Mia update!

We are enjoying our little Mia each day as she learns new things. She sure keeps us entertained. She really likes to sing and makes us say, Introducing..Iilyah Mia Hoooope! She is full of joy and has a very strong will...What a fighting spirit. I, along with the doctors, are so amazed and pleased with her growth and developement. We are hopeful that she will be ready to have her Fontan this May. It all depends on her lung pressure, collateral vessels, and her weight. She has reached 30 pounds! Yeah! That is a good sign. I am so thankful for everyone's prayers and concerns. I am sorry I do not post more, we are happily busy with life! As I write this Mia just shouted "WooHoo! I did it!" I can't wait to see what she has done:) Enjoy a short slideshow of Ms. Mia. God Bless you and your prayers!!

Has it been almost 2 years?

This doesn't seem real! It has now been 3 Christmases since Mia came into our life. She will turn 2 this May! We found out just before Christmas that our baby to be was not healthy. But she survived the next Christmas and the one after that! Unbelievable. I shouldn't be surprised when God does something wonderful but I always am. I have been so busy keeping up with Mia and home schooling that I, can I say this! I have taken for granted at times that Mia is alive and here! She is such a "normal" baby that when life is busy and her stats are good, I don't remember to thank God that she.. is..here..still...But I am thankful for her more than I have been thankful for anything else! I am thankful for her smartness, laughter, smiles, agile body, everything! She is very much trying to be like her older siblings. Especially her sisters. She wants to brush her hair like her sisters, use the "bigger" shampoo bottles, use their toothbrushes, wear their lip gloss, wear their clothes! And now she sits at the big table with us for the most part, on a step stool that she drags out of the bathroom every time we say it is time to eat. And for schooling, a coloring book will not do, she wants her sisters work books. Or my teaching textbook...Mia! We all love her and all love when we tuck her in for the night:) Only to argue over who gets to get her out of her crib the next morning.
She is having an echo Feb.16th. Then she will have a heart cath sometime this Spring and her Fontan Surgery this summer. We have been planning on a 3rd year surgery but the doctors want to do it this summer. A lot to plan for and pray about. But for now I am relishing in taking care of Mia and loving every minute of it. Thank you God for my baby.

Mia did GREAT at the cath lab! She is released to the hotel and all snuggled in for the night. Listening to her sing before falling asleep warmed my heart. She has been through so much and yet her personality is still shining through. What a sweetie! Why am I so blessed? Her cath showed narrowing of the left pa so he ballooned that and did nothing else! The doctor said he is confident she will make it to the Fontan. What a miracle. It is all surreal. Thank you for praying, God is blessing our family through your prayers. Praise be to God!!!

Today Mia is having a cath to get a closer look at her pulmonary branch arteries and other areas. I took her back to the cath lab with the nurses this time. I can't believe what a happy baby she is. She is so strong and amazing! She was so good on the flight last night considering that the bottle I brought for her had a hole in the nipple and wouldn't work! I didn't know it was ruined until we took off. The joys of having cats....

About halfway through the flight she figured out how to stand on the tray table and really enjoyed hanging over the seat in front of us..luckily there was no one sitting there! But then she saw the back of a man's head that resembled Clark and it was on. Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! What started out as laughter and joy at finding her daddy turned to despair when I wouldn't let her go to him...Dadeeeeeeeeee!!!!!! Finally the plane landed and the man turned around. The look on her face was pure confusion! The whole plane got a laugh! Never a dull moment with Ms. Mia.

I will get updates every hour by phone. It is good to be back here, at our second home! Thank you for your prayers!

Mia is a social butterfly and loves other children and babies!

Mia saw the ocean for the first time. Her stats were in the high 90's!!! Since the elevation was lower her stats went up! Maybe we should move to Florida:) She loved the sand and even met a friend on the beach. She had no fear (of course) and rushed straight for the water every chance she got. Kept Mommy and Daddy and everyone else very watchful and busy! I am so thankful she was well enough to travel!