Day 153- Generalized Cuteness!

Wednesday we attended our baby lunch play date in Austin at the fabulous home of Rowan's friend London.













So sweet and happy.

























Our new friend Emma.

























Girl chat.













London's tent was SO much fun!












But apparently they left Harper out of the conversation and she got her feelings hurt...



It's official- Rowan is extremely mobile!

She no longer stays on her play mat, or in her play "corner" of the room...and if you leave there's no telling where she'll be when you come back...
















































Friday:













Helping to water the trees tonight and loving the water hose.












Trying to figure out how to catch it... Workin that tongue.



This month is National Donate Life Month-
Please sign up to be an angel donor: donatelife.net
We thank God every day for ours!

Day 150- Best News Ever

Some great news:
Monday Rowan went to Austin for more labs. It was a one stick visit- yay!
(it's always like that when Chance is able to go)

We already have received the results and everything looked spot-on!

What about that abnormal creatinine level that indicates she is having some kidney issues?? Well, I may need hearing aids- because instead of it being 1.8 after our Houston labs, it was Actually 0.8. That whole 1 makes a big difference in this case! Glad it was just my hearing. That number bothered me.
On the most recent set of labs, it's back down to 0.5-

Our Austin Gastroenterologist added an antibiotic in case Rowan has a parasite or something else nonspecific. (We have had some funny looking poops)... BUT drumroll please: she actually likes the taste of this one! Medicine time is continuing to be a snap. AMEN!

Now for some even better news:
He is risen!

We had a very special Easter and were so happy to share it with all of our family!

Saturday: Egg hunting in Granite Shoals





Candy:)






The car ride was rather long this day, but in less than 10 minutes we taught Rowan a new trick- high five! Add that to waving and clapping:)

Ps- I love Rowan's waves. She is NOT shy and often waves to strangers when we are out. It is so neat to see the faces of others light up when this little nugget reaches out and flashes that smile of hers. What a bundle of joy we have!

Sunday morning: The Easter Bunny Came





Oops- ripped up my book before I got to my basket.







Headed to church...







Tongue is workin hard to get this one opened.












So excited.







Not up for smiling, but I needed a picture of her dress.













More and more eggs!







Passed out on the way home!



Tomorrow is baby lunch. No doubt she'll have a great time, and I will have more pictures to post.

Day 145- Good, Bad, and Ugly: Part II

Houston 5month post transplant checkup:

The Good:
Rowan's liver numbers were great!

Rowan got to see Weston! (he is our friend from Austin, one month younger than Ro, and has BA and a liver transplant too)











We had a fun time in the hotel



Pei Wei chopsticks fight with dad








The Bad:

Getting poked 4 times for labs






Buuut- we got some cool glasses as a "prize" for the torture






Rowan lost weight. Down to 18lbs and some change...


The Prograf (anti-rejection medication) is causing renal insufficiency (kidney problems)... That's one of the side effects.
We will see a renal physician at our next appointment.
For you medical folk- creatinine level was 0.5 before transplant. Now it is 1.8. BUN is elevated too :(

The Ugly:
Rowan threw up in her brand new car seat on the way home. Thank goodness the cover is machine washable!

I dropped the bottle of Prograf once we got home... Huge mess of sticky goop... Everywhere!
But yay that our online pharmacy is able to overnight us some more.


After dropping the medicine, I might have had a mini-meltdown over the days events. It was a loooooong and stressful day. Thank goodness Chance was there to wash all of our bottles and put Rowan to bed!

Remember, April is national donate life month! Rowan is still here thanks to our angel donor!

Let go, and let God.

We have plans to see all of our family for Easter. Have a blessed holiday!

Day 141- bluebonnets, birthdays, and babysitters

Bluebonnets:
Well- call us bad parents. We missed the blooming bluebonnets and had to settle for some half- dead photos. I swear they only bloomed for a week.









Sorry- it's gonna take waaaay too much energy to rotate that photo. You'll just have to turn your head, or your phone:) thanks!


Birthdays:
Pops celebrated his birthday on the 14th and uncle Seth's 21st was on the 16th. We went out to eat and Rowan had a blast.


Opening gifts...



Trying to help:)



Balloons are apparently so much fun!









FULL Tummy!



Oops- eyes closed...




Afterwards at Cavender's.



Yeeeee Haaaaa!

Babysitters:
Chance and I have both been doing some working, so Rowan has had a bevy of babysitters come to the house. Annnnd for the most part, everything has worked out perfectly. Thanks so much Sancie, Robby, and Judy.
Rowan was spoiled with some gifts and the new books are quickly becoming favorites.

Bilirubin: (just for another B)
I am sure her level is still ZERO....
Medication time is going so well. That is, until Rowan dislikes the way we are doing it now and forces us to change... We will be going to Houston this week for our check up on Wednesday.

Tonight we ate dinner with some good friends. They have a precious 1month old, Addison. It was so sweet to watch Rowan give her kisses.
Ro ate and ate and ate- mashed potatoes, green beans, even pork tenderloin!!! Oh yeah- and a little brownie too---everything in moderation:)

Church was also especially good this morning. Rowan really enjoys the music.

I find myself thinking about our angel donor's family a lot lately...

Day 136- updates galore

I have been falling behind keeping up with the blog! But even worse, my picture taking has really declined... I must take more- I believe most of the memory on my phone is being used by pictures and I love it!

Saturday Chance and I both worked a few hours, so GiGi and Pops babysat. Mommy and daddy had some great QT on the road and Rowan had a great time without us.

Sunday the fabulous Great Grandma Janet did some spoiling. We took a trip to Austin and purchased a new big girl car seat! It's a convertible, so Ro will still be backwards for about another year (crazy guidelines), but then we can turn it around facing forward up to a weight of 70lbs! And folks- that's gonna take a while...
We stopped off at Jason's Deli and Rowan became a big fan of potato soup:)

Monday was dreaded lab day. However Rowan was up bright and early at 5:30, so she helped us all get ready and packed up;) Chance took her to Austin, and everything went relatively smoothly--- a one stick trip!

I called that afternoon and left a message to pretty pleeeeease get those labs faxed to Houston;)
AND today (Tuesday) they magically were sent over.

THE RESULTS:
1. Prograf too high: decrease the dose

2. Potassium too high: hopefully it will decrease as the Prograf levels decrease. (that's a side effect of the medication to have an increased potassium level)

3. Magnesium too high: stop giving her potassium replacement! Yay- down to ONLY 3 MEDS!

4. BUN a little elevated- meaning she may be a little dehydrated. Force some fluids and keep an eye on our princess to make sure she is taking enough by mouth.

Overall, everything is an easy fix!

Liver numbers are all still spot on!

We will be back in Houston next week for our check up and to re-check labs again.


I don't think I have mentioned on the blog, but April is National Donate Life Month!!!

Rowan would obviously not be here today without her angel donor. (and we thank God every day for both of them)

I encourage everyone to register to be an organ donor- you could be the angel in someone's life.

The process takes less than five minutes. DONATE LIFE.


We are crawling!

Day- I lost count.

Today Rowan is 10months old!

These past few days we have been keeping ourselves busy! Chance has been home sleeping because he is now working nights, so Ro and I have been out and about to let him get some sleep.

Unfortunately, I found that although we have gone and done many things, we haven't taken any pictures of these activities!

We have been to feed the ducks several times.

Out to eat lunch.

Tons of walks in the stroller.

Read our favorite book over and over and over and over...

Played in our swing-






(Finally took a picture)

And been to the grocery store I don't know how many times.

Rowan is really doing remarkable.

However, I did receive some news that made me angry today. I was upset for a good part of the day and then realized- that's life: get over it and move on.

We have been through so much with Rowan that this is minuscule in the grand scheme of things, but apparently we are having issues relaying lab information from Austin to Houston.

We had lab work done on the 30th. Today I called Houston for some results, but they had never received them. SO after hounding our Austin team, we finally found some lab work.

Rowan's Prograf level was too high- meaning she may be taking too much of the anti-rejection medication. Unfortunately, because that level was drawn back on the 30th, we have to go back for more lab work on Monday. If they are going to change her dose, they must have an accurate and up to date number.

If you keep up with the blog, I believe you may remember when we had this very same issue with the potassium...

I just hate to put Rowan through more trauma and torture of lab draws (again!), but guess what- just do what you gotta do and move on!

And I'm thinking about it like this- if that's our only issue right now, we are doing pretty dang well!

Rowan's liver numbers are still stellar. She still hasn't been sick, shown any signs of rejection, had an infection, for that matter had any complications since we have left the hospital!

So we praise God for our miracle, take our medicine, and continue living our fairy-tale life with our beautiful baby girl!