Happy 2017!

Happy New Year! 

In 2016: Bryce turned 3 🎁, Avery went through 2 ear surgeries then got hearing aids 👂🏻began a gluten free diet due to Celiac's 👎🏻🍞 and got good reports on her ❤️ condition, Avery turned 7 🎁, the kids rocked Rebelthon 💃and attended their 1st SEC tailgate and football game 🏈❤️💙, Avery started 1st Grade and began reading like a champ 👍🏻📚, Bryce started 3yo preschool and learned how to write his name 👍🏻📝, the kids ate ice cream with Hugh Freeze 🍦❤️💙, Milly was born 👑 👶🏻 and had her first Christmas 🎅🏻🌲 making us a fam of 👶🏻👨‍👩‍👧‍👦, Jake left coaching ⚾️ behind and got an amazing job with Beckman Coulter 👔, I began teaching Kindergarten 🙋🏼, Jake and I celebrated our 10th anniversary ❤️, we paid off debt 👌🏻💸, we got a car with a 3rd row for our bigger fam 🚙, Avery started gymnastics 👣, we were blessed to sponsor a Compassion child named Irasubiza 🙏🏼👼🏼, I was involved in a hit and run 😳 but no one got hurt 👍🏻....WOW. Time flies ⏱⏳! Happy New Year, everyone 🗓🎉🎊! Looking forward to a blessed 2017🍾! #happynewyear2017 @jake_bell09

Is it really 2017?! 

On New Year's Eve, we had football worthy food with the games on the TV. Avery and Bryce colored their own hats, and I made one for Miss Milly. The weather was pretty yucky outside all weekend, so it was good to stay in and off the roads. The kids had their "special" sparkling grape juice with frozen grapes (12 to be exact), and we had good family time. 

Milly got to meet Uncle Mike and Jener at G's house...

Since it is cold out, she's been wearing Avery's hat. This hat is special to us because Avery wore it during the time she was very sick and had her second heart surgery in NYC. Milly looks adorable in it just like her big sister. 

Speaking of Avery, she had her cardio check-up recently. Dr. Ebeid said everything looks good for now. As long as her heart continues to handle the leaking well, we can hold off on replacing the valve. Her growth is another factor. She hasn't grown too much in the past year and a half, so that has essentially helped us hold off on the procedure. Now that she is on a gluten free diet, we expect the hormones to work better and for her to gain more weight because her body can actually absorb nutrients like it should. Dr. Ebeid mentioned before that he'd like her to be close to 60 pounds to do the valve replacement in the cath lab rather than in the OR with open heart. We are doing some extra things to get in more calories and are hopeful her body will be where it needs to be when it is time. God hasn't let us down so far with this little girl, so we trust that he has her in his hands and she will be just fine! On another note, Avery's IGA level is low. She got sick back to back times with fever recently, so I asked Dr. Dixit to check the IGA when she did blood work. We had to miss our appointment with Dr. Rodriguez because of the fever, and he couldn't see us again until late in the spring! Thankfully, he checked her levels and got her in at the end of January. He mentioned she may need to start taking daily doses of antibiotics (like she did for several years as an infant and toddler for her kidney reflux). He also said he needs to check her IGG to make sure it isn't low. I am hoping we can get by with just the antibiotics and that no other levels are low. Other than that, Avery is doing well. We switched her hormone injections to the mornings and adjusted her thyroid medication (and took her off of melatonin), and she is sleeping SO much better these days. She seems to get more quality rest as well. School is going well, and I couldn't ask for more! Well, it would be nice if she was a little less sassy and demanding, but I can't ask for too much, right? 

Milly is 2 Months Old!

At her appointment, Milly weighed 12.2 pounds and was 23 1/4 inches long! She is a healthy baby girl! She was a bit fussy and sleepy for the rest of the day and the day following her shots. Now, she is all ready for "school", but Mommy isn't quite ready to be away from her! Her hair looks more and more red, and she hasn't lost any of it yet. Milly is definitely a blue-eyed girl too. She has begun to blow bubbles, and she coos and interacts so much more now. It is so cute when she belts out a squeal suddenly. We always laugh when she does that! Everyone says she is the happiest baby they've ever seen because she smiles a lot! Her faces always crack me up too! She is a content baby unless she is very sleepy or hungry, and those fussy times don't last long. The worst times she had were right after her shots when she was sore and her tummy bothered her. She begins to kick and move her arms a lot when you talk to her and tries her best to produce sounds to "talk" back! It is so funny and cute. Milly also likes to suck on her fist now, and she has begun to drool. Things happen and change so quickly with babies! It's exciting to watch, but it can be sad for a mother too! I am hoping she adjusts well to daycare, and that everything goes okay as I transition back to work with three kiddos!

Mrs. Kristi gave Milly this dress...

Mr. Austin and Miss Ashton gave Milly this outfit...

Milly's First Sunday at Church...

We took her into the service with us this week, but she will go in the nursery soon. She was great today!