Mia's Surgery

I feel like I have started all of my recent blog posts by saying - "I'm so far behind on my posts" BUT....  Well the fact of the matter is I am so far behind on my blog posts.  Life is busy at the Portie household with 4 children, to say the least.  In the madness of the Christmas Holidays, the New Year Holiday and me returning to work Full Time - we did manage to squeeze in Mia's palate closure surgery.  This surgery, in my opinion, was long overdue for my sweet girl but with the shortage of Surgeons on the CLEFT Team at Texas Children's we had to wait longer than we expected.  January 24th, which happens to be Maddie's GOTCHA DAY, was the day of surgery.  The process of pre-op was a bit cumbersome and long and nothing we were experienced with.  I grew increasingly more anxious as we finished the pre-op process and the time of the actual surgey came upon us.   Mia was such a trooper and was ignorantly blissful playing with all the toys at the hospital and soaking up all of Mom and Dad's undivided attention.  She pleasantly endured all the poking and prodding that comes with preparing a little one for surgery which made it a little easier on me.  The decision was made to have tubes put in her ears while she was already asleep.  A hearing evaluation revealed a small decrease in hearing in her left ear but mainly due to some standing (non-infectious) fluid behind that ear. 

(The LARGE identification bracelet had to be used for Mia's ankle because her leg is so chunky - LOL)

(My sweet smiling baby girl playing before surgery)

(Mia got into the little tikes car and off she went with the surgical staff to the operating room)

Surgery was a quick 2 hours and was successful - in that her palate was successfully closed.  As the surgeon says, the proof is in the pudding - we will know it is successful if in a few months it begins functioning as she learns to speak.  He prepared us for what we would encounter in the recovery room - but does anything ever prepare you to see your baby (big or small) attached to monitors, wires, eyes swollen from surgery and in pain?  She was quiet and still laying in her bed when they brought us into the recovery room UNTIL she heard my voice.  She started to cry and the nurse was gracious enough to let me hold her for the remainder of the time we spent in the Recovery room.  Keith cried and tried to comfort her as best he could.  I held her close and sang to her to try and comfort her.  She finally awoke enough to be transferred to a room.

Keith and I decided that I would sleep with Mia in the room and he would return to the hotel to get a good nights rest. Mia and I made the night as best we could. Everytime we would settle in and fall asleep the nurse would come in and need to give medication or poke or prode poor Mia. But the nursing staff was great and took great care of Mia.

It is amazing how fast our bodies bounce back. The next morning she was up playing and wanting to get up and walk around. The restricted diet was the biggest post surgery obstacle for us. And I say us - because we all suffered through with her.

We made it through the hardest part - closing the palate.  Now we move into the next phase which is speech development.  Her follow up visit with the surgeon was good.  We will return for another hearing evaluation in March and a speech evaluation in April.  We have already noticed some changes in her speech.  She is now able to make sounds that she wasn't able to before.  Da Da  now sounds like it should most of the time.  Blanket is also very understandable as well as "Snack".  She is definitely making progress. 

Thanks to everyone for their prayers and support during her surgery.

New Pictures

We recently had a good friend, who is a talented photographer, come and take family pictures now that our family unit is complete (or at least we think it is until GOD tells us otherwise).  I have been waiting for the opportunity to have all 4 kids photographed together.  When I watched her snap the first photo shown below, I briefly lost my breathe at the meer sight of all 4 of them sitting there and was instantly overwhelmed with JOY.  Joy that they are all HERE - TOGETHER for what some families take for granted - a simple family picture.  Maybe it is because we traveled far and wide, overcame lots of red tape and bureaucy to complete this family unit that I am so appreciative and aware of how precious it is.



The moments the photographer captured were so special on many different levels.  As a mother, my favorite ones are those moments in which my older children interact so lovingly with the younger ones.  I must tell you that bringing Maddie and Mia into our lives has certainly changed who Christopher and Lizzy ARE,  as well as who they will become.  Those tender moments of sibling LOVE are shown below.  I can see the love for one another, unadulterated love, oozing from these pictures - it jumps off the page at you.

The big kids definitely indulge Maddie and Mia and love playing with them.  Being silly, fun competitions between them and just enjoying the simple moments - it keeps them young and opens their hearts.

This picture of Mia just shows how stinking "CUTE" she is.  You can see her personality captured in this picture.

Happy GOTCHA Day!

It is hard to believe that Maddie has been with her forever family for 3 years.  I still remember the moment I first saw her scared, beautiful little face.  Life has certainly changed since she came into our lives - but only for the better.  She makes me want to be a better person and a better mommy!  I love her more than she could ever know.  We can't imagine our lives without her - What would we do without her quick witted sense of humor, beautiful smile and tentatious and headstrong way about her. 

We celebrate her Gotcha Day not to only honor and remember the moment she got a forever family - but more for us.  Because her GOTCHA changed our lives!!!  Changed our perspective!!!  and made us all better people.