Good-bye, G-tube port!

Timmy had to undergo a minor surgical procedure the day before New Year's.  Although no parent hears the word "surgery" and thinks "minor," no matter how routine the procedure, this truly was a minor surgery in the grand scheme of Timmy's world.  The feeding tube that had been surgically placed in his tummy between his two open-heart surgeries has been gone for about six months now, but the opening in his belly never healed completely.  A one-hour, out-patient procedure to close the now unnecessary g-tube port was successful. Timmy was a Super Trooper through out the whole process, and he has been recovering phenomenally.  Here are a few pics from our day at Children's Hospital in Seattle.

 

This is how the kiddos spent their time in the waiting room.

Waiting for the doctor to be ready, Timmy snuggled up with Daddy and watched videos.

Elmo got to go back to surgery with Timmy, and looked particularly cute with his own hospital bracelet.

Mommy also got to go back to surgery with Timmy until the anesthesia kicked in, and did not look particularly cute in her one-size-fits-all sterile space suit.

Nana came along to help us, and baby sister Emily slept through the whole event, perhaps tuckered out from all of the earlier waiting room antics?

Christmas 2011 at the Hulse Home

Christmas this year was filled with special blessings, not the least of which was celebrating it together with our wonderful folks.  Emily's first Christmas was made especially memorable for us when, upon receiving her first baby doll as a gift from Gaga, she stood up excitedly and WALKED over to her Daddy to show him her dolly.  First steps on Christmas morning, and all of us gathered around to see and share in the experience!  Timmy also made the occasion extra special by giving the grandparents a photo memory book of his first three years, then talking them through it, narrating it's pages with his own stories to accompany each photo.  The day after Christmas was also fun and relaxing, playing with all of the new toys and enjoying down time with the family.

Decorating for Christmas

Decorating for Christmas this year was the most fun it has ever been!  Timmy, at 3 and almost a half, was old enough to do much of the decorating himself, adding that special brand of magic that can only be called the Timmy Touch to all that he did.  Emily, at almost a year old, was old enough to be swept away by the awe and wonder of her first Christmas.

Assisting.

Advising.

Admiring.

Emily's first Christmas.

Timmy's first as a big brother.

Dragonflies evoke treasured memories of my father.

A recordable ornament with Timmy's baby voice saying his first word, "Mama."

"Spread them out, Timmy, so none of the branches will be lonely" was met with                                                                  "but I like them together like little berries."

Surveying his work.

Delighted with the outcome.

Mother and son in reflection.

The next morning, Emily's main attraction was Timmy's cluster of ornaments.

Chubby baby hand reaching, ever reaching for the shiny ornaments.

Christmas dress from Gaga.

Enchanted.

Reading Emi her first Christmas book.

Kiss.

Shiny, red, and...

...delicious, as suspected.

Stocking knit by Auntie Daneen.

That special Touch of Timmy :o)

The Return of the Cookie Monster--a gingerbread addiction is born!

Our first experiment in baking together was such a hit, Timmy and I decided to team up again to make gingerbread cookies for the holidays. 

Decorating gingerbread teddy bears.

Getting pretty skilled at the icing application

This batch was a team effort with Mommy.

And this one was Timmy flying solo.

We gave this batch to Timmy's preschool teacher, and she received them most graciously!

 A little unauthorized sampling.

Let the cookie consumption begin!

Teddy, where have you been all my life?

And a little authorized sampling of his hard work.

Count down to sugar high in 3, 2, 1...

Blast off!

Later that day... Um, you got any more of those in here?