goodbye snoring princess

remember this post from last february? it all makes sense now. since that time, gia has become our snoring princess. i might just sneak in her room tonight to listen for a final time.

in just eight hours, my baby girl will be at the hospital with a plastic bracelet circling her wrist, wearing a child-sized well-washed gown, and in blissful ignorance of what is to come in the coming half hour. there is only so much explaining to be given a toddler busy coloring, singing, and taking care of her dolls.

in case you hadn't heard, the gia bee has ginormous tonsils and will be having them removed (along with her adenoids) tomorrow morning. enlarged tonsils are a cause for sleep apnea, which she has not officially been diagnosed with, but does show many of the symptoms. according to our ent, it is very difficult to diagnose sleep apnea in children - experts disagree on the criteria to use. basically, the tonsils, which are large while awake, relax and grow larger while sleeping. when gia is entering deep sleep, they close off her airway and she has to wake up and clench the muscle in order to breathe. not only is it dangerous and scary, but her quality of life is severely effected due to lack of good rest.

just last month, at her two-year-old well visit, the pediatrician referred gia to an ent for a consult on the tonsils. the last four weeks have been a whirlwind of appointments, planning and preparation for this surgery. while i am relieved she will be treated, it is hard not to become anxious at the idea of my baby being under general anesthesia for an hour.

the biggest concern, especially at this age, is post-op dehydration. we will be diligent and careful this weekend to avoid that. the lucamon is staying with cece and grandpa cashew until sunday. jesse is driving back now from the burbs after dropping the boy off. he was bouncing off the walls with excitement - his first solo trip to the grandparents. i was told he has already given his uncle christian a tutorial on how to play the leapster. :)

oh and one bonus about the timing - an excellent reason to have a few shamrock shakes this weekend.

please pray for us tomorrow! that it won't be too scary for the girl. that there will not be any complications and we will indeed be able to come home tomorrow afternoon. also that she will easily accept liquids to avoid dehydration. jesse and i will need comfort and peace as we wait for the almost two hours in the waiting room.

the above photo is gia's tired out face after a marathon of pre-op appointments on tuesday. notice the sweet flaco lovin' on his girl. (for that cat, it was love at first sight when we brought her home as a newborn.)