Happy 1st Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Baby Boy! Daddy and I love you so very much. This has been a very wonderful year and you have amazed us time and time again. As I reflect on this day last year, I can't believe how far you have come. You were only a little over two pounds and now you are a miraculous fifteen pounds. I remember when making it to three pounds was a huge milestone!

You, little man, are a fighter. Without even knowing it, you have strongly displayed determination and perseverance. With the Lord by your side, you have beaten the odds. We praise God that you are now a healthy and happy one year old.

These days, I love to hear you giggle uncontrollably; your laugh is music to my hears. I love to see you smile; your beautiful grin melts my heart. I love it when you reach out to me, your hands held high. And though I may tell you not to, I laugh on the inside when you throw your food on the floor, when you jump in your bed and when you pull out all my plastic dishes. You are the magic in my day. And I love you more than there are stars in the sky.

Happy 1st Birthday!

Our Lullaby

Sweet sweet baby, close your eyes
Close your eyes, close your eyes
Sweet sweet baby close your eyes
The sun has gone and now it's night.

Sweet sweet baby, close your eyes
Close your eyes, close your eyes
Sweet sweet baby close your eyes
The stars are out, the moon shines bright.

Sweet sweet baby, close your eyes
Close your eyes, close your eyes
Sweet sweet baby close your eyes
Drift to sleep, let your dreams take flight.

Sweet sweet baby, close your eyes
Close your eyes, close your eyes

I just put Jaxon down for a nap; and usually it never fails that if I sing this lullaby to him he falls fast asleep. I have never shared these words before; they are very precious to me and I treasure them deeply. When Jaxon was in the NICU I had an overwhelming desire to sing to this tiny little baby of mine, but for the life of me I could never remember all the words to the old lullabys. So one day I just held him and made one up. It is very repetitive and very alto, but it is our song and I love sharing it with him. Every time I sing it to him I am consumed with emotions as I can't help but think of how far this, still so little, boy has come in such a short amount of time. He is our miracle and both Eric and I could not feel more blessed to have him in our life. We are so thankful that God has entrusted him to us and has allowed us to have him in our life. Being a parent is hard, it is demanding, it is miraculous and it is beautiful.

Look what Jax learned today...

This was totally Daddy provoked. Mommy is not very happy.

Yucky Broccoli!

Jaxon thinks broccoli is by far the nastiest thing he has ever put in his mouth. I'm pretty sure he would rather starve than eat the gross green mush. He turns his head as far to the side as he can and refuses to open his mouth.

Tonight, I tried giving it to him for the second time. I thought maybe the taste was just too new the first time he tried it and this time around would be different. Boy, was I wrong. He did take three bites, all the while making a disgusted face. Then he wouldn't take anymore and on the 3rd or 4th time of me trying to persuade him he started crying. So we did not pursue the broccoli anymore after that. Maybe we'll move on to steamed broccoli next.

Jumping Jax-Video

King of the Crib, King of the Castle

About a week ago Jaxon learned to stand up in his crib. Now, he is up and down and walking from one side to the other. His crib turned into a jungle gym over night. Once upon a time, I could lay him down give him his binky and blankie and he was fast asleep. These days, as soon as, his body hits the mattress he is jumping up. It is literally like springs have developed in his legs!
However, it can be the sweetest, most precious thing in the whole world. Especially, when he wakes up in the morning and I go to find him standing in his dark room with the widest grin. That makes getting out of bed at 2AM, 3AM, or 5AM completely worth it.
Ever since he learned to stand up, he seems to changing constantly. Or at least learning things at a much faster pace and becoming seemingly more daring. Everything in his world provides the opportunity to stand up. He has been caught dangerously using a FisherPrice LittlePeople barn, a stereo, a rocking chair, an empty tote and a book- just to name a few. I find myself not being able to turn my attention away for even a moment. If things are this crazy now, I can't imagine what life will be like once he actually starts walking. It is amazing how just a week ago ordinary home objects had no meaning or purpose and were left safely alone; now he is pulling up on the couch, the fireplace, & the dresser...He quickly transitioned from being King of the Crib to King of the Castle!

Happy 1st Halloween!!

Happy Halloween! Jaxon had a packed weekend, full of food and fun. We kicked off the festivities with a Fall party with our church small group on Thursday night. On Friday, we got up early and headed to Chicago with April and Kieran to visit the Museum of Science and Industry. It was a great museum, probably one of the best we've visted so far. It will be especially fun once Jax gets a bit bigger; however, the museum did have a small play section for "crawlers" to interact with balls, water and squishy stuff; unfortunately, Jax slept through the whole time we were in that section. After the museum on Friday, we headed to the Moore's for a get-together with the Church worship team. Then on Halloween night, Jax got all dressed up in his Chicken suit and we went Trick-or-Treating with April and Kieran. Then, we had a handful of guests over for Chili. It was a really fun weekend and we are already looking forward to next year.

From October 2009-Jaxon

From October 2009-Jaxon

Jax and The Giant Pumpkin

Fall is in the air! The leaves have turned color and the pumpkins are ripe for the picking. It is a perfect time for a visit to the pumpkin patch.

Today, we took Jaxon for his very first Pumpkin Patch adventure. He got to do a lot of fun things. First he and April checked out the goats and llamas at the petting zoo. He really liked watching Daddy feed the animals, but he wasn't quite sure what to make of those funny looking creatures. They were pretty slobbery, with yucky tongues and big chompy teethy!

After the zoo he hung out with Kieran at the playground. The best part about that was getting to go down the slide for the first time. Jax thought it was pretty funny when Kieran slid a bit too fast and they both ended up on the ground.



Next he got to take a ride on a tractor pulled hayride; it was a bit chilly. Luckily he wore his new hat to keep his little head warm. On the hayride two little boys gave him straw and if he wasn't trying to drink Mommy's apple cider he was trying to eat the straw. Unfortunately, for Jax he couldn't have either and that didn't make him very happy.

Lastly, we took him to check out the pumpkins. Some of the pumpkins were bigger than he was, some of the pumpkins were medium size, and some of the pumpkins were just right.

All in all, we had a very fun-filled day at the pumpkin patch. This will be a family tradition we continue for years to come.

Mommy & Daddy's 5th Anniversary

Last Friday was Mommy and Daddy's 5th Wedding Anniversary. We went to Door County, WI to see the beautiful Fall foliage. You were a big boy and you stayed with April and Kieran. It was the first time since you've been home, that you stayed the night away from Mommy and Daddy.
Mommy was a little sad, but I knew you would be just fine. You love hanging out with Ms. April and I'm pretty sure you think Kieran is the funniest boy you know. He sure knows how to make you laugh!
You are getting bigger everyday and although I love to see you growing more independent and learning to explore your world, I will miss these precious baby days.

My how you've grown!! Part II

These pictures really put things into perspective for me. I sit here looking at these photos and I am overwhelmed by emotions. Ever since we brought him home he has grown by leaps and bounds. I am so thankful that he is here with us and that I can see him smile everyday, hold him close, and hear him giggle.
Thank you, Lord, for this precious gift.

September 2009......14.5 lbs

From September 2009-Jaxon

June 2009......10 lbs

From June 2009-Jaxon

March 2009......4.5 lbs

From Random Pics-Jaxon

Sitting Pretty

Tonight Jaxon sat up all by himself! He was up on his knees rocking back & forth when suddenly, he just twisted himself around and sat right up on his bottom. I couldn't believe it. I totally wasn't expecting that. He just looked up at me with the biggest smile. I was in complete awe and he didn't even realize he'd made such a huge accomplishment. He is growing up so fast and there is nothing I can do about it.

In addition to his growing up, I switched out his closet again. He has grown out of all his 3 month old outfits and those that still fit are too "summery". The temp dropped rapidly and it seems like we went straight from shorts to parkas. Anyhow, currently he is fitting perfectly into 3-6 months; 6 month outfits are still a bit too big.

Hopefully, I'll have a few minutes this week to download some new pics. One can hope!

The 1st Pic with the Cousins

From Random Pics-Jaxon

Like Father, Like Son

From Random Pics-Jaxon

Capturing the Moment

Today was a frustrating day. Jaxon was cranky and I had an agenda I wanted to keep. Needless to say, I was fighting a battle I wasn't going to win and by the end of the day I was drained. So after dinner, I placed a very tired Jaxon into the bath tub. He was so exhausted but, as soon as, he felt the water he perked up. He was very excited and splashing around, getting everything insight wet. He loves the water! I found myself sitting there watching him as he played enjoying every second. It was the sweetest thing. And then I remembered that the days of him just being a baby, solely dependent on me will not last forever. In fact, each day that passes is a day that I will never get back and they are going by far to fast. It was then that I realized, that even though today did not go as I had planned or wanted, it was a day to treasure. A day that I spent with the most precious gift God has entrusted to me.

Once I finally got him out of the tub, we settled into out nightly routine of lotion, pjs and story time. I love this routine, it makes me feel like this is just our little world. Something only we share together. Usually, Jax is asleep by the third book, but tonight, because he was too interested in touching each page, he kept himself awake. So I swaddled him up in his blankie, sang along to the radio and rocked him until he fell soundly asleep. He was precious and cuddly. I just sat there, rocking him and looking at him in amazement. Every now and then, and tonight was one of those nights, I have an epiphany; the realization that this is MY baby. I still cannot believe that he is my child and I am his Mommy.

These are the moments I want to capture. The crazy cranky days, the innocent playful bathtimes, and the sweetest sleeping baby.

A look back at August

Jax had a pretty exciting August. He spent the first of the month hanging out with our friends, Bryce and Amy. He got to see the Windy City twice. Nana, Papa, and Aunt Kelsey came to visit. He went on his first Brewery Tour; unfortunately for him, he is too young to drink. We also, took him to see the Mitchell Domes in Milwaukee, which are three very cool botanical gardens. He hung out at Ravinia and listened to Bonnie Raitt, while Mommy and Daddy ate great food and drank wine. He also started eating veggies. So far, he's tried squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Next month we begin on the green ones. Yum! He is also moving all over the place. He rolls and twists to get where he thinks he needs to be. And to finish off the month, we took him to a very eccentric Renaisance Faire. I think he enjoyed the people watching most of all.

As far as for Mommy, it has been a very enlightening month as I watch my little baby grow right before my eyes. It is amazing to watch him as he discovers the world around him. I see him taste food for the first time and I laugh at the funny faces he makes and then I laugh again as I watch him realize he actually likes it. Then he opens his mouth as wide as he can. I also watch as he learns that there are things that he wants and he is persistent to get them. He squeals in church because he wants the program he can't have or he gets frustrated because he wants to drink out of our glasses and he can't do that either. Nana and I tried giving him a sippy cup; he liked it but wasn't quite sure what to do with it or what to make of the water coming out of it. I watch him as he plays in the grass for the first time. He feels the leaves and pulls on them. I can see that he is trying to figure out what this green stuff is. He is learning to sit-up but he hasn't quite got it down, but he is getting better and stronger. Before long he will be crawling all around. I marvel at his purity and innocence. His smile is genuine; it is pure heaven when he smiles at me when he wakes up to find me looking at him while he sleeps. It is the best feeling in the world to have your child look up and beam from ear to ear because he is so excited to see you. How do I deserve such love? I cling to these moments because I know all to well that these days are limited and very precious.

New Weight

I took Jaxon to the doctor today for his weigh in. He is now 12lbs 3oz. I really thought he would weigh more than that. Oh, well. He's gained over 2lbs in 2 months. Can't complain about that. His doctor was happy, so I'm happy. He seems to be growing up too fast anyway.

It's funny, because Eric and I look at him and we think, "My goodness, he is getting so big." And then we'll be out somewhere and someone will stop and say, "He's so small. He's what? Only a few weeks old." And then of course, we have to go through the whole explanation of how he's actually 7 1/2 months old and was born 12 weeks early, yada yada yada. Anyway, I just find it so funny that we see him as big and the rest of the world sees him as small.

July in a Nut Shell

Well the month got away from me again. I started off well with the posts, but lost steam as usual. We began the month with Jax's first concerts at Summerfest and then his first 4th of July parade. Then in the middle of the month, we took a trip back to Joplin. It was great to see friends and family. We spent 10 days there, so it was a great opportunity for Jaxon to meet our friends. He got to spend time with Michelle and Ben, Ryan, Jill and Ely, CD and Debi, Jessica, Ryan, and Josh, Mandie, Charissa, Julie Woods, Amber Howard, and Brian, Nicole and Thatcher. Thatcher was born the day we arrived, so getting to meet him was pretty cool!

We also had a fun surprize, when my girlfriends threw Jaxon a little baby shower. We had burritos, cake, and blue balloons. It was a great time to hang out with the girls and have them spend time with Jax. Too bad he slept for most of it.

While we were in Joplin, Jax also got to swim for the first time. We took him to my grandmas. I figured that was a safe place for his first swim. As usual, he loved it. He loves the water. His cousins, Keegan, Kendyn, and Kameron, along with Aunt Kelsey and Grandpa Tim also joined him in the pool. I think grandpa Tim enjoyed hanging out with Jaxon. My cousin Rachel, also brought her 3 girls to swim. It was nice to see her and catch up. It was a crazy feeling to see all the kids in the pool and think that's what it used to look like when the two of us were little. Wow! I'm grown up and have a baby. When did this happen?

After 10 days in JMo, we came home and caught up on rest. Then a week later, our friends Amy and Bryce drove from Kansas to visit us. We had a fun time with them, we did a lot of walking, it seemed like we walked from Milwaukee to Chicago. Put a few hundred miles on the ol' stroller!! Jaxon did fantastic being toted from one place to the other. It was also the first time he got to meet Bryce and Amy, so this was a special visit for him!

Big achievement for July, include Jaxon starting eating solid food and beginning to hold his own bottle. Well, at least he's eating rice cereal. He's doing good with it and seems to like it. However, today we introduced carrots and that was a different story. He took 2 or 3 bites and had enough. You should have been here to see his face(s)!! Eric took pics, so I'll have to have him send them to me. It's crazy to see how independent he is becoming. Now I can give him a bottle and for the most part he can feed himself. It's nice to be able to leave for a bit while he eats, but it is also sad because this is a huge sign that he is growing up and won't be little forever.

Anyway, it's late and I was suppose to go to bed an hour ago. I have to get up and take Jax to the pediatrician for a weigh in tomorrow. I'll let you know how that goes. One last thing, I finally signed up for facebook. So if this isn't informative enough, you can check out my status there. I'm hoping FB turns out to be a good thing and not just one more thing I have to keep up with or become addicted to!

Good night all.

PS. I'm adding new photos.

First 4th of July

Today was Jax first 4th of July.

From June 2009-Jaxon

We did take him to the parade this morning, but we didn't end up going to see the fireworks at the Lake. He wasn't too crazy about the parade; the loud semi horns scared him. He didn't know what to make of it all. There were also a lot of people in close quarters and he didn't like all the commotion either. I ended up wrapping him tightly in a blaket and swaying him to sleep. He slept for a while and woke up in a happier mood.

It was also a day for more firsts in Jax life. We decided he was getting ready for solid foods, so we tried out some rice cereal. He scarfed it down. He thought the cereal was pretty yumming.

From June 2009-Jaxon

My, How You've Grown!

These pictures show how much Jaxon has grown since we brought him home. When he first came home he weighed 4lbs 3.3oz; when he was weighed last week at his pediatrician's he was 10lbs 2oz. He's still small, but to us he is getting SO Big! He's starting to roll over and trying to sit up. His doctor even said we could start him on solid food if we chose to. I'm doing my best to cherish everyday, because he changes each day and he won't be this little forever.

From June 2009-Jaxon

From Random Pics-Jaxon

A Week of Firsts

What a crazy week!! Summer has finally arrived; it's been a long time coming and we are so excited for the heat. So in light of the hotter weather, we were able to take Jaxon out and introduce him to our active summer life. He got to do many things for the first time... we took him to the beach and he got to see the Lake and feel the sand.

From June 2009-Jaxon

And then at home he was able to play outside in his little kiddy pool.

From June 2009-Jaxon

He also got to go to his first concerts at Summerfest in Milwaukee; Sunday night he went to hear Blues Traveler and then Wednesday night he went to see Los Lonely Boys. I was a little leery about taking him with all the loud music and crazy people, but we put cotton in his ears and I carried him close to me in the Maya wrap (there was only one incident where a weird drunk guy wanted to touch the baby, I think I freaked the guy out more than he did me:)) Anyway, Jax did really well and ended up sleeping through both concerts. I'm not for sure how he did it. Tonight was another first, we took him with us to see the area Fireworks display. He was pretty captivated by the flashing colors and the loud booms. And then to end the week, tomorrow will be his first 4th of July. We are planning on taking him to the HUGE 4th of July parade and then perhaps to see more fireworks at the Lake. It's been a fun and crazy week and needless to say Jaxon slept through the night all week!

Happy Father's Day

From June 2009-Jaxon

It's been a few weeks, but I'm just getting around to posting about it...This year was Eric's first Father's Day. We had a pretty good day, we went to church and then Jaxon and Daddy spent good quality time together. My gift to Eric, was a glass frame with a poem, that I wrote from Jaxon, etched onto it. I was trying to come up with something sentimental but not corny. I think I did a decent job. Here is the poem I wrote in Jaxon's words.

"To My Daddy

Although I’m still so little,
I’ve faced challenges big and small
And Daddy you’ve been there
Loving me through them all

I came into your life
So little and so frail,
But your strength and love
Have helped me to prevail

Now, each day that I am home
I’m growing big and strong
You see that time goes by so fast
And you know I won’t be little long.

Daddy, I love you to the moon and back
And more than my favorite toy
I cherish all the days we have
While I’m still your little boy"

Where has the time gone?

Wow! The month of May came and went. I'm pretty sure I blinked and missed it. We had a fairly eventful beginning to the month. My grandpa passed away, so we decided to take a trip back to Joplin to be with my family. It was Jaxon's first venture into the real world. He got to eat at Cheddar's, his first real restaurant and then again at Panera, McCallister's, and Qdoba. All my favorite places. It was a little crazy taking him out for the first time and having it be his first 12 hour road trip. He did great in the car and slept most of the way. He loves riding in the car so that was a plus. He never got upset, except for the one time Eric missed the exit for one of his feedings and there wasn't another place to stop for 45 minutes! Luckily, I had a 1mL suringe for his medicine, so I pleased him by giving him little drops of milk until we were able to pull over.
The trip was also a great chance for Jaxon to meet his family. He got to hang out with his Aunt's, Ashley and Kelsey, and his cousins, Keegan, Kendyn, and Kameron. He also had fun hanging out with Nana, Papa, and Mimi(that would be Eric's mom. She doesn't want to be called grandma, but she doesn't know what she wants Jax to call her. So until she decides, I'm referring to her as Mimi.)and Grandpa Tim. Both of my grandmas got to meet Jax, along with a ton of other extended family members. All in all it was a nice family filled trip.
Unfortunately, it was a quick trip and we didn't get to spend time with our friends but we will be back to see you soon.
Over the past month, Jaxon has changed a lot. He is developing a little personality. He loves to "talk". He makes little cooing sounds at various pitches. In fact, right now he and an elephant are having quite the conversation. He's learning to reach out and grab things, he smiles all the time, and he is growing like a weed. Last Friday, he weighed in at 8lbs 10oz and he is 22 inches long. He is almost 4 times the size he was when he was born. I cherish these days, because even though he is still so small he is getting so big to me. We love our little man so much!
Another large milestone we accomplished this month, is letting Jax sleep in his "big boy" room. I was letting him nap there during the day and he was sleeping so well in the big bed that we decided it would be best for all of us if he slept there permanently. It probably helped, that when we got back from Joplin we didn't put his bassinet back up (we had taken it with us on the trip). I also got a baby monitor that sits on my nightstand and is loud enough to wake me up through the night. He is still on his apnea monitor and will be until the end of the June, so that gives me peace of mind as well. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle giving that up. I've been trying to wean myself from the monitor for some time now. He hasn't had any alarms for a long time, and I only make him wear it at night, but I still like having that security.
Well, sorry that it's taken so long to get back to the blog. I'm not sure what happened in May, but hopefully June won't be so crazy.

The Cutest Little Boy

He was all smiles today. I think he was enjoying our extremely warm temperatures. I took these pictures after we spent the afternoon outside.

From April 2009

From April 2009

From April 2009

New Nursery Decor

New nursery wall art from Nana!

From Random Pics-Jaxon

From Random Pics-Jaxon

An Amazing Discovery!!

Yesterday, I decided to try out the two new bottles April gave me. I've had them for awhile, but for whatever reason, I've never made the effort to use them. One is called Dr. Browns Natural Flow and the other is a Playtex nurser.

On my journey, I discovered that I do not like the Playtex bottle; while trying to get all the air out I managed to dislodge the plastic sleeve and spill ALL 3oz of milk on Jaxon. When you already have a screaming impatient baby, this does not make the situation any better. Especially when, that was the last of the thawed milk!

On the other hand, I fell head over heels in love with whoever this Dr. Brown is. This bottle is a miracle. As you know, Jax has been suffering from severe acid reflux and unless we follow a strict feeding process he spits up almost half his milk. And even with our strict guidelines he still spits a fair amount. Well, not anymore. This bottle has a special positive pressure tube that redirects air and reduces (if not eliminates) the amount of air the baby takes in. It is ideal for any preemie baby. I would love to be able to supply our NICU with these bottles. I think other parents of preemies would benefit greatly from this product. So far I've only used the bottle 4 times, mainly because it is my only one until I can get to the store, but I am sold. I wish I had known about and started using this bottle sooner.

If you're interested in learning more about this product check out www.handi-craft.com.

So, there you have it- my amazing discovery- a spit free bottle! What will life bring me next?

There is SOMETHING in the Water

As the title suggests, there is either something in the water or Spring has definitely arrived in Wisconsin. This weekend, the temperature was in the upper 60's and our neighborhood was alive once again. It only took one day for us to learn that there are 3 couples in the hood expecting babies and one couple across the street who had a little boy about a month before Jaxon. Out of the 3 couples expecting, I know for sure that 2 of the babies will be boys. This is very exciting, because Jaxon will have buddies right across the street. It is amazing to see the timing in this and marvel in God's plan. I truly feel like we are in the right place at the right time. Since we moved up here, I have always felt God's presence in our decision to make a life here; and He continues to solidify that decision each year.

Last year we were meeting our neighbors because of our dogs, this year it is because of our children. If there are any of you out there contemplating the idea of a dog before kids, BEWARE!!

6lbs and Smiles

Just a quick note... Yesterday, Jaxon weighed in at 6lbs 1oz. It seems as though we have finally made it over the weight gain hump. Ever since he reached 5lbs he has really taken off. Today we met, Ryland, a 5 month old acrossed the street, and he looks almost 3 times Jaxon's size. Seeing another baby really puts Jaxon's size into perspective.

Also, Jaxon has started smiling because he is in a good mood and happy. We use to see him smile on occasion, but we chalked it up to gas. Now he is smiling when you talk to him in the sweetest high pitched voice. It is the cutest thing!!

Happy 1st Easter

Today, we celebrated Jaxon's first Easter. Although we were stuck at home and wished we could be with our family in Missouri, it was fun enjoying this first major holiday with him. We spent the entire day with April and Kieran, lounging around and enjoying a great breakfast and a yummy late lunch. The "Easter Bunny" also visited our house before anyone woke up and left Jaxon a big basket of Easter goodies. Of course he can't eat the candy, so mom and dad will have to help out there, but he will definitely enjoy his new toys.

From Random Pics-Jaxon

As I do each Easter, I am reflecting on the sacrifice Jesus made for us and this year I am especially drawn to John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son...; for the first time in my life, I feel and understand the power of these words. I can't even imagine how our Creator was suffering as he watched his one and only Son die on the cross for our sins. I feel so undeserving of such love and sacrifice. What an amazing Father we have! My prayer, is that as a parent, I will be able to share my love of Christ with my child so that he will be able to feel and understand God's unconditional love for him and the entire world.

Happy Easter and we hope you had a blessed day with your friends and family.

Nursery Photo

Here is a photo of Jaxon's nursery, or atleast what I've done so far. I know my friend, Michelle, has been wanting to see it. And to be honest, I hadn't really done anything to it. The weekend before Jaxon was born, we finally finished painting. Then while my dad was up the week Jaxon was born, he put the bed together, but that was all that had been done. Now, thanks to Eric's office baby shower, I've been able to get his bed pulled together.

Next on the list, is to get him a dresser, refinish my rocker, put up curtains and hang the pictures from Nana and Gammy. So, not to state the obvious, but there will be more to come.

From Random Pics-Jaxon

Head Up!

Hey Everybody I've got big news! Over the weekend I started holding up my head, on my very own. I've always had a strong neck and now I'm really getting to use my muscles.

From Random Pics-Jaxon

I'm also getting bigger and bigger. I weigh 5lbs 9oz. That's over 5 1/2lbs. I should be hitting the 6lb mark in about 2 weeks. Hopefully, I stay on track.

Today, I visited my doctor and she was pleased with my weight gain; that was a first! Dr. Fox also said she is going to take me off my daily dose of caffeine in about a month and then when I'm about 6 months old I'll get to lose the apnea monitor. I'll feel like a free man without this silly belt that wraps around my chest. I won't know what to do, I've never been without some sort of wire hanging off me.

I'm a little piggy too. I like to eat all the time. Right now I'm up to almost 2 1/2 oz every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Except at night, when I let Mommy and Daddy get some ZZZ's, that's when I sleep for about 4 hours. Mom really appreciates it, especially when I sleep in my own bed and she doesn't have to hold me. I've really got to get better at that before they take away my monitor. I'm pretty sure Mommy isn't going to let me sleep with her without my safey gear.

Well, gotta go. It's time to eat.

Smooch and Smack!

Not Much Going On...

It's been a week since our last post and to tell you the truth, not a lot has really changed. We continue to stay at home, waiting for the end of cold and flu season when it will be a bit safer to venture out in public. Jaxon's home nurse comes once a week and we visit his pediatrician every other week.
One highlight of the week has been Jaxon's willingness to sleep on his own, in his own bed. He has allowed me to get a few chores done through the day and to get a couple nights of decent sleep. The other highlight is Jaxon's new found ability to focus. He follows objects with his eyes and is starting to respond to our voices when we talk to him. We have definitely seen signs of him maturing over the past few days.

Mylie's Elvis Impersonation, Crazy Dog

From Mylie Bugg

From Mylie Bugg

From Mylie Bugg

From Mylie Bugg

5lbs!!

YEAH!! Jaxon finally made the 5lb mark on Saturday March 21. I am so excited for him; it seems like it has taken him forever to get here. As of today, he weighs 5lbs 3oz. He is also 19 inches long and his head is measuring at 34cm. Keep growing little guy, Mommy and Daddy want to you to get bigger and stronger.

Home Sweet Home

We finally got released from the hospital on Thursday, 3/12. If you ask me the whole stay was unnecessary. I understand his doctor's concern and reasoning for putting him in there, but we did not get a single thing out of it. I could have been providing him the same care at home.

It was my understanding that while we were there, Pediatric nurses would be observing his feedings and working with me on different techniques to feed him. This was not the case at all. The only time this happened was on the first day, with a nurse named Katie. She was excellent and was the only one to provide me with useful information. Anyway, I meant to have this post added right when we got home, but for some reason it ended up in drafts and never got added. I think I probably got called away, while in the middle of typing.

From March 2009-Jaxon

Back to the Hospital

Well, we have landed back in the hospital. I took Jaxon to see his pediatrician today and she wasn't very happy with his weight gain. He needs to be gaining about a 1/2 ounce a day. So far, since he has been home (1 month today) he has only gained 5ounces.

Last week we seemed to be going up hill; he had gained all 5 ounces in one week. Unfortunately, he hadn't gained anymore by this morning. I have been working really hard to tackle his spitting up and thought I had a pretty good handle on it, but out of the blue he started spitting up again Sunday afternoon and hasn't stopped. I can't say if this has contributed to the lack of weight gain, but it certainly isn't helping.

Anyway, we are in the Pediatrics unit of the hospital. In order to be in the NICU, you can only be 48 hours or less old so they have us in a separate room away from the sick kids in pediatrics. Also, our nurse doesn't go into the contagious kid's rooms. Fortunately, there are only two other kids up here: one that isn't contagious and one that has pneumonia.

I pray that by working with the nurses up here we can resolve this weight issue. I don't know what I could be doing differently at home, but I hope they can help me. It is really hard to have him readmitted. I feel like I haven't been doing enough to help keep him out of the hospital. I've added formula to his breastmilk and have been feeding him every two hours while I hold him up right. I also hold him all the time so he won't get upset and burn his much needed calories. It's just upsetting when you try your hardest and it just isn't good enough. I realize there isn't much else I could do and that is why we are here, but it is still really hard. I just hate that I can't make him better and I want to know what is causing this.

This may seem strange, but having finally brought him home from the hospital has really made him finally feel like he is ours, not just a little boy we go and visit. It's different having him here in this part of the hospital. Now I don't feel like I can leave him. When he was in the NICU I felt totally comfortable leaving him with his nurses. But now he is my baby and I just don't feel like anyone else knows him like I do or can take care of him like I do.

Alright, well I'm signing off and I will try my best to keep you posted on upcoming results. Oh, one positive of the day, he gets to come off 4 of his 8 medications. I hope and pray this will help with a lot of the spitting up. Who knows, this is really just all trial and error.

New Pictures

Just wanted to let you all know that I added some new pics to the slideshow. Hopefully, I can be better at staying up with this blog. It's been hard to keep up with while I've been adjusting to this new life. If I get more days like today, then I should be able to post more often. But no promises!!

Also, I wanted to share this picture:

From Random Pics-Jaxon

Mylie weazled her way into our photo session. I had Jaxon on my lap and Mylie jumped into the picture as I snapped it. I thought the whole picture was hillarious, especially Jax's eyes. I don't think I could capture this picture again if I tried.

Acid Reflux

I have a brief moment to add a quick note. Jaxon has been asleep since 9:30am, which is a record. So, I am probably pushing my luck by starting this post now; but I have to do so much in such a short amount of time. Here lately he has been very clingy; wanting to be help 24/7(literally). At night, I sleep sitting up while holding him. I don't like doing that, but it's the only way I can get rest. Eric is a big help too, and holds him on occassion, but he has to get up and go to work.

Jaxon is doing well, besides having trouble with severe reflux. He was on a four hour feeding schedule when he came home, and it was wonderful, but I think he was taking in too much milk at each feeding and then spitting it all up. So I ended up changing him to a two hour feeding schedule. Now, I feed him a little over half as much, every two hours. This technique seems to be helping him. It hasn't eliminated the problem, but at least he is keeping more down. His doctor thought he might have Pyloric Stenosis, which is the narrowing of the opening from the stomach to the small intestine and results in severe vomitting; however, he had an ultrasound of his belly and we were able to rule that out. Now we just take it one feeding at a time and hope he stays calm and the food stays down. Also, because of the reflux and spitting up, he hasn't gained the appropriate amount of weight (only 1 ounce in 3 weeks). If he doesn't start gaining more we're looking at having to put him back in the hospital to get a feeding tube.

As for me, I spend almost all day either feeding him, holding him, preparing to feed him, and/or pumping. I knew this was going to be an adjustment but I didn't plan on the reflux to be such a major ordeal. Alright, well I'd like to add more but the little guy is calling. I'll post more pictures soon.

Love you all.

Welcome Home Jaxon

Ok, so I'm going to make this quick. We finally got to bring Jaxon home. He left the NICU Monday night at 8pm. He has been doing very well. We are all three trying to become accustom to this new life. And it is a crazy one!! I thought I was ready for this and that unlike most moms I had a little more time to heal and really get prepared. Well, I didn't really realize how hard and scary bringing a new baby home is. There is literally NO time. He is on such a strict schedule that almost every moment of the day is planned out. And I've been trying for 3 days to squeeze in a nap, like right now would be good, except I still have pump milk and prep his meds for his next feeding. Anyway, the gist of this post is that we are all happy at home and doing really well. Yesterday, we had a visit from his Home Nurse, Jan. She said he is doing great. And today, we visited his pediatrition, Dr. Fox. She was very pleased with him, as well. Everyday seems to get a little bit easier than the day before. When I find another free second I will try to post something a little more robust.

The Last Night

As of this moment, we have the go ahead to bring Jaxon home. The only issue that may arise is that the doctors are changing shifts; so if Dr. Prazad decides she is not comfortable signing off on Jaxon's release, then we might have to wait for Dr. Paidisetty to release him tomorrow. Hopefully Dr. Prazad won't have a problem with signing his release forms. She has overseen Jaxon's care on multiple occasions but she only works part-time, where Dr. Paidisetty and Dr. Stich work full-time; therefore, she may be a little skiddish to let him go since she hasn't been at the NICU for a few days. I'm crossing my fingers and praying as I write this.

Last night, I spent the night with Jaxon for the first time. I had been wanting to do this before he came home, but for whatever reason I just hadn't made it happen. So last night I just bit the bullet and stayed. To my surprise, it wasn't bad at all. He did really great; sleeping for a straight FOUR hours from 1am to 5am (in his swing- I'm glad we made that purchase for home!!). It's not my normal sleep habit; but for a 56 day old preemie baby, I'll take it. My only concern is trying to fit in feeding him, pumping, and sleeping all in the same night. Just feeding him and pumping became a 2 hour chore last night. If he doesn't end up sleeping 4 hours every night, I may not get a wink of sleep! If that ends up being the case, be thankful most of you live hours and hours away!!

Well, I better get off of here. I have to get ready for our big day and then go have all SEVEN of Jax's prescriptions filled. This is going to be the tough part, keeping all his meds straight and timely. Thankfully for me, the nurses have devised a pretty straight forward schedule. Pray that I don't mess anything up or forget any of his meds.

4 lbs!!

Just a quick note... Jaxon made it to 4lbs today. Way to go Jaxon!!! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you. You are getting very big and strong. 3.5 more ounces and you will double your size.

He is also 16 inches long.

Anxiously Awaiting

I am sooo sorry for keeping you all on pins and needles. I know it's been a week since my last post, but I have been staying busy getting ready for Jax' homecoming. Unfortunately, he is still in the NICU. Since last Thursday, we've had a couple of false homecoming dates.

After his event recording (72 hour monitoring) Dr. Prazad noticed that he had two somewhat severe Apnea episodes (not breathing for 20+ seconds). So she recommended he stay for a few more days. She also restarted him on caffeine and started him on reglin (a medication to strengthen the flap from his esophagus to his stomach). She also noticed that these episodes are related to feedings and spitting up. Needless to say, we didn't get to bring him home at the start of the week, but we did have home monitor training for the monitor he will be coming home on.

Next, we were waiting to see how he reacted to the new medication and caffeine. He did great and had no Apnea episodes. So yesterday, Dr Paidisetty said Jaxon could come home Thursday or Friday, as long as, he had a good night, Apnea free. Well, I called this morning to see what time we should come pick him up and I was told he had a few Apnea episodes during and after feedings last night. Again, we could not bring him home. Dr Paidisetty, told Dr Stich that he would have to tell us Jaxon wasn't coming home; he didn't want to have to be the bearer of bad news again.

Now we continue to wait. Dr Stich took him off the formula supplement, they had added to his breastmilk. He thinks Jax doesn't like it and it's making him feel
upset and gasy. Which make him spit up and fussy. If he does well without the formula addition, he will go on calcium additive prescripition.

Please pray that he will be able to come home soon and that he will be 100% ready.

Big Day, Bigger News

Today was a tough day and I am exhausted. Jaxon had a lot going on. First this morning, he had a blood test to check his hemaglobin levels. They have been low and the doctors have been discussing a blood transfusion. Unfortunately, the test came back low again today, so it was decided to give him the blood. I really didn't want to this but it seems it is for the best. It just weirds me out, even though I had 4 units of blood when I was in the hospital. I just didn't want Jaxon to have to go through that. But he does look better, his fingers are pink again and his cheeks are rosey. His temperature was up to, it had been low at 97 early this morning.

During his transfusion, he also met with his physical therapist. She worked with him and put him into several different positions. She thinks he is a bit high toned, meaning his muscles stiffen up and want to stretch out all the time. So once he gets home, he will need to do his exercise to loosen up.

Immediately following the transfusion, the neonatal opthamologist, came in to do a second exam on his eyes. She wants to make sure they are developing as they should be. He is a bit immature, which is to be expected, considering he is a preemie. He has to go visit her office in a couple weeks to track his progress. He'll visit her off and on, until his eyes are completely developed.

Then, at the end of the day, he was put on a new monitor system to track any apnea spells he has. This new monitor will be able to determine if his spells are life threatening and if he'll need a monitor once he gets home. It is a great tool, but it was very annoying and kept going off every few minutes when he was eating. It shreaks very loudly.

Ok, so the Bigger news is that, his Neonatologist said he may be coming home, Sunday night or Monday morning. I am very excited and can't wait to be done with the hospital scene. However, it is a bit emotional. It seems strange to think of having Jaxon all on our own. For the past 45 days, we have had assistance with him 24/7. And these nurses have been like angels to us. They care so delicately for Jaxon, as if he were their own son or grandchild. I have to admit that I am a little sad to leave them. These ladies are so special and caring. They have eached helped me to get to know my son and to learn how to care for him. Somedays, I feel that I would not have made it through this whole experience if it weren't for their encouragement. I will always remember their strength, love, and compassion. On the other hand, I am ready to bring my baby home and be the one to make the decisions regarding his care and to be able to hold and kiss him whenever I want. Even though I appreciate all of their help and wisdom, it can sometimes be hard to think of Jaxon has MY son, with everyone else telling me how to handle him. Anyway, I got off on a little tangent, but I am very excited that he will be coming home soon. We have officially began the count down.

BIG BIG News

I moved out of my 'ol stuffy incubator today!! Now I'm in a new open crib with lots of fresh air. If I continue to maintain my body temperature I will get to stay in my new hang-out, but if my body temp drops for a lengthy time I'll have to go back to the "box". I also, haven't had any apnea spells for almost 48 hours. That's when my heart rate drops and I forget to breathe for a brief second. These are very exciting accomplishments for me because by doing this I'm getting closer to coming home.

Mommy and Daddy learned earlier this week that I may be home in 2 weeks!! That's probably the first week of February. I'm ready to bust out of here and get home. I know my parents are ready for me to be home too.
"My Crib"

From Random Pics-Jaxon

"The Box"

From Random Pics-Jaxon

1st Baby Shower

Today we had our first baby shower. It was hosted at my office by my great friends, Rebekah, Amy, and Randy. I continue to be amazed by everyone's generosity. We received the preemie suitable car seat, the matching stroller, a pack n play, diaper champ, tons of cute outfits, toys, and so much more. It was a really great party.

In addition to the awesome gifts, we had a mexican taco bar and the coolest cake ever. Randy's wife, Alice, made the cake. It was a butter cream carrot cake, with cream cheese icing and butterscotch drizzle- Let me just say- it was too die for. Alice really out did herself. Not only did it taste fantastic, but it was decorated amazingly, as well. She iced the sides in a basket weave pattern, and topped it with a baby(doll) covered in a blanket surrounded by fresh flowers. My description doesn't due it justice- it was very cute. Once I get the baby shower pics from Randy I'll post a pic of it. I can't wait for you to see it.

Rebekah and Amy, also out did themselves. They decorated the conference room splendidly. It looked like a wedding reception. They had cloth tablecloths with baby's breath centerpieces and tull tied around each chair. Very fancy! Hopefully, we got great pics of the decorations too.

It was a great day and I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful friends and co-workers. I don't know if I posted this in the past, but not only did these guys put together a wonder baby shower, but they also took care of me and my family during my hospital stay. Amy and Rebekah brought me food and kept me company during my first days in the hospital. And then after that they organized meals for my family with Randy, Jay, and Wendy (two other co-workers). In addition, Jay came over one night, during our worst snow storm yet, and SHOVELED our entire 3 car driveway. I can't say enough wonderful things about my office friends.

Nursing Success

Just a quick note... tonight Jaxon was able to nurse successfully. It's been a work in progress, because the activity wears him out and he's so small he can't be pushed if he's not ready.
Yesterday I met with Karen, the lactation consultant, and (sorry for the TMI) she gave me a nipple shield. It's a plastic nipple extender that makes it easier for him to latch on. I call it my magic nipple!! As soon as, we started using it it was like we flipped a switch. Jaxon thought it was the best thing ever. Anyway, tonight I wanted to keep practicing with our magic nipple, so at his 4:30 feeding session we broke it out. He latched on and nursed for 30 minutes and was able to take 30mL. That's almost his entire feeding by breast. He needs 35mL for it to count as a full feeding. But for our first attempt to really breastfeed it was a HUGE success. The nurses were floored by how much he took. His nurse, Jodi, said it is awesome when a full term baby takes 30mL and she also said, they almost never send a preemie home who is nursing. I think we have a very strong willed boy on our hands!! He must know that, as soon as, he can eat all his meals on his own he can come home.
On a personal note, it was the most amazing experience for me. I can't even begin to explain it.

1 Month Old

Yesterday, I turned 1 month old!! It has been a crazy, yet amazing journey. In just the past four weeks I have achieved some outstanding accomplishments. Dr Stich says I'm his best "student" because I listen to everything he tells me to do. And Dr Paidisetty says I am way ahead of the curve, when it comes to bottle feeding. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of me and can't believe how far I've come in such a short amount of time. For Mommy, sometimes it seems like the road has been a long one, but on the other hand it seems like time is flying by. For Daddy, he can't wait for me to get bigger so he can teach me to play guitar, take me to baseball games and on the family vacations he is already planning (Mommy hears him whispering all these things to me each night).

Well, it has already been a month and I am growing stonger and stronger everday. Hopefully, even though my parents aren't quite ready for me, I will get to come home by Valentines Day.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for me. Your prayers have been much needed and very much appreciated. I love you all very much and can't wait till I am strong enough to meet you all.

From Jaxon Xavier

From Jaxon Xavier

From Jaxon Xavier

Squeaky Clean

On Monday night Eric and I gave Jaxon a bath. At least, I gave him a bath and Eric took pictures. It was his first "tub" bath! We used a little pink bucket and filled it with water. He is so tiny that there was plenty of room in the little bucket. He absolutely loved the water. The nurse said he'd like the way the water felt on his skin and he did. So far he really enjoys baths and gets really relaxed and tired afterwards. He is always so awake and alert at bath time.

Click on any picture to be directed to my Picasa album for more pics.

I really do like this!! I promise.

From Bath Time

From Bath Time

From Bath Time

Ahh! I feel nice and clean.

From Bath Time

Meeting Milestones

Tonights visit was a very exciting one. Jaxon weighed in at 3lbs today! We've been waiting four weeks for him to break the 3lb marker. This was a very big milestone for him and we are so proud.

He also took an entire feeding by bottle. This is another HUGE milestone, because once he is able to take his whole meal by breast or bottle he'll be very close to coming home. We tried breastfeeding tonight but that is still a work in progress. It makes him so tired to eat by bottle or breast. He actually falls asleep while he's trying to breastfeed and since it's time to eat and he's not really gettng anything from my breast he gets really frustrated and upset.

He also upgraded from a sponge bath to a tub bath. He really liked the water. I'll write up another post all about this experience and include pictures. I think Eric may have gotten a video, but I'm not sure. Eric and Dr. Stich were "shooting the breeze" so I'm not sure how it turned out, or the pictures. I'm so tired right now, so it will probably be tomorrow before I get this posted.

Well, our little guy is doing so well and we couldn't be happier. We feel so blessed!

Hungry Man!

Last night I got to give Jaxon his first bottle! He did such a great job too. His feedings have increased to 34mL and he took 25mL via bottle before getting tired. But it was great just being able to feed my little boy.

He has been getting all of his feedings via a feeding tube, and once he is able to take all his feedings by bottle or breast he'll be another step closer to coming home.

Additional Note: Tonight we learned that Jax took his morning feeding totally by bottle. All 34mLs!! Jax and I also tried breastfeeding again. He is does pretty good finding where his mouth needs to be, but he doesn't have the sucking thing down yet. I can tell breastfeeding is going to be a challenge, but I'm sticking with it.

Tonight's Visit

It is becoming harder and harder to leave my little man. He is still obviously so tiny, but for the past few weeks he has seemed so helpless. Now he is off all his support, gaining weight, and becoming much more self sufficient. Yesterday, I had this amazing revelation- this is MY baby! It just hit me. I have a child and sooner or later I am going to be totally responsible for this little being.

At tonights visit we got to Kangaroo Care again. This time we practiced breastfeeding for the second time. He did pretty good, but he kept falling asleep. Just trying to suck and stay focused on the task wears him out.

As far as, his care goes, nothing has changed. His feedings moved up to 30mL and Dr. Praszad (Jax's 3rd Neonatologist) said he'll probably have the fortifier added to his breastmilk tomorrow. We need to make sure he is gaining weight and getting enough calcium. That is our major focus so we can bring him home; hopefully in 5 weeks. But other than that he is doing great! He looks wonderful without all the attachments. I know pictures are great and I am so thankful for this technology that allows us to stay connected to all of you; but I REALLY wish you could see our beautiful son. Pictures just don't do him justice.

Update on Jaxon's Progress

As of yesterday, Jaxon is almost off all his support. Initially, he had breathing assistance with a CPAP and then a nasal canula. Now he has been breathing on his own for for a week and a half. He also had help keeping his body temperature regulated with a small water bed heating pad and warm humidity pumped into his incubator. Now both of those are gone and have been for about 2 weeks. His incubator is still heated, but the temperature is being decreased until he is weaned off and able to regulate his temperature by himself. He has also had and IV since he was born, mainly to receive supplemental nutrition and his antibiotics (because of his infection); the IV is still there as a saline lock, but now the supplemental nutrition is gone. If his cultures from yesterday show that the infection is gone and he has no need for antibiotics then the IV will be completely removed. Dr. Paidisetty, his other Neonatologist, took him off the supplemental nutrition because he is doing so well with his feedings they can no longer give it to him. He started out "eating" 1.5mL of breastmilk and now he is at 26mL. Since he's off the nutrition, if he doesn't show that he is gaining weight then he may need a fortifier added to his breastmilk, but we'll wait and see. I imagine he probably will need the fortifier. He also got to "try-out" a bottle yesterday. I wasn't there but his nurse Barb said he did really well sucking, but once he got a little liquid out he didn't know what to do with it. Barb said practice makes perfect, so the NICU nurses will continue to help him figure this out and once he gets a better handle on it Eric and I will be able to bottle feed him. For now we give him a little milk while he sucks on his pacifier. This helps him to put together sucking and milk. He also gets to practice his suck, swallow, and breathe. Well, I think that is it for now. Such simple things but such huge milestones for him. Eric and I are so proud of his progress and we love him so much.

Kangaroo Care

Yesterday I had a doctors appointment, and since I was at the hospital I decided to run up and say good morning to my munchkin. He starts his feeding at 8:30 am and I didn't get up there until 9:30am so I figured I would just check on him and go. Usually, we can only get him out at feeding time because that's when he's awake and we don't want to disturb him while he sleeps. Anyway, his nurse yesterday was Barb and she suggested we go ahead and get him out for Kangaroo Care. Kangaroo Care is a skin on skin contact where the baby lies directly on the mother or fathers bare chest. Studies show that preemies who KC grow faster and are healthier. Jaxon and I've done Kangaroo care a couple of other times (the last post was a Kangaroo Care) and he absolutely loves it. Yesterday he laid on my chest for 2 1/2 hours! He was so relaxed, we just lounged in the chair and took a morning nap together. It was very sweet. He could have tried nursing again, but the little guy was just too tuckered out to even try. I love that the NICU nurses really encourage us to participate in his care and they go above and beyond to help us bond with our baby.

Trial Breastfeeding

Today I spent almost all day with Jaxon. It was a really good day. Tonight at his 4:30 feeding I got to attempt to breastfeed. He still gets his milk via a feeding tube, but the nurse thought it would be a good idea to let him "tryout" a breast. Now a days, when he gets hungry, he nudges around trying to locate his food, so she thought he'd like this little attempt. It wasn't hard for him either, it was kinda funny because he knew exactly what to do. He even got a little milk out, which should be hard for him because he is so small. Anyway, it was an awesome bonding experience for me! By the end of our time together, he was pooped out! He exerts a lot of energy just trying to eat.

Jaxon Xavier

Sorry it took me so long to post that last entry. Most of you probably know the story by now, but I wanted to get all the details in writing and the blog seemed liked the best place to post our story.

Jaxon is doing so well. He is 18 days old and so far has only had one set back. Last Saturday, Dec 27th he came down with an infection. It was scary for Mommy because he can't tell anyone where he hurts so the doctor had to do several tests. Jaxon had a urine culture, blood culture, and spinal tap. He is on 3 antibiotics to make sure all the bacteria gets killed. The blood culture was the only one that came back positive and Dr Stich, our Neonatologist, believes he has a staff infection from his umbilical IV line. They removed that IV, so now he has an IV in his tiny hand.

He is feeling like a new boy now. He is so active for his size and age. He kicks his feet and moves his arms all over the place. He's hard to keep in one spot. He also likes to pull his feeding tube out. (He gets fed by a small tube that runs directly into his tummy because he is too small to take a bottle or breast feed) He is also growing. He started out at 1.5mL of milk and has increased to 18mL of milk. When he was born he weighed 2lbs 3.5oz and 13 inches long. Now he is 2lbs 13oz and 14 inches long. Only 3 more oz and he'll be a whole 3lbs. He also likes to tell you when he is hungry or when his diaper is wet. He becomes a really fussy boy! He hates a dirty diaper. When he's hungry he gets mad, but he also roots around trying to find his meal. Yesterday, he even tried to suck on my knuckle!

He is an amazing little guy and we love him sooo much. Eric is really good with him too. Eric gets really involved with his care, he even changes his diaper. For Jaxon's first few days, Eric was the only one of us who could care for him since I was so sick. In a way it was good for him to get thrown into taking care of his son. Eric is discovering that a newborn baby is amazing to watch grow and develop. I don't know what he expected, but I think he was scared that the baby would be a blob of nothingness. But that is so wrong. Even Jaxon being so little is fun to watch as he experiences new things every day. I love watching Eric and Jaxon interact.

Our Baby Story

Here is our story... On Wednesday, Dec 10th, I woke up with "Cankles". I couldn’t believe it I had been having such an uneventful pregnancy until that day. It was literally like someone flipped a switch. I tried drinking tons of water and elevating my feet, but nothing was helping. April, a friend of mine, said swollen ankles could be a sign that something serious was wrong, so as a precautionary measure I called my doctor’s office the very next day. The nurse I spoke with told me I needed to come in immediately, so I was scheduled to see a nurse practioner Friday afternoon. I had just been to the office on Tue Dec 9th and my blood pressure was perfectly normal at 122/72, but when I went in on Friday Dec 12th it had spiked to 150/90. The NP was slightly alarmed and since my doctor, Dr. Miller, was out of town she had to consult with the on-call doctor, Dr. Fox.

Dr. Fox had me sent up to Labor and Delivery where they tried to get my bp under control, but nothing helped. So over the weekend I was hospitalized, put on bed rest, IV'd w/ Magnesium drip and given precautionary steroid shots (in case they had to deliver early). The whole weekend was a crazy blur. I felt like I was being taken advantage of and that Dr. Fox was being overly precautious. Even though Dr. Fox knew exactly what he was doing it was hard to believe that I was that ill. I felt fine, except for my swollen ankles and now everything that was being done to me was making me feel worse than horrible. I couldn’t see how any of this was good for me and Jaxon.

All weekend I prayed that I would make it to Monday morning when Dr Miller would be back. And let me tell you, it was like seeing an Angel when she came into my room that morning. However, she didn’t have any better news, but I was so relieved to see her. She told me I had early Pre-Eclampsia. It's a high blood pressure condition that has deadly effects for both mom and baby and the early you get it the worse the effects.

That morning she sent Eric and I to see a Perinatologist to have a 3D ultrasound to determine Jaxon's growth and umbilical blood flow. The perinatologist reviewed the ultrasound and shockingly recommended delivery. She said he wasn't getting the right blood flow and if we didn't deliver he would probably die in 3-4 days. Talk about a nightmare. After that everything moved so quickly. Eric and I were faced with making very serious decisions, but we knew we really had no options. I had the choice of trying a natural birth w/ a 95% chance of ending w/ an emergency C-section and putting severe stress on Jaxon or just opting for a C-section with little problems. Of course, I chose the C-section. It wasn't what I had wanted but obviously none of this was. I went in that night around 6:30pm for the C-section and was given an epidural. They tried to do a spinal block 7 times but were unsuccessful and those attempts were the most horrible thing I have ever gone through. I had an excessive amount of fluid on my spine due to lying flat all weekend and having fluids pumped through my body. Almost every time they tried the spinal it felt like my right leg was being electrocuted. Finally the epidural worked and Jaxon was delivered at 7:10pm on Dec 15.

I wish that the bittersweet nightmare ended there, but unfortunately it only got worse. When I woke up on the next morning they drew blood to check my blood counts and I ended up going from 12 to 7 (not sure what the numbers mean, but the drop was significant). Because of this drop I had to have a 2 unit blood transfusion and my blood count continued to be monitored. I lost count as to how many times I was pricked w/ a needle over my stay, but I think I had at least 5 IV lines. On Wednesday morning my blood count had dropped again from 10, after the blood, back to 7. So I was sent down for a CT scan to view my abdomen and check for internal bleeding. The scan experience was also horrible and the dye they shot through my veins made me feel like I was receiving acid through my body. Well, what do you know? I have a softball size blood clot in my stomach that has to be immediately removed. But before they can remove it I have to have 2 more units of blood! I was told that the side effects of the pre-eclampsia and magnesium drip had significantly slowed my blood clotting abilities, so when I received the C-section I continued to bleed; a normal person would have stopped after being stitched up. That night, Wednesday evening, I went in for my second surgery and thankfully I was put out w/ medication.

Finally, when I woke up on Thursday the clouds parted and I received good news. My blood count had stayed up and I was being put on antibiotics to fight any infection that might occur. Plus on Thurs, I got to go up and hold my son for the first time. It was the sweetest moment in a week filled with dreadful ones. On Friday, they took all the IV lines out and I was allowed a shower. Can't even begin to tell you how wonderful that was. It was a little awkward since I hadn't been on my feet in a week, but it was wonderful all the same. Then on Saturday, I was released and got to come home.

Now I'm sure you are wondering about Jaxon. He was born 12 weeks early at a gestational age of 28 weeks. He is really really small. He only weighs 2lbs 3.5oz and is 13.25 inches long. The whole week I was in the hospital he did better than I did! He keeps making huge steps forward and so far no steps back. He was initially put on a CPAP to help him breathe, given a jaundice lamp, and had warm humidity pumped into his incubator to keep him warm. But as of today all those things have been removed. We are so proud of his progress and thank God every minute of every day. Although, this experience was totally unexpected and was nightmarish in many ways, we have so much to be thankful for. God was with us every step of the way. It is totally amazing to look back now and see how he was and continues to work in our life. If it hadn't been for "cankles" and technology who knows where we would be today? God provided us with all the things necessary to determine Jaxon's distress and for that we praise His name. All glory be to God!!!