more swimming

We have been pretty busy the past few days.

Emily is feeling much better. No more fever so the party is on!!!!

Yesterday we put her in her pool again and she did so great!!

I have never seen her move so much. I have a couple pics and a short video of her.

Can't wait for her party tomorrow at 3pm. If you need directions let me know.

still sick

Emily is beginning to feel a little better. She still has an on and off again fever. It's pretty low grade nothing over 100.

Joe's dad ( Lonnie), step-mom ( Brenda), and grandma ( Mae) all came down on Wednesday for Emily's party this weekend. They live over 4 hours away so we don't get to see them nearly as much as we would like. Joe's brother (George) also came over today too. We have a full house but I love it!!

It has been so nice to have them here. We enjoy their company and they are so helpful too! Lonnie mowed, Mae did laundry and cleaned and Brenda and I got to finish shopping for Emily's party. We had a pretty good day yesterday.

So as long as Emily is fever free for 24 hours than the party is still on. I will let everyone know how she is doing over the next couple days.

1st time for everything

Well Emily had her very first virus.

It started on Tuesday night with a low temp of 99.5. I went ahead and gave her Tylenol just in case it started to go up through the night and we went to bed. I should have known she was getting sick because I slept from 11:30pm-3am and that never happens!

When we woke up I checked her temp and it had gone up a bit so I gave her some more Tylenol. Around 8am I checked her again and it was 101. I made her a dr. appt and they checked her urine and blood and every thing came back perfect.

He chalked it up to a virus and said to call if she still has a temp in the morning.

When we got home I checked her again and it had jumped to 103.7 so into a cool bath she went. That and Motrin in addition to her Tylenol have finally broke the fever. Last check she was 97.

The fever explains her strange behavior. Since her fever broke she it not doing hardly any of the weird moving or shaking.

She has to be fever free for 24 hours to not be contagious so I am praying that it was just a 24 hour bug and we can still have her party on Sunday.

I guess it's a good thing she made it until after she was one before she had a fever or a cold.

weird

Today will be a busy day for us.

Emily is going to get a new g-tube, next size up. She is beginning to get a little belly on her.

She has been acting a little off the past few days and last night I took her temp and she had a low grade fever. She has been very jerky, sometimes it's like she just can't stop moving. She mostly does it when she has her paci, if you take it out she stops. It is very strange. It does not look like a seizure but I am sure it's some neurological.

So I have to make a few calls to her ped and neurologist this morning on top of dealing with the insurance company.

Emily and I slept last night from 11:30pm to 3am!! I could not hardly believe it!! I have not slept at night in so long! It was fantastic. I am praying that she is getting back to a good schedule.

She just woke her self up laughing! Gotta feed the princess!! Have a great day!

I have had the worst time with medicaid. Ugh!! That is a whole other post!!

impressive

Emily continues to impress me daily with the little things she is doing!

Yesterday, she was laying on the couch and her paci fell out and the nurse was getting ready to put in back in her mouth but Emily beat her to it and was trying so hard to push it back in her mouth! With a little assistance she finally got it.

Then she had OT , while I was sleeping, and Joe said that they laid her flat on her belly and Emily lifted her head off the ground for 5 seconds!! She also held a rattle in her right hand for a little bit.

The night before last I sneezed and she jumped and then stuck her bottom lip out because she was startled! She never gets startled or reacts to most loud noises.

All of these things are progress. This makes us very excited to see her learning new things!!

Everything on the seizure front is still going great!! I can't believe its been 11 days now. I honestly never thought we would see a week, now she is almost to 2 weeks!!! I pray that this lasts through her birthday party.

Speaking of which, just reminding everyone her party is Sunday at our church at 3pm. Everyone is welcome and if you are coming please email, call or comment so that I have a head count for dessert.

On Sunday I had plans to go out with my friend , Angie, to get some birthday party supplies and Joe was going to stay home with Emily so I did not have to take her out. He got up with her at 4:30am so that I could get some sleep before I went out. I am so thankful that he did that too!

It was so great to get out of the house but before I left they both fell asleep in our bed. It was the sweetest thing every. Of course I got picture of it!! I am a blogger now! Ha!!

My two favorite people!!

Is that not the sweetest picture ever!! They look so much alike here too.

Great day

Yesterday was Emily's 1st birthday and it was a really good day!

She had several gifts mailed, dropped off and brought over to her.

Yesterday was also Carly's high school graduation. Carly and her family have been a very important part of our lives. Especially since Emily was diagnosed with epilepsy.

Carly is not your typical teen. She blows me away with the choices she has already made in her life. I am so proud of her and so thankful that Emily will have her as a role model. I love you Carly, you have been such a blessing to us!!! Congrats!!!

It is a lot of work to pack Emily up and take her any wear, that is why we appreciate when people make the effort to come visit us here. Lately it has to be something pretty special to get us to all pack up and go out. We would not miss this though!!!

A while back my aunt Shirley bough Emily a water way babies pool and we got put her in it last night. Lately if Emily is not being held or in her swing or asleep she is a little whiny. I would not say fussy just wants to be held. When we put her in the pool I was expecting for her to not like it but she was so content! She did not make a peep. She was so relaxed!!

Thanks aunt Shirley!!

Happy 1st Birthday Emily!

Get ready for lots of pictures!!!

Getting ready to leave for the hospital, the night before she was born, so that I could be induced.

One last belly shot.
I ended up having to have a c-section.

My family and friends who were waiting to meet Emily!
Minus Lynn who was taking the picture!


Our doctor telling Joe the c-section went great and Emily was perfect! (they had to knock me out when the epidural did not take on one side)

Emily Jean Rollins

Was born at 7:47pm

5lbs 9oz 19 in long

She was so little!! She was almost too small for her car seat! By the time we left the hospital she was down to 5Lbs 2oz.

Fussy girl!

Beginning to see a trend?

She loved to be swaddled!

Ha! I love this!

This is where our year changed. Emily's 6 month picture was taken in the hospital because she was diagnosed with infantile spasms the day before

Her 1st Christmas.

Her little face swelled because of the steroids she took to try and stop her spasms.

Her 1st Easter. She slept through the pictures!

Easter service at church.

Emily one year pictures. Taken by Shanna Simpson through The Littlest Hero's Project.

She did such a good job!!

Our first official family portrait!

Emily,

Happy 1st birthday my sweet sweet girl! I can't believe how fast this year has gone by! You weigh almost 19lbs now and are just over 24in long. You wear a size 3 diaper and are in 12-18 month clothes. You are growing really fast right now! You still have very small feet and wear a size 1-2 show. Your hair is starting to grow back and I think it will be dark brown. You have become such a Mommy's girl lately and if I am not holding you you say mom over and over. You love it when daddy hold you in his lap and you face out, it puts you to sleep every time!

I am so proud of how hard you work! You have physical and occupational therapy every week. I think you like PT better though. :) It always makes you really tired. This past week you have not had any seizures or spasms!! Praise the Lord!! You act like you are feeling good too! You are smiling a lot more too!

Emily, you are my dream come true, my greatest accomplishment, and just a little grin you from lifts my spirits like nothing else can. I know that the past 6 months have been hard. I pray daily that you would be healed and I pray that one day you will be able to read this and the rest of this blog and see how much we love you along with many many other people.

Being your mom is all I have ever wanted. I am so thankful for you! I love you Emily Jean!!!

I plan on printing this blog one day and if you would like to write something to Emily for her 1st b-day I will print those comments out too! p.s. still no seizures!!!