The Goodwins

I know we’ve fallen behind in our updates on Ella’s health and expander progress, but I have to say it’s been nice to sit back and enjoy life without really having anything to report.

Since the surgery to remove her forehead expander Ella has been healthy and happy! She’s even enjoying bath time again… they had become a screaming fest whenever we had to put water on her head! And as you can see from the pictures her “bubble” is really growing!

And Ella is growing up everyday too – she’s added the word “papa” to her vocabulary, as well as the sound of a bee. She’s getting really good at blowing bubbles (in the tub), and has even stood up in the middle of the room a few times – of course she avoids doing it on command so we haven’t gotten any video of it yet! But she’s still the same cutie who loves to peekaboo and make us all laugh!

Thank you to everyone for all the love and support that we always feel surrounding us.

This stinks!

I knew the tissue expander process was going to be hard to go through, but I just hate that Kirk and I have to make Ella so mad when we mess with her head… of course we know it is for her own good, but her tears and screams tell us that she doesn’t buy that.

We’ve decided that she needs another – even more fashionable (ha!) – haircut tonight. The sutures on her forehead are oozing some lovely goo. We think (hope) that it’s part of the original infection and that we’re still getting her cleaned out, but it’s getting all matted in with her hair every time she takes a nap or goes to bed. So tonight the clippers come out again and she looses even more hair so that we can keep her healthy.

Her smiles still warm our hearts, but the tears are killing us! Especially daddy as he is the bad guy more often than I am, and he’s not home all day to see the smiles and hear her belly laugh when dolly does something funny.

Maybe if we all shaved part of our heads I’d feel better.

hmmm… probably not.

Our hearts have been touched by the thoughtfulness of our friends here in St Joseph; always willing to lend a hand or an ear when we need it! Most recently Ella has been showered by fashionable head wear to carry her through the next few months of expander growth. She wore her first fabulous new look out to run errands with mom today, and got all kinds of compliments and smiles!

We thank God everyday for those who have helped to lift our spirits.

Ella is doing much better today! In fact I’ve been having trouble getting pictures as she’s moving around much more – makes everything come out blurry!

She was still a little puffy when she first got up, but she could actually open both eyes! And she’s looking better and better as the day goes on – yeah!

We’ve determined (we think) that she got a mild infection from the hole that was created on the side of her head from her glasses rubbing the tube that runs between her port and the actual expander. Something that could have been avoided if the tube had been placed elsewhere, but at least the infection is manageable and better than a problem that would require extra surgery!

Thank you to everyone for the love and prayers that you sent our way – it helped us to get through it all!

Hopefully Ella will now continue to mend!

We’ve completed our second injection into Ella’s tissue expanders… there were tears, we are all tired, and only one of us is sleeping peacefully.

We managed to get a partial nap in Ella on the way to Chicago, but it wasn’t enough. As soon as we walked into the back of the doctors office (away from the toys and other kids) she started to whimper a little, but she still smiled and charmed her nurse. When we started messing with her the screaming started… Ella is not a girl who cries often or for very long, and this was like a storm raging through the office. I think if Kirk wasn’t being strong for his girls he may have had a few tears too – he doesn’t like his job in this process. Hopefully when we start doing things at home next week we can fit it into Ella’s schedule a little better.

After the injections Ella buried herself on dad’s shoulder and occasionally looked up to sign bye-bye and/or car – she was ready to leave! She laughed at the Veggie Tales movie in the car and enjoyed mom and dad’s custard at Culver’s about half way home. A bath with dad, lots of books, and all is well. She is asleep, happy in her own bed.

Maybe Kirk and I will sleep peacefully when this is all over.