Left Aveolar Bone Graft and Lip Revision

On Thursday, January 26th, Laynie went to Utah Valley Hospital in Provo to have her final (we hope) cleft palate surgery done - a left alveolar bone graft and lip revision.

Laynie was the first surgery of the day and we had to leave Saratoga at 5:30 a.m.

They gave her fun activities to do to keep her mind busy.

Then they gave her some medicine to help calm her and ease her anxiety.

She was out like a light within minutes of having it administered to her.

Waking up from surgery is hard to do!

We stayed in a hospital room for 6 hours.  We were ready to go by 1pm, but they made us stay until 4 p.m.!!!  (It was super annoying.)

The recovery process meant 1 1/2 weeks away from school.  Days 3-4 were the hardest, but she made it through.

She has a new scare on her lip that will need to heal all over again.  She's been very self conscientious of it and insisted on wearing a masks to school for at least a couple of months.

We are hopeful this bone graft will take and that she won't need to have another.  What's in the future for this cleft cutie?  Now, lots of orthodontic work!

 

The X-Wing in the Pinewood Derby

Well... he did it again... Gavin won the Pinewood Derby!

This time with The X-Wing.  Gavin designed it himself and did a lot of the work on his own.

And... he was just as humble as when he won last year!

 

There's something so special about a baptism...

Alayna had a slight panic attack 30 minutes before the baptism was to begin.  She felt like her jumper was too big and bulky and she didn't want to come out of the dressing room.  Mom had to get Dad in the lady's dressing room to talk some sense into the girl!  Luckily, dad is more patient than mom and Laynie was finally convinced that EVERYONE looks baggy in their baptismal jumpers!

After the baptism, we had refreshments in the primary room.

Silly Laynie!

A week prior to Laynie's baptism, we got to go see Cousin Rosie baptized as well!  My Aunt Dixie and Uncle Robert were there as well as Lisa and her boys, Josh and Taylor.  This was my FIRST time ever meeting Josh and Taylor - and they're practically HS graduates...

 

Some Birthday Bliss - For Laynie and Me

 

Christmas Break

We hit the after Christmas sales at Walmart and let the kids each choose a gingerbread house to construct.

Gavin and Alayna were obsessed with a game Grandma/pa Anderson gave them called "What do you MEME?"

Justin and Joni invited Ryan, Misti, Chris, Ann, Matt and me to a FANCY medieval restaurant called Five Alls.  We had a gay ole time chatting and laughing it up!

Grandma/pa came to our house for NYE.  We ate a nice meal, played some games, had a toast, and lit a few fireworks to end the evening.

Farethewell, 2022!  And Hello 2023!

We've gotten a good amount of snow/moisture this year.  More than I can remember in then last 20 years.  Which is GOOD.  They say we need 3 more winters in a row like this one to get us out of our drought.  Halie invited Laynie over for some sledding fun and hot coco afterward.