Sweet Ellison

I was just sent this precious picture of Ellison, so I thought I'd share it on the blog!

Hope you're feeling better really soon Elli!
We love you and are praying for you!

out of surgery

Ellison's surgery went really well!

Praise God for gifted surgeons! I just got off the phone with Josh and he said that she is in the PICU getting situated and they are anxiously waiting to see her. Elli will be on a ventilator until tomorrow morning and if all goes well they will be able to take it out then.
Thanks again for your prayers for this sweet family.

on their way

Hi Everyone! This is Anne's friend Katie, I will be updating her blog as I hear updates from them.
Anne just called me and let me know that they are on there way to the hospital where they will check in at 12:00 (Eastern time) and get ready for surgery at 2. Anne said that they all had a good nights sleep and Anne had to wake Elli up at 7 to eat her last meal until surgery. Please pray that goes well, I know how babies get when they're hungry!
Thanks for all the prayers and comments on their behalf!

PRAYER NEEDED

We just found out that Ellison will be having surgery tomorrow for her Larynomalacia, at Hellen Devoss Childrens Hospital in Grand Rapids at 2:00pm.
Ellison is not getting any better and is just getting worse.
Please pray for Ellison the Doctor's nurses and everyone that will come into contact with our sweet Ellison.
Please also pray for Josh and I as we go through this hard time. Pray for peace for us tonight as we prepare for tomorrow.

My friend will be up-dating our blog while we are in the hospital. So you can check back to see how things are going.
(Thanks Katie)

Tradition

Nana and Papa Stuttman have been giving Ellison a book every month since she was born. They write a cute little note inside the book a well.


Here is a picture of Nana reading to Ellison.


This is such a fun tradition they have started!

The Unexpected

We're a month and a two weeks into our new life and adventure. Becoming a parent has been so incredible. Rewarding, challenging, exciting, and sometimes scary.

From birth Ellison has had a little "honk" when she breathes. We started calling it her "goose" noise even before we left the hospital. The Peds docs and nurses all told us that it was most likely congestion due to the fact that c-section babies don't get the fluid squeezed out of them like natural birth babies do. Sounds funny now that I type that out... In the beginning Elli had issues with weight loss which led to a few extra trips to see the doctor. After 5 weeks and trying different things to relieve the congestion we realized that it wasn't improving. That's when the doctor referred us to an ENT to get a better idea of what was going on.

Little Elli in her swing!

Anyone who is a parent knows that anytime your doctor refers you to another, specialty, doctor you start to get worried. The ENT specialist gave us the diagnosis, Ellison has laryngomalacia.

Laryngomalacia: The epiglottis is small and curled on itself (omega-shaped). Approximation of the posterior edges of the epiglottis contributes to the inspiratory obstruction. (From B Benjamin, Atlas of Paediatric Endoscopy, Oxford University Press, NY, 1981,

This means that our little baby girl has a partially obstructed airway, and is going to have to have a surgery to fix it. She is going to have this done at Devos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids. We met with the surgeon and he had to scope Ellison again and he gave us the same diagnosis. As of now the surgery is scheduled for October 18th, we have an appointment with the surgeon again on October 15th for a final decision. We are told that the doctor who will be performing the procedure is an incredible doctor and that the staff in the PICU there is second to none. While this makes us feel a little better about all this happening we are still scared for our little one.

As an extra precaution the doctor has had us put her on an apnea monitor. So there are two electrodes that are attached to her sides that measure her heart rate and monitors her respiration. It's made dressing her and diaper changes quite a challenge but it's also given Mommy and Daddy a little more piece knowing that our angel is breathing.

Those who already know have asked what they can do for us. At this point all we can ask for is prayer. We hope that you would pray for Elli, for the doctors and nurses who will be performing the procedure, and for peace and some sort of comfort for us.

This is not what we expected as first time parents, but with the grace of God, and the love and support of family and friends we are making the best of what we have.

1 month

Ellison Grace you are one month old!
(Mommy is just a little behind blogging about it)

You weigh about 8.5 pounds and seem to be growing all the time.

You wear newborn diapers and are still in newborn cloths,and you are finally starting to fill them out.


You like your bath, as long as the water is nice and warm!



You eat every 3 hours and are getting better with nursing every day.

The most you sleep at one time is about 3 hours sometimes 4.




You have just started to smile! You are also focusing on things and studying whoever is holding you.

You sleep in your bassinet in Mommy and Daddy's room. You love to be held, and seem to sleep best this way.






You have been to Target, meijers, down town Holland and the Doctor's office.






You do not like to get in your car seat, but once you are in you fall asleep pretty fast.

You have had lots of visitors come to your house to meet you!


Sara Mommy's college roommate


Katie and Grayden


Lena your best friend that was born 2 weeks before you!

We have found that you love music. You will listen to whatever Mom and Dad have on there iPhones.


We love you Ellison Grace and feel so blessed you have come into our lives.