Micah's 4th Birthday!

Micah's four today! 

This is the child I didn't think we were going to keep. We were given little hope when Micah first had his crisis that he would survive. 

And now he's four. I'm so glad that God's plan included leaving Micah here with us! 

Happy Birthday, little man! We love you! 


And I know I've been absent... more about that tomorrow!

Parenting Makes Me the Student

We took Micah to his genetics checkup in Cincinnati yesterday. His doctor always orders labwork to check his amino acid levels and that's not Micah's idea of fun. I told him that I would not let them do that unless it were necessary to keep him healthy and that I was sorry that it hurt.  But as much as he hates it and I hate to see him cry, I don't ever stop them from drawing his blood. Why? 

Because I love him. Because I know that they need to check his leucine levels so we can make adjustments to keep him healthy. Because that's the only way we can take good care of his health. 

I can see the bigger picture. He sees the immediate: his brief pain, his fear. 

So often when things happen in life that I don't like I act just like my three-year-old. I react in panic thinking there must be some mistake instead of remembering that God loves me. God loves me much more than I can ever love Micah and I can rest in His love.  

He loves me. He's making the adjustments in my life to keep me healthy spiritually. He can see the future goal while I see the disappointments. He sees the purpose; I see the pain. 

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.  2 Corinthians 4:17

God is continually at work in my life because He loves me.  Psalm 138:8 states, "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me:" Philippians 1:6 reminds me, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." 

Micah runs to me after they draw his blood. He is calmed by my assurances of love for him and remembers how we always take care of him. I can run to God in my problems and be reassured by His promise of love toward me and remember what He has done for me in the past.  Romans 8:38-39, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

Micah should mature and handle the labwork better even though it will never be something he looks forward to. I should also mature spiritually and rest in God's sovereignty and love even though I don't long for problems. God is allowing it because He loves me. Just like we let them draw Micah's blood because we love him. 

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side; 

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; 

Leave to thy God to order and provide; 

In every change He faithful will remain. 

Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

"Be Still, My Soul" by Catharine von Schlegel

Early K-3

I said a few weeks ago that we (Micah and I) were in unofficial school. And I really meant unofficial. I never call it "school" to Micah. I want him to think that learning is fun and normal, not shoved into a small corner of time called "school." However despite all that I did put some supplies in a basket. (Actually, it was linen bin I had in Kevin's closet.)

The Contents

We have our Bible story book and our "God Made the World" book in our basket. We read through this storybook when Micah was little but haven't use it for a while. He loves the other book. 

There are three number books. He especially likes "Ned's Number Book." It's very cute. And old. 

We have four alphabet books. He really enjoys them all but especially the big flip book at the bottom. 

Our Bible principle notebook that I made (and haven't finished- need some applicable stickers.)

A coloring book and a tracing workbook. We'll probably start "tracing" with our finger to begin with. 

I stuck two little books for Kevin in there. Micah loved the Mommy book when he was little and he really enjoys "The Hungry Caterpillar." We just bought it for Kevin.

Two little sets of flashcards. This is how I know Micah knows his colors :) 

And a color/shapes puzzle and an alphabet puzzle that we haven't really used yet. 

We don't work out of it every day but we read the number and alphabet books almost every day. He really enjoys reading so it's a fun way to teach him! We'll gradually add in more work with some of the other materials as we progress. 

The bin sits by the couch so it's easy to pick something out of it when we're reading and he frequently looks through it when the boys are playing. I like having it in the bin instead of the bottom of the bookcase because really, who wants to sit on the hard floor to read? Although it might help me stay awake...

Micah's 3rd Birthday

"Somewhere safe."  It was the basis of my most distinct and most impossible feeling of intensive care. I wanted to yank out all the wires and tubes, snatch my baby up, and run far far away. Somewhere he was safe and healthy. Where all I needed to do was rock him and whisper sing to him during the night.  Where all he needed was food and snuggling, not Iv's, dialysis, or blood transfusions. 

Instead all I could do was wait. And pray. And wait and pray some more. Time there functions differently than in real life. It was startling to realize that life for everyone we knew was continuing as normal because life had paused inside that hospital. Things I had never considered consumed my world.  Would the ammonia counts stay down? Would he come out of his coma? 

 Every beautiful spring day still reminds me of those weeks in the hospital.  The sun shone. The birds sang. The window in Micah's room in the B-Pod overlooked the Ronald McDonald house where we had a room. We didn't stay there much. We spent nights in Micah's room listening to machines beep and tube-feeding formula, talking to nurses and watching Micah sleep. The night pace is much slower. I learned to read all the machines Micah was hooked up to; it almost caused me to have a heart attack when he started having arrythmias and we were the only ones in his room. 

The pace of the nicu may not be soothing to a mama's heart but somehow God uses it to heal small bodies. I used to sit in the rocker beside his bed and cuddle him, determined to figure out how to do whatever was necessary to help him stay healthy. Place NG tubes, mix formula, count leucine. I didn't care what we had to do as long as we got to do it.  

And we have gotten to do it. Today he turns three. That piece of my heart in little boy form. My miracle that I almost didn't have.  He grins as I kiss his face and runs up behind me for a hug. He rests his head on my shoulder before I tuck him into bed and my heart skips a beat capturing the moment. Thankfully, he's had few complications from IVA. Yes, there have been plenty of doctor's appointments, trips to the ER, visits to Cincinnati, and clock-driven gtube feeds.  But God has blessed him with amazing health. And I wouldn't give back anything I've learned for a smoother experience.  Instead I thank God every day that he's still here. 

Happy Birthday, Micah! 

Friday Favorites

Picture overload today, people! Apparently I took tons of pictures the past week and a half! And I love them all! 

And....drum roll please....Happy Birthday to my mom! I'd tell you how old she is but she might kill me. You wouldn't believe me anyway! 

 First time on a big boy swing. He loved it! And only fell off once :) 

Now I knew we had enough baby clothes for three or four babies. I didn't know we had enough baby clothes for fifteen babies! When I went through Kevin's clothes, I sorted out enough for us to keep and I'm taking all of these to my cousin who is having her first boy. I'm so glad she needs them! 

Kevin loved the park! 

Veggie Tales after naptime!

Kevin does NOT like baby food. Mixing it into his cereal did not trick him either. 

There's so much cuteness I don't know what to do with myself! Enjoy your weekend! 

7 Months and Family Picture

Our church made family portraits on Easter! I love how ours turned out! Look at those cute boys! 

Baby's 7 Months Old!! Isn't he the cutest? 

Baby in a basket! 

 Dirty nose! How can you find that much dirt on a porch? 

 Cheesing it up during breakfast! 

Metabolics and Elections

Micah had a metabolics appointment in Cincinnati today. We hadn't been back up since a month or two before we had Kevin so this was a first as a family of four. We, as usual, had a great time! Kevin slept almost the whole time we were in the car and Micah didn't sleep at all! He got really tired part of the way back and then picked up his second wind!

Micah's appointment went great! I am so thankful for his doctor and the great staff at CCHMC.  They are amazing and God has really blessed us with them! There are not many doctors who do what Dr. Burrow does and even fewer do it with the skill and genuine care for his patients that he has. They are pleased with Micah's health and drew blood for some labwork. Assuming it looks fine and Micah doesn't get sick he doesn't go back until May. (He'll be three then! What??)  They were excited to meet Kevin as well. Dr. Burrow asked us when we were having Number Three and we told him to hold his horses for a while :) 

We ate at Chili's and Micah sat in the booth with me. He's always sat in the high chair before. He had a great time eating chips and salsa with me. Although he's not learned about not double-dipping :) 

We did vote early this morning before we left! As I was walking in I was thanking God that we lived in a country where we get to vote for our leader! Maybe my choice won't win but I am glad that we have a voice. Many people around the world never get that chance! 

And now for your viewing pleasure (and because I love pictures of my boys!)

 Playing with pumpkins! 

And playing with pumpkin seeds. (It made me feel like a fun mom but made a huge mess and we haven't done it since! haha) 

 Cutie pie! 

Seeing some true personality here!

Playing with his kitchen equipment.

Playing the piano! 

Um...he actually moved him! 

He was almost asleep until I pulled out the iPad :) 

Yup, that's 48 pounds of boy! 

More Pictures

 

My tiniest darling is already two and a half weeks old! Yes, I'm one of "those" moms and it makes me sad! At the same time, I feel like we've had him forever! Two boys are an awful lot of fun! We're settling in nicely and I should be back to regular posting next week. 

 

Bubble fun!

 

 

Me and the boys watching VeggieTales

 

 

Baby snuggles! Love :)

 

Playtime!

 

 

Oven mitts!

 

 

Kevin in the baby wrap! I love this thing! It's so nice for when I go outside to play with Micah. We've gone right on with our normal morning walks.