September brings many days that are important to me. Days that are celebrated because of all of the obstacles we have faced in the past. September 13th was Jack's due date, the day he was supposed to come. I can't let this day come and go with out pausing, and somehow celebrating this day. So we took Jack for some "due date" ice cream to recognize this special day...and of course he loved it and was devastated when I took the cone away!
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| "Due Date" Ice Cream. When I asked you for a bite, you gave me a kiss! |
September 15 was when Jack had the surgery to reverse his ostomy. I don't think Matt and I will ever forget that day. We were at the hospital very early that morning and snuggled and loved our baby like crazy. I read him "I'll Love You Forever" and painfully waited for Jack's turn to come. We were able to go with him all the way to the surgery floor and waited to speak with the doctors and nurses before he went into surgery. Handing your baby over to someone else to take them into surgery is a very painful thing. But we knew that this was a "good" surgery. So at about two months old, Jack was having surgery to reverse his ostomy, have a g-tube placed and do whatever else they had to do to his intestines to make them work as normally as possible. Matt and I painfully waited in the waiting room for over three hours to hear from the Surgeon. Finally, the Surgeon came and got us and he told us that the surgery was a very difficult one. More intestine had to be removed in both his large and small intestine and there were some other intestinal issues that made the surgery difficult, but all in all, things went well. We rushed to see our little Jack back in his room and I don't think either one of us were prepared. He was not on a ventilator, which was a good thing, but we had to hear our little baby cry out in pain. Oh my, was he in so much pain! It was absolutely dreadful to watch him, he was miserable. Again, there was no holding, the only thing we could do was talk to him to comfort him. The nurses and I worked together to get him as comfortable as we could. Matt had to leave to go back to work, but I stayed until I felt comfortable leaving, which was very late that night. Jack's wound was as wide as hid little baby tummy was and looked like Frankenstein. But, this was a good surgery, he needed this to come home. Day by day, things got slowly better and better. I think it's safe to say that Jack is our hero and always a source of strength whenever we need a little extra to get through the day. As September 15th rolled around this year, I couldn't stop the flashbacks, nor did we really do much "celebrating", but Matt and I acknowledged the day and, personally, as Jack ate supper that night, I just thanked the Lord that Jack had the ability to process food and absorb nutrients. Not many mommies thank the good Lord for that now do they!
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| This time last year we would sneak into the conference room on Sunday afternoon to watch football and catch some rays! |
So baby Jack, on top of all that, you, my dear, are 14 months old! And here is all about you my love:
- You finally got another tooth! Top left! The other top ones are following suite!
- Daycare is going much more smoothly for all of us. I still wish more than anything in the world that I could be home with you, but I now live for the weekends.
- Your red hair looks orange and is curly in the back. Very cute! We get stopped at least three times at the grocery store by people commenting on your red hair!
- You are so very fun, laughing and giggling all night long until it's time to go to bed.
- You can say MaMa, DaDa, Da-de, Dog-e, Yuck-e. When we repeat something over, and over, and over, you will say something like it. You are quite the chatter box though, especially in the morning.
- You are still an amazing napper. Two, 1 1/2 hour naps a day. You go to bed between 7:30 and 8:00 and I have to wake you up in the morning at 6:30 to get ready to go.
- You have pulled yourself up to standing a few times in the middle of a room.
- You took your first steps! Four of them at your Great Grandma and Grandpa Shinnick's house! Pretty amazing, but very bittersweet also.
- We just met with the developmental docs and they scored you at 13 months! You are 14 months and 12 months adjusted, so we were pretty happy with that. Daddy and I beamed with pride as you did everything you were asked to do and then some.
- We also just met with your GI doctor and got your tube feedings reduced from 9 to 8 hours and we will continue to wean as long as you gain weight! Although it's still a ways away, there is an end in sight little one!
- You were 21 lbs 6 oz last checked and that puts you ON the charts in the 15%!!!!!!!!!!!!
- You do not dig car rides lately and it is very frustrating to hear you scream your head off and not be able to do anything about it. I have become queen of the "Paci Reach-Around".
- You are on the go always! What a busy little boy you are and so very inquisitive and curious!
- Daddy and I love to sit and watch you play by yourself and discover from afar.
- You like to sing songs and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" is your new favorite/
- I think you would live upside down if you could.
- You mainly wear 12 month clothes now, but you have no butt and the pants fall down!
- I already have your Halloween costume picked out, but I'm not telling yet! And, yes, I will be making it!
- You still take most of your formula by bottle, but we are trying the sippy more and more. You do just fine with it, but I'm not ready for you to give up your bottle. And I'm not about to take away your paci, but you really only use it when you are sleeping and in the car.
- You went to Chicago for your first time to visit Auntie and we went to Lincoln Park Zoo and you rode the carousel. You watched the animals, but did not like the carousel.
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| Loving the kitchen garage sale find! |
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| Getting and giving dog-e kisses! |
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| Happily willing to share his sucker after a doctor appointment! |
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| See, doctor's appointments aren't so bad after all! |
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| Catching a nap in between appointments. |
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| Taking a break to play at the hospital. |
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| Some of our wonderful NICU nurses...love them! |
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| Yum, letters! I wonder if some taste better than others! |
Oh my little love, you bring so much joy to Daddy and I every single day! You continue to amaze us with everything you do. Despite this month being bittersweet, as you are growing into a little boy so very fast, it has been filled with so much happiness and even a little relief! Keep growing, but not too fast! And don't forget, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be...XOXO Mommy
All these pictures are from my phone! My camera card is full and I insist on buying another one even though all my pictures are on the computer. But I have taken a TON of videos that I need to post, and I promise to get a new camera card for the weekend!
