Post-Op

Ella just took her first steps!

Ella just took her first steps!!

Did you hear me??? 

Ella just took her first steps! 

If this blog would let my font go any bigger than this you can bet it would take up the entire stinkin' screen.

ELLA JUST TOOK HER FIRST STEPS!!!

Oh my goodness... Okay.. Breathe.. Breathe... Whoa.. Back up...

What was I originally going to blog about before this big fantastic out of this world crazy thing just happened? Oh yeah.. Tubes. So as you know Ella had surgery yesterday to place ear tubes and examine her airway. (Thank you again for everyone's thoughts and prayers and kind messages!) Everything went GREAT! Of course I was a bundle of nerves going in.. nervous about how the surgery would go, if it would help anything, how Ella would wake up from anesthesia... I was especially nervous that they wouldn't let me be with her as they put her to sleep (because the other hospital I had originally scheduled her surgery with told me I couldn't) and with her severe stranger anxiety coupled with swallowing air/gassy tummy AND gas to put her to sleep--- that was NOT going to be a pretty sight. So the entire 1 1/2 hour drive (at 4:30 in the morning need I remind you..) I was pumping myself up to be firm with them that I would insist to be with her. I had a whole speech ready to go.. I was going to battle for her. Because I am her mother. And I know best. And they would need to listen to me. I went in ready for a fight. (Those of you who know me might think this a bit comical since I am not a confrontational person... I'm sure it was.) Upon arriving at the hospital, I was waiting for the precise opportunity to bring it up and when the anesthesiologist asked if I had any questions I pounced! I started very firmly with, "Umm.. I know it isn't standard procedure.. since it's a sterile environment and all..  but I'd really like to be in the operating room.. if at all possible.. when you put Ella to sleep.. because...." and while I was muttering rambling stating my case with conviction the nice man was already getting me a jumpsuit and accessories to wear in the OR. Wow.. I must have been pretty intimidating. 

So anyways.. here we are hanging out waiting for the surgeon. 

Soon after they took us up to the OR where I got to hold Ella while they gassed her to sleep. (Seriously.. SO thankful for that!) and not too long afterwards it was all over! She was all snuggled in with the nurse who was with her when she woke up in the OR. Until she saw me. Then she started to scream, clutch at my neck, and passed back out asleep. :) The doctor said everything went great. He was able to get the tubes in and there was a little bit of fluid. He also cleaned out A LOT of wax. And everything looked fine with her airway. Which is good. I think.. Except that we still don't know why she makes that wheezy sound when she breaths in deep. And I'm not sure if we should check further into it or not.. But we got some pretty cool pictures of Ella's voice box. I mean.. really... how many people get to have pictures of their voice box in the family album? 

After that, Ella ate some applesauce and drank some water and we were on our way home! Well... after a small detour to a fabric store. Then we were on our way home. And I have to mention.. while we were at the fabric store for an hour Ella was babbling and singing the whole time. She was making these high pitched sounds I've never heard her make before and I'm let to believe that maybe.. just maybe.. she was hearing differently.. even better!

Enjoying some much needed, well deserved chocolate at Nana's house post surgery.

And at supper last night Ella was in SUCH a good mood. I don't know if she was just delightfully happy to be home with no one poking and prodding at her, or if the world of hearing was finally opened to her all the way? She was laughing and squealing and giggling a giggle neither JJ nor I had ever heard before. 

Now here's where the REALLY exciting part comes in.. Just the day before (Monday) at therapy Ella was still insisting that I hold onto both her hands while she walked. I remember specifically talking about it, that she could do it with holding only one hand, but she felt much more secure with 2 and was obviously less wobbly and prone to falling. Well last night all of a sudden she only wanted to hold one hand. And it was that way all day today. I don't know if it was the tubes or not, but something changed. When I tried to hold both her hands she would push one away because she wanted to only hold one. That is definitely drastically different from just two days ago where she would stand there and whine and grunt and wave her hand at me, refusing to take a step until I held them both. 

So while I was making supper tonight, JJ was playing with Ella in the living room and he was trying to get her to stand by herself. We've done this occasionally, but she's never liked it, nor stood for any amount of time, really. Well tonight she was actually standing for a couple of seconds before she would fall against JJ's chest, laughing and giggling and wanting to do it again. Then I came in the room to watch and JJ turned her around and she walked a step to me!!! 

And then she did it again. And she walked THREE STEPS!!!

It was completely amazing and I'm not totally sure with the boys if I would have even really called it their first steps since it ended in face planting it into our chests, but Ella is different than the boys and by golly, I am declaring tonight the most celebrated holiday of the first time Ella took a step. (or three!)

I am fairly certain we are still a ways off from actual walking, but all of a sudden something that I've refused to allow myself to even dream about it on the verge on happening. All of a sudden this seemingly unattainable goal is actually within our grasp. All of a sudden my baby is growing into a toddler.

All of a sudden.. we need to get some darn locks on our cupboard doors!