*there's one less sign of babyhood

Will no longer takes a pacifier! That was quick. It took one day. :) He only used it when he was sleeping so now I'm encouraging him to "shop" amongst his belongings for an alternate comfort item for naps and bedtime.

I just saw this article today about Dental Problems of Prematurity. I can tell the shape of Will's palate has been affected by his pacifier. I expect it to go away with time. I'm not looking forward to his first dentist appointment because he is very defensive about brushing his teeth. A remaining, yet understandable, sign of his oral aversion. He gags easily and that occasionally leads to vomiting. I will be very curious to see if they find any troubles in his mouth from his NICU time (such as the palatal groove sometimes caused by intubation they mention). It was nice to see them offer an explanation about why it took his teeth so long to come in. His first showed up at 13 months, right before I really started to worry if he had any teeth in there or not. 

I've still got pictures to upload from his card appointment and the race in March so stay tuned.

*there's 2 years

Today is Will's 2nd open heart surgiversary! 

Our celebratory cookies are A-dorable!

more pics to come...right before I could load the picture of all the cookies together I suddenly ran out of memory and didn't even know that was a thing that could happen

Scar check:

2 weeks post-op

2 years post-op

Since the poem below is long I wanted to make sure I highlighted at least part of it:
You already have quite a story,
Which you can someday share,
And I can see it's beauty,
Behind that scar you wear.

BEHIND YOUR SCAR
Sometimes I have those "moments",
When I think...life's just... not fair,
Then I think of all you've been through,
And I see the scar you bear.

A faded line right down your chest,
Made with such careful precision,
We wanted you to have a chance,
Could there be any other decision?

And so I trace that "perfect" scar,
Made with the utmost care,
And I realize there is purpose,
Behind this scar you wear.

What have you taught us?
You've taught us how to face a storm,
(Some things are just out of our hands)
Life has no handy guidebook,
(Things don't always go as you've planned)

People come into our lives,
(Sometimes it is just for a season)
But God brings them into our lives,
(And I know that He must have a reason)

Normal, uneventful days,
(The kind that we always hoped for)
These are the days I say, "Wow God",
We just never know what lies in store.

If I can place a feeding tube,
Without even getting distraught,
Perhaps, maybe, I might be...
Much stronger than I thought.

It's okay to be afraid,
And it's alright to cry,
It's okay to feel lost sometimes,
It's even okay to ask...why?

You face life with courage,
(Knowing God set you apart)
Every little thing you do,
You do with all of your heart.

No crystal ball exists for us,
(To see us through each strife)
We only have one wish for you...
An ordinary life.

You've taught us to love one another,
(Helping each other to cope)
You've taught us compassion for others,
You've taught us to never lose hope.

You already have quite a story,
Which you can someday share,
And I can see it's beauty,
Behind that scar you wear.

~Stephanie Husted

 

A book dedicated to helping children see the beauty of their scars.

*there's the race

Will's therapy center recently had a race to raise money for their expansion. It was a lot of fun!
I have more photos from the race to share soon but will start with this promotional video: