Family Support

 In March, we met up with Heath's family for a funeral. It was such a sad occasion but we were happy to be able to be there to love and support them. We are always thankful when we get to spend time with them and were glad we were able to make the trip to be there for them. I wanted to share some pics of the trip.

 The boys were excited to see their Auntie Harmony after 2 years! She just came back from a 2 year stay in Guyana working with the Peace Corps. We are so proud of her and so glad to have her back!

Numbers

So, a fellow preemie mom periodically blogs about her son and includes the "numbers" breakdown. I hope she doesn't mind, but I think it's a great idea and have to do the same!

Owen's Numbers:

Age:  44 months
Adjusted Age:  48 months
Weight:  36 lbs 2oz
Height:  39 inches
Shirts: 3t - 4t
Pants:  3t
Shoes:  9
Naps:  30minutes - 1.5hours
Sleeps:  9pm - 7:30 or 8am (10.5, 11hours)

Isaiah's Numbers:

Age:  32 months
Weight: 33 lbs
Height: 38 inches
Shirts: 3t - 4t
Pants: 3t
Shoes: 11
Naps: 1-2 hours
Sleeps: 9pm - 7:30 or 8am (10.5, 11hours)

I am going to try to do this periodically. It's fun to compare and look back on. The next update will be on their birthday :)

Easter!

This Easter was pretty great! With thunderstorms leading up to Easter Sunday, we were sure it would be a gloomy, rainy. thunder and lightning, kind of day. However, it cleared up just enough for us to have successful Easter fun! We got up and got the boys ready for church. The kids are always excited to go to church (I think its because everyone spoils them and gives them doughnuts). Church was great and we went out to lunch after. When we got home, the Easter bunny had left the boys their baskets! A day filled with new toys and hunting Easter eggs in the front yard = fun fun fun!!

and pictures say it all . . .

 coloring eggs with mommy and daddy!

The Hunt

 chilin after a long day of hunting eggs hehe

 these boys sure do love their mimi

 Awesome Face

This picture is my favorite! They are growing up so fast!

Winter park time

This has been a pretty dry winter. For the most part we have had many sunny, cool days. This means plenty of time for playing outside. When the kids aren't sick and not showing signs of getting sick, we are outside for every sunny day. These boys love to play outside and have tons of energy. They get a little crazy in the house if they can't get their energy out on the jungle gym. The winter is rough because sickness is everywhere. When the boys are healthy I try to make sure they are outside having fun (while, of course, watching every child as they come and go from the park and leaving at the first sight of a child sneezing). This winter the sicknesses have been pretty bad. However, we have been lucky because the boys have fought them off pretty well. We are happy to have them playing outside. They ask to play outside all day long!

Feeling Blest

It is the beginning of February. This time last year was the worst. Owen had many hospitalizations in dec of 2011, two hospitalizations in January of 2012, and a horribly scary hospitalization in the beginning of February 2012. Here we are now, February of 2013, and we are blest. Owen has not been hospitalized since September 2012 . . . that is 5 months of hospital-free living. We don't really know what to do with ourselves.

Owen seems to be turning a corner. He is fighting off sickness without needed to be hospitalized, handling his feeding rates like never before, and living as normal a life he can while living on continuous feeds and nightly TPN. It seems unreal to me. We are here. We are where we have longed to be since he first came home from the hospital in April 2010.

Our kids are growing and living a somewhat normal life at home and we are so thrilled! Currently Owen is on neocate jr formula at 30cals/oz at 77mls an hour. That is the highest feeding rate he has ever tollerated and he is doing it all while being potty trained :) We are continuing to increase it by 1ml every 4-5 days. He is at 6 days/wk of TPN for 8hrs and 5 days/wk of Lipids for 8hrs. We are hopeful we will be weaning that even more but because he was sick last month and lost a little weight we are waiting until our next appointment.

This week is feeding tube awareness week. Owen is surviving only because of a feeding tube. Without a feeding tube, Owen would not be alive today. He lives a pretty normal life right now and is not slowed down because he has a feeding tube. We will forever share his story of hope and life.
Each day feeding tube awareness will have a new topic to discuss. Today is our story. Why does Owen have a feeding tube. I wrote on this last year here so I won't go into why again. Please take a look if you don't already know and spread awareness of the many conditions that require a feeding tubes.

2012!

January



 

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

 

December