This blog will be short and sweet.
This year was a wonderful one, even with all its ups and downs. I want to thank all of my friends and family for all your love and support. Without all of you I am not sure how I would have made it through it. I want to give a special thanks to my Mom and Dad. I love you guys so much and have no idea what I would do without you guys. You all have been a great shoulder to lean on! I also want to send a huge thanks to my Grandma. Grandma, words cannot express how much it meant to me when you spent every Thursday with Jackson while he was in the hospital. So thanks and I love you tons.
This year is coming to an end and I am looking forward to what 2012 has in store of me. As for my Jackson, well he will be sleeping bringing in the new year. He is an amazing little boy and this year will be a wonderful one. We will get to watch him grow and learn, its so exciting!!!!
I hope everyone has a blessed and safe New Year!!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Its kind of a big deal!!!
So we went to the doctor yesterday for Jackson to have his three month adjusted check up. He weighed in at 14.7 lbs and the doctors actually said he isn't eating enough. Can you believe it? My jaw nearly dropped to the floor when she said that. So over the next week we have to increase him to 5oz. I had this fear that they would say something about his head shaping wrong but he is doing just fine in that department. Otherwise he is doing great, lungs sound wonderful and everything is growing just the way it should. Then she said the words I have patiently waiting for," Its time to start weaning off the oxygen." Its like a choir stood behind me and sang, " Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah" I wanted to jump up and down with excitement but didn't as they might have thought I was nuts.
As soon as we got home I took the nasal cannula off his nose and he lasted a whole minute. It wasn't much but it was a start. Today I got home from work and I didn't take the cannula out I just turned the oxygen concentrator off. He lasted 17 minutes!!!!!! Were talking no oxygen people. Thats a huge deal for us!! So yes I did jump up and down, did a little jig, then sang a song to my little man that I am so proud of!!!.
As soon as we got home I took the nasal cannula off his nose and he lasted a whole minute. It wasn't much but it was a start. Today I got home from work and I didn't take the cannula out I just turned the oxygen concentrator off. He lasted 17 minutes!!!!!! Were talking no oxygen people. Thats a huge deal for us!! So yes I did jump up and down, did a little jig, then sang a song to my little man that I am so proud of!!!.
Heres another picture of my tiny now mighty fighter!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Christmas and such
I was really hoping to post this blog before Christmas but we have been running around like chickens with our heads cut off. Even though we couldn't take Jackson out for Christmas it was still a wonderful First Christmas for my little guy. Cayden was super excited about Christmas this year. He was glad to help Jackson unwrap his gifts since Jackson decided to sleep through the entire thing. Both boys got lots and lots of toys and now this mommy and daddy have to find a place for everything. While Jackson can't say thank you to everyone he sends many thanks to everyone. I wish that I could say next year we will be out for the holidays but we won't be. The doctors say for his first two winters we have to stay on lock down. Only leaving the house for doctors appointments for us.
Last Sunday we had to take a mini ER trip and I say mini because we were in and out within an hour. As most of you know Jackson has a umbilical hernia that has been causing us issues. Last weekend he was screaming in pain and the hernia was hard as a rock. When we got to the hospital he was fine. We were sent home and told to make an appointment to see his surgeon ASAP. So now were seeing Dr. Bond on 1-4-12. It looks like we will be starting out our new year with a surgery for the little guy. Robert and I are looking at the surgery as a very good thing but we are really nervous. Jackson has been doing so well and I just really don't want this to cause any set backs. We see his Neonatoligist tomorrow and its just a normal check up to make sure he is growing like he is suppose to. You can tell Jackson is growing longer because he is starting to lose the double chin :(
Last Sunday we had to take a mini ER trip and I say mini because we were in and out within an hour. As most of you know Jackson has a umbilical hernia that has been causing us issues. Last weekend he was screaming in pain and the hernia was hard as a rock. When we got to the hospital he was fine. We were sent home and told to make an appointment to see his surgeon ASAP. So now were seeing Dr. Bond on 1-4-12. It looks like we will be starting out our new year with a surgery for the little guy. Robert and I are looking at the surgery as a very good thing but we are really nervous. Jackson has been doing so well and I just really don't want this to cause any set backs. We see his Neonatoligist tomorrow and its just a normal check up to make sure he is growing like he is suppose to. You can tell Jackson is growing longer because he is starting to lose the double chin :(
Their First Christmas together!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Busy Boy
Well it sure has been a very busy week for Mr. Jackson. He had his six month check up on Monday and I am super proud to say he weighs a whopping 14 lbs 1 oz. He finally hit the chart on his actual age being at 13%!!!! I know some people must think that isn't a big deal but for this little man it is! Everything looks great as far as growth goes. The doctor is having us revisit the surgeon to get his umbilical hernia checked out. Jackson is still able to push out his intestines from a tiny little hole that is trying to close. This causes a tiny red flag because if Jackson's intestines are pushed out and the hole closes it could cause a whole mess of problems. Looks like the little guy will need a surgery sooner rather then later to fix this problem. All in all he is doing very well! Oh and before I forget to mention this was the first time Robert traveled without me with Jackson. So Jackson says, " Yay Daddy, thanks for taking me to the Doctor!!!" Poor Robert called me at work and said, " Kristi you have to call the doctors office. I have to turn back around and get the diaper bag." He ran late but made it with that darn diaper bag.
I took Jackson on Tuesday to the hearing aid doctor to get his second hearing aid. I think Jackson and I both have a huge dislike for those little buggers. We both hate putting them in and they always fall out. Those little suckers aren't cheap so I chase them down like they are gold. The audio Doctor, Kasey, had to take a second set of molds because his ears had already grown within the last month. She has told me that as he gets older the hearing aids will become second nature to him.
I thought I would add a few new things that Jackson has started to do. He has discovered he loves to take out his nasal cannula out of his nose and chew on them. He has a stuffed dog that he just loves to pieces and cracks the biggest smiles when that dog is around. He is holding up his head much better now and I just know that soon he won't be a wobble head anymore.
I took Jackson on Tuesday to the hearing aid doctor to get his second hearing aid. I think Jackson and I both have a huge dislike for those little buggers. We both hate putting them in and they always fall out. Those little suckers aren't cheap so I chase them down like they are gold. The audio Doctor, Kasey, had to take a second set of molds because his ears had already grown within the last month. She has told me that as he gets older the hearing aids will become second nature to him.
I thought I would add a few new things that Jackson has started to do. He has discovered he loves to take out his nasal cannula out of his nose and chew on them. He has a stuffed dog that he just loves to pieces and cracks the biggest smiles when that dog is around. He is holding up his head much better now and I just know that soon he won't be a wobble head anymore.
All smiles!
P.S. Big thanks to my cousin Michelle for the awesome pictures!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Back in Time
When Robert and I decided to get pregnant it was one of the most exciting days of my life. Luckily it took us no time at all and on January 21, 2011 I got the two little blue lines saying I was pregnant. The shopping began that very day. My mom insisted that it would be a girl and bought tons of girl stuff. I however already felt like this was gonna be a little boy. I didn't really care either way as long as it was healthy and happy. I had a pretty uneventful pregnancy. June 3, 2011 turned my world upside down. My pregnancy went from a typical one to a nightmare. I went in to see the doctor for some bleeding that I had throughout the night and thought nothing of it really. I had heard that you can have some irritation to your cervix so I wasn't too nervous. The doctor took a look at things and had a very grim look on her face. She looked up at Robert, my Mom and I and said you need to get dressed and go straight to Nortons. I was 3cm dilated and my water was bulging past my cervix. I had an incompetent cervix. I felt like I was in some bad dream. I was only 23 weeks and 2 days pregnant. This could not be happening to me.
After getting to the hospital everything happened so fast. They had me settled down in a room and told me that I would not be leaving the hospital until I had Jackson. I wasn't to leave the bed for any reason because I could cause my water to break. The neonatoligist, Dr. Cohen, walked into the room just as everyone had left the room. He gave the statistics of a 23 weeker making it. It was around 10% and my heart just sank in that very moment. How could I be thinking about the death of my son before he was even born. He said Robert and I had three options once Jackson was born. We could let him go, fight like hell no matter what, or lastly if he came out breathing give him a chance at life and if he didn't come out breathing then let him go. No parent should EVER have to hear those words. Robert and I didn't want to make a decision until right before we knew Jackson was actually coming.
June 7, 2011 I started having contractions at around 8:00pm. My nurse, Amy, wasn't picking anything up on the monitor so the doctor ordered an ultrasound to see if I had dilated anymore. I was 7cm dilated at 10:00 pm and was sent to labor and delivery. Jackson was coming and my nerves were sky high. My parents arrived around 11:00pm. It was now time to buckle down and get ready for this baby boy. At midnight, now June 8, 2011, I let out a little woohoo because this meant the chances of him making it were a little higher. Now a different neonatolgist, Dr. Forbes, came in to discuss the sames things as Dr. Cohen. We had three options and she had to know what to do once Jackson was born. I just cried with Robert for a few minutes. We wanted this baby so bad and now we may not even get the chance to have him. We had decided that once Jackson was born if he cried and kicked around we would fight for his life. If he came out and wasn't fighting we weren't going to make our baby live. It was the toughest decision he and I have ever had to make. I rubbed my belly and told Jackson," I love you no matter what!"
At 4:10am my water broke and the room was filled with about 15 people who were all so very calm. After four pushes I gave birth to a crying and kicking baby boy at 4:29am. I felt such peace in that very moment. My son was fighting for life and I was so very proud of him. Jackson William Lawrence Thomas was a fighter and I was now a new mommy.
After getting to the hospital everything happened so fast. They had me settled down in a room and told me that I would not be leaving the hospital until I had Jackson. I wasn't to leave the bed for any reason because I could cause my water to break. The neonatoligist, Dr. Cohen, walked into the room just as everyone had left the room. He gave the statistics of a 23 weeker making it. It was around 10% and my heart just sank in that very moment. How could I be thinking about the death of my son before he was even born. He said Robert and I had three options once Jackson was born. We could let him go, fight like hell no matter what, or lastly if he came out breathing give him a chance at life and if he didn't come out breathing then let him go. No parent should EVER have to hear those words. Robert and I didn't want to make a decision until right before we knew Jackson was actually coming.
June 7, 2011 I started having contractions at around 8:00pm. My nurse, Amy, wasn't picking anything up on the monitor so the doctor ordered an ultrasound to see if I had dilated anymore. I was 7cm dilated at 10:00 pm and was sent to labor and delivery. Jackson was coming and my nerves were sky high. My parents arrived around 11:00pm. It was now time to buckle down and get ready for this baby boy. At midnight, now June 8, 2011, I let out a little woohoo because this meant the chances of him making it were a little higher. Now a different neonatolgist, Dr. Forbes, came in to discuss the sames things as Dr. Cohen. We had three options and she had to know what to do once Jackson was born. I just cried with Robert for a few minutes. We wanted this baby so bad and now we may not even get the chance to have him. We had decided that once Jackson was born if he cried and kicked around we would fight for his life. If he came out and wasn't fighting we weren't going to make our baby live. It was the toughest decision he and I have ever had to make. I rubbed my belly and told Jackson," I love you no matter what!"
At 4:10am my water broke and the room was filled with about 15 people who were all so very calm. After four pushes I gave birth to a crying and kicking baby boy at 4:29am. I felt such peace in that very moment. My son was fighting for life and I was so very proud of him. Jackson William Lawrence Thomas was a fighter and I was now a new mommy.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Jackson at Home!
I am so excited to start writing a blog in order to not only keep friends and family updated but I also want to remember all the little details of Jackson growing up. Jackson is doing amazing at home. He has been home for just over eight weeks now and I just cannot believe how much he has changed in a short amount of time. He turned 6 months old this past Thursday and I still can't believe I gave birth to this little 1lb 14oz 12 1/2inches baby. Looking at him today you would never think that he would have been that tiny. Now at almost 14lbs ( doctors appointment Monday so I'll now for sure then) and 23 inches long. He has such personality its amazing.
He has started to really get into playing with his toys. When we lay him under his playmat he goes to town. Knocking the rattle part right into his face almost every time. He just stops for a minute and then continues as if nothing ever happened. He is a water baby if there ever were one. If I need to calm him down at night I just strip him naked and lay him in his little green tub and he kicks around with big smiles. He has one of two hearing aids and we will go this Tuesday to get the second one. He is still deciding if he likes it or not. Most of the time he screams when I am putting them and then calms down after a minute or so. The doctors say he will need the hearing aids for the rest of his life and that is just fine by me. He can still hear without the hearing aids just not low voices of birds chirping outside.
Well he is starting to stir in his sleep so I better go.
He has started to really get into playing with his toys. When we lay him under his playmat he goes to town. Knocking the rattle part right into his face almost every time. He just stops for a minute and then continues as if nothing ever happened. He is a water baby if there ever were one. If I need to calm him down at night I just strip him naked and lay him in his little green tub and he kicks around with big smiles. He has one of two hearing aids and we will go this Tuesday to get the second one. He is still deciding if he likes it or not. Most of the time he screams when I am putting them and then calms down after a minute or so. The doctors say he will need the hearing aids for the rest of his life and that is just fine by me. He can still hear without the hearing aids just not low voices of birds chirping outside.
Well he is starting to stir in his sleep so I better go.
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