Samuel ~God Hears~

He's Still Working on Me

2011-05-05T23:36:00.000-05:00

Today was the day that I have kept in the back of my mind for almost a year now. Last year we had our first Pediatric Cardiology appointment with Dr. Colvin from Birmingham. We were so impressed with the way Dr. Colvin explained in a very calm way that Sam had three holes in his heart that would eventually need fixing through surgery. We had all the questions last year such as; could the holes still close up, will this cause any additional problems, what types of restrictions will this lead to, are there any signs or symptoms that we needed to watch for in the next year to know if something serious is happening? I'm sure there were more but those are the questions I can remember asking not really wanting to hear the answers. We had been through a good bit with this little guy. Did we really have to add ASD (that's what his heart issues are called). So after the Dr. told us that the holes would not heal on thier own because of where they were located and that Sam was already past the "given age" of the holes healing with growing up some. We were reassured that this condition had absolutely nothing to do with Sam being premature. We took all this in pretty well I thought. I knew it was just one more thing for me to try not to worry about. I decided that I was not going to dwell on this and that the same poweful God that brought Sam and me through a very rough time a couple of years ago was going to carry us completely through what ever we would face with these heart conditions.
With all of that being said, I am so thankful for my family, friends, and church family that have persistently lifted Sam and these "holes" in his heart to the Lord and prayed for healing. It is so encouraging to know that you are surrounded with prayer warriors in your life that will daily pray for your little boy. Anyway, will all of that said, back to the appointment today.
Remembering that we were there almost 4 hours last year being moved from room to room to wait for the doctor, I packed a bag full of things. Sam didn't care about much of anything that his mama had packed to keep him content. He wanted to climb up and dowh the chairs and bed. He said hey and bye to anyone that passed. He did dig a ball out of his bag and set up his own game of catch and throw with one of the ladies working in the waiting room. That was oh so entertaining! We still had to wait a couple of hours to see the Dr. (of course they did little things here and there with Sam to get ready for the dr).
So finally the dr came in and asked how Sam had been doing. We didn't have any complaints except for the ear infections that we are battling but that is a whole different story. The dr did a couple of things and listened to his heart a minute or two. He said that it sounded pretty good. He explained that we would attempt to take a closer look with the ultrasound machine, and what he would be able to see would depend on Sam's reaction to the ultrasound experience. That was Sam's least favorite but he hung in there for about 10 minutes while Dr. Colvin searched over his heart. Sam could see the screen and would say.."what's dat?" It seemed like forever before the Dr. said anything. He even changed wands to get a closer look at everything. Sam was a little scared but was trying his best to be a big boy. Finally, Dr. Colvin stopped moving the wand and pulled it away from Sam and told him that he did a good job. I was waiting for him to say something, anything about what he saw this year.
So calmly, just as a year before he looked at us and said, "I didn't see anything, no holes, he looks great and I won't be doing any kind of heart surgery on this guy." I wanted to scream, cry, jump up and down, give high fives, and rejoice. Instead of all of these I looked at the dr with a little bit of a laugh and told him that was great news and that was exactly what we had been praying for since this time last year. I didn't get a response from him with that but it didn't matter to me. God is still in the healing business my friends. I thought of the song He's Still Working on Me. I know that it has a deeper meaning than that of He is still closing up holes that "could not be closed because of Sam's age and placement without surgery." There was some surgery, just not by any human hands. We will have to go back when Sam is around 4 just to check again. That's ok.
The other reason I thought about that song that we've all sang a billion times is that He is still working on ME. God continues to show His powerful, faithfulness, and love for His children.
I want to say a HUGE thank you to all you prayer warriors our there that have been praying for us over the past couple of years. I know that we have a many of years ahead of us and will have our share of scares and worries. I do know that God will hold our hand through those times too.

Newton's Law of Motion

2011-04-16T00:04:00.000-05:00

I can officially say that Sam has had his first "real" black eye. I snapped a couple of pics to show him later in life when we can laugh again at this funny little ordeal. It is already much better, but it is still noticeable. The funniest thing to me is the way people look at you when you go into public with a child that looks as if I've beaten him (only in one eye of course). Maybe it is just me, but I think not. I forget that it is black and I will see peeps just staring at me and then looking at Sam with a "I wish I could help you" face. Really people?!? I mean, he is in the buggy sitting there giving me kisses and laughing, how could I beat such a precious little thing? SO anyway, this is how it went down...
Last Sunday night Jeff, Mama, and I had nursery duty at church. So we were outside with the kiddos and the number of various ages of kids began to grow rapidly the closer it came to church time. I could already tell that my mom was a little nervous with the amount of kid/adult ratio happening on the playground. So Jeff was trying to keep Sam's daredevil, climbing-monkey friend off the top of the "big kids" equipment while Sam was roaming around inside the playground area. The next thing I knew was that Sam started his wind up of a cry ( the kind that just gets louder and louder ). As I saw my mom make sure the kid she was with was on the ground and then take off toward Sam, I knew it probably wasn't going to be a good outcome. Once she got to him and the crying didn't let up, I got a little nervous and then I say a big blood blister under his left eye. So Nonna rushes inside to attempt some ice/cold pack for swelling...not successful. By the time Jeff and I rounded the others up and made it inside, he was playing like nothing ever happened but there was clear evidence that said otherwise. Well, Sam had officially been whipped by the swing! Yes, you read it correctly. He was pushing some swings that were above his head (I know this is so shocking since he is so tall), then he moved on down the swings pushing them until the reached the ones that were "eye-level". He pushed the swing and it came right back to get him.
So while Jeff thought Sam looked tough coming off the playground with a black eye, Sam's mama was not as amused by the blackening since Sam's 2yr appt was the next morning @ 8 am. So as we arrived at the dr's appt. the nurses and Dr. Williams asked what got a-hold of him. It was a little funny to hear Dr. Willaims' advice to Sam. He told Sam to always remember Newton's Law of Motion! :)

So anyway, we are making it and the eye has a new rainbow of colors each morning.
I have so enjoyed having this little black-eyed stinker home with me this week while on Spring Break.
Daddy was off Monday with us and we went to the playground and worked in the yard. Nonna has been off the rest of the week and that has been fun as well. We went to Tallahassee to see CorCor and Debo on Tuesday, went shopping for some deals on Wednesday, played outside almost allll day on Thursday, and Friday everybody was home and we had a jam-packed day of work inside and out. Sam loves every minute of helping anyone with any type of manual labor. It is fun to watch his short, little legs carry him from one activity to another. These are such fun, fun days. Spring Break is over now and we are looking forward to SUMMER!!!

This is my sand/water table that CorCor and Debo gave me for my 2nd bday and I LOVE IT!!

Terrific Two!

2011-04-05T21:55:00.000-05:00

Really, can it be true? My little Sam is 2 years old!!! Wow, has time passed like crazy. We have been having a lot of fun with this precious guy. I am very aware that it has been about 7 months since my last post but I will try to catch up on some things for my own sake. I like to go back and look at these posts every once in a while to remind myself of how much we have been blessed with this little stinker.

   Where shall I begin? October was a fun little month. We didn't do anything way out of the ordinary but we did make a little visit to the pumpkin patch and that was a lot of fun. Sam loved the all of the ~~orange balls,~~ I mean pumpkins. He thought he was in a world of unlimited balls made just for him to pick. He would run from one row to the next yelling "ball, ball" and then add a little laugh behind it like he just didn't even know what to do with himself. It was really funny. We didn't get to do much dressing up for Halloween. Sam was going to be a cowboy but he wasn't feeling to great that weekend. We did dress him up for costume day at the daycare but didn't get a good picture before he took a nose-dive into the concrete because he had a wardrobe malfunction. His cowboy boots didn't allow him to bend his ankles very good, so he kinda got off balance trying to play in the flower bed and to a crash. It scraped his nose pretty good and of course caused a big crying scene. This was our first "real fall" where he walked away with some blood and battle wounds. He made it through that just fine though.
    November, the month of fun Thanksgiving activities. We had a pretty normal November and Thanksgiving. It sure beat his first Thanksgiving when he had fever and some type of rash! In the month of November we found out that the Miracle Playground is a lot of fun and Sam thinks that he is real big when he's there. He wanted to play on the big boy side, of course.
   December was a busy month as always. Birthday parties, Christmas parties, and Christmas are all a lot of fun for everyone! I enjoyed having a couple of weeks off with Sam. Christmas was a blast. Sam was always excited when he saw a Christmas tree or any type of fun decorations. He did pretty good with not destroying the Christmas tree. The fact that I scared him to death when I first put it up might have helped him keep his little fingers off the lights and ~~balls~~ ornaments. This is how it went down. I had just finished the long process of putting up the tree and all its wonderful decorations, when Sam walked up and started pointing at everything. I stood back for a minute and did my usual "no, no Sam, don't touch, just look". Well I knew that he was paying me absolutely no attention. So I stayed really quiet until he got almost to the light he was about to touch and then I yelled pretty loud. I didn't yell any words but I yelled. It scared Sam enough that he took off with his hands behind his back like he was saying, "I wasn't going to touch it". He went in circles mumbling some jibberish for a minute. It was very funny!! Anyway, he was broken from messing with the trees. Sam had a good time opening presents at Christmas. Santa brought him a John Deere riding tractor. We had to rig it a little so that he could ride it because the lil' fellas legs are short like his mama. It works for now.
    January's highlight was the National Championship. Sam was all over the house saying "touchdown Auburn" and cheering when we cheered and saying "oh no" when he could tell that something bad happened. It was entertaining. He was in bed by the time Auburn had been named champs, so it was a challenege to keep quiet enough to not wake him, but we were successful.
   In February we took a trip to ATL for a long weekend. It was a blast. Sam, Daddy, Pawpaw, and Mama went to the aquarium and it was awesome. Sam said "what's dat" a billion times but we answered him every time even when we were not completely sure of what it might have been (this would've been rare since Sam's daddy is Jeff Corwin) . The next day Sam, Daddy, Pawpaw, and Dave went to the zoo. They said that Sam was ecstatic to see the animals playing and making noises. His favorite part must have been the gorillas. He came back to Honey's house saying "goriya" and beating his chest and laughing hysterically at himself. He played a little football with everyone in the front yard and helped Honey trim some blooms off of her flowers. It was an absolute wonderful weekend.
Then came March. The month that Sam came into this world.(barely since his bday is the 31st, but anyway) We were busy with planning the party. This year we decided to do a joint party for Sam and his cousin, Elizabeth. We chose a farm/barnyard theme. It was so much fun to plan and decorate for a fun theme like this. We had it at my house and we prepared fun little treats to go along with the theme and had an amazing cake. (shout out to Slice of Heaven Bakery) Sam and Elizabeth were great and seemed to have a load of fun. We had a little hayride ( Sam might have thought that since he rides the tractor with Pawpaw alot, that's were he belonged instead of the actual trailor with hay bales) They each got gobs of presents that were too cute and fun. They had some matching shirts (thx Stitches and Britches) that were adorable. We really enjoyed this little barnyard bash. Thanks to Nonna and Honey that helped to make everything so perfect and special for the kiddos. We couldn't have done it without your help.
   So now on to some of the things that Sam is loving and amazing us with these days. Now that he is 2, he is weighing around 27 lbs. Our 2yr appt isn't until Monday so I'm not sure about how short he is but I will try to come back and add that once I know. He is a pretty good eater. Some of his favorite foods are: mac & cheese, bananas, grapes, carrots, squash, cheese puffs, cereal, french toast, cinnimon toast, egg white and cheese sandwhich. His all time fav that he never turns down, drum roll please....Reeses. Yes so very healthy. He absolutely loves these things. We only get the minis and let him have a couple at a time but he would eat the entire bag I'm sure. He even knows where we hide them and we have to change that hiding place often. I usually don't get them but his Nonna always has some for a little prize when needed. :)
He has a Duckie Potty. We aren't quite ready to use the potty yet. I have put him on there a couple of times but he really doesn't understand yet. We might try again this summer. Sam has a step stool at his sink and loves trying to brush his teeth. It's very funny because he just sucks all the toothpaste off and then says "more". I wish he was actually brushing those teefies.
Sam is in his toddler bed now. Bedtime is between 7:30-8 and I usually have to wake him up around 6:15. Lateley he has been saying "no, no, nite, nite, nite, nite" when I have to get him up to get dressed. He is sleeping through the night for the most part. Every once in a while (when he has an ear infection mostly) he will wake up in the night but will usually go back to sleep without having to be rocked or taken out of his bed. He has enjoyed having more area for toys in his room now that he is in the toddler bed. When we set the new bed up we put new bathroom decorations up also. We used the monsters collection from Kohl's. It is super cute, not scary. Sam likes it too.
   As far as developmentally, I feel like Sam is really starting to catch up to his real age. He is talking a little more each day. He will try to sing his ABC's and loves puzzles. He loves reading/looking at books. Sam has finally started following simple directions. (take this to your room, give this to daddy, go find your shoes) That is very exciting knowing that he is beginning to make some connections. I know I probably worry too much but it is hard not to compare and continually try to push him. He has started putting words together for short 2-3 phrases. He says around 50 words (not actually counting but estimating). I'm not sure how that lines up with his age but I think he's getting there. I am amazed at how it seems that he is saying a little more each day.
   I know that this is long and I don't blame anyone that doesn't read all of this but I needed to do some documentation for my own sake. I am still reminded frequently of how blessed we are and what God brought us through with Sam. I went to a conference this past weekend and the speaker was talking about how our life interruptions are on the heels of divine interventions. God is bigger than our circumstances and we are often put in these situations to see God's power. I know that our life interruption was definately a divine intervention and we did see God's mighty power and that He was bigger than us and our circumstances. God held us in His hand as we walked through some very difficult situations. I know that He is worthy of all the credit we give Him and even more. I am in awe of His love for us and our little family. We continue to pray for God's will in our family and lives. We know that He has great things planned for His children. We will return to the pediatric cardiologist for the heart check up in May. We pray that the 3 holes that were found last year have closed or gotten smaller. If not, we know that God will still be in control and will carry us through what ever might be in store for Sam's future with these issues as well. God is faithful!

September 6, 2010

2010-09-06T21:36:00.001-05:00

This picture was taken one year ago. Sam wasn't quite sitting up yet.

This is a picture a year later with the same football as last year.

I simply cannot believe how big our little Sam is getting. He is 17 months old and weighing in around 23 lbs. It has been a joy watching him grow and show his own unique personality. He is a funny little guy. He makes a lot of adorable faces and makes some noises that I can't duplicate. He is saying some words. Right now some of his favorite words are: gone-gone, Daaaady, Papaw, dog, Nonna, and Mama. He says other things like ball, bye, hey, bite, no-no. He is trying really hard to walk. He can take 5-6 steps without falling but he will not just take off and go. He still enjoys eating. He loves his egg and cheese sandwich he has most mornings for breakfast. Ice cream cones are at the top of the list. Of course the usual hot dogs, hamburgers, and french fries are always a hit. Here lately Sam figured out that he can just suck the ketchup off of the fries. That is always funny to watch.
I just love watching him grow a little everyday. It is easy to forget how far he has come when watching him busily playing in his own little world. But I am quick to remind my self of what a miracle and blessing he is. Each day is a new day to give God praise for all He has done and still continues to do in our lives.

This is Sam now. He is really good at balancing forever so that he doesn't have to take a step.

May 29, 2010

2010-05-29T07:00:00.005-05:00

These pics are from Mother's Day and Baby Dedication.

I can't believe how fast this little man of mine is growing up! Sam is all over the place now and gets there very quickly! He wants to be walking really bad. He will push his toys everywhere and walk taking really high steps. I don't think it will be very long before he is walking.

Sam is eating very well now. The little guy has 4 teeth on the top and 4 teeth on the bottom. Table food has made him pretty happy. His mama is very thankful that he is NOTHING like her when it comes to what he will eat (maybe more like her in the quantity). He will try just about anything you put in front of him. Okra and squash are some favs and last night at the Red Elephant he ate broccoli and loved it. YAY!! He likes green stuff! He's not too big on pieces of fruit, I think they are still a little funny in texture to him. He did eat some peach slices the other night and I was very entertained as they slid all over the place as he tried to tackle them with those sweet little hands.

Sam weighed close to 21 pounds at our last drs visit. We have had a little run at the drs office lately. Sam had viral bronchitis about 3 weeks ago and some type of eye infection going on a couple of weeks ago, so we are looking forward to being all better again soon hopefully. Right now we are being visited by Mr. Snot and Cough. They seem to be regular guests around Folkes Lane even though we have tried everything to ban them.

Sam loves water!! I'm sure you remember all of the bath videos and pics from even NICU days. He still loves a good bath, but now.....he has seen brighter days when it comes to water. Mammaw bought Sam and his cousin Elizabeth a small pool about a month ago. We pulled Sam's out last weekend. He wasn't so sure about it at first but warmed up quickly. Although I will say that he was more intrigued by the blades of grass he was trying to eat while playing in his pool. Yesterday afternoon his Aunt Cori sat him on the steps of the big pool and he splashed his little heart away! I do believe that the pool will be a hit with this little guy.

I am so happy to say that school is out for the summer and I am looking forward to playing with my sweet little boy. I'm sure there will be a lot of pics taken in the next couple of months. I will try my best to update a little more often. A couple of other things that have taken place since Sam's birthday post would be the Baby Dedication that we were thrilled in being able to participate in this year on Mother's Day and he had his 1 year pics done at the studio and oh how sweet he was during that process.

I am so thankful for this precious little guy!

Happy Birthday Sam!

2010-03-31T22:40:00.001-05:00

Oh my goodness, I can't believe that my precious little boy is 1 year old! When I went to get him out of his bed this morning, I began to think about everything that was going on one year ago. Actually throughout the day I thought about how our lives were changing ever so quickly last March 31st. This could get long....I'm sorry.
I thought about how scary the ambulance ride was and not knowing what was going to happen with me not going back to work..because at that time I just thought they would put me on bedrest in the hospital for a while. Boy was I in shock when they rolled me into the E.R. at Baptist East and I met my consulting dr there and he said "we will probably have a baby in the next several days"! I can't explain all of the feelings and thoughts I had at that precise moment. Then that dr stopped and prayed with Jeff and me. I knew right then that I was where God intended me to be at that exact time in my life and pregnancy. As things became more serious with each passing day and I watched my family and friends try to keep themselves composed around me, I tried to stay strong and positive even though I was terrified of what the outcome could be but had an unmeasurable peace that God was still in control. March 30th the drs said that my 2oo something over 100 something ( I can't remember the exact numbers..I know my mama can tell you within secs) was getting very dangerous for Sam and me and that they wanted me to try to have the baby. The process began and around noon on the 31st they said a c-section needed to be done immediately. At 12:28pm my precious son was born into this world. I remember just praying that I could hear him make a sound, just one sound even though I had my doubts - but he did have a little cry when he came out. I saw him for about 5 secs before they rushed out with him.
I can't explain the happiness that came over me, just to know that I was a mom! The love I had for him just seeing him those short seconds was overwhelming. I waited for 3 days before I could see him again. You know you see all of these movies with these crazy people in the hospital who are really sick and they are mad about being there, so they rip all of the machines and ivs out and get up barely able to walk and push all the people down and escape the hospital. Deep down inside, I think I was secretly planning an escape route to the NICU. Since I was so drugged that I couldn't lift my legs and I had been laying in the bed for 5 days straight....I settled for some pics and videos of my sweet boy.
I could probably take you day by day through our 42 days in the NICU and minute by minute of our trip home, but I'll spare you the pain...just reread the older posts if you want to re-live those days with me. (: What I will tell you is the joy that it has been being the Mama of this wonderful little fella. He is so incredible sweet. He can be very serious at times but overall he is happy as can be and getting big! From 2 lbs 12 oz to 20 lbs! That's quite a bit of work! He is kinda crawling - maybe more of a scoot at this point. He tries to sing when music is playing (or his mama is trying to practice the Easter music in the car - he might be screaming at me to hush but we will call it trying to sing with me for now). We are trying some 3rd stage foods but the texture isn't the best thing to him right now. We are practicing on our sippy cup! Sam is wearing 12m, 12-18m clothes but his foot is still a little small and legs short...maybe a little like his mama on that part. Overall.....I think he has done just fine.
I cherish each moment of everyday that the Lord as given me with him. I love his laugh, smile, dipples, big blue eyes, the way he screams at things when he gets excited (mainly dogs), his tongue that he turns sideways, his little hands that he reaches with, and the way he jumps with excitement when I walk in to pick him up from daycare. I know that it sounds like this little boy has my heart wrapped....this is true. I can't wait to see what he will do next that amazes me.
Heavenly Father, thank you for such a precious gift that you have trusted us with. I know that Sam is yours and I am grateful that I was chosen to be his mom and see him grow from such a tiny little baby. I pray that Sam will grow up to love and seek You daily knowing that your hand has been on his life since the day he was conceived. I pray that he knows that you have a specific purpose for his life here on earth.
Thank you to all of you that have prayed, cried, encouraged, and rejoiced with us throughout this past year.

February 28, 2010

2010-02-28T09:21:00.002-06:00

Waiting calmly for the ekg to be done.

The long awaited cardiologist appoint for Sam was this past Friday. As most of you recall, Sam was born with a heart murmur that we were told would correct on its own when he was a little bigger. Well, we are going to be 1 yr old March 31st! Can you believe it? One whole entire year. It seems like just yesterday I was fussing with the dr about my blood pressure and I was fine just let me go home and give me some meds...I didn't need to go to Montgomery. Anyway, Sam's heart murmur has been 'unchanged', which is why the pediatrician wanted to just "get a look at it". This past Monday we went for the "look". The drs come from B'ham so we have been waiting for months. Of course as always, I was very nervous about the whole thing. Sam was a champ. It was funny how comfortable he seemed in the hospital room with all the equipment. They did an EKG and an Echo cardiogram. The echo showed that Sam has 2 possibly 3 holes in his atrium wall. (the wall that separates the right and left side of his heart, I believe) The dr said it is called ASD, atrial septal defect. This kinda caught me off guard because so many people have heart murmurs, I just wasn't expecting it I guess. They said taht he doesn't need any special meds or any restrictions at this time. The dr will see him again when he is 2yrs old. Then before Sam starts school (4 or 5) we will go to B'ham and they will do a little procedure to fix the holes that will allow the tissue to grow and form the wall completely.

It was a big blow at first for this mama but God quickly started reminding me how far He has brought us and this to is in His hands. Sunday, before the appointment, I was cleaning out some stuff at home and found a chart that I made when we brought our 4lb baby home from Montgomery. As I reviewed the information like, how much Sam was drinking and using the bathroom, a huge smile came over me. I guess you just forget things that you go through when new phases begin. We were working to get 30 ccs in at a feeding when we came home. Boy and girls - that is only 1 oz. I found some of his first diapers that had his footprints on them and this first bottle with the date on it. Which was Apr. 21st. He was almost a month old before he had his first bottle! We have seen our little man come so far. He is so fun and loving. His smile just melts my heart. I know that the asd is a scary thing for me, but I have been continuously reminded the entire past week of how strong Sam is and the strength that our Lord has provided for Jeff and me over the past year. I know that He will continue to watch over us and carry us throughout Sam's life whatever it might bring our way. The dr said there was a very minimal chance that the holes would close on their own, but hey, Sam could be that minimal chance. Nothing is impossible. It certainly wouldn't be the first time God fixed a human heart. (; We are praying that He will allow those holes to close, but if He chooses not to, then we are still trusting in Him to guide the drs for the best treatment for Sam. We are so thankful and praise our Lord for everything He has done for us and the blessings that He pours out on us.

A Snow Day in Dothan

2010-02-12T19:30:00.002-06:00

Wow, after doubting Conner Vernon and DCS for closing down for snowy weather, I can honestly say that I enjoyed being off work for a snow day. We had so much fun playing in the snow. We would be the 4 adults at the house today, not the 10 month old that just stared at it falling. Sam might not ever see snow in his front yard again like it was today. I took tons of pictures to tell him about it one day soon. Hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful blanket of snow like we did on Folkes Lane.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T10:40:00.003-06:00

Celebrating Daddy's "30th" !

Wow!! What a year. I can't believe that Sam is 9 months old already. Which also means in 3 months he will be a year old! This has been quite a year. As I thought about everything that we have experienced in 2009 I am overwhelmed with joy and thankfulness of the Great and Mighty God we serve and worship. He has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams with the most precious little man that we fall more in love with each day. I never imagined that I could love something so much. He brings smiles and tears of happiness to my face so very often. I was thinking about our time in the NICU this past week. Some of the memories are so vividly etched in my mind but what I remember the most is the first time I saw Sam in his little bed (box). I remember his birth being such a special, yet scary time. Then he was here and I automatically felt so close to him even though I couldn't even touch my very own son. I had naturally weighed all of the outcomes of his birth and thought about how hard it would be if the Lord decided to take him to heaven. As hard as that would've been I knew that God would have still been in control and provided the peace needed for a situation like that. As I rethought all of those thoughts this Christmas, the birth of Christ was so much more special to me. I thought about Mary and how scared but obedient she and Joseph were. (having your child in a manger!!) I thought about God and how hard it must have been sending his only son to us sinners knowing the outcome was death on the cross. How thankful I am this Christmas season to have celebrated the greatest birth in the world and the grace that was shown for me and my sins when God sent Jesus to us. Having your own son seems to put so many more things into perspective for me. I am so very blessed to have Sam and family and friends that have prayed for us and been there for us to help us through a year like we've never experienced before. Merry Christmas 2009! We are looking forward to a fun-filled 2010!

November 15, 2009

2009-11-15T21:43:00.004-06:00

This is me and my cousin Elizabeth.

Cutest little monkey ever!!!!!!!!!

I think my cousin Elizabeth is really fun and I smile at her a lot.

I'm getting big! I was 15 lbs 8 oz a couple of weeks ago. I like eating my food and playing in my monkey jumper and riding in my car outside. The dr said I have allergies and that is why I've had a snotty nose since the beginning of September. My favorite thing is chewing on anything I can get in my mouth because I have two teeth coming in. My mommy thinks they are really sweet until I bite her finger as hard as I can. Tomorrow I am moving up to the next class at daycare. I'm growing and learning fast. My family can't believe how sweet I am.

October 12, 2009

2009-10-12T20:45:00.002-05:00

We had two doctors appointments this past week. We had our 6 month check-up with our pediatrician in Dothan. It went well. Sam is now eating cereal in his fruits in the morning and at night with veggies at lunch. :) He is getting big!! He weighed 14 lbs 6 oz and was 23" long. He did have to get some shots and he DID NOT like that a bit. We will not go back again until our 9 month appointment.

On Friday we went to Montgomery for the developmental appointment. After waiting for 3 hours to be seen, Sam was asleep and not real interested in "playing" with the toys they had to assess him with. The examiner explained to us that they expected him to be the developmental level of a 4 month old (this was determined by my due date). We were told that Sam tested on a 5 month old level! We were thrilled that they dismissed us and we do not have to return to Montgomery for anymore appointments at this time. Praise the Lord!!

Our next big appointment is in December when he goes to the pediatric opthamologist. We are continuing to be amazed at how wonderful and powerful our God is and we are still praying that the Lord will continue to protect Sam from sickness and allow him to develop properly.

Sam has rolled over and is very strong. He likes to stand up and try to sit up on his own. He will sit up for several seconds alone. He is smiling and laughing and talking a lot and we are loving every second of it!

September 20, 2009

2009-09-20T08:03:00.003-05:00

Look at those eyes!!! I love them. We loved taking pics of Sam's eyes even when he

was in the NICU.

As I get on Ethan's blog several times a day to check his progress and look for specific prayer requests, I realized how connected you are to the situation through these blogs. I remember people emailing me wanting more pics of Sam and more information. So...I apologize for not updating near enough. I have videos and pics galore but haven't found a time to consistantly add new posts. I'm going to really try to be better about that. (for me too, I like to go back and see God's powerful hand throughout this journey)

Sam is almost 25 weeks and he is coming alive. He will laugh out loud and smile at you like crazy. (only when he wants to, he doesn't work well on demand, I hear this is normal for kids) He is eating oatmeal cereal twice a day (morning and night) and drinking about 4 oz of milk at a feeding. He is eating every 2-3 hours. He has had a bad stuffy nose over the past couple of weeks so he seems to really get tired during his bottle. He still takes little naps during his bottles. He is grabbing things and he automatically pulls them to his mouth. This was a big thing for us. The dr asked at this last visit if he was grabbing things yet and we had to say no, but it wasn't long until the began grabbing the toys on the carseat. He loves riding now. He talks to himself in the mirror every morning on the way to school. He has also realized how to stick out his tongue, but we're not sure that he knows how to control getting it back in this mouth as well. He will stick it out and even smile with it sticking out...it's quite funny. I thankfully report that he officially slept through the night!!!! A couple of nights ago we put him to bed around 9:30 and didn't get up unitl 5:30!!!!! Yay. We repeated this little routine for 3 nights and then last night.. not so much. We got up at 3 then at 6 then at 7:30. It's ok though, he sure was sweet everytime. His fussing for a bottle is more like talking instead of crying so I laugh at him a lot. I think he's yelling at me and since I can't really tell what he might be yelling at me, he won't get a spanking for it until they are words. =)

As I read Ethan's blog everyday I am reminded again about how far we have come. Seeing the pictures of tubes and reports of feedings and residuals floods my mind with memories from the 42 days in the NICU. Oh how great is our God!! I fail to give Him enough praise for all He has done for us. I know that each breath that Sam takes is a miracle and blessing from Him . With each new day Sam does things that I prayed he would be able to do. When you know the risk of being on a vent and sedated for a while without feedings, you pray for things some people might never think of with a newborn. Our God is faithful and gracious. He heard our very first cry to Him and He has overwhelmed us with His love for us. We know that Sam is a special little guy and I believe that He has great plans for him. Even though we still have many more developmental and eye appointments to go, we are overjoyed and thankful for the things that Sam can do. Please remember to lift Ethan and his family up in your prayers. They got to see Ethan's eyes last night and I remember how exciting that was. Those babies seem to talk to you through those eyes. :) Ethan has a blog you can follow to get his specific prayer needs and rejoice with them as the Lord continues to give them strength for each new challenge. (a link to his blog is on the right side of Sam's page)

Please Pray!!!

2009-09-11T06:26:00.002-05:00

We got news last night that some of our dear friends (that had a baby yesterday around 1:45pm , 8 lbs 11 oz) were having their baby boy to B'ham for low oxygen levels. This morning I got a text saying that the baby is in critical condition. I've been told that he has fluid on his lungs. They have ruled out any heart problems. Please pray for Baby Ethan, Bonnie, and Kerry Williamson. I know what it feels like to know that there are people all over the world praying for your child and the power that there is in God's children crying out for healing, peace, and comfort no matter what the outcome may be. When I look at Sam even now I know that he is a living testimony of God's Power. Please lift the Williamson family up in your prayers.

September 7, 2009

2009-09-07T16:11:00.004-05:00

His orange and blue monogramed outfit he wore Friday before game day.

The outfit his Honey (aunt Linda) gave him. It was the last day to wear his white pants. :)

Sam has been growing so fast. We are around 12 1/2 pounds now. He has really come alive. He stays awake for longer periods of time and will just laugh and smile so big at us. I'm sure we look funny to him when we get down in his face and talk that "baby talk" to him. He really likes his juice and cereal. This weekend he has had a stuffy nose and even though I know he isn't feeling well, he has been so precious. His daddy had the flu a couple of weeks ago and we spent the week at Nonna's house. God protected him from catching that and I'm very thankful. I have been looking forward to my first "school holiday" so I can stay home with him. It was nice to get up this morning and not have to rush to daycare. He played and laughed and we sucked snot out of his nose. This was a big weekend for him. It was his first official "college football" weekend. He hung out in his Auburn attire wishing he could have some boiled peanuts. I assured him it wouldn't be long. :) We have some appointments coming up. October 9th we will be traveling to Montgomery to go to his developmental appointment. They say it will take about 2 hours and they will assess him from head to toe. I'm not sure what all will happen but I imagine that they will compare the things he does to what would be expected of a child his corrected age. We'll see what happens. I pray that everything is right on track. I'll try to keep you updated!

August 3, 2009

2009-08-03T19:39:00.002-05:00

Ok, so it's been a while since the last update and I can't wait for you to see how much our little guy has grown. We went to Destin for a week and Sam loved his first vacation with his Nonna, Pawpaw, Aunt Cori, Uncle Debo, and Mommy and Daddy. We took him to the beach one day and he stayed asleep the whole time. It was really overcast and a good breeze was blowing off of the ocean - so I'm sure it was the beginning of a love for the beach. It was my last full week with him before I start back to work. :(

On the way home from the beach I sat in the back with Sam and just stared at his sweet little face and thought of how far we've come. The Lord has blessed us in so many ways. It brings tears to my eyes to think about all of the things we have to be thankful for. A baby born 2 months early and weighing 2 lbs 12 oz now weighs over 10 lbs and has started smiling and even laughing a little bit. It seems so unfair to see parents struggling through the death of their child or an incurable sickness, but reminds me that I have a miracle living in my house. I've been with Sam 18 weeks and enjoyed every second of the fears and laughs that came along with each day. From the 42 days in the NICU to the 2 1/2 months we've been at home, Sam has filled my heart with joy and a love that I've never imagined possible. Last night was a long night as I thought about the chore ahead of me-DAYCARE. I prayed for strength and a peace that only God could give as I knew that I had to take him today to meet his teachers and begin a new chapter in our lives. Sam of course just looked around with those beautiful eyes of his, while his mama was fighting to hold it together. I've always known that my children would be in daycare but I never thought about the emotions that come along with having to leave them that first time. I made it through it! School starts Wednesday. Sam and I are going to enjoy the day together tomorrow. I love him soooo much. Thank you Lord for your creation and for allowing us to be Sam's parents.

July 20, 2009

2009-07-20T17:37:00.004-05:00

Getting ready for bed.

Look how much I've grown!!

Sam is really growing. He is about 9 1/2 lbs. We have enjoyed watching him grow a little each day. His eye contact has improven and he is smiling at us every once and a while. He is sleeping about 31/2-4 hours between feedings at night but sometimes it seems like he eats every hour during the day. :) I've been loving the time I can spend with him all day long because it is nearing an end. I begin school the first week of August. Sam will be going to daycare. I'm really nervous about it but I know that he will be fine ( I'm going to be the one that's having a hard time). So be thinking and praying for us August 5th. (my first day of school) We go to the dr again Aug. 12th for more shots!

July 5, 2009

2009-07-05T13:32:00.003-05:00

Talking to my Nonna

Happy 4th of July!

We had a good visit at the dr. this past Thursday. Sam had gained 42 ounces in one month and weighed 7 lbs 15.5 oz. So I'm sure he has easily broken the 8 lbs mark by now. The dr. said he was doing good. Sam got his newborn shots at this appointment. He was not very happy about those 3 three shots. He is still eating about every 3 hours sometimes 4 (usually at night if it happens). He drinks anywhere from 3 - 4 oz at each feeding. Last night was good because he only got up once in the night to eat. I really like that schedule! I hope he will try it again tonight. =)

June 25, 2009

2009-06-25T11:16:00.004-05:00

Father's Day

My wild eyes =)

We are overwhelmed once again at the wonderful love and the mighty healing hand of our Savior. We just let the eye doctor and were told that Sam's blood vessels from the optic nerve had grown correctly to the retina and crossed the plain properly!! No more blood vessel check ups. Dr. Thompson really took his time and explained R.O.P. to us once again. Sam had ROP because of his prematurity. When he was delivered at 31 weeks, his development that was taking place in my womb came to a hault. In this hault, Sam's eyes stopped where they were. Usually the vessels properly grow and attach to the retina around 38-40 weeks. With Sam it has taken much longer but they are there now! God has continued to shower us with His blessings each day. It is so exciting to see Sam grow a little more each day. I can't believe that it has been 12 weeks since he so quickly came into our world and he is 4 weeks old from his due date. He is around 7lbs 8oz now. We've been able to take him more places which has been a little easier for me during the day. It was so exciting to be in church with him on Father's Day. Jeff and I never could have imagined the joy that having a child brings you. I continue to thank God for the simple things that we experience with Sam each day. I may be sleep deprived but that's much better than visiting the NICU all day, everyday. I'm thankful for things that some first time parents might not think about like being able to get him up out of his bed when he's crying or giving him a bath or even changing his clothes whenever I want. ( Sam might not be so thankful about the clothes changing) At 3am when he is wide-awake and sometimes crying and I'm trying to figure out what to try next, sometimes I sing to him, usually Jesus Loves Me and he calms right down. Singing that song to him sometimes brings tears to my eyes. Especially when Sam looks up at me with those beautiful blue eyes and looks so happy. When I sing the words -little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong - it melts my heart because I know just how true those words are in Sam's life. When Sam (and Sam's family) was the weakest, our Lord provided strength and healing in his little body. At the eye doctor today, the nurse and dr continued saying how strong Sam was (as all 3 of us were trying to hold him down for the eye exam). I'm amazed at the strength of this little guy. He holds his head up and turns it without any problem. The other day when he was on his tummy he began grunting, I'm thinking this grunting was in relation to messing up a diaper, he began pushing up with one of his hands and his legs and if he could've moved the other arm out from under him, he would have rolled over. :) I know that we still have a long journey with Sam full of excitement, worry, and even fear at some times. I also know that our God is still holding Sam in His hand and protecting him which provides me with a peace about all of the things we might face in the years to come. Thank you for all of your prayers during the past 3 months. We wouldn't have been nearly as strong without the persistent encouragement and support from our family, church family, and friends. Please continue to check Sam's blog for updates and prayer requests. I'm trying to get better about posting updates. I want everyone to know how God continues to work in his little life and our family. Also, continue to pray for Sam to develop properly. We have another pediatric drs. appt July 1st and an eye appt with the opthamologist in 3 months. I'll let you know how it goes. We love you guys!

Sam's newborn pics are online for viewing. go to http://www.studioenvogue.com/main.html
click on proofing - the password is 033109 they are only up until July 4th Check them out, enjoy!

June 23, 2009

2009-06-23T09:44:00.004-05:00

I love sleeping when my aunt Cori is holding me.

Naptime on Nonna's Couch!!

Sam is still growing. We weighed him the other night at home and he weighed 7 pounds! He is getting big fast. He likes to keep us on our toes by changing things all the time. He likes to drink different amounts each time and only sleep during the day (bc he's on his tummy). Even though he keeps us wondering what's next, we are very proud of him. We go to the eye dr. Thursday. We are just praying that we will get good news. :)

May 17, 2009

2009-06-17T22:18:00.003-05:00

Sam actually stayed asleep through part of his bath. We found it very entertaining. We are still trying different bottles to see what works best. This bottle holds 8 oz and looks as big as Sam does. :) We had a better night last night. He stayed asleep between the feedings. I said a prayer of thanks this morning when I realized I had actually gotten a little bit of sleep between the grunts and feedings.

Sam loves Aunt Cori and his mama loves when she spends the night! :)

May 16, 2009

2009-06-16T23:05:00.003-05:00

Our little guy that was born 2 pounds and 12 ounces is growing fast. We have a digital scale that we bought to kind of track his weight gain. It is not as accurate as the Dr's office but it lets us know whether or not Sam is gaining or losing weight. Last Thursday night Sam weighed 6lbs 0.5oz! Tonight he weighed 6lbs 9oz. He has been eating like crazy which is good but very tiring for me. :) His daddy calls him the milk monster (like the cookie monster). It is weird for me to look at someone else holding him and see how big he is really getting, but very exciting. Sam was getting a little better with his night schedule but just blew it the last two nights. When I say he stayed up all night, I mean that! He didn't go back to sleep after his feeding at 11 until 4am!!! I am very sleepy after two nights in a row without sleep. I'm not sure if it's a phase that he's going through or if he is just a stinker, but I'm hoping that our nights will get better very, very soon. We went to the morning and evening service on Sunday. He is still grunting a lot and I think it is rather disruptive in a church service. Sunday morning he even began passing some gas. He sleeps during the music pretty well but he wakes up to distract Bro. Richie as he preaches. I'm glad some of our church family is getting the opportunity to see the baby they have been praying for since March. We have our next eye exam Thursday the 25th. Please continue to pray for Sam's eyes. I'm also praying that his nights will get better and he will be able to sleep at least 3 -4 hours between each feeding time. That would probably help the headache I have right now. :)

June 9, 2009

2009-06-09T12:51:00.003-05:00

Sunday morning

Sam has been a very busy little boy the past several days. Saturday he went to my church baby shower. Sunday he went to a church service for the first time and did pretty good. He began grunting early on but he went right on to sleep once his Pawpaw got him. Monday he went with me to the school for a short visit. It has been nice being able to take him a couple of places. We are still being very cautious with where we go and being around children - things like that. We don't want him to get sick. He is getting bigger and bigger each day. Sam is drinking almost 3 oz when he takes his bottles. His sleeping at night has improved a little bit but we still have a long way to go. :) My family and I have heard a new cry from Sam in the past couple of days. It happens when it's feeding time. He now has a cry that says - " I'm extremely mad because you haven't fed me yet!" It's kinda funny once he stops screaming. I believe he is getting a little bit of a temper. We don't go to the dr again until July 1st and his eye appointment is in Dothan at the end of June. I believe around the 25th. We are still praying that everything will continue to develop and grow correctly especially those beautiful blue eyes.

Sam's hand next to his uncle Debo's hand (uncle Brandon)

June 4, 2009

2009-06-04T22:49:00.004-05:00

Sweet dreams.

I like my new bottle, I can hold it too.

This is my thinking face.

We had our visit to the eye dr today. Sam was not as quiet during the exam this go around. I would scream too if they put those metal clips in my eyes. The dr said that everything is still looking ok and we needed to go back in 3 weeks. We can rejoice in the fact that there are no visible problems so far and continue to pray for those little vessels to grow and attach correctly. We do get to go to someone in Dothan next time instead of Montgomery. Thank you for your prayers.

This is Sam's sad face....we think it's pretty cute.

Check out my kicks!

June 1, 2009

2009-06-01T10:46:00.002-05:00

5 pounds 5.5 ounces!! Sam has gained almost an ounce a day since his last drs visit. The dr said everything looked good and to come back in a month. :) We will be going to Montgomery Thursday for the next eye appointment.

May 31, 2009

2009-06-01T01:46:00.004-05:00

My due date was Friday, so Sam is 2 days old now. :) He is still growing and eating more. He especially likes to eat at night. You know, instead of the sleep thing you should do at night. He thinks we should eat at 11 pm sleep for an hour or maybe two and then have a little snack and diaper change and then stay up until the 5 am feeding. Very tiring but he is really cute while he's in the process! I believe he is having some tummy pains pretty often. He grunts a lot, not just a little cute "I'm in the room grunt" it's more of a "please make this gas go away" grunt. He turns red, balls up his fists, and even chokes himself sometimes when he has a really bad one. Wish I could push the gas out of him or that's what I think it is anyway. It's crazy how that line you always heard your parents say in painful situations. Something like - I wish it were me going through this or I wish it was me it happened to - takes on a whole new meaning when you are watching your own child making faces that look really painful. He might have me fooled for some extra kisses and attention. :) We go to the dr here in Dothan tomorrow (Monday, June 1). I'll post his new weight and updates from the visit tomorrow night. We also have an eye appointment on Thursday in Montgomery. I can't wait for the day when we can take him somewhere other than the drs office. It will be a good, but scary day. I'm not sure that I'm ready to have people breathing all over him and touching him or his seat without scrubbing their hands or using sanitizer. Sounds crazy huh?

Please pray that Sam's tummy pains and grunting will begin to let up and he can be a little more comfortable. Continue to pray for Sam's little eyes. They seem to be getting a lighter blue. (more like his daddy's) We are still unsure about his sight. We will see what the dr says Thursday. Hopefully he will say everything looks great!?. I'll keep you posted.

8 weeks old today!

2009-05-26T22:38:00.002-05:00

May 24, 2009

2009-05-24T22:21:00.002-05:00

It has been an exciting yet tiring week. Sam is so precious! Jeff and I have enjoyed having him at home with us and watching him grow each day. Sam is still small but he thinks he is a real big boy. You certainly wouldn't think he was a preemie hearing his cry at 2 am. :) We are still working on getting on a regular schedule. Sam thinks that you are suppose to stay awake at night and sleep all day. I've always been a "night-owl" but now I think I would enjoy a night of sleep. Every second of each sleepless night is worth it! We are still working hard on the feeding issue. We are trying to get Sam to eat more at each feeding and he is doing some better. He is eating between 55 and 65 ccs at each bottle feeding. We tried a different bottle tonight and he seemed to do a little better. We are very proud of Sam and how he has adjusted to everything and continued to grow a little each day. We go back to the dr. next Monday. We will see how much he has grown. Please continue to pray for Sam. Pray that Sam's eyes and blood vessels will continue to grow properly and that his appetite will get larger (along with his weight). I know that I've not done a good job updating the blog daily - it's been a little busy around here. :) I will try to put pics up on a regular basis but will probably only post information once a week. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We've come a long way and praise God each day for the little miracle He's blessed us with and we are trusting that He will continue to bless and protect Sam as he grows older.

May 18, 2009

2009-05-19T00:59:00.005-05:00

Sam had his first drs visit in Dothan today. The dr called him a "thriving preemie"! Yipee, we didn't lose weight our first week home. Sam now weighs 4 lbs 7 oz. The dr did say that we need to feed Sam more at each feeding every 3 hours. This is going to be a task. Sam does this thing we like to call sleeping when we try to get him to take a bottle. :) He doesn't sleep the entire time, but he falls asleep mid-way through the bottle. You wouldn't imagine the things we do to try to wake him up. From feet rubbing/tickling to a cold wet wash cloth on his face. Sometimes he sleeps most of the way through the bottle feeding and then wakes up acting hungry at the end of the bottle feeding. I think it was easier feeding Sam in the NICU when you have nurses around that could 'fix' mostly anything including a screaming child. I also had my school baby shower today. It was wonderful getting to see everyone after so long. It is an humbling experience to have friends and co-workers that go the extra mile for you in times of need. I got so many wonderful and much needed things. Thanks so much Highlands!

May 14, 2009

2009-05-14T21:35:00.002-05:00

We had a long, but good day today. Sam's eye appointment was today. We had to travel to Montgomery and back - Sam was ready to get out of his car seat! :) They put drops in his eyes to dilate them and then we waited on the doctor for a little while. When the doctor came in he put these metal clamps on his eyes to hold his eyelids wide open. He said he was looking at the vessels behind his eyes. They are checking to see if the vessels are growing correctly toward the retina. The doctor said today that everything is looking good!!! We do have to go back in 3 weeks for another check-up. It was music to my ears to hear that everything is looking good. :) We are praying that Sam's eyes will continue to grow properly and that we will be getting good news again in 3 weeks. Thank you for remembering us today. God has continued to show his love and power. He has used so many things and people to confirm that He takes care of His children. It has been mind-boggling to see how our friends and family have been so unselfish and made many sacrifices to help in so many ways. Thank you to all who have gone the extra mile to show your love and concern for us, we are very grateful.

May 12, 2009

2009-05-13T09:43:00.002-05:00

It has been wonderful having our little precious baby at home. We can go look at him or hold him whenever we get ready. I know that sounds silly, but there were so many things that new parents take for granted sometimes. It was an interesting first night. My mama stayed to help because my exhaustion hit me once we got home. Sam grunts a lot. It is funny to think about not knowing what kind of noises he makes at night because we've never spent the night with Sam. His grunts are rather loud but he is alseep. Obviously, his grunting keeps me awake checking on him. :) I was sleeping really good and all of the sudden I heard a very loud cry in the monitor. It startled me because it was the first time I've ever been awakened by my baby's cry. It was a joy to be able to get up and go see Sam in his room getting his diaper changed. Sam has done very well adjusting to a lot of changes in the past couple of days. Of course Jeff and I are also adjusting with him! We are still praying for Sam's little tummy to digest his milk and that he will be able to drink enough milk at each feeding to continue to gain weight. We are also praying that his eye exam will go well Thursday. The doctor is watching his eyes very closely for any signs of problems. If there is a problem, there's a very small window of time to perform a surgery that will correct them. We are praying that everything is developing properly, but if not we are praying that it will be caught early enough fix. (even though surgery on his eyes would be a bit scary for me) We are giving God the glory for all He has done!!

May 11, 2009

2009-05-11T23:04:00.003-05:00

I would like to start by apologizing for the late posting on Sam's progress. I know that this is the only way some of you can keep up with us. Well, I have offically experienced Mother's Day. It was the best thing in the world to be able to hold him and see his little eyes looking at me so sweetly. It was like he was telling me "I love you mama". It was amazing to feel what it's like to love something so much. And I again I'm reminded of how much God loves me to give His son to die a cruel death for someone so unworthy. It is overwhelming. Sam had a good day. I wish I could remember all of the detials from the past two days to share with you. What I can tell you is that after 41 days of Sam being in the NICU, this is a Mother's Day I will never forget. I have learned so much about myself, my family and friends, and the faithfulness and power of our GOD! I've seen a change in me and I believe a lot of other people have been touched through this time. Sam is a living testimony of a loving God that not only hears but answers our prayers in a mighty way. With all of that said - I would like to tell you thank you for your prayers and thoughts and countless words of encouragement. Know that we have felt each cry lifted on our behalf. Today - Monday, May 11, 2009 - I was so thrilled as I buckled my son into the car seat for the first time and brought him home to Dothan. It has been a little scary but wonderful. Jeff and I are beside ourselves. We still have a ways to go, but this was a huge step that we have been waiting for. We did come home with some orders like returning to Montgomery Thursday to see the eye doctor again and things like - not going out for a while, not having a lot of visitors, and stay away from other children. Sam is still very small and we have been told to take extra precaution with even the simplest things. We're ok with this because we don't want to be back in the NICU. It was a little sad leaving today. We've made so many friendships with the staff of the NICU. They have been a blessing to us and Sam. Some of the nurses loved Sam as if he were their own. This made things so much easier when I had to leave each time. We are certainly going to miss so many of the wonderful people there. We plan on visiting! :) Please continue to pray for us as we begin our lives as a family at home now. I still have some butterflies about some things. I want Sam to continue to eat well and digest his food. He needs to continue to gain weight and develop properly. We also need to get a good grade on our eye exam! :) Thank you again for your prayers and I will try to keep the blog updated with pics and info but it might not be as often now that my schedule will be a little different.

May 9, 2009

2009-05-10T00:02:00.002-05:00

Sam passed his hearing test today!!! He also had the biggest bottle of his lifetime measuring 45ccs which is an ounce and a half. He is still acting really tired when it comes to night bottles but doing good during the day. He gained a good bit of weight today. He weighed 4 lbs 2.3 oz. Wow!! Sam is getting bigger. :) I'm still nervous about his belly and him being able to digest properly, but I keep reminding myself that God is in control. I pray daily for strength and a peace that only He can provide. The Lord has shown me so much in the past 6 weeks that I know He is much bigger than any of my fears or problems. It is so wonderful to know that He never leaves me. I pray that He will continue to have His hand on Sam's little body and supply what Sam needs for each day. And who would've thought last Mother's Day that I would be celebrating my first Mother's Day tomorrow? - certainly not me, but I'm so thankful!!

May 8, 2009

2009-05-09T00:55:00.002-05:00

Sam weighed 3 lbs 15.1 oz tonight! He put down a lot of milk today. I'm still a little nervous about all of the milk that he is drinking and if he is really digesting all of it. Sam had some hearing tests today and he didn't pass them. This doesn't mean that he has confirmed hearing loss or problems, it just means that there were some things that weren't completely right. We are praying that God will heal his little ears and eyes since he hasn't passed that test yet either. We are excited about all God has done in the past week. Last Friday we starting back over at 2ccs and today he took 43 in one of his bottles. We pray that the Lord will continue to bless him and heal his little body as Sam continues to work hard growing and eating.

May 7, 2009

2009-05-08T00:16:00.002-05:00

Sam moved to an open crib today! (no longer in an isolette) He has continued to maintain his temp so far. He gained 22 grams which puts his weight back up to 3 lbs 13.8 oz. The doctor increased his milk amount to 32ccs per feeding. This is very exciting and makes me very nervous all at the same time. While I know that the continuous increases means that he is doing good, I also have that thought in the back of my mind about him getting more than he can digest. (which is possibly one of the reasons we took the little trip to the other side of the NICU last week) Sam's tummy is still feeling soft and measuring about the same so that is a good sign. I'm praying extremely hard that this increase will be something that Sam is ready for this time around. I am so thrilled that everyone has been as excited about Sam's bowel movements as we are and we are hoping that he will continue with all of those dirty diapers. Our goals at this point are - digest and tolerate milk, gain weight each day, maintain temp, and continue to fill diapers with liguids and solids. :) God has answered so many prayers and I know that He knows exactly what's going on in Sam's little body. I am continuing to trust in HIM!

May 6, 2009

2009-05-06T22:49:00.002-05:00

We had dirty diapers today! Thanks to all who wished that I would have a really big, stinky diaper to change. I did and it was not the first nasty little diaper of Sam's that I've changed. I didn't tell about the one that went everywhere because he wasn't finished when I began to change him. That is a story that needs to be told in person to get the full effect. :) Sam had a good day today. His feedings were increased to 26ccs every 3 hours. They are adding the fortifier, vitamins, and vitamin D to the milk throughtout the day to help with all sorts of things. Sam's isolette was turned off today. This means that the heat that helped him keep his temperature up was turned off to see if he could maintain his temp on his own. We will see how he does the next couple of days and he might be going to an open bed if he does well. He is taking his bottles good and his tummy has measured good today. The dr will continue to check blood work on Mondays and Thursdays to see how things are looking. Sam lost some weight today and is back to 3 lbs 13 oz. We are praying that Sam will keep up the good work with the dirty diapers but continue to gain weight each night. Of course the main thing that we are praying constantly is that Sam's little body will tolerate and digest the milk as they continue to increase the amount each day.

May 5, 2009

2009-05-05T21:42:00.003-05:00

Sam has moved back over to the other side of the NICU! He doesn't have an IV anymore and his belly is still measuring good. He hasn't had a bowel movement since Thursday, so we are praying that he will have one soon. He is up to 20ccs of milk per feeding now and enjoying every drop. Sam weighed 3 lbs 14.4 oz tonight. He has become so alert at eating time. He just looks around, stretches, and even fusses a little bit for his bottle. It's really cute at this point, I know at 2am it might not be so sweet. :) Please pray that Sam will continue to digest his milk properly as they constantly increase the amount. Also, pray that he will be able to have regular bowel movements on his own. These are big steps for a little guy. We give God all the glory for the quick recovery Sam has made in the last 5 days! We serve an awesome God!!

May 4, 2009

2009-05-04T22:56:00.002-05:00

Sam is getting 18ccs of milk every 3 hours now. He weighed 3 lbs 14 oz tonight. The doctor decreased his IV fluids some more and stopped the lipids. His belly is still measuring good. They will continue to check the with xrays of his abdomen. Today's xrays looked really good. We are praying that Sam will continue to tolerate his food without the residuals as they increase the amounts of milk each day. We are so thankful for what God has done in Sam's life. :)

May 3, 2009

2009-05-03T19:16:00.002-05:00

We're getting there! Sam's doctor increased his feeding amount to 12ccs every 3 hours. His xrays are still looking good. He will have more xrays and blood work done Monday morning to check everything again. He is still on fluids, but they have been decreased again. He weighed 3 lbs 13 oz last night. That is a pretty big weight gain (4 oz). There's a good possibility that he will lose weight as the fluids are decreased, but he is not "puffy" looking and his belly is still measuring good. We rejoice for the way God has shown His power through this situation in so many ways!

May 2, 2009

2009-05-03T00:06:00.002-05:00

Sam made a little more progress today. They have continued feeding him and increased the amount to 6ccs every 3 hours. They stopped the antibiotics which means there hasn't been any sign of infection. His IV fluids have been turned down some since his feedings were increased. Sam had clothes on today. That made me feel a lot better. They will do more xrays in the morning to check his tummy. Thank you so much for your continued prayers. We serve an awesome God!

May 1, 2009

2009-05-02T00:20:00.002-05:00

God has continued to be faithful. We have felt the many prayers over the past 24 hours and appreciate them greatly. Sam has made a little progress today. After the doctor checked his xrays he decided to stop the suction tube and try a trial feeding to see how his intestines handled the food. They fed him 2ccs at 8 am, 11 am, and 2 pm. There were more xrays done at 3 pm to see what everything looked like. They actually looked a little better than the am xrays! The doctor decided to continue feedings the same way every 3 hours until in the morning and there will be more xrays. As of right now there is no sign of infection, praise the Lord! We are still waiting on some of the blood work results. They haven't completely ruled out NEC, but they are thinking that Sam just needed to clean his tummy out. :) He does still have an IV for fluids and antibiotics. He was much happier today when they fed him. The nurse said Sam seemed so grateful to just get 2ccs which is literally drops. He does have a feeding tube down his throat so that residuals can be checked before each feeding. So far he hasn't had any residuals. The sweetest thing to my ears today was, "Would you like for me to get him out for you to hold?" I was so excited and it felt wonderful to wrap my arms around him and cuddle up. It is funny how the simplest things provide such a comfort. The nurse let me hold the nipple of a bottle in his mouth while she dropped the 2ccs out of a syringe. Sam just smiled so big when I held him and we talked about how he was a big boy yesterday even though it was a tough day for him. His Daddy got here tonight and Sam seemed really happy to hear his voice again after 4 days of not seeing him. We serve such a powerful God that has continued to work in a mighty way. We are still praying for the test results to come back negative and for the xrays to continue to look better. We are also praying that Sam will continue to tolerate his feedings and having dirty diapers. Again, thank you for all of the prayers, calls, and comments. It is awesome to know that we have such caring friends and family that constantly lift us up to our Father. We love you all and can't wait for you to meet our precious little miracle!

April 30, 2009

2009-04-30T22:13:00.004-05:00

I want to begin with a testimony of God's amazing love and comfort. Today was a really tough day, but the Lord gave us what we needed to get through each hour as he has done since March 26th when I was rushed to Montgomery. Sam is doing pretty good for what he has been through today. As you have read, they were feeding him every 3 hours. At each feeding time, they measure his tummy to make sure that it isn't getting too big too fast. A sudden increase in the measurements could mean many things like infection, gas, or intestinal problems (to name a few because I can't remember all of the things they told me). Sam's belly measurements had increased a good bit when his nurse checked him around 5 am (his belly was swollen). The NICU's protocol for changes like this is to immediately stop all feedings, start fluids through an IV, take xrays of the abdomen, get blood for labs, begin antibiotics, and put a tube down the throat into the tummy to suction any gases or other stuff in there. So, that is what happened this morning. When the nurse called me she couldn't really tell me anything because the doctor had not looked at the xrays. When I got there this morning it was very difficult because Sam looked pitiful with no clothes on and a tube back down his throat and the IV in his hand, not to mention all of the little taped gauze where they had to stick him to draw blood. He was very hungry and unhappy. I felt helpless because I couldn't hold him to try to console or even kiss his little head.

It wasn't very long until the doctor called me over to talk about what was going on with Sam. He pulled up the xray and tried to explain what they were looking at in his stomach. All of the things that they began early this morning (antibiotics, suctioning, fluids, etc.) were precautionary measures to prevent NEC. NEC is necrotizing enterocolitis which is a very serious disease. NEC is an inflammation that damages the lining of the intestine. He told me that babies die from NEC so they would first work hard to rule that out using the xrays and lab work over the next couple of days. The doctor thinks that this happened to Sam because he stopped tolerating his food because his intestines are still premature. As a preemie, all of Sam is premature and some things just aren't ready to do what the doctors are wanting to do. They did another xray at 3pm today and it did look better than the one at 5am. They will do another xray in the morning to compare. He did have several dirty diapers once they moved him back to the other side and hooked him up to everything. They said that these were good signs and that his vitals were still strong. The nurses told me that he wasn't "acting sick" and that was also a good sign. He was very hungry and sucking on his pacifier. Now we are just waiting on more test results. Sam will probably be on this side a little while as we start over with every thing. He will start back in an isolette with his IV and a feeding tube at some point. His feedings will begin at 2ccs when they decide to begin feedings again. It could be several days. My heart just broke when I saw him rooting around for something to eat and I couldn't help him, but I know that all of this is in his best interest and is helping to keep more serious things from happening. I can't wait until they let me hold him again.

Although it has been a really long day for Sam and me, I was reminded of many things today in the midst of the worry. Since we are back over where Sam began his journey on March 31st I looked around and saw babies smaller than his 3 lbs 9 oz body hooked up to all sorts of machines. There is a baby across the room that weighs around 1 lb. God really got my attention and I began to recall how far He has brought us in 4 weeks. We have SO much to be grateful for even though we have a minor set back. We have a beautiful baby boy that I've had the chance to nurse several times and feed bottles to for several days. We've been able to hold him and love on him for several weeks and listen to his sweet little sounds and see his little smiles. I remember just wanting to see his eyes and hear him make a sound. It's overwhelming to think about how concerned God is for his children and how He hears us when we cry out to Him. To see His hand moving in our lives is an humbling thing. I know that this did not catch God by surprise and that He is still in control even though I felt like I was caught in a raging storm this morning. He is so good! Please continue to lift Sam up in your prayers. I'm praying that the test results show that he doesn't have NEC and that he will recover quickly from this little set back.

These pictures show how far we've come and the blessings that have been poured out on us.

April 30, 2009

2009-04-30T07:17:00.002-05:00

Please be in prayer for Sam. I got a call from the NICU at 6:30 am telling me that his belly was measuring larger and was hard. They did an x-ray and got some lab work. They have moved him back to the more critical side of the NICU. At this time they can't tell me what's going on until the doctor gets there and sees him. He has an IV again and some sort of tube in his belly to drain things out of it. I'll update the blog when I know more.

April 29, 2009

2009-04-30T00:32:00.002-05:00

Sam has done a great job on his bottle feedings. In fact, sometimes he over works himself sucking a little to hard and we have to slow him down. He has his feeding tube out!! His little face is precious. Sam's feedings are going to be increased 1cc every 12 hours with his max being 33ccs. Right now he is at 26ccs. They are gradually weaning him off the isolette. The isolette is the "box bed" he is currently in, which is heated to help him keep his temperature up. He is beginning to regulate his temperature better, so they are turning down the heat in the bed a little at a time. I'm thinking that this is a step closer to getting an open bed (without a top and doors). It was another eventful day for Sam. He had all bottle feedings and the eye doctor visited to check his eyes. He does not like that doctor. The nurses said he threw a little fit. Even with all of the things that happened today, Sam gained weight again. He now weighs 3lbs 9.7oz!!

April 28, 2009

2009-04-28T22:07:00.002-05:00

3 lbs 8.8 oz is the new weight for Sam today!! The Dr. also decided to try Sam on bottle feedings for every feeding for a couple of days to see how he does. We were told that this is just a trial, like a lot of things with preemies, we are going to try it - no promises. So, we are praying that Sam takes his bottles with his heartrate & oxygen numbers staying stable and that he doesn't wear himself out drinking. He has to master the sucking, breathing, and swallowing that has to take place to drink from a bottle. As Sam is getting bigger and stronger, he is being given more tasks to prove his strength. We are proud of our little boy.

April 27, 2009

2009-04-27T23:26:00.002-05:00

Sam was a whopping 3 lbs 7.5 oz tonight. He didn't gain a whole lot, but he did gain after two "big blow-outs"! His residuals are getting better with each feeding. He is still getting the 25ccs at each feeding. I pray that these daily reports will continue to tell about how Sam is growing bigger and stronger each day. He is a special little guy.

April 26, 2009

2009-04-27T01:11:00.001-05:00

Wow, Sam is 3 lbs 7.4 oz! He is working hard to drink his milk and gain weight. We are looking forward to 4 lbs because he will get a big boy bed (an open bed). He is doing good on his bottle feedings. As you can see in the picture, Sam is beginning to wake up and tell us when it is feeding time. We are still at 25ccs per feeding. We are praising God for the progress we see with Sam each day. :)

April 25, 2009

2009-04-26T00:50:00.002-05:00

Sam has gone to a bottle feeding every other feeding. So in a 24 hour period he will be fed by bottle 4 times and by his feeding tube 4 times. He weighed 3 lbs 6.3 oz tonight, so he gained an ounce from last night's weighing. I can't believe how fast he is putting on weight now. Hopefully he will continue to gain. Our God is so amazing!

April 24, 2009

2009-04-25T01:09:00.002-05:00

Sam had another good day. He is now taking a bottle every 9 hours and the other feedings are through his tube. He gained again and weighs 3 lbs 5.3 oz. Yay Sam! He was really happy to see his Daddy tonight. He and his daddy just smiled and smiled at each other. He is the sweetest little thing.

April 23, 2009

2009-04-24T00:15:00.003-05:00

Sam gets 24ccs per feeding now and will begin getting a bottle 2 feedings per day. That is exciting for us because he does so good with his little bottle. He gained again and is up to 3 lbs 4 oz. He is getting to be pretty strong for such a little guy. Today he was on his stomach pushing straight up with his legs and his rearend way up in the air. It was the cutest little thing. I will be getting up to go and feed him first morning bottle. We'll see how this goes, it could be interesting.

April 22, 2009

2009-04-23T01:00:00.004-05:00

Sam took another bottle tonight and even gave us some burps! I think he likes those little bottles. He weighs 3 lbs 2 oz now, he gained 40 grams today. He also had 2 dirty diapers all on his own. He is getting to be big boy. :) As I sat here in awe of what God is doing, I went back to the beginning of the blog posts and read everything and looked at pictures. It is unbelieveable what a faithful and caring God we have. He has brought us so far in the past month and blessed us with more than I would have ever imagined. I look at a little miracle each day I look at my precious Sam. God has already used Sam to change my life, I can't wait to see what God has in store for Sam. He is already a special little guy that I love a whole lot. :)

April 21, 2009 3 weeks old today!

2009-04-22T01:46:00.003-05:00

What a big day for Sam! He is 3 weeks old and he had his first "bottle feeding" today. He is getting 26ccs per feeding now and he was able to take 23ccs in the bottle before he was worn out. He did so good. The nurses told me not to expect a lot for his first attempt, but they said he did great. He hasn't gotten the burp part yet, but we'll get there. They will only do one bottle feeding a day. The rest of the feedings will still be through the feeding tube. Sam gained 10 grams today, which means that he has gained 2 days in a row. He still weighs 3 lbs 1 oz. There are 28 grams in an ounce, I believe, so gaining 10 grams is almost half an ounce. Sam also had 3 dirty diapers today. The third one he had while I was there at the 11 pm feeding and I had the pleasure of changing that one. :) It was a BIG one for a 3 lb little boy.

April 20, 2009

2009-04-21T00:37:00.003-05:00

We gained some weight!! Sam weighed 3 lbs 1 oz when they weighed him at 11pm (4/20/09). They said that it was ok that he gained that much at once because he had lost 20 grams yesterday. Hopefully he will be able to stay above 3 lbs now. :) They did have to give him something to try and help him have a dirty diaper. They like for them to have at least one dirty diaper every 24 hrs. Sam hasn't quite gotten the hang of that yet. He's learning though, his feedings are getting better and he is having less residuals with larger feedings. We are in Dothan tonight so I can't wait to get up there tomorrow and tell him how proud I am of his weight gain. :)

2009-04-19T23:35:00.003-05:00

Sam is up to 20ccs a feeding now. We were able to stay a while tonight and help bathe him. It was a lot of fun helping clean him up. He didn't pull out the feeding tube tonight, yay! He had lost 20 grams when they weighed him tonight. That put him back down to 2 lbs 14.8 oz. We are still praying that Sam will begin to gain weight and grow stronger. We know that it is a day to day process. We can't wait until he begins putting on some ounces. :)

2009-04-18T23:39:00.003-05:00

Today was a fun day with Sam. We were able to do some new things and spend more time holding him. They have changed his max feeding amount to 24ccs and he is currently at 16ccs per feeding every 3 hours. 15ccs is half an ounce so he is getting a little more than half an ounce. The nurses will increase his feeding amounts every 9 hours by one cc until we reach 24. That was good news.

Sorry I didn't post yesterday - he had lost several grams at yesterday's weigh in, but tonight he had gained 13 grams. That put him at 2 lbs 15.5 oz. We are gradually crawling toward the 3 lbs. The Dr. decided to add fortifier in with his milk to help him put on weight. Maybe this will make a difference. Last night was entertaining because Jeff and I were able to watch him get a bath. He really liked being under the faucet and getting his hair washed out. :)

When we got there we took his temp and Jeff changed his diaper. We were able to get Sam out of his bed twice today. :) He was really awake for his feeding tonight. He was looking around and following our voices with his eyes. It was precious! I can't wait to go and see him tomorrow.

2009-04-16T22:54:00.004-05:00

We gained an ounce!! Now we are back to 3 lbs. Yay! They gave Sam 13ccs at his last feeding and are hoping that he will make it to 15ccs by tomorrow night. (which would be Friday night) Maybe he will continue to gain a little weight each day. It is so awesome to see the Lord answer our prayers right before my eyes. He is such a loving God.

2009-04-15T21:52:00.005-05:00

Sam had another good day. They are increasing his feedings by 1cc every 12 hours. They are still feeding every 3 hours, so at each 11 o'clock feeding they will go up 1cc. If they continue at this rate then he will reach is max goal of 15ccs per feeding by Thursday night at 11. He pulled his feeding tube out of his mouth tonight, so the nurse put it in his nose when she put it back. Maybe he will like it better in his nose so he can begin to learn how to suck on his pacifier when he is getting his milk. He had one of his own outfits on tonight. It was just a little preemie onesie that was still a bit large on him but fit much better than the previous two onesies he had on. Now we need to begin gaining weight. :) He is still at 2 lbs and 15 oz. We are praying that he will begin putting on some ounces now that his feedings are increasing.

SAM IS TWO WEEKS OLD TODAY!

2009-04-14T23:11:00.005-05:00

I couldn't wait to get back and see Sam today. He had a really good day! They have started increasing his milk at each feeding. He got 9ccs at his 8 pm feeding and he will be getting 10ccs at his 11pm feeding. Hopefully he will be getting 15ccs soon and that is "half an ounce". He lost back down to 2lbs 15oz after they stopped his IV fluids but they are expecting him to start gaining more rapidly with the increased milk. He was absolutely precious tonight. He is opening his eyes a little more. He even showed his cute dimples a couple of times. He had a new outfit on that didn't have pink on it, so we were happy about that.

We are so grateful to Bro. Rick and Melanie Evans for opening their home to us until Sam is ready to go home. We feel so at home and they are such a "blessing" to us. The Lord knew what was in store for us well before these events ever occurred.

April 14th

2009-04-14T09:57:00.004-05:00

When we got to the NICU yesterday (4/13/09) Sam had been moved around the wall a little ways. I know that it sounds funny but it is a good thing. The babies "graduate" around the NICU. He was moved off the wall where they keep the sickest babies. :) He's still in the NICU and has a long way to go, but it's a step. His bed and all of that stuff is still the same. They did take the line out of his leg, which means that he's no longer on IV fluids. Sam is still being fed 8ccs every 3 hours. The nurse said that they will probably increase that amount once his weight levels out. He has gained and lost and gained. This is one reason they stopped the IV fluids. The other really exciting thing that we saw when we got there was that Sam had on clothes!!! They had a little yellow t-shirt onesie on him. We didn't know that it was time for clothes, so that was a nice little surprise. Although it had some ruffles and a pink giraffe on the front, we were excited about the clothes. I'll be taking some of his preemie clothes with me today so that he won't have to wear pink. :)

2009-04-12T22:03:00.002-05:00

It was nice to be able to attend church today. I missed my Selma family, but thankful I was able to go to a worship service. I was thinking about Easter and what it means to us as christians. It is magnificent to think about the God that we serve being ALIVE. I also thought about John 3:16, a verse that most people can say backwards and forwards, but do we really think about the words? That God gave His only son to die for me, a sinner that is unworthy. Then today we can celebrated His resurrection and that He walks with us each day. Although lately I'm sure He's been carrying me. :) I guess having a son of my own puts a little more meaning in things. Today, I want to thank my living God for His faithfulness and love for me and that He has met me where I needed Him so many times even though I don't deserve any of it, and I'm so grateful.

His hand has been on Sam and it has been very evident. Today, Sam had 8ccs of milk and is weighing 3 lbs again. :) He is a growing, eating boy. He smiled a lot today when we were holding him. It makes Jeff and me feel so good to see him smile. He did try to open his eyes more today. He would raise his eyebrows really high and open his eyes just a little and then close them again. They put some lotion on him today and he smelled so good. Please continue to pray for our little baby boy, that he would just continue to grow stronger and be able to take the milk in larger amounts. It has been wonderful to see his progress each day. :)

2009-04-11T22:45:00.004-05:00

Sam is eating! Today Sam's feeding amount went from 2ccs every 3 hours to 3ccs and at 8:00 tonight he got 4ccs of milk! We are so proud of him. He is trying really hard to open his little eyes. He peeked out a couple of times tonight while we were holding him. He is the cutest little boy ever! :)

2009-04-10T23:41:00.003-05:00

It is so amazing to see Sam getting stronger each day. Today when we got to the NICU, the nurse had taken him off of all the oxygen! He is breathing on his own. They have taken the IV out of his hand and he looks so sweet. They are trying to feed him every 3 hours now. He is still having a problem eating all of his milk by the next 3 hour feeding, but he will eventually get there. When we went back tonight, he had his little pacifier in front of his mouth and he was moving it a little with is mouth. Hopefully the feeding tube will be moved from his mouth to his nose very soon. He is getting tired of that tube in his mouth. Someone made the statement that Sam is sooo tiny but our God is so big! They were so right and it is awesome to see God working miracles in our lives daily. WOW, it is a wonderful feeling to be loved so much by our heavenly Father. We are praising Him for what He is doing each moment of each day.

2009-04-09T23:04:00.002-05:00

What an amazing day!!! Sam made a lot of progress today. They took the CPAP off and he's on oxygen in the nose and they also took the umbilical catheter out. He is now turned over on his belly. He is soooooo precious. Jeff came back to Montgomery tonight and we were able to HOLD SAM FOR THE FIRST TIME! It was an awesome feeling. He was so light and little. He smiled a couple of times, so we think. :) We just love him so much.

2009-04-09T12:43:00.000-05:00

Well, I was able to hear my little boy fuss a little last night. It was a sweet little sound that I hadn't heard since he was first born. I called Jeff and he was able to hear it over the phone. It's funny to think about wanting to hear your child make some kind of noise. He has had so many things in his mouth and down his throat, in addition to quite a bit of sedation, that we haven't heard anything out of him. What a refreshing sound!

He is still getting some milk every 6 hours. What they do is give him 2ccs, which I think is around a teaspoon, if I'm not mistaken. Then 6 hours after that feeding they check his belly to see if there is any residual (left over milk). Depending on how much they either feed him again or pump this stomach and start over giving him another 2ccs. This morning at his 8 am feeding he had hardly any residual left, yay, this is a first for him since they've been feeding every 6 hours. I was so proud of him. Maybe he's getting ready to really begin eating. :)

2009-04-08T09:10:00.000-05:00

It was so good to see little Sam off of the ventilator. He had a really good day and night. He is now eating some. They try to feed every 3 hours but his belly isn't ready just yet for feedings that often. They are going to try every 6 hours and see if he can handle that for now. He weighed a whopping 3 lbs last night!! The doctor had not rounded when I called for an update this morning, so we are waiting to see if he has more fluid or if he's really liking the milk. :) Hopefully they will be weaning him off of the CPAP over the next day or so and he will just have O2 through his nose. They had turned the light off of him yesterday, but he still had his little sunglasses on. I can't wait to see his little eyes. They try to give him a pacifer when they feed so that he will begin relating the sucking motion with eating. His pacifier is so tiny. I was just thinking this morning how he is growing a little everyday, just like me, growing everyday in Christ. I have so much to praise HIM for.

April 7, 2009 Update - Sam is one week old today!

2009-04-07T09:17:00.000-05:00

Jeff and I would like to thank everyone for all of the prayers and support that we have felt over the past 12 days. It has been a very trying time yet filled with so many blessings. God has been so good to us. We have a beautiful baby boy that we can't wait to bring home. We know that some days are going to be harder than others, but we rest assured in knowing that God will provide us with the strength we need to make it through each day.

As you can see in the pictures, Sam has several things hooked to his tiny body. I will try to explain some of the things that are happening with him. When he was first born he was on a CPAP machine, but because he was overworking himself trying to breathe on his own they placed him on a ventilator to keep him from working so hard. He also has an IV in his hand, a feeding tube in his mouth, heart monitoring, a light over him that acts as sunlight for him because of a little jaundice (this is why his eyes are covered), and a couple of other things that I'm not sure how to explain or what they are called except for PIC line and arterial line. Sam has an umbilical catheter. An umbilical artery catheter (UAC) allows blood to be taken from an infant at different times, without repeated needle sticks. It is mostly used to continuously monitor his blood gases. They tried to feed him some milk (one teaspoon) Sunday night. He did good for the first feeding, but after the second and third feedings tests showed that his little belly wasn't quite ready. They told us that they would try feeding him again in a couple of days. The doctor told us his stomach was the size of a "pea" where a full term baby's stomach is the size of a grape.

With all of that said, we have had several really good days. The nurses and doctors worked very aggressively to get Sam off of the ventilator yesterday (04/06/09). They had to get good enough readings from the blood gases to adjust the times per minute the ventilator was breathing for him. Last night they were able to take him off the ventilator!!! He will now be back on the CPAP machine.

Jeff had the opportunity to change Sam's diaper and take his temperature yesterday (04/06/09). It was a wonderful feeling to be able to actually do something for him. Jeff did so good! I was proud of him. We are looking forward to the day that we actually get to hold our little boy. Please continue to remember us in your prayers. He does "hear" us when we cry out to Him.

He Is HERE!

2009-04-04T22:48:00.000-05:00

After Dr. Phillips met with Lindsey and Jeff, he diagnosed Lindsey with preeclampsia. Her blood pressure, swelling, and protein levels were all very severe. They realized very quickly that Lindsey's condition was nothing less than serious. She was given medicine to help her blood pressure drop and keep her from having seizures or a stroke. Lindsey then realized how sick she really was. Lindsey and Jeff began to focus very quickly on the health of their precious Sam. Lindsey was given steroid shots to help strengthen Sam's lungs. The doctor assured them that they would do everything they could to keep both Lindsey and Sam safe.

Although there were many scary moments within the next five days, the doctors did as they promised. Lindsey made it long enough for the steroid shot to do its work on Sam! The doctors watched very closely for the time when they believed Lindsey should deliver. On Tuesday, March 31st, they induced labor. Although Lindsey's body was responding to the medicine, the doctors saw it in her best interest to perform an emergency c-section. Samuel Baine Hicks entered this world as a 2 lb 12oz baby boy!! His cry was heard over all of the nurses and doctors. Jeff and Lindsey rejoiced in hearing the best sound they had ever heard!! Samuel was breathing on his own at 30 weeks!!! ONLY God can accomplish such an amazing miracle! "I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb." Jeremiah 1:5

God Goes Before Us

2009-04-03T09:46:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, March 26th, Lindsey went to her doctor to get her blood pressure checked. She had been in the Tuesday before with high blood pressure and swelling. The doctor wanted her to check her blood pressure regularly and then return on Thursday. After receiving the high reading, the doctor knew that he needed to act quickly. He also understood that her condition was above his expertise and decided to transfer her to Baptist East Hospital in Montgomery. They gave Lindsey medicine to make her blood pressure drop quickly, causing intense chest pain. The ambulance came and transported her to Montgomery. On the way, her blood pressure was unstable. Finally, she arrived at Baptist East and was anxious to know what was lying ahead for her and her sweet baby, Sam. Dr. Phillips was waiting in the ER for Lindsey's arrival. He walked beside her up the elevator and into her room. The VERY first thing he wanted to do for Lindsey and Jeff was pray. Right there in the hospital room, Dr. Phillips, Lindsey, and Jeff gave their situation, their future, and their fears to the Father in order for Him to accomplish HIS will in their lives. 'The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf..." Deuteronomy 1:30

Faithful One

2009-03-30T10:31:00.000-05:00

Jeff and Lindsey began praying several years ago that God would bless them with a child. They remained commited to the Lord and honored him with their lives, even though it seemed as if their desires were not being met. They served him in their work places, their home, and in their church. Still, it seemed as if God was not hearing their call. After three years of searching and praying, God blessed them with a baby. Lindsey bought different baby items to give to family members to surprise them...EVERYONE WAS SOOOOOO thrilled and thankful that God honored their faithfulness and heard their plea. When Jeff was told the thrilling news, he wept with thanksgiving. The second day after they knew Lindsey was pregnant, Jeff called her and said that if it was a boy he wanted to name him Samuel which means - "God Hears". The baby began growing and moving in his little Mama. Finally, the day came and they found out they were going to have a baby BOY! Lindsey and Jeff knew this was the perfect name for their baby boy because they KNEW God heard their plea for a child. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. "James 1:17