Finally.

Ayanna & Ericka

"I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers.  It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage.  Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at."  -Maya Angelou

Sisters

      Hey everyone! I am Ayanna's older sister Ericka and today, I was just lucky enough to meet her. On 10.10.10 no less! After a long drive and being stuck in a ridiculous amount of traffic Gavin (my two year old son) Mom, and I got to seattle childrens hospital and I was badged (i know... so official!) I'll admitt i had no idea what to expect..i was extremely nervous to hold her considering when we walked in the room i was alot of tubes and contraptions i had no business being near but when i saw that sweet face i couldnt help but smile.
           She is without doubt one of the most accepting little babies i have ever met. She looked at me with those big brown eyes and i was hooked! Gavin fell in love too, her perfect little face made him giggle and we have officially decided to call her YaYa. :]]

        After a bath and a couple hours of cuddling she was ready for a nap and we decided to head home.. what a great day. I can't wait to see her again..

         I just want to thank all of the wonderful people who have touched her life so far...there have been countless doctors and nurses... all medical personel in general and all of the people who work behind the scenes to make this adoption happen, thank you so much..

        She's had an extremly tough start to life but you would never know it by her disposition...shes happy and full of love... Shes the best kind of blessing :]]

Ayanna, Nephew Gavin, Mama and Sister Ericka

              

**Thursday 10/6/2010**

Hello Everyone.....Ayanna is so amazing :)  She is set for a Wednesday discharge to come home...We had all of her nurses over for dinner last night and I am feeling very lucky to have nurses standing in line to come and play with her.  She is completely off her cpap all day and is only using it at night when she is sleeping.  I changed her trach today for the 1st time and she kept looking at me like "we got this momma" and didn't cry a tear....i was shakin' like a leaf.....but I passed with an A+ the Oto dr said so that made me feel good.  It's so funny the second I leave her room there is a volunteer to immediately come in and play with her so that is really nice....Please say a prayer that some more grants come in as I am really starting to stress that all of our legals aren't done/paid for yet but I know the man up stairs is trying to teach me to just let go and let him handle it.....anyways I will post again Saturday as her and I are going to have a sleepover.....i can't wait to snuggle her all night long.....

**Sunday post**

Hello Everyone...Ayanna is doing fabulous :)  She is off the ventilator all together now and just on cpap and only at night or when she is sleeping.  She is going into surgery tomorrow to get the broviak (central iv line) out of her chest in the morning as we are going to let her rest and get bigger and strong before we tackle the build her a bootie surgery and all the other repairs....the surgeons say we will wait till January so she can get good and strong....All the nurses at Seattle Children's are just in love with her and wanna keep her but we are still hoping to come home around the 18th of October...I am going to be doing all of my trach training this week and next so that way she can come home hopefully the 12th.....i really want her home so we can just love on her....thank you all again for all of your wonderful well wishes and prayers.....God is so good and is healing her by the day and making her so strong.....

**Saturday Update**

Hello Everyone....It has truely been an amazing week for us.  Ayanna is gaining weight she is up to 6.36 kg (12.7 pounds)....she is just on a cpap now and as of this morning she is not on anything whenever she is awake....
We had such a crazy busy day yesterday all of the nursing companies came to interview...it's so hard as they are saying that she has 16hrs of RN care per day available to her but I really want to do the majority of her care....I wish that I would hit the lottery I would fly Lisa out here....I am really missing her so much!!!! I find myself wanting to call her and give her report just so I can hear her voice....I need to have her make me and Ayanna a cd of her just talking.....
We are hoping to come home the 18th of October, but my goal is the 12th....we have amazing Dr's at Children's Hospital it's just so hard leaving her each day...I wish that I could just room-in, but I think Cameron and Sam would dis-own me. 
We are going up to see her and spend the day with her after I get off work...Cameron is excited to give his sister a bath and play with her crazy hair....he is so excited for her to come home...it's so funny he is constantly making excuses why he shouldn't have to go to school and he knows that he can't say he is sick as he really can't go....but some of the excuses are so funny....boy does he have an imagination!!!
I just wanted to thank you all that have bought pieces of Ayanna's puzzle...it is here and Cameron's youth group at church are putting it together each Wednesday so this week I will have new pictures to post of it coming together!!!!!
My goal is to have the last of the legals paid for by the time she comes home, so I can just focus on spoiling her and taking her to all of her appts....
She is starting binky training and seems to dig it...no gaggin' so we have lots of yummy food in our future!!!!
Thank you all for the continued prayers and support and hugs each week they are so amazing.....we love you all and I will post again tomorrow...
love you all
Teresa