UPDATE to our update on Lily's finger ;)

8 Casts put on and off = tears
countless appointments with docs = annoying
Lily walking down each hallway in anticipation for de-casting & casting = sniffles
Doctor $bills = Thank God for insurance!
gas getting there to and fro = $$
happy go lucky lil' Lily bug = happy & grateful momma
growing a perfect finger = priceless!

"The Bug" is healing beautifully!  Below are pics of her finger taken 10 days ago and re-casted for the last time!  Thank God!  I will have final pics very soon!  We are on week 8 of casts!

If you can't stomach things like this...then don't scroll down! But I think it looks great and God has answered our prayers~!  We are so grateful!  Thank you all for your prayers!!!!

Can you believe she has an entire nail bed & nail growing!  There is no scar line because she grew the finger!  The white and black at the end is her "old flesh".  The surgeon cut off most of the black.

This is the underneath.  It is taking a little longer. 

Compare these to the first pics I showed = AMAZING!

(below is a first pic I showed which was still at least 4 weeks after accident...Imagine what it looked like the day after accident.  I saw it for first time 2 weeks after accident and did not have the frame of mind to take a picture!)  Remember, the sever took place above the cuticle line.  So all of her finger from cuticle down was severed.

I will have new pictures later this week.  And we should have NO more cast! Yeah!

Lily is now trying out hearing aides.  She was diagnosed with mild hearing loss but each time we go in for final testing...it comes up rather inconclusive.  She is bored with their tests!  And basically "tunes" them out.  We haven't had her long enough to start "tuning" people out already!  My word!!!  I'm not convinced yet she needs the aides but they want to see if there is a difference with her in the next month.  So here is our little Lily-bug with her new ears.

Obviously Lily gets around just fine with one arm & hand.

I'm wondering with new ears and with her left arm and hand being free in a few days... what else will this girl do?  She scares me ;0  !!!!!

Baths have been in the sink the last several weeks since her cast could not get wet.

favorite activity = swings

no problem drinking the milk from her Cheerios bowl this morning!

Have you seen any MORE pink than this on a toddler?  

Who needs toys when you have kleenex boxes to stack?

 Big brothers come in handy to make the stack taller!

And "whack!" they all come down ;)  ha!

Until next time... "cross your fingers."  Ha!~

Lily is Growing a Finger!

So yes!  It's true!  Lily is growing a finger!  Lily went over on a chair a few weeks ago and the craziest thing happened!!  She severed it.  The sever was just above the top of her nail/cuticle on her middle left hand finger.   The surgeon put the rest of her finger back on but the healing happens underneath.  Our prayers consist of regeneration of the finger underneath to bring on normal function and a normal looking finger!  At one of our checks a couple weeks ago with the hand surgeon... There was some pink underneath which lead us to believe that our prayers are being answered.  Then we just had another check last Friday and it's confirmed!  She is growing the rest of her finger!  And there is even a nail bed and the start of a finger nail!  We have another check in 2 weeks.  Lily continues to wear a cast.  Gotta give some big thumbs up to my hubby and my mom for handling this accident so well!

DISCLAIMER:  If you can stomach it...I posted the growth progression at the bottom of this page below happy pics of Lily.  IF you CANT stomach it...don't scroll down!! (I'll post another warning under her happy pics.)  Basically, to describe, the part that was severed is black...and below it is the pink flesh that is growing.  I know...sounds gross but it is AMAZING!  Thank you Lord!  Because it is a miracle!  I'm not kidding!  It IS a miracle!  The severed part is black and dead...but the regeneration happens underneath and the black dead part just gets pushed off (like snake skin).  It's crazy!

As for her sweet little ears...well, we had another hearing test to get more information and it was confirmed to us that Lily has mild hearing loss.  This means she will need hearing aids in both ears.  The good news is that this smart, crazy girl will thrive with speech when we get those babies on her ears!  She understands everything we say!  Now, she will be able to talk about everything!  Oh boy!  I'm a little scared ;)  

She just got molds done of her ears so aides will be coming soon.  In the meantime, we have an assessment coming up with Early Intervention speech therapists to determine how much help she needs with speech therapy.

It's all coming together for Lily.

Can I just tell you... this little, precious girl has not blinked an eye at any of this.  She keeps moving and doing everything she did before!  And she smiles and laughs even more!  What we can learn from children is astonishing!  Isn't that the way!  The Bible says...we should see through the eyes of children.  Isn't that the truth!  What trials and tribulations come our way, keep movin', keep smiling', keep on keeping' on!  And keep holding on to your hope and faith like a child ...innocent and pure.

First day of MDO with her friend Madison

 (at surgeons office) Lily likes to take "selfies"!  She did NOT learn that from me! ;)

Another Selfie!

Lily loves the 4 wheeler!  The problem is ...she'd like to drive it herself!  Watch out Noah!  Your sister is at the wheel!  (disclaimer:  we do not allow her to drive it herself! ;)

Big bro Jake is so great with Lily!  Helping her down the slide :)

Baths are easier in the sink due to the ginormous cast on her!  

Lily drags her cousin Ollie around his Bday party!  

To say that Lily likes to be in control...is an understatement! ;-0

Lily loves her Lamb from Auntie Cristina!

Lily loves her backpack from Auntie Kelly!  She loves to walk in and out of MDO (school) with it ON!  Because she's a BIG girl!

Eating, playing, sleeping with a cast....no problem!  

WARNING:  BELOW PICS are of her FINGER!  If you can NOT stomach something like this ...Do NOT scroll down any further.  But if you like miracles... and can stomach this... DO look! :))

One of the 5 times so far that she got re-casted

This is about 3 weeks after the accident.  The black part is the severed dead flesh.  They even sewed on the nail I presume in hoping a nail would grow.  Not sure how that works.

 This is about a month after the accident.  The pink part is the new finger.  You can see the line of tan and the pink where the sever took place.   The black part is moving away...as if naturally sloughing itself off.  In fact you can see part of a nail bed now.

Here's the latest from Friday... All that pink is new finger...and now there is a nail growing in the new nail bed!  AMAZING!  Recasted for another 2 1/2 weeks...and we will see what's next!!!

Happy Anniversary to our Precious baby girl!

Lily Today on her 6 mo. Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to our Sweet Lily-Bug!

Six months ago we held our Lily for the first time in China.   It brings tears to my eyes thinking about how thankful we are for our precious daughter.  God birthed her in our hearts so long ago and here she is in the flesh...in our lives.  She brings such joy, such laughter, such tremendous over the moon love to everyone she touches.  And this little 2 year old inspires not only me...but so many.  Thank you Father in Heaven for Lily Ann Grace, a blessing that abundantly blesses us every single day.   As her brothers would say at bedtime (and what could be greater love than this?)...Lily..."I love you all the way to God & Jesus."  Love, your forever Family

March 10th, 2014.  The day we held her for the very first time!  Tears!  Tears of joy!!!!  

The day we brought her HOME to her brothers!  and FAMILY!

 

Summer Lily!!!

Wow!  Where has the Summer gone???  Seriously, I just blinked and it flew by... like my life!  I'm sorry I haven't blogged!  It really is crazy in the Summer and on top of it...I have 3 children:)) They ALL have kept us busy and we sure did keep movin' the whole Summer!  The boys and Lily stayed active with first a Summer vacation in Hayward WI (with a pit stop at the Dells!) which consisted of a ton of play in the pool and lake with their cousins and friends!

The Dells

The boys are like FISH in the water!  Noah really thrived and loved to jump & swim underwater!  Jake always does well in the water and got some one on one swimming with his lil' sis.

Gigantic inflatable ball fights!

Bonfires & Smores (Heaven for Noah!)

Fish'n Fun pool:)
Lily...well, Lily does not fear ANYTHING.  She loved the pool, diving/jumping from the diving board & being thrown ;)  All in a day of Lily!

We spent a considerable time in MI too.  Lots of sun, fun and tubing!  Lily is not tubing yet, but you better believe she will next year!  I'm going to have to bubble wrap her or something for everyone's safety!

Ok...we placed her on the tube...a 'non-moving' tube...but that is IT!:)

Wonderful Friends & family on the 4th of July!

Lily thoughts :  "my feet can't reach the peddles but my mind will make them move!" THAT'S focus!

 Lake beach fun!  Priceless smiles!

 Lily turned two in July and we had a small family party at the lake house.  Can I tell you how much she LOVES cupcakes?  I think her face speaks for itself!

We had a couple costume changes on her bday...this one AND....

 This one.  Yeah...this one did not work out...she was not havin' it! ;0

But she is so darn cute in that adorable dress!!!

Paddle buddies...Noah and Grace

Brother / Sister talks are the best at the lake.  If only I could have heard that conversation!

 Jake loves to fish like his Daddy!

What is she thinking?!

Sometimes I can't believe how blessed we are...for Lily, for Jake & Noah... and...

for family! and friends!

I thought everything was absolutely awesome with Lily from the beginning.  But, I was wrong.  It is even better! Is there a word greater than "awesome"?  I can't believe how much Lily has thrived.  She is such a JOY from the moment she wakes up in the morning !  She is SO happy!  And the boys!  The boys are so wonderful to her!   I remember it was a struggle to put her to bed whether for a nap or for the night.  She would cry for sometimes up to 45 minutes.  And wake up several times during the night.  It was hard on her and us!  I prayed and prayed with her.  Yes, her ears were filled with fluid before the surgery but the tubes relieved that and she still cried at bedtime and when she woke in the mornings.   It has lessened and lessened over time.  But I wanted her to love bed time.  I know, crazy thought but why not?  I love bed time!  I prayed with her, asking God to help her feel comfortable and at peace that she is safe.  I prayed she knows that her momma and daddy are here and not leaving her.   I prayed that she would start loving her bed and space...that she would even play in it and enjoy her alone time.  And guess what!  Prayers are answered!  Initially she will cry for seconds...then she falls asleep peacefully and in the mornings, she wakes up happy as a clam.  I watch her on the monitor flopping her legs back and forth, playing with her music box and her sweet fluffy lamb.  Joy OH Joy!

That's the highlights for Summer.  But I have sooooo much more!  Up next...Lily severs her finger.  Yes, cut it off !  In less than 6 months...Lily hits the ER!  She is ok...but I will fill you in... in next couple of days on her finger, her hearing loss, the day she got bit on the back from another 2 year old (all this in one week!).

love to all!  N&D