Thanks by the Letters: B

Big:

I am thankful that Max was big and is getting bigger. At 2 lbs and 2 ozs, he didn't seem big, but he was. He should have been just about a pound and a half for his gestational age. Everyone in the NICU kept asking me if I was sure about my due date, and I was, since we planned this pregnancy. But Max's size has been a help for him since day one. Now, at more than 13 lbs, he's bigger than ever!

Blankets:

We love blankets and blankies! From day one when they gave me a little blanket called a "snoodle" for Max to sleep with , it's been my connection with him. I'd sleep with that snoodle in my shirt and then it was the one thing Max could have in his isolette with him. I couldn't touch him, but he could smell me, and have the comfort of knowing Mommy was close by. The nurses kept that blankie over his eyes and ears to shield him from noise, it was big enough to cover his entire body for months! Now he snuggles with a "blankie tag" all the time. In his car seat, in his swing, or on my lap, he'll curl that blankie up in his hands and snuggle it to his face. This boy LOOOOOVES blankets!

Burping:

This is no longer something we take for granted. Max is a HUGE burper. He has reflux, he's gassy, his little tummy needs relief. But when we were in the hospital, his brittle bones were so delicate, I was reprimanded, for burping him too hard. He had cracked ribs and I could have made things even worse. Now he burps like a champ!

Bones:

Finally, Max's bones are stronger and healthy. It took a few months of eating some high calorie and vitamin filled formula to get him there, but being on IV nutrition for so long, and taking some of the medications to help shed the excess fluid off his body, had leached the calcium from his bones. He had 3 cracked ribs and was very fragile for months. He was more than 6 months old before we even let his Grandma and Papa hold him.

Babysitting:

For everyone who took in my two older children this year, I am so thankful. Not only did you welcome and love them, you made their lives fun during some very difficult months, when we weren't giving them all the attention they needed and deserved. Ella and Alex are blessed by their friends, and by ours. They probably wish the babysitting was back, because life with Mom and Dad is a lot less fun!

Breast milk:

Last, but certainly not least, I am thankful for breast milk. The little that I made to feed Max for his first 10 weeks was so beneficial, but I wasn't alone. We could not have done this without Nicole Hendrix, who lost her babies and kept the breast milk, which she generously donated to Max. Also, my friend Morgan Perry. Who was weaning her own son, and kept pumping milk for Max. Between these two moms, Max had enough breast milk to get him through all 3 bowel surgeries and give his fragile bowels their best chance at survival. NEC is the disease that was destroying his bowels, and with breast milk, he had a 50% better chance of surviving NEC. It's a disease that kills many premature babies, including Nicole's beautiful little Lilli. Breast milk was the gift of life for our Max! (much more on the donors in future posts)