Updates!

I confess, I’m a negligent blogger.  I always think, “I should write a post about this!”…and then I don’t.  Forgive me, those of you who wait with baited breath, checking multiple times each day for a fresh post, for disappointing you.  (I know there are tons of you out there.)

Since my last post, many of you have been asking about Baby K.  I know so many of you are praying for her and her family as well, and I want you to know that your prayers are being answered every day.  Baby K is thriving!  The doctors have decided to wait to do her repair surgery, and she will be going the “paint & wait” route like we will. (Paint & Wait is a method in which a hardening cream is applied to the O to toughen the membrane, and the skin is encouraged to grow over the O to protect it.  “Closure” surgery will be done at a later time, once the abdomen has grown big enough to accommodate the organs.  For Baby K, they’re expecting to do closure sometime in the first year of life.  For Cupcake, between age 3-5.)    In fact, she may even be discharged from the NICU as early as tomorrow because her O is looking awesome, and she’s even nursing at will!  I know!  It’s a big wonderful surprise to us all!   What a little achiever!  I even got to hold her today while visiting with her sweet, strong mama.   Holding that precious little one in all her glory brought tears to my eyes and made me long to hold my own special girl.  

Speaking of Cupcake, we also have exciting news!  When we had our echocardiogram last week, the doctor saw no sign of the hole in her heart!  We are hoping that this means it has closed and that our little one is becoming more whole with each day.  We are past the 34-week mark, which is a big hurdle, as I am now almost 35 weeks along (and looking every bit of it)!   She is estimated to be about 5 lbs now.  Cupcake is still a very active baby, and is having a real party in my belly, which is fine with her mama as long as she doesn’t invite anyone in.  

Here’s her most recent portrait:  slumbering after a long night of partying.

And what she looks like from the outside: (Me at 33 weeks)

A Special Day: Wednesday, November 14, 2012

An amazing thing happened today:  a dear friend of mine gave birth to her beautiful baby girl.   (Actually this has happened a lot recently, as so many of my girlfriends, new and longstanding, have had babies.   And I wish I could write about each one and how special their mamas are, too.) 

But today’s birth was a bit different.   This friend of mine is dear to me not because we have been friends for a long time.  In fact, we just met 2 short weeks ago.  She is dear to me because we share a very unique understanding of each other, and a story that bonds us together for what I expect will be a lifetime.  We are Mothers Of Omphalocele babies.   "MOO's" for short (flattering, yes?).  

In the process of trying to learn as much as I can about our little one’s condition, I have made some beautiful connections.  One mom in Australia has encouraged me and answered my endless questions over email, and one mom in Newport News has opened her home and heart to us and introduced us to her 2-year-old daughter with a giant O.   Their stories have continuously brightened the light shining at the end of this tunnel.   When I see these particular little girls, running around with a bulging belly or a pink tummy scar, HAPPY and healthy, living life like every other child, I glow with hope inside.

When we first found out that our baby had a condition that only occurred once in every 10,000 births, we thought we may never meet anyone who had walked this road before us.   Who would answer our questions?  Who would understand our fears?   Looking back, my jaw almost drops at how foolishly we doubted that the Lord would provide us everything we needed to face this trial.   He has provided.  He has given exactly what we longed for, and abundantly more. 

And one of the greatest blessings He’s given me is this dear friend, due just a month ahead of me (although she delivered 3 weeks early today), to share this unexpected, unpredictable, fearful, joyful, painful, beautiful journey.   We met for coffee and hit it off immediately, both Navy wives.  Our girls will grow up together, even when separated by the miles between new duty stations, bound together by an indelible tie that few share. 

Us and our baby girls, Tuesday, Nov. 13

So today is a very special day, Baby K’s birth day.  She is doing very well in the NICU, breathing on her own with just a little oxygen booster, and is absolutely amazing.   Her mama is doing well, too.   Her treatment plan is still up in the air pending some procedures/testing Thursday.  Please lift Baby K, her family, and her medical team up in your prayers. 

Welcome to the world, baby K!   You are a precious gift to all of us.   Fight hard, sweet girl, and know we are rooting for you all the way.