The trip that didn't go as planned

Brooklynn and I got to go to Utah in April from the 15th-29th to spend time with my family.  I was more nervous about this flight with Brooklynn than any before, because she is at a stage where she hates sitting still.  It actually wasn't too bad. 

She ended up even getting her own seat from Vegas to Utah!

Granddad was there to pick us up when we landed!  So fun to see him waiting at baggage claim when we came around the corner.  Brooklynn usually gets shy around men so I wasn't sure how she would react to my dad since she hadn't seen him for a while.  She went right to him and did just great!

One of our first days there, Brooklynn got to go spend time with Uncle Dallin, Aunt Brittany, Tate, and Luke while I went to get my haircut.  She absolutely loved this little car!  I sent this picture to Joe and when we got home, he had one waiting for her!  She's got him wrapped around her finger!

On Friday my mom threw the cutest little Easter Party for all the grandkids.  Everyone had their own place setting with bunny ears and treats.  

Grandma and all the grandbabies, except Brooklynn, who was taking a nap.

The kids didn't want to wear their ears for very long, so we mommies put them to good use!=)

Yeah, we're normal!=)

When Brooklynn woke up from her nap we snapped a pic with grandma.  It took a few tries to get this cute photo.

I had to try a few times because Grandma kept cracking up when I would make animal noises to get Brooklynn to look at the camera. This makes me laugh because it's like Brooklynn is saying "Come on Grandma, keep it together, lets get this over with!=) My mom is laughing, not crying!=)

After the Easter Party, we had a little Birthday Party for Brooklynn since she had just turned 1 on the 11th.  Everyone was so sweet and gave her the funnest things.  She loved ripping the wrapping paper.

My mom made a yummy strawberry trifle cake

The next day was Easter.  My mom woke up feeling yucky.  She felt like she had the flu.  I was so sad that she was sick on Easter!  We got up feeling good, and found out the Easter Bunny had come!  Brooklynn loved her little Easter Bucket!  It was so fun to watch her pull everything out and get excited about her new toys.

My mom ended up staying home from church because she felt so bad.  She had prepped me on the lesson for her Youth Sunday School class and I was going to teach.  Well, during sacrament meeting Brooklynn was so restless and wouldn't eat her snacks I had taken.  She took a nap before church so she shouldn't have been whiny and as fussy as she was.  I ended up having to take her out of the chapel because she was so disruptive.  After about 15 minutes of sitting in a chair in the hall, Brooklynn started throwing up!  I immediately leaned her over my diaper bag so the throw up wouldn't get on the carpet or furniture, and was grabbing for her burp rag or anything I could find!  I ended up lifting up the bottom of her dress to keep it from going everywhere and she just threw up all over herself and me. AWESOME!!!  I didn't know what to do!  I just grabbed her and walked as fast as I could to the bathroom.  I ended up taking her dress off and using paper towels and wipes to clean us off as best as I could.  Luckily sacrament meeting was almost over so we just went outside and sat on the grass near the car, and I sent a text to my dad letting him know what happened.  He wasn't too thrilled when I told him he was going to have to teach my mom's class.  I gave him a quick run down of the Easter Lesson, and then I took the car and headed home with Brooklynn.

When we got home I bathed her and put her in her jammies.  She ended up throwing up several times after that, so we knew she also had caught the flu too.  This picture breaks my heart.  I kept her on the tile so she wouldn't throw up on the carpet.  She felt so horrible, and watching her throw up was heart wrenching for this momma!  At one point she just wanted to lay down on the blanket.

My parents had Aunt Terri and her family, Joseph and Britt, and Michael & Braden over for dinner.  Turns out Tiff was sick with the flu too!  Right before dinner my dad was helping make the pizza sauce and dough, and all of the sudden he just had to run to the bathroom because he felt sick.  They were dropping like flies!  It was a complete bummer of a holiday.  Brooklynn didn't get to do her first Easter Egg Hunt, my mom stayed in her room pretty much the entire time, and half of our family wasn't there. Michael ended up getting sick that night too.  Craziness!!!  

Brooklynn took a really long nap and after she woke up I changed her into her shirt to share with our family that she is going to be a big sister.  I was feeling so sick, so I knew I couldn't keep hiding that I was pregnant, and that was the day that the most family members would be together.  It took them about 15 minutes to notice it.  Joseph was sitting in my dad's recliner and all of the sudden he jumped up, slammed the foot rest closed, and with his arms in the air, yelled " You idiots!  Breana is pregnant!!!  Look at Brooklynnn's shirt!!"  Everyone was so excited!!

We got to go to Tate's first t-ball game.  Talk about stinkin' cute!!  

The Fan Club

Brooklynn loves her Uncle Dal!  Since Daddy was home, she hadn't been tossed in the air for a while, and she loves it!

I ended up getting sick with the flu for about 24 hours.  Talk about miserable!  But I was so thankful to have my mom and sister there to help with Brooklynn.  We had been wanting to go to Jim's for breakfast ever since I got to Utah, but people kept getting sick!  So, after my round with the flu was done, my mom and I went.  

They have the best western omelet, hashbrowns, and omelet!  So yummy!  The best part is it's enough to last a couple days!

While we were there we got to celebrate Dallin's 27th Birthday!  It was so fun to all be together at their gorgeous house, and to eat some delicious cake and ice cream!

Brooklynn and I went to church with Ashley our second week, and when we got home we took a nap. Brooklynn woke up before I was ready to, so my mom came and got her.  When I came out, these two were cuddled up on the floor eating cheetos!  Brooklynn will love you forever if you give her food!=)

That night before we went to Korver's Family Birthday Party, we stopped to visit my Dad's Aunt, Yvonne.  This was the last time we saw her, because she recently passed away.  So thankful we went to visit her that trip.  She loved holding Brooklynn.

While Joseph was grilling burgers for dinner Tiff painted Brooklynn's nails and toenails, with the help of Michael and my Mom to hold her still.

Brittany threw the cutest construction themed birthday party for Korver.  Brooklynn loved her construction hat!

All the Griffin Cousins, except Raquel

Raquel likes to just play on her own and do her own thing, so these two don't really play together much, but they did have a moment at the birthday party.  Love these sweet girls!

Mom and Dad holding Brooklynn and Luke.  They are about 4 months apart

One of the big things that happened while we were in Utah, is Brooklynn learned how to walk by herself!  I knew it would most likely happen there as she watched all her little cousins walking around.  Sure enough!  Aunt Tiff loved teaching her!  My baby is growing up!  Not sure I like it, but it's happening!

All in all, we had a fun trip.  I'm hoping the next one is free from illness.  Things don't always go the way we think they will, but we just have to make the most of it!  We had a lot of fun dinners at Cafe Rio, shopping with Mom and Tiff, and lots of fun cousin time.  We love the time we get to spend with my family.  

Brooklynn was a champ in the plane ride home and pretty much slept the entire time.  I couldn't help but think that we only have one more trip with just one child!  Craziness!

We were both very happy to see Daddy when we landed.  Two weeks is a long time to be away.  

Helpless

Today I had my scariest mommy moment thus far with Brooklynn.  Well, besides the day we were told she would need surgery on her head.  This was a different kind of panic.  After lunch today, we headed over to Kroger to get some things that were on sale this week.  When we were parking, I noticed a firetruck parked out front and the firemen walking inside.  They were actually talking in the produce department when we got inside and I had to kind of maneuver around them to grab some cilantro.  We did our shopping, which was a fairly quick trip, and headed back out to the car.  I loaded the groceries in the trunk and then put Brooklynn in her carseat.  I usually set my diaper bag in the passenger seat before I buckle her, just because it's big and can be a nuisance, but there was a cart next to the door so I just flung it on my shoulder.  She was fighting me on getting buckled and was making the noise she makes when she wants something and was grabbing at the keys.  She loves to hold them.  So, I handed her the keys so I could get her buckled without a fight.  I closed her door and by the time I got around to my side of the car I heard "click".  Oh no, my heart sank!  She had locked the doors!!! I have given her the keys before, and this scenario had played through my head.  To get into my car, I don't have to pull my keys out, as long as my keys are in my pocket or purse I can just walk up to the door and push a button and it unlocks.  I figured that's what I would do if I were ever in this situation.  Well, when I pushed the button on the door it didn't work!  Turns out I didn't realize the keys needed to be outside of the car for that to work!  My heart sank to the pit of my stomach!  I ran around to look at Brooklynn and she still had the keys in her hand and her fingers were on the unlock button.  I started saying "Brooklynn, push the button, push the button!"  and she just looked at me and smiled and did nothing!  It was probably about 85 degrees or more outside- it was pretty toasty! All of the sudden this video that I had watched online about a mother leaving her little boy in the car in the summer while she did her grocery shopping flashed through my mind! It showed the little boy starting to sweat, then becoming drenched in sweat, crying, to eventually lifeless.  I started to get very anxious!  For a second I thought what do I do?!  Then I immediately grabbed my phone and dialed 911. I didn't have any time to waste!   I am SOOOO glad that I hadn't put my diaper bag in the car, because that is where I keep my phone.  I was connected to Pearland Dispatch and told the kind woman that my baby was locked in the car.  I answered questions like "Is the car on?  How long has she been inside, is she in distress, is she sweating, where was I and where was I parked?"  No the car was not on, Brooklynn had just been inside for a couple minutes at this point and wasn't sweating yet.  I stayed on the line while she radioed for an officer.  I was parked close to the store, and had glanced at the fire truck earlier.  I told her there was a firetruck there and didn't know if the firemen could do anything. She didn't respond to my question because she was busy trying to get me help.  By this time Brooklynn was starting to sweat and I was becoming even more anxious and scared.  When I told the woman she was sweating now, she said she was calling an ambulance to be on site to check her out after they got her out.  I glanced back at the firetruck, and my heart leaped with joy when I saw one of the firemen outside next to the truck smoking.  I told her there was a fireman and took off running towards him.  I hollered " Excuse me, my baby is locked in the car can you help me!?"  He immediately came running.  Luckily at that second, the other firemen were coming out of the store and he yelled to one of them to grab the lock kit.  I ran back to the car to check on Brooklynn and found a man standing there saying a baby was locked in the car.  I'm so thankful he cared to stop and try to do something.  I told him it was my baby and I had run to get the fireman.  I just stood next to the window and Brooklynn was still just looking at me smiling.  "Push the button!!" I said over and over again.  One of the firemen was trying to unlock the door by sticking a wire type thing down inside the window and pushing the unlock button.  By this time the policeman had showed up and there was a swarm of people around my car.  I just kept watching Brooklynn, and was growing more and more anxious by the second.  She was still doing well, just some beads of sweat on her forehead, and nose, and her face was a little bit red. I felt so helpless, just staring at her!  The Cop was next to me looking through the passenger window at the guy trying to unlock the driver's side door.  He told him "You're going to have to hit it dead on."  Great, I thought, this is going to take forever!!  "Push the Button" I just kept saying, to no avail!  Finally, I heard CLICK and all the doors unlocked, the alarm was going off, and I yanked the door open as fast as I could and grabbed Brooklynn and the keys! The fireman had been able to hit the unlock button dead on!  Brooklynn was fine, just a little sweaty!  I felt this huge sense of relief rush over me, and the deepest feeling of gratitude for these men who had been right there when I needed them, and had saved my baby.  I just kept saying "thank you" over and over again and I held her and cried.  They called off the ambulance since she was visibly ok.

The entire fiasco lasted about 10 minutes, and luckily Brooklynn never reached an extremely dangerous stage physically.  I was shaken up a bit afterwards and just felt like crying out of gratitude.  The officer told me to get her some water, and she'd be just fine.  I hadn't brought her water bottle so I started heading back into the store to buy one for her, and the officer asked if I had my keys.  I replied that I did, and he said my driver side door was wide open still from the fireman opening the car.  I hadn't even noticed!  All I could think about was Brooklynn and getting her some water.  He was so kind and said he would close it, which he did, and then drove away.  Just like that, the swarm of people that had been there to save the day, were gone!  How thankful I was for them!  I felt like I needed to repay them somehow!  All I could do was thank Heavenly Father that everything turned out ok.  And I learned my lesson the hard way.  I will never let Brooklynn hold the keys when I'm not in the car again!

Brooklynn Turns 1!

During the month of April our lives were on "full speed ahead" mode.   We had Brooklynn's first birthday party, and our big YW fundraiser at church that I was in charge of helping with on the same day!  Then Brooklynn and I went to Utah just a few days later!  Now that we are home I finally have some time to breathe and do some blogging.

Brooklynn turned one on April 11, 2014.  I can honestly say that that year was the fastest of my life.  I feel like I blinked and it was over!  Looking back at her newborn pics is just mind boggling!  My baby was so tiny, and now she's walking and jabbering, and she's right on my heels wherever I go!  

I had so much fun getting everything ready for her party!  It's kind of sad how much time and effort it takes to get everything ready, and then the party is over in just a few hours.  The theme was just turquoise and pink, so I kept it pretty simple.  We had a lot of fun though, and appreciate all the family and friends that came to celebrate with us!

Here are the decorations!

This was the dessert table that was set up in our dining room.

This was the gift table that was in our entryway.

I had to have one of her 1 year photo shoot pictures on display!  

Brooklynn got her first baby dolls, and the first thing she did was cuddle them and give them loves!  Isn't it so funny how that is just an innate quality in females?!

Her last gift was this shirt that Joe and I bought, that shared with everyone that she is going to be a big sister!! "I've got a whale of a secret....... I'm going to be a big sister!!"

With her great grandma, Norma

With Daddy!

Maggie, Grayson, and Chloe eating their lunch

Sharon, Bob, our friend Jason, and Dave
For lunch I made Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken, rice, salad, and fruit.  

Her cousins sure do love her!

I love this picture!  She was so excited for cake!=)

She wasn't too sure about the fire!=) 

It didn't take her long to figure out it was delicious!

Don't worry, she had some help from Daddy and a few cousins=)

It's hard to believe this sweet girl has already been with us for a year!  She has grown and changed so much during that time!  Words will never be able to adequately express our love for her, or the joy that she has brought to our family!   We couldn't imagine life without her!  We love you baby girl!!

Answered Prayers

Last Wednesday we went to Brooklynn's pre op appointment.  Her surgery was scheduled for Tuesday, March 4th at 7am.  For her pre op, we were told we would meet with the surgeons and they would present their plan for surgery, answer any questions we had, and then we would go register at the hospital afterwards.  Joe was able to get off of work to be there with us.  Over the past several weeks we had had time to let it sink in that our baby girl would be having an intense surgery, and I think we both kind of came to terms with it.  Was I terrified of the idea?  Absolutely!  But I had started to accept that she would have a scar across her head, we would be in the hospital for days, and this was going to be one of the hardest trials we had faced together.  My biggest fear was how I would react the first time I saw her after surgery.  The Drs had said she would be very swollen after, and from the images Joe had seen online, he said she wouldn't look like herself at all for a while.  Sometimes I would cry just imagining that moment!  He told me I should look at pics online to sort of prepare myself, but that's not how I wanted to deal with it.  I knew whatever images I saw, would just flash in my head over and over and over.  I wanted to just experience it when I had to, and not freak out about it beforehand.  So, I told him I didn't want to see any images.  I would just live in the moment, and deal with my emotions as I felt them.

We had received SO many loving and supportive comments since I shared with everyone what was going.  It reminded me of the outpouring of love we received after I miscarried the last time.  I can't even express how much it meant to us to know that so many people were thinking about us and praying for Brooklynn, and it really gave us strength to face what was ahead.

We went to the appointment with a lot of questions about what to expect afterwards as far as her healing time, swelling, controlling her pain, etc.

First things first, they needed her weight!

 23 Pounds of cuteness!

Next, Joe decided he would have her stand there so he could get her height!=)

29 Inches Long

She had fun sitting on the table and playing with the paper while we  waited for the doctors.

Taking a few "Selfies" to keep her entertained while we waited

After about 10 minutes, the neurosurgeon, plastic surgeon, and a couple other people entered the room. Dr. Lamb, the neurosurgeon, started talking about the scans, and what they had seen(Joe and I just thought she was reviewing what they had told us the last time), except for she was saying things like "We just don't think we can give you a much better Brooklynn."  After some medical terms, and a few questioning looks between Joe and me, I finally said "Wait a minute, are you trying to tell us that you think she DOES NOT need the surgery?!"  She responded saying that they had further reviewed the scans, and the measurements, and her current head shape, and she had a VERY MINOR case of cranial synostosis.  She said that her head shape looks really good compared to most children they see, and they just didn't feel like they should put her through this big surgery, and a possible blood transfusion, just to correct the shape of her head by a little bit.  Joe and I could not believe what we were hearing!  Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to go to this appointment, and hear that she wouldn't need the surgery after all!  Relief surged through my body! I felt a huge weight immediately lifted off of my shoulders and I couldn't stop smiing!!   I almost expected them to say "April Fools!" but they were for real!  

Dr Lamb said they had another neurosurgeon that she was going to have come in so that he could look at Brooklynn and give us his opinion.  He was a more "seasoned dr" and had done this for many years, and she wanted us to have a second opinion.  He told us that he thought the same thing Dr lamb did.  He said they thought the bulging of her forehead would lessen as her head got bigger, and that they had the option of doing this surgery up until she is 2.  So, he said if for some reason things don't go as they think they will, we can always do the surgery later, and we won't be losing anything!  I asked them as a group "If this were your child, what would you do?"  That neurosurgeon said "If you were my daughter, and she were my granddaughter, I would INSIST that you not do the surgery!"  Dr Lamb said she had really been thinking about this, and she said she just couldn't look us in the eye and say "yes, we should do this surgery.  I can give you a better Brooklynn!"  I felt like crying, but I was SOOOO happy that I just couldn't stop smiling!  They showed us an image of her brain, and said that her head shape wasn't affecting her brain at all, and the spaces that needed to be there were there.  They recommended seeing an opthamologist just to be sure there wasn't pressure there, but she said they would be shocked if there were!  

They took some 3d images of her head, and told us they would follow up with us and monitor her over the next months and years, and they would be in touch with our pediatrician.  

I can't even express how we felt, other than so relieved and extremely grateful!  

She had to wear a little stocking on her head for the pictures

Joe got to go in the machine with her, and my job was to keep her entertained so she would hold still.

You can tell by her smile, I was doing a pretty good job!=)

A little side story I want to document, so I don't forget.  So, we had our home teachers from church come over last Sunday and Joe told them this story.  He said he had forgotten to tell me, and I couldn't believe it when he did!  When we found out that there was a possibility that Brooklynn's skull was fused, before we went to have her CT Scan, Joe and I made the decision that we wanted to fast for her. We went 24 hours without food or drink, and kept a prayer in our heart that all would be well, and if at all possible, she wouldn't have to have surgery.  Later that day is when we got the results back from her scan and learned that her suture had fused and she would most likely need surgery.  If I'm being honest, I felt a little bit discouraged, sad, and angry.  I know I didn't respond well, but those were the emotions I felt.  I  kind of felt like our fast had been in vain.  Well, part of fasting is paying a fast offering-giving the money you would have spent on the two meals missed, to the church to give to the poor.  Joe said that at church that following Sunday, he forgot to pay our fast offering, and then he ended up missing church the next Sunday for work so didn't pay it then either.  He ended up paying it a couple weeks ago on the Sunday before Brooklynn's pre op appointment.  At that appointment is when we found out that she wouldn't be needing surgery after all!   I was so humbled when I heard Joe tell this story.  Heavenly Father was very aware of us, and I know that things aren't always answered in the way we want them to be.  If Brooklynn would have needed surgery, there would have been a reason for that trial and I should have trusted in Him better.  However, we were granted this blessing, the desire of our hearts were answered once we completed our fast by paying fast offerings.   I felt this deep feeling of love rush over me, as Joe told me and our home teachers this story.  I know things aren't coincidence.  As we did our part, and completed the process fully, Heavenly Father was able to bless us.  He is always there and He loves us, and I felt that as Joe told this story.  I also know that there were countless numbers of prayers offered in Brooklynn's behalf by friends and family, and that her name was put on the temple prayer roll a number of times.  There is power in numbers.  Thank you so much to all who have been there for us, and prayed for us during these last several weeks.  You'll never know how much we appreciate you!

Curve Ball

At Brooklynn's 9 month checkup several weeks ago, after the pediatrician did her exam, she said she wanted to talk to Joe and me about something.  She said that she suspected that the soft spot on the top of Brooklynn's head had fused prematurely.  She said she could be wrong, but she wanted us to take her to have a CT Scan done to make sure.  Better safe than sorry.  She told us if her skull had fused,  it would most likely require surgery.  They would need to go in and cut it to allow room for her brain to grow.  If it wasn't corrected, the head wouldn't expand for the brain to grow, so her brain would just push out and cause her head to be oddly shaped, and it would mess with the symmetry of her face.  She said there would just be a small scar, and that it was a minor surgery.

I think Joe and I were both surprised!  Not really something we were expecting to hear.  I know it gave me a little anxiety, and I'm sure Joe felt that way too.  Brooklynn's head shape is just like Joe's when he was a baby, so in all honesty I was expecting to take her to have the CT Scan, just to find out that everything was fine.  I called and scheduled the appointment for a week and a half later when Joe could be there with me.  

On the way to Texas Children's Hospital

 Once we got the paper work filled out, we waited about 45 minutes until they called us back.  

Hanging out in the waiting room

So glad Daddy was there!

 When they finally called us back, my heart started racing!  I wasn't really sure how Brooklynn was going to react.  Luckily I had scheduled her appointment around her naps, so she was happy as could be.  From the time they called us back, until the time we were walking out, was probably only about 15 minutes.  They had me lay Brooklynn on the bed, and then the lady swaddled her with a blanket, and then put this material over her to keep her held down, and to protect her from radiation.  Joe and I were both asked to put on vests to protect us, and then we were allowed to stay right next to her the entire time.  That was such a relief!

 They put a towel over brooklynn's forehead and around the sides of her face,  and then used a strap to hold her head down and keep it from moving.

The scan itself took less than a minute, and thankfully Brooklynn was relatively calm and did better than I was anticipating.  You can see the lights they flash up on the machine to keep the kids entertained.  Worked like a charm!

After they finished the scan, they said we should contact our pediatrician after 24 hours to get the results.  So, we went about the rest of our day.  We went to an Asian Supermarket to pick up some stuff for dinner that night, and while we were there I got a call from a number I didn't recognize.  When I answered, it was our pediatrician.  She said she had received the results, and it was what she had suspected.  Brooklynn's head had fused, so she would need to go see a specialist and have surgery.  I was in an aisle by myself, and I couldn't help but start to cry.  Those weren't the words I was expecting to hear.  Joe came around the corner and I think he immediately knew.  Needless to say, our hearts were heavy after that.  The pediatrician told me not to cry, that everything would be ok and this was something that was fixable.  There was hope in her words.  I took comfort in the fact that she would just have a small scar, and that it was something that could be fixed.

Over the next couple of days Joe did some research online, and told me "don't google it."  Well, you don't have to tell me twice.  He knew I would get freaked out.  I'm sure he was looking at extreme cases, but I knew I didn't need to have images flashing through my head at night.  One thing he did say is that he found out that they could only do the procedure endoscopically up until 4 months, so she would likely have a scar the length of her head.  When he told me, I was in the middle of dinner or something and didn't really think much about it.  The next day though, it's all I could think about.  I just cried and cried thinking about my sweet baby girl having to be sedated and undergo surgery.  Let alone, one that would leave a huge scar across her head.  Whenever I looked at her, it just made it worse because I would  think things like "her little head is going to have a huge scar soon", or "they're going to have to shave off all of her hair that has taken so long to grow."  I just couldn't shake the sadness that day for some reason.  I think it just finally hit me that my baby was going to need surgery.  I ended up showering, and getting right back into my jammies.  It was one of those days.  I think I cried until I didn't have any more tears left.  My sweet sister-in-law, Shelby,  came over and brought these beautiful tulips, a box of chocolates, and a magazine to help take my mind off of things.  Her visit totally changed my day from that point on.  I didn't cry anymore that day.

 Our pediatrician referred us to a surgeon that didn't have any openings until the 25th of this month!  Not knowing what Brooklynn's case was, or what would need to happen was driving me a little crazy.  Joe's brothers are both in the medical field and were so sweet to try and find out more information for us.  James asked if we would be willing to go see someone if they had an earlier appointment available.  He ended up finding a team at Texas Children's Hospital.  I called Monday, and they had an opening today!  Joe was able to get off work, and went with us.  Meeting these doctors was seriously an answer to prayer.  I had been praying that we would know which doctors and direction we should go, and that we would know by the way we felt.  From the moment we were called back, everyone was so kind and so sweet.  The Plastic Surgeon, the Neurosurgeon, and a dr from the neurosurgeon team all came in and met with us!  They answered all of our questions, and explained everything very clearly.  They spent quite a bit of time with us, and never once did they make us feel like we were keeping them from other things.  We told them who we had been referred to, and asked what the benefits would be of having the surgery done with them instead.  The Neurosurgeon explained that this is their specialty.  The Plastic Surgeon had done a fellowship dealing with things just like this.  The other surgeon we had been referred to did not specialize in this, it was something he just did also.  She also said they have a team including a plastic surgeon, a neurosurgeon, a neuro team, an anesthesiologist, etc that work together on these surgeries all the time.  She also said the follow up care would be a lot better also.  She said Texas Childrens' is the biggest Children's hospital in the country, and they understand these are our babies, so they give the best care possible.   Joe and I both felt really good, and decided these are the doctors we want working on our baby.

The sagittal suture that runs down the top of Brooklynn's head has fused prematurely, which will cause her head to be long and narrow as her brain grows because there isn't room for it to grow.  It has caused a ridge on the top of her head, where it fused, and her forehead sticks out more than normal, and will only continue to get worse if we don't correct it.  They did say that her case is a lot better than most that they have seen, as far as the look of her head.

So, what they will do is sedate her, then cut her head open from ear to ear, using kind of a zigzag line because it will hide the scar in her hairline better down the road.  She will undergo roughly a 4 hour surgery where they will cut the suture open and use plates and bolts that will absorb, to hold her skull together.  It will eventually refuse but not for years. They are also going to essentially reconstruct her forehead.  There can be a lot of bleeding, so there's a 50 percent chance she will need a blood transfusion.  Joe and I will both be tested to see if we are a match. They said there will be a LOT of swelling in the days following the surgery, and she will stay in ICU for a couple of days to be closely monitored, and will spend a total of about 5 days in the hospital.  I will be able to stay with her the entire time after the surgery.  Later down the road she will wear a helmet for a couple of months to help shape the back of her head.  They want to do this instead of doing it surgically, because they think this way will work just fine.  

 I'm sure it will absolutely break my heart to watch her go through all of this(it kills me just to think about it), but I have to think of the bigger picture and that it will all be worth it in the end.  This wasn't really the way I thought we would start our year!  We definitely got thrown a curve ball, but I am very very grateful that it's not something worse.  I have really been thinking a lot about parents who have to constantly deal with things much worse than this.  I can only imagine the emotional toll it takes.

I'm sure the road ahead will be draining, but we have learned to accept our trials and to try and learn what we can as we go through them.  I'm sure we will be relying on our Heavenly Father even more during this time.    Shelby shared a quote with me the other day that will stay with me. "The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God cannot protect you."  Any prayers in Brooklynn's behalf would be GREATLY appreciated!  We find out Friday when they will do the surgery.

At the Dr's office today

Cutest little teeth!

Love this girl more than words can express!