Small Victories!

I AM committed to making a consistent schedule in posting updates about Caleb. Every single milestone I want to celebrate and give God the glory He deserves. We just got back from California and Caleb was an amazing traveller. He slept all 4 flights to and from California. We went prepared for the worst.... we had toys, pacifiers, chew beads, teething gel, ear plugs, music, and anything else we could think to help sooth him incase it was not a good flight, but I guess our prayers were answered and there was nothing to worry about. However once we got there Caleb's sleeping schedule was less than stellar the 1st night. He woke up several times throughout the 1st night, but finally he settled into a great routine of sleeping 12 hours each night during our visit. My mom was very kind by inviting our family and friends over to meet Caleb and it was a little weird no seeing our son for the entire day as people were visiting with him. Many of you know that Caleb has been teething for the last few months and we have been anxiously awaiting for any indication of his 1st tooth popping through.....well on Saturday, July 16th I saw the tiny tooth breaking the surface of his gums making it's way through Caleb's glistening saliva. Just to be sure I stuck my finger to touch it and sure enough I felt the hard ridge. I was so happy, yet confused because there was no swelling or redness to his gums. Anyway I guess that could be a trend since there wasn't any indication that our little micropreemie would come so early too. Caleb has been doing very well on his solid foods and we have been slowing increasing how much he is eating. I think one of the most difficult parts about being a parent is that there is no set of instructions on how to do things because each baby is so different. We have found what works best is giving Caleb solids in between his bottles and since that has helped us put him on a schedule we are happy. As the year is inching closer to his birthday again I am so thankful for all the nurses and doctors who have made it possible to have our son with us. Thanks for checking in with us!

Be Blessed....

Caleb Update

Hi !!!

I am so sorry for such a delay in posting updates. Thing have been pretty hectic since the last time I posted and a lot of great changes have happened.

First I want to give you all of Caleb's Stats.

He is 9 months old

weight : 18 pounds (10th %)

height: 26 inches long

He is eating solid foods now and has tried butternut squash, carrots green beans and bananas. He rolls over when he wants to from his tummy to his back. He has discovered his toes and his ears recently and enjoys touching them both. Caleb is such a happy baby and smile all the time and makes a lot of noise. He just became aware of an "outside" voice and enjoys practicing it very much.

The EYE doctor said that she was very happy with how his eyes have been progressing and said that if all continues to go as it has been then she would only see us ONE more time..... please keep those prayer coming. We were so excited about that new the other day.

The EAR doctor said that he has no doubt that Caleb hears just fine and does not think that he has any hearing loss. WOO HOOO!!! They asked us to come back in September for a final screening and after that we shouldn't have to go back!

The Pulmonologist (LUNG) discontinued Caleb's APNEA machine TODAY!!!! That is a huge milestone we just passed. We are so very thankful GOd has given Caleb such a string body that has really been working well together. The doctor just made it very clear we need to stay away from anyone who is sick...... Caleb is still at rick for RSV or any other kinds of respiratory illnesses.

Caleb has also been continuing his therapy and we were just encouraged to take him to the pool to help his little athletic body loosen up a bit, so I'm sure one it stops raining we will surely take advantage of that recommendation.

I know Caleb has been drooling a lot more for that last couple of months and that is a sure sure sign of teeth to come, but he hasn't had any other indicators until 4th of July. Caleb woke up just after midnight had a low fever and was a little fussy. Why is it that fever always come at night?..... Nonetheless it went away during the day and then came back and then went away...... and then again in the middle of the night he woke up again.. so for the last few days Mommy and daddy have been tired all over again trying to comfort our little growing boy.

So as you can tell we are well on our way to no longer having multiple visits to the specialists office. Each day I see Caleb become more and more adjusted to what his peers are doing and there is nothing better than knowing what an awesome and amazing GOD we serve. Tune in next time for more pictures..... and thanks for praying for our family!

Moving Forward

Hi All!

Sorry that this post has been late coming. On Tuesday we made our way to the gastroenterologist. The excitement had been building for sometime because I was hoping to hear that Caleb was doing well enough that we could start solids. All the indicators were there, but we were instructed to wait since he had such a difficult time in the beginning of his life. So On Tuesday Dr. M said that we could start with cereal and then introduce a new flavor once a week. I think that his first food will be Butternut Squash since I still have some from our co op. CAleb's first go with cereal was a little funny. He wasn't quite sure what to do with the new texture. He tried a few bites and then became very angry. So we washed it down with a little milk and then half way through the bottle tried again which seemed better. With each feeding he has much improved his intake and ability to eat cereal. I'm so excited to be making his baby food that is one thing that I knew I always wanted to do for many years now and since we have been running our Organic Co Op I am more excited.

Caleb is 16.2 pounds and 24.75 inches long.

Our visits to the eye doctor and ear doctors went very well both gave us great reports on Caleb's progress. The ear doctor no longer has any concerns about his hearing. His eye doctor said that his eyes are progressing very well and it should be just a few more times visiting to be sure that everything is completely resolved.

Sitting Pretty

Guess who is sitting?

That's right today Caleb has been sitting all by himself. I'm so happy for him. He will be 8 months on the 5th of June (4 months adjusted). I now he is doing more and more because of his therapy sessions and I am so thankful he has a great therapist. She is so encouraging and has such a gift with working with babies.

On another note I have to say that I am a little obsessed with hearing other people's stories about their micro preemies. I feel like we belong to a special club or something, except no one wants to belong. I was reading this blog and my heart hurt so much for this family. There seemed to be so much guilt, anger and frustration through out the journey... I prayed for them as I read the blog...then I went to bed and the next day I resumed reading. Their son was in the NICU nearly as long as Caleb, but just couldn't get off the ventilators.... they did a tracheotomy but he was still requiring too much help to breathe. In they end they we not able to help him and he went to be with God...He was on the ventilator to long and had Chronic Lung Disease. I was so very much overwhelmed with gratitude at what God has given us. I know the medical odd were against us... because he was a boy, because he was 24 weeks..because it was out of the blue. But we have made it so far. This whole experience has given me a different perspective on Love and Life. I try to find JOY in everything. I do find Joy in our son, even one those days when I'm not sure what to do. I don't take for granted what a privilege it is to be a parent. I no longer want my parenting to follow a book or style but be filled with faith, love and laughter for our family.

Our family has been praying for another family who has a little one in the NICU who isn't doing very well. She too has been on the ventilator for a very long time. I can only ask that God will continue to bless them. Please pray for baby S.

Big Boy Bed

Happy Memorial Day!

Thank you to all of our brave soldiers who have fought for our country and have given us the freedoms we take for granted!

Caleb spent the first night in his own room in his crib last night. He did great and slept until about 5:30am then woke up for a paci fix and slept for another hour. Just wanted to share the happy news with all of you!

Sleep Study

Hi!

This week has been busy with my mom visiting and us preparing for Caleb's sleep study. He has not had any apnea since he's been home, but the sleep study was recommended by his Pulmonologist to have some documentation in his file that he has not had any problems while he was sleeping. We made our way to the hospital, one that wasn't as clean as I would expect, but there wasn't anything that we could do about that. I just prayed that God would protect Caleb fom all the unseen germs that are lurking in those places. We fed Caleb and got him ready for bed and then all the fun started. The Tech lathered... and I mean lathered Caleb 's head with his Vaseline like goo and then put probes all over it. The did the same with his legs and then put two bands around his mid section. They finally finished preparing him for sleep by inserting prongs up his nose to measure his breathing. They put all these probes on him to measure his sleeping patterns which include his heart rate, oxygen saturations, deepness of sleep patterns and a few other things. The read out looks like a polygraph test and was just as colorful to look at. The tech said that Caleb did well and everything fine, but the doctor will analyze the patterns and get back to us and then hopefully discontinue us using his monitor.

The monitor itself was given to us just as a precaution because Caleb had some later episodes of apnea while in the hospital. The apnea is a common in preemies and newborns, and is given when having a micro preemie. It just took Caleb a little longer than thought. We wanted to show you a few pictures of our little cable guy last night. Caleb has gotten so big that we are so very excited as we approach the summertime and hopefully will be able to spend more time with family and friends. He's is now around 14 pounds or so and is already in 6 moth almost 9 month clothing. He has been doing well with therapy and we are hoping that we will get the GI's okay to start with some solids next week. Until then ...thanks for reading and following our blog.

Sunday Thought

I'm sorry I have not been a very good blogger, but My mom has come in to town and so we have been getting acquainted with our little miracle. There has been so many moments when the reality if what our family has gone through the last year and yesterday at church was one of them. Our pastor said the God uses those people who have been "hit" the hardest.... Through our great trial I do hope that God will use us to help others. We recently found out about a family who was going throughout a very difficult and devastating time. They not only found out about a an unknown cancer taking over a young mother's body, but struggled through decision on how to help keep the 22 week old baby inside of her safe. As our family was praying for them over and over we later found out that God chose to bring the baby home after a couple of days here. Again my heart hurt for them on an unrealistic level. There are so many people that I have come to find out that have experienced pre-term labor and there seems to be so much guilt connected to it. I know what that feels like as I had to felt that for a brief moment. But.... as I remembered yesterday that God is more amazing and faithful than I will ever think and he loves His children.

As I mentioned before Caleb has ROP and as I watch him overcome so many obstacles that the docs ad said we would encounter I can;t help but KNOW it's because of God's favor on him. He has been in physical therapy for 2 weeks and is doing so great. Just the other day he was holding himself up more that I have ever seen him do on his belly, so of course i take a picture. I was so excited..but I missed it. I tok his picture and sent it to his g-ma and while i was typing in her name that is when it happened. I looked back at him and there he was smiling at me on his back . He ROLLED OVER! He has since then not chose to do it again, but he has been close. He is also so close to sitting alone. I can't wait for more of those moments.

If you would like to listen to the message I heard at church yesterday, Please go here