What Love We Have Been Shown!

Family and friends-

Our little Annalise Hope is 6 weeks old today!!!! I really cannot believe this. Wasn’t it just the other day that I was at the hospital, getting my spinal tap put in to see our little girl for the first time? Was it really 6 weeks ago that our lives changed for the better? Six weeks from the time we thought we would be saying “see you again” to our firstborn

Boy have things changed! And let me tell you, I couldn’t be happier!

Annalise is still doing great! We are 8 days post surgery and are so thankful for the changes we have seen in her. We are so excited to see if changes keep happening as she gets older and to see what all she can conquer with time!

As of yesterday (the 30th), her vitals are still strong, her lungs are clear, and her head circumference has gone down in size pretty significantly. Before surgery, her HC was 56 cm. Yesterday it was down to 47 cm!!!! A factor for the decrease (other than the fluid being gone) is that her skull shifts now. Because the fluid pushed her skull so far out, it’s going to take longer than normal for her skull to fuse together. So right now, she has a misshapen head that is easily movable.

The other huge change is her weight! The day after surgery she weighed 9lbs 7oz. Yesterday (using a different scale than normal which could alter the validity) she only weighed 6lbs! That loss is all the weight from the fluid!!! We know this because she has gotten chubbier, is finally out of preemie clothes (definitely a sad moment taking her preemie clothes out of the dresser and storing them away), and she’s still eating perfectly fine! It’s crazy to think her head had about 3 POUNDS of fluid in it! 😳

We are so in love with all the different facial features she makes and how alert and happy she is! Now, before surgery she was always content and happy as well but it’s just so reassuring seeing her happy post surgery.

Next week is when we go back for her checkup/follow up with the neurosurgeon and her pediatrician. This is when she will get her stitches taken out as well! Hopefully everything checks out at these appointments!

Those are the only updates on our little sweetie since last time! Everyday is about the same with her and we are so grateful for that! She continues to amaze us with how well she is doing and how much change is taking place! (Even her body temperature is doing so much better! She is usually always wearing a onsie and a sleeper but she hasn’t even worn a hat in a while here at home! When we brought her home from the hospital, she was always in 4 layers so we have definitely progressed since then!)

Now for your viewing pleasure… Here are some updated photos of little miss:
If you saw the picture of Annalise in her little sweater dress above and thought it was adorable…. Wait until you see her in her Easter dress!!! 😍

I’m so excited that she gets to celebrate her first Easter with us and our church family! It’s a beautiful holiday that means so much to us.

The only thing I can say is:
What love we have been shown!

That statement holds true for so many different reasons for me. Most importantly it’s about Jesus’s love for us. Jesus dying on the cross for our sins is something I will forever be grateful for and will never forget. Another reason this statement holds true is clearly regarding Annalise Hope. We have been shown so much love by having her in our lives. Doctors told us she wouldn’t be apart of our lives for more than an hour and here she is, 6 weeks later. God has shown us so much by giving her to us. Not only that but the love we have gotten from family and friends is incredible! She has brought us a love that one cannot even begin to describe until you go through it yourself. It’s a beautiful thing and I am so incredibly honored to have this special girl in my life.

Anyways… I hope y’all have a wonderful Easter! Remember to celebrate that you are free because of Him!

Love you all!

(www.gofundme.com/hopeforannalise)