Family Time

I know it has been a while since I have written, but things have been very busy. I am pleased to say that Charlotte continues to eat well and my arms can tell the difference. She hasn't been weighed recently, but I am sure that she has gained and will post a weight probably sometime this week. I think we will all be impressed. Some of the recent foods she has had are - macaroni & cheese, cool whip, chicken & rice casserole, chicken, pancakes, eggs with cheese, fish, french fries, lunch meat, peaches, green beans ... the list goes on. I don't want to bore you too much, but the struggle with eating is so much better than it was. The gagging now only comes when she is full, but her favorite foods she opens right up for. It is such a wonderful feeling, and we are very thankful that she is eating so well right now because it makes the other stressors in our life that much easier to handle.

Charlotte has 2 Dr. appointments this week, one to see the GI surgeon to change her "tube" into a "button". It will be less bulky under her clothes. Unfortunately, we have been having some problems with the "wound" healing, and have to treat it with something that burns the new skin growing inside of it. The Dr.'s say that it doesn't hurt the kids that have this (it is common with G-tubes), however, if you had to hold down your screaming child while they did it, you would argue with them just as I am. The worst part of it all is that it has not gone away with the first 4 treatments, so they decided to send some home with us to do every other day! What we have to do is so unpleasant, and I absolutely dread it. Sometimes, I get so scared about what kind of memories she will have about all of the "procedures" she has been through, with lab draws, and poking and proding of multiple physicians.... It brings tears to my eyes, but I must believe that we are doing our best to help her... Sigh...I haven't written about this because I don't like to write about unpleasant things, but tonight, it was just too much...hard, heartbreaking, and as much as I would like to tell you everything has been great with her tube, it hasn't. I don't remember being told that this "granulation tissue" was such a problem, but hers has been. Anyway...I'll quit typing about it, but please pray for it to go away. On a good note, we only have to use the tube for feedings at night...

Moving on...

The other appointment this week is with her Neuro Surgeon. This means we will be scheduling her hopefully final surgery. We are hoping to schedule it for the first week of June.

And finally, more pictures...what you really want to see.

This was taken the weekend after Easter, my Dad and Rob came to visit for the weekend.

Aunt Sara, aka "SaSa", Charlotte and I had a sewing day to start April off...

Baby Hemmann on the way...

A big smile for the camera

I can't get enough of how excited she gets about Mickey Mouse... Letting her sit on the couch like that , she looks like such a big girl. We have been using the couch for some of her Physical Therapy, trying to teach her how to climb up on it and sit down to read books.


This was taken at Aunt Kim's soccer game with Grandma Hawn

Sara and I made the trip to Kansas together to spend some time with my family before my Great Grandmother's funeral. On Monday night was the NCAA College Basketball tournament. Of course we are KU fans, and we got Charlotte dressed for the big game too. We even got her some KU sneakers.

Posing with her Great Grandma Pool before the game

Playin ball and entertaining herself well. She did really good until we started hollering during the game. Then she got scared and she and I had to watch the rest of the 1st half in the other room. She went to bed at half time, which was probably a good thing since I jumped off the couch when they went into overtime...

Posing again...

This is her Great Grandpa Pool...but we all call him Papa

This is Grandma Valorie and Charlotte's Aunt Laura, my brother's wife.

This was taken the day of Charlotte's Great Great Grandmother's funeral. The service was nice, and we learned many things we didn't know. She had kept a journal since she was about 80 years old, recalling things from her childhood and things about each of us. It was so neat to hear some of her insight. The journal was intended for all of us, and we plan on making copies for each family member to have.

Uncle Matt, aka UTM (Uncle Traveling Matt), Charlotte & Aunt Laura. Matt is in the Airforce as a linguist. I think I may have lost count, but he knows approx. 6 different languages...

Great Grandpa Davidson & Charlotte. My battery ran out and I didn't get a good picture with Great Grandma Davidson...next time.

Well, that concludes this long entry. I am sure to have more to type/talk about this week. Things are going pretty well and we hope they stay this way. Charlotte has become pretty attached to me, and although we got pictures with most of the family, it was a little difficult to keep her smiling. She loves them all, but whenever I'm in the room, she is usually reaching for me. Everyone tells me this is just a phase, and not that I mind that she loves me, I don't. I just want her to feel secure, and I can't help but think that her insecurity stems from all she has been through. I just hope that she doesn't lose the ability to trust...

No more deep thoughts tonight, I promise.

The Hawns