Words of wisdom #1

What better use for this blog than to pass on stories and advice to our little girl. We are planning to have http://littlemissritchie.com made into a book at some point so that we can go back and tell Charlotte her "story" when she's old enough to understand. I hope that by reading our words and the comments left by others, that she will realize how special and loved she is.

Up to this point I have just used this site to share my thoughts and to update everyone on the happenings in our lives. Today, however, I've decided to use it as a place to leave little words of wisdom for Charlotte as she grows. Some may be silly, but I thought that it would be fun.

Words of Wisdom #1: Always make time to dance in the kitchen.

Ever since Matt and I got our first apartment together 4 years ago, we have been kitchen dancing. It usually starts out with a hug while making dinner, and the dance part just kind of happens. Sometimes we sing. Sometimes we hum. Sometimes we just dance in silence. Like I said, its kind of silly, but a kitchen dance can always lift my spirits. Charlotte and I had our first kitchen dance this weekend and I took the opportunity to give her some advice...I let her know that if she ever meets a man that won't dance in the kitchen with her, he probably isn't worth her time!

Here is a new picture of Charlotte. We had a pediatrician appointment yesterday. She topped the scales at 7 pounds 11 ounces (3%) and was 21 inches (10%). Dr. Elliott is pleased with how she is doing and doesn't want to see her back until her 4 month well visit!

Our "One-month-aversary"

Today is a good day. A day to be thankful. A day to feel extremely blessed. Today officially marks 4 weeks...ONE WHOLE MONTH...since Charlotte and I got to come home to Sioux Falls. I can't believe how quickly time is passing! It has certainly been a busy month for us, but life is good and Charlotte is doing better than I could have ever expected. She is eating like a champ, officially crossing the 7 1/2 pound mark, and sleeps now for 4 hours stretches at night. We are still getting her up to eat, but most nights she's already wide eyed by the time my alarm goes off. She is doing so well that if it weren't for the medication, daily weights and O2 sats, I would probably forget that there was anything wrong with her! Like I said, life is good. We are thankful. We are blessed.

While our little Charlotte continues to amaze us with her strength on a daily basis, there are kiddos and families out there currently struggling through their heart journey. I follow a number of these families through blogs like our own or through Care Pages and this past week I came upon a particularly hard one. Its about a little boy named Luke who was born with hypoplastic left heart. His short life has been a roller coaster thus far and its been said that he needs a miracle to pull through. As I read the words of his parents I am amazed by their strength and unwaivering faith. The following is a little blurb from their blog that I could totally relate to and I couldn't have put it any better...

"He is the most perfect little baby. I keep picturing what he would look like with all of those tubes and wires off of him and what it would be like to be at home with him right now. I think of his nursery and bassinet sitting beside our bed and sitting at home on the couch with him in my arms. I think of how things should be - and it breaks my heart. He is everything I ever dreamed of and I would give anything in this world for him to be a perfect, healthy little boy. I know that we are going through this for a reason and that God is in control but when you sit where we sit every minute of the day watching nurses do everything they can to save your baby's life - it really begins to wear you down. I wish that I could be the mom that I always dreamed of being to Luke right now. I wish I could change his diapers and sit up all night and rock him to sleep. I wish I could just hold him and tell him its all going to be okay. I know God chose us for this and I have a real peace inside, but that doesn't mean that our hearts don't hurt."

Please keep this family, and all families out there with sick children in your prayers. We hope and pray that some day soon, they too will be celebrating their "One-Month-Aversary" at home.

July 4th, 2010

HAPPY LATE 4TH OF JULY!

Our day started out with a bath. Charlotte was having very special visitors later in the day and wanted to look (and smell) her best! She just recently started to "like" baths, so it has made it a much more enjoyable process for Matt and I as well. Thanks for the bath sling Aunt Angie!

Nam-Nam and Pop-Pop (names given to Grandma and Grandpa Ritchie by my oh so creative husband) and Uncle Abe came to visit in the afternoon. They hadn't seen Charlotte since we came home 3 weeks ago, so there was a lot of catching up to do, and as always, lots of pictures to take. It was great to spend the day with them and a nice relaxing way to spend the holiday. Charlotte decided to skip the fireworks this year and opted for a night in and a movie with mom and dad. It was a good day none the less!

I realized that we didn't have any family pictures since the one we took the day before Charlotte's very first heart surgery. IT WAS ABOUT TIME!

Charlotte got a new hat and was obviously exhausted by the day!!

We hope that you all had a happy and safe 4th as well. Summer is going WAY too quickly!

Is today over yet?!?!

Today was quite the eventful day for Miss Charlotte.

We had a chest x-ray at 2:15 this afternoon. This was pretty routine and everything looks good! Charlotte wasn't so thrilled with the whole process, but survived!

At 3:00 we had an appointment with Dr. Sami and an echo. It was strange going into the echo lab and not being the patient! I told Charlotte that mommy had spent a lot of time in that room so that the doctors could look at her little heart before she was born. She was a very brave little girl and was mesmerized by the twinkling lights on the ceiling. It must not have been too terrible of an experience since she was drifting in and out of sleep the whole time! Dr. Sami was pleased with the echo. There is still minimal blood flow into the little fistulas that Dr. Hammel tied off during her first surgery. We are very pleased with how successful that part of the surgery was, especially considering that Charlotte was kind of Dr. Hammel's guinea pig for this procedure. We like to think that she is pioneering the way for future heart kiddos. As for her right ventricle, Dr. Sami thinks that at this point its too soon to really see much growth. He wants to see her again in a month for a check up, and then in another month to repeat the echo. All in all, it was a good visit.

To wrap up the day, Charlotte made her first trip to the lab to have her blood drawn. The blood thinner that she is on, Lovenox, is dosed based on the patient's weight. They can check levels to make sure that the dose is still adequate for her.

A long day of appointments + a hungry/tired baby + a poke in the arm AND one in the foot = A whole lot of screaming! MAN OH MAN WAS SHE MAD! I almost lost it. She always had an IV line in place for blood draws in the hospital, so this was the first time that I had to experience the big pokes. My heart just broke for her and I was fighting back tears the whole time. Ugh...I don't even want to think about it any more. All that I can do is give excessive amounts of snuggles and kisses and thank God that she won't remember all of the ouchies we are subjecting her to.

So now we are finally home and Charlotte is 100% cashed out on the couch from her exhausting day. It was long and tiring, but we had good news the whole way through. Our baby girl continues to grow and amaze us every day.

Have I mentioned that I think Charlotte is the most beautiful thing ever created? This is the face that gets me though days like today!

Charlotte thinks that Maybe is her buddy. Maybe thinks that Charlotte is her pillow.

Wow...that is all that I can say

I spent a good chunk of last night thinking of the perfect words to use in this posting. I ran so many things through my head, but finally came to the conclusion that some things you just can't put into appropriate words. Some things are just to big, just too good, to be adequately expressed. My emotions yesterday fit that category...So incredibly big...So far beyond words.

This past weekend, Matt went back to North Bend, NE to help his team defend their title in an alumni golf tournament (which I regret to inform you, didn't happen). My mom game and stayed with Charley and I, and I must say, was my super helper! I know in my last posting I joked about her doing 3 AM feedings, but she actually did! She got up with Charley on both Friday and Saturday nights and was SUCH a big help. She totally made my weekend manageable while providing some "adult" time as well. Thank you Grandma Debbie!

Knowing that it was going to be a long weekend with Matt away, I had been dropping not so subtle hints letting him know that I wanted him to get up early on Sunday morning and head home. Eight o'clock isn't a TOTALLY unreasonable request, is it??? Well, low and behold I get a phone call at almost 11 letting me know that he was just getting on the road. ELEVEN O'CLOCK!!?!?! One might think that I would have been angry, and I would have had there not been a very good reason behind the delay.

Word of warning, this is where I get emotional and my eyes blur over with tears...

From the day that I met Matt, it has been very clear to me how much his friends and family mean to him. I know that he would do absolutely anything for them, and yesterday I learned that the feeling is mutual. When Matt called to let me know that he was running late, he also told me of an extreme act of kindness that I never in a million years could have anticipated. On Sunday morning, he was presented with a check for over $4,000 to help cover medical expenses for our precious little Charley. His family and friends had held a fundraiser, selling raffle tickets for everything from Nebraska football tickets to rounds of golf and various gift cards. All of these people have busy lives of their own with work, kids, etc. but took the time to line up prizes, post flyers at local businesses and even sell tickets door-to-door to raise money. The dollar amount, though extremely helpful, is insignificant in comparison to the generosity, thoughtfulness and effort put forth by this awesome group of people. I can't even think about it without totally choking up.

I feel like I say this a lot, but there are no words to express how thankful Matt and I are for all of the support that we have been shown since that life-changing day in January. I never could have imagined how many people have heard about and prayed for our little girl, and now this on top of it. Wow. I consider myself the luckiest person in the world to have Matt as my husband...and now I'm realizing that he came as a part of a package deal. Not only did I get the most incredible husband, I also got his friends. Matt, Charley and I are are so blessed to have you all in our lives. Thank you all so much.

On a total side note....Charlotte officially passed the 7 pound mark today! We are so excited!

There is no denying the red in her hair! You see it more in pictures than in person.

Keeping a close eye on the puppies out of the corners of her eyes

Love it, Love it, Love it

This week...

We've had a couple of exciting days here in Sioux Falls!

#1 Charlotte's "Aunt" Shannon and "Uncle" Brian came to visit! They had planned on visiting us in the hospital when they were in Omaha for the college world series, but lucky for us, we were discharged before that could happen! They came and spent the day on Tuesday and we were SO happy to see them!

#2 On Tuesday night we had a toga party...at least Charlotte did! We can already tell she's going to be a trouble maker!

#3 Today we went and had a follow-up visit with the wound nurse at the hospital. We are proud to report that Charlotte's incision is 100% healed and dressing free!!! That means no more daily dressing changes (i.e. no more sticky tape to peel off of her precious little chest.) Now all thats left is the most beautiful little scar I have ever seen. She might not always think so, but we know just how special that little scar is. It reminds us every day just how lucky and blessed we have been and what a little miracle she is. Such a brave little girl!

#4 After our trip to the hospital today, we went and visited daddy at work! Charlotte was very excited and daddy was all smiles as he showed off his precious little lady. Every new person we meet continues to be amazed by her full head of hair! The picture below is a worn out Charlotte after a busy, busy day.

Matt has the next two days off of work so it will be nice to have a little family time and an extra pair of hands around the house! He is going back to Nebraska this weekend to play in a golf tournament and Grandma Debbie is going to come and visit. I haven't asked her yet, but I'm guessing that she doesn't do 3 AM feedings!

A special, special day!

Here is a picture from Matt's FIRST Father's Day with little Charley. He is quite the proud papa!

We love you, Mathew! Thank you so much for everything that you do for us. We couldn't ask for a better husband, daddy OR doggy daddy!