Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at our house

The tree

The boys new cookie plate for Santa. Isn't it SO cute?

Landon wanted his picture taken

Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving 2011

I hosted Thanksgiving at my house this year and I only had time to pull out my camera one time. I didn't even get a family photo. O well. Thanksgiving was pretty laid back. My mom came over to eat as well as a few close friends of ours who's son is one of Landon's best friends. Brady got a new 4 wheeler a few weeks ago and he brought it over for Landon to ride.

Brady and Landon

Landon's turn to drive with Brady and his mom Sarah

This is what Landon asked Santa for Christmas. His very own 4 wheeler from Bass Pro Shop. I told Landon when he can buy it himself is when he can have a $7,000 4 wheeler

Houston did a bunch of this on Thanksgiving

I am thankful to have all my boys home for Thanksgiving. When Houston was born the doctor's told us that he probably would not be home by Thanksgiving. They were right about everything with Houston, but not that. God is AMAZING and MIRACLES do happen

Thanksgiving program at school

Today Landon and his classmates sang a few Thanksgiving songs for their parents. All the kids were so cute in their hats while singing their songs



My little man getting ready to sing in his turkey hat

 Singing songs

 Shaking it

 Landon and daddy

 My boys, minus Houston who stayed at home with my neighbor

(sporting the no shower and makeup look today) ;o)



Tomorrow is Landon's last day of school before Thanksgiving break. Then were home together for the rest of the week.

Happy Thanksgiving

Just swinging

A certain 3 year old decided to be the baby of the house for a moment and wanted me to take his picture

 (i wonder what the weight limit is on this thing?)

The actual baby of the house

For fun, here's Landon in June 2009 in the same swing



Wordless Wednesday

Leaves

The one good thing about leaves are being able to play in them

Takes talent to hang a car on a tree



Happy Fall!!

Houston's Homecoming

After 67 days in the NICU, Houston was healthy enough to be discharged on Tuesday, Oct 8th. He came home weighing 5lbs. 9oz and 19 inches long. By the power of our faith and prayer from hundreds of people some we know and some we do not, Houston came home perfectly healthy. He came home with no brain bleeds, perfect eye sight, clear echo cardiogram, no respiratory issues and he passed his hearing test. Most babies born as premature as he was usually has a defect of one of these. We are truly blessed and thank each and everyone of you for praying for my family and Houston's health. The power of prayer works and Houston is proof of that. He is our miracle child and we are blessed to have him as part of our family and I would do it all over again for him. OK so here is picture overload

Houston and mommy rooming in at the hospital the night before we went home

Coming home outfit and matching hat right before going home

  As you can tell Houston is excited to go home

We arrived home our sweet friends Peyton and Elizabeth decorated our house for Houston's homecoming

Baby BOY!!

Jason picked Landon up from school and when Landon got home he was so EXCITED to hold his baby brother for the 1st time.

1st time doing tummy time



We have been home for 4 days now and adjusting well to having two boys. Landon LOVES to help with baby Houston as he calls him. This is the perfect age difference between the boys because Landon understands whats going on, but he can also grab diapers, wipes, bottles, help with baths and throw things away for me. He is being a real big help and a great BIG brother. Jason goes back to work next week and I am a little nervous about taking care of an infant and 3 year old on my own, but hey if everyone else can do it I sure can.

Houston had his 1st well baby visit Wednesday. He had several shots and did great with them. I guess shots are no big deal after what he went through the last 2 months. Since he is so preemie we cant chart his growth compared to a full term 9 week old, so his doctor charts his growth by a newborn since that is what he would be if he was born this month. Here are his stats:

50% percentile for head circumference

50% for length

25% for weight

He will be behind for about 2 years on average, but only time will tell.

I am so happy to have all my boys home and under one roof. My heart is FULL.

Houston's nursery

First of all we are home and adjusting to life with two boys. I'll post more about Houston's homecoming soon. For now I wanted to post pictures of Houston's nursery.

I had a good friend of mine make all of his bedding and matching curtains as well as the chair

Another friend of mine painted the sign over his crib

And big brother wanted his picture taken



Rooming In

Tomorrow night if all goes well, Jason and I will be rooming in with Houston and be discharged Tuesday morning. Hard to believe that after 65 days in the NICU we will finally be taking our baby boy home. Today his doctor called me and gave me the news about tomorrow night and she went ahead and ordered the last few things that needed to be done before discharge. Today Houston had his car seat test and passed with no problems, he also has his boy surgery and he had his synergies shot to help protect against RSV. Tomorrow he will have his hearing test and an echocardiogram to check out his tiny heart murmur before we room in. When he passes all those Jason and I will room in with him about 5pm and hopefully be discharged tuesday morning. We have been very busy trying to get the house cleaned and organized before he comes home. I have tons of pictures, but my lap top is in the shop for maintainence so I'm using the iPad to blog. Keep praying houston continues to thrive and we have a great first night together. Jason, Landon and I are enjoying our last night as a family of 3 tonight. Believe it or not were looking forward to the sleepless nights and the chaois of adding another person into our family. I'm just ready for all my boys to be together and under one roof. I'll have my lap top back next week and will post lots of pictures.

Houston is 8 weeks old

Yesterday Houston turned 8 weeks old. Hard to believe he is 8 weeks old and we are still 4-5 weeks out from my original due date. He is truly our miracle child. How he could be born so early and the outcome be as positive as it has been. How healthy he is with no physical or mental issue's due to his prematurity and how hes coming home before his due date. How someone could not believe in God after a miracle like ours I just don't know.

Here is what Houston has been up to these days:

• 5lbs. 3oz.
• 19 inches long
• He just started taking all bottles (8 a day) and his NG tube will come out tonight or early tomorrow morning
• He went spell free for 5 days then he had one on Sunday, Oct 30. So we started the 5 day spell count down again. As of today we are on day 2. He has to go 5 days without a spell to go home.
• If  he continues to take his bottles well and he is spell free for the next 3 days then the earliest we could go home is this weekend. ;o) OMG this weekend!!!
• My mommy instinct says we go home next week sometime. Which is so hard to believe we are close enough to even talk about going home with our baby.
• He also has to take his car seat test when the doctors give us the go ahead and bring the car seat in. All the babies in the NICU have to have this test before going home. The baby has to sit in the car seat for the amount of time it takes you to get from the hospital to your house, so for us its 30 minutes. Houston has to sit in the seat for 30 minutes with his monitors on without having any desats in his heart rate or respiratory rate.
• Jason and I have one more video to watch, CPR, before we can room in with Houston
• Rooming In is where the parents spend the night before going home in the hospital with baby in the room. Gives us a chance to have that overnight stay a normal mom would have after having a full term baby with a nurse on duty.

Houston at 8 weeks old