Indescribable Legacy

So, as our little Whit has already presented quite a miraculous legacy in his short lifetime - we have witnessed another miracle through faith, prayer, and patience.  I can never put into words how it feels to be told that your unborn baby will die.  To feel him vibrant and living inside of me, with unknown expectations of birth.  To have discussions of an infant funeral.  To have no idea what is going to happen to your baby when he is born, if the small chance of survival were to happen.  To have your baby whisked away by Texas Childrens' neonatal specialists resuscitating his small 1 lb 15 oz body to give him every fighting chance of life.  To face torturous days of the Neonatal ICU with dreadful news after dreadful news.  In days of frustration (such as a small breakdown that I had last night), I do not have to go very far in my heart and mind to remind me what a miracle we have!  I cannot and will not try to describe it.

In earlier blogs, I mentioned prayer requests for my sister-in-law and her pregnancy.  Well, on May 19th, another miracle arrived!  Sweet baby George Hudson joined this world with an enormous blanket of grace covering him!  You see, George was given the prognosis of a genetic disorder that would leave him "severely mentally retarded," according to geneticists.  He would need a feeding tube, as his brain development would not allow for him the oral motor skills to suck or eat.  His brain would not develop motor skills such as walking or the ability to develop language.  His parents were told of the great possibilities that he would not be independent at any point in his life.   The devastation was a black cloud that followed throughout the pregnancy - much like the rain-cloud that follows Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh.  My job is working with babies with developmental delays, and I was listing all of the positives in my mind in how I was going to help this little baby boy.  I provide therapy for a baby with similar genetic disorders that George was predicted to have.  I was ready, but praying that and believing that God could provide much better therapy than I ever could.  The outpouring of prayer and support that embraced Amy and Christopher was immeasurable - just as immeasurable as our experience.  While completely different in how our stories are told - exactly the same in how indescribable the power of prayer and the mercy of God has been portrayed.  We are unable to explain His almighty power in a way that others will truly, perfectly, and ultimately understand.

George came home from a 6-day stay in the NICU last night.  At his release, and during his stay in the NICU - doctors were amazed at what his file said would be his symptoms - and how he presented none of them.  He has nursed a bottle from his first attempt, and he is developing beautifully.  The nurses told them that the doctor that discharged him feels he will not develop any of the difficulties he was expected to have.  He came home as a perfectly developed newborn baby, showing no signs of a genetic disorder.  What an awesome and amazing God we have!!  Indescribable!  Another miraculous legacy in the works.

In the words...

In the words of Maggie...

In the words of Chap...

In the words of Whit...

Caught in the Act

Let me start by saying Chap has done an amazing job with his bed transition!!  He has woken up the last few mornings, gotten a few cars out of a little basket in there - and has taken them back to his bed to play until I open the door to get him (all of about a 10-20 minute time span).  The very reason for the basket of match-box cars.  

Well, today a few minutes after I put them down for a nap - I heard the click-clack of little cars and a little dialogue going on between the boys.  I opened the door of the boys room, and there was Chap - standing there with a handful of cars headed back to his bed!  I didn't say a word to him, and even kind of smiled at him.  Before I even had the chance to say something - he burst into the deepest heart broken cry!  I picked him up, put him back in bed.  He had horribly big tears streaming from his eyes, snuffling, and crying from the depths of a broken heart.  I held the cars for him, and told him to choose one to sleep with.  It still took a minute of consoling to get him to realize he wasn't in trouble, but that the cars did need to go back in the basket.  

In the meantime - during that escapade... here is what Whit was doing...  He was holding up his car that Chap had gotten for him, and was saying "It boke, Mommy!  Pix my car!"  Then, when I didn't fix it - still dealing with Chap, he began to play with it and drive it on the edges of his bed... in his own little world.  He could care less that they had been caught in the act!! 

Wasn't it a nice brother, though - to hand Whit a car!?!  I did go back in a few minutes later - Whit was still driving his car.  Chap had settled, and was snuggled with his car ready to sleep.  Who would've ever thought they came out of the same womb!!

Heavy Weight and Itch Free

We had Whit's follow-up GI appointment, today.  His GI doctor was thrilled with his growth charts - as he has gained 3 lbs in the three months, as well as gained in linear length, too.   She was extremely proud of his progress!!  It was good to see her so elated, because I had become frustrated again.  Those three pounds were gained in the first 4 weeks of starting the appetite stimulant - and he had seemed to plateau again.  So, talking with her and seeing his growth chart with my own eyes gave me a little encouragement.  He is still less than the zero percentile for weight, but he is around the 5th percentile for height.  Quite the heavy weight, don't you think?

Earlier in the week, we went to our pediatrician to pick her brain about a few issues with Chap.  In January, he had a horrible allergic reaction to ALL FREE and CLEAR laundry detergent.  Following that reaction, his skin has never cleared up.  He has been itchy, and therefore drowsy due to the daily doses of Benedryl.  He has not really been his happy self for the last few months.  On top of that, he has had a few horrible bouts of constipation.  Three of them were awful, and almost torturous for him (and us).  We finally talked ourselves into having it all looked at - as it was not getting any better, and he needed relief!  We received some medication for his skin - both oral medicine and a cream.  We are also giving him Claritin for the itching (and it is non-drowsy).  We also received a medication for the constipation.  Since Wednesday, our Chap is back!  He has been in such good moods and his skin is clearing up rather quickly!  He has also had nice diapers (if they can even be called nice)!  

We took a trip to the zoo on May 1st.  We went with a friend, Brigette, and her two kiddos... Jenny and Jonathan.  The kids had a great time, and Chap still talks about the animals at the zoo!  He loved every minute of it!  Here are a few pictures.  Thankfully, Brigette shared some pictures that she took.  I had my camera, but after taking some nice shots of all 5 of them, I disappointingly realized I didn't have my camera card!!  Good Grief!!  It's hard having birthdays!

Maggie

Chap

Whit is in awe at the elephants having a bath!!

This is the four of them, playing on a seal... Chap, Whit, Jenny, and Maggie

This is Jonathan... enjoying his trip to the zoo...

(All napped well afterward!)

Mother's Day

I grew up with the pangs of motherhood burning in my heart.  I had numerous dolls that I "mothered" and tended to.  I have always loved children, and  I remember dreaming of a day that I would have my own.  However, reality hit and I learned that my body may never have the ability to allow me to be a mother. 

And then, the grace of God stepped in and covered me!

This little gal made me a mother...  

She might seem like a little "girlie girl" at times, with her pink everything, and her BIG bows - but she makes a pretty cute, hot fishergirl

 

And she has two brothers...

One who has the most sensitive heart (but don't put it passed him to steal your watermelon if he's sitting close to you!!), and a love for animals...

And the other - whose smile can turn your mood around with a snap! (especially when he's in trouble and then flashes that smile).  Well... let's hope he learns a few things in the next 14 years...

What an honor it is to have been trusted by God to care for them!  I pray daily that I do "motherhood" justice!   But, in the meantime - they are sure fun to be around!  Even when they are tired and falling out of swings!

My Delightful Day

By the time you're my age, birthdays don't have the same 'pizzazz' as they did when we were once children.  My day began with a birthday wish from Corbett, and then Whit singing his usual "Hap-Birday dear" as he was waking up.  I heard it through the intercom with different meaning this morning.  Then the phone rang... my mom wishing me blessings on my birthday.

I sat the kids down for breakfast, and went about the rest of my morning routine of getting lunches and backpacks together.  Maggie led the boys through a wonderful rendition of the birthday song, which Whit wasn't as enthused to sing during his breakfast.  I'm sure he was thinking that was his special wake up song... not a song to be sung at breakfast!  Chap and Maggie sang it beautifully at the table!!

We loaded up, and made our way to school.  I quickly learned from Chap's teachers that he had used all of his class supply of bandaids, due to his mosquito bites - and that I needed to talk with the director about sending him in long sleeves and long pants!  My thought... in this heat? My answer.... "Sure, I'll talk with her... I understand your concern!"  (The director wasn't concerned at all... but as you can see in this picture... his teachers were a bit more concerned).  Even after they are getting so much better with daily doses of Neosporin and Benedryl cream!

They must think there is some sort of Mosquito Flu lurking about!  (P.S.  I took a box of bandaids to his teacher this afternoon).  Speaking of Flu... here is how the rest of my day went:

I'm driving to my first appointment for my job, and the kids' school called my cell phone.  I was informed that Whit had just thrown up, and I must return to get him immediately!!  So, I u-turned and headed back that way.  All the while trying to figure out how that could've happened!  I have seen the picture of Whit sick, and this morning was NOT that!!  If Whit sometimes drinks his morning Pediasure too fast, he can have a mini-spit-up episode, but nothing serious.  So, this was one of those times - but gave me the opportunity to spend my birthday with him!  He was as quiet as a mouse without his other two language models!  His two phrases consisted of "Wat dat?" and "Where Chap?"  

During all of the mosquito talk as I was leaving their school - I stopped to say good bye to Maggie.  She ran to me with the biggest arm spread her arms could reach and said "Have a Happy Birthday, Mommy!!!"  What a wish!!  My Dad also called me on my trek back to the school to get Whit.  

My day ended with a surprise date night with Corbett.  Aunt Amy and Uncle Christopher so generously offered their Wednesday evening to keep the kids while we went out to eat!  We enjoyed a nice dinner, and then brought birthday cake home for everyone to share.  I was serenaded by them all - and had triple the help blowing out the candles!!  When Whit finished his portion of the cake, he said, "More Happy Birthday Dear Cake!!"  (meaning he wanted seconds)  I'm with Whit - I could handle more days like this special birthday!!

Maybe birthdays do have PIZZAZZ, no matter how old we get!!