Most Beautiful Thing

Almost 3 year old Eli had a fit tonight. And I all I could think was how beautiful and pink he was. 

To a mother of a heart baby I don't think there is anything more beautiful than pink lips, pink nose, pink hands, and pink feet on the crying heart child. 

Bum-age

Eli is our chunky monkey. He weighs just a few pounds less than his brother (who is 2 yrs and 7 months older). We think Isaac is 38 pounds, and Eli is more along the lines of 33 to 35 pounds. This is pretty amazing considering Eli's heart condition.

Take a peak at their bums, and be amazed!

Weight comes with disadvantages though. His coloring can quickly take a turn for the worst when upset, and he is starting to look "blue" most of the time. Though it is really noticeable in pictures. Can you tell his coloring is off? (Remember his oxygen saturation is 78 to 84%.)

A Wal-Mart Fit

Eli is a crazy boy. So much spirit and spunk! He is always up for wrestling, running, jumping, playing peek-a-boo, you name it. I'm actually kinda surprised with how well he is doing. 2 years ago, when we found out in utero that he had a congenital heart disease, I was expecting to have a little boy who wanted to sit and be sad all the time. That is not the case! I am so grateful for that.

But I have to say, with so much energy, comes really big fits.  He is very willing to let you know when he is not happy.  Crying and screaming most likely will ensue. This causes him to be sweaty, and now I am starting to really notice a color change.

A few weeks ago we were in Wal-Mart, checking out, and Eli wanted a drink. He kept pointing at the Pepsi products, and I kept saying we will get a drink when we went home. Well 19 month olds don't quite understand patience.  He cried and screamed and flung him self all over the place in the seat of the cart. Then I started to notice his color change.  He became a purple-grayish color. Head to toe. To be honest, it scared me.  

Alright, Eli, lesson learned. I will always carry water with us. Even if the trip is a total of 15 minutes long, a water bottle will be in the diaper bag. 

Coloring

Eli has a lower blood oxygen saturation. A typical person has a blood saturation of 95 to 99 per cent, but Eli's blood saturation ranges between 78 and 84 per cent. This lower saturation is due to the mixing of the pink and blue blood because of the holes in his heart. Well this dubs him as "blue baby." The coloring of his skin isn't really blue, but off a bit. One can really tell in photographs.

Eli at 9 months old--Christmas '09

Eli on the left and his big brother Isaac on the right 

When Eli has his last surgery next year all the holes in his heart will be mended and his blood oxygen saturation will within normal range. No more "blue baby!"

Oh, this lower blood oxygen saturation makes Eli become tired and cranky very easily. I just got to remember in those moments of excessive whining, that, "he does not feel well, he does not feel well." Despite this he is one happy, crazy baby!