We are enjoying family time!!

We do have our appointment now with the Pediatric Pulmonologist. We'll go to Jackson March 27th for the appointment. I'm not sure which doctor we will see (or if there's more than one?), but that's when we're going. I'm feeling really good about Drew's progress this last week. On oxygen he's been holding his saturation above 95 (anything over 92 is good). I have been able to take him off oxygen each morning for a couple of hours this week!! That's awesome!! I'm really proud of him. When he takes a longer nap and at night I have to turn him up a little higher on the oxygen, but that's to be expected. I feel confident we'll have a good appointment.

On to other things...Friday, Alan was home because of the rain and we got a wild hair. We called some friends that have a condo in Gulf Shores and it was empty this weekend. So we loaded up the van and down we came. We all needed a break from the same old scenory. Of course with Drew we can't go out to eat and do the normal beach stuff. But that's just fine! Being able to be in a different place and just hang out in pj's and ordering out good food has been great for us. It's also taken the kids away from all their toys and they've started noticing Drew more. They's been talking to him and making him laugh. Alan and I have stopped several times to just watch and enjoy our wonderful gifts from God. We're so fortunate to have these 4 children. About 3 this morning I woke up to tell Alan Drew was awake and he should get up to feed him (ha!)....and I looked over and Houston and Hannah were curled up together like they used to do in the isolate in the hospital. They were the sweetest I've seen then in a while. At home they have separate beds and haven't slept together since they were about 3 months old. It was so nice to see them in that moment.

I hope you enjoy some new pics

Finally an update....

Sorry it's been so long...I've been a little busy. We had an appointment this morning with our pediatrician and things are going good with Drew. We've had a few ups and downs this last week, but I think I've got it under control.

Last Thursday night we were woken by his monitor and he had stopped breathing for at least 20 seconds for the monitor to sound. His heart rate was dropping a little, but again the alarm sounds at 98 and this still isn't bad. He usually stays in the 130's with his heart rate. I moved him around a little and he quickly caught his breath. We haven't had any trouble with that since. We have an O2 monitor at home now so we can watch his oxygen saturation levels....thank you Jesus and Dr. Ruff! I'm having to go up a little on his oxygen at night bc he's still such a heavy sleeper. We'll have an appointment sometime within the next month with a Pediatric Pulmonologist (spell?) , not sure where or who yet, to better check Drew's progress. But, for now all is well and and we're better than we were last week.

Hannah, Hollise, and Houston are getting used to having a new brother at home. It's funny to hear them all arguing over whose brother he is...they just don't get it. Hannah and Hollise think he's a real baby doll and they feed their babies, change their diapers, use burp cloths and the whole bit when we feed Drew. Houston on the other hand likes Drew just fine as long as he's not in my arms. He's just not so sure about a new brother. But, he's gotten new boots and a hat out of the deal so I think he'll be fine :)

We've been taking time on the weekend to have one on one time with each of the kids. Last week I took the girls to Dandy Doodles (you can see pics on their web site under customer creations). Houston got to go out for ice cream and fell asleep before getting to the end of our road. He and Alan are going to watch the dirt bikes this Friday night so he'll have fun then I'm sure.

I'll post new pics when I'm around a computer with DSL...dial up is just too slow for me!

Thank you very much for all your prayers..Please keep praying. We still have a ways to go to come off this oxygen. But of course the Lord could change that for us!!

Have a good week everyone

Sorry it's taken me so long to update after Drew's doctor visit. He had a great appointment and he's gained a whole pound since coming home...he needed his Mommy :) We'll go back in two weeks for his Synagis (hope i spelled it right) shot (RSV) and hopefully they'll set up monitoring at that time without the oxygen. Some people having been asking if Drew is on oxygen all the time and how much. He is on the oxygen 24/7 unless where changing his clothes or giving him a bath. And by the way he loves his bath! He is on 100ml of 100% oxygen per minute. This isn't very much oxygen at all. I know the 100% sounds strong but really he's only getting 100 ml of the 100%...which is really little oxygen. He mainly needs the flow.

Today is Alan's 32nd Birthday!! It's wonderful sharing this day with our entire family together. We're not having cake because our friend Brandy makes such wonderful brownies my husband is on a brownie kick. So we're having brownies instead...good luck to me on making them.

Thanks everyone and please keep your Prayers coming...God is listening.

Hi everyone,

Things are going great with Drew at home. Hannah and Hollise love to feed him and Houston...he thinks Drew is great as long as long as he is in the swing and he can swing him higher and higher. (just when we're not looking)

Drew has an appointment tomorrow at 1:30 with the Dr so I'll update later.

Andrew is finally home!!!

Houston is so tired from playing with Drew all morning...thank goodness, lol

Doesn't Hannah look like a Happy Big Sister

They're wearing their "I'm a Big Brother/Sister Shirts and seeing him in person for the first time. You think Hollise is excited?

This past week has been full of so many ups and downs. Earlier in the week Andrew was put back on the oxygen because he was sleeping so sound and dropping his O2 level. He is not exactly having trouble breathing, he's not always expanding his lungs enough to oxygenate the blood as he should. His doctor said that would push back or date for bringing him home. Alan and I talked with his doctor about bringing him home on oxygen. We had a very healthy, month old boy in NICU that could be healing and on oxygen at home. It was so hard on all of us being so far from him. I just knew if we were able to have him at home he would progress much faster. I was only able to feed him once a day and see him just over an hour a day. After 37 days I just needed my little boy home and God has given me that wonderful gift.

We have him at home with portable oxygen tanks and a machine that uses the air in our home to generate his oxygen. We were a bit concerned about the kids...3 2 year olds, tubes, tanks, machines, new little brother....just screams trouble. But this has been far from what has happened. They love him so much and understand the "tubes" are there to help Drew. Drew's first feeding at home he had plenty of helpers!! They all brought him a diaper and burp cloths and wanted to hold his bottle. They've really been a big help.

Drew is adjusting really well. At first it was really quiet in our room and Drew was used to constant noise..he didn't like the quiet so much. Now he's sleeping so good when it's nice and quiet. He started fussing yesterday because I was talking on the phone in our room. He's such a peaceful little boy and we're so thankful he's home.

He will have a check-up next Thursday and they'll monitor him off the oxygen in 3-4 weeks. Hopefully he won't need it at all by then, if so that's fine. He will heal in God's time and although I'm not patient my Mother and Step-Mother told me this past week sometimes we just have to be patient and wait for God. How right they are. Thursday I was at the hospital thinking about all the changes the Lord had made in our lives just the last week and I can't help but think of the verse Dennis Crabtree kept on his desk. "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" Psalms 27:14 That's exactly what Alan and I had to do...we just needed to be patient and wait for Him.

Thank you very much to Carrie Edwards and Dawn Morgan for dinner last week. I'm not sure if Alan or the kids liked the ice cream better. It was a wonderful dinner and the thought from the both of you really made me feel so good. I just can't describe what that meant to me.

Brandy Monfort....the last brownie was eaten about an hour ago!! I don't know what you do different than I do, but Alan thinks they're fabulous.

Mr. Tommy Luke, I really appreciate the thoughts and prayers for our family. Thank you for the diapers!!!

Thank you all for keeping up with our family and keeping us in your prayers. It means so much to us. Please keep your prayers coming.

Drew and His GrandMama

Drew with Mimi

Drew and Gammy

This morning Drew had some bloodwork done along with an x-ray. His x-ray shows his lungs are clear!!!! His bloodwork was great...Prayers are being ANSWERED every day!! God is just so good.

You know, Alan and I knew we had things good. But it wasn't until we started hearing other stories or seeing others going through similar situation that we see how wonderful our family really is. Our Mothers and our Step-Mother have stopped, rearranged, changed plans and done whatever is needed to help Alan and me. We know they don't mind and that's just the supportive family we have...we're truly fortunate because not everyone has that kind of support. Our Dad's help too, but my Mom, Gina, and Jackie really do so much for us. They have been keeping Hannah, Hollise, and Houston for us (often). They've stopped work to help us, they've cooked, cleaned our house, given baths, ran errands, anything we've needed to keep things going. I can't thank the three of you enough. We just couldn't go through this without you. And I know there are so many more to thank, but these women are truly wonderful and so special to us and our children's lives.

Thank you