Avery can now roll over from her back to her tummy. The first time she did it was two nights ago. I had just gotten both kids out of the bath. Avery was laying on her towel and I was busy putting a new bandage on Corbin's back. The next thing I know, Avery has rolled over, off of her towel, and then she wet the carpet. It was pretty funny.

And speaking of funny, Avery thinks Corbin is the funniest thing ever. Check it out.

No more drain

Today I feel pretty proud of myself. I removed Corbin's drainage tube. The doctor told us how to remove it, but I was pretty nervous about it. The hardest part was cleaning around the stitch, so that I could cut the stitch out. After I did that, the drain was really easy to pull out. Corbin didn't even flinch during that part! It definitely helped that he was watching "The Jungle Book" and so he was nice and distracted. I am glad that I was brave enough to remove the drain (and it took me a day to build up that bravery). I think it would have been more traumatic for Corbin to have the doctor remove the drain.

Corbin is really happy that he doesn't have to wear his big bandage anymore. It was kind of annoying, because it was always falling off. Here's to hoping that he continues to heal well. I am still nervous about infection, because there is now a hole in his back from where the drain was located. I will be so glad when Corbin is 100% again!!

Here is a picture of the tube yesterday.

This gives you an idea of the total size of the drain.

Avery rolls over

Today Avery rolled over from her stomach to her back! I put her down on her tummy, and then I went to put the laundry in the dryer. When I came back, Avery was on her back. I asked Corbin if he had rolled her over, and he told me no. So I put Avery on her stomach again, and she rolled to her back again!

surgery

Yesterday we took Corbin to the hospital for his test/surgery. The doctor put him under anesthesia and did a test to see if there was a kink in his ureter, that was causing his kidney to swell. The test found that there was in fact a kink, and so the doctor performed surgery right then to fix the problem. The doctor told us that Corbin's ureter was folded back and forth on itself many times. Almost like a spaghetti noodle. He cut out the bad part and stitched the ureter back together. A stent was put in, that will need to be removed in about 6 weeks. The doctor also put in a drainage tube that will need to be removed in 5 or 6 days.

Corbin is doing really well. He was so brave at the hospital. I was really proud of him. He got scared when they tried to put the mask on him to put him to sleep, and tried to fight it off, but I thought he did great.

After surgery, they moved Corbin into his room. That was where Clark and I had to split up, because they wouldn't allow Avery to come into his room (in fact, she wasn't supposed to go any further than the floor's waiting room). However, after about 3 hours of Clark and I switching places, the person in charge of the waiting room took pity on us and called the nurse in charge and got permission for us to bring Avery into Corbin's room! It was so nice of them, and it made it so much easier for us all to be together. Clark ended up staying the night at the hospital, and Avery and I left around 10:20 pm, and came back again at 8:30 am. Avery was an amazing little trooper at the hospital. She was happy just to go with the flow, and let us really focus our attention on Corbin. However, I think she is really happy to be home today. She went down for a nap at 5:15 pm, and it is now 8:45 and she still hasn't woken up. She might just be down for the night.

That first night after surgery at the hospital, Corbin did a great job drinking and eating. He had some pain at the incision, and it was really hard for him to use the bathroom. But the pain is slowly getting better, and Corbin is really taking it like a champ. After we got home today, we told Corbin that he had to use the bathroom, and Corbin clasped his hands together and said the whole way upstairs, "I hope it doesn't hurt, I hope it doesn't hurt, I hope it doesn't hurt." So sad that he has had to undergo surgery again. Let's just hope and pray that it the last one for him!!

Before surgery

In the playroom, before surgery.

In his room, about 4 hours after surgery.

The next morning. Moving around more, and playing more.

Daddy and Avery

We discovered some construction outside our window. Corbin loved watching them. This was about an hour before they discharged Corbin. They had just removed his IV and his heart monitor, and Corbin was very happy to be able to move around more.

On the way home, Corbin fell asleep almost immediately. And he continued his nap for another 2 hours after we got home.

4 month stats

Here are Avery's 4 month stats:

weight: 13 lb 5 oz 45%

height: 23 1/4 inches 50%

head: 16 inches 45%

* Avery has started grabbing at toys in the last month.

* She LOVES putting her hands in her mouth.

* She has a love/hate relationship with her paci. She loves having it to go to sleep, but she is unable to keep it in her mouth for more than 5-10 seconds at a time.

* Avery is not sleeping quite a s good as she was at 2 months. But I can count on her going to bed by 8 pm at the latest. Usually she is asleep by 7 pm, which is so nice. Having my evenings all to myself has helped to preserve my sanity while Clark has been traveling for the last 4 weeks. Thank goodness he comes home today and doesn't have anymore big trips planned for the next little while.

* Avery's had a little bit of her umbilical cord stump still stuck in her belly button. At her appointment yesterday the doctor was able to pick it out. So I got my first good look at her cute cord-free belly button.

* I love having a little girl. It is way too much fun to make headbands and flowers for her to wear.

* Avery tends to giggle when I get her dressed. I think she is going to be a ticklish little girl :)

Avery's 4 month photo shoot