11 lbs 15.5 oz

I've tried very hard to get a perfect picture of Coy smiling....but as soon as he sees the camera, he gets the serious face! Tasha, I need you! =)

this and that

This past weekend, my brother & sis-in-law and their two kiddos, Macey & Thomas, came to town. We all had an awesome time playing and catching up with each other. Sara (my SIL) had two appointments at MD Anderson here in Houston to discuss her pituitary tumor. She said the Neurosurgeon sounded very optimistic about removing the tumor successfully and in one piece. He said it's "nice & round" and should not be difficult removing. (Yeah, easy for him to say!) Anyway--they are still doing labs and other testing for her Endocrinologist and then they will hopefully schedule the surgery soon. Please continue to keep my sweet SIL in your thoughts and prayers. Other good news is, they (my bro & SIL) are moving to Houston! They are now living in Austin, but recently bought a house near us! It is literally walking distance away. I am so excited they will be so close.

Some things Coy is loving now: eating his hands, smiling and squealing, his bouncy chair, talking to him, sleeping at night!, and George the Girafee (his teething toy). Everyday he is doing new things. It is so much fun to watch him grow up.

Coy had two appointments this week. On Monday, he was seen by the Pulmonolgist. She thought he looked fantastic. Unfortunately, I was not feeling well, so Chris & my sister took him. They are too good to me. (Since Coy's birth, I have not been ill. I woke up Sunday with a sore throat and some congestion...of course I panicked because I had been kissing on Coy all weekend. Thankfully, he seems to be doing fine and I am already feelin better.) The pulmonologist basically said she did not feel he needed oxygen anymore, however, before she can officially say this, he needs to have a Sleep Study. This is where we will go stay overnight in the Sleep Lab and Coy will be monitored all night for his breathing, heart rate, saturations, etc. I hear it's lots of fun (insert sarcasm!). Hopefully, this will be scheduled soon.

Today, Coy was seen by the GI doctor. He thought he looked great and said his weight gain is terrific. He was 11 lbs 11 oz naked and was 22.5 inches long! I can't believe he's grown 10 inches since his birth! He is now fitting into 3 month clothes. I absolutely LOVE buying outfits for him and dressing him everyday. Coy still consisently has 3 nights per week where is he really fussy. It usually starts while feeding him is last bottle of the day. He then continues to cry if you aren't walking around with him or standing up while holding him. The GI doc increased the dose of Zantac, and if this persists, then we will go to something stronger.

Over the weekend, we made several trips out with Coy. He went to two more restaurants and on a shopping trip with me, Aunt Steph, and Grams Cook. I love being able to take him out more. It feels so nice to have him with me all the time. Chris and I just grinned so huge when we had him at a restaurant on Friday night. Chris carried in him in the car seat and said "Wow, this is amazing, we are the parents with the baby." It feels surreal to us. We are so thankful.

Since he is out and about more often, I have run into a question from strangers that I don't really know how to answer. I mean, I should know how to answer it, but how much detail do I go into? The question being, "Oh, how cute, how old is he?" Hmmm....I sigh, smile and say, "Well, he's about 6.5 months old, but he was born 17 weeks early..." They usually look at him again and while doing the math. One lady got so excited, she even called her friend over and said..."Look, this baby was born at 23 weeks...isn't that amazing?" I am so happy for others to see God's miracle out and about, in the flesh, with their own eyes. I want nothing more than to give God all the glory for Coy. He is a true miracle. And if he can lead one person to Him, then it's all worth explaining everything over and over. So, I guess I just answered my own question!

Today after taking Coy to the doctor, I was pulling out of a parking garage (the worst designed garage in America!) and accidentally hit a car. I didn't hit it hard, though. I was turning a corner too sharply and my back tire pulled off their license plate holder thing (they were backed in and their front bumper was sticking out into the lane) and left a little scratch. I am an honest person, so I left a note for the person to call me, so I could explain and tell them I would pay for the damage. The woman called me, and left a message on my voicemail. She seemed very nice and said it was a rental car and she was on her way to returning it. Chris called her back and her husband answered the phone. He tried to tell Chris that there was "great damage" to the car. There wasn't, it was really minor, no dents or anything, no one would call it "great damage." I snapped a picture of it just for proof. When Chris told the guy, "Sir, I have seen a picture of the damage, it is very minor," he said, "oh, okay...." It's sad that when trying to do the "right" thing, you have to protect yourself against people who try to take advantage of the situation. Anyway---don't know what we'll owe for it yet, but it shouldn't be much. And now Chris will be making fun of me for ages....I always complain about his driving. And now, I've hit a car it a parking garage. Oh well, it was a honest mistake!

(To answer a question from last week...we have 2 Maltese dogs, Dixie and Sugar Pie; they love Coy and always want to be near him. They were our "first babies" and love affection/attention...)

2 Corinthians 1:8-11

"....We were under great pressure, far beyond
our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."

We have discovered a new form of entertainment to keep Coy occupied for hours. Grams Cook decided to put a ball in front of him this past weekend, and what do you know, he loved it! Daddy played baseball, but I have a feeling, little man may want to try soccer! =D (Of course, whatever he decides to "do" will be okay with us!)

Oh yeah, he is 6.5 months actual and 12 weeks corrected age. He is now 11 lbs 8 oz!

Father's Day Weekend

Coy continues to bless our lives more and more each day. I never imagined I could love so much. He makes my days brighter, my smile bigger, and my heart softer. He continues to amaze us with his sweet and playful personality. He is so happy, so joyful, and so content (most of the time!).

This weekend Coy took his first trip to a restaurant! Oh my goodness, like any first timers, I was beyond nervous. Chris was on a "mini-vacation" or guys retreat for Friday & Saturday, so Coy and I went out to eat to celebrate Father's Day with my dad, mom, & sis. I had my bags all packed, ready for anything to happen, dirty diapers, puke, hunger, etc. Coy was so excited to be out in public. He was looking all around trying to take in the new environment. I was trying to not draw attention to us because I was so apprehensive people would try to touch him. I "wore" him in my awesome sling (another great find by brilliant S-I-L Jenny) and of course that did draw attention from every direction. The good news was that no one attempted a touch, I think that it was because people didn't want to touch me (kinda an invasion of personal space!) and to touch Coy, they would have to touch me (well, practically). So, it was a good experience, and I think next time I will be a little more relaxed.

Another first for Coy is he's teething! Yep, already! The bottom front tooth is now poking through. I couldn't believe it! He's been so good with it; so far, it doesn't seem to be bothering him too much. (The Giraffe in the pictures below is a teething toy!)

On Sunday, Chris was back in town and ready for Father's Day. Coy is so in love with his daddy and his daddy is so in love with Coy. It is the sweetest thing to witness. I can't tell you how many times Coy has been fussy for me, and in walks daddy, and it's an instant smile from our little man. Chris is such a wonderful father. He has been an amazing source of strength for me since December. I am in awe of his loving heart, warmth, forgiving nature, and kind spirit. Coy is so blessed to have Chris as a father. My only wish for Coy is that when he grows up, he will be a Godly man like his father. Chris is a man of integrity who loves his family, works hard for our future, and gives everything he has to those he loves. We love you daddy!

new sound

Here is another video of Coy playing in his bouncy chair. For the life of me, I can not figure out how to get the video facing the right way. So, just turn sideways to watch it. And you'll need to stop the music player at the bottom of the page to hear what Coy has to say, it is hilarious....=)

eye update and more

We saw Dr. Hittner today for a 3 week check up....she said all looks good for now! We will see her back in one month. Coy is so alert these days. He looks at things/people/lights/etc. His eyes were dilated and he was lying on the exam table and when Dr. Hittner was standing over him ready for his exam, he arched his head back and starred her down. He really HATES having his eyes examined. I don't blame him. I think she would have to sedate me if she was doing it to me. Coy is so tough, he's our little fighter. Every time we're in Dr. Hittner's office, my anxiety shoots through the roof. I almost literally stop breathing while I wait for her report. She doesn't talk when she looks at his eyes, sometimes she takes a few minutes (feels like forever to me!) and other times she's quick. She is an amazing doctor; we are so thankful for her! Coy definitely has sight, we are so blessed!

Coy had his 6 month immunizations on Tuesday. He was not too happy about it. He had three shots and held his breath through them all, then let out a horrendous cry. It broke my heart. He settled back down and slept on the way home. (side note...he is now 11 lbs 2 oz and sleeping 7-8 hours per night, every night!)

notice the bandaids on both legs...=(

who me?
Since y'all love cloth diapers too....

I am using a brand called Fuzzi Bunz. They are so soft and very cute! I didn't know anything about them until my SIL (sis-in-law) Jenny (Ryder's mom) used them with our nephew. I have about 20 and wash them about twice per week. It is really very easy & not gross at all! (I am a nurse, I am use to poop!) But really, they all come clean every time, nothing is left over anywhere. Jenny is a CPA and great with money/numbers (I AM NOT!) and she figured out they will save money over time (I forget the exact amount, but it was substantial, again I am NOT good with numbers--or at least that's what I tell my husband after shopping..."um, I'm not sure how much I spent honey" okay just kidding...somewhat). They are also fun to match to his clothes....hey, it's fun to me.

I also have some very exciting news to report...my baby sister (she's not really a baby anymore at 25) and her husband are expecting a baby (girl--my feeling, too early to tell though) in January 2009. My selfish self was pretty torn with this news when I first heard about a month ago. Before you judge me, hear me out...I knew I had some deep seeded issues with pregnancy after delivering Coy so early, but did not realize how fresh my wounds still were. I thought I had moved on, healed, home, happy, all those things. But when I heard she was preggers, I literally thought "Why now God? I thought I had more time." My immature being wasn't ready to move on yet from my hurt....but with a lot of praying, God is truly healing me. Many of you are probably confused and thinking, "what does she have to mourn? she has a baby..." I guess you can't really go there unless you've given birth a little over half way into your pregnancy, and then you would probably get it. My mourning was more of a guilt, a feeling that I was a failure because my body failed and my precious son suffered the consequences. I could not keep him safely tucked away inside me; I could not keep him from harm or pain. I am happy to say, I am healed, healing, and whole with the pregnancy issues. I know that there is NOTHING I could have done to prevent his birth, it wasn't my fault. My rational brain knows this, and my emotional heart is still learning this. I am more excited than ever to have another cousin for Coy and love my sister to pieces. She will be an amazing mother and her husband, Chase, will be a devoted father. They are so ecstatic and it is just awesome to witness. Please pray for my sister, Stephanie, for her to have a completely healthy, full term, baby in January. Her OBGYN is aware of what happened with me, and is watching her extra closely (not that having a preemie is necessarily genetic or anything, more for the reassurance) and so far, everything looks great (with her baby girl =). )

...that being said, I would not want Coy any other way than he is. Prematurity issues and all. He's amazing & perfect. The love of my life. I cannot sit here and think "why me?" in a negative context anymore; I sit here now thinking "why me?" because I am blown away at how I am so blessed. I thank God each and every day for the very breath He gives me, my husband, and son. I thank Him for bringing the rain, bring the storm, and finally the rainbow. He is the Almighty Healer.

....we also need prayers for another S-I-L, Sara. She is married to my brother, Thomas, and they recently welcomed twins, Macey & Thomas, in January. Since giving birth, my SIL hasn't felt like herself. She went to the doctor but they couldn't figure out what was wrong. Recently, it was discovered that she has a tumor on her pituitary gland in her brain. The doctors are thinking that this tumor is NOT cancerous (Thank you God!) but it still needs to be removed. They are also testing her for Cushings Disease. She is in the process of seeing specialists to decide the plan of care, which type of surgery, when to do surgery, etc. Please keep her and my brother in your thoughts and prayers!

We are so thankful for all your devoted fellowship. We love you all.

"For by Him, all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers- or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him." Colossians 1:16

bath time!

I love my little crocodile!

Playing in his bouncy chair!

cutie pie

Coy is doing wonderful and we are just having a blast together. He is so much fun to play with these days. It is so amazing to see him develop. To watch him play brings tears to my eyes. I remember the days in the hospital prior to his birth, hearing his probable survival rate, less than 5%, less than 1% living a "normal" life. Our God is so good.

We had our private PT (physical therapy) evaluation on Friday. I was so very nervous. This therapist has over 20 years experience working with preemies and she was so amazing! She was so great with Coy, gave me lots of pointers, and said Coy was developing marvelously! She was very impressed with our little man and that made me so happy! We will see her once a month so she can keep an eye on Coy's development.

We see Dr. Hittner this Thursday to check on Coy's eyes. Please continue to pray for complete and total healing of his eyes! He will also have his 6 month immunizations this week.

Here are some pictures of the past week. He's now 10lbs 14 oz. (Notice he's off his oxygen...not official yet, but he's sating 96-100%....hopefully this is the end of the oxygen!)

Coy doing some tummy-time.


Notice all his hair! It's finally starting to grow!

We love our cloth diapers!

Thanks for all your continued love and support!

growing boy

Coy is maturing and growing before our eyes! This past weekend, Chris & I were so amazed at how differently he's acting! He loves chewing on his hand/fingers, looking at things (especially the T.V. which I know is a big no-no), smiling, his bouncy chair (see video below). I am so VERY thankful for our miracle. He just takes my breath away.

He is now 6 months old actually, however, his corrected age is 2 months. This is how old he would be if born on his original due date of 3/28/08. Preemies are evaluated developmentally based on their corrected age, especially a VERY premature baby like Coy. He goes this Friday for a private PT evaluation---please pray that this goes well, that he's developing right on target!

Coy weighs 10 lbs 8 oz and his getting so heavy to me! I think I need to hit the weights! We go back to the Pulmonolgist in 3 weeks, at that time, we will most likely discuss weaning him off the oxygen (which is IMPOSSIBLE to keep in his nose since he's strong now and pulls it out) and doing a sleep study. He is eating 3.5-5 oz every 3-4 hours in about 15 minutes. He has been having more spit up than usual this week, however, I do feel the medications and your prayers are helping.

His cardiologist called and informed me his 24 hour holter report looked good. His lowest HR (heart rate) was 76bpm, which she said was acceptable and nothing to worry about. This is good to hear; I was worried about his arrhythmia, WPW, and his medication dosage. He is on a beta blocker, Propranolol, every 6 hours.

Please continue to lift him up in prayer! We are so beyond blessed!

"The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them." Psalm 145: 17-19

Sleeping on Chris...

"Please, who invited the paparazzi? I'm trying to enjoy my Saturday afternoon in peace..."
Here is a video of Coy cooing (or at least that's what I think it is, correct me if I'm wrong!) He even laughed a few times today, however I did not get it on video!