Isabella kept herself busy watching "Aladdin" while she waited to be taken to surgery with Hamot Harry (her bear) by her side.
The Child Life Specialist did a great job explaining everything that was going to happen, and Isabella was able to decorate her mask (for the sedation gas) with stickers and choose the scent that they would put inside the mask. Who knew that they would smear scented chapstick inside the mask?!? Isabella chose bubble gum, but now I think she regrets that decision because she associates the smell with the feeling of being sedated (which she really didn't like). 
The surgery took about an hour, and the doctor said that it went well and as planned. Although, he mentioned that her tonsils were "rotten." I found that to be an alarming choice of words, but he explained that it looked like the tonsils had been infected numerous times and they wouldn't have gotten smaller on their own. I'm guessing that Isabella has had several (or many?) cases of strep or tonsillitis, but we didn't know! Hopefully, she'll have some relief once she's healed! When she came out of surgery, Isabella needed a bit of oxygen to keep her oxygen saturation level up before she woke up fully from the anesthesia.
Mike got Sienna on the bus in the morning and dropped Elijah off with a friend (thanks, Kim!!) before he sat in traffic for almost two hours on his way to the hospital. Thankfully, he made it in time to see Isabella have her first popsicle as she was transferred from the recovery room to her room for the night. 
Movin' on up-to the sixth floor!
Once she got settled, she tried her first few bites of Jello.
Isabella nibbled another popsicle while she snuggled with her new giraffe, Ginny, and watched a movie.
Taking a much needed nap! Sweet girl!
The Child Life Specialist stopped in several times with a variety of movies and activities. Isabella learned how to make lanyard/gimp bracelets (after I re-learned how to do them and taught her), and I read part of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to her. She really wanted to check out the playroom, but she felt dizzy every time she stood up because of her pain medication. She finally rallied enough to take a stroll down the hall before bedtime. She clearly didn't feel well, but Isabella got through several games of Guess Who? and Connect Four before we headed back to her room.
The following morning Isabella enjoyed her first cup of ice cream for breakfast! This was what she was waiting for, but I think she would have foregone the whole experience and skipped the ice cream. She was definitely in more pain than either of us expected, but she was a trooper!
Isabella enjoyed more ice cream when we got home, and she managed to smile for the camera even though she didn't really feel like it! Several of her friends visited her after school and brought her get well cards and goodies. Sienna was only a tiny bit jealous!!
The first few days were rough, but she's doing much better now that it's been over a week. She's finally eating pasta and more of a variety of soft foods. Now that she's feeling better, I have to be the bad guy who won't let her run around or wrestle with Sienna and Elijah. She'll have a follow-up appointment with the ENT on Monday at which time she should get the green light to resume all of her normal activities!
Ryan's cousins, Jack and Emma (my cousin, Liz's, kids). Does Emma look like Sienna, or what?!? They even share the same birthday!
My carving, 
Both 
Patrick M. from Connecticut came in a ridiculously close second with 37 votes for 
The other pumpkins in this category in alphabetical order:
Ellie L. (age 5) from Massachusetts came in second in this category with 13 votes. 
Calvin L (age 7) designed and carved 
