What a special time. Bella wore the same gown that Becca, Sammi, Jessi and Lizzy wore. My Mom made this dress years and years ago. Bella looked so beautiful – like an angel! Congratulations Arabella Michele Hope Turpin!
Our Bishop came to the house to help with the Blessing. Grandma and Grandpa Turpin watched over Skype - a good day!
We had to do Bella’s adoption finalization over the phone. There was no way that Bella could travel to California. So the picture on the left is the Judge and our attorney and then there’s us. So very happy. FINALLY. She is ours. Ours. We love you little girl. Welcome to the family, officially. Happy tears.
Sleeping in her stander. I teased her PT that she is working my girl hard! :)
My Bella is growing up! She has become a Mama’s girl. She wants me to hold her all day long – every day. Her nurses are delighted that she has made this big development step, but let’s just say it makes their job a bit harder :). The 2nd picture makes me laugh – because she was such an accepting baby of anyone, now she let’s her wants be known! :)
(About the bows – one of my nurses likes bows – a lot)
Endocrine yesterday. She really wants to see what that thyroid is doing. So, in one month we will have a CT scan with iodine – it’s a 2 day scan. That’s going to be a long week, but hopefully it’ll answer some questions.
My Mom and I were talking about this today – I really feel like Bella has turned a corner. You can just see it in her eyes. You can feel it in her energy level. :) I’m not naive enough to think that she is all better or that we won’t have bad times in the future again, but she is healing. She is growing. She is doing great! The pollen is pretty much over down here and I can tell – Bell was off the vent for 1 hour and 45 minutes today! Wahoo! I am so excited for this new road we are traveling now.
We have a new camera – look at our girl!
Bella finally did it! She has wanted to do this for so long – she sat up!
She has to have minimal support now to stay upright – but wedged in the cradle of her Nap Nanny she did it this morning! It happened just at shift change too – we were all so proud!
We went downtown twice this week. Some friends of ours, Greg and Kristin Lyman, found us today and brought Bella this cute butterfly balloon! So thoughtful – thank you!
Results from the docs/tests: anemia, she continues to lose weight for the 4th month in a row, consolidation in her lungs behind her heart, heart function not significantly different than 3 months ago (mild regurgitation in valves, right side a little larger than normal, and severe pulmonary hypertension. She also has a misshapen valve, but it’s working), she won’t eat for many years, and she has the gene that predicts Celiac disease. They said it doesn’t mean she has Celiac Disease, but 95% of patients with CD have these markers. She is currently on a gluten free diet, so there is no problem right now. Her decreased emesis does seem to coincide with the time we changed formulas, so a lactose sensitivity is suspected. Her Upper GI, though, was great. She didn’t reflux – a miracle. :)
We have been getting a lot of rain – thank goodness for xopenex. I’m grateful that it works so well. I am also working on decreasing her robinal. Her secretions are getting so thick, she’s getting mucus plugs.
