Update on Kenzi's Surgery

Kenzi has healed SO well after her cleft lip and nose surgery.  We saw the surgeon today for a follow-up and he was very pleased.  It amazes me that these surgeons can do this.  Here's a picture only 9 days after surgery:

Other updates:

Kenzi - She'll see the cleft team in March and then we'll schedule her palate repair for probably May.

Jacinda - We are currently deciding where to send her for preschool next year.  We're looking at a few places that offer 3 mornings a week.  She will also see the cleft team in March and the focus will be on determining if her palate is contributing to her speech issues.

Luke - He is doing great in Kindergarten.  It took him a while to adjust, but in December, he seemed to finally hit his stride.  He's doing great, and he is working above Kindergarten level in Math.  He does seem to be getting a bit bored ..... they do a lot of repetition and once he learns something once, he doesn't need that repetition.  So at home, we're doing a little "after schooling", which is basically supplementing school with some homeschooling.  I'm letting him choose the subjects he wants to learn about and then I find activities that are appropriate for him.  Last week, he wanted to learn about dinosaurs and next week, he wants to learn about space.  I'm hoping this will help counteract a little of his boredom at school.

Also on that note, we've instituted an afternoon routine at home.  He gets him at 11:45, so this is our routine:

Lunch
Homework - both big kids
Computer time for Luke and Leapster time for Jacinda
Outside Play Time
Quiet Play Time in their rooms
Snack time
Afterschooling time

Kenzi pretty much follows along with the routine and she usually fits a nap in somewhere in there.

As far as our family goes, we're still adjusting, but we're starting to settle into our new normal.  We're hanging in there and things get better every week!

Cleft Lip and Nose Surgery Update

Kenzi had her first surgery today.  First, she had ear tubes placed.  A few weeks ago, the ENT with the cleft team saw fluid in both ears, which is common for a cleft kid.  The ENT surgeon today saw lots of infected fluid in both ears, so tubes went in.  A double ear infection could explain why she's been really fussy and "off" for the past few days.

Then the cleft surgeon repaired her nose and lip.  It is truly stunning what these surgeons can do.  I just can't believe it.  Here's a picture of her about 1 hour after surgery.  Of course, there is a lot of swelling and bruising, and it will get worse over the next few days.  Isn't the transformation amazing?

She woke up from the anesthesia and cried just for a minute.  She drank a ton of Pedialyte and we went home about 2 1/2 hours after surgery.  She did great on the way home .... she was still pretty dazed and she fell asleep when we were almost home.  True to form, she woke up when Aaron came home with food!  She ate some Jell-o and applesauce.

I'm sure the recovery period will be full of ups and downs and it won't all be as easy as today was.  I'm very thankful that friends are bringing us dinner tomorrow night and Monday.  We'll be working hard to control her pain, keep her fingers away from her lip, and keep the big kids from being too rough with her!

Thank you to everyone who has said prayers and sent good thoughts and kind words to us.  We are so lucky to have this gorgeous little girl in our family.  As hard as this adoption stuff is, this is what our family is supposed to do and we couldn't be happier.  We love all 3 of these little miracles and it takes my breath away that God gave them to us to take care of.  We surely don't deserve these 3 precious children and they all came to us by way of a miracle .... Luke through infertility treatments and the girls through complicated birth family situations.  I'm so glad that God can take bad situations and create good things.  People tell us all the time that the girls are so lucky to be in our family, but the fact is that we are the lucky ones.