She is really smart!

Well today has been a long one for Ash. She is trying so hard to be sweet and to play, but she is really shaky. They have given her another dose to try and help her stop shaking so much but she is just not able to rest. I was busy cleaning her up and changing her p.j.'s when I noticed that her entire little body is going through the withdraws. Her feet, her legs, her chest, her arms , her hands and her little head are shaking. She is just so frustrated. She is holding on to some toys and things but she is not really able to transfer them from hand to hand. It was so sweet when we placed the baby in the mirror back in her crib, she looked for a minute then waved once or twice and picked up a toy to share with her.

Even though Ashley doesn't feel well she never ceases to amaze me. She saw me opening a new hairbrush this afternoon and reached out to take it from me. She then proceeded to rub it back and forth across the top of her head trying to brush what little hair she has left. I was so surprised that she knew what to do with it. Later on I was straightening up her crib and she saw me pick up a stethescope that has been laid in there. She reached for it and the grabbed it with both hands and tried so very hard to put it in her little ears. Can you believe how smart she is? I am so proud of her for paying such close attention to others. We have started to play her Blues Clues movies again and when she is done watching them she waves bye-bye to the DVD to let us know to turn it off. The nurses are walking up and down the hall singing the Blues Clues theme song. I am so glad Ash is rubbing off on them.

We are having some difficulty with Ashley's central line and I am trying so hard to not say the wrong thing. I finally just asked my nurse to please make a note in Ash's chart that I have requested that no dressing changes be made while I am sleeping in the chair. I would like to have them wake me up and let me know. It looks like we may lose this line today because of a mistake that was made the other night and covered up under the dressing. I know it was done during the three hours that I fell asleep because of the date and initials left on the dressing. If I could stay awake 24 hours a day I would love that. I understand that mistakes can be made, but I do not understand not communicating that to a parent. I am really being tested on this issue and I am trying not to fail. They have taken an x-ray to check the position and then they will make a decision whether or not it has to be pulled. I hate to see Ash go through anything else, but I know that He is with her and that He is taking care of her.

The Tarheels lost in the 1st round this morning and from what I hear they just didn't bring their "A" game with them to the field. Thats o.k. though because we know they can't win them all every weekend even though that would be really great. I know they had fun playing and I am sure they will learn from this loss. Sometimes experience is worth sufferring through the defeat. I look forward to talking to Blake about the tournament. Allie has finished competing and is now waiting for the awards to be presented. Her Daddy said she was absolutely beautiful today and he thought she performed great. When I spoke to her this morning she told me he let her do her own make-up all except for the mascara. Then Dave told me he put Al's black stuff on her eyelashes and that he was an expert at putting that black stuff on. He may have found himself a new profession! I am a little worried about how the whole make-up thing really looked, but this is one of those areas I am haveing to trust God to take care of for me while I am away. I am sure she did a wonderful job. I am really blessed to be allowed to call these little people mine. I am so proud of who they are and I miss them so very much. I am going to go sit with my little blessing and watch her try to be her sweet self. I pray she will get some rest in at some point today because I can see how sleepy her little eyes are. Thanks for coming to her story today and for remembering her in your prayers. We are blessed to know you all. Trish