Palate Surgery Recovery

After a very long time of waiting, FL was finally done with surgery!

It took even longer for them to find us a bed in a specific area of the hospital.   We were in recovery with her at 10 and got in our room around 2.   The staff has been very accommodating and friendly.   Everyone loves our girls (surprising, right?) and the overall experience has been very positive.  It's nice to be in a place where everyone expects children to be children.  I don't have to worry about C being too loud while we wait or putting her feet on the furniture, etc. Everything is designed for them, right down to colorful shapes and sparkles on the floor!

The picture above....  Goodness it is hard to look at now.  FL is so pale and miserable looking.  She was determined to play, though.  C was so happy to see that FL was ok and for us all to be together again.   She was also slap-happy, as she didn't sleep the night before, got up at 4 am and had missed her nap as well.

After a while, it was just too much.  She wanted to be awake, so she just watched us and watched C while she played.  I took a look at her mouth and told her that the doctor helped her and she was "all done" with her cleft!   I made a big deal out of it and how it looked (it really is amazing!) and told her "good job" which is a thumbs up sign in our family.  Above, she is signing " good job" - she really did do a great job!  I was amazed at her level of calm and that she still had her sense of humor even though it was right after surgery!

You may notice a barrette in her hair.   I took C's out and FL began searching for hers frantically.  I asked C to share, which she willingly did, and put it in FL's hair.  She was very happy!

C enjoyed hospital food, running around in her underware and television in bed.   To her, we were just in another hotel!  She is a princess no matter where she goes!

FL couldn't be kept down for long!  She and C and I had a great time playing with an ID sticker.  We got lots of laughs out of all of us!

During our adoption process, we were discouraged from getting two children at one time by more people than I expected.  Every day I am so glad I listened to God and not all of those people!  These two may fight like sisters but they love each other so much.  They provide support for each other in a quiet and beautiful way that I can't really describe.  God knew what he was doing when He brought them together in the same family!

FL heard all about C's adventures during the day in the wagon and wanted a ride, too!  After some chocolate pudding and motrin, we loaded up with the dollies and went for a ride to the nurses' station to ask for more chocolate pudding for FL and some vanilla pudding for C!

When I think of all that has happened to these two in their very short, little lives I am amazed at the wonderful, loving, funny and enjoyable children that they are.  They are two, very, very special little people.  These past three months have changed my life and caused me to grow in more ways than I ever thought possible.  They have NOT been easy, but looking back...  there just aren't words.

I love you, little ones.