Saturday, October 23, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
"Sprout"
Meet Sprout Saraiva (or as Erin calls "him" Russell!) due to make an appearance March 22, 2011. Today, Sprout is 7 weeks old and is as big as a "chubby grain of rice"! Sprout has no arm buds or feet, but Sprout does have a strong heartbeat of 130 bpm!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Coming soon...
Yeah, so I promised a new post about 4 months ago and never delivered...sorry bout that! I PROMISE something will be coming VERY soon! Can you hold on a little bit longer?! You can?! Awww...thanks!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
It's been a while...
but I promise there will be a new post soon! Can't believe I haven't written anything since February!!
Monday, February 8, 2010
RE- POSTED*******CHD Awareness Week February 7-14, 2010...Erin's story
I first posted this in February 2010...
This is my little survivor...
Erin Alissa was born January 19, 2007...
She weighed 6 lbs.5 oz. and was 19 in. long...
When Erin was 10 days old we took her for her first office visit with her doctor...
That is when he heard a murmur.
Because I have a faint murmur that has never been treated with any medication I was not worried when he referred us to see a Pediatric Cardiologist. We visited Dr. Rotondo on a Monday 3 days later...
After careful testing, observation and an echocardiogram we learned that Erin had a congenital heart defect.
"Approximately 40,000 babies are born each year in the United States with a CHD. There are 35 different types of CHD's."
Erin was diagnosed with a Ventricular Septal Defect and an Atrial Septal Defect
Often, VSD's close on their own. This would not be the case with Erin.
We decided that it would be best to put a call in to Children's Hospital Boston and start the process of scheduling open heart surgery. In the meantime Erin needed to gain weight for her upcoming surgery...
We had Erin baptized on February 4, 2007 with only a few close family members present. We had to keep Erin as healthy as possible.
On February 7, 2007 Erin was taken by ambulance to our local children's hospital. She had an episode of shallow breathing. She was admitted, treated and then released 4 days later. She would be taking daily doses of the medications Digoxin and Lasix.
We waited for the call from Boston and in the meantime Erin lost weight due to her lack of eating. She would fall asleep during feedings. She wouldn't wake during the night like typical infants when they are hungry. Erin had no energy and was frail. We were very worried as we leaned on family for support...
Erin was admitted to our children's hospital again on February 17th. She was in heart failure.
We stayed at the hospital until February 19th and then were transported by ambulance to Boston for pre-op testing.
On Wednesday, February 21st, Erin underwent open heart surgery.
A week and a half later we were on our way back home. Erin still required daily dosed of Lasix to rid her body of excess fluid and we had to be very careful when holding her but you could tell only 2 days after her surgery that she was on a fast track to recovery.
Today Erin is a happy, healthy 3 year old! She will visit her cardiologist once a year for some time but requires no medication and has no physical limitations. The sky is the limit for Erin...
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and somehow, I think she knows it!!
This is our story and sadly most stories of babies born with a CHD don't have as happy an ending.
Congenital heart defects are the #1 birth defect in the United States. Nearly one of every 100 babies is born with a CHD. Heart defects begin in the early stages of pregnancy, usually in the first 8 weeks. Most women don't even know they are pregnant. In most cases there is no known genetic causes of CHD's and there are 35 kinds. One out of 125 babies will be born with a CHD. There are prenatal tests that can be done to detect heart defects.An echocardiogram can accurately detect many heart defects and are performed by a specialized doctor and not an obstetrician. Some heart defects can be detected by ultrasound. Most heart defects can be corrected or helped with surgery, medicine or devices such as artificial valves or pacemakers. In the last 25 years, advances in treatments of heart defects have enabled half a million children U.S. children with significant heart defects to survive into adulthood.
For more information, visit www.littlehearts.org. If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about your prenatal testing options.
Happy "Heart" week!
This is my little survivor...
Erin Alissa was born January 19, 2007...
She weighed 6 lbs.5 oz. and was 19 in. long...
When Erin was 10 days old we took her for her first office visit with her doctor...
That is when he heard a murmur.
Because I have a faint murmur that has never been treated with any medication I was not worried when he referred us to see a Pediatric Cardiologist. We visited Dr. Rotondo on a Monday 3 days later...
After careful testing, observation and an echocardiogram we learned that Erin had a congenital heart defect.
"Approximately 40,000 babies are born each year in the United States with a CHD. There are 35 different types of CHD's."
Erin was diagnosed with a Ventricular Septal Defect and an Atrial Septal Defect
Often, VSD's close on their own. This would not be the case with Erin.
We decided that it would be best to put a call in to Children's Hospital Boston and start the process of scheduling open heart surgery. In the meantime Erin needed to gain weight for her upcoming surgery...
We had Erin baptized on February 4, 2007 with only a few close family members present. We had to keep Erin as healthy as possible.
On February 7, 2007 Erin was taken by ambulance to our local children's hospital. She had an episode of shallow breathing. She was admitted, treated and then released 4 days later. She would be taking daily doses of the medications Digoxin and Lasix.
We waited for the call from Boston and in the meantime Erin lost weight due to her lack of eating. She would fall asleep during feedings. She wouldn't wake during the night like typical infants when they are hungry. Erin had no energy and was frail. We were very worried as we leaned on family for support...
Erin was admitted to our children's hospital again on February 17th. She was in heart failure.
We stayed at the hospital until February 19th and then were transported by ambulance to Boston for pre-op testing.
On Wednesday, February 21st, Erin underwent open heart surgery.
A week and a half later we were on our way back home. Erin still required daily dosed of Lasix to rid her body of excess fluid and we had to be very careful when holding her but you could tell only 2 days after her surgery that she was on a fast track to recovery.
Today Erin is a happy, healthy 3 year old! She will visit her cardiologist once a year for some time but requires no medication and has no physical limitations. The sky is the limit for Erin...
.jpg)
and somehow, I think she knows it!!
This is our story and sadly most stories of babies born with a CHD don't have as happy an ending.
Congenital heart defects are the #1 birth defect in the United States. Nearly one of every 100 babies is born with a CHD. Heart defects begin in the early stages of pregnancy, usually in the first 8 weeks. Most women don't even know they are pregnant. In most cases there is no known genetic causes of CHD's and there are 35 kinds. One out of 125 babies will be born with a CHD. There are prenatal tests that can be done to detect heart defects.An echocardiogram can accurately detect many heart defects and are performed by a specialized doctor and not an obstetrician. Some heart defects can be detected by ultrasound. Most heart defects can be corrected or helped with surgery, medicine or devices such as artificial valves or pacemakers. In the last 25 years, advances in treatments of heart defects have enabled half a million children U.S. children with significant heart defects to survive into adulthood.
For more information, visit www.littlehearts.org. If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about your prenatal testing options.
Happy "Heart" week!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Welcome to my life, kid!!
The table is set and everyone is waiting...
You've worked hard on the meal and slaved away for hours (or maybe minutes)...
Things are finished and you're ready to serve...
What? You're all done? We just sat down!
Did you really just throw those on the floor?
That's it! Time out for you!
I've had enough! It's time for bed!
Hee hee! I love when the shoe's on the other foot!!
You've worked hard on the meal and slaved away for hours (or maybe minutes)...
Things are finished and you're ready to serve...
What? You're all done? We just sat down!
Did you really just throw those on the floor?
That's it! Time out for you!
I've had enough! It's time for bed!
Hee hee! I love when the shoe's on the other foot!!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Erin at 3 (in 9 days!!!)
Oh, my sweet little girl. How these past 3 years have flown by! I am no longer able to call you my baby without you correcting me and telling me, "I NOT a baby!!" Little do you know, you will ALWAYS be our baby!
* I love the way your lips purse when you are concentrating. You look like one of those "tweens" who pout their lips for the camera. You also like to squint your eyes real small when you pretend to be annoyed with your Dad or me. It really is too cute!
* You don't enjoy sitting on the "Time Out" step when you misbehave. You usually are only put on that spot when you climb up the stairs without me or your Dad right there with you. It is nice of you to let us know when your 1/2 way up that you'll, "be right back. I need to get something!" But you still aren't allowed to climb those stairs yourself, yet!
* Though you don't enjoy "time out" yourself, you do love putting others in their own time out like Nana, Mommy or Bearie...or Miss. Sarah at school!
* You love to watch the T.V. show Olivia on NickJR. It is one of your favorite shows I suppose, though I'm sure any show you watch is your favorite. You can be quite the couch potato when we let you!
* You still carry your Blankie and Bearie around the house. Once strictly used for nap or bedtime they now come out with us on our many out of the house adventures. You'll even ask, if you know we are going somewhere like Grammy's or Target, "I bring Blankie and Bearie too?" Yes, Erin. They can come!!
* You have many baby dolls named Sally! You got the first "Sally" for Christmas last year and now every doll, except Shelly (who used to be my doll) is named "Sally"! You're such a good Mommy!
* Right before Christmas you asked on a daily basis if you could have a baby sister or brother. You told us that "Daddy can buy it at Target. NOT Wal-Mart!" You did get a new baby doll from Santa and we told you it was your baby sister and you've been fine with that!
* You enjoy being creative with either music or art. You have many instruments and when listening to a song you really like, you'll take out your instruments and sing along. You usually take your piano out when you hear a John Mayer song. He's one of your favorite singers along with Laurie Berkner. Your favorite song is She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain. When driving in the car you'll ask to hear this song over and over and over. Often, I have to pretend that the CD is in Dad's car so I can get some peace!
* You have many friends at school but you especially enjoy playing with Lana Melmed. Her grandmother and Grammy used to be best friends in high school!
* Your real best friend is our cat, Zoe. Sometimes you'll tell me that cats, "don't like to play, only doggies!" You keep trying to get Zoe to play, though! She's the first person you ask for when you get home from school! You are always asking where she is and you tell her you love her daily! Someday she will be very happy that you love her so much! Just not today...so stop letting her bite you!
* You LOVE your grandparents and see both sets of them on a weekly basis. You still enjoy sleepover's at your Grammy and Poppa's house and are very happy to be able to play with their new dog, Teddy! Nana and Pa take you out to breakfast a few Sunday mornings a month and you enjoy being able to go back to their house and play with their dog "Pierre the Poodle"!!
* You got a new fish for Christmas from "Auntie Stevie" and you named him Leroy after Nana's fish, Leroy! Everyday you do your "jobs" and feed all your animals, Zoe, Bascha and Leroy! Having jobs makes you feel so grown up and is really helpful to me and your Dad, too!
* At night before bed you enjoy shutting all the upstairs doors and turn the lights off. Then you say in your ringmaster voice, "Presenting...!" You take after your Mommy when she was your age. You love to entertain and enjoy making yourself the center of attention!
We love you so much, Erin! Can't wait for your Olivia birthday party next weekend! You've been waiting all year for it to finally be YOUR birthday! You've been so patient!!
I love you to the moon and back!
XOXO Mommy
* I love the way your lips purse when you are concentrating. You look like one of those "tweens" who pout their lips for the camera. You also like to squint your eyes real small when you pretend to be annoyed with your Dad or me. It really is too cute!
* You don't enjoy sitting on the "Time Out" step when you misbehave. You usually are only put on that spot when you climb up the stairs without me or your Dad right there with you. It is nice of you to let us know when your 1/2 way up that you'll, "be right back. I need to get something!" But you still aren't allowed to climb those stairs yourself, yet!
* Though you don't enjoy "time out" yourself, you do love putting others in their own time out like Nana, Mommy or Bearie...or Miss. Sarah at school!
* You love to watch the T.V. show Olivia on NickJR. It is one of your favorite shows I suppose, though I'm sure any show you watch is your favorite. You can be quite the couch potato when we let you!
* You still carry your Blankie and Bearie around the house. Once strictly used for nap or bedtime they now come out with us on our many out of the house adventures. You'll even ask, if you know we are going somewhere like Grammy's or Target, "I bring Blankie and Bearie too?" Yes, Erin. They can come!!
* You have many baby dolls named Sally! You got the first "Sally" for Christmas last year and now every doll, except Shelly (who used to be my doll) is named "Sally"! You're such a good Mommy!
* Right before Christmas you asked on a daily basis if you could have a baby sister or brother. You told us that "Daddy can buy it at Target. NOT Wal-Mart!" You did get a new baby doll from Santa and we told you it was your baby sister and you've been fine with that!
* You enjoy being creative with either music or art. You have many instruments and when listening to a song you really like, you'll take out your instruments and sing along. You usually take your piano out when you hear a John Mayer song. He's one of your favorite singers along with Laurie Berkner. Your favorite song is She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain. When driving in the car you'll ask to hear this song over and over and over. Often, I have to pretend that the CD is in Dad's car so I can get some peace!
* You have many friends at school but you especially enjoy playing with Lana Melmed. Her grandmother and Grammy used to be best friends in high school!
* Your real best friend is our cat, Zoe. Sometimes you'll tell me that cats, "don't like to play, only doggies!" You keep trying to get Zoe to play, though! She's the first person you ask for when you get home from school! You are always asking where she is and you tell her you love her daily! Someday she will be very happy that you love her so much! Just not today...so stop letting her bite you!
* You LOVE your grandparents and see both sets of them on a weekly basis. You still enjoy sleepover's at your Grammy and Poppa's house and are very happy to be able to play with their new dog, Teddy! Nana and Pa take you out to breakfast a few Sunday mornings a month and you enjoy being able to go back to their house and play with their dog "Pierre the Poodle"!!
* You got a new fish for Christmas from "Auntie Stevie" and you named him Leroy after Nana's fish, Leroy! Everyday you do your "jobs" and feed all your animals, Zoe, Bascha and Leroy! Having jobs makes you feel so grown up and is really helpful to me and your Dad, too!
* At night before bed you enjoy shutting all the upstairs doors and turn the lights off. Then you say in your ringmaster voice, "Presenting...!" You take after your Mommy when she was your age. You love to entertain and enjoy making yourself the center of attention!
We love you so much, Erin! Can't wait for your Olivia birthday party next weekend! You've been waiting all year for it to finally be YOUR birthday! You've been so patient!!
I love you to the moon and back!
XOXO Mommy
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