Day 16

Thought I'd blog a little different tonight...Maddie is 16 days old, so here's 16 facts we've learned about our baby girl:

1. She is a squeaker & grunter (probably louder than our boys!) Pretty cute noises though!

2. She has inspired and touched so many lives in her 16 days of life. A true blessing to many.

3. She's very popular with the nurses...our ICU nurses have come back to visit her and get their "Maddie fix" since we moved to the floor.

4. She has 2 dimples, one in each cheek, as well as a small one in her chin (just like her daddy!) Very cute.

5. She burps like a trucker for such a sweet little thing.

6. She's a very content baby...only cries when she's really mad.

7. She has very sensitive skin...poor girl, didn't get that pretty Allred color.

8. She's a hard little worker and fighter. Tries so hard to finish her bottles, but tires out easily. Totally understandable!

9. Her heart is still overworked, won't be "normal" for her until she's had all 3 surgeries. The next surgery should be between 4-6 months (this late summer/fall) and her last surgery will be between 2-6 years old, depending on how she's doing.

10. She had an awesome surgeon- Dr. McMullan. Here's a picture of them from this morning. He's a very cool guy...always gives us all the time in the world to ask our billions of questions, some repeats, and he is just so "down to earth". We learned that he originally wanted to be a priest, then chose med-school and when he observed a VSD heart surgery, he instantly knew that is what he needed to become, a heart surgeon. He reminds me of McDreamy!

11. Maddie's heart is the size of her fist- like a walnut. Dr. McMullan operated on this walnut, sewing in her shunt with a needle the size of an eyelash. Amazing.

12. Maddie's congenital heart defect: Pulmonary Atresia with an Intact Ventricular Septum, Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome, Ebstein's Anomoly, Atrial Septal Defect. Her heart defect is very complex and very rare. She was born with half a heart, basically.

13. She will need to live "in a bubble" for a while...can't risk getting sick and a setback before her next surgery. Maddie is going to keep us home. And yes, I'm looking forward to it!!!

14. Maddie will see a cardiologist for the rest of her life. She'll also take baby asprin for the rest of her life, as well as Captopril (ACE inhibitor for her heart). The oldest survivors that have what she has are in their 20's/30's. We have hope that by the time she's that age, there will be something doctors can do to make her heart last a lifetime.

15. Madison Grace is the best thing that has happened to me. Although this has been the toughest thing I've ever been through, her gentle spirit and heart has brought us all closer together and strengthened our faith, hope and love. My relationship with our Heavenly Father has grown immensely as well as my faith in others. Depending on God and handing it over is a lesson that I'm learning daily and I know that He has helped me handle this as well as strengthened my little girl to make it through it. I'm eternally grateful for my Maddie and for God choosing us to be her parents.

16. Maddie has a HUGE fan base, we've learned. We are so blessed to have so many who love and care for her. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of your prayers...we know that this has helped sustain us during our difficult times. We believe in the power of prayer and Maddie proves this!