You-Tah

We just got back from Utah yesterday, and it was great!  

Cason did a triathlon-which unfortunately I didn't go to.  Wish I would have. 

His time was 30 minutes faster than last time!  

Way to go Case!

I ran a 5k with some friends to earn money for a mom who has cancer.

Millie loved the stroller ride and I loved the exercise. 

My dad introduced me to sushi.

I have tried it before but hated it...now I think I love it!

Millie was held and cuddled and loved.

Although a little blurry, this is a priceless moment.

Look at those long eyelashes!  I love them. 

We went boating on Monday night for a couple hours.  

The weather couldn't be more perfect.

This is my all time favorite picture!  

Millie sure loves Grandma!

Loved seeing my family.

Glad they finally got to meet Millie.

Miss them.

Love them.

Millie Update:  On our way home from Utah we stopped by the doctors office and had her eye checked.

He said everything looked good except there is a little pressure (glaucoma).  

This can be caused by the drops that we put in her eye.

We stopped the drops and will go for another check up on Friday.

She got her contact put in.  

Although it irritated her eye at first, I can already tell she can see better.

She doesn't have to turn her head quite as far to see things.

She coo's alot more and gazes at things longer.

It is so cute!

Went in again today for a check up.  The doctor said things don't look good...they look great!!

That was music to my ears!

up uP UP

Things are looking up!
We went to another appointment today and they said that things are looking great!

This is Millie 2 days after surgery.
It's still healing, but I am amazed at the outcome for such a big surgery.

She is back to her normal self.
Now we just have to get back to her schedule...working at it.
Her eye looks slightly different from her left one, but that's what will make her...her! :)

We got the go ahead to go to Utah this week for Cason's triathlon and
for my family to meet the little Miss.
                                                                
Can't wait for them to meet her!                                                    

Post Surgery Update

These last few days have been quite the emotional roller coaster.  

I think I prefer the unknown a lot better before we met with the doctor 

and knew exactly what was going on.

We experienced quite a miracle!!

Millie's surgery went well.  

Yesterday was a hard day.

Last night was hard too. 

All of this has been hard.

But we're getting through it and that's good right?!

Right when we walked into the recovery room I burst into tears.

It was so hard to see my baby like that and to know what she had to go through.

What's a mom to do?

Relaying the news to my family and Millie waking up at the same time starving!

Today we went to her check up and they took off her eye patch.

I shouted for joy!! 

It was difficult to feed her with that thing on.

It just got in the way...it reminded me of the first few days she was born.

Here is an edited email Cason wrote to our families explaining exactly what happened:

(if you care to read)

We wanted to let you know Millie's surgery was a success!  Yesterday she was diagnosed with a cataract in her right eye which if not removed, would not allow her to see out of that eye.  A cataract is the clouding of the eye's lens.  The lens is what helps our eye focus.  She went into immediate surgery today to have the clouding removed. Once the Dr was in operation, he realized the lens of Millie's eye never developed.  The only remains of a lens was white scar tissue.  In 25 years of performing pediatric surgery, he has only seen a case like Millie's five times.  Once in surgery, there was no "clouding of the eyes lens" because the lens was not there.  He decided he had to clear the scar tissue from the eye and remove the scarred lens completely.  The force it took to remove the scar tissue put a lot of stress and caused her pupil to now be slightly misshapen.  The tissue had to be removed in order for her to see through that eye, the slight misshape to the pupil then was minimal.  The good news is what had to be done was done and it was a success.  The future however is unknown.  The Dr said it is likely that this is not her last surgery.  The fact that she doesn't have a lens in her eye means she will always wear a contact lens and be more suseptive to future complications.  Millie continues to be so sweet through all of this.  The Dr has told us she will not experience much pain in her recovery.

We recognize that the faith, thoughts and prayers of all of you allowed the Dr to perform a successful surgery. 

Thank you for thinking of us, and thank you for your thoughts and prayers. 

We tried and continue to try to email, text and return phone calls...

Even though we weren't able to respond to all, 

just know that they are what keep Cason and me going.

So thank you!!

(Sorry there isn't much explanation of the series of events prior to this surgery.  

That'll have to come another day.)

Surgery

picture taken by jylareannphotography

After many doctors appointments and a long day at the doctor in Los Angeles,
Millie will be going in for surgery tomorrow.

The doctor told me today that she has a cataract and they will be putting her under to operate.

I would be lying if I told you I wasn't nervous for my baby, because I am, but I know that this is best for her and her future eye sight. 

It makes me cry to see my baby girl go through this.  It's hard to not ask the big "WHY?" but I'll be honest, I have asked that many times.  

Why does such a perfect little angel have to go through this?  

But I know that this experience will only make me stronger.  

I am grateful that it isn't something more serious.  

It could be 10x worse.

This is a trial that we are facing and will learn, have already learned and continue to learn from.  

Cason gave her a blessing last night, before todays appointment, and will give her another blessing tonight before the big surgery.  We are turning it over to the Lord and putting it in His hands and know that everything will be okay in the end.  

I don't ever want to put Millie down.  I just hold her and cuddle her in her white rocking chair.

I kiss her little cheekies 5 million times a day and never stop.  

When I look at her she makes me cry.  It hurts me to know that something is wrong with her eye. 

I get the smallest glimpse of how much our Savior loves each of us.  

I just want to take this from her.  

I will deal with it.  I don't want her to.  

But I know that she is in good hands and will be taken care of.

I will give you more details at a later date...

but if you wouldn't mind just saying a simple prayer for our little Millie.

It means so much to us.  So thank you.

I have faith that everything will be okay.  

One Month

Millie is one month old today.  

She is getting chunkier by the second.

She has not one, but two chins that I could eat up.

She eats like a champ every three hours on the dot.

She takes a pacifier and drinks a bottle pumped full of milk.

She loves to listen to Pandora Baby Einstein channel and kick her legs.

She loves taking a splashy and being all clean.

She likes to be swaddled, cuddled and rocked.  

She loves taking naps with mom when I let her.

(and dad too!) 

She loves when our faces touch...

if I move away, she inches closers so that we are touching.

She has pretty blue eyes and sandy blonde hair that is oh so crazy. :)

We love our Millie Lou.

labor day weekend

For Labor Day weekend we went down to San Diego with Cason's family.

On Friday afternoon Cason and I drove down and met up with Cason's sister and their family.

Cason's parents joined us later that night.

We enjoyed "the managers special" at the Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner 

and went to a Padre's baseball game.

Little Cooper was a good little sport.

Cason and I and the Hladek family

Little Liza Lou with her Padre's tattoo

Then on Saturday morning we walked downtown and ate breakfast at The Cheese.

And then laid out by the pool.  

Some views of the hotel

Enjoying a Lava Flow

Later that afternoon we walked around Seaport Village.

It was like a circus there!

There were so many people, tourists, vendors and magicians.

Millie slept through it all until she was hungry.

Love my baby girl.

This guy was so neat. 

He balanced these rocks on top of each other. 

I don't know how he did it, but it was pretty amazing.

It was a great weekend!  

And it was so fun to spend it somewhere else besides our tiny apartment. :)