Birthday Boy!!!

"Baby" Sam's real birthday isn't 'til Wednesday, but we had his party today! My, how times flies!!!! He's a walking, talking, dare-I-say toddler now! Love this boy!!! One year ago today we were in a very scary place, waiting for him to be born with what were surely surgery-requiring heart defects. I will forever and ever give thanks to God for making our dear baby boy healthy!!!!! Happy almost birthday, Sammy-Sam!!!

Send Love to Cohen

There is a little baby out there that I can't get out of my mind today. He was born yesterday and his name is Cohen. I've been reading his mama's blog for a few months. And he has a long road ahead of him. He was born with some heart trouble and will probably have his first heart surgery later this week.........

You can click here to "send love to Cohen"! Scroll down past the first story and you'll see his updates.

Or you can click here to get to his mama's blog.

Oh, it takes me back. Back to what is was like to have my newborn baby taken straight to the NICU and seeing him all hooked up. Back to what we thought we were in store for. Even though we had a very happy ending to Sam's story, it still brings back all those scary feelings. I can only imagine how Cohen's family is feeling right now.

Please say a prayer for Baby Cohen!!!

2009

I have to say, I have grown fond of the year 2009.

To be perfectly honest, 2008 was notably hard. In 2008, we said good-bye to two little babies that we never got to meet. In 2008, we faced sadness that we never expected to happen to us. Twice.

But 2009??

I am lucky enough to say that I have had almost a full year with my Baby Sam already! I'm the lucky one who carried him for 9 months...starting in January of 2009. And looking back on this past year, I know I am so blessed and so thankful.

He's growing so fast. He's already 3 months old. He's nearly doubled his birth weight! And I'm trying to savor every moment. Yes, I'm tired. Yes, he wakes up a lot at night..... but that's what I'm here for! Yes, I missed dinner tonight because baby boy was tired and hungry and needed to be cuddled and fed. But there's nothing more important that I could possibly do.

There were two weeks before he was born when I was afraid I might lose him. Or at the very least, I thought I was going to be by his side through open heart surgery. Heart surgery, y'all. Those are scary moments I don't often relive.

But in 2009? In 2009, I witnessed a miracle. The God above healed our baby boy. He made his heart perfect. Our little Baby Sam with at least one, maybe 3 heart defects was born as healthy as could be!

In 2009, we added a fourth stocking to our mantle. And I get to sort clean laundry into four stacks. And my cup runs over. So with great joy, I welcome 2010. And I wonder what the year will hold! Happy New Year!!!

First Christmas!

Our Baby Sam is about to turn 3 months old!! He is getting so big (probably 18 pounds now!), smiles ALL the time and sometimes you can get a laugh out of him. :) We can't wait to celebrate his first Christmas with him!

My Grandma Herbie sent out her yearly Christmas letter and she always includes family updates. I loved her mention of Sam, so I thought I'd blog about it. She wrote, "Our newest greatgrand (#8) Samuel was born Sept. 29th to Erica and Travis. He is our miracle baby, having been diagnosed to surely need heart surgery at birth, emerged a bouncing happy 9 pound 12 ounce strapping healthy guy."

Sometimes I forget how close we really thought we were to heart surgery for our little guy. But then I hear a similar story or reread my blog posts from September and it all comes flooding back. And I am so thankful. Our Baby Sam sure is our miracle!!!

Merry Christmas!

A message for Baby Sam?

Hey Bloggy World. :) Baby Sam is doing GREAT. I have a favor to ask! I found out that I can make my blog into a book, so that I can show Sam when he gets older. If you followed Baby Sam's story, read the blog, prayed for him, spread the word...can you please leave a comment for him? That way he'll know all of the wonderful people who were by his side when he was born. Thanks!!

Little Pumpkin

Great News

Well, to be honest, I felt a little silly today -- but I found a real rooftop and I shouted from it. Because we had Baby Sam's 2 week heart check today and there is nothing wrong with his heart!!!!! So, after having parked on the roof of the parking garage, I fulfilled my promise and I shouted thanks to God for healing my baby boy. Because Baby Sam is healthy!!!

The only thing they could find at all was a thing/valve/hole similar to the ductus (which closed while he was in the NICU) that usually closes within weeks, instead of days. Sam's is open still and perhaps a bit large. But this is not something that would cause him any trouble as a child, even if it stays open. If we had not already been looking for problems, this would not have been detectable just with regular baby checkups. IF it stays open, then perhaps in three or four years, we can get it fixed, nonsurgically. But nobody is worried.

So our boy got the all clear today! We go back in April just to triple check things, but that is so far away from right now that I can't even schedule the appointment yet!

Feeling so blessed by my family of four.....