Dear Maddie,
So after I got home last night I was able to catch the end of the Oscars. No, not about the little green guy who lives in a trash can. It's a big night in Hollywood where all the famous people dress up and give out gold statues, yes it's a silly thing to do, but I digress...
Well, spoiler alert here, but Colin Firth won the Best Actor award this year. Who's he, you ask? OMG! How do you not know?!?! Well Miss Maddie, Colin Firth is a British actor who apparently this past year was in a movie about King George VI during WWII, blah blah blah. But what you really need to know about him is that he also acted in the BBC/A&E version of Pride & Prejudice! He was the dashing Mr. Darcy! Who's that? Oh just one of the most romantic characters in all of literature. You'll find out one day dear Maddie. Maybe soon! Perhaps I'll have to bring my copy to start reading to you! But in any case, when you're older, you'll read this wonderful Jane Austen novel and we will have a girls' night and watch the 5 hour long version with Colin Firth playing Mr. Darcy, and you will fall in love with it! I promise!
I can't wait! We'll have the cutest little crushes on Mr. Darcy! Well, yours will be cute, mine might not be so cute by then. :P In the meantime, I'll be teaching you about Pride & Prejudice and Mr. Darcy. And I can already tell by your sassy personality that you'll be very much like Miss Elizabeth Bennet!
I love you!
Aunt Beth
Monday, February 28, 2011
Miss Sassy McSassy Pants
Dearest Madeline.....
From the day you were born, you have been sassy. You are my sassy, very opinionated girl who has the most wonderful, sweetest soul. I guess those are some great qualities in a person and you will get far in life with those. You know what you want, you will let us know until you get it, but always say thank you in a sweet way after you receive what you are after. You have SPUNK! And with that spunk and determination you have, you will have no problem with what you have to do to beat this thing.
And yesterday during your surgery, we were really trying to help steer your future by hooking you up with the chief surgeon's 7-month old son. "Marry Rich!"
Love,
your Mommy
From the day you were born, you have been sassy. You are my sassy, very opinionated girl who has the most wonderful, sweetest soul. I guess those are some great qualities in a person and you will get far in life with those. You know what you want, you will let us know until you get it, but always say thank you in a sweet way after you receive what you are after. You have SPUNK! And with that spunk and determination you have, you will have no problem with what you have to do to beat this thing.
And yesterday during your surgery, we were really trying to help steer your future by hooking you up with the chief surgeon's 7-month old son. "Marry Rich!"
Love,
your Mommy
Quite the impression
Dear Madeline,
Everyone who has been involved in your care here at Hopkins so far has been quite impressed with your progress. Your surgery last night went very well, but it was also unexpectedly intracate. Shortly after you arrived pediatric intensive care unit after surgery, the PICU staff time and again marveled at your vital signs. They had expected you to experience a more challenging post-op recovery. What a champ you are!
The PICU nurses removed your breathing tube this morning and you are breathing very well on your own. Your chest x-ray is clear and PICU wants you outta there! They are a little concerned though. Despite my warnings, they are finding how fiesty you are and noted your increasingly level of aggitation. What they don't know is whether the aggitation is because you are in pain or because you are just so darn annoyed at being tethered to all of these wires and lines.
Everyone who has been involved in your care here at Hopkins so far has been quite impressed with your progress. Your surgery last night went very well, but it was also unexpectedly intracate. Shortly after you arrived pediatric intensive care unit after surgery, the PICU staff time and again marveled at your vital signs. They had expected you to experience a more challenging post-op recovery. What a champ you are!
The PICU nurses removed your breathing tube this morning and you are breathing very well on your own. Your chest x-ray is clear and PICU wants you outta there! They are a little concerned though. Despite my warnings, they are finding how fiesty you are and noted your increasingly level of aggitation. What they don't know is whether the aggitation is because you are in pain or because you are just so darn annoyed at being tethered to all of these wires and lines.
Flirting
Dearest Maddie,
Your surgeon was flirting with you yesterday. He tried to buter you up by stating the obvious-you're gorgeous! DUH! He told us he has a 7 month old son, he might be trying to fix you up with him! Your too young to date, but hang on to his number, he is the son of a famous surgeon.
Your Great Grandma Smith would tell you to marry rich...a wealthy man. Nah-marry for love!
Anyone can buy fancy gifts from Tiffany's, Sotheby's and other ritzy places, not everyone can steal your heart!
I love you precious!
Your surgeon was flirting with you yesterday. He tried to buter you up by stating the obvious-you're gorgeous! DUH! He told us he has a 7 month old son, he might be trying to fix you up with him! Your too young to date, but hang on to his number, he is the son of a famous surgeon.
Your Great Grandma Smith would tell you to marry rich...a wealthy man. Nah-marry for love!
Anyone can buy fancy gifts from Tiffany's, Sotheby's and other ritzy places, not everyone can steal your heart!
I love you precious!
In the Beginning...
Dearest Maddie,
Your Daddy & Mommy, Grandpa, Uncle Joey and others said I wrote an Epic Novel for my first blog to you. They're jealous because they didn't share your story from the beginning.
OK, so I don't usually economize on words. My plan is to drench you in extravagance as I share your story, I'm not a cheapskate!
I love you precious, Maddie!
Your Daddy & Mommy, Grandpa, Uncle Joey and others said I wrote an Epic Novel for my first blog to you. They're jealous because they didn't share your story from the beginning.
OK, so I don't usually economize on words. My plan is to drench you in extravagance as I share your story, I'm not a cheapskate!
I love you precious, Maddie!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Maddie, can we talk?
Dear Maddie,
You and I really need to have a important talk. So tell Mommy and Daddy to scram, this is just for you and your Aunt Beth.
Okay, are they gone? Good! Well, Miss Maddie, I need to tell you, you are the most special little 7 month old in the whole world!! And, as so many doctors and nurses have said, you are BEAUTIFUL!! Your huge, gorgeous eyes and your enchanting, contagious smile have captivated everyone who has met you (myself included). Please know that this is a major tool in your arsenal!! Maddie, be sure to use your charm, smile, and innocent eyes to your advantage! "Mommy, I want some ice cream for dinner! Of course Maddie, how could I deny you!" I will definitely aid you in your journey of wrapping your parents even more tightly around their fingers. We'll have girls days out! Aunt Beth will come to take you and your big sister Josie out for adventures! And if our adventures happen to lead you to come back home with lots of new goodies, well, we'll just have to accept that fate!
You and I really need to have a important talk. So tell Mommy and Daddy to scram, this is just for you and your Aunt Beth.
Okay, are they gone? Good! Well, Miss Maddie, I need to tell you, you are the most special little 7 month old in the whole world!! And, as so many doctors and nurses have said, you are BEAUTIFUL!! Your huge, gorgeous eyes and your enchanting, contagious smile have captivated everyone who has met you (myself included). Please know that this is a major tool in your arsenal!! Maddie, be sure to use your charm, smile, and innocent eyes to your advantage! "Mommy, I want some ice cream for dinner! Of course Maddie, how could I deny you!" I will definitely aid you in your journey of wrapping your parents even more tightly around their fingers. We'll have girls days out! Aunt Beth will come to take you and your big sister Josie out for adventures! And if our adventures happen to lead you to come back home with lots of new goodies, well, we'll just have to accept that fate!
pssst... hey Maddie.....
Dear Maddie,
While you're in surgery, I think it's as good as time as any for me to share some secret advice. You might not know it now, but you're getting a golden trump card. "What's this?" you ask.
Here's how it works. For example, let's suppose you want a pony. So you'll say to Mom and Dad: "Mommy and Daddy, I would very much like to have a pony and I remember that you let Josie have a goldfish one time. So, can I have a pony one time?"
Now, your parents will reply "no". And they'll try to be reasonable about it, and they'll decline without actually saying no. In fact, they'll probably say something like: "Oh, Maddie, it's so sweet that you want a pony, but where would it sleep? I don't think a pony can sleep in your room because it can't climb the steps, and we don't live in a house that can have a pony." See, they'll be tricky.
While you're in surgery, I think it's as good as time as any for me to share some secret advice. You might not know it now, but you're getting a golden trump card. "What's this?" you ask.
Here's how it works. For example, let's suppose you want a pony. So you'll say to Mom and Dad: "Mommy and Daddy, I would very much like to have a pony and I remember that you let Josie have a goldfish one time. So, can I have a pony one time?"
Now, your parents will reply "no". And they'll try to be reasonable about it, and they'll decline without actually saying no. In fact, they'll probably say something like: "Oh, Maddie, it's so sweet that you want a pony, but where would it sleep? I don't think a pony can sleep in your room because it can't climb the steps, and we don't live in a house that can have a pony." See, they'll be tricky.
Precious Maddie..
Dearest Maddie,
Grandpa and I were at a work conference in Gatlinburg, TN the day you were born - July 11th, 2010. When it was my turn to stand on the stage to address more than 150 people, did I talk about the topic? No!!! I told everyone that our precious, Madeline Victoria was born!!!
Everyone there broke into applause, they were so excited that God brought you into this world safely. CLAP, CLAP, CLAP for Maddie!!!
Beautiful baby Madeline, full head of dark brown hair and gorgeous big, brown eyes. You took our breath away and still do.
Grandpa and I were at a work conference in Gatlinburg, TN the day you were born - July 11th, 2010. When it was my turn to stand on the stage to address more than 150 people, did I talk about the topic? No!!! I told everyone that our precious, Madeline Victoria was born!!!
Everyone there broke into applause, they were so excited that God brought you into this world safely. CLAP, CLAP, CLAP for Maddie!!!
Beautiful baby Madeline, full head of dark brown hair and gorgeous big, brown eyes. You took our breath away and still do.
... and now we wait.
Dear Madeline,
After hours of waiting for a bed to open up in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the wheels were finally set in motion for your surgery today. We wheeled you down one floor from the pediatric oncology unit to the operating room at about 3 PM. Your mother and I escorted you into the surgical prep area, dressed in scrubs, discussed the game plan with the anesthesiology team, and then kissed you one last time before the anesthesia went to work.
Mom and I met up with family in the general OR waiting room, and then promptly got up to go for a walk to clear our heads and talk to each other about what we were thinking. We ended up in the chapel saying some major prayers as tears streamed down our faces before collecting ourselves and rejoining our support system.
We got word at about 4:30 that surgery was finally underway after 90 minutes of prep work to implant a central line, breathing tube, and IV sites. And now we wait some more. We were advised that the surgery itself would take at least 3 hours, perhaps as many as 5-6 hours. We know you're in great hands, but you are your father's daughter, and I'm not very patient when it comes to things like this. I'm anxious to be by your side as your recover in the PICU.
Love,
Daddy
After hours of waiting for a bed to open up in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the wheels were finally set in motion for your surgery today. We wheeled you down one floor from the pediatric oncology unit to the operating room at about 3 PM. Your mother and I escorted you into the surgical prep area, dressed in scrubs, discussed the game plan with the anesthesiology team, and then kissed you one last time before the anesthesia went to work.
Mom and I met up with family in the general OR waiting room, and then promptly got up to go for a walk to clear our heads and talk to each other about what we were thinking. We ended up in the chapel saying some major prayers as tears streamed down our faces before collecting ourselves and rejoining our support system.
We got word at about 4:30 that surgery was finally underway after 90 minutes of prep work to implant a central line, breathing tube, and IV sites. And now we wait some more. We were advised that the surgery itself would take at least 3 hours, perhaps as many as 5-6 hours. We know you're in great hands, but you are your father's daughter, and I'm not very patient when it comes to things like this. I'm anxious to be by your side as your recover in the PICU.
Love,
Daddy
... it all seems to fit together. If only we knew to look sooner.
Dear Madeline,
In your brief 7 months of life, you've managed to humble your old man on a daily basis. From the date of your birth to this morning, I've felt challenged by you and rewarded for the effort. We've shared sleepless nights, we've had our fights, and we've worn each other down into submission. Your mom and I often looked at each other in astonishment and defeat, wondering why your first months have been so difficult for such a young baby, especially given your more recent instances of spitting up almost the entire quantity of any amount of bottle you consumed, loss of appetite, intolerance of sitting up and laying on your back for anything more than a few minutes, and general crabbiness.
Last week, you developed an ear infection and, a few days later, you began your first course of antibiotics to treat it (even if the pharmacy forgot to add the compounding liquid to the powder). That gave you some brief relief from Monday night into Thursday morning. Then your mom noticed an odd reaction in your foot: redness, swelling, it was hot to the touch. We wondered if it was an allergic reaction. Just after Mom set up an appointment for you with the pediatrician for the next morning, you presented your first blood-stained diaper.
In your brief 7 months of life, you've managed to humble your old man on a daily basis. From the date of your birth to this morning, I've felt challenged by you and rewarded for the effort. We've shared sleepless nights, we've had our fights, and we've worn each other down into submission. Your mom and I often looked at each other in astonishment and defeat, wondering why your first months have been so difficult for such a young baby, especially given your more recent instances of spitting up almost the entire quantity of any amount of bottle you consumed, loss of appetite, intolerance of sitting up and laying on your back for anything more than a few minutes, and general crabbiness.
Last week, you developed an ear infection and, a few days later, you began your first course of antibiotics to treat it (even if the pharmacy forgot to add the compounding liquid to the powder). That gave you some brief relief from Monday night into Thursday morning. Then your mom noticed an odd reaction in your foot: redness, swelling, it was hot to the touch. We wondered if it was an allergic reaction. Just after Mom set up an appointment for you with the pediatrician for the next morning, you presented your first blood-stained diaper.
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