Merry Christmas

Sara is doing great. We are in South La for almost a week with Jennifer's family for Christmas. After the new year I'll give another update, thanks for your prayers.

We hope everyone is having a fantastic Christmas and remembers to worship our Lord for His incredible gift to us - His Son to die for our sins and rise from the dead. And of course we hope you have received this gift of life and forgiveness. If you want to know more about that, click here.

Videos of Sara

Eating rice cereal for the first time. This has led to some clogification this week followed by alot of fussification and no sleepification, but it is getting better.

We are showing her these black and white pictures to help her focus and follow better. She is improving each week. Apparently she enjoyed this, although it was getting close to - leave me alone!

Amazing Improvement!!

Christmas card pics - thanks Uncle Buck

Sara continues to amaze us at how God is working in her little life. Even more so, she has amazed one of her therapist. I mentioned recently some things to pray about - namely Sara responding to therapy. On Dec 1st, the therapist gave us the exercises to do to work with Sara, mainly on moving her head to one side, her left. She favored turning to the right. If this would have continued it could have become much more serious. So we did the exercises.

Well, Jennifer and I thought we could see improvement, but when the therapist came one week later (this past Tuesday) she said - This is not the same baby I saw last week. I wasn't there, but Jennifer said she remarked over and over - this is amazing, I can't believe she improved this much in one week. How cool!! In fact, we are no longer doing those exercises and have moved on to some that help her focus and follow objects, reach and grab, and loosen up her midsection (maybe I should get Sara to do what I do to loosen my midsection - fudge and eggnog!).

The new formula did not work out, she only had 3 bottles and reacted to it immediately - very fussy, which is unusual. We immediately switched back and now we are back to normal. Sara did get to try rice cereal for the first time yesterday. The video below shows that experience. But today, she loved it! She ate the whole portion and seemed to like it alot, lots of squeals.

Sara continues to be healthy and doing well. Enjoy the pics and video of her. More so, enjoy our great Savior and King whose name is Jesus!

Ok, they've put me in this new contraption, I don't know what it is, but I know dad couldn't find the real cushiony seat for it so they stuck some ole bath towel down instead. I don't know what they have planned, but I don't think I like it.

What's this?? What is she holding? and what is she doing with it?!?!? she trying to stick it in my mouth, wait there is some kind of substance laying in the concave bowl on this object. It appears she wants to put that substance in my mouth, should I??

What is this?!?!? No one asked me about this, eh, uh, ... I don't know what it is. It's a cross between uh, well, I don't know I've never had anything else. What is the universal baby sign for disgusting, umm, oh yeah I spit it out!

Oh well, maybe it wasn't so bad. Maybe if I smile real cute they won't do it again.

Emma Grace at her bday tea party

I tried all day to upload some videos, they're coming, just not today.

Good Doctor Visits

Sara had a checkup this past Monday with her pediatrician, and he was tickled with how well she was doing. She was 12 1/2 lbs. She is getting a change in her formula to a kind that will sustain her a little bit longer. Her stomach is digesting everything great and is getting hungrier sooner. So the predigestive formula is not filling her up. If the new formula sits well with her, then we will also begin to introduce rice cereal. I actually have to get the high chair out of the attic and get it cleaned up!

Sara is also full time into therapy. There are several exercises the therapist showed us to do with her. Sara favors turning her head to one side over the other. If this were to persist it could cause some real problems. So we do some exercises several times a day to turn her head the other way to get the stiffness out. The OT (occupational therapist) said it is like a crick in the neck. She doesn't want to turn it because it is stuff and hurts. So we have to loosen it up.

We also are going some exercises in helping her focus and track objects. We actually have an appointment with an eye doc in January to make sure everything is working right. Our doc thinks it is, just precautionary. It's hard to say if these issues are caused just by prematurity or the damage from the brain bleeds and infarction.

Sara is still sleeping great, smiling alot, and we are getting more and more attached to her each day. Our other girls are especially growing more and more fond of her.

You can pray for the therapy to accomplish what it needs to accomplish in her little body. Also pray we would be diligent with her exercises. Pray for her continued health through the winter. Thanks for caring and praying!!

6 Months Old and lots to be Thankful for!

Sara discovered the Christmas tree lights after she at last night and couldn't look away. The pic is a bit dark, but you get the idea

6 Months ago Sara surprised us, 6 months later she still does. Who would have thought in June we would be decorating a Christmas tree with Sara the day before thanksgiving. But is anything too hard for the Lord?

She is now 12.2 lbs and 24 in long, at her last dr appt yesterday. She saw the pediatric cardiologist who was watching to make sure all the valves were closes and everything is working right. He is confident she is good to go, so we won't see him for 6 months!

We will be heading to see family tomm, Sara's first trip out of the house not to see a doc. We had a bit of a scare with Emma Grace who came down with a little bug, but she is good to go and we are all 5 good to go.

The newest things Sara is doing include rolling over from front to back (still can't catch her on camera), a new cooing sound, and sucking on 4 fingers to go to sleep.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, we much to praise Him and thank Him for!

Psalm 98:1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!

Amazed

More Christmas tree amazement

Helping decorate

New Pics and New Tricks!

By tricks I mean Sara can roll over from front to back. Both times it has happened yesterday and today have been when she is waking up from her nap and wasn't the happiest little critter in the world to take a picture of. But we'll give her some tummy time when she is happy and get it on film (but keep that quiet, if she finds out our plan, she'll never do it).

Hey Dad, I think I have more hair than you!

(Jennifer was holding her at an angle and she is holding her head up all by herself. Very impressive - see video below)

Again with the disappearing arm trick. She loves it so much she laughs!

So I bend down to nuzzle her with my nose to get her to laugh and jump back up to get the pic and their blurry! Don't have a unblurrification button on my camera software, but you can still see that big smile!

Alright Dad, what are you up to? You gonna put you big nose on me again to make me laugh.

Aauugghh, here it comes, run for my life. Wait, all I can do it lay here. Ok, poop on him!

All dressed up with my cool fake shoes and no where to go.

Hey mom, please make him stop, please get me outta here

Biking with my other two girls on a beautiful fall Saturday, at least before the dogs attack.

Hanging out and about to be sleeping in my stroller.

I love my sister!

This video is just showing how well she is holding her head up. Jenn is sitting at an incline, so she is doing all this work herself.

Good Week, Fussy Weekend

Sara had a great week last week. She slept good, ate good, smiled good, and she is almost laughing. In fact the other night, I had her laughing a few times. So we turn on the camera and???? Nothing. Kids!! It's like they know your trying to capture that moment and they shut it down.

She was kind of fussy and wanting to be held alot this weekend, of course you always start thinking something is wrong with the shunt. But we think it was more along the lines of constipation - we know how to fix that. She was back to her pleasant smiling self this morning.

We started therapy this past week. Twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays at 8am an occupational therapist and a special instructor will be coming in to work with Sara. Help her hit those milestones. You might ask - why so early. Well, they come to our house first before visiting others houses that may have sickness. Also, we are early risers and like to get that done before our day really begins, so it really works great for us. And Sara is usually up and happy by that time.

Have a great week - thanks again for praying and caring. I'll post some new pics later today or tomm.

Sara being Excited

Everything going Great!

We have been doing well as a family, Sara has been doing great. We made it through our first sickness a couple weekends ago, Sara had some minor symptoms, but no fever and no trips to the hospital. She has had 3 doctor's visits that have all been great. Her pediatrician, neurosurgeon, and neurologist are all very pleased. In fact, we don't go back to the neuro-docs until March!! Now, that is nice!

We are really feeling like we are settling into a nice normal routine. I mentioned before the hardest thing about life with Sara is that she cannot get out into big crowds, i.e. church, stores, etc.. As a pastor, that makes life a bit difficult. Our church family would love to see her, we would love to bring her, but we have to weigh all of that against taking risks and her health. So we have this crazy routine of me being home while Jennifer teaches her pre-school Sunday School class, then she comes home and I go preach in our worship service. And then we repeat it in the evening, while she is helping the children's group at 5, I am with Sara, and then we switch at 6. It works. Before we know it, it will be past flu and RSV season and we can bring her wherever we want.

The good news is we have been given permission to travel at the holidays, so as long as our extended families are not sickly we can go see them. We still will have limited visitation, but that won't be a problem. We are going through bottles of Purrell hand wash like fried chicken at a pastor's conference. Thankfully they make a kind with aloe that helps your hands not turn to sandpaper from the alcohol.

Sara is up to 11.5 pounds. She is sleeping through most nights, every now and then waking up to eat once, or we have to get up and give her a pacifier. Jennifer and I alternate nights on duty, one of the silver linings to not being able to breastfeed Sara - Jennifer gets some nights off. Of course, that would be a silver lining from her perspective, I never knew how good I had it! She is really funny when it isn't her night- she really loves to sleep and not have to get up.

Some of the things we have been up to....

The girls helping me celebrate my bday. Homemade cards and a new ipod from my bride - awesome gifts and great day!


Dressing up for our church's fall festival - Tinker Bell and a Bridesmaid


Carving pumpkins

Carved pumpkins

Field trip to an awesome Pumpkin patch farm in Start, La

Licensed to Kill - don't mess with this girl!

Notice her hand in mouth - the neuro-docs were very excited about this, good brain development thing! Who knew??, we're just praying she finds that thumb and we can quit the 2am PIM's (pacifier insertion missions).

Hanging out on Emma Grace's bed

Hanging out with Maw Maw - my big sister dressed me up!

Abigail is so much help!

Have a great week, thanks for checking in, praying, and caring. God has been so gracious and kind to us, we have so enjoyed being all home together. Praying you know His grace through Jesus in your lives, homes, and families also!

Good Checkup and Answered Prayers

Sara had a good check up with her pediatrician today. She is now 10lbs and 8 oz. We don't have to worry about a eating schedule now, she can just eat when she wants, so no more waking her up out of deep sleep naps to feed her. She actually went 8 hours last night without eating. She wasn't sleeping the entire time, it started around 8, but we can see some serious sleep around the corner.

The Lord graciously answered our prayers about the sickness and poop. Jennifer and the other 2 girls were sick with a contagious viral infection - but by the hand of God and lots of purrell Sara only had a runny nose for about a day. No fever or sickness. And the poop issue resolved itself - back to normal. One doc visit next week and then none until after Thanksgiving.

Good News

Her poop is ok - nothing showed up in the culture. And it has returned to normal as far at looks (it has always smelled like poop). Why did it look so funny? Don't know, maybe we will find out at her appt. this Thursday.

Also, while Jennifer and Abigail caught Emma Grace's viral infection, Sara has not. Nor me. They had a pretty miserable snotty, coughy, tired, feverish, lay around the house and moan weekend while I was out of town, but they made it through by the grace and strength of God and many many prayers. Thanks!

Geauxxxx Tigers!

A good week with Sara. She is settling in nicely. Sleep rather well the last few nights, only waking up once to eat. Yesss! Awake and happy during the day and enjoying life at home.

Couple of prayer requests - there is some kind of issue with her poop. It started a few days ago and our doctor asked for a sample to run a culture on today. So I had to make an unusual deliver of two dirty diapers to the doctor (or as Emma Grace likes to say from Bug's Life - a poo poo platter). We will know Monday. There is a possibility of hospital time, but with her acting normal in every way, we don't think so. I guess a preemie with a shunt there is always going to be the possibility of hospital time. Just pray.

Also Emma Grace has a viral infection (not the flu) we are doing everything we can to keep her and Sara and really the rest of us separated. We have almost begun wearing bottles of Purrell around. Pray for her to get well and no one else to get sick. As of late Thursday night - so far so good.

Also pray for Jennifer's family, her grandmother passed away this week. Unfortunately with Emma Grace's sickness, Sara's precautions, and me preaching the funeral sermon she won't be able to travel south to go. Just pray for her and her family and especially her grandpa - J.O. Thanks

Hey check out my sisters - aren't they great!

Alright, whose the wise guy? What are those bunny ears? Are you kidding, you better watch it sister, I'll drool on you!

This is what we like to do when it is naptime, turn on a bright light, let her sisters say loud things and roll the camera! Ahh, she's cute anyway.

Our First Week Back Home

It's been a very good first week back home. Sara has done great. As I told our church, she hasn't learned all the rules of the house yet.... i.e. we sleep at night - she likes to be WILD n CRAZY some night from around 10-2!! But it's not every night and it's not always too wild and crazy. Also, when we all get our plates fixed and sit down to eat a hot n delicious meal - that is not your cue to want to be held. Again, it doesn't happen often. And third, when dad is feeding you less than an hour before church starts that is not the time to squirt a poop out the back of your diaper onto his pants. Thankfully in the providence of God I had brown pants on of which I have two pair. Other than those minor infractions, it's been a good week, she's been great, very easy going, the girls have loved her, and we look forward to many many more weeks home.

The most difficult thing for us isn't colic, but the precautions we have to take. Not being able to get her out in crowds etc.. It's a new normal we have to get used to -whenever Jennifer has to take the girls somewhere - grocery shopping, shopping, homeschool Co-op, horse lessons, etc.. I have to be home - or I have to take them. Just those little logistical mundane things that make your life go round. But we are figuring it out, adjusting expectations, God is helping us work together.

Have a great week!!

Sara and her bath. She loves it and usually smiles and squeals, but of course when the camera is rolling they don't. We'll get it one day.

Bundled up for a few minutes in the nice fall weather Saturday.

Got some pastor appreciation love last night for our church family. I should say, pastor n family appreciation love. It was so kind and thoughtful. I so appreciate our faith family (Paron Baptist), they have been incredible over the last four months, helping, willing to help, being understanding of my time needed for my family, etc.. I love em' all. If you have a pastor (and I hope you do) let them know you appreciate them - it means alot.

Jennifer was holding Sara the other night and got this great video of her. I think she likes her mama.

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