5 months and counting….

Jackson you are growing so fast.  Everyday we look at you and we are so amazed at how much you have changed. 

You are 15lbs 3oz and 25inches long.  Your little legs and arms are so chunky, and I love it.  You only have creases for wrists and ankles.  I love to kiss your round little cheeks. You don’t miss a meal and definitely let us know when you are hungry. 

We have been giving you cereal for a month now and it is so cute to watch you.  You get so excited when you see your bowl and me mixing it up.  For whatever reason, you always make a funny face with the first bite, but then keep opening your mouth looking for more.  You love to talk while you are eating.  These are some of my favorite moments.

You are so much happier when it comes to tummy time now.  I wouldn’t venture so much to say you love it yet but at least you will try to play on your tummy for longer than 10 minutes at a time now.  You are learning to reach with one arm and hold yourself up with the other.  You know how to roll over but don’t do it all the time.  Daddy and I say that you are just a lazy boy sometimes.  If you feel like it you will roll, but if not you just arch your back and yell till we pick you up.  I can’t even call it crying cause the moment we get you, you stop.  We let you fuss a little but I hate to admit I think you have us trained. 

You have known about your fingers for awhile now and seem to always be chewing on them.  No teeth yet although I am sure they will be coming soon.  Your toes have been the latest discovery.  You can’t quite reach them to your mouth, but I am sure if you could, you would.  Everything goes in your mouth now. 

You have found more interest in the things around you.  I love to watch you looking around and explore.  If we are holding you, you prefer to face forward to see what is going on.  You are interested in the things we do.  You grab our cups to and try to drink from them so we started giving you your sippy cup with water.  You have pretty good control with it laying down and you are getting better about using it while sitting up in your high chair. 

Now that the weather is getting nicer we have been outside a little more and you love it.  You are such a good, easy-going  baby.  You just swing in your swing while we do yard work. 

Jack, you have done so well sleeping in your own room.  I think it was a harder adjustment for me not to have you at arms reach.  You love story time in your room at night.  We read a book and a story from your little bible.  You love to look at the pictures and turn the pages.  Every night when Daddy and I put you to bed we pray together.  We pray for your heart, your oxygen levels and for God to guide us each day so that we can be the best parents for you.  You hold our hands and are just so intent listening to us. 

I love your little belly laughs.  Daddy can always get you going.  It makes me laugh to hear those baby giggles. 

Cardiology Update: This month when we went in Jack's oxygen saturations were higher than they have been! Most visits we are watching his pulse ox to get a reading in the 70's.  But this past week they were in the 80's!  He was crying when they first put on the monitor which usually makes hi sats lower.  However this time at first it was reading 100%.  I told the assistant "I don't believe it, he has never sat'd 100 in his life."  We left it on for awhile and then it was reading in the 80's with a couple dips to the 70's but then would come back to the 80's!  This was so exciting to see.  Our nightly prayers for good oxygen levels are being answered!

Everyday I thank God for blessing me with you.  I love being your mom. 

Each day is precious. Cherish it with the ones you love!  Here are a few more pictures of family time this past month

playing catch up

Seems to be the story of our lives these days... playing catch up.  Life is definately different now with a 4 month old.  And different couldn't be better!  I love every day of being a mom and love my days off with my little man.  I have been back to work for a little over a month now.  I am so happy that I have a job that I only have to work 3 days a week and so thankful for my sisters keeping him on the week days I work.  I miss my boys so much when I am away from home.  I love my days off that I get to be with my family.  Sometimes (truthfully... alot of times)  I put off doing house stuff just because hanging out with Jack and Doyle is so much better.  More and more lately I have thought about how precious time is.  Time is the one thing you can't get back and "catch up" on.  So sometimes that means going to bed a little late so the dishes and cleaning get done,  but it is so worth it.  Maybe one day I will learn to be Super Mom and be able to get it all done.  Being a parent truly changes your perspective on so many things.  

Jack has changed so much since the last blog at 2 months. He laughs! and it makes me laugh cause I think he has the Fletcher laugh!  He sleeps 8 hours straight most nights now from 9p to 5a and then wakes up at 8a.  Works for me!  He has discovered his hands.  He is constantly chewing on them.  I think we have overcome the thumbsucking stage.  He still tries to get it sometimes but not very often.  He has started eating cereal and loves it!  The last few nights he gets so excited when I put him in his high chair and he sees the bowl. 

 He is losing all his baby hair. He has a patch in the back with a bald spot in the middle of it. We probably should just buzz it, but just seems a little weird to shave his head just yet.

He loves playing in his exersaucer, jumping and being able to use his legs.



"enough pictures Mom"



He loves the bird he is looking at.



He still isn't the biggest fan of tummy time but he is getting better. 

He even learned to turn from his tummy to his back.  I did have a video on the Flipcam but somehow it is gone, which really upsets me.  And now after he did so good for a couple days he is back to hating tummy time and I cant get him to do it again to get another video.  This picture was when he was turning over and actually having fun.  I am just glad  Doyle and I were both home to see him do it for the first time.

He loves going for walks and being outside.



He is growing so big. At 4 months he was 13Lbs 10oz and 24 inches long. Dr Quinones, the cardiologist, is very happy with his weight gain.  He keeps outgrowing his medication dose.  His oxygen saturations are still low to mid 70's which he says is still good for him. His last check up we really thought we were going to be headed to surgery for a shunt in the next month or so (which is still a possibility) but Dr Q said that if he can keep on track growing like he is, he might be able to get his first surgery (the Rastelli) when he is 6 months old instead of at a year, just dependent on weight. He needs to be 8 to 10kg (18 to 22 lbs) and right now he is a little over 6. So that is what we are praying for: his Oxygen sats to stay high enough to avoid doing the shunt and for him to keep growing on track and get big enough for his Rastelli.

Just gotta take it one day at a time.   

my little snuggler

 

One happy Momma and Daddy!

 Jackson had his appointment yesterday with Dr. Quinones, the cardiologist.  He has gained a pound since last week at the pedi office. He now weighs 11lbs 7oz and 22 in long! He is so close to doubling his birth weight. His oxygen sats were in the high 70's!!! (last time it would barely get to 72) So at this time Jack will not need the intermediate shunt procedure! Praise God! We are so excited about this!  The medication, Propranolol, seems to be doing its job.  Since he has gained so much weight since his last visit we just had to increase the dose. Dr. Quinones was very happy with his growth and so are we!  Dr. Quinones decided that since he looked so good on exam there was no need for an ECHO.  We go back in 3 weeks and are praying for another good report.  Thank you for continuing to pray for our little man!

Here are some pictures from the few days.

My little bear!

love his little face

such a happy baby!

He loves watcing his mobile.

2 months already?!?!

I can't believe Jack is already 2 months old.  Time is flying by way too fast!  Jack had his 2 month check up with his pediatrician Dr. Binder.  Jack now weighs 10lbs 9oz and is 21 inches long.  He is definately starting to get a little chunky.  I love his little chubby thighs.  He only has a few newborn size outfits that still fit him.  He has almost completely moved on to the 3month size.  I look at those little outfits and remember how big they were on him when he first came home. 

I love watching him grow and discover new things.  He always has a look on his face like he is trying to figure something out. 

Jack can now:

• hold his head up by himself
• sit up in his bumbo chair
• follow objects side to side or watch someone walk across the room
• focus on objects and trys to bat a them
• pushes himself to standing with us barely holding him under his arms to help balance
• lift and turn his head side to side when he is on his tummy
• sleeps a 5 hour stretch most nights (which makes mommy really happy!)
• smiles at us when we talk to him
• babbles and it is the cutest thing when he watches us talk and tries to move his mouth and tongue to talk back

We are so proud of you little man!  I love getting to watch you grow everyday and I am going to miss you so much when I go back to work in a couple weeks.  I know you will be in good hands though with your Aunts taking care of you.

We loved our first Christmas with Jackson.  Even though he didn't really get it yet we had a lot of fun with him.  He was just a little spoiled to say the least.  I think his Peachy and Poppy must think that he is really advanced because they bought him his first bike. They said when they saw it they thought of him and just "had to get it."  Doyle and I decided we are going to re-give it the next few years. He also got lots of other toys to play with for the next year and tons of clothes. Thanks everyone!

Jack will be going to see Dr. Quinones, the cardiologist, Jan 4th to have an ECHO done.  This will determine if he will need the shunt procedure or not.  Please keep him in your prayers.

6weeks Update

Jackson is now 6 weeks old and weighs 9lbs 6oz.  He is starting to get those cute little baby rolls.  He doesn't miss a meal!  He loves playing on his mat and having tummy time.  He is getting really good at lifting his head and turning it side to side when he is on his tummy.  I love the morning time with him when he really starts jabbering.  Those baby sounds are just so precious. 

This week we visited the cardiologist, Dr Quinones. Jack is doing good but we are anticipating that he will need to have a shunt (Blalock-Taussig or B-T shunt) put in to help prolong the open heart surgery that they plan at about 1 year old.  We go back to the doctor Jan 4 to have another ECHO done to see if the pulmonary artery is still getting smaller.  Dr Quinones also started him on a medication called Propranolol.  This medication affects the contractility of the heart.  Because of the Subpulmonic  Stenonis (narrowing) less blood is able to get through the pulmonary artery.  He hopes that this medication will help to relax that a little bit and allow more blood flow through the artery to the lungs to be oxygenated.  Jack's oxygen levels are in the 70's (normal is 90's) which he says is ok for him. It freaks the nurse in me out.  His color does not reflect low oxygen levels and he does not act like it either.  Dr Quinones said Jack never has seen normal levels and the body adapts. He is growing right on target. The shunt procedure will bring his oxygen levels up to the 80's.  The shunt will go from the Subclavian vein to the Pulmonary Artery, so more blood can get to the lungs to be oxygenated to go out to the body. They just want to prolong the Rastelli procedure (the corrective) until he gets bigger since they have to use the conduit.  The bigger he is for the first time, the bigger conduit they can put in, which means the longer it can last. 

Please continue to keep Jack in your prayers.  I hope everyone has a very Merry CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year!

Updates

2weeks
Jackson is doing so well.  At his 2 week check up with the pediatrician he weighed 7lb 6oz.  He is growing right on target. 

Here are a few of our favorite pictures from his newborn photo shoot

3weeks
At 3weeks old Jackson had an appointment with the cardiologist, Dr Quinones.  They did an ECHO that showed the Pulmonary Artery had gotten a little smaller.  We learned that this is the determinant for when he will need surgery. He told us that there is still a shunt procedure they could do if needed to prolong the time before having his first major surgery.

4weeks
At 4 weeks Jack was 8lbs.  He is getting bigger and stronger each day.  He is still a little wobbly but he can hold his head up.  When he has tummy time he will pick his head up and turn it side to side following our voices.  He focuses on things and it looks like he is concentrating so hard. I just wish I could know hat he is thinking.

He went on his first road trip to Waco for Thanksgiving with the Fletcher family.  He did so good.