Oh, where to begin....
how about a little recap... last time I blogged we had just returned from California, Miles' back was terrible, Davis left for South Dakota, Lincoln started potty training, we got a dog, and it was too hot for the kids to play outside.... well, some of that has changed! Some of it hasn't!
Warning! If you continue reading there are LOTS of pics to follow!
First, some things I don't have pics of... Miles' back. It is doing a lot better. So far we have avoided surgery, thanks to a wonderful chiropractor and weight loss!!! Lincoln is nearly potty trained... nearly! Just when I think we are in the clear we have an incident... like painting on his bedroom carpet with his poop!! Enough said!
Okay, on to the fun stuff... pics!!!
This has been a terrible summer for Wichita and most of Kansas. Hot, Hot, Hot!!
Amelleah has loved the water time when she has been able to be in it... keep reading!
And when it has been too hot (which has been most of the summer)...
we are talking 100+ temps...
we have spent A LOT of time playing inside!
Windee has made herself at home. She rings a bell on the back door when she needs to go out. She sleeps in a crate and LOVES the kids. She has been a wonderful addition to the family!
On July 3rd we hosted the first of six "eatin' church" gatherings. Our church has single service Sundays during the summer for 6 weeks when our Sunday School classes don't meet so we decided that 6 weeks was too long to go without that fellowship. We just happen to have 6 families in our class so we decided to get together after church those weeks at a different families house each week... sadly, this is the only pic I have from our house! But it has been a lot of fun and a lot of great fellowship!
4th of July!
We had all the necessary supplies to last nearly 2 1/2 hours!
Tons of fireworks, baby monitor (Amelleah and Linc were already asleep),
flashlight, water, and cold adult beverages!
And now the big story... Amelleah's surgery and subsequent hospital stay.
For those of you who don't know, Amelleah was born with a hemangioma (vascular birthmark) tumor on her inner thigh near her groin. It was just a red mark when she was born. At a month old it began to grow and continued to grow to be about the size of a spherical quarter (if that makes sense). Well, early in July she began crawling!!! That crawling resulted in her diaper rubbing on the hemangioma, which caused it to become ulcerated. After a couple weeks, we (us and the pediatric surgeon) realized that the ulceration probably was not going to heal and if it did it would only re-ulcerate. So she had surgery on July15th to remove the hemangioma.
Here is are a couple pics for you to get an idea of where the hemangioma was located.
In the hospital, waiting to be sent down to pre-op.
In pre-op, Mom was a wreck!
Our first child to have surgery.... and she was only 8 mo. old!!!
Daddy was awesome at comforting her!
Waiting in pre-op...... "oh the waiting!"
Post-op... Mommy to the rescue!!!!
She woke up from anesthesia in a great mood... smiley and happy!
She surprised all the nurses who said that most babies wake up scared, mad, and crying... sometimes for an hour! "Yikes!"
So very thankful that she didn't do that!
On the way back to her room.
Lots of vital signs and lots of fluids!
Lots of snuggling too!
After a few hours, we are ready to go home... hemangioma free!!!
This incision/bandage is what we went home with.
The incision ended up being larger than the surgeon expected because the hemangioma
ended up being deeper than expected.
All was well... for 6 days.
Then recovery and healing took a turn.
The incision began to open up.
Thankfully we had an intensive care nurse/friend who came over to help us mange it...
for a couple days.
This was a common position... keeping the incision dry. The heat from the lamp helped to keep it dried out.
Steri-strips helped to keep the incision closed...
for a couple days.
Eventually it began to look pretty bad...
infected and the steri-strips weren't keeping it closed.
So we ended up back at the hospital...
for FIVE days!
Here is a view of baby jail, i.e. hospital crib.
Despite having an IV and a hole in her leg, she was in great spirits most of the time!
The child-life team brought a play mat and plenty of toys to our room.
And we even got to go for walks!!!
So we have been home for a little over a week now and she is doing great!
We are still having to pack her wound, which is looking better AND smaller everyday.
She is getting used to sleeping in her own bed again and thankfully putting herself to sleep!!
So while Amelleah was in the hospital Sydni left for church camp... for the first time!
She had a wonderful 4+ days and was excited to see Amelleah and Mom pick her up!
And after Davis spent SIX weeks in South Dakota and Wyoming with Grandparents...
he came home 2 days after Amelleah's surgery!!! He did a lot of fishing, boating, running, playing
outside (it was in the 70s & 80s), and visiting family! Everyone was happy to have him home!
Well, I think that is it... in a nutshell :)
I'm still having issues with the video camera and obviously haven't had time to figure it out!
School starts in less than 2 weeks... I'm guessing that will be the next post!
We will have 3 kiddos in school full-time.... "WooHoo!"
Praise the Lord!
Davis the 3rd Grader
And last, but certainly not least... Andrew the Kindergartener!
Andrew was not interested in sharing the spotlight... HAHA!
This next pose was Sydni's idea after Andrew's little pouting pose...
Andrew posing in front of the Kindergarten door.
Waiting outside of the school... Andrew was not willing to pose for anymore pictures!
Fun seeing school friends again! 
Following the teacher's directions to "color a picture of yourself".
Davis in his classroom! (He got Sydni's 3rd grade teacher!)
It has been cute to watch Lincoln and Amelleah play during the day without the other kids here. When the older kids are home Lincoln tends to want to be with them. But since school started he has been entertaining his little sister! I hope to get some better pics this week!
Amelleah has loved the water time when she has been able to be in it... keep reading!
Windee has made herself at home. She rings a bell on the back door when she needs to go out. She sleeps in a crate and LOVES the kids. She has been a wonderful addition to the family!
4th of July!
And now the big story... Amelleah's surgery and subsequent hospital stay.
Here is are a couple pics for you to get an idea of where the hemangioma was located.
In the hospital, waiting to be sent down to pre-op.
Waiting in pre-op...... "oh the waiting!"
Post-op... Mommy to the rescue!!!!
She woke up from anesthesia in a great mood... smiley and happy!
On the way back to her room.
Lots of vital signs and lots of fluids!
Lots of snuggling too!
After a few hours, we are ready to go home... hemangioma free!!!
This incision/bandage is what we went home with.
All was well... for 6 days.
Steri-strips helped to keep the incision closed...
And we even got to go for walks!!!
She had a wonderful 4+ days and was excited to see Amelleah and Mom pick her up!
Well, I think that is it... in a nutshell :)
