last few day...

Ok.  Where do I start.  Let me start by saying that Tallulahs surgery went well.  Aside from a few puffy eyes she is doing fantastic.  Her surgery was a laser eye surgery.  The doctor that did the surgery, Dr. Lee, was a very nice man.  He gave us an amazing consultation.  It was very thorough including a slide show and a birds eye view of an actual eye ball from the inside out.  I just wish I had had the consultation before I walked in to see Tallulah for my nightly visit.  When we walked in there were several nurses around Tallulah which made me worry instantly.  One of them looked at us and smiled and said "we're just prepping her and we're about to intubate her,  I don't know if you'll want to watch".  At which point we walked right out of the room wondering what they were prepping her for.  As far as we knew the eye doctor was in there earlier in the day while we were there and he did an exam on her.  He said he saw some things that were concerning him and that he would call one of his colleagues to see what course of action he should take.  He left and we were obviously scared and my creative mind started wondering what he meant.  What had he seen that was "concerning" him.  Before I could get too into my head and what it all meant the eye doctor was back.  He said that he colleague was in town and would be able to see Tallulah today.  He recommended that T be sedated for the exam since they use these medieval Marilyn Manson horror movie looking metal clips that hold eyes open.  When we walked into the room I just assumed they were sedating her for the exam with this colleague.  As we waited in the lobby for one of the nurses to tell us they were done putting the tube in, one of our Team Tallulah members Wendy came over to wish us and Tallulah good luck and to tell us that she was in good hands.  She must have seen the look of confusion on my face because she began speaking again and said Dr. Lee....hes a great surgeon.  I was like WHAT?  She asked if he had met with us yet and we both shook our heads and she looked like she felt like CRAP!  She went in and told the nurses with T that we weren't aware of the surgery about to begin and guess who walks in...Dr. Lee.  They tell him we are out there and have no clue of whats going on and he comes out to us.  He introduced himself to us and said "you must be Mr and Mrs Tallulahs parents?".  I had to laugh.   Even in this serious, scary, tense, emotional state that I am in...I had to laugh.  He asked us to follow him into the conference room to talk and he lead the way.  As we walked behind him me and Daddy were laughing and cracking up because he couldn't see our faces as we had surgery masks on.  So he assumed with my long hair that I was the Mrs.  How funny!  I've been called worse so why correct him.  Hes about to perform surgery on my tiny precious babys' eyes do you think I'm going to piss him off because he called me a Mrs...Hell-to-tha-No!  We just followed and laughed.  Once we got into the conference room we took our masks off and I studied the confused look on his face...especially since I hadn't shaved in 2 days.  My stubble is on full glory and he couldn't keep his eyes off of it.  Fast forward to his amazing consultation and a few slashes of our signatures on a few lines and he was off to perform the surgery.  We found ourselves in a familiar position again.  The family room that they put you in while your child is in surgery.  Thank goodness everything went well. 

Tonight we walk into the hospital with our normal happy eagerness to get to Tallulah.  As we walk into the nursery one bed is missing.  Tallulahs bed.  Of course my stomach sinks.  We look at all of the nurses, night shift nurses just getting on shift, and they all have blank looks on their faces.  I'm like,  HELLO...WHERES MY DAUGHTER!!!   One of them calmly sends us back to the front desk to find out where shes been moved to.  We go back to the front and they tell us she had been moved into room 276.  Sigh.  We go into room 276 and peek around looking for some sign of Tallulah.  Of course the pink blanket with Tallulah Rue Adkins-Bonilla embroidered on it is really what I'm looking for.  No sign of it.  None.  We ask a nurse for our baby and again... blank faces.  I'm starting to feel like I'm in a freakin Twilight Zone episode until one nurse calmly recommends we go to the front desk and ask where shes been moved to.  We go back out there and are told OOOppps.  Shes graduated.  Shes in 280 now.  Sigh!.  280 is a much less critical room than the previous 2 rooms shes been in.  Its a smaller room with less babies.  Its cute.  Tallulah is the new kid at school again but this time its a cozy room with dim lighting and we heart dim lighting.  T-Rue is such a trooper.  I thought I had seen strength before but this tiny little girl is re-defining the word for me.  She is such a rock star.  Daddy held her tonight for one full hour.  One uninterrupted hour of solid sleeping.  She loves being held.  She just relaxes and gets into a breathing groove with you.  Its an amazing feeling.  It has totally cured me of my constant dreams of being pregnant.  I played the "follow the finger" game with her to check her vision.  She totally followed my finger in all directions.  That made my heart happy.  It made Daddy's heart happy too because I could see his smile through his mask. 
Ok.   We are all caught up.  Good night and say a little prayer for my T tonight please.  Thanks...Tallulahs Papi...R

Stretch T...

Scrunch T...

Daddy-GaGa

this is what Daddy does while I hold Tallulah...

Jan 26 post surgery...

closeup snuggle sleep...

am I day dreaming or am I holding an angel???

and T makes 3...

Pretty angel in my arms...

Everything went well...

Dr says he feels confident that he did what he intended to do.  I hope she is fine and will never ever remember any of this!!!   R

NEED YOUR PRAYERS...

I really need your prayers again.  Our lil miss T. is having surgery on her eyes right now as we speak.  She has a condition called R.O.P.  Something about the blood vessels in the eyes not developing correctly.  Anyway, they said it should be about an hour per eye and we are sitting her going crazy.  I will update you guys a little more tonight.   Say a prayer for our T please....Thanks...R

pic from 1 21 2010...

a bright close-up for a bright eyed angel...

a collage from 1 20 2010...

which way did he go???

another from 1 20 2010...

A hand full of Tallulah...

pic from 1 20 2010...

Full on Tallulah Rue...

pic from 1 19 2010...

pic from 1 18, 2010

My mom and Tallulah.  This is the first time she got to hold her.  She was very excited.  She hearts T!!!

Finally videos

Yeah for me,  Yeah for me.   Papi finally got around to uploading videos onto Youtube and have officially started T.T.V.  Tallulah Television.  I will be uploading and changing them out regularly.  Check them out to the right of this post...thanks...R

Tallulah is also registered at Target...

Papi and Daddy LOVE LOVE LOVE Target so we had to register our T-Rue there...

Browse and shop this registry online at:
http://www.target.com/registry/baby/014399700706426
You can also view this registry at a registry kiosk in any Target store. Simply visit the registry kiosk near Guest Services.
Either way, you're sure to find the perfect gift for the perfect baby."

Tallulah is registered at Babies"R"Us - Baby Registry

We r registered... T is doing fantastic and we are planning her homecoming next month by starting her nursery. Check out her registry... The shower will be on Sun Feb 21. More info coming soon. Thanks guys...R

Babies"R"Us - Baby Registry

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

So soso so Sorry...

Ok.  So I haven't written in a few days.  SORRY.  I could sit here and say that I have been really busy at salon and running back and forth between the hospital and the salon....but you already know that.  Tallulah is progressing along beautifully.  She is almost 3 lbs now.  She is very alert and very very beautiful.  She is liking her new room a little better now.  She has made a few friends there and that always makes it easier.  All of her old friends from the old room come and visit her too and that makes her Papi's heart smile!  She has been bottle fed once and according to the Team Tallulah she did really well.  Daddy and I have to take turns holding her now.  One of us will cradle her all swaddled up in the day for a shorter period of time.  Then at night the other kangaroo's with her for a longer period of time.  We are totally obsessed with her.  Its all we think about, talk about and dream about.  Sometimes we are driving in the car and we both get silent.  After a few minutes we just minutes one of us will just look at the other and realize how nerdy we are being and we start laughing.  We are so excited about her coming home soon.  We will be able to start decorating her nursery soon.  As a man that has always wanted to be a Papi to a little girl you know that I am going to hook her nursery up!!!  Twice  XX XX.   I know for sure there is going to be a harp in there somewhere.  I want the feeling of her room to be similar to the feeling of how we picked her name.  Tallulah Bankhead was an amazing actress with and even more amazing personality.  I want my T-Rue's room to feel like a dressing room for an actress from the 20's or 30's.  The vanity dresser.  The perfume bottles.  The sterling mirror and brush and comb set.  The large black and white pictures on the wall.  The rich fabrics in rich colors.  I think I'm going to do a big silhouette of hippos in tutu.  In black and white of course.  Maybe even in a damask fabric cut out.  I don't know yet.  Now that I am getting to do things in reverse its weird.  I planned on doing a nursery a certain way, but now I am making a room for Tallulah.  She is such a blessing that I want to do it right.  I am so excited to start it though.  Okay.  I promise not to go this far  without posting.  I thank you guys for all of your support and love.  Tallulah is thriving because of it.  Well, because of that and our amazing Team Tallulah members like Dominique, Wendy, Allie, Katrina...there are so many that I could go on and on.  They know who they are and how much Papi, Daddy & T-Star heart them!  R

GUESTBOOK...GUESTBOOK...GUESTBOOK...GUESTBOOK...BUESTGOOK

Thank you all for signing the guest book at the top of the page.  I get a tickle out of it.  I tell Tallulah about you guys and where you are from.  I appreciate you guys support soooooooooooooo much that I cant say it enough.  If you havent had a chance....SIGN TALLULAHS GUESTBOOK ABOVE....thanks...R

more from 1.16.2010

pics from 1.16.2010

pics from 1.15.2010

pics from January 14, 2010

My oh My...

It has been a major last 2 days for us and T.  First off she is doing fantastic.  As beautiful as ever.  Yesterday, Daddy got to kangaroo care with her again.  He was in heaven.  Its  getting more and more comfortable holding her.  In our evening visit I got to swaddle her.  Holding her in my arms all wrapped up with her big expressive eyes looking up at me was a dream come true.  I enjoy kangarooing with her because she feels so warm on my skin and so relaxed.  But being able to look at her every move and coo is what I live for.  Her every yawn, saliva bubble and semi-cry are simply amazing to me.  I know I've said it before but Daddy and I have been talking about this baby Tallulah for so long that to have her looking back at me is just a WOW  moment. 
As if that weren't enough for one post I have more news.  As we walked in for our nightly visit we were instantly told that Tallulah had been moved into a new room.  She has been upgraded to a less critical room.  Its her first graduation.  I'm going to have to get her a little cap and gown.  It was weird walking into the new room.  I felt like the new kid at school.  Not my normal familiar faces smiling back at me.  Not my normal corner spot near the weight conversion scale.  NOPE.  Instead a bunch of new babies, nurses and families.  Don't get me wrong they were all smiles and stuff,  but still.  Tallulah seems to like her new room too.  She feels a little more grown.  I am so thankful for all of the nurses in room 288 for all of their patience, knowledge, care, comfort and guidance through the most difficult and amazing journey of our lives.  I will never forget any of your faces!  I may forget your names, but I never forget faces...So don't get mad at me when we bump into eachother at Target and I dont say your name....You are appreciated!  R

Middle of the road...

Tallulah is not having the worst day in the world, but she is not having the best either...its kind of one of those middle of the road days.  Her precious little lungs are having a hard time keeping up with her.  Nothing major, just a little dip in the roller-coaster ride that is the NICU.  All and all she is doing great.  My mother and I went in together while Daddy went to Target photo department to pick up a  photo book made for Tallulah with the first 8 weeks worth of photos in it.  I took her temperature first and then it was bath time.  I got nervous for some reason.  Its not like I haven't done it before but it was the first time I was doing it for Team Tallulah Nurse Nellie....  WOW.  That sounded like a cute cartoon character name.  Team Tallulah Nurse Nellie, T T N N .  I like it.  Okay.  So it was the first time my mother was watching me do it too.  When I get nervous I talk...go figure...so that's what I did here.  Just talked my way through it.  Step by step.  Literally.  Asking T T N N for instructions as I went.  Before I would go on to the next step I would ask for permission and then do it.  My mothers hands were in the air trying their hardest to stay out of the crib.  She is a control freak like me. I kept reminding her that all her changing experience wasn't worth squat with me because she had 3 boys...she has no clue on changing girls...XX  XX.  That stands for clap clap   clap clap.  While bathing her she decided to take a peepee.  Luckily we had put down one of those thick pad things to catch it all up.  After we bathed her we diapered her and changed her bedding.  We got her all relaxed and ready for her meal.  She is really drinking it up.  Thank goodness.  Daddy got there and mom left and he came in.  We loved on her and loved on her and loved on her and then had to go.  I heart my Tallulah Rue.......................................R

My growing star is shining!!!!!

Sleeping Like A Baby

(posted by "Daddy" because Papi is sleeping just like Tallulah tonight)

After we saw our little ray of light tonight, we came home to work on getting the baby shower evites together for Tallulah's shower next month.

Looking at Daddys Chest...

Daddy holding his Tallulah Rue...

Tallulah and Daddy starring at eachother...1 5 10