Two Year-Olds Don't Sleep in a Crib!

On September 23rd, little Kayleigh turned 2 years old. Hard to believe. Mom and Dad celebrated Kayleigh's birthday with a Mickey Mouse theme, including a Minnie Mouse dress. Mickey Mouse is one of Kayleigh's latest obsessions. Kayleigh enjoyed the low-key party with her grandparents, and marveled at all the attention. She loved when everyone sang Happy Birthday to her, but better yet, getting to eat all the cake -- well, mostly icing.

Since turning two, Kayleigh has kissed her pacifier goodbye, and she just recently moved into her big girl room/bed. She made a very smooth transition and seems to be enjoying more independence by exploring her new surroundings. Next step - potty training.

Home Sweet Home

Kayleigh came home on Monday, remarkably just three days after her surgery. She has been laughing and playing and is very happy to be back home. She's starting to get her appetite back and is eating better. Things are very close to being back to normal. Mom will be staying home with her for at least the next couple weeks. Mom and Kayleigh have really been enjoying their time together so far. Daddy, however, really misses Kayleigh when he's at work.

Mending a Broken Heart

Kayleigh's surgery was very successful. She's recovering very well and is now out of the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). The surgery lasted for about four and a half hours and went about as well as possible. She was in the PICU for 22 hours and was moved into a recovery room at 3:00 this afternoon. All of the tubes that were connected to her have been removed and she's now just hooked up to a wireless monitor, so we can pick her up and move her around or hold her.

This afternoon, Mom and Dad took her for rides through the hallway in a red wagon. She really enjoyed getting out of her room for awhile. She also enjoyed watching Elmo videos. She's been starting to eat and drink, but her appetite is not that big, yet.

Overall, everything is going very well and we hope to be able to bring her home within a couple of days. We also want to say thank you to everyone for their thoughts and prayers and support.

"Giddyup, Horsey"

This was a fun-filled day at Windmill Island in Holland, Michigan on Kayleigh's recent vacation. Kayleigh really enjoyed riding this antique carousel and repeatedly said, "Again, Horsey" after the ride came to an end. She also got to wear a pair of wooden shoes. Mom and Dad ended up buying her a pair of her own, and she loved wearing them around the hotel the remainder of the trip.

Pretty soon, Kayleigh will have a little partner to play with and share all of her toys. Mom and Dad are expecting baby #2 in mid-January. Kayleigh is excited to be a big sister and already stated she would like to have a brother. We'll see how that goes. Mom and Dad are a little anxious, but looking forward to bringing another child into the family.

Little Dutch Girl

Kayleigh recently traveled to Holland, Michigan for her first official vacation. It took a little convincing to get Dad to travel to the "state up North", but he finally agreed. It turned out to be a relaxing and fun filled week for all. Kayleigh had her first experience at a beach and playing in the sand. She was a little timid at first and actually refused to touch the sand, but after she was slowly coerced to play with her buckets and shovel, she loved it. She also enjoyed sitting at the water's edge despite the very cold water temperatures. Kayleigh also watched her first fireworks display on the 4th of July. She exclaimed several times, "Wow!" and "See that?"

The vacation couldn't have come at a better time. Shortly before the vacation, Mom and Dad were informed that Kayleigh would need a second open-heart surgery. The surgery is scheduled for tomorrow, July 20th. The same surgeon who performed her first surgery will also be conducting this surgery. Kayleigh's left ventricle has some muscle tissue growth that resulted from her first surgery. The tissue near one of her valves and is blocking blood flow, so it needs to be removed. The entire surgery will take approximately 4-5 hours. She will once again be at Children's Hospital in Columbus for about a week.

Please keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers.

The Future's So Bright

Now that the weather is getting warmer and sunnier, Kayleigh loves going on walks with Mom and Dad. She gets very excited, almost like Shadow, when going for a walk is mentioned.

She's also starting to pose for pictures, as you can see. She's a little rock star now.

Spring has Sprung

Kayleigh finally got to wear one of her new Spring dresses. Here, she is on her way to church on a nice, sunny morning.

Kayleigh -- and Mom and Dad -- have been dealing with another bout of Rotovirus this week. Luckily, it wasn't nearly as bad as last year's and it's completely over now. Kayleigh stayed home from daycare from last Friday until this Wednesday. Grandma even came to stay with her on Wednesday! Thanks, Grandma!

Scarlet and Gray Day

Kayleigh attended the Scarlet and Gray game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. The annual event is an Ohio State intrasquad scrimmage, marking the end of spring practices. An Ohio State record 75,301 fans got a glimpse of what the Buckeyes will look like next season. During Kayleigh's first trip to the Horseshoe, the Gray came from behind to beat the Scarlet 17-9.

Kayleigh enjoyed herself on a beautiful day. Because of the large crowd, the walk from the car to the stadium was a long one for Mom and Dad, but Kayleigh had it easy in the arms of Mom or on the shoulders of Dad. Kayleigh experienced her first stadium hot dog and soft pretzel. It was an exciting, but exhausting day, and unfortunately, she couldn't make it to the end of the game. Leaving at the start of the fourth quarter made Dad very sad.

"Off, off!"

Yesterday was the day Kayleigh was able to say, "Bye, bye, purple cast." Her arm was finally free to move around and feel the air. The doctor said everything is healing well, including the bone that was straightened. Shortly after the cast was taken off, Kayleigh was fitted with a new splint. The splint is much smaller and allows her to move her elbow and use her fingers and hand. She has to wear it 24 hours-a-day, though, for probably about a year. She's been saying, "No!" when Mom and Dad try to put it on, but she'll get used to it after awhile.

She'll see the doctor again in two months for a follow-up, and she'll have another minor surgery to remove the pin in her arm in August.

Kayleigh is already noticeably happier and, to Mom and Dad, it feels like they have their Kayleigh back now. On the ride home she talked on her Elmo cell phone and giggled a lot. She's been learning more and more words and speaking them more clearly -- none of them, it seems, more clearly than "No."

Kayleigh LOVES Momo

It has been nearly 3 weeks since Kayleigh's arm surgery, and she is feeling much better. She has adapted very well to her cast and is getting more and more brave using it. It was only a matter of days before she was resting her sippy cup against her arm and balancing it when she took a drink. She is now able to use it a lot more and even held a crayon with her little fingers.

Kayleigh had several doctor appointments last week, one of which was to see the orthopedic doctor in Cincinnati. The doctor removed her cast, took an x-ray, and put on a new and improved purple cast. Her current cast is not as bulky or heavy. The doctor was very pleased with the results of the surgery and even stated she may get her cast off at the next appointment in April. This is much sooner than Mom and Dad anticipated. Kayleigh's arm would then be protected with a splint, so Mom would be able to give her a regular bath again. Kayleigh is not too fond of sponge baths!

Aside from the doctor appointments, Kayleigh did get to enjoy some time outside during the beautiful weather this past week. Mom and Kayleigh spent time at the park and Kayleigh had a ball going down the slide. It was great to get outside and take in the warm weather.

Tomorrow, Kayleigh heads back to daycare to play with her friends. Mom and Dad are hopeful that the transition will be smooth. During her time away, Kayleigh was introduced to Sesame Street and Curious George. She LOVES Elmo (or Momo as she calls him) and will miss seeing him everyday. Mom will also miss the time she has spent with Kayleigh. She is already looking forward to the weekend.

I Have a Boo Boo

Kayleigh's arm surgery went very well. It took a little longer than anticipated just because it's a complicated surgery, but there weren't any problems. Kayleigh has been in a lot of pain since, but she's getting happier each day. Now, she just seems very unhappy at times, trying to get used to the cast on her arm. As you can see, though, she's starting to get back to the Kayleigh that we all know, smiling more often and being the happy little girl that she is.

She got her first sponge bath since the surgery tonight, and though she hated it at the time, she seemed to feel much better afterward. She's been keeping Mom and Dad (OK, Mom) up quite a bit the last couple nights while she tries to get back on her schedule. Her eating has slowly improved and she's talking more.

Overall, things could not have gone much better considering what she's been through. It's been quite difficult for Mom and Dad (and Kayleigh, of course) the last couple of days, but the worst seems to be over. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!

Snow Fort!

Kayleigh is having a good time near the fort the kids next door built.

It's been a while since the last update. Kayleigh is still doing well. Her EKG and echocardiograms have continued to be stable, which is good. She's learning lots of new things, like saying, "Choo, choo!" every time a train comes around. She can climb up and down the stairs, and pull all the pots and pans out of the cabinets. And, she loves to say, "Bye, bye" and "Night, night."

In less than two weeks, February 27, Kayleigh will have surgery on her right arm. The "centralization" will straighten her hand, so that it's in line with her arm. She'll be in a cast past her elbow for up to three months and will need to wear a splint for several hours a day after that. The end of the ulna bone is quite narrow, so positioning her wrist on the end of it is difficult. The splint will help to ensure that, as she grows, her wrist doesn't curl back.

Mom and Dad are feeling more and more nervous as the time nears, as they've grown so fond of her just the way she is. However, they know that this will be best for her in the long run. Kayleigh will again need your prayers to ensure that everything goes well during the surgery and during her recovery.

Kayleigh's One!

Kayleigh's 1st Birthday

Sep 24, 2006 - 34 Photos

Click on the picture above to see many more!

Mom and Dad have had a hard time updating the post lately due to all of the activity in the household. There are no soccer games or piano lessons to attend, just a very quick one year old to chase around the house. Kayleigh celebrated her 1st birthday a couple weeks ago and had a blast. Kayleigh had many loved ones come from as far away as Chicago, IL to help her celebrate her 1st year on Earth, and what a year it has been! Those of you who have been with Kayleigh since the very beginning know what a roller coaster ride it has been. From the first few days of not really knowing what was ahead to now watching this beautiful little girl laugh, play, walk and even say a few words has been an amazing adventure.

The past few months have been really exciting. Since the last update, Kayleigh has learned to walk and even has her first pair of shoes. She moved up to the next room at daycare and loves interacting with the other kids. She has stopped taking formula (YEA!!) and is drinking regular old milk out of sippy cups - yes, she was even weaned from her bottles. Dad put her to bed without her pacifier tonight, but Mom isn't ready to give that up yet. It seems that at the blink of an eye, she is no longer a little baby. She has her mother's ornery streak, so when the house gets quiet, you better go look for her. Most of the time, you will find her making her way up the stairs. One of Kayleigh's favorite evening activities is still going for walks. It is really the only time you can get her to sit in one spot for an extended period of time.

Mom and Dad have attached some pictures from Kayleigh's party. Thank you to all who could come and help us celebrate what a great year this has been.

Everything's just Ducky!

It's been a while since we've made a post and we know some of you are eagerly awaiting an update and some more pictures. We'll be putting several posts up in the next few days, so check back often to see what Kayleigh's been up to!

This picture was taken the night before Kayleigh's big Birthday bash. She was surrounded by her favorite animal and the theme of her party - Ducks!

"Duck!"

July started off with a bang as Kayleigh celebrated her first 4th of July. She slept through the fireworks, so she'll have to wait until next year to enjoy the sparkles in the sky. Kayleigh came down with a bad cold at the beginning of the month and has had ear infections on and off the rest of the month. Though feeling under the weather, she managed to not only muster up a smile, but also get into everything around the house. This month, Kayleigh improved on her crawling technique and increased her speed. She also started pulling herself up to a standing position. She loves to stand and can hardly wait to get moving on her feet.

She is becoming quite the communicator these days. She waves hi and bye, claps her hands, blows kisses, and loves to play patty cake and peek-a-boo. She also said her first word -- duck. She is becoming such a big girl!

Kayleigh had her 9-month check up and cardiology follow up this month as well. She weighs just under 18 pounds and is 28 inches tall. At the cardiology appointment, the doctor said that there hasn't been any significant change in the areas that were repaired during surgery, so he will continue to monitor her at 3-month intervals for now. After that appointment, Kayleigh stopped by to visit her very nice occupational therapist for new splints. Kayleigh showed off all her tricks and the therapist was impressed, especially by her ability to pick up veggie puffs with both hands. The therapist said Kayleigh's development is advanced at this stage compared to other children with radial club hand.

Mom and Dad received good news at all of these appointment, and continue to be thankful for having such a fun, playful and beautiful little girl.

Summer Time!

This has been a busy month for Kayleigh. On June 4, Kayleigh was baptized. The preacher told us in the early days of baptisms, it was believed that when the baby cried, it was because the devil was leaving the child's body. Kayleigh was a very good girl during the baptism and did not cry at all. Since then, however, let's just say that the devil has definitely left her.

Kayleigh had her nine month check-up this month. She weighs 17 lbs. 11 oz. and is 28 inches tall. She also has another tooth that is starting to come in. She is continuing to have problems with ear infections and has been on a number of antibiotics. For the most part, though, she is doing very well health-wise.

Kayleigh likes to play with everything that is not a toy. Her favorite thing is the spring-like door stop. She loves the sound it makes when she flips it. Doingggg! Kayleigh is doing very well at the daycare and has been crowned with the nickname "Tropical Storm." Apparently, that means she's moving around everywhere and is getting into everything. At least she hasn't developed into a hurricaine yet.

Mamma's Little Piggy

Kayleigh got pigtails today at daycare! It's almost time for her first haircut.

Pineapple Head

May has been another exciting month. Kayleigh has gone a little more than a month with no doctor visits. First time ever! She continues to do well taking her bottle and enjoying all of her solid foods. So far, she hasn't turned her nose up at any of the foods and gets very excited when seated in her highchair.

Kayleigh learned to sit on her own this month and in addition to rolling around the house, she is now doing the "army crawl." She is slowly transitioning into the "inchworm" crawl and is well on her way to crawling. It is becoming more and more apparent to Mom and Dad that she is going to be a very active little girl. She is also very talkative and mimics the noises around her, including "Mama, Dada, Baba, and Ha."

Kayleigh also spent some time with her little friend Miranda who came to visit all the way from Hawai'i. Kayleigh enjoyed the company of another little one to play with and hopes to visit Miranda back at her home soon!

Kayleigh's Mom wins MVM Award

In just her rookie year, Kayleigh's mom has been awarded World's Most Valuable Mom. By winning this award in just the first year of motherhood, Kayleigh's mom has accomplished an unheard-of achievement. Kayleigh's mom earned the award through lots of hard work and dedication rarely seen in a mother.

Staying by Kayleigh's side through many weeks at the hospital and through open-heart surgery was just the beginning. Once home, Kayleigh's mom worked through several months of difficult feedings, sleepless nights, appointments with many different doctors, multiple ear infections and a few viruses.

Through all the difficult times, she stayed strong and did a remarkable job of taking care of Kayleigh. Now that she has a great deal of experience, Kayleigh's mom makes everything look so easy and effortless, the sign of a true champion.

Watching the Cars Go By

Once again, another month seems to have passed us by in the blink of an eye. April was a very busy month, with lots of family events, doctor's appointments, and more and more milestones. It is so exciting watching Kayleigh grow and discover her surroundings.

Kayleigh enjoyed playing with her cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course, both sets of grandparents over the Easter holiday. Unfortunately, she had dual ear infections, so it was difficult eating and sleeping, but it didn't seem to affect her mood nevertheless. Kayleigh also went home this past weekend, and again, loved seeing her large family. She gets so much attention that it is hard for Mom and Dad to keep up with her demands during the week. She loves to be around people and is trying her hardest to communicate with everyone.

Kayleigh's doctor's appointments have all gone well. She had another visit to the cardiologist, and there has been no change to the areas that are narrowing. The goal is to postpone another surgery as long as possible, so mom and dad will continue to have routine apointments to monitor her heart.

At the last pediatric appointment, she weighed 15 pounds and measured 25 inches. The past few days, her eating has improved significantly, and she is finishing every bottle plus eating cereal and fruits or veggies. Mom and Dad can't explain the change in her appetite but are enjoying the ease of feedings as long as it lasts.

Kayleigh has been rolling all over the house these days. She isn't quite able to sit on her own, but she is giving it her best effort. She can stand with assistance and actually prefers standing to sitting. It seems she is going to be pretty active once she gets the strength and coordination to get moving. In the meantime, watch out because she will roll you over.