This is what life is all about...

I was laying in bed the other night after Ethan's 2am feeding and I looked over at Ethan on my right who was in his co-sleeper sleeping away, Brayden and my husband on my left and I just smiled. ( yes you read that right, we have both boys in our room with us and we couldn't be happier right now...it will change soon though :) ) It was like at that moment all the weight of the past seven months were lifted off my shoulders right then and there. I thought to myself... this is what life is supposed to be like, this is how a mommy to a new baby boy should feel like, this is what all of those other moms have been feeling like. It was good. I am in love with my family.
 
Okay so now on to a little update on Ethan. He is doing well at home. He has gained a little over a pound in the week he has been home. He is 11lbs now...left the hospital at 9lbs 13 oz. He just wasn't gaining much weight at the hospital and I guess being home was just what he needed. :) He has had a couple of followup appointments the past week and they were very happy with him and the progress he made the past week at home. One of our favorite PICU doctors told me that he helps children start to feel better but they will never heal at the hospital, they always heal at home. I 100 % agree with that.

Milestones are going to be a tough one for the first two years. As an ex preemie he is already going to be a little behind. When a doctor follows a preemies milestones they don't go by his actual age, they go by his gestational age. So what age he would have been if he was born full term. He would technically be 5 months on Feb 2nd and for that he is meeting most of his milestones. Which is not bad seeing he was in the hospital and on his back for almost 7 months. The Physical therapy people at the hospital did not expect him to be so strong...I worked with him every chance I got at the hospital. I was and still am a determined momma! Ethan can hold his head up and if I am holding his hips he can sit up. He has rolled from tummy to back a few times(just started this at home). He smiles, laughs, coos, reaches for objects. If he hears one of our voices he moves his head towards us to listen and raises his eyebrows like he is trying to understand what we are saying :) The only time he really cries is if we are in the car and stopped at a light or stop sign and if he has to wait for his bottle to be warmed. When he is hungry...he is expecting the bottle in his mouth asap. :)

Some of his favorite things to do are:
Blowing bubbles with his mouth
Still loves his pacifier
Splashing in his little bathtub
Smile at his brother
Loves being held

Here are a few pictures of his first week home...I have more but some are on my phone and on another computer. I will post a few more later. :)

Our first pictures as a family of four!

Since Ethan came home from the NICU, I have wanted to have pictures done as a family. Every time we planned on a date, he would end up back in the hospital before we could get them done. Well we have some now!! I am so happy! I have a wonderful best friend who happens to be an amazing photographer. Check them out here...family pictures.

Erin...you have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you for always being there for me the past 7 months. I love you so much!

I'm putting the picture below on this post (but check out the rest on her blog) because it is my first picture with my son without any wires attached or machines in the background. I am completely in love with it. This pictures brings tears to my eyes every time I look at it. It melts my heart. I am so in love with him and I admire him so.

We are so happy, the happiest we have been in a long time. We smile more, we laugh more and we are cherishing every moment.

He is home!

Ethan came home today!!! We are so happy and he is doing so well. He just went down for a nap and his been up all day bonding with his big bro. Brayden is so happy. I will post pictures and update over the weekend. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers!!!

Alot better

Ethan is doing alot better today! He started eating last night and is back to his regular feeding schedule/amount. They need to move his medicine to oral meds and make sure the formula is right for him (make sure he is gaining the weight he should be) then he should be good to go. He is such a strong little one!

Recovery sucks

ethan is in alot of pain after this surgery. Its not as bad as yesterday but he is still in some pain. We are hoping it will get better as the days go by. He has not been to interested in eating and just wants to sleep. He deserves a break...hopefully soon! Just wanted to update everyone on the little guy.  Cant wait till he is home and to give him a normal life.

Had a good day!

Today was the day that we have been waiting for...Ethan had his surgery to internalize his shunt. That means he is SOOOOOOOOOO close to coming home. They said next week sometime we should be bringing him home. He needs to recouperate from this surgery and show them for about three days that he can gain weight. They just changed him from milk to formula. So he is doing well and we see a light at the end of this tunnel.

I think Brayden knew something was happening with Ethan today. He had school today but wanted us to pick him up and bring him to the hospital to see Ethan. I am so blessed that Brayden is absolutely in love with his little brother. I was afraid Brayden was going to have a hard time but he loves him so. He has a nickname for him too..."little guy" ;)

We are smiling more these days and can't wait to be a family of four again under one roof!

Polka Dot Monkey

Ever since Ethan was born, I have been calling him my little monkey. His room is monkey themed...alot of his outfits have little monkeys on it so its actually really perfect that his favorite toy is his Monkey. His uncle Chad got it for him for Christmas and its been his favorite since. If he is a little fussy or can't get comfortable to sleep, I put his monkey by him he takes his arm lays it on him and his eyes close instantly. Thinking i need to invest in a couple more of these monkeys!

My 365 day project

A few posts back I mentioned I was going to take a picture a day of my life and put it on the site. Well then I thought about it and decided to keep this site for updates of my family and I dont want to crowd this site so you have to go searching for Ethan updates...so I started a new blog in case you want to follow along with me. My plan is to make an album of all the pictures after the year is over.

http://burnsfampictures.blogspot.com/

I will put the link on the side :)

trying this picture a day thing...

Here is day two ;)
We went and saw Ethan today and spent a couple hours with him.

2011 is finally here!!!

Happy New Years!!!!

I have never wanted a year to be over so bad...I was really excited to start 2011. I was counting the hours on the 31st :) Don't get me wrong 2010 had its amazing moments...My husband and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary, Brayden turned two, I felt my little man kicking in my tummy and on June 15th I gave birth Ethan. But since that date life changed and I changed. Its been scary, its been hard, its been emotionally draining to sum it up its been a roller coaster!

Even though I was excited that's its over, I am actually really thankful for what it taught me. 2010 was the year in my life that changed me. I am no where near the woman I was on June 14th. I appreciate more, I savor every moment with my family, I am stronger, I have learned that if I truly believe in something to fight for it and the list goes on. But there is one thing that I regret not doing...Smiling more.

With that said, I have to say that I have a real good feeling about 2011. No, Ethan isn't home to start off the New Year with us but I know he will be soon :) He spent the first day of the year with his big brother and seeing them together has made me feel so positive about this year. There is no one that can make Ethan happier then his big brother. It made a day that should have been kind of sad actually really wonderful. We laughed and we smiled and we enjoyed being a family of four. Alot of people I know and some of the blogs I follow are starting this thing to take a picture a day for 365 days. I think I am going to do that too. Or at least try too :) I want to remember everything about this year, whether were in the hospital or not. That will be one of my resolutions!

So here is a list of my resolutions...hoping to keep them all this year!

1. Smile more
2. See the good in everything that happens.
3. Start jogging
4. Drink more water (been living off caffeine these days)
5. record everything that happens this year (the 365 picture thing)
6. try to stay more organized (my house has been lacking in this department)
7. Bring my baby home!!!!!!

Here is the first picture of the year