It's in the genes

I was sitting at my computer being a whole lotta' unproductive when Eden walked up to me anxiously chanting, "Dan! Dan! Dan!" which, when translated from her Edenic language to English, means Dance! Dance! Dance! I looked at her and hesitantly repeated, "You want Mommy to Dance?" she responded with and excited, "Yep!".  

Really child? You want Mommy to dance? But my chair is so comfy and the computer is so inviting. Can't you go and watch the TV or let the dog entertain you?

Eden could not be deterred. This time she repeated it with more gusto, "Dan! Dan! Dan, Mom!"

Now who am I to deny anyone, especially my own spawn, a personal showing of my dance moves.... because, who are we kidding? These hips don't lie. So I put on a little "I Like to Move It, Move it" and brushed up on my Running Man. All the while Eden laid back, reclined on the floor with her hands resting behind her head enjoying the show, free of charge might I add.

After a few minutes of watching she decided it was time to join in. I held her tightly in my arms and reminisced how my dad use to hold me in is big 'Steel Claw' arms. He would twirl me around and we would rock back and forth doing the Two-Step. It was the best feeling ever, being held in the strong, comforting arms of my father.  

And maybe, when my kids grow up, they'll reminisce how their mom (that would be me) would hold them close and dance... but instead of the Two-Step and twirling, it will be the Robot and the Shuffle along with some mild pelvic thrusting. 

Ya, those will be some good, quality memories.

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A trip to the hospital :: a photo essay

Getting all prepped and ready for surgery.

Killing time with some chocolate cake and a Diet Coke, 

trying to take our minds off Eden... It's not helping.

Waiting...

and some more waiting.

Recovery. She was one sad little baby and in a lot of pain.

Finally asleep for the night thanks to a little help from some morphine.

The next morning. 

She was one swollen little baby.

Apparently, eating a half a popsicle and smiling for the camera is tough work. 

This is her incision. It looks so much better than I thought it would. 

The tube sticking out of her incision is her stent. It goes into her bladder, up her ureter, and into her kidney. It is constantly dripping urine... like a leaky faucet, which makes for a fun diaper change. The stent is held in by the stitches and they will be pulling it out next week.

She is wearing two diapers; one for the stent to drain into and the other for her to urinate regularly into. So far, the last time she has urinated on her own was 5 days ago. She refuses to go because it's so painful, but next week when they pull the stent she will have no choice. It's not going to be a fun week.

All in all, she's doing pretty good considering all she went through. She is refusing to eat and she's only drinking about 16oz of milk a day and sucking on some otterpops here and there. She is going to be one light weight when this is all over with.

And now I must go, because Eden is in her bed crying over and over "Ouchie, Mama. Ouchie!". So I'm off to give her some pain meds (I keep the stronger ones for me... incase I get really desperate.)

Thanks so much for all the love and support via emails, phone calls, and facebook. One thing I've managed to do well in life is surrounding myself with amazing people!

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Let There Be Rain...

And sunny skies... and kids... and playing... and a mom with a camera.

And 10 minutes later the only sign of rain is the freshly watered ground 

and some sopping wet clothes piled high on my laundry room floor.

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Happy to say it's over

I think one of the worst parts of your child having surgery is the anticipation that builds before you have to leave them in the care of someone else; handing them over to the nurses, and just letting them go.
It's over and done with and now I can breath
(which is a good thing because a person can only hold their breath for so long)

1. Prepped and ready for surgery... poor kid doesn't know what's coming.

2. Right out of surgery. She was not a happy baby.

3. Getting some much needed shut eye   4. She's going to be one drugged up little girl.

5. A little Elmo to pass the time   6. Rocking my baby

More {real} pictures to come.

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