One Step, Two Steps, Three or Four More!

Brody is walking! He's been taking a few independent steps from one object to another for about a week now. But last night he decided he could do this walking thing.

What this means for mom: Keeping all doors shut at all times, more locks and supervision, and start running so I can catch up.

Fall Flashbacks

It's finally Fall in Las Vegas, and this cooler weather and autumn feel has brought floods of memories to mind. I found myself craving a turkey pastrami sandwich with chocolate milk today. I know it sounds odd, but at about this time last year I was getting up every morning, getting ready, packing a lunch, and running out the door. I would then drive across town to Sunrise Children's Hospital, take the elevator to the second floor, go check on my baby, and then go pump and eat my lunch (which sometimes consisted of a turkey pastrami sandwich and a chocolate milk). I can hardly believe it was just a year ago. I look at my son now and think of how much he has grown. He is getting so big (to us). He is crawling and walking with help. He signs please. He definately knows what he wants and how to get his way. And he still makes me laugh and makes my heart melt.
While cleaning out some files on my computer I came across this post I was working on last year. I thought I would share it.

Lessons from the NICU
What having a son in the NICU has taught me about parenthood…

- As Derek puts it, “Our son is not Superman.” He’s not going to get bigger, stronger, and healthier overnight. And sometimes he might regress. As he continues to grow and get older, this will not change. He will stumble and fall. My job, as the mother, is to encourage him to get back up and try again, to love him and comfort him, and to stand by him no matter how long it takes.

- SACRIFICE. Pumping in the middle of the night for a baby across town. Need I say more?

- Brody will do it on his own time in his own way. He is stubborn. The nurses but him on his back and he rolls over to his stomach. The nurses put in a tube to feed him through the nose, he pulls it out. He eats only as much as he wants. No amount of coaxing by his pleading parents gets him to finish a bottle if he is satisfied. Brody is STUBBORN, but he is a fighter! He will eat. He will grow. He will eventually come home. But it will be on his own time. When he decides to.