On The Move

Hendrix is now 9 1/2 months old and is on the move, constantly! Once he figured out how to crawl on all fours (as oppossed to pulling himself on his belly) there was no stopping him. He also loves to climb on everything, including his activity table and up the stairs. My sweet baby boy is growing up way too fast. :-(
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Fall

I'm so glad its Fall and the weather is cooling off. Hendrix's favorite thing to do is be outside, and lately the weather has been just perfect. He is so alert and just loves feeling the grass between his fingers, watching the dogs race, and trying to figure out the wind. So far he's tried to grab it, inhale it, and taste it!
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Test

In hopes of blogging more often I'm attempting to set up blogging from my phone. Let's hope this works.
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Growing up!

My little man is 10 weeks old. I can't believe he's 2.5 months already!! Enjoy some pictures:

6 weeks old!!

Today Hendrix is 6 weeks old! Where did that time go? Here is a mosaic of pictures I made for your enjoyment...and a poem I stold from a friend's blog that melted my heart.

Poem:

Before I Was A Mom

Before I was a Mom,I never tripped over toysOr forgot words to a lullaby.I didn't worry whether or notMy plants were poisonous...I never thought about immunizations.Before I was a Mom,I had never been puked on.Pooped on.Chewed on.Peed on.I had complete control of my mindAnd my thoughts.I slept all night.Before I was a Mom,I never held down a screaming childSo doctors could do tests.Or give shots.I never looked into teary eyes and cried.I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.I never sat up late hours at nightWatching a baby sleep.Before I was a Mom,I never held a sleeping babyjust becauseI didn't want to put him down.I never felt my heart break into a million piecesWhen I couldn't stop the hurt.I never knew that something so smallCould affect my life so much.I never knew that I could love someone so much.I never knew I would love being a Mom.Before I was a Mom,I didn't know the feeling ofHaving my heart outside my body.I didn't know how special it could feelTo feed a hungry baby.I didn't know that bondBetween a mother and her child.I didn't know that something so smallCould make me feel so important and happy.Before I was a Mom,I had never gotten up in the middle of the nightEvery 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.I had never knownthe warmth,The joy,The love,The heartache,The wondermentOr the satisfaction of being a Mom.I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,Before I was a Mom!

Pictures:

Update from Pediatric Surgeon

I just realized that we haven't updated since our appointment with the pediatric surgeon. To make a long story short, the pediatric surgeon does not think that Hendrix will ever need surgery, and thinks he will grow out of the lung "problem". We go back for another chest xray at the end of March and as long as everything looks the same, he will have another chest xray 3 months later...and so on. Basically, the surgeon just wants to keep an eye on things, and watch our troubles go away! Praise the Lord, and please just keep praying that God will continue to take care of our family.

This is the verse I speak over Hendrix, we would love for you to pray it over him as well:

You will bless God every chance you get; your lungs will expand with his praise.

CT Scan

So quick update, On Thursday we went downtown to Cooks Children's Hospital. At 8am Hendrix was scheduled for a CT scan to take a better look at his right lung. The process went really smooth and the Tech we had was awesome. After the CT scan we got the itch to go get his birth certificate, but the Department of Public health is closed till Monday. So...moving swiftly along. Friday morning we had a Dr. apt with the pediatrician to go over the results of the CT scan. Frankly, it didn't go well. The radiologist read his scan as a Congenital Lobar Emphysema. Yes, that's write my son has smoked so many cigs in a week he already has Emphysema. Seriously? Emphysema? Okay so it turns out while Emphysema is associated to people who smoke to much, it's actually just a word to describe the shape, color, texture, ect... of the un-healthy lung tissue. Through the pediatrician's tone I could tell this wasn't the best news and that the Cystic mass we thought it was would have been a better outcome. She then told us that she referred the CT scan to the pediatric surgeon and he was going to get back with us that afternoon. We temporally scheduled an apt with him for Feb. 18. We left the Dr. apt a little more defeated than before. Friday afternoon we got the phone call, in which Dr. Miller (paediatric Surgeon) disagreed with the initial report. He said he's seen this before and believes this is simply and artifact of the pre-natal cyst that was on his lung. Basically he boiled the whole thing down to, it's simply an indention on the lung. So, what does that mean? Well I'm not really sure. We are supposed to get another chest x-ray next week and are still keeping the apt. with Dr. Miller on the 18th. So, I take it as good news. We aren't being rushed off to surgery, he's still with us and all the doctors are more at peace with his current state. We staying strong, me more at times than Cassie, but that's okay I can be strong for the both of us. Friday night went much better than the morning as we are more at peace about everything. So I leave you with this, and the verse that kept me calm and relaxed through the roller coaster ride that was yesterday.

Proverbs 3: 5, 6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight

David

Day 2, 3, & 4

So day 2, 3, and 4 have come and passed. We spent much on Sunday morning getting checked out from various doctors and generally making sure we could go home. Sunday afternoon was spent finishing up paperwork, seeing hospital photographer, and other checkout procedures. We arrived home on Sunday around 4 p.m. Got some food and then began the process of seeing family. Not much can really be said about Sunday, but as for Monday morning...That's a different story! For the sole discretion of this blog, Monday morning shall not be defined in the traditional sense (6am - 10am) but shall be defined on Hendrix's schedule. Monday morning (12am - 6am) was spent with 2 hr feedings, 4 diaper changes and general gaseous discomfort. No no not my gaseous discomfort, Hendrix's. His tummy didn't feel so well. So given the conditions of said 'Monday Morning', Monday was spent with lots of naps. I (David) did attend my one scheduled class. While I was at class, Hendrix, mom and Grandma went to the doctor for a little post hospital checkup. Hendrix saw the Dr. got his weight (7lbs 5 oz.) and checked his belirubion (sp) level. After the main checkup Hendrix had a chest x-ray just to take a peak at his right lung. After the appts and school everyone spent most of the afternoon napping. For dinner some dear family friends (Kaufman's) brought possibly the best baked beans in the world along with some chicken. After a short visit, mom and dad got to bed early as the little guy hung out with grandma. Our second night went much better, with Hendrix's morning time sliding slightly in the correct direction. He felt much better and moved his feeding times back to 3-4 hours. Allowing for more sleep for both mom and dad, eh, mostly mom. :-). Tuesday I woke up to a nice suprise and had all my classes canceled! We went back to the doctor Tuesday morning to find out the results of the chest x-ray. Come to learn cooks radiology department wants to get yet another look of our boy's chest. We are scheduled for a CT Scan tomorrow morning to get a better look. The x-ray show a little Cystic Structure at the base of his lung, essentially it's nothing we didn't know, but a bit of surprise sense nothing could be seen on the sonogram back in December. The results came with a few mixed emotions. Negative at first, but found comfort quickly from our faith. Our little miracle was still intact, we hadn't lost anything, nothing had been taken away from us. We had a normal pregnancy, normal birth and only spent 30 hours in the hospital. Some of the initial alternatives were in-utero surgery, surgery immediately after birth, surgery within hours/days of birth. None of those situations happened, and like i said we have our little miracle. We still have him our little miracle and one chest x-ray can't take away the foundation of our faith, and the healing that did take place. We were re-assured by the doctor that clearly this isn't a sick child, he gained 2.5 oz in a 25 hour period and his belirubion level had hardly changed (we don't have to worry about jawndus anymore). So as I type school was canceled again and I'm looking at about 1/2 inch of ice covering the road. The high today is in the 40's so like usual it should all be gone by noon. We are looking forward to seeing some friends, but mostly spending the rest of this week getting to know each other a little bit more each day. We are both completely amazed, proud, and infatuated with our little boy.

Hendrix Alexander

So even though I (David) have been listed on this blog as contributor, i've never actually blogged. Sitting here in this half hospital love seat/chair bed I couldn't think of a better time or occasion to welcome my self to the blogging world. Over the last 30 hours have been the most rewarding expiernce of my lifetime. I've fallen absolutly head over heels for the little person who when I look at his peacefully tiny/sleeping little body I just melt. I've never been more proud in my entire life. Proud to be the Daddy of a handsome little boy, proud to be the husband of the strongest woman I know, (if she ever tells you our birth story/plan you'll think so too) and apart of the most amazing family I could ever ask for. As I type this all I can think about is two people, one who is asleep resting and the other who even though I just put in his little basket and he is not more than 2 feet from I still miss him. I miss his soft skin, his face, all the grunts/squeals he makes while he sleeps. I miss feeling his chest move up and down. This was by far the most exhausting both emotionally and physically day of my life. Seeing the woman you love so much struggle to bring our little man into this world for 21 hours was the hardest thing i've ever done. It was truly an amazing experience, one that no matter how many times people tell you, you just don't understand until you've been there. My biggest fear in all of this, is not being responsible for Hendrix my Son, Hendrix the Boy, or Hendrix the Man. My biggest fear is knowing i'm responsible for his Soul, his place in enternity. Pray for strength and wisdom as I walk the path of not only teaching him to live like Jesus, but for me to find that less traveled path myself. So as I function on about 4 hours of sleep since 6 a.m Friday morning all I can think about is finishing this blog and holding the most perfect little boy i've ever met. I can't imagine going to sleep tonight, b/c truly I don't want to miss a thing (yes I did just copy Aerosmith that "new band"). Inside joke :-). Anyways thanks for all your prayers, thoughts and love we truly would have never made it this far w/o you.

David

39 week appt.

Just got back from the dr. I'm up to 2.5 cm dilated (1.5 last week) still 80% effaced. She stripped my membranes (not nearly as painful as I thought) and once again said, "any day now, he is REALLY low"..and said that she thinks I will go fast once it starts. Come on baby!!!!!

38 week appt.

Just got back from the dr. I'm still 1-2 cm and am now effaced 80% (up 5) and I'm almost at -2 station. She said the baby's head is REALLLLYYYY low! She offered to induce me between 38-39 weeks (basically next week) but I told her I really wanted to go on my own (trying to stay away from pitocin since I'm planning on no EPI...but dang that was hard to turn down!!). She also said that next week she will strip my membranes (fun times) She said I could wait until my due date, but she really expects me to go early.That makes me feel good, but also gets my hopes up!

37 week appt (2 days early)

Had an appt this afternoon. This was the 3rd time I've been checked. I forgot to ask the first 2 times about effacement, so this is how it went:

2 weeks ago 1/2 cm dilated and 50% effaced
1 week ago 1/2 cm dilated and 60 % effaced
today 1 and 1/2 cm dilated and 75% effaced

She said I was making really good progress and was "right on track"THEN...after a little more talking she said "ok we will do a sono next week unless you've had the baby by then" WHOA! I'm not sure if she was over exaggerating because she was getting such a rise out of DH with the less than 3 weeks talk or what....anyhoo...I'm (possibly too) excited about my progress!