Happy Mother's Day

Daddy-O and I had the perfect plan for the most amazing Mother's Day gift ever. We knew it would be the greatest gift ever. We knew she had always wanted it. We knew it would blow her mind.  We knew it would bring her to tears {which it did}.

We worked hard all day long.

On. Off.

On. Off.

On for longer. Off.

On for even longer. Off.

On.

Can you believe it? My Passy is on! And I'm breathing! It's on!

And even more than that...I spoke my first word...

 

Make sure your volume is turned ALL THE WAY UP!

Bonnes Nouvelles

True...it was a very L.O.N.G. day {got home after 11:00 p.m.}.

True...Bubs was very tired and very hungry by the time we got to Stanford.

True...the surgery was over an hour late.

False...Bubs was willing and eager to get wheeled into the OR.

True...the anesthesiologist gave Mr. Man a sedative to calm him down before the surgery.

False...the sedative worked.

True...the anesthesiologist had me scrub in and carry a very unhappy Bubs into the OR.

True...I was thrilled to be able to hold my screaming son while he was put to sleep {it was the third time I've gotten to do that}.

True...Kc could not wait and got dinner in the cafeteria while I was singing "Jesus Loves Me" as Bubs was being held down by three additional nurses as the very patient anesthesiologist was attaching a pulse ox probe to Mr. Man's big toe.

False...I was able to finish my dinner {once I got it} before our MOST FANTASTIC Otolaryngologist and his French counterpart joined us to go over the results of the super speedy scope.

"Do you want the good news," he asked, "or the good news?"  

Bubs' trachea is staying open!  

Bubs' trachea was dilated to 1 cm! 

Bubs' trachea is looking great!  

Bonnes Nouvelles!  

Good News!   

We're heading back in one month for another scope but our MOST FANTASTIC Otolaryngologist said that the only thing keeping the trach in my Little Man is my Little Man himself.  Noah now has the anatomy to be able to breathe through his nose and mouth...he just has to learn how to.  

WOW!!!  

Wow!   

Wow!  

wow.   

wow.  

That is awesome...and terrifying...at the same time.  

It is now our job to teach Noah how to breathe...the thing that most people take for granted...the intrinsic task that happens 21,000 per day...the unconscious exercise that all newborns participate in...Noah now has to learn. 

How in the world do you teach someone how to breathe?  I must have missed that class when I went through the credential program. Where in the world do we start???

For those of you who just love pictures...here are a few more of my adorable Bubs.

Looking down from above.

The white tube you can see is his trach.

You get a great shot of his trach here as well.

Smile Pretty...In French

We're heading back up to Stanford for another scope tomorrow.  

Our MOST FANTASTIC Otolaryngologistis will be taking another peek at Mr. Man's trachea and we're hoping for a gorgeous hole rather than an ugly crevasse.   Joining our MOST FANTASTIC Otolaryngologist in the operating room will be one of his colleagues from France.  Yep...France.  Bubs will be smiling pretty for two very important surgeons tomorrow.  I hope he is bilingual and can open wide in French.

We just got word that the procedure is not scheduled until 5:00 p.m. tomorrow evening.  

Nice.

Unlike Noah's previous scopes, we don't have to wake up at 2:00 in the morning.  We don't have to be on the road before 3:00 in the morning.  We don't have to be in the pre-OP room by 6:00 in the morning.  

Nice.  

Unfortunately that means that we won't be out of surgery until after 6:00 in the evening.  We won't be out of the recovery room until after 8:00 at night.  We won't be home until after 11:00 at night.

Seriously!

It's going to be one l. o. n. g. day tomorrow. 

And just because I hate to have a post without any pictures...here's my adorable Bubs

Fun at the Zoo

Last week we celebrated my GLORIOUS spring break with a family trip to the zoo.

Lately, Noah has become a huge fan of animals.  All animals, to be exact.  You remember that early on, Bubs took a liking to lions.  Well...that love has grown to include giraffes, bears, penguins, tigers, gorillas, alligators, whales, hippos, rhinos, dolphins, monkeys, elephants...any animal that runs, swims, or crawls is OK with my Little Man.

This excursion to the zoo was the most fun we've had so far.  Bubs just LOVED every animal.  He would point and sign the animals name and want us to make the noise the animal makes.

The bears were out sunning themselves.

The mama giraffe was taking care of her new little calf.

Look at how much Bubs has grown in one year.

Noah just loves the seals.  He claps and splashes in the air whenever he sees one.

 

Watching those cute seals.  Daddy-O...why are you interrupting me and trying to take a picture?  I've got seals to watch!

Cute little kangaroo.

Notice the horse in Mr. Man's hand as he gets close and personal with a lion.  Boy does he love those lions.

Bubs just loves the zoo!

Look Out World

Noah's got a step stool and he knows how to use it.

Why should I stand on the floor?  It's so low to the ground!  I prefer it up here...much higher...much better view!