A new year and lots of catching up

A fresh new year, brand new start, and a year full of good times ahead! 

We brought in the new year with my family-Travis, Christine, and Ashley.  The girls tooted in the New Year with fireworks and noise makers, running wild around the yard, all the while our New Year princess Lauren rested.

Cousin Ashley and Uncle Travis with Taylor and Peyton

Princess Lauren

 We recently went to Lauren's pre-op appt with ortho.  We talked about plans for her upcoming surgery next Monday.  On the right foot, he will release and stretch some tendons.  On the left, tendon work will be completed as well-not as much though as right.  Also, on left she will have a bone (vertical talus) corrected and pinned.  Both feet will be casted for a while.

We will check in at 6:00am Monday February 13th for a 7:15 surgery.  Lauren will stay one night and if all goes well will be discharged Tuesday.  Which is good cause we don't want to spend Valentine's Day in a hospital all day:(  

The urologist will perform a cystoscopy (a camera) of her urinary tract.  Lauren has a urogenital sinus cavity.  For a girl, there should be 3 separate tracts-vaginal, urinary, and rectal.  Lauren's are all connected as one.  So the first step is to evaluate the defect-figure out if it's high or low, then use the camera footage to come up with a plan to fix.  Further surgery will be required at a later date...

Overall, I dread going back to the hospital, having Lauren go back to surgery.  In fact something strange and unexpected happened to me a couple of weeks ago.  I was grabbing my mother form a procedure in an outpatient surgical facility and while I was waiting the monitor of the patient next to my mom began to beep with her heart rate.  That noise gave me chills.  I immediately felt extremely nauseous and a pit of anxiety rested in my chest.  It was a flood of not so great memories.  I had no idea the amount of anxiety that has been resting quietly inside of me.  In fact I have never had blood pressure problems until Lauren was born.  It's still very high, but I have been working at trying to deal with it, rather than keeping it all pinned up.  I want to be healthy, so that I can give my best to each of my girls.

Lauren currently is being treated for a UTI/kidney infection.  But is showing no discomfort and is doing wonderfully.

She began to say "mama" and "baba" at the beginning of the year.  She doesn't say them often right now, but she is still learning a lot of things right now.  She is doing well in each of her therapies.  A university nearby engineering dept is making a crawler for Lauren.  I'm really excited about it.  It will help and aid her in the crawling motions...  Should get it in about 4-5 months.

 Another recent development is that Lauren is becoming a serious daddy's girl.  She has got him so wrapped around her finger.  It's very sweet to see.  Her favorite thing to do is to have Tracy take her hands and plant her feet on the floor and to dance her around.

 Well, we'll be in touch after the surgery t let you know how things went.  Thanks again for following and keeping up!

 Love from the McGinnis Fmaily!