Anniversary Updates

It is the one year anniversary of Aberdeen's second heart surgery - the BIG one, the scary one, the one that was a last ditch effort before having to talk transplant. I am happy to report that her most recent echocardiogram showed NO regrowth following her operation. Most of her heart is still very thick and may be problematic at some point, but the obstruction that was causing her major issues last year is still gone and her gradient is within normal limits. Feedback from the craniofacial team was also positive, and ophthalmology said that her optic nerves looked great (which means no more intracranial pressure - the shunt is doing its job. Woot). They did give us a prescription for glasses that we're going to get filled once we get to DC, but we're pretty well convinced that they are just going to take Aberdeen's cuteness factor to the next level. It felt so good to receive such positive reports as we get ready to pack our bags and move across the country again.

My tiny bookworm

Fiesta at Mission San Jose

Mother's Day trip to Dallas with Nana and Uncle Justin

Hiking with Auntie Jubie

Visiting with Grandma and Poppa

Father's Day fancy dinner

4th of July

Our first and last trips to Texas Children's Hospital

Overall, Abby is really doing well right now, and it has been so nice to have a quiet few months on the medical front.  She is hanging out at about 33in and 25lbs, and will be three in just a few short weeks! She is still all about Elmo, throwing balls, and reading books. She adores our two, big, dopey dogs and thinks that most people are generally hilarious. She recently acquired a few more consonants, which has already helped her make strides in her speech, and I feel like her motor skills have been really coming along. We are so proud of our goofy, adorable girl and can't believe that at this time last year things were so tenuous. She exudes so much joy, and I'm just so happy that things are going well for her right now. Kid deserves the break.

Trying on clothes that belonged to Mommy and Aunties

This outfit is Popsicle brand!

Things seem to be falling into place with the organization of Aberdeen's care in DC (knock on all the wood), we have secured housing on base, and hopefully everything with the move will go as smoothly as humanly possible (knock on wood more times). We're all excited about the prospect of having four seasons again and are optimistic that the DC area will be a good fit for our family. Aberdeen, the dogs, and I have never lived on base, so that experience should prove interesting, but I like the idea of being able to walk along the Potomac once weather permits! We will definitely miss a lot of things about Texas though. It has been great having a few family members reasonably close by and Abby's therapists and providers here have been wonderful. We are sad to say goodbye to our friends and our lovely home, and I, for one, will also miss the abundance of delicious Mexican food. 

Hanging with the dinos at the Witte Museum

In other news, my letter to my pregnant self was recently published on TheMighty.com!
https://themighty.com/2017/07/letter-to-self-child-born-with-noonan-syndrome/
I am in the process of querying literary agents with my picture book manuscripts and praying that someone will give my work a chance. I have been having a lot of fun getting plugged into the children's book community and look forward to making more connections after our move!