Countdown to Surgery

And thus the waiting begins. We have eight days until Emily's surgery and we are on "lockdown." No play dates for Ana, no outings for us and all the arrangements are made for the big day. I thought this time would go so slowly because we're basically house bound (we are trying to keep Emily healthy because surgery can be postponed if she gets sick), but it seems the opposite is happening.

We have begun explaining surgery to Ana who is three and doesn't quite get why Emily has to have her lip cut and why she'll be in pain. We've explained to Ana that Emily needs the surgery so her lip can look like ours and so she can eat better. She nods and seems to understand then says, "I don't want Emily to get surgery." She does understand that grandma will be here watching her while we take Emily to the "baby hospital" (To Ana, this is the same strange and mysterious place we went to when Emily was brand new and got to come home with us).


Emily is as happy as ever and very adept with her hands. Even though she wears socks most of the time so she won't take the NAM out, she still manages to take it out and/or get the socks off (I found them both off and above her head this morning in her crib). She doesn't get that skill from me!

Ana, for her part, is an amazing sister. She doesn't seem jealous of Emily although she has a habit of taking her favorite "baby toys" and adding them to her stash of favorite toys (this is an ever-growing heap of toys in one corner of the living room that she refuses to clean up. We call it her hoard). She was diagnosed with Lyme Disease a few days ago and I haven't really had time to panic about it since we caught it early and she's taking the antibiotics with vigorous enthusiasm (it's bubble-gum flavored). Still, I'm concerned about any long-term implications (hmmm, wonder if I should start a Lyme Disease blog?)