Grandchildren Updates

Your favorite post--an update on these cute nine grandchildren:

 Ava--

It has been a bit of a roller coaster for Tosha and Austen over the past week or so.  Austen took Ava in for her four- month check-up and the doctor immediately expressed concerns about the noises Ava made as she breathes.  Ava has been a very noisy baby since she was born.  Nurses commented on it in the hospital, Tosha and I talked about it, and other medical professionals had commented on it as well, but suddenly this doctor was worried.  He also commented that her rib cage was very small for her body which made her breathing to appear retracted.  Again, her retracted breathing had been a reason they had taken her to the ER one night because it looked like she was breathing so hard.  Even in follow-up appointments, no one seemed concerned.  That doctor immediately ordered a chest x-ray to be done that day and indicated, depending on the results, they may decided she needed to see a pulmonary specialist.

The x-ray was done but it was a Friday afternoon so they had to wait the whole weekend to get the results.  Finally Monday afternoon, they heard from the doctor that Miss Ava was missing the bottom set of floating ribs.  This is rare but should have no real impact on her growth and development. Whew....but on to the pulmonary specialist which was set for Wednesday.

On Wednesday, she was diagnosed with laryngomalacia--which is a malformation of the laryngeal which causes the sounds she makes. Again very rare and again something that she is likely to grow out of by the time she is 2 years old.  They will watch her carefully because sometimes a surgery might be needed, but she isn't having any complicating factors currently. We feel very blessed because we know that many parents and many children deal with big things. 

(Extra picture of her since we had a story about her as well.)

And all I can say is that Tosha is the perfect mom for this little girl.  She knows a bit about bones and bodies and medical stuff herself.

Tosha with friends after an "art party"

Niki sporting his new glasses----

Niki and Cooper helping Tosha shopping.....Cooper just turned two on Friday.

The other news for Tosha and Austen is that Austen is scheduled to be deployed on Tuesday for 6 months.  This will be a new experience for all of them.  Fortunately they are spending part of the summer in Utah with us.  So glad that Austen was here while they were figuring out medical stuff with Ava and getting Niki glasses.  Parenting can be like that, where it hits all at once.

Scarlett and James-- Scarlett will be going to Kindergarten in the fall as will Niki.

Liam with a bunny

Zander

Carter--not too happy at this 6-month photo shoot

Alex--

 And because it is fun to see twins together, Alex and Carter on the swing.

And Jessica figured out how to make photos of all nine of them fit for my wallpaper on my phone:

Aren't they adorable!