Happy 5th NICU Anniversary!

January 19, 2015



5 years ago.

It's been 5 years already, but if I close my eyes, only for a minute I can put myself right back in the NICU next to a tiny baby. It's something that I will never forget.

The day Harrison was born was the scariest day in my life. I knew nothing about prematurity and I knew nothing about having a baby. Basically it was NICU boot camp the minute this guy was born.

I know God had a plan for me, Harrison and our family... Life works crazy that way.

I learned more about life in those 52 days he spent in the NICU than I learned in my first 25 years of life. I could speak medical fluently, I lived by my NICU bible and I opened up my heart to God wider than I ever thought possible.

The day Harrison came home from the NICU is day very much like the day he was born. It was scary, really freaking scary... but at the same time this became happiest day in my life.

As always we celebrated with his NICU VET  anniversary with cake and this year for fun... Trick candles (should have videoed this).

 

5 year NICU VET

 

5 Years.

Oh man my baby boy? Where has the time gone? I can't believe it's the eve of your 5th birthday. Little did we know that you would make this grand entrance into the world on November 28, 2009 nearly 3 months early.

You astounded us when you took your first breathe and cried. This was the most encouraging beginning to your almost 8 week stay in the NICU. During this time, it was both the scariest, yet happiest time in our lives. All 3 pound 3 ounce of you taught us just how incredible such a small person can be. Your presence everyday is a reminder that we have proof that miracles do happen.

In the last year you have grown up so much. This summer you shot up at least couple of inches in just those few short months. They always say, don't blink or you'll miss something, I now know that is positively true. I feel so incredibly lucky to have been home with your for the last year. As a parent, we spend so much time working and don't realize what we are missing until have it.

Your imagine makes me want to be 5 years old again. You come up with the most wildly incredible scenarios and at least several times a day your assign me, daddy, Miles and Violet to be a Ninja Turtle, Transformer or Super Hero. I must admit I do favor being the purple flower truck Transformer.

If you aren't busy being Super Hero, fire fighter, cop, or garbage truck driver you are building, anything and everything. If I had to describe your imagination in two words I would 1. inventive 2. builder. I just love watching you build and create incredible things.

You are also very organizational which obviously an asset to all of your creations/ideas. Grocery shopping consists of your organizing items so that they precisely line up in the cart, almost as if you were building with blocks.

When you aren't being a Super Hero, rescuing, or building something you love playing on the i-pad. The i-pad is pretty awesome, ok... REALLY FREAKING AWESOME.

Since you turn 5 tomorrow, you now have 2 years of BIG BROTHER under your belt. I am not going to lie (because this is your birthday post), most days around here are war zone. But when it comes down to it, you do love your brother and your little brother and he pretty much thinks you are the coolest kid EVER and spends his days trying to compete and keep up with his awesome BIG brother.

Speaking of AWESOME, you are AWESOME. Since I could pretty much go on and on about your awesomeness I am going to grace our readers (and you some day) with 100 bullets of your awesomeness.

1. You call me your best friend.
2. You have this weird habit of rubbing your cheek up against people when your your feeling lovey (I'm convinced you learned this from the cats).
3. You can count to 30, even 40 but ALWAYS miss number 13. (I guess I don't blame you, there is a reason why the 13 floor is almost non-existent). 
4. You still take 3, even 4 hour afternoon naps.
5. You really think the Ninja Turtles live in our sewer.
6. You love sweat pants. I have to bargain with you the days I want you to wear jeans.
7. Your current obsession (started two weeks ago) everything Batman. (Now don't change your mind before Christmas- Santa has already started shopping).
8. You call the color brown, black with no fail. In your world, brown doesn't exist.
9. You look incredibly cute in your glasses.
10. You love to be surprised (if fact you said you don't want to tell Santa what you want because you want to be surprised).
11. Your favorite snack is vanilla yogurt with mini M&Ms.
12. You are follower, not so much a leader.
13. Your favorite game is hide and seek,
14. You get into Miles crib almost every morning to jump with him.
15. You love shoes (specifically fast shoes---tennis shoes).
16. You love building forts.
17. You have the most incredible memory.
18. You always want to help, not matter what I am doing as long as you get to help.
19. You think monsters still exist in your closet....sometimes.
20. You ask me to cuddle everyday.
21. You are cautious about your brother's safety.
22. Your imagination, ROCKS.
23. You love singing songs.
24. You don't dance (it's probably genetic, don't worry).
25. You love closing your eyes for surprises..
26. Your favorite TV show is Jake.
27. You aren't into the fad toys.
28. You think Tator Tot hot dish is the best food ever.
29. You love to be read to.
30. Your favorite color (this week anyways) is red, because fire trucks are red.
31. You always up before 7 am.
32. You don't like pop or anything with carbonation.
33. You could eat cereal or pancakes for every meal, everyday and be totally ok with this. 
34. You still need me to remind you which shoes go on what feet.
35. You love pretending to read.
36. The circle store (Target) is the best store ever (and mommy agrees).
37. You love surprises.
38. You still sleep every night with your yellow blanket and puppy.
39. You only asked for one toy for your birthday (Hot Wheels Fire & Rescue---and your getting it) 
40. Your favorite movie is Planes Fire & Rescue
41. You are not much of a morning person and bargain in to staying up later.
42. Your favorite thing to do outside in the winter is shovel.
43. You take AMAZING photos now (well, when you want too). It's 180 from last year and 360 from the year before.
44. You talk about Whitney Dog is heaven and that makes me happy. I want you to remember her.
45. You always ask for Ice Cream before we leave Grandma's house, never fail. Thank goodness she always has some for you.
46. You love taking baths, showers still scare you a bit.
47. You used these 3 phrases the most, "I don't want to frustrate you," and "I'm going to be good, now," and "I didn't do nothing."
48. You love being the leader and showing Miles how to do things,
49. You jump on the living room furniture every chance you can get."
50. You tried riding your bike without training wheels this summer, but then decided you just want to keep your training wheels on forever (and that was a direct quote).
51. You have a hard time saying no, instead you always say, "Maybe next time."
52. You love having one on one with mom or dad.
53. You try so hard to misbehave sometimes, but you are such a good kid---it usually only lasts a few moments and you are immediately SORRY.
54. You think by saying, "I'm not going to be your best friend anymore," will some how chance the the situation into your favor.
55. You have one sure way to get to a time out with this quote, "Momma, you need a time out, you are naughty." This one buddy, oh it's Momma's button that shouldn't be pushed. 
56. You are just figuring out this Santa Claus business. I hope the magic lasts a long time for you.
57. You randomly talk about dying Easter eggs, for like every holiday.
58. You love doing puzzles, cutting paper and writing letters.
59. You play with trucks in oatmeal....This reminds of my own childhood, where stuff kids played with was so simple and not everything needed a battery.
60. You love playing with people, specifically adults. 
61. Your favorite game is Hide & Seek.
62. You don't like lettuce, but you do eat Tomatoes from neighbors garden.
63. You love hugs.
64. You talk about saving money in your piggy bank a lot to go to hotel with a pool and to go to a cabin again.
65. You caught your first fish this summer while at cabin, Then you caught a few more.
66. You love being outside every chance you can get.
67. Your favorite thing to draw is daddy's work building.
68. You love giving people presents.
69. You call blankets a "key, keys."
70. You aren't in a hurry to grow up (and I think that is just awesome).
71. You gave me instance coolness when I bought you your first pair of character light up shoes this year.
72. You make your own bed (and sometimes mom & dad's) and do a pretty decent job of it."
73. You really could care less about the movie, "Frozen." I am pretty convinced we will be the only house without something "Frozen" underneath the tree."
74. You call all of your friends, "My best friends."
75. You love living by the fire station and we have to drive/walk by the station regularly to see if the fire doors are open to the fire trucks.
76. You don't like to let go of old things or things you don't play with. Momma convinced you that all the toys we sold this fall that you didn't play with anymore belonged to Miles. And... this worked.
77. You love money, specifically change (nickels are a favorite).
78. You like seeing picture when you were little and watching the videos we had made for your first and second birthdays (obviously we have slacked for 3, 4 and now 5). The other day you asked, where are my other videos? #parent fail
79. You are Momma's thrift store buddy. 
80. You always eat pizza in this order. Meat, cheese and then crust.
81. You love having responsibility and helping.
82. You like Jake & Neverland Pirates, Paw Patrol, Noodle & Doodle, Fireman Sam, Handy Manny and Bob the builder the best and he just added Team Omi-Zoomie and Super Why oh and don't forget the Magic School bus and Mickey.
83. You like to paint vs color.
84. You get excited anytime you see a digger working or fire truck, ambulance or police officer go by.
85. You like to play with empty laundry baskets and boxes.
86. You asked for Batman cake for your 5th birthday.
87. You like to cook and help in the kitchen whenever you can.
88. Your favorite cereal is Fruity Pebbles.
89. You like to pretend to play games by yourself.
90. You like monster trucks.
91. You always travel in blocks not miles.
92. You just started using the word, "Awesome."
93. You love living by the "ice cream place." (The Zesto)
94. You like classic shows like the "Smurfs, Flintstones & Jetson's
95. You love it that the kitties finally like you, or more like you finally decided to stop chasing them. 
96. You talk about when you were a little baby and pretend you remember things from when you were a little baby. 
97. You actually ask to have your picture taken these days.
98. You have the wildest ideas... This year you were asked how to cook a Thanksgiving dinner at preschool, this was your response, "Dad and I go to the barn, catch a turkey with a net, bake it in the toaster, microwave and oven for 10 minutes and we will have applesauce and corn."
99. Your heart is pretty much stolen by peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. 
100. You have the way of making life so awesome, even on the hardest of days. 

I had this wild a crazy hope of editing your 5 year old pictures in time for your 5th birthday post. We will chalk this up this fail to  #parentfail #familyfallpictures #busyseason #photographerfail

Next up for edit is the Christmas session I did with both boys, summer of 2014, fall 2014 and the trip to the cabin. It's just a few 100, 1,000 photos to sort through.

Here is quick preview at his 5 year old portraits:

Happy 5th birthday buddy!

4 years post NICU

Last Sunday marked 4 years since Harrison graduated from the NICU. This called for a celebration (like we have done the past 3 years)....and what is a celebration without cake and presents? January 19 will always and forever hold a special place in our hearts...It's the first day our family lived a life outside of hospital doors.

Keep going buddy, keep amazing us everyday.

 

4 Year NICU Follow Up

This guy turns 4 years old in 8 short days.

Wow...I remember being warned not to blink my eyes. Every since Harrison left the NICU he has been followed by a team that has included OT, PT, Neurology along with a general physician and nurse. Yesterday he had his last follow visit from that team.

Despite the overwhelming people he saw yesterday morning, they were still able to evaluate his abilities when he was in a not so cooperative mood to candy coat that in every way.

Just so I don't end up writing a novel... The good of the appointment:

• Cognitively right on track. There is no concern of a learning disability from his prematurity which is something they generally worry about with Harrison being born at just 29 weeks.
• He grew...a lot. He now measures 39.5 inches tall (33 percentile) and weights 33lbs (25%). Most amazing is height jump from less than 15% to 33 %! This is all of this despite his vomiting 1-2 times a week. Harrison had GERD as a preemie that went on to infancy, which then resolved itself, but has made an appearance again in the last year. The doctor said that preemies with GERD then to have another reoccurrence around pre-school age. This should be something he out grows. At this time it's not affecting his growth, so we should do what we can do to avoid triggers (sugary, greasy foods), but those aren't always triggers, sometimes it just happens. Right now, this a observation period. If he begins to lose weight or vomiting because more frequent we will certainly follow up with it.
• Speech has improved with leaps and bounds. This time last year he could barely make a sentence...Today he is excelling. The amount of language gain he has made in a year brings me to tears. All the worry we had for so long is dwindling away. There are still times we find it hard to understand him or he won't use words, but those incidences are becoming less frequent. The neurologist we saw said she notices when he gets crabby he will start to "baby talk" or "regress" and won't use words. For the longest time we have been just telling him... "Use your words." Well come to find out since he has only been talking for the last year he lacks, the confidence, ability to find the words he needs to use in stressful situations. So instead of just telling him that phrase, "use your words" we need to actually give him a few words to cling on to so he has a starting place. This all made a lot of sense. There is also the drooling he still does (still at almost 4). Again, not a concern as they have told us before. He does a lot of playing with his tongue and concentration which is a result of this. It's more of wait this phase out. Which some days he does fine, others he's like a teething baby. All in all, pretty positive news.

Some things we found out at the appointment:

• Harrison is flat footed. It's not related to his prematurity, it's genetic (in case your wondering... this is where we blame dad's genetics :) There is nothing medically we have to do. We just need to make sure he wears very supportive tennis shoes.
• He has low muscle tone in his upper and lower body. The good in this, it's better to be more flexible, than less flexible. It would be a cause of concern if his muscles were too tight, like cerebral palsy. In time he should out grow this.
• He scored low in crossing the midline. Crossing the midline is important for skills such as writing. Things that can help improve this is catch and throw games, Simon says, asking his to alternate things between his hands. Harrison also is following up with the eye doctor that treated him in the NICU next month to rule out any vision related problems that could be affecting this.  

All in all despite Harrison very uncooperative mood yesterday... The outcome of this follow up was pretty awesome. This kid has came a long way.

 

It's A Preemie Thing GIVEAWAY!

Have you had a preemie or know someone that has? It's A Preemie Thing is having a GIVEAWAY for tons of stuff! And I mean TONS! The only requirement is that you have to have had a preemie.

It's A Preemie Thing is a site devoted to PREEMIES! Yeah for the love of preemies!  The website you can visit is http://www.itsapreemiething.com/  The family that started It's A Preemie Thing had a preterm baby boy at 29 weeks the day before Harrison was born. Their little boy Spencer has has some other obsticles, but is doing well. Our boys are flourishing and share the similarity of sleeping rarely through the night.

This year I am taking part in the It's A Preemie Thing GIVEAWAY giving a photography session to a family. My good friend and photographer Jenna Sefkow is also taking part in the GIVEAWAY.

Now...all you do is need to do is get signed up by clicking HERE. Good luck!


Speaking of preemies---have you signed up for Team Baby Harrison yet? Less than 60 days until the walk! Click TEAM BABY HARRISON to join us! We are excited to be putting together a raffle for the March for Babies for the Winona community March for Babies walk this year, you won't want to miss that!