Landon's 1st dentist visit and update on Houston

Today Landon had his first dentist appointment. I had every intentions of taking him, but I was at the hospital with Houston, so Jason picked him up from school and took him. We both were a little worried about today. Wasn't sure how he would handle someone poking around his mouth and brushing his teeth. Jason called me after the appointment and said Landon did awesome. That he could have not been better. He let the dentist count and brush his teeth, he also let them pour the water in his mouth and have it suctioned out. I was completely shocked at the news of how well he did. Since Jason took him of course there are no pictures so I had to get one afterwards.

Showing me his clean teeth

 Silly boy

 The dentist did ask if Landon sucks his thumb or still takes a pacy. We said that he still takes a pacy (boo). He noticed Landon's front teeth are starting to stick out and get an overbite due to sucking on a pacy. He only takes it at nap or night, but i guess it still effects his teeth. So I guess we are starting cold turkey tonight and taking away his boo. Going to be a LONG night. Pray for us. ;o)

I visited Houston this morning. He is still doing AMAZING. As of last night he is 2lbs. 13.5oz. and is up to 24cc's a feeding. No new changes all he has to do is sleep, eat and grow.

When I left him this afternoon, this is the position he was in

All your prayers are working. His progress has been amazing so the power of prayer works. Keep praying prayer warriors!

And congratulations to our friends John and Heather. They welcomed baby girl Sula Elizabeth this afternoon. Mom, baby, dad and big brother Colt are all doing well. http://wineanddiapers.blogspot.com/

Houston is 3 weeks old

Today Houston turned three weeks old. I cant believe we have been on this journey for that long. The last three weeks have been the longest three weeks of my life and also the fastest. The last three weeks have been the happiest weeks of my life, but also the saddest and most defiantly the most challenging. Like any mom who just had a baby and especially a baby who was born very premature, I have my ups and downs or what I call them my mommy moments. It's still hard to leave the hospital without Houston and I really don't think that will ever change until I actually get to leave with him in my arms. I still have to believe that he was born at 26 weeks 5 days for a reason. A woman who I have never met, but have mutual friends had a premature baby at 30 weeks last year wrote me a very encouraging email. She said that everything that happens to us and our children always passes through the hands of God first. I have to believe that all we are going through is for a reason. We may not know the reason today or tomorrow, but one day the answer will come to us somehow. Its just very difficult when I want answers now.
I want to leave you with a few pictures from today and a few stats on Houston up until today.

Just chillin'

Weight: 2lbs. 11oz. (over birth weight)

He had to start a high calorie formula for a few feedings a day. I am just not producing enough milk for the amount of feedings he is taking.

I am able to hold him for up to 1 hour a day; o)

Moved to a different isolate today for babies that are not in critical care ;o)

Feedings are up to 23cc (30cc in 1oz)

Happy 3 weeks Houston. We LOVE you!!

Bath time and rock star

Today Jason and I were able to give Houston a bath. This was not his first bath, but the first time we are there for bath time.

Loving his warm bath. He just fit right in the bucket perfectly.

 Drying off. He was so awake and alert during his bath time. I think he really enjoyed the warm water ,getting out of his isolate and hanging out with mommy and daddy.

He kept looking around and wanting to see everything that was going on around him

This picture cracks me up, because it was right after bath time. He got a clean diaper and clean leads (heart monitors on his chest) and I think he was just wore out from all the excitement. He slept for the next 3 hours and did not move one inch. haha ;O)



The doctors made their rounds early today while Jason and I were both at the hospital. I really like this doctor and she was super sweet, great personality and seemed to be very smart and knew what she was talking about. Anyway, after she looked at his charts she came to us and said "Houston is a rock star". She said that his lungs are still clear along with his belly and heart. He's breathing on his own, mild spells and taking feedings like a champ. She was very impressed how well he was doing with only being at this point 29 weeks gestation. She just told us all he needs to do right now is grow and gain some weight. That's our little ROCK STAR!

Speaking of weight, as of last night he is past his birth weight and now weighs 2lbs. 9oz. 

LOVE HIM!!

Keep the prayers coming, prayer warriors!!

Houston is 2 weeks old

Just a little update on Houston's progress from the last few days.

Last night they weighed him and he is back to his original birth weight to 2lbs 7oz. In the last 2 weeks he has grown 1/2 inch so his length as of last night is 15 3/4 inches.

Today when the doctor's made their rounds one of them mention to me about giving Houston 22cc's of high fat/calorie formula twice a day. One 22cc's in the morning and one 22cc's at night. He eat's 8 times a day (every 3 hours) so 6 of those feedings are my milk with fortifier in it and the other 2 feedings are going to be the high fat/calorie formula. Since breast milk is like drinking skim milk he needs something more high calorie to plump him up. Im not a fan of him having formula this early in his life, but it makes since and we really want him to gain the weight he needs to come home. Since he missed out on all the 3rd trimester growing he needs the extra calcium, iron and fat that I cannot provide him. So I guess we are going to start the 2 formula needs soon.

Emotionally today was an ok day. I did have one little mommy meltdown moment as I was leaving the hospital. It just does not get easier to leave him behind everyday. It's just not natural for mommies to leave their babies in the hospital. I hate that he is there and I hate driving downtown everyday in traffic, but I know he needs me and I need him.

Another day closer to taking him home. Hopefully in November!

First family photo of 4

Today Landon was able to see Houston for the first time. He was so interested in him and wanting to hold his hand and give him kisses. Landon was so well behaved in the hospital and was proud to be a BIG brother. This will probably be the last time he is able to see Houston before he comes home. Since cold and flu season is from October thru April no one under the age of 12 can visit the NICU. We show Landon pictures of Houston everyday and he understands that he is not in my belly anymore and is in the hospital, but will be home very soon. 

Landon seeing his little brother for the first time.

Holding hands with baby brother

First family photo of 4



Emotionally today has been a good day. I have not cried today, just because I know Houston is in good care and healthy. His doctor came by this afternoon and checked his lungs and belly again. All was clear and all his little organs are working like they should. He is digesting my milk very well and was upped 20cc's of mommy milk today. He has gain a few ounces in the last few days. As of last night he was up to 2lbs. 5oz., only 2oz. away from being back up to birth weight. Every Sunday they measure his length so I will be excited to see how much he grew this week.

It's still a hard drive to downtown and takes a good 45 mins or more with traffic and then back again. When I am with Houston I feel guilty about not being with Landon and when I'm with Landon I feel guilty about not being with Houston. I have not found a good balance yet between dividing my time with both boys. I don't think any of this will get easier as time goes on in the next few weeks and months.

I'm still having a hard time realizing that I am not pregnant anymore when I should be. It's still very hard seeing women come out of the hospital with their babies while I have to leave mine behind. It's still hard to see women who are having baby showers, baby bump pics and weekly updates.

This month has been the best month of my life, but also the worst. The best because my 2nd son was born and the worst because I had to deliver him at 26 weeks and have our lives turned upside down.

I am still working through my emotions about this whole experience we have been put on so suddenly. I just keep thinking how I have a tiny little guy who is HEALTHY, who needs me to visit him everyday, who needs me to hold him everyday and who is coming home to a family that LOVES him more than anything.

Happy 2 weeks Houston!!

Daddy time

Yesterday Jason was able to hold Houston for the first time. I think they both really enjoyed their daddy and son time.

Houston is doing AMAZING!! The power of prayer is working. Tomorrow he is 2 weeks old. I cant believe we have had 2 boys for 2 weeks now and have been on this journey for that long.

Sitting at the hospital and lots of progress

Houston as I'm sitting here by your bedside I can't believe you are 11 days old. I can't believe you entered our world 11 days ago and we have been in the hospital for almost 2 weeks. Some days seem to be flying by while others are going so slow. Your daddy went back to work Monday, but luckily I have had my parents here to help. Your progress over the last few days have been AMAZING! Here are a few things you have done just this week.

Yesterday you were moved out of critical care and over to the other side of the hospital in the section they call the pond. The pond is the second to the last step before you go home.

Today your IV came out and now your fluids are going through your mouth tube.

You brain scan came back yesterday and all was clear. No brain bleeds or signs of damage. Praise the Lord!

I saw your doctor today and he checked your little lungs, all clear. He checked your little tummy and yet again all clear.

Your taking 17cc's of mommy's milk and they started adding fat/calories to it to help plump you up. You seem to be taking it well.

Your spells are coming and going and are pretty sporadic, but that's to be expected at your age. (a spell is when he forgets to breath when he sleeps)

Since your IV is gone the only fluids you are getting is mommy's milk, fat/calories (fortifier) and caffeine through your mouth tube. The caffeine is for brain stimulation.

I still can't believe we are here again. Seems like yesterday we were here with your brother. His short 15 days does not seem like nothing compared to the many weeks we are going to be here with you, but that's OK. You are here, healthy and in the best care. You are a fighter and we love you very much.

Mommy is having better days this week emotionally and physically. My csection is healing nicely and I can start back driving on Friday. I'm still having why us and what did I do wrong moments, but as your progress continues to improve so is mine. It's going to be a healing process for both of us for the next few months.

I love you very much Houston and as I sit here at the hospital watching you sleep my heart is filled with love because I'm blessed to have 3 healthy boys in my life.

My new monkey hat. Just a little big for me, but Ill grow into it soon enough.

 Sleeping on my mommy

Kangarooing with mommy



Offically a soccer mom

Landon started soccer for the first time on Saturday. He is on the 3 to 4 year old team named Thunder. We got there and he was so excited to put on his soccer shirt, shine guards and socks. Jason got him suited up and away they went to kick his soccer ball a little before their session started. As soon as their "game" started Landon wanted nothing to do with it. We tried to bribe, use reverse physiology and even went on the field with him and he still didn't want to play soccer. So we sat on the side lines while his new friends played. Maybe this Saturday he will warm up to the idea. I know his whole world has been rocked since the early arrival of Houston, but we are trying our best to keep his world as normal and on a schedule as possible.

 Gearing up for the big game

At least he was happy before the game started. 

I am offically a soccer mom and I LOVE it.

Houston is 1 week old

Yesterday Houston turned 1 week old. It's hard to believe that he is 1 week old and this has been our new lives for 7 days already. Let's hope the next few months go by this fast so we can bring our little boy home. As of now Houston has been doing AMAZING!! All his little parts are in place and so perfect yet so tiny. He is healthy as of right now and just needs to grow and gain weight.
In the last seven days, they have stopped the ventilator and he has been breathing on his own since Sunday Sept. 4th. Since he has been born he has gone from eating (through a mouth tube) 1cc's of breast milk every 6 hours to 5cc's of breast milk every 3 hours, because he is taking my milk so well. He has lost several ounces and as of last night weighed in at 2lbs. 2oz. So we are hoping with his milk increase he will start to gain weight. His jaundice light is still on and will probably be on for the next day or two. His belly rubine has gone from 5.8 down to 5.3, but the doctor is more comfortable for him to be in the 3 or 4's before his little goggles can come off. Last night at the hospital I noticed a little infection behind one of his ears, so the nurse cleaned it and put ointment on it to help it heal. For the last few days I have been able to hold Houston with skin to skin contact or they call it kangarooing for 30mins. We both love this time of day and as he gets bigger I will be able to hold him longer periods of time.
Jason has been AMAZING through this process and so supportive of me going to the hospital everyday. He has been so strong for our family and has planned out our days on who, what, when and where goes to the hospital and with Landon. He has been off work this week and goes back on Monday. I can not drive till Friday so I am having help getting around and taking Landon to school and going back and forth to hospital through my mom and dad this week till I can start back driving.
My staples came out on Friday, thank goodness those are gone. A c-section is no joke and I hope to never have one again.
I am still having mixed feelings about the events we are in and are facing in the months to come. I know I cant turn back time and cant question myself on the whys and what ifs and what's wrong with me. I have to look at the positive going forward because this is something God has decided we must go through. I am blessed to have a baby who is with us and doing phenomenally well. A baby who will come home in just a few short months. A baby who is so perfect in every way yet so tiny. And I am blessed beyond measure to have a healthy and perfect family who I love SO much and is so supportive and understanding. I keep praying along with hundreds of people, some who we don't even know, on my little family. I have to look at the positive on all the things that are going right and not dwell on the things that went wrong. I am still an emotional wreck, but it gets better everyday as I process it and get a grip on our new lives at the moment.

Trying to balance 2 boys for sure is pulling on my heart strings. I want and need to be there for both boys in so many ways. So when I am with Landon I feel guilty for not being with Houston and when I am with Houston I feel guilty for missing out on things with Landon. That is where Jason has been amazing through out this week and spending time with Landon while I am at the hospital with Houston and making both boys feel special and loved.
I know this is a lot to read, but I am really doing this for me so in 6 months, 1 year, 2 year I can look back and read what we have gone through and how far we have come.
For now I will leave you with a few pictures of our miracle boy.

On a side note: Houston's nurse for the past 3 days has a son also named Houston and a husband named Jason. When I walked in his room 3 days ago the first thing she said to me was I have a son named Houston who is 5 years old. She has been working there for 13 years and never had a Houston. Shes been great with him and we really like her. We have never heard of anyone with the name Houston (thats why we named him that) and it took us to the NICU to find one person with that name.

Houston's Arrival

What a very emotional week my family and I have had. Houston arrived Saturday Sept. 3rd, 2011 at 2:50am at 26 weeks and 5 days. Weighing in at 2lbs 7oz and 15 1/4 inches long. Here is our story of Houston's arrival.

Friday Sept. 2nd was like any other Friday. I was feeling great, Landon and I went to eat lunch and did just a little shopping in Murfreesboro. After lunch we came home took naps and waited on Jason to get home. When Jason arrived home Friday night about 6pm we all went back out to Murfreesboro to eat dinner and look for a rug and football items. At this point I was still feeling good, rested and no pain or signs of pre-term labor. We arrived home about 8pm got Landon is bath and down for bed. Jason and I layed on the couch till about 11:30pm. At this point we both were ready to go to bed and layed down around midnight. At 12:15am (I had not even fallen asleep yet) I started feeling contractions, but only in my lower abdomen and they did not hurt. Well after about 10 mins of me lying there and them not going away I woke up Jason to time them. They were coming every few minutes and lasted about a minute apart. We called the doctor and then called my mom to come over to stay with Landon. At this point we were getting dressed and going to the hospital because they were getting stronger and hurting. I don't even know what time we arrived at the hospital, because at this point time was a blur. I would say around 12:45 or 1am. Checked into the ER and I was wheeled up to the maternity ward. At this point I was in horrible pain, shouting, screaming labor pain. The nurse asked if I could give a urine sample so in between contractions I got up from the wheelchair and sat on the toilet. As soon as I sat down I felt like I had to push. Push something out, I didn't know what, but just push. What I thought I was pushing pee out, my water broke right into the toilet. The nurse immediately got me to the bed and checked me and I was already 4cm dilated. My OB was on call that night and was already on his way to the hospital. I was pushed into the labor and delivery room where they continued to check for Houston's heart rate. They were having a hard time finding his heart rate and when they did it kept going down, which means he was in distress. So they prepped me for an emergency c-section. There was no time for an epidural so I was given a local anesthesia basically to knock me out. Jason was not allowed back in the operating room with me so I was alone and scared to death for my baby and myself. When I woke up I was back in the labor and delivery room and in more pain that I ever thought possible, emotionally and physically. Houston was born at 2:50am and ambulanced to Centennial Medical Center where they are equipped with a NICU. The same place Landon spent the first 15 days of his life. As I am typing this I am crying my eyes out. Just re-living this moment and what just happened to us only 5 days ago and the road we have ahead of us with a very premie baby.

I still cant believe this has happpened to us. I am trying to be strong for Landon, Jason and Houston, but just emotionlly and physically I am breaking down. I am going to use this blog as my outlet to express my emotions and feelings for the weeks and months to come.

I know our plans are always not God's plans and I have to believe that there is a reason he took my baby out of me so early. I am blessed to have a healthy husband and son as well as a preemie baby who is doing AMAZING since he was born.

It was hard to turn off my weekly emails I receive about what week of pregnancy I am and what's my baby doing. It's hard to see my friends who are pregnant right now go on to have healthy pregnancy's and carry full-term babies. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around why a 29 year old healthy woman can not carry a full-term baby. I have so many what if's and why me questions?

I have to go on and say that Jason has been AMAZING through this process and couping with our "new" normal. Landon is doing AWESOME and understands that Houston is not in mommy's tummy and in the hospital. Our family, friends, church family and commuity has been AMAZING and praying for us, bringing us food and watching Landon for us while Jason and I are in the hospital.

Tomorrow I will start blogging his progress from day 1 up to today and more pictures of our miracle baby that we LOVE so much.

Sept. 8th; 5 days old; Holding Houston for the first time

Houston is here!

Houston Perry was born on September 3rd at 2:50am via emergency c-section. He was only 26weeks. He was rushed to our local NICU. He is doing well and vitals are stable. We are at different hospitals, but I hope to be released tomorrow so I can see him for the first time. He weighed in at 2lbs 7oz. and 15inches long. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we go through this difficult journey. I will update at a later time with the whole story and pictures of our sweet little boy. Big brother is doing great and being spoiled at his grandparents. Again thank you for your prayers and encourging words. We are blessed

Good mail day

Today was a good mail day because I received 2 special items in my mailbox this afternoon.

First the thing I opened up was Houston's coming home blanket and outfit

 Here they are together and match perfectly. I found the set on etsy and LOVE them.

 The second package I opened was my new necklace I blogged about a few days ago. Cant wait to wear this when our second boy gets here.

 Earlier this week I picked this cute and soft blanket up from a local store that monograms.

 Yesterday a sweet friend gave me this super cute crocheted hat. Houston is going to look so cute in this for the fall/winter months

 Lastly, my mother-in-law found a brown shag rug for the nursery. I really like it, but I think I am wanting one or two sizes bigger. I'm still thinking about that one.

It's getting so real with all these baby things coming into our home.

Have a happy weekend!!