Holidays

I am so excited about spending the holidays with our new baby boy. We had so much fun during Halloween dressing Christian up as a little mooo (not a cow). He also had daycare pictures taken and they turned out so cute. I wasn't expecting much from the pictures but he had the biggest smile on his face and was so precious that I just had to buy them all.  Thanksgiving is coming up and we plan to make the rounds with the family. There are lots of cousins and grandparents to see. Christian also has two cousins on the way in December. We can't wait to meet them. It's going to be so much fun with all the little ones. Here are some more pictures of the Holidays so far, including halloween.

Get this off of me!

Being cute for candy is exhausting.

Getting ready for school pictures.

I found my feet!

Fall Fun

I am so excited that fall is finally here. We got past all the hot dry days of summer with Christian and now he gets to experience the inconsistent weather of Louisiana fall. Andrew and I have loved every minute that we have been blessed with raising Christian. We can't even put into words what a huge blessing he is to our family. He is definitely going to be a spoiled little boy, and I am totally fine with that. I will try and update you a little on what's been going on in the month of October. It's been a busy month and I haven't been the best at updating the blog. Several of my friends have gotten on to me about updating my pictures because they want to keep up with Christian. To them, I am sorry and I will try to do better.

Christian got a new bike trailer to ride in when we go bike riding. He is so cute in it. We took cousin Michelle and Christian to the neighborhood fall festival in the trailer and they had a lot of fun riding in it. Michelle was really cute because she held Christian's hand and would lean over and give him a kiss on the head. That little girl melts my heart! Christian also got to go to the pumpkin patch and see his first pumpkins. He blended right in because he is a "pumpkin" himself. Actually, he wasn't really interested in the pumpkins and was probably wondering why we were taking pictures of him with all the big round orange things. We got a couple of good pictures of him. It was hot when we went so we didn't get to stay long.

I have gotten a little crafty since I became a mom. My sister, Lynn, has helped me get more into sewing. We made Christian two outfits together and then I got brave and made one all by myself. They turned out super cute and he looks adorable in them. My sister is a good teacher and I can't wait to learn more from her. She is the crafty one in our family so I have to steal all my ideas from her. I will post some pictures of our work below.

Christian has enjoyed experiencing LSU football this fall as well. He has several LSU outfits that his daddy dresses him in each time he's in charge of getting him dressed. It never fails that Christian will come out in one of his LSU outfits when dad gets him dressed, even if the outfit is a little too small. Andrew and I got to go to the Florida/LSU game with my sisters and brother-in-laws. It was a lot of fun. Little Christian stayed here with the grandparents while we went for the day. He really likes to watch football too. He constantly stares at the TV when there is a game on. I think he must be a born Tiger fan.

Halloween is coming up. I am so excited about it this year. It's the first year in a long time that I am actually excited about Halloween. The past few years I've purposefully avoided Halloween and Andrew and I have gone camping instead. This year I plan on taking Christian trick-or-treating with cousin Michelle and just enjoying ourselves with what ever the night may bring. We have two costumes to choose from this year depending on what the weather is going to do. If it's cold he is going to be a little cow (a cute one) and if it's hot he will be a football (that I made out of a onsie; compliments of pinterest). Either way he is going to be so handsome.

Here are some updated pictures of Christian. Last week at the doctor he weighted 20 pounds. He is getting so big. I can't believe how fast my little baby is growing. It just seems like yesterday we were at the hospital meeting him for the first time. I must say, God is so good!

Pictures at the pumpkin patch. Christian looks excited! Lynn and I made the outfit C is wearing.

one of the decent pictures of C but he wouldn't look at the camera

What is this strange thing?

I love my jumper that Aunt Lynn gave me!

Loaded up in the bike trailer to go to the neighborhood fall festival.

Breakfast time. I'm up to something!

LSU outfit that I made Christian. It turned out really cute.

Michelle and Christian getting ready for the game.

Family picture at my sister's house before the game.

Long Overdue

Wow have we been extremely busy with our new sweet baby boy. He has truly been a huge blessing to Andrew and I and I can't even describe what a good baby he has been. There have been many things that have happened since the last time I posted an update on the blog. I will try my best not to ramble too much but no promises.

We had a follow up appointment back in early August with both the geneticist and the neurologist. We got good and bad news from them. The geneticist said that Christian appeared to be healthy and he didn't agree with what the eye doctor tried to diagnose Christian with (which was tuberous sclerosis or neurofibromotosis). The bad new was from the neurologist. He re-read the MRI of Christian's brain that was done in the NICU and said that there were some questionable things going on with it. I won't go into detail, but needless to say, we will probably have to repeat the MRI sometime soon to see if those questionable things still exists or if he has "outgrown" them. The neurologist kept saying the quaility of the MRI was poor so he wanted to get his own and read it then.

Andrew and I know that Christian is going to be just fine. We also had a physical therapy appointment in August and Chrisitan was meeting all his milestones at that time, which was great news. I have been working hard with him trying to keep him on target (I guess that's the OT in me). He is now 3 months old and has just really grown fast. Christian is now wearing 6-9 month old clothes. I can't believe how fast he is growing and how quickly he grows out of his clothes. It's hard to keep clothes that fit him because he's growing too fast. He's also is sleeping all the way through the night and hardly ever fusses except when he's hungry or needs attention. God truly gave us a sweet baby.

Christian also started day care. It was really hard on me the first few times that I took him, and it's still hard, but I know that it's good for him and he is going to learn a lot there. I really like where he is going and I think that all his "teachers" are very sweet and patient with all the babies. I also like the fact that I get off around 2:30 each day. I rush everyday to get Christian as soon as I get off work. I just can't wait to see my little angel at the end of the work day. He just smiles at me and coos and that is the best feeling in the whole world. When we get home we have play time and nap time before Andrew gets home. I love getting to play with Christian most of the afternoon and into the evenings. He's just a joy to be around and so loving.

All of you that live in the South know how hot it has been lately. We finally had a break in the weather about 2 weeks ago and we were able to take Christian out in the stroller each evening around the block. I think he really enjoyed it becasue each time he fell sound asleep. I know that he is going to like being outside just like his mom does.

Just this past weekend Christian was dedicated at our church. We had such a great time with all our family that came to see him. We took up the first 3 rows of the side of the church because there are so many of us. I just love how our family has really grown and Christian is so lucky to have such a close knit family who loves each other, but more importantly who will teach him life lessons and lead him down the right paths. I pray often that God will give me the knowlege to teach Christian about Him and raise him to the know the Lord.

I continue to thank each and every one of you who has prayed for Christian and sent sweet messages and encouragement to Andrew and I. It's so great to know that we have such an amazing support system. Please continue to pray for healing for Christian and that his MRI that has to be repeated is fine. As a mother it's hard to have to take your child to so many specialists and have test after test run. I know that he is in God's hands and God will take care of him, and from that I can draw strength and comfort. Thanks again! 

I am attaching several pictures of Christian so you can see how fast he has grown. Enjoy! 

A couple new born pictures by Nicole Spikes Photography

7 weeks old

9 weeks old

Michelle with Christian both smiling!

So precious!

He loves his bath time. Splish Splash!!!

3 months and getting great head control

Little Tiger fan! Geaux Tigers!!!

Just being a sweet boy

Christian's Dedication 9/11/11

God's faithfullness shines once again!

Andrew, Christian, and I just got back from the neurologist this afternoon. I was really nervous sitting in the office just thinking about what all he was going to tell us. We got called back and Christian had to get weighed and measured again. He's continuing to grow like a champ. We discussed all the findings with the neurologist but he wasn't able to read any of the tests results from when he was in the NICU because, of course, they weren't sent over. But from the exam and what we were able to tell him, the neurologist said that Christian is a healthy baby. We weren't sure how to take this considering that the EEG was abnormal but the doc said that he was going to have to read the EEG and MRI (which was normal according to the radiologist at WK)  in order to rule out true seizures. We showed him a video of the abnormal movements that Christian was having when he slept and the neurologist said, "that's normal, I wouldn't have even readmitted him to the NICU for that movement." He seems to think that they are just myoclonic jerks that he has when he sleeps.

We aren't totally cleared yet, but one thing that he said that was very reassuring was "I am 98% sure that Christian is going to be fine. Just look at him, he is a healthy boy." We still have to obtain all the medical records and tests that were run in the NICU and let the neurologist interpret them himself.  He said that Christian would be a sick baby if he were having seizures and from his exam Christan was fine. We are going to have to follow-up with him in 4 weeks after we obtain all the records.

If there was a mountain in Shreveport for me to stand on and scream Hallelujah from, trust me I would have. God is shining straight through all these doctors appointments that we are going to and I totally believe that He is taking care of our sweet baby. God's faithfulness is totally amazing and He continues to amaze me everyday with one answered prayer after another.

Thank you everyone for your continued prayers for Christian. Please continue to pray that once he rereads the EEG and MRI that Christian truly will be just fine. God is good, so so good!

Blessings from Above

Christian has been adjusting really well to his new environment, our house. Andrew and I were really surprised at how well the dogs are doing with him. Koby just loves to cuddle and sits in the recliner with me while I feed him whether it's 2:00 in the afternoon or 2:00 in the morning. Tucker comes in and checks up on Christian throughout the day to make sure he's still there. It will be fun to see how Christian interacts with them when he's old enough.

We had our follow-up eye appointment last Friday and it went fairly well. The doctor said that the spots on Christian's eyes were still there but haven't grown any or multiplied. He also said that they are way in the periphery of the eyes and aren't affecting his vision at all and he doesn't suspect that they will in the future either. We have to go back to him in 3 months for another check-up. We go tomorrow to the neurologist to follow-up with the seizures Christian was having. Andrew and I haven't noticed any more seizure activity lately, which is good. He does have an occasional jerk while he's sleeping but the pediatrician says those jerks are normal, as long as they aren't repetitive (like Christian's were in the beginning).

Christian also had his shots this last Tuesday. He took them like a champ and only cried for about 10 seconds after each one of them. He was easily calmed with his bottle after. Prior to going to get the shots, I read him "Winnie the Pooh plays Doctor". Pooh Bear was really encouraging to let Christian know that the shots only hurt for a second and then it goes away. I kept reminding Christian of this prior to the nurse coming in to give him the shots (I think it may have worked too). I was worried that he would run a fever after the shots, but he didn't. I think his little thighs may have been a little sore for the remainder of the day but after that he was just fine.

God has really blessed us with a good baby. Christian is sleeping really well and still only gets up once at night to eat. Sometimes he wakes up really early though. Andrew has also been a trooper to let me run in the mornings. I can't wait until Christian is a little older and the weather is cooler so he can go with me in a jogging stroller. I took Christian on a walk around the block one morning in the regular stroller and it was a lot of fun, but really hot. I think he liked it because he was sound asleep before we even made it out of the door.

I still thank God every day for this awesome blessing. I continue to pray for a peace that all these doctor's appointments will continue to go well. I know that God is in control of the whole situation and He will never give us more than we can handle. He will test us, but I've come to learn that it's a test of faith and his way of bringing us closer to Him. Thank you God for blessing me with my sweet Christian. He is the perfect little angel!

Such a sweet face!

I love love love his smiles. It makes me so happy!

Waiting to see the eye doctor. (I'm glad someone was smiling because I was a nervous wreck).

Sweet Baby Boy

I haven't gotten to update the blog in a while because I've been super busy with Christian and trying to catch up on some sleep during my spare time. I just wanted to give a quick update on how he is doing. We went to the pediatrician yesterday for a check-up post NICU. All went well, Christian has gained weight and now weighs in at 10 pounds 2.5 ounces, 21 1/2 inches long. He has been having small seizure like activity only when he sleeps, and they are only little twitches that last for about 30 seconds to a minute. I was doing some research online about infants who twitched in their sleep and found an article and video on a condition called Benign Neonatal Sleep Myoclonus (BNSM). This condition occurs when the infant is sleeping and usually begins around the 4th day after birth (which is around the time when Christian's began). I brought this up to our doctor and she said it very well could be this condition. They had another newborn who was diagnosed with BNSM and she eventually outgrew it. I am crossing my fingers and toes in hopes that this may just be a temporary thing.

We have more doctors visits coming up, the next being the eye doctor follow-up. This one makes me the most nervous because they found lesions on Christian's eyes when he was in the NICU. I am praying hard everyday that God has healed those spots on his eyes and nothing else needs to be done. My biggest fear is that they haven't gone away and have gotten worse. I am trying to let God take this situation over but it's hard not to have the thought in the back of my mind. The nurse in the NICU also put the thought in my head of eye cancer (thanks nurse, but I could have done without that). So, of course, I am scared to death of that possibility. Other doctors appointments include the neurologist on 7/15/11 and the geneticist on 8/8/11. I'm not as worried about those because Christian's last MRI was clean and so was his CT scan.

On a lighter note, Christian got to have his newborn pictures taken this last Sunday. I am sooooo excited to see what they look like. Nicole Spikes, with Nicole Spikes photography, did an awesome job posing our little man. He cooperated for the most part and only peed and pooped once or twice. I will try and get those pictures posted as soon as they are ready. Also, Christian decided to sleep most of the night last night. Andrew and I had been waking him up every 3 hours to feed him and our pediatrician told us not to. She said he weighted enough and to let him sleep and feed him only when he wakes up. We didn't argue with this because Andrew and I love our sleep. He did awesome with his first night and only woke up once around 12:30. Bless his little heart!

We are asking for continued prayers for Christian and his healing. I am going to thank my God in advance for His healing hands on sweet little Christian. I know that His angels are still watching over him and he is going to be just fine.

Daddy finds it amusing to play dress up with me!

Little Tiger Fan in the making!

My Child of God

So, today is Sunday June 19, which happens to be Father's Day, and we are still in the hospital. I know that a lot of you have been checking the blog for updates. It's been hard to update with everything that is going on but I have some time now so here goes:

 Christian has done really well for the last week. He hasn't had any seizures since last Sunday morning around 7 a.m. He continues to have some trouble with his oxygen levels while he is feeding but it's getting better and he is steadily gaining weight. Andrew and I have learned to pace him while he eats which helps him with his suck, swallow, breathe pattern.  We had a long week last week with more tests run and more tears trying to figure out why Christian is having seizures. The eye doctor came last Monday and found lesions on both of Christian's retinas. Christian also had an MRI done the same day of his brain to get a finer picture of what may be going on. Once the eye doctor was finished with his exam he called Andrew and I back into the room and said that he thought Christian may have tuberous sclerosis or neurofibromatosis (which both present with lesions to the eyes and other abnormalities). He also said that this could cause some mental retardation and other developmental delays in the future. Andrew and I were both just crushed. How could such a perfect baby have this condition?

Then about 30 minutes later both Dr. M and Dr. W came in and said that the radiologist had read the MRI and said that he was pretty sure that it was not tuberous sclerosis. Christian's MRI was totally clean and had no tumors on it. The radiologist said, that had it been tuberous sclerosis, that there would already be tumors or other lesions on the brain as well, and it was clean! Oh, what an emotional roller coaster it has been. We know that the lesions in the eyes aren't normal but we don't know what is causing them. We have a follow up appointment in a couple of weeks with the eye doctor to see what, if anything, is going on with the lesions. We hope that they will be healed and no further tests will have to be run. We do know that Christian has no other symptoms of either of those conditions, and the doctors can't find any other reasons that he may have the lesions to his eyes. Andrew and I are convinced that there is nothing wrong with him. Just looking at him he is a normal healthy child. I know that doctors are really smart and I know that they aren't making stuff up, but it just seems to me that they are looking for something to be wrong; trying to find a diagnosis and there is nothing to be found.  I know that God has this under control and I trust Him completely over any medical diagnosis that can be made.

I also know that God heals those that are sick. My prayer is that Christian's eyes will be okay and that God will heal him. He has been with us every step of the way through this adoption process, financially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. I know that God will not let us down now. Andrew and I are both confident that God gave us Christian for a reason. Whatever it may be, if anything, that is causing these lesions to his eyes will not effect the way that we love him. He is our child, perfect in every way, and God has chosen us to raise him. Christan may not be the smartest, fastest, tallest, child there is (or he might) but he IS a child of God and for that reason he is PERFECT! I love my baby more than anything in this world and nothing can and will ever take that away. Please just continue to pray for healing and that we can bring him home soon. We are more than ready to begin the normal family raising process.

One more thing, Happy first Father's Day to Andrew! You are already a great dad and Christian is very lucky to have you!

False Alarm

Today was the day we were suppose to go home from our second trip to the NICU. Andrew and I were looking forward to this day. We went home early last night to do some last minute things around the house so it would be perfect for Christian's return. We also got up early and put the new car seat in the car. It was really hot out there and both of us were sweating trying to figure out how to install it. It wasn't hard but trying to pull the strap tight enough is a job in itself. Off to the hospital we went. Things were right on schedule to discharge home; we were just waiting on Doctor M to make rounds and write the discharge orders. Andrew and I left for lunch and got back in time for Christian's lunch. He gets really irritable around his feeding times and he is like clock work (likes to eat every 3 hours). Once he got a full belly it was time for a nice nap. I was holding him and rocking him when suddenly he started trembling. They only lasted for about 30 seconds and that was it. We ran out to find our nurse and she came in the room. I told her that I think he just had a seizure but it wasn't anything near what they were like when we first brought him in.

Dr. M recommended we continue to keep a close eye on him and she ordered another EEG to be done to check for any abnormality in his brain waves. As we were waiting Andrew's parents came by for a visit along with Jennifer, his sister. Sweet Christian decided to take another nap and started the trembling again. This time I was told to push the nurse call button if it happened again. The nurse came running in and witnessed the seizure. I also got it on video (thank goodness for I-phones). I was able to show the doctor exactly what he was doing.

Needless to say a good day ended up with a set-back. My sweet baby is still in the hospital and will be there a few more days now. The goal (per Dr. M) is to get him as asymptomatic as possible. We also want his seizure medicine to be at the right dose in order to control the seizures. I just can't stand my baby being away from home. The hardest thing is having to leave him at the hospital to stay in that empty room all by himself. I know that he is just resting but at least it makes me feel better just sitting with him and being there just in case he may need me. Again, I've asked for God's angels to comfort him and bring him rest.

When we started this whole process I prayed for patience. God has taught me, and is still teaching me, the meaning of patience. He knows exactly when to give you what you need but continues to test you in ways that forces you to grow in your faith. I trust in Him and I know He knows what he's doing. All I can do is be patient and wait. I will continue to put this in God's hands with the faith that everything, in the end, will be just fine. Our God is truly an awesome God! Goodnight my sweet angel. May you rest with the angels that God sends to heal and comfort you! Kisses from your biggest fan, Mama!

Back to the NICU

Saturday morning we were totally exhausted from not sleeping very well the last two nights. Christian was not a good sleeper at night. He rested fine during the day, but by the time night came, he did not want to be put down. We had him on a 3 hour feeding schedule as well and his feedings were taking about 45 min to an hour each. It seemed like once we got done with one feeding it was time for another. Next thing we knew, Christian had developed a severe diaper rash. Later that evening my mom recommended we call the pediatrician to see if we could get him in early (we had an appointment scheduled for Monday already). The pediatrician was able to get us in early on Sunday morning. Late on Saturday night I started noticing that Christian was trembling when I held him. I didn't think much about this except that I knew it wasn't normal. We asked the doctor about it at our appointment on Sunday morning and she recommended we just keep watching him.  We also switched his formula because he wasn't tolerating the other formula he was on. His diaper rash was continuing to get worse so we got some more diaper rash cream to help heal it.

Later on Sunday we noticed that Christian's tremors were getting more pronounced especially when he was taking a nap. My wonderful sister-in-law, Jennifer, offered to keep him Sunday night so Andrew and I could get some sleep. We jumped on the offer and let her keep him. Andrew and I slept for 8 long hours and didn't have to get up once. Poor Jennifer was up a lot with him that night feeding, rocking, and playing with him at 4 in the morning because he was wide awake. I asked Jen if she noticed the tremors and she said yes and that she didn't think they were normal either. We ended up going back to the doctor on Monday morning for our new baby check up. We asked bunches of questions and finally got to the hard part about asking about the tremors. Yes, they were not normal and it was recommended that we be admitted back to the NICU to figure out what was going on with Christian.

So off to the hospital we went, again. When we got there we had to register in admissions which seemed like it took forever. Once we finally got to the NICU they immediately took Christian and examined, poked, and began running tests. All the nurses up there were absolutely fabulous. I loved everyone of them. Of course, I was crying through the whole process. Seeing my baby like that was the hardest thing ever. They ran a CT of his brain and an EEG. Every other test that was run was normal except the EEG. My worse night mare was coming true. Christian was having seizures. That was a hard pill to swallow. My heart just sank to the bottom of my feet when I heard this. All I could think was I just want my baby to be okay. More tests were being run to try and determine the cause of what was going on. I was so thankful for Dr. M because she ran every test to try and rule out what was going on. They finally had to sedate Christian a little because he was trembling so bad and couldn't get a break from the sticks and tests. They finally decided to start him on an anti-seizure medicine which would hopefully help stop them.

My poor baby was as limp as a wet wash cloth when they issued him his meds. I started crying again just seeing him so out of it. Finally, I just had to leave the hospital because I couldn't take anymore and I had cried so much that I gave myself a migraine headache. I went home and went straight to bed. Andrew called to check on Christian before he went to bed and all was good. I was comforted in knowing that he was in good hands with the nursing staff.

We woke up the next morning and called the hospital first thing to check on little Christian. They had nothing but good reports about him which eased my mine immediately. I just gave the situation to God and let him take care of it. I know that He was with my sweet baby all night because I asked for angels to surround him. God was with Andrew and I too because we got a good nights rest.

Andrew and I got ready and said goodbye to the puppies and headed back to the hospital. We got to hold Christian and feed him too. He was like a totally different baby. He was eating so much better and didn't have any kind of jerking or trembling. Our feedings were only taking about 15-20 minutes as opposed to 45-60 minutes with hard core fighting. What an answer to our prayers. I just have total faith that God is working on healing my little man. I have felt nothing but comfort the last couple of days.  Although we are still waiting on some tests results to come back, most of the ones that have already been done have come back negative.

We are still in the hospital and probably will be for several more days. I am continuing to pray for no set-backs and continued healing for Christian. I just want to thank everyone for your kind words, encouragements, and messages while we've been here. Our God is the ultimate healer and I know that whatever the outcome may be, he gave us this precious angel for a reason and for that I give Him all the glory. Andrew and I are the proudest parents and have felt God's presence through this entire process.

Poor Christian is tired of being in the hospital.

God's Plan Revealed. We Got the Call!!!

Well, Andrew and I received the greatest gift ever on Tuesday May 31, 2011. It started out just a normal day. I got up around 5:00 and went on a 5 mile run before work. Andrew and I both went to work and brought with us the list we split up of adoption agencies to call that day. We made the decision to look into larger agencies and start researching them to see if there was one out there that would work better for us. I spent a good portion of my lunch break calling agencies requesting information and trying to set up conference calls with some of them just to gather more information. Out of the 4 or 5 that I called only 2 were even possibilites. Andrew left for a business meeting to Monroe that day around lunch and called his half as well (not really sure what he found out, he told me but I can't remember).  Anyway, I went back to work and Andrew continued driving to Monroe and we put all of that behind us for the day. Around 1:50 or so I got a phone call from a number that I didn't recognize on my phone. I usually don't answer numbers that I don't know but this time I did. It was our social worker, Missy Everson. She asked me if I was somewhere that we could talk. I immediately went into the bathroom at work and asked her what was wrong. She said that there was a situation that had come up where a birthmom had given birth and she was placing him for adoption and had chosen our profile. My heart was beating so hard inside my chest I literally thought it was going to explode out. I sat down and took a deep breath and said "Really, Missy I have been waiting on this day for a long time." "I said a prayer just this morning for God to make something happen." He was listening! I don't really remember the rest of the conservation but i just remember thinking, I need to call Andrew.

When I got out of the bathroom all I could say was "Oh my God!"  My coworkers heard me and asked what was wrong. I said "our social worker just called and said she has a baby for us and it's a boy. He was born yesterday and he's in the hospital." I was literally shaking all over and couldn't stand up. It was like time was standing still but there were a million things running through my head all at once. I just remember thinking, is this real? What just happened? And then I thought, I need to call Andrew! What's his number (yes, for a split moment I forgot his number). I began calling him and he wouldn't pick up the phone. To make a long story short, I called him over and over for about 45 minutes trying to get a hold of him. 15 minutes in to trying to call him I was so excited but angry at the same time that he wasn't answering his phone. I texted him "EMERGENCY, ANSWER YOUR PHONE" several times too and even sent him an email. I finally gave up and called my sister, Lynn to tell her. I then gave her the responsibility of getting a hold of Andrew so I could call my mom and other sister. Finally, Andrew called back and was probably worried from all the missed calls and multiple texts from our whole family telling him to answer his phone. All I could say was where are you? Why didn't you answer your phone, Missy called and she has a baby for us. We get to meet him today becasue he was born yesterday.

Andrew was still in Monroe in a meeting and left immediately to come home. In the mean time, my sisters were at my house digging through all the stuff I had collected from them to start getting stuff ready for the baby. Talk about being totally unprepared for this.  My mom got to my house as soon as school was out and we all just started jumping up and down screaming. It was a moment I will never ever forget. We all went into this mode and delegated tasks to each other to see what all we were going to need for the baby. Andrew's sister, Jennifer, also went to Target and bought the whole baby section (not really but just about) to help as well.

When Andrew finally got home (in record time). We immediately went to the hospital to meet our little man. He was the most perfect  thing you could ever lay your eyes on. So sweet and innocent. He was in the NICU hooked up to all these monitors and had an NG tube going down his nose to help him eat. The nurses and doctor started updating us on what his health condition was and ultimately said he was fine but the delivery was fast and he had ingested some fluids during the delivery process. Other than that he was healthy and had very powerful lungs. We just thanked God for giving us this precious little man.

Wendesday, we spent most of the day at the hospital. We got to hold him and started thinking about baby names. We didn't want to decide on one until the paper work had been signed. Thursday we got to meet the birthparents and signed papers. It was a very nice meeting and his parents were very sweet people. We were honored they would even consider us to parent their sweet angel. Thursday night we got to stay the night at the hospital and take care of Christian Landry. He was not a good sleeper. Andrew and I probably got about 10 minutes of sleep total. It was a very long and loud night with all the crying going on. It was all worth it though. I just loved seeing how involved Andrew was with his new son and watching us learn the ropes of parent hood. Friday afternoon we got to take our precious angel Christian home. It was the happiest day of my life. We were thrilled to have him as part of our family. My sister, Lynn, met us at the house with dinner and helped us get settled in.

All in all our first night home was not as bad as the night we spent in the hospital. We think Christian had his days and nights mixed up but we are willing to work on that and get him on a regular schedule. I just thank God for giving us this angel and can't wait to see what He has planned for him. Thank you everyone for your prayers. God listens to each and every prayer and for that I am truly glad I serve such an awesome God. His love truly endures forever!

Proud Daddy

Proud Mom

Our beautiful baby boy

No more pictures dad!

And the Search is ON!

Andrew and I have recently started looking into adoption agencies to expand our search to start a family. We have interviewed with one we thought was a great option but I started to have some reservations about them after thinking about it for a while. I don't really know what to think about all the agencies/facilitators out there. I know there are some good reputable ones but I just can't seem to put my finger on them. It's just a little overwhelming researching them and learning about them. It seems like once I find one that I could possibly be interested in; there is just one thing that turns me off about them.

 I have said to myself that I want a Christian based agency that is geared towards the birth mother. Its hard to decide on one too when you read some of the reviews.  I know I can't base my decision off of reviews because not everyone is going to have a positive experience with everyone, but I must say, those negative reviews are in the back of my mind when trying to decide. I've stressed myself out a bit trying to research and dig into some of these agencies looking for just the perfect one. I'm in prayer constantly asking God to lead us to where He wants us to go. So far, I don't have an answer but we are going to be contacting a few other agencies both locally and out of state next week. Who knows, maybe God has other plans for us that He is waiting to reveal? I continue to put my faith in Him because I know that He is going to put us in the right spot.

In the meantime, if you know of any agencies that you think we should look into, please let us know. I am willing to research many of them. Thanks everyone!

And one more thing, please continue to spread the word about our Burpies for Babies that I am making to try and raise funds for our adoption. I have recently posted them on Etsy.com so check them out: http://www.etsy.com/listing/74556886/burpies-for-babies, you can continue to order them as well by sending an email to LAadopt.@yahoo.com

Burpies for Babies

Hey Guys,
Burpies for Babies are still being sold. Ali with Sew Fly Monogramming is offering free monogramming on them as well. They are $10. What a deal considering most places are more and you have to pay extra for monogramming. Let me know if you are interested. Check out the new pictures from Nicole Spikes Photography. She did an awesome job and is a great photographer. She took pictures of my niece Michelle when she was born and they were adorable. Look her up at http://www.nicolespikesphotography.com/. Email me to order your burpies at LAadopt@yahoo.com.

Thanks everyone for all your support and prayers,

Leslie and Andrew

What's to come

Thursday we are meeting with someone from the state to discuss the possiblity of fostering to adopt. I am very interested to see what they have to say about adopting through the state. I think it's a wonderful idea but I also don't want to get my hopes up only to have a child taken away from me. Honestly, I haven't a clue what is involved with fostering or adopting through the state. I do know that those children are no different than if I was to adopt privately. Every child deserves love and I am willing to provide all the love I have and more. Please pray for us as we discuss this option and that we can have a clear understanding on which way God wants us to go. I pray everyday for God to lead every step of our adoption process. I don't want to make any of these decisions on my own and I fully trust that God will lead us down the right path.

If anyone has any experiences they would like to share on this topic. Please feel free to send me an email. I could use some advice. Thanks everyone, God is so good!

Burpies for Babies to Help Adopt!

We have had an unbelievable response to our Burpies for Babies and I thank you all so much for purchasing them. I will continue to make them to raise money for our adoption. I still do not know when we will be adopting but I know that God does and He may still be making our perfect child. I dream of the day when we get the phone call that there is a baby for us. I have rehearsed over and over in my head several reactions to that phone call, but despite all the rehearsals, I know that when that day actually arrives my response will probably not be like any of the ones that I have thought about. I can't imagine how excited and emotional of a day it will be. I thank you all, as well, for all the prayers and support you have offered us during the most difficult time of the adoption process, the wait. Making the burp cloths has helped me keep my mind off this difficult time and has definitely kept me very busy. I just want to remind everyone that they are $10 each and Ali with Sew Fly Monogramming has offered to monogram them for free. She is very talented and has donated her time to help us out and for that I am truly grateful. God is truly amazing and has provided for us more than what we deserve. He is an awesome God and I am blessed to serve Him.

Contact me at laadopt@yahoo.com to order!

Ali has done a fabulous job with the monogramming and the best part about it is that it's FREE! She is amazing!

Babylost Mother's Day

 

Today is International Babylost Mother's Day. It is a day to remember all the mother's out there that have lost a baby. Just as the page says, just because you have lost a baby doesn't mean that you aren't a mother. You are beautiful, strong and courageous for having the strength to move forward. This goes out to all my friends that have lost their babies at any stage in their lives. Mine were only numbers amongst the blood work but I had a glimpse of what it felt like to be pregnant and it was awesome. Norman Eugene and Ethel Rose (their nicknames) are being rocked above by God's little angels and watching us from above. I know they will be so happy when they see us with their baby brother or sister. I have their pictures stored away when they were only embryos and they truly were beautiful. For those that share this loss with me this poem below is for you. You are all beautiful Mothers in my opinion!!!!

Our Sky

By Sheryl McMahon

We live, we breathe under the same sky
Watch the flowers grow with the same awe and wonder
Their petals, reminders of those who sit above the same clouds
Our tears, falling like petals once the flowers have done their bidding
We gaze at the same sky in the same moments
Shed our tears in the same breath
As we share in this special day
The same sky still above us
The flowers blooming at our feet
Let there be comfort in the knowledge
That our children dance together among the same stars
As the night sets on a day we were all sharing
United as Babylost Mama’s and friends who share the tears

Update on Burpies for Babies

First of all I would like to thank everyone who has purchased our Burpies for Babies. I have been amazed at how many we have made and sold. When my sister and I first decided to make these we had no idea that they would sell as they did. We literally had seven of them made when we posted our first post on facebook. I was so excited when many of you posted that you wanted to order some, it literally brought me to tears. I couldn't believe it. My sister and I had to make several trips to the store to get more supplies to start making more. We spent the entire day making burp cloths, ironing, pinning, sewing, cutting, etc. Although we are no experts in the sewing world, I think most of them turned out quite nice. I love my sister for giving up several of her afternoons and Saturdays to help me raise money for adoption. 

We are continuing to take orders for the Burpies for Babies. I have someone that has offered to monogram them for free. Her name is Ali and her business name is "Sew Fly". She is such an awesome person for volunteering her time, materials, and talent to help Andrew and I out. We are truly grateful for her and her willingness to do this. I encourage everyone to use her in the future for all your monogramming needs. If you choose to have your burp cloths monogrammed her tag is attached to the burpies with her business name and phone number. If you would like her phone number you can email me at LAadopt@yahoo.com and I will give it to you.

Again, I thank each of you who have purchased our Burpies for Babies. Please help spread the word about them as well as I will continue to make them until my sewing machine starts smoking or I get worn down from it. As of now I am having a lot of fun putting my new sewing skills to the test. We will also ship them for only $5.00 extra, so keep that in mind. All you have to do to order is contact me at LAadopt@yahoo.com. I will try my best to get them to you as soon as I can. Thanks everyone!!!!!

Easter Bunny

This weekend was a complete blast for me. Andrew and I got to spend the entire weekend with our little nieces and nephews at my dad's house. I think we ate more than we usually do in one week. My dad loves to spoil the family when we go visit him. He made some amazing steaks and for dessert we had several things to choose from including cheese cake, key lime pie, chocolate cake and of course all the Easter candy. My dad lives on the lake so it's very relaxing. The kids enjoyed playing on the old barge boat my dad still has from when my grandparents owned it. It no longer works but it's great to fish on or jump around in, which is what the kids did all weekend. We also spent some time at the "big lake" where the kids got to swim and go down the big slide at the playground. The adults didn't swim because the water was still a little too cold. It's funny how when you are little your interal thermometer doesn't register figid temperatures like they do when you're an adult.

To back track just a bit; before we got to my dad's he went looking for easter ducks to get the little ones. He looked all over and couldn't find them. He use to do that for us around Easter and we would just let them go, once they got old enough, in the lake. It was always fun to come back several months later to see them all grown up. Well, dad couldn't find any ducks so he got a puppy instead. Charley the rat terrior. She was the sweetest puppy. He got her for Laura's kids but she and Brad wouldn't let Charley come home with them. I think Charley was just a little too small for Noah and Ava to handle right now. Charley sure was fun to play with though. She will have a great home at the lake with my dad and his other dog, John McCaine.

Easter morning we all got up to see what the little ones got from the Easter Bunny. Lots of goodies in their baskets and more candy. The Easter Bunny also hid eggs outside and the great hunt was on. Who could collect the most eggs? Of course it was Noah. He's the oldest and fastest right now. Give it a few years and the others will give him a run for his Easter eggs. Everyone had a great Easter! I am really glad we got to participate in these activites with our nieces and nephews. It makes me happy that we are all so close. I can't wait to share this with our sweet angel.

Noah and Ava with Charley

Bryce and Michelle eating cheeseballs for an afternoon snack.

Andrew and I enjoying the nice weather outside by the lake.

Lazy afternoon. Taking a nap with Charley.

Michelle during the Easter egg hunt. Charley wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

Easter bunny hats Dad got for all the kids.

Bryce was not having this picture thing.

Michelle amusing herself on the five hour car ride home. Gotta put those Easter stickers somewhere!

Louisiana Saturday Night

"Well, you get down the fiddle and you get down the bow, Kick off your shoes and you throw 'em on the floor. Dance in the kitchen 'til the morning light: Louisiana Saturday night!"

Andrew and I went to my sister's annual crawfish boil this weekend. I love me some crawfish and living in Louisiana there is plenty of it. We had such a great time eating, talking with friends, and playing with all the kids there. The biggest hit was the Mickey Mouse jumpy my friend Moss set up for all the kids. My favorite image was watching my niece, Michelle, holding a live crawfish. I'm not exactly sure she knew what she was holding, but she did a lot better than I would have if I were holding it. She even got upset when the poor little crawfish fell to the ground. Then there was my crazy nephew, Noah, who got confused as to how to put on gloves to peel the crawfish. He put them on his feet instead of his hands. He is so silly. What an awesome time we had and I can't wait until the next one!

Michelle in the Mickey Mouse jumpy

Andrew with his crawfish

Lynn, Amanda, and I enjoying everyones company!



Michelle looking at all the little crawfish



She was very brave to pick up a live one

Silly Noah with gloves on his feet. Had to capture this moment.

My older sister, Laura, with all her kiddos.