Picture Mania!!

We are finally posting some pictures for everyone to see of our sweet Gracey!! She has done so well these past few weeks. We couldn't have asked for a better recovery for her. She has progressed so well and so quickly. She certainly is feisty, and down right determined to be healthy and strong and to meet everyone's goals and hopes for her.
The past couple of days, she has really started remembering so much: sucking, eating, smiling, playing, cuddling, sleeping...She just has done so well. We've loved seeing her personality finally come back and her big smiles.She isn't quite as attached to eating as she used to be, but, we're not going to complain. Just her remembering how to eat is wonderful, and she is progressing a little more each day.Right now, she is up to about 80cc every 3 hours, and she normally finishes between 40-60 by herself, and the rest goes down her tube. The goal is to get her to 90cc, and eventually for her not to have a tube.However, with the Med Schedule she will be one when we come home, I think I will just be grateful she has an alternative way to receive her meds, rather than by mouth. Over 13 different medications!! And they are NOT tasty. Her and Grandma were having a lot of fun the other day. But...I would have you know, that ALL of these pictures were taking by moi...which means, that she was smiling at MOI. If you've seen Grace when she's smiling, its normally at Topher...what a stinker...but all these pictures were smiles for Mama!!! Yay for me!!The little stinker pulled her NG tube out 2x in one day. Yeah...I don't think those nurses liked us very much. But I made sure to snap a quickie!! No smiles though...I think she was still really mad that pulling the tube out involved gagging.Look at those big beautiful eyes!! She is once again alert as ever and very skeptical and suspicious of everyone around her. She has actually developed an automatic reaction to people in yellow coats. As soon as someone with a yellow coat walks in the room she panics and starts to scream.Yes, I realize a lot of these pictures are very similar. But you really can just never get too much of a good thing. right?Yes, I realize these 3 are all practically the same shot. But, I gave Topher the job of picking the pictures and posting them...and he of course couldn't choose just a few. He wanted them all!I just love her huge smiles!!!Mom actually looked at these and said "oh, is she still swollen?". Um...no, she's just chunky!! Our adorable chunky little chipmunk!! Darn those Andersen genes that gave her such chubby cheeks!!! ;)Gracey serious hospital model face. She is so beautiful. More and more everyday I just think she has such a beautiful and sweet little face.These, if you look closely, no one is holding her up!! She actually sat up by herself twice yesterday!! Talk about a tough girl!!I believe these are some of Topher's favorites where she is just looking up at the camera. Mom thinks she's going to associate a camera with my face, since it always seems to be attached. ;)So excited!! I think I might fall over!!She actually fell asleep like this!! Like, "ugh...blast these lights and hospital noises...woe is me...let me sleep already!!!" What a cutie. :)This is my favorite picture of her. I don't know why...but I love her face...her little mouth, and those big big eyes. I could just squeeze her so tight!!More smiles. But you just can't get enough Gracey smiles.

So that's our Grace. She's doing awesome. Her projected arrival to her beautiful, steam cleaned, scrubbed and beautified house, (thank you Aunt Alli, Aunt Amy, Karen, Venice and Mama!) is Thursday!!! Wahoo!!! We're breakin' out of this joint!!! ;) The projected day to come home was actually tomorrow...but her Cardiologists are uber cautious...kinda annoying because the only thing they want to work on is increasing her feeds from 80 to 90...which is TOTALLY something I can do at home. But, oh well. What can you do other than accept the things you can't change and be grateful for what you can right? Anyway...we're so excited to have her home. My mom came down from Idaho to help me and that has been a life saver in many ways...namely for me and my peace of mind. :) We're just hoping, praying and crossing our fingers that Thursday truly is the day, and that we are prepared in every sense for the next 6 months ahead of us. They promise to be challenging, but we can't wait to have our angel home. Thank you all for you love and prayers. We appreciate them SOOOOO much!

Please pray for Megan tonight!!! She is getting her new heart this evening!!! I am soooo thrilled for her and feel so grateful that prayers truly are answered. My heart goes out to the family who has lost a loved one also. I think that these experiences/situations truly are always so bittersweet, but it is indeed a miracle for Megan and she will be so healthy and well now!! Pray that her surgeons have steady hands and that she can be comforted in her time of need!!

Love you all!!!

The Andersens