Next we stopped off for a quick visit to the 12th floor. We saw Weston- about 2weeks post transplant- and he looked amazing! Then we chatted with a lot of our nurse friends who took care of us for so long.

Then we headed off to our clinic visit. Everyone thought Rowan looked fabulous!
She was all smiles and giggles for the appointment.
For her "report card" we got print outs of her growth chart. She is skyrocketing! A month ago, Ro was in about the 20th percentile for height and weight. Currently, she is in the 50th percentile for weight and almost the 75th for height!

Our only hiccup was her Prograf level being low. Goal is 10-12 and she was 4.7. We will increase her dose, and recheck in a couple of weeks.

And the pentamidine treatment was a little traumatic this time- we ended the breathing treatment sweaty, puffy eyed, and red faced....But still so worth it for a once monthly occurrence rather than oral medicine 3x per week that Rowan throws up...

On to the most. amazing. news. ever:
1. No nystatin
2. No prednisone
3. No prevacid
4. No longer do we have to take her blood pressure- this prompted an interesting trip to drop off the machine- thanks Sarah!
5. No longer do we have to keep a food log
6. No more weekly weigh ins

Rowan is down to only 5 medications per day!

It is unbelievable how much progress she has made since her surgery. I am truly in disbelief. Chance and I feel so humbled and blessed to have our amazing baby girl. She brightens our days and brings us more joy than we can explain. Words cannot express the emotions that this journey has provided us. We wouldn't change a thing.

Day 78- Ro's First Valentine's Day

What perfect weather we had today!

Rowan has always loved being outside, so we spent a lot of time doing just that.







Opening a few gifts- so much love for our baby!

It is an amazing blessing that our little valentine is doing so well. In public, you wouldn't even know of her ordeal. When we go out, I still want that sign saying "she had a liver transplant"- because I am so extremely proud of her and want everyone else to know what she has accomplished.

She's continuing to take her medication like a champ and we are really getting our routine down. It all just seems so incredibly perfect.







Look carefully at her mouth and you can see those pearly white teeth on the bottom!

Day 75- Success

Ro's morning started with her Friday appointment at physical therapy. Last week we missed due to the snow, so there was a lot to show off. And Rowan performed her tricks so well. Flipping, rolling, sitting, reaching- all received an A+

So well that our therapist told us not to come back!

Then we headed to our beloved scale. We have been working so hard not to get that tube replaced.... And I guess the mashed potatoes helped us out-

In one week Rowan went from 17.15lbs to 18.3! Wowza!

I called our Houston dietician before we could even get out of the building.
She mentioned that at our appointment on Wednesday we will discuss decreasing the concentration. I was thinking we should just go ahead and do that now, but I guess they are waiting for her to become gigantic!




















Afterwards, we all decided to gain weight at The Cheesecake Factory :)




We went for a quick walk this afternoon.
What a blessed day!