Caleb's 1st Halloween

Today Caleb enjoyed his first Halloween at home with Derek and I! We dressed him in his little cute pumpkin bodysuit and took lots of pictures. While we don't believe in the traditional way of celebrating Halloween - ghosts, goblins, spirits, etc, we celebrated positively - baking cookies and watching movies, making it all about family time!! 

HELLO WORLD!!!!

Hello everyone!  This isn't mommy updating you this evening....it's, me, Caleb!  I noticed that mommy hasn't been on to update you guys since November of last year.  At that time, she was extremely tired A LOT  as I was taking all of her energy to grow.  Well, now I'm here, and she's still exhausted!  Yeah, I know.  You're thinking "What?"  "It's only March 12th.  "You're not supposed to arrive until March 28th!  I know, I know, but I decided to make my debut early.  Let me explain that story.  Well, mommy and daddy went to her dr appt with the perinatologist on December 5th and was told that she had an incompetent cervix.  She was also told that she'd dilated 1cm and had a bulging bad of water.  So, needless to say mommy was put on strict hospital bed rest for the rest of her pregnancy with me.  She was immediately admitted.  I remember that day as well because I begin to hear mommy crying, and daddy consoling her.  After all, I was only 23 weeks +6 days old.  Mommy had been trying her hardest to ensure that she would not have to ever be put on bed rest while she was carrying me, but due to her incompetent cervix she was put on bed rest.  The nurses began to get information from her, and put Iv's in her arm.  There were also a lot of doctors from the NICU that came to speak with mommy and daddy to share with them what to expect in the event that mommy had me premature.  The stories that were shared with mommy and daddy scared mommy a lot.  I even heard her cry a little bit.  But, daddy would always be there to console her.  I would hear him tell her  that "Everything will be alright;" "God's got us."  Daddy was good at comforting and consoling mommy because she would always get a little calmer after daddy would hug her and console her.  I love my daddy! Then, daddy made phone calls to family and friends and mommy's employer to inform everyone of what was transpiring.  Finally, mommy was placed in a room to get a little rest.  The drs and nurses told her that she's to stay in bed, but could get up to use the bedside potty.  She was also told to lay flat down in bed to keep gravity and pressure off of her cervix.  I must say, mommy followed the drs orders.  In a few days my granny Linda came down from MS to be with mommy and to help care for mommy as daddy was getting sick and couldn't stay at the hospital with mommy because he didn't want to get mommy and me sick.  I was happy when granny Linda came.  I could hear her talking to mommy, encouraging mommy a lot.  I can't wait to meet my granny Linda!  Mommy eventually was instructed to lie in the trandelenburg position ( feet up; head down) as she keep dilating.  Eventually, she dilated to 4cm, almost 5cm, and continued to have some tinged bleeding after urinating (Sorry if TMI).  The drs then informed that she's to not use the bedside potty anymore, but to use a urinal.  So, mommy did everything in bed....sleep, eat, brush her teeth, bathe, comb her hair, use the laptop, EVERYTHING!!  Our OBGYN would come to mommy everyday to check on her.  But, I remember this one night, December 17th, mommy had just finished using the restroom and noticed a little blood on her tissue.  The nurse called our dr and he came to check on mommy and me.  He examined mommy, and explained to her that everything looked fine, but with her having dilated almost 5cm it was in her best interest for me to be delivered the next morning.  At this point I was 25 weeks + 5 days old in the breech position.  I heard the dr tell mommy that he and the high risk OBGYN would much rather it be a controlled delivery versus mommy go into labor and they have to do everything in an emergency.  The drs didn't want that scenario for mommy and me, because we were a high risk pregnancy as mommy has a blood clotting disorder, and had to be switched from her lovenox to heparin while in the hospital.  They did the switch just in case mommy went into labor.  Thank God she didn't!  So, the decision was made to have me via a C-section the next morning, December 18th.  The drs told mommy that her heparin would be stopped at 11PM and that she couldn't have anything to eat or drink after that time.   She was also told that someone from L&D would be up to get her at 5am to prep her for my birth.  Mommy was nervous and a little sad that she didn't get a little further along carrying me.  She was scared and sent out many messages to family and friends asking for their prayers for she and I.  It was going to be my birthday!  Daddy was still at the hospital visting with mommy and granny Linda and eventually went home to check on a cute dog that they call Duke.  I haven't met him, yet, but I can't wait to play with him and see what he looks like!  Mommy didn't get any sleep that night.  She was too anxious about this BIG surgery that she was going to have to have to get me here, and it was all happening at an unexpected time.  Mommy was also afraid that she was going to have to be given general anesthesia during the c-section. She was not very happy about this.  The dr told her that she may be able to get a spinal, but they would inform her of the decision that morning.  Daddy then came back to the hospital and was up for a while.  He too was anxious about my unexpected delivery the next day.  Daddy prayed for mommy and me.  My granny prayed for mommy and I as well.  The next morning the L&D people came to take mommy to labor and delivery.  There was a lot going on.  Mommy was given some kind of a medicine that made her hot.  She didn't like it at all.  She also had a catether put in for the c-section.  Needless to say, mommy didn't like that either.  I heard her make a noise from the pain.  Then, the anesthesiologist  came in to speak with mommy about what was going to happen once we got into the OR.  By the way, mommy was able to get a spinal, instead of general anesthesia.  Once in OR,   the anesthesiologist gave mommy her spinal and was laid onto the table.  The other drs then came into the room.  After everything was set up, daddy came into the room.  I heard him talking to mommy, and asking if she was okay.  Finally, surgery started at 7:30AM and I was born at approximately 8:05AM.  I came out of my mommy's tummy crying and weighing 2lbs 1oz, 12in long!  Yes, I was crying even at 25 weeks old.  It wasn't a huge cry, but a little, light cry.  Daddy and mommy heard me, and mommy asked daddy if that was me crying.  Daddy said yes, and they both began to get excited and cry.  Daddy came right over to my table and took a picture of me.  Daddy, followed me to NICU, while they finished up with mommy in the OR.  So, all and all, it was a good day!  But, I had a long road ahead of me.  The next few weeks of my life were very stressful and emotional for my parents as they had to see me with all of those tubes and wires connected to me in NICU.  Mommy didn't get to visit with me until the next day, December 19th.  I was happy to hear my mommy's voice and to smell her in my room as I was taken from a comfortable, cozy, dark place inside of my mommy, and placed into this new, loud, not as cozy, unfamiliar place that was not my mommy.  So, I was happy to have her at my side finally.  Since my birth, I've had lots of test run, taken lots of medicines, and overcame a lot!  I'm now 37 weeks +5 days old (gestation) .  I'm 12 weeks old today (from my birthdate), and I'll be 3 months old on Monday, March 18th.  I've come a VERY LONG way.  I'm currently taking 64 ml of breast milk.  I LOVE my mommy's milk!  It's soooo tasty!  And, it's helped me a lot since I've been born!  A few weeks ago my feedings were alternated between high protein formula and breast milk.  I had to do this because my nutrition was low.  My calcium and protein levels were really low. My low calcium  lead to me having very fragile bones.  So, the nurses had to put a sign on my bed that read "Please handle with care, I have fragile bones."  But, now I am taking only my mommy's milk again,and my calcium and protein levels are up where they should be!  However, I'm still on my ventilator that gives me some oxygen as I can breathe on my own some, but still need the vent because my lungs were inflamed and had some fluid on them.  A week ago I was given steroids for my lungs to get better, so that I could get off of this vent!  As of today, my oxygen levels are in the 20's and I'm getting 12 breaths per minute from the the vent.  So, I'm doing pretty good!  I should be trying the CPAP soon.  I've tried it twice before, but didn't tolerate it too well because my lungs weren't ready.  However, I think I'm ready now!  It's time to say bye bye to that stinky vent.  No more intubation for me soon!  Needless to say, mommy and daddy are soo proud of me!  They tell me all the time! For the last few days, I haven't seen my mommy because she has bee sick with a nasty cold.  That's what daddy tells me.  Daddy and mommy usually visit with me together, but daddy's been coming alone since mommy's trying to get well before she comes back to visit with me.  I love and miss my visits with mommy because we snuggle up together skin to skin.  I look forward to this time with her the most, and so does she.  Daddy doesn't do the skin to skin with me that often because he and I are very hot natured, and daddy, I think, is a little afraid to.  But, he has swaddle held me a couple of times, and he likes it.  I like it too!  My daddy is soo cool and funny!  He makes me laugh!   I love the both of my parents very much.  I'm sooo glad that God chose them for my parents, and me for their son!  I ask that everyone please keep mommy, daddy, and I in your prayers.  Also, please pray for the doctors and nurses that care for me daily, and all of my pod mates her at the NICU.  They could sure use your prayers too.  Well, it's welllll past my bedtime, so I'm going to go.  But, I will do weekly updates to let everyone know how I'm doing, and what's going on in my life.  I love all of you and to all a good night! 


Love, 
Caleb