Bug's First Disney Trip

Despite the massive amounts of rain, changing Karsie's nap schedule/routine, and even though we know that she won't remember any of this, Karsie had a great time at Disneyland yesterday. And so did we.

The picture that everyone has to get at Disneyland.

Kevin and his mom had to get a pass right away just inside the park and it started POURING. I believe you people that read this blog that live outside of California would just call it "rain" but for us that live here we call it the end of the world as we know it as it fills with water.

Karsie's first official Disneyland ride: Snow White, which in Kevin's opinion is the scariest ride in the world, but we subjected Karsie to it and she seemed to enjoy it. Kevin did take the time to teach Karsie about how noncompliant the ride is with the basic elements of plot in literature. He told her that the entire ride is rising action as the witch seems to be the main character, and it abruptly ends with "And they lived happily ever after" - never even mentioning the prince or showing Snow White after the witch was introduced. Karsie is now informed.

Karsie outside of Snow White.

Our next ride was Pinnochio, which we have no picture. We then went on the carousel. Grandma Turner has a picture of Kevin and Aunt Mandy on a horse at Disneyland, so we had to get this picture with Karsie. Karsie and Kevin actually rode on a bench along side of a guide dog named Cecil. But afterward we got this picture.

Grandma and Karsie on the Disneyland carousel.

We decided the ratio of wait time to ride time is the worst on Peter Pan. However, it was in line of this ride that we discovered Karsie has cut two teeth!!! She also fell fast asleep.

Karsie and Daddy in line for Peter Pan

Karsie, Kevin, and Grandma Turner after Peter Pan.

Where it all started. About 8 years ago Kevin proposed on this very bridge to Michelle. Now there is an addition to the bridge picture.

Kevin, Michelle, and Karsie on the "Wishing Bridge."

Nana met up with us in the afternoon and we walked over to California Adventures. We went to "A Bug's Land." We thought that was fitting as we call her Bug. We also bought her a hat since her hat we brought did not have warmers for her ears.

Nana, Michelle, and Karsie on some kind of Bug ride.

After a long day, after Grandpa Carlos joined us, we left to go see Uncle Todd and Aunt Christine. It was a very fun day!

Five Things Friday

1. We might have to change Karsie's nickname from Bug to Scooter! She has learned the art of scooting. While laying on her back, she uses her little legs to propel her in the direction of her head. It is super funny to watch her try to get out of her play gym... or scoot all over the floor!

2. Karsie is quite the little chatterbox. She is getting more and more talkative. She talks to all her toys, to mom, the fan, dad, her feet, her food bag, anything in her line of site. She is especially talkative when she rides in her carseat. She has two toys that she tells all kinds of stories to!

3. We have been having some issues with Karsie's g-tube this week. It started leaking a little last week (meaning food would leak out through the hole in her tummy onto her skin). We always keep some gauze right there to absorb any possible leakage, but hardly ever have problems. So last week we changed the button (it was 3 months old and GROSS). The new one fit well but still leaked a little. We called the GI nurse and she instructed us to add another 1mL of water and then use an ointment to protect her skin. This has solved the leakage and Karsie's skin is thankful for the ointment!

4. Karsie doesn't like sweet potatoes. She gets the shivers with each bite. It is cute.

5. This morning... Karsie gave quite the toot... and then she laughed at it! When she is all grown up and reading this, I am sure it will be embarrassing... but I laughed SO hard when she laughed at her own toot. How hilarious is that!

Happy Weekend!

Long Overdue Update

Karsie went to the doctors again today to continue getting her RSV shots. This was number 2 of 3. When there she was weighed, looked over, and given the shot. Other than screaming (which was promptly finished when she was picked up) everything went well.

Weight: 14 lbs. 8 oz!!! - This prompted the doctor to say "Wow. She really has been catching up. I'm curious to see what she looks like on the growth charts." For her real age (7 months/1 week) she is in the 5th percentile. This doesn't seem like much but it is huge. She has NEVER been on the growth charts for her gestational age let alone her real age. For her gestational age (6 months on Monday) she is in the 25th percentile!!! She's catching up.

Other things to be happy about: Obviously from the video yesterday she has started to figure out her legs. Yesterday evening we were holding her up and bouncing her and she was able to stand on her legs with minimal support for a few seconds at a time. So exciting!

Karsie has also been doing better with tummy time on her new mat. She is learning how to move her hands under her to support herself and look around. Most kids get this much earlier, but we think she's doing well considering she hadn't been put on her belly until she was 5 months old.

Things to still work on: Eating. Karsie is definitely taking advantage of her G-Tube, but she is learning to eat solids. So far she only breast feeds about once a day and she eats solids two times a day. Even though she attempts the solids she sometimes has a meltdown and will not eat or eats very little. It's still a bit of a struggle.

Karsie has been quite fun lately. She is really developing a personality. We went to get our taxes done yesterday and she waited in the waiting room and in the actual room for over an hour and just chilled. (P.S. What the heck California???? You sure as heck better balance that budget this year with all those crazy taxes we're paying) One funny thing that happened - not really funny but amusing to us - was she started to really gag hard in the waiting room in front of a bunch of people. Karsie gags pretty good about once or twice a day where she gets secretions in her throat that bother her and she can't cough it out. To someone that doesn't know Kasie's situation that had to look scary. Karsie had a couple while she was there and the people just stared at her for the longest time. We got a kick out of just sitting there nonchalantly and patting her back fully knowing that Karsie was okay, just working stuff up. Surprisingly enough no one made a comment or asked if she needed help.

Jumping Around

Yes. We're those parents who think it's cute to put our daughter to random music. But we're proud of her kicking...so take that.

ALL DONE!!!

We were off by two days. On the 19th (last night) Pinky completed itself! The last part of the scab fell off and the omphalocele is now completely skin. As you can see the skin is still very fragile looking and there is healing left to do, but it's all skin now! It's so amazing to think that just 6-7 months ago this was all open and exposed. It's amazing what the human body can do.

Five Things Friday

1. On Wednesday, Karsie turned 7 months old! We continue to be amazed by her strength and growth... and we are having so much fun with her!

2. Karsie has a few faces she makes on a regular basis. This one is "judgmental face." We laugh super hard when she makes it because it looks like she is judging us... we try to get her to crack a smile and most often she won't... she is giving us practice for her teenage years!








3. Look at that mess! She tried to help feed herself and ended up with food all over her face, legs, hands, and all over Dad too! She ate over an ounce of rice cereal though! She loves her cereal!










4. Play time with Dad! She loves playing... she loves talking and especially singing songs. Her favorite songs are songs that incorporate her omphalocele... you know... the classics...
"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes *Omphalocele*"

"Touch Your Toes to Tour Omphalocele"

"This is My Liver..."




5. Who ever heard of eating bananas from a spoon? Karsie prefers to eat her bananas like a big girl... so we stick them in this cool little mesh bag for her to gum and suck on! She likes to be able to hold her food and this is perfect because we don't have to worry about her getting a big chunk in her mouth!

Holding Steady

Karsie is holding steady with her breathing. Last night she woke up 2 times and needed to be suctioned. One of the times Michelle gave her a breathing treatment and Tylenol. This morning her fever was gone (98.2*) and she woke up talking and giggling! She seems to be feeling better. We headed in for a follow up appointment with her pediatrician. He listened to her and watched her breath (looking to see how hard she was working to breath). He said she was more-or-less stable. This is decent news. He said to continue with albuterol breathing treatments every 4-6 hours and the steroid breathing treatment twice a day. He also wrote a prescription for the oral steroid in case she starts to seem a little worse. If things get worse we will go in for a follow up appointment whenever needed... otherwise we won't go in until next week when Karsie gets her second Synagis (RSV) shot.

We are really praying that all these medicines will help her feel better and breath better.

In other news... Karsie is 7 months old today! That doesn't hardly seem possible! Her personality is really developing and we are having so much fun with her. She is a really fairly happy girl... she whines more than cries these days... and she talks all the time! She is her mama's daughter! She talks to her toys and to us and to the side of the bed... she talks to anything she sees... and she has a lot to say! She has even started talking in her sleep! Last night (twice) when getting her breathing treatment, Karsie was asleep and she started talking to the nebulizer! We tried to get a video of it but it was too dark and we didn't want to wake her. I am hoping she will give a repeat performance today and we can capture it on video! She is now eating rice cereal, bananas and sweet potatoes... though she doesn't care as much for the sweet potatoes. We will be introducing pears next... just as soon as she is over this icky breathing mess. She can take a full ounce of rice cereal and enjoys it most.
Karsie still hates tummy time... and gets downright mad when we force it on her. She however loves playing in her jumper... she doesn't jump but kind of spins in circles and chats with the attached toys. She still loves her play gym. She has gotten so strong that she can kick the kickboard out of the velcro. She pulls on her musical toys and makes them play or jingle. She has also become Houdini in her bed... we always put her to sleep with her head near the wall; each morning we find her in new positions. Often she is completely upside down or sideways. Karsie lights up our lives... we are continually amazed by her strength. We are so blessed by her!

Familiar Territory

Last night was a little rough. Karsie woke up in the middle of the night and was pretty congested. It took a little while to get her calmed down but she went back to sleep.

Today she still had a pretty runny nose but she seemed to be feeling okay. Then just a little while ago she got a bit fussy and we took her temperature. She was running a temp of about 101. We called the doctor and they told us to come in. The doctor said that the breathing is a little concerning as her wheezing is back so we were put back onto the medicine that Karsie had when she came back from the hospital. Hopefully this will clear everything up.

We have been down this road before and we hope the path is a little different this time as last time she had to go to the hospital. We'll see how it goes tonight but we're praying that Karsie's congestion clears up soon.

"Mamamamamamamamamaaa....."

Quick updates on Karsie:

1. Pinky is so close. That last part of the scab is being real persistent.

2. Rice cereal still seems to be Karsie's food of choice, which makes sense. The flavor is probably as close to breast milk as all the foods we try.

3. Karsie is ever so slightly starting to stiffen her legs when put upright. She is still slow at it and not real strong, but it's coming.

4. Karsie has started to really talk. She's been working on her "M" sounds, which really sounds like "mama" if we didn't know she has no idea what she's saying. She also is working on her "B" sounds. She's still being stubborn with her "Omph" sounds which we're trying to get her first word to be "omphalocele." We'll see how that goes.

Things Karsie still needs help with:

1. Legs - while we see improvement, her legs are still pretty weak.

2. Neck - we also see huge improvements during tummy time. She is able to lift her head for a few minutes and even look around. Her endurance has improved a lot too, but it's still weak.

3. Cough - Karsie still has a lingering cough, which the doctors told us could happen after the hospitalization with RSV. She has one or two real good gags a day due to the phlegm being caught in her throat.

Five Things Friday

1. As many of you know Karsie was dedicated this past weekend. One thing we did not mention was a gift that Karsie's aunt Christine and uncle Todd gave her. For many years, when the little girls in Aunt Christine's family were dedicated or baptized, they were given a bracelet as a gift for the special occasion. They all still have theirs. The night before Karsie was dedicated she got her little bracelet and wore it the entire day.

2. Yesterday Kevin peeled off almost all of Karsie's scab on Pinky. What is left now is maybe as thick as a thin nail and as long your pinky fingernail. We're probably looking at another two days or so before we will be taking a picture of a completed Pinky. The human body is amazing isn't it?

3. Today Karsie ate like a champ. We have been giving Karsie little tastes of solid foods lately. All of which we are making here at home...even the upcoming food. Thank you food processor. She has been eating on a rotation of bananas, rice cereal, and sweet potatoes. Today was rice cereal. She downed about two table spoons without too much trouble. She has a tendency to get overwhelmed with the texture and gags, but she didn't do too bad today especially considering she ate a ton of food for her. Up next: pears.

4. This didn't happen this week, but when we were down in San Diego Karsie got to meet baby Matthew and Garrett for the first time. Matthew is another baby we have been praying for and, if you click on his button to the left of Karsie's blog you can see his story. He's a cute little thing. It was Matthew's birthday and Karsie was able to celebrate with Matthew and his family.

5. Karsie's talking has been getting much more developed. So much so that it has made quite a funny situation with her toys. She frequently talks to them. She coos and smacks and grunts at her toys. They, in turn, do nothing. So she talks a little louder. She gets to the point where she gets just frustrated enough that it's cute and she starts to scream at them. They have yet to respond to her.

Karsie in the Bath

The video version of the picture we posted a week or so ago.

Dedication Day Photos

We have a video of the dedication soon to go up, but until we can get it up we'll post some pictures. Today was a good day.

Reuben Welch holding Karsie after the dedication. She was so good for him.

Right after prayer Karsie gave this huge yawn and everyone laughed. We took two videos and only managed to get part of the yawn, but here we got a great picture of it.

Karsie was so great during the entire thing. She behaved right up until we sat down with her and the attention was not on her anymore.

Reuben's Sunday School class was getting ready to start and we wanted to get a quick picture of the three of us right before we left.

The family with Karsie. We took literally dozens of pictures of different families holding Karsie and Karsie posed for every one. We have all of these people plus her godparents and extended family members holding her and she gave out huge smiles for all of them. Unfortunately when we wanted to do the big family picture she was spent. So we got one of her chewing on her fingers.

His Child...His Message...

Dear Bug,

Not that He hasn't claimed you as one of His testaments already, but today your mom and dad are publicly acknowledging that you belong to God. Since you were born we all have been aware that you were something special. We prayed, from the very first day you were born, that we could keep you and that you would grow up to know the gift that you are to us and to the world. Your story has touched our life as it has so many others. So today when you look out into the eyes of the church and at us, we know that those are the eyes of a baby but it's the voice of God. We are so proud of you and we continue to be thankful for the blessing that you have been to us.

Thank you God...

The Turners

Let the Countdown Begin

Pinky is almost complete! Her little "spec" left on her omphalocele has just now completely scabbed over. It was pink and a little gooey for a long time, but it is now hard and crusty. Which means that it's only a matter of time before it falls off and her entire belly will be skin! We think we'll get it in just around her 7 month birthday, but who knows?

Upcoming appointments: March 30th for G.I. doctors and Dr. Saenz (surgery). He'll be happy to see the skin growth. April something or other for Dr. Gossman (plastic surgery - she will be assessing her and announcing whether she is ready or not ready for tissue expanders which is our next step).

Tomorrow is Karsie's dedication at 9:00. All are welcome.

Five Things Friday

1. Karsie got to spend some good time with her Godparents this last weekend. They came to visit us... and Karsie had so much fun. At one point, Kelli was walking with Karsie and as soon as she sat down... Karsie fell fast asleep!

2. Last night Karsie got to try rice cereal with breast milk and bananas... she didn't get more than a spoonful in her mouth... but she did think it was fairly amusing trying it. Her favorite part was when I let her lick the banana... she liked that much better than trying to actually eat it.

3. Last night we headed to dinner with my parents and grandma... Karsie had been cooped up in the car seat/stroller for a good part of the day (the doctors visit, a LONG walk with some great friends, trip to Costco). She was ready to be home and laying on the floor and playing. We got into the restaurant and Karsie started fussing... then screaming. I didn't want to ruin dinner for all the other people, so I grabbed her and her food bag and we headed outside to walk around and see if she would settle. She did settle after a bit, so we went in for take two. Just as soon as we sat down... Karsie started at it again! I hadn't even dipped my chip in the white sauce! I knew she wouldn't settle until she was home. She had hit her limit... so Karsie and I headed back home. My parents brought me some dinner (thank you) and a little side of white sauce (thank you)... and Karsie played and was super happy. I am sure this will not be the last time a dinner is cut short due to my child.

4. Massages... Karsie LOVES to have a little massage after her bath. When we get her out of the tub, we put on her diaper and her dressing... then we grab some Burt's Bees Baby lotion (love the smell) and slather it over her little arms and legs... and she thinks it is about the best thing ever. If she is super mad (at being removed from the tub play time), this calms her down almost instantly... she especially loves it when we both pull her arms and legs at the same time... in a super stretch. She giggles and looks at us expectantly waiting for us to do that again!

5. Just another shot of us at the zoo... Karsie really liked the orangutan area (a favorite of ours)... she maybe didn't care about the animals... but we think she likes the color green... and that area is super green and lush!

GI Appointment Recap

Yesterday's GI appointment went very well... and I feel SO much better about things after having the chance to talk with the doctor and nurse! Let me give you a little recap of the appointment.

Karsie was weighed and came in at 5.845 kilos = 12 lbs 14 oz. This means that she has continued to grow very well over the last month. Things have slowed down a bit, but that is ok... she is right at her growth goal! She is finally on the growth chart (albeit very very low... but she has made it onto the chart)!

She is now allowed to officially start baby foods. We got the green light to start with bananas and rice cereal and slowly advance with feeding by mouth. All of this is to be done at Karsie's lead... if she doesn't want to eat one day, she doesn't have to. This is all supposed to be super pleasant experiences and we will let her dictate the pace.

We are also allowed to replace 4oz of her formula with 4 oz of breast milk. So her total calories for the day are being decreased! This is great news... and it also means that we are going to be able to put a dent in that milk supply! Yahoo!
I was taught how to replace the g-tube button and how to check it to make sure it is in properly.

We were only taught how to clean it in the NICU and then sent on our merry way... fully expecting to have to go to the ER if something happened to the button. However, now if the button comes out or if it needs to be replaced... we can do that at home! I feel SO much better now!

I talked with the doctor about tummy time... and the whole rolling over business. She felt that tummy time on her mat is ok... but tummy time on her belly is probably not the best idea. There are too many things that could kink or get smooshed that she would rather us not take any chances.

Karsie is going to continue on her meds for now. She doesn't want to change the meds because things are going well... and she doesn't want to change too much. Karsie will probably stay on the prilosec as long as she has the g-tube. It is a safe medicine so long term use isn't a problem. The reglan does have some possible side effects, but because it helps everything move through, it is very beneficial for Karsie right now. She is on a low dose and that is not changing.

As for the skin covering Pinky... the last little bit of granulation tissue is now scabbed over and should be ready to fall off pretty soon. We will continue to dress the wound until then, but hopefully very soon we will have pictures of the amazing skin without any granulation tissue!

Overall, the appointment went very well and we go back at the end of March. At that appointment, we will get to start looking at condensing during the day time! Hooray!

Zoo Day

Some highlights from today's zoo trip:

Watching the orangutans... and the people! Karsie had a great time.
Kelli, Karsie, Mom... after a lovely trip around the zoo! Now... off to get some of that delish zoo ice cream!

Splish, splash... she was takin' a bath!

Karsie LOVES her bath time... she has this special bath seat to use at Nana and Grampa's house... and she was having so much fun splashing her feet and making all kinds of noise! She stayed in the bath an extra long time today just playing in the water!

Two Pokes...

Today Karsie was such a little trooper!
She has a GI appointment on Thursday and so we had to make a trip to the lab to get some blood drawn in preparation for that appointment. She waited patiently in the very crowded waiting room for over an hour... and then when she was called back she endured two pokes to find a good vein. She did get pretty angry that she had to have multiple pokes... but after it was done she was pretty happy about the pink wrap on her wrist. She especially enjoyed gnawing on it and the new feel of the rubber on her gums.
Since her appointment isn't until Thursday, we plan on relaxing and enjoying some down time for the next two days. Karsie is excited about taking lots of walks and enjoying a bit of sunshine!