My very first Blog.

Well, I have decided to start a blog for a variety of reasons so here goes.  This blogging thing is a little more complicated than I thought so please be patient.  First things first I am a horrible speller so get over it.  I promise to use spell check but that is as good as it gets.  This is going to be more of a private thing than facebook so it will be by invitation only.  If you don't want to read our blog and for some reason you get updates just let me know and I can delete you.  Trust me I will not be offended as I know we are really just boring people. 

I guess the real reason this all came about was for me to be able to explain what is going on in Jaxon's life mostly.  I would like to document his progress so later in life he can see where he's been.  I have my days when I get down and just being able to type out what is going on helps me relax.  I DO NOT want anyone's sympathy for anyone in our family.  We are very blessed with our health, jobs, and a wonderful loving support system.  That's not what this is about.  We come across family members who still don't know some of the basic things and I guess I'm going to make it easier to keep up.  Like I said if you don't want to that's fine.  I of all people know everyone is busy, everyone has something going on in their lives so if you don't want to keep up we don't mind.  I will try to keep up with this.  It may end up being a bust so we'll see.

I guess I'll just start with today.  Jaxon and I had a wonderful afternoon at the park with my sister Amanda's kids.  The wind was crazy and it was a little chilly but when has that ever stopped kiddos from wanting to go to the park.  Brynna is gonna be 2 in a few days, she went through the whole list asking where everyone was 1st it was Papa, Mommy, Nana.  I said sorry sister your stuck with me!!  She seemed ok with that when it was all finalized LOL.  Jaxon loves being outside and watching the kids running around just topped it off.  Grandma Kaff came by the park to visit with Jaxon.  He just soaks up the attention of course.  I got practice with a busted lip, missing shoes, missing mommy, other kids not playing nice.  With that said watching the kids enjoying each other made all those things look small.  To be young again.

I've been asked to be on a March of Dimes family support group council.  I was very excited to begin doing this.  We do all kinds of things for families in the NICU.  Everyone kind of does something different.  We have sibling classes, donuts and coffee days, craft days for the parents to make their preemie something.  We also do stuff for the mothers on bedrest, informational classes on NICU, movies, and so on.   It's a great program that was just taking off when we had Jaxon and I really benefited from some of the classes, so to be able to give back I felt was a great opportunity.  I will begin talking to mothers on bed rest in the hospital tomorrow.  I really feel like maybe this is something I'm supposed to do.  I do believe we were given Jaxon for a reason.  I have begun to see many of them in the last year.  A few are: how strong I really am, how strong my marriage is, "You don't know what you would do until its you",  Who our true friends are, how judgemental/ignorant/rude people can be, To ask for help, its ok to cry when you need to just to name a few.

Well that's enough for now.  I will try to post tomorrow and give a little more information on Jaxon so we can begin our journey of documenting.

Jaxon's Journey

1 day old.

 I'm going backwards and introducing my favorite little guy for those of you who are just joining us or don't already know us.  Jaxon was born in July 2009 at 26 weeks (14 weeks premature) due to pre eclampisa.  I spent 2 weeks on hospital bed rest and it was decided he would have a better chance in the NICU.

Jaxon came into the world at 1lb 3oz 10.75inches.  I never dreamed a baby could look so small.  He fought many times for his life.  He couldn't breath on his own, got a very serious blood infection, Grade IV brain bleed and hydrocephalus.  Due to the brain bleed he has mild Cerebral Palsy and the hydrocephalus has caused him to have epileptic seizures.  During our stay Jaxon had 1 surgery to close the ventricle by his heart (PDA ligation) that normally closes upon birth.  At almost 2 lbs, he just seemed so tiny for a surgeon to cut on his little body.  We spent 126days in the NICU and finally got a release to go home.

Jaxon never ate from a bottle in the NICU and so shortly after arriving home a g-tube was placed, which he still has today.  This little boy is the model of "Superman"  He has a strength that cannot be matched.  Jason and I are the luckiest parents in the world to be blessed with such a miracle.

3 days old.  Eyes still sealed shut.

Our 1st time getting to hold him in our hands.

1st Family Picture at almost 1 month.  He was scheduled for surgery the next day.