These days

Our house has looked a little more normal these days!  Toys scattered all over the floor is exactly how I like it to look now.  She has been very interested in playing with her toys and it's lots of fun to watch.  Grandma Bucher has kept her busy and entertained this week with lots of blocks and other toys. 

Her new favorite thing is the swing in the backyard.  Her own little swing that I don't have to worry about taking her to the park or who might be there, or who was in the swing last and what germs are lingering around such a public place:)  She will stay in it for hours if we let her.   She has never wanted to get out yet, unless you consider falling asleep in it a request to get out, but I think Grandma would say it was more fighting to stay in.  Got a bunch of cute shots of her swinging, posted a bunch for Grandma and anyone else that thinks she's as cute as I do and could look at her or pictures of her all day long. 

These little flowers are a reminder of how grateful I am to have her out exploring and walking around by herself.  She picked these for me this week out in the yard and it was strangely sentimental just because she couldn't even walk for over a month.  And now she's walking all over again. 

One last swing with Grandma before she headed home again.  Thanks a million to both sets of parents for saving our lives and helping us when we really needed it.  We are so lucky to have parents that can drop and come like that.  Thanks to all the help we're all settled into our new home, into the 2nd phase of treatment and ready to attempt a couple months here alone (well, kind of with some help from friends and the ward) before we launch into round two with the new baby and another intense phase of treatment.

Pretzel time with Dad!

When all else fails for getting a child to eat, I guess the good old olive trick works!  As for how things are now...we live in a world of extremes.  We went from ravenously hungry to not wanting to eat or drink really.  So now we spend our day trying to get her to eat and drink.  She woke up (in our bed) this morning after a restless night for her with a pretty dry diaper.  Not exactly what any parent wants to see, but definately a contrast from last month and going through 3 overnight diapers each night and still soaking through and changing sheets regularly.  Luckily we were able to get her to drink a good amount of fluid through the morning and afternoon, otherwise it would have been back to the ER for hydration.  Lets see...for a few days she slept  a LOT we thought that might continue even having a 4 hours nap, but that doesn't seem to have changed she's had less than an hour nap so far today after her not very good night.  But, all in all she is much happier and doing a lot of things a normal toddler does.  I've given my crushing job to Todd as they don't want me crushing the oral chemo while being pregnant and now we get to wear gloves all month every time we change her diaper since she gets oral chemo daily.  Less regular meds though which is nice and we are finally starting to convince her that baths can be fun again after a month of baths with the line in her arm having to be wrapped and kept dry.  Her diaper rash is a million times better and maybe soon we can go back to using regular wipes instead of wetting paper towels...but I will probably be super cautious and just wait til the oral chemo is done since it can cause break down of the skin.  I NEVER want to go relive that rash and I'm sure Gracie feels the same way.  She still notices tiny tiny little things and the little chip in the bathtub will probably bother her every bath.  As well as the little piece of fuzz or hair on her finger or on Dad's chin.  Not sure what brought this on, but it started when all the treatment started. 

Clinic stats from June 7-her surgery appt.

Weight: pretty sure she was 32 lbs 11oz (can't find my paper to prove it though)-a significan drop for a week and a half.

WBC: 5.2

ANC: around 2.0

Hemoglobin: 11.0

Platelets: 329,000

I'll be interested to see how the new chemo will affect her levels this coming Tuesday.  Wish us luck on our first port access and another sedation.  Two more then we get a break for a month or so!