Sorry for the lack of info or posts everyone. We have been busy lately and have been lax in spending time online.
I will be uplodaing some photos Saturday and will post something then.
Our little boy
Our Little Miracle
Friday, January 28, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Picking up what we are putting down
Little Man's hearing test was today. Results are in, and we will cover those soon, but the story must be told leading up.................
We got to the University around 1:00 and we were escorted into the testing room. What you would think is that we were going to a classic doctor's office. You would be dead wrong!
We were taken into a blank room dimly lit with a recliner and 2 small wooden chairs and a computer on top of a 3 drawer file cabinet, both of which were right out of the late 70's. The computer might have been the one used for Judy's programming in Revenge of the Nerds.............yeah it was that old.
The room was grey and there was only 2 sources of light. The lights were attached to the walls and looked like the shells of lava lamps with no top. There was also a window.........one of the "one way" variety, though you could make out faint shadows and outlines of the testers in the other room.
Oh, and it was surrounded by about 2 feet of steel to make the room soundproof. The door was like a freezer door and was about 5 inches thick and steel as well. Trust me..........It had all the feeling of either a bunker interrogation room or a neuclear fallout shelter. CREEPY!
Little Man had some electrodes hooked up to his skull in the front and behind each ear. Then they snaked a device into his ears to administer sound to. Once the sounds were made, they would monitor his brain activity and make their assesments.
They did the right ear first, then the left. He was asleep for the bulk of the test, which is how they want it to be. He did great and his Mom did awesome too holding him and comforting him to fall asleep.
It lasted about an hour and we were then taken to a different fallout shelter which had more light and more seating. There the results were discussed.
Ideally they are looking for a child to hear at a level of "0" which means that the child is hearing every sound they give him/her. 0-20 is considered "normal" and anything outside that range might need more information or more development.
Mason's right ear is at 0 and his left ear at about 5 or so. Thank you Lord!
They gave us some ideas what to look for in case things take a turn and some ways to help him progress as well. They also gave us reasons the previous test (the one he failed at low pitch/low volume) might have not yielded the same results.
The most logical explanation would be the existence of the feeding tube at the time of the test. The feeding tube can make a child more "stuffy" and that drastically affects the ears and the hearing. Imagine it like you have a cold that stuffs up your nose and sinuses...........do you have trouble hearing? Is it like you are in a tunnel or there is a bit of an "echo" when you hear things under those conditions? Now make yourself 5 or 6 pounds and see how similar conditions effect you.
At any rate, we are so blessed and he is so watched over. Thank you again God for all your blessings on this child.
I wish I could upload the photos I took of the room. They are on my phone as we forgot to bring the proper camera.............if I can figure it out I will load them and add them later.
Take care everyone and thanks for all the support!
We got to the University around 1:00 and we were escorted into the testing room. What you would think is that we were going to a classic doctor's office. You would be dead wrong!
We were taken into a blank room dimly lit with a recliner and 2 small wooden chairs and a computer on top of a 3 drawer file cabinet, both of which were right out of the late 70's. The computer might have been the one used for Judy's programming in Revenge of the Nerds.............yeah it was that old.
The room was grey and there was only 2 sources of light. The lights were attached to the walls and looked like the shells of lava lamps with no top. There was also a window.........one of the "one way" variety, though you could make out faint shadows and outlines of the testers in the other room.
Oh, and it was surrounded by about 2 feet of steel to make the room soundproof. The door was like a freezer door and was about 5 inches thick and steel as well. Trust me..........It had all the feeling of either a bunker interrogation room or a neuclear fallout shelter. CREEPY!
Little Man had some electrodes hooked up to his skull in the front and behind each ear. Then they snaked a device into his ears to administer sound to. Once the sounds were made, they would monitor his brain activity and make their assesments.
They did the right ear first, then the left. He was asleep for the bulk of the test, which is how they want it to be. He did great and his Mom did awesome too holding him and comforting him to fall asleep.
It lasted about an hour and we were then taken to a different fallout shelter which had more light and more seating. There the results were discussed.
Ideally they are looking for a child to hear at a level of "0" which means that the child is hearing every sound they give him/her. 0-20 is considered "normal" and anything outside that range might need more information or more development.
Mason's right ear is at 0 and his left ear at about 5 or so. Thank you Lord!
They gave us some ideas what to look for in case things take a turn and some ways to help him progress as well. They also gave us reasons the previous test (the one he failed at low pitch/low volume) might have not yielded the same results.
The most logical explanation would be the existence of the feeding tube at the time of the test. The feeding tube can make a child more "stuffy" and that drastically affects the ears and the hearing. Imagine it like you have a cold that stuffs up your nose and sinuses...........do you have trouble hearing? Is it like you are in a tunnel or there is a bit of an "echo" when you hear things under those conditions? Now make yourself 5 or 6 pounds and see how similar conditions effect you.
At any rate, we are so blessed and he is so watched over. Thank you again God for all your blessings on this child.
I wish I could upload the photos I took of the room. They are on my phone as we forgot to bring the proper camera.............if I can figure it out I will load them and add them later.
Take care everyone and thanks for all the support!
Hearing Test
Today is the Little Man's follow up hearing test. We are headed down to the University shortly and we will report back later today with the results.
We pray that things have progressed as he did not pass all 3 phases of his initial test a month or so ago.
We pray that things have progressed as he did not pass all 3 phases of his initial test a month or so ago.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
4 month birthday
Yesterday was Little Man's 4 month birthday. He asked for a car and he got fed and his diaper changed all day. I think he made out in the end, don't you?
Today he went to the doctor and he got his 4 month shots. He got 2 shots, one in each leg.
Our doctor asked, prior to the first shot, if we had a pacifer to quiet him and I told him he would not need it. Mason tends to not cry or whine a whole lot. The doctor looked at me like I had just told him we were taking Mason on a trip to Jupiter and I got out a pacifer just to make the doctor feel better.
He took the first shot in his right leg and let out one short bellow, like he usually does when he is really uncomfortable.
He took the second shot in his left leg and things went a bit different.
See, I had told him he was getting shot, not that he was getting shotS so he was under the impression that after the first he was done.
His body kind of twitched once and he let out a cry that was so shrill and so loud. He looked at me as if to say "You jerk, you didn't tell me there were two!" and we later made up over a bottle and some cuddle time.
In all, he is doing well and is up to 9.0 pounds. 9 whole pounds!!!!
If anyone has any questions about anything at all please let us know in the comments section. We will do our best to answer all issues we can.
Thanks! Love you all!
Today he went to the doctor and he got his 4 month shots. He got 2 shots, one in each leg.
Our doctor asked, prior to the first shot, if we had a pacifer to quiet him and I told him he would not need it. Mason tends to not cry or whine a whole lot. The doctor looked at me like I had just told him we were taking Mason on a trip to Jupiter and I got out a pacifer just to make the doctor feel better.
He took the first shot in his right leg and let out one short bellow, like he usually does when he is really uncomfortable.
He took the second shot in his left leg and things went a bit different.
See, I had told him he was getting shot, not that he was getting shotS so he was under the impression that after the first he was done.
His body kind of twitched once and he let out a cry that was so shrill and so loud. He looked at me as if to say "You jerk, you didn't tell me there were two!" and we later made up over a bottle and some cuddle time.
In all, he is doing well and is up to 9.0 pounds. 9 whole pounds!!!!
If anyone has any questions about anything at all please let us know in the comments section. We will do our best to answer all issues we can.
Thanks! Love you all!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
What a long strange trip its been.............
"Sometimes the light is shining on me..........other times I can barely see"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pafY6sZt0FE
I was just sitting here thinking that......well the title says it all!
So I thought I would take a little trip down memory lane, join me if you wish. Tears may be shed, smiles will be mandatory, and even a laugh or two. It just hit me as I was looking at him that it was time for this kind of journey.
Away we go!!!!!!!!!!
Remember this?
That was the miracle night. The night that God held Julie and Mason in his loving hands and delivered them safely through the times that "I could barely see."
First day was a tough one. Lack of sleep and uncomparable stress (at least to me) led to our first meeting. There were 4 of us that first day and Julie was still layed up in the hospital. Lorna told me I could put my hands in the incubator and touch him and I remember breaking down and having to be coaxed by my Mother to actually do it. I later learned that the rubbing I was doing was not something I should have been doing due to his skin being so thin. We learned that about 2 weeks later and ceased all rubbing at that point. No damage done from this, so were okay!
Julie got to meet him about 48 hours after his birth. She was not allowed to check out of the hospital due to the operation to extricate him from her womb, so she got photos and videos to familiarize herself with what was going on with Mason. She was amazing through this all. Those that don't know Julie are really missing out. She is a strong, beautiful, loving person. She is the best thing that ever happened to me and she continues to blow me away every day. This first meeting also produced the photo below, shot only for perspective.
That ring fit all the way up to his shoulder. What a long strange trip its been, indeed!
Seeing him under the blue lights was so "sci-fi" it is hard to convey in photos. He tanned under those for a while and the day he didn't need those lights again was one of the first visible successes along the path home. Thank you Lord for those stories!
The first time he was out of the incubator was an amazing moment. Julie just glows in this video. It was one of the more important moments of my life. Julie really loved her time holding him and it really created the bond and promoted breast milk production, just like it was designed to do!
Remember the C-Pap fiasco? Little man just needed some time to get used to breathing on his own. He eventually got used to it and didn't require that help any more. I see the feeding tube in on this photo too..........what a long strange trip its been!
This was a very important video. I was not there for this one live, but seeing it brought a smile to my face and joy to my heart. Latching and sucking was vital to his development since it was critial to his feeding properly.
Watching his growth was incredible. I remember thinking that he had no chance of surviving that first day and that his size was just never going to change. Then he started growing and has not looked back yet.
Little man's first bath. Another landmark day for Mom and Dad. It was kind of a step by step deal for me, the reality of it all, but the bath was one of those days that just said "he's going to be a regular kid, no worries" to me. Julie did great and I think that she liked giving him his bath as much as he liked getting it.
My first feeding. I love to feed him. The sounds he produces when he is feeding are some of my favorite sounds ever.
He was getting so big.........he really started to look like a different baby all the way around.
Our last day in the NICU was Dec 17th. 3 months TO THE DAY from his birth. It was a very special day!
Since he has been home, he has been developing well. He has slept well, ate well, and is even learning to swing!
He is also starting to "track" well with his eyes. He locks onto objects and can follow them as they move.
So we put a mirror in his sleeping space and he "discovered" that he is not alone. It was so darn cute watching his brain process a new friend that wasn't there just a few moments before.
Wow.................what a long journey this has been. Reflecting back has been a blast. He has really come a long way and, Lord willing, he will keep progressing and grow up to be a big man!
Thanks for taking this trip down memory lane with me. It is just amazing the power of prayer!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pafY6sZt0FE
I was just sitting here thinking that......well the title says it all!
So I thought I would take a little trip down memory lane, join me if you wish. Tears may be shed, smiles will be mandatory, and even a laugh or two. It just hit me as I was looking at him that it was time for this kind of journey.
Away we go!!!!!!!!!!
Remember this?
First day was a tough one. Lack of sleep and uncomparable stress (at least to me) led to our first meeting. There were 4 of us that first day and Julie was still layed up in the hospital. Lorna told me I could put my hands in the incubator and touch him and I remember breaking down and having to be coaxed by my Mother to actually do it. I later learned that the rubbing I was doing was not something I should have been doing due to his skin being so thin. We learned that about 2 weeks later and ceased all rubbing at that point. No damage done from this, so were okay!
The first time he was out of the incubator was an amazing moment. Julie just glows in this video. It was one of the more important moments of my life. Julie really loved her time holding him and it really created the bond and promoted breast milk production, just like it was designed to do!
This was a very important video. I was not there for this one live, but seeing it brought a smile to my face and joy to my heart. Latching and sucking was vital to his development since it was critial to his feeding properly.
He was getting so big.........he really started to look like a different baby all the way around.
He is also starting to "track" well with his eyes. He locks onto objects and can follow them as they move.
Thanks for taking this trip down memory lane with me. It is just amazing the power of prayer!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
A day to remember
So.......................
Lets play a little Jeopardy..................
I waited 13 years to see my first. I was not alive for the first 3 years.
There have been 6 in the last 10 years.
My first that I can remember resulted in a loss.
The Little Man's first was today.
What is.........................
We had a house full of rowdy fans. Matt, Brandon, Kyle, Amy, Makaiylah, and of course his silly dad. I am shocked that he didn't wake up as we all screamed for Lynch to keep running on the final Hawks TD.
In all, it was awesome. It was the first Hawks game that he and I shared and I am pleased to have shared it with such great friends, and fans.
GO HAWKS!!!!
Lets play a little Jeopardy..................
I waited 13 years to see my first. I was not alive for the first 3 years.
There have been 6 in the last 10 years.
My first that I can remember resulted in a loss.
The Little Man's first was today.
What is.........................
A Seahawks appearance in the playoffs?
So at 7-9 we played the defending champion Saints at Qwest field in Seattle and guess what?
Little Man's first playoff game seen was also his first win seen!
The Hawks won 41-36 and Little man slept through almost all of it. He was awake for part of the second quarter and was awake for the clinching plays that sealed an upset victory for the Hawks.
He was decked out in his gear and was signaling "touchdown" as he slept every time Matt Hasselbeck chucked a TD. He is a fan already!
In all, it was awesome. It was the first Hawks game that he and I shared and I am pleased to have shared it with such great friends, and fans.
GO HAWKS!!!!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Congrats!
Sorry there hasn't been much lately. There will be more coming soon!
Congrats and a hearty God Bless must go out to Crystal. She had that miracle baby last night at 3:00 am and he, and mom, are healthy and resting well.
Way to go Crystal and congrats to Annette too!
Congrats and a hearty God Bless must go out to Crystal. She had that miracle baby last night at 3:00 am and he, and mom, are healthy and resting well.
Way to go Crystal and congrats to Annette too!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year!
Little man spent his new year's eve much the same way we both did. While Julie made it a little later than I did, we all looked like this very shortly after the turn of the decade........
Little man greeted midnight with a feeding and a prompt trip right back to sleep. He loved it and so did we.
We want to wish you all a wonderful new year and thank you for following along with us through the last 3 months of our lives. We are looking forward to an awesome 2011!
We want to wish you all a wonderful new year and thank you for following along with us through the last 3 months of our lives. We are looking forward to an awesome 2011!
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