Today is officially 2 months from the day Gracie was diagnosed with ALL and we are so happy to have made it this far! So how did we spend our day off? I guess the same as most other days of the week, but we are happy to trade a clinic visit with a walk, a nap, and playing outside! And of course a good daily dose of the Letter Factory.
I got a picture today of what I now like to call the triple threat. Gracie has been attached to her blanket and binkie for quite some time now and it seems even more so since she was diagnosed and had many of her comforts of securities taken from her. So we're happy to let her have them with all the chaos introduced in her young life. The most recent addition was a baby, which today she exchanged for a monkey her cousin Hallie picked out on a family vacation and we got in the mail today.
The triple threat ( I think I'm the one that's going to be threatened if I ever lose one of the above items)
She got that monkey out of the box and hasn't wanted to put it down since, which is a big shock because she's been somewhat afraid of animals including many stuffed animals for most of her life. Apparently monkeys are one of the less frightening species...or maybe just monkeys with ice cream and flowers.
Other news...
-Todd finished his first rotation last week and started up a new one yesterday. One down, seven left to go! As always we are so proud of him for being able to balance school and taking care of a pregnant wife and little girl who can't leave his side once he's home. He's in high demand around here!
-Gracie's appetite has perked up a little lately and she's had a few tastes of some of the fruits she always loved again. Today she had a whole peach fruit cup (she wouldn't touch them for months) and the other day she ate several strawberries and a little watermelon. I think she ate a whole banana today too. She had a whole gogurt for breakfast-after not touching yogurt for weeks, despite being offered many many times and many different flavors! And last night she ate spaghetti with us for dinner, this may not mean much to many of you, but anyone who's stayed with us knows Gracie does not like to eat what's served for dinner anymore. I'm sure it helped that is was pasta (but sauce has also been a no go for some time).
Here she is eating some strawberries...anyone notice all the stickers? She is still OBSESSED with stickers and has recently started putting them on herself. Before she did not want them on her but insisted on placing them in a certain place on others (including the dr's and nurses at the clinic, which she still does and I think they all expect it now- I have seen many of her stickers on the nurses badges weeks afterwards, I guess she has a way with everyone not just us).
Other likes currently...she likes bubbles, still loves swinging and being outside, still loves Baby Signing Time and has added on the Letter Factory, and has started signing and pointing out lots of things like tree, leaf, star, moon and other things. Her baths are back to what they used to be...FUN and we love not having to torture her nightly with wrapping her arm and having her scream nonstop during the whole bath time while trying to keep her arm dry so we wouldn't have to take her in for a dressing change (big stress relief).
We have actually gotten together with a few friends to go for walks or play outside, but we are still OCD and very very cautious with taking her around many people and she still hasn't set foot in any buildings other than the hospital for clinic/inpatient stays since she was diagnosed. Which means I rarely leave our little bubble of home/outside/walks. I think we're all adjusting to our new simple lifestyle of staying here and spending our time doing the simple things. We would trade any vacation or event for a happy Gracie kept home from the hospital. Her smile and laughter are the pure joy in our home and every day is a treasure to be with her.
SOOO Sweet! I'm so happy for you to have a week off.
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