Monday, November 30, 2009

Little Patrick's first Angel-versary

One year ago today God called little Patrick home. It's hard to believe that it has been a year already since his passing. My heart aches to have little Patrick in my arms and to hear his sweet voice. Parents should never have days like today to remember, but we do. Like all the other parents that have lost a child, we will get through it and one day we will know why these things happen.

Little Patrick was so many things in his short life, he was a: son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and a great-grandson. He fought hard to come into this world and he touched so many people during his short journey here on Earth. He is now our guardian angel and is always with us. I know I will see him again one day and for me that day will be glorious.

This morning, Patrick, Savannah and I attended mass with Patrick's parents. Patrick and I will take Savannah to a park later this morning and then we will come home and plant the magnolia tree (along with my parents and Patrick's parents) we bought in memory of little Patrick.

Again, we thank everyone for all of the love, support and prayers that we have received during these difficult times.

Love to all,
April, Patrick and Savannah

Friday, November 27, 2009

Thankful

Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving (this was Savannah's first Thanksgiving AT HOME) with our family. We were able to celebrate the day with my family first and then we headed to Patrick's parents house for another celebration. All of Patrick's siblings came home for Thanksgiving this year, what a treat it was to have everyone together again. The last time we all were together was for little Patrick's memorial service last December.

As we reflect over the past year and all of the ups and downs, we still have so much to be thankful for. Here is an abbreviated list of what I am thankful for:

For a loving God.

The love and support that we have received and continue to receive.

That people still remember little Patrick and aren't afraid to talk about him.

A loving and supportive husband.

For a healthy and beautiful little girl.

That I am able to stay home with Savannah.

Dear friends.

Supportive and loving parents and in-laws.

Our extended family.

The food on our table.

Patrick's job.

Our neighbors.

Our home.

Of course this list could go on and on, but I hope everyone knows how thankful we are.

The next couple of days will be very emotional for us as these were the last days we had little Patrick on Earth with us. Please keep us and little Patrick in your thoughts and prayers over the next few days. Monday November 30th will be little Patrick's one year angel-versary, so if you feel inclined to release a balloon or light a candle on this day please do so in memory of our brave little boy.



Love to you all,

April

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The big O-N-E!!

Well, it happened, Savannah turned the big O-N-E on Friday November 6th and her party was the next day. On Friday we drove out to the beach....this was Savannah's first time at the beach, we wanted to get her toes in the water and the sand. After the beach we had some lunch and then drove back home to get ready for the big party. Of course, little Patrick was on our mind all day as well, we sure do miss him and he is always in our thoughts.

On Saturday, we had a big celebration at our house with our family and some friends. We bought a cute little birthday outfit for Savannah and of course she was as cute as could be. When it was "smash cake" time, we all sung "Happy Birthday" and then put the cake in front of her....and she wanted nothing to do with it. I tried to show her how to run her fingers through it and taste it, but she was not having anything to do with that cake. It was a beautiful day for a party and everyone seemed to have a good time.

Savannah went to see Dr. Yee for her one year check-up and she received the following stats:
Weight: 20lbs 8oz (she is in the 37th percentile for her weight)
Height: 28.25" (she is in the 23rd percentile for her height)
Head circumference: 19" (she is in the 99th percentile for her head circumference)
Not too bad for a little girl that was born 9 weeks early and weighed 2lbs 11oz and measured 15.25 inches long.

We appreciate all the love and support that we have received over the past year. We are grateful to have such a good support system of family and friends and are blessed beyond words. GOD is good!!

Links to pictures are below.

Love to all,
April

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=43347&id=1300783496&l=96a30f785e

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=43349&id=1300783496&l=794a79d305

Monday, November 2, 2009

...and some pictures..

Click on the links to view the recent pictures....

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41506&id=1300783496&l=99c0a29fa1

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41527&id=1300783496&l=408c8a3fb2

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=42671&id=1300783496&l=b8e169fcf1

Savannah's first Halloween, and other items too.

Well, Halloween just passed and Savannah was a pumpkin. Ever since I can remember, I have called Savannah "my little munchkin, my little pumpkin" so it seemed fitting to have her dressed up as a pumpkin for Halloween. It especially made sense when I found the costume at a consignment shop for $5.50. :)) We had a little get together at our house and enjoyed seeing Savannah and her cousins dressed up and to see the other little ones that were out trick or treating. Savannah was not afraid of any of the costumes, even the one my cousin-in-law (who is 36 mind you) wore, you will see the huge monster in the pictures I post. My dad carried Savannah around the neighborhood with the bigger kids as they trick or treated and apparently she loved being out and about, she did not fuss nor was she scared over the array of costumes...such a big girl.

The past few weeks have been spectacular, Savannah has changed so much just in a few weeks. I will try to recap some of these changes for you.

She started clapping, which is adorable and every chance we get we ask her to clap...she is so proud of herself. In fact, she started clapping on Patrick's birthday which was fitting.

As of today I felt a tooth or two coming in on the bottom and I believe I see a couple coming in on the top...this will explain some of her fussy moments recently. I can't even begin to imagine how it must feel to cut teeth.

Savannah also started pulling herself up (on everything I must add) and she is so confident of her strength and ability that she even lets go which in turn has caused her to take a couple of spills and she even got her first bruise. Of course, I try to stay behind her as much as possible so I can catch her when she falls.

As you know, November 6th will be Savannah's first birthday and we are in party planning mode at the moment. We are having a party on Saturday the 7th and to celebrate the actual day of her birthday we are driving out to the beach, which will be Savannah's first time at the beach. We cannot believe it has been a year since our babies were born....it feels like yesterday that I was still in the hospital....time sure does fly.

This past year has been a roller coaster of emotions for us, but we are so blessed to have Savannah and celebrate everyday that we have with her. I am sure the next few weeks will be very emotional for us, but we will rely on eachother and God to get us through these challenging time. We miss little Patrick terribly but know that we will see him again one day. It is difficult to explain how one feels when they lose a child, but it is so important to us that we (and you) remember little Patrick because his life was so meaningful and to not remember would break my heart.

If you could keep us in your prayers over the next few weeks, we would greatly appreciate it.

Love,
April

Monday, September 21, 2009

...and some more pictures...

In addition to the video in the previous post, here are some recent pictures.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38309&id=1300783496&l=f6d2c1c5e7

Love to all,
April

Savannah is crawling...and we are catching up!!

Here is a video of Savannah crawling.....she started crawling last night and this video is from today.







It has been a while since we last updated everyone. We are doing well and Savannah is keeping us on our toes. She turned 10 months old on Sept. 6th and she weighed 19lbs 6oz (this was on our home scale). About 10 days ago Savannah started sitting herself up and last night she crawled for the first time!! It is so amazing how fast babies change and this is only the beginning. It is so much fun to watch her figure things out and everyday she seems to be doing something new. I am so happy and blessed to be able to stay home with Savannah, I wouldn't trade it for the world.


We are getting ready for our trip to Rochester to see Patrick's family. I am excited to see everyone but I must admit I am nervous about flying with Savannah and the unexpected. I am sure everything will be fine, but you never know how an infant will be on a plane. Patrick's cousin (Wendy and her husband Ian) had a baby girl, MacKenna, in March so it will be nice to see Savannah and MacKenna together.

Monday, August 10, 2009

9 months old and 18lbs!!

Hello all,


On Wednesday the 5th Savannah went in for her 9 month check-up....I know, I know, how did this happen? How is she already 9 months old?!?! I cannot believe that our babies were born 9 months ago, where has the time gone?

Anyways, Savannah weighed in at 18 lbs 1 oz and 26.25" long. She is in the 75th percentile for her head circumference, 50th percentile for her weight and 25th percentile for her length. Dr. Yee was impressed with Savannah's progress and we don't have to go back to see him until November, which by the way is in 3 short months and she will be 1...oh my, I am not ready for that thought!!

We all are doing well, still trying to get settled in our house...we have been here over 6 months now and we are still unpacking and trying to get things in their place. Patrick is busy at work, thank goodness for that...especially in this economy.

Savannah is getting more and more mobile and I think any day now she will start crawling. She currently moves around on her belly, she moves in circles and backwards, once she gets her belly off the ground and her knees underneath her...watch out :)

Last weekend, Savannah attended her first baseball game as we took in the Rays hosting the Kansas City Royals with my parents. Savannah slept for a couple of innings and even when the Rays scored and all 30,000 plus fans were cheering, she did not move. She was very well behaved and we stayed for about 3 hours which was pretty impressive for her. The most exciting part of the game was when a foul ball came our way and ended up landing in the row right behind where we were sitting. Savannah almost caught a foul ball at her first game....

Last but definitely not least, Savannah has started to put some sounds together and they sound a lot like "mama" and "dada". It is amazing to watch all the changes that take place on a daily basis, it is such a miracle. It is so true what they say about how fast children grow up....don't blink or you might just miss something.

Love, April

A video of Savannah....August 9, 2009

Savannah's first MLB game with her Nana and Buddy. August 1, 2009.


Daddy and Savannah at the Ray's game.



Outside, enjoying the Florida Summer. August 4, 2009.

Savannah is 9 months old. August 6, 2009.



Thursday, July 16, 2009

More pictures from the past month.

Click the link to view more pictures on my Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=30520&id=1300783496&l=a2c7f349ba

Pictures from our trip...

On the road to S.C. July 8, 2009.



Uncle Chris holding Savannah for the first time. July 8, 2009.

Chillin on the hammock in S.C. July 9, 2009.


Chillin on the hammock. July 9, 2009.


Heading into the zoo. July 10, 2009.


Savannah's first time on the merry-go-round. July 10, 2009.


The brothers and the cousins.


Sleeping on the hammock after a day at the zoo. July 10, 2009.



Playing around. July 12, 2009.


Laurie, Aidan, Chris and Savannah...saying good-bye :( July 12, 2009.


Aidan and Savannah reading a book together...so cute. July 12, 2009.


Savannah's first time going down a slide...hold on tight daddy. July 13, 2009.


Ethan and Savannah. July 13, 2009.









Our trip to S.C and GA (and some pictures too).

Well, we made it, we survived our first family road trip.

We traveled to Columbia, South Carolina to see Patrick's brother Chris and his wife Laurie and their son Aidan. We then headed to Alpharetta, Georgia to see our friends and Savannah's God-parents, Bronson and Carrie and their son Ethan. Savannah slept for most of the car ride to S.C, in fact, we only had to stop once. We spent 4.5 days in S.C. and then packed up and drove the 3.5 hour drive to GA. We spent 2 days in GA and then headed home.

The drive home was a little more challenging, but we made it home and now we need a vacation from our vacation. While in S.C. we took Savannah to a zoo for the first time and she appeared to enjoy herself. It was nice to get away for a little while and to see our family and close friends. We did learn that you need so much stuff when you travel with a little one. Of course, we packed too much but we did not want to be without. Our next trip is in October, we are flying to Rochester, N.Y. to see Patrick's family, I can't wait to see how flying with a little one will be.


Love to all,

April

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Let's get caught up....and some pictures.

***pictures below***

Well, as you all know it has been a while since our last update and of course a lot has taken place during this time. I will do my best to catch everyone up.

Lately Savannah has been practicing sitting up on her own and as of now she sits up with no problem. She is not yet pulling herself up to a sitting position, but I can sit her down and she will sit and play with her toys....she is so cute:)

On Sunday June 14th Savannah was baptized at our church, St. Mary's Catholic Church during the noon mass. I found this day to be filled with many different emotions. Of course lots of joy and happiness but I also found myself thinking of little Patrick and how much I wanted him with us. Ironically, there were twin girls also being baptized along with Savannah and this made me think of little Patrick even more. I am at peace that little Patrick is with our God and that he is Savannah's guardian angel and one day I will see him again. Anyways, Savannah was soooo good during the mass and the baptism not to mention how cute she was/is. We had lots of friends and family attend this service and after wards we had a celebration at Patrick's parents house.

On Sunday June 21st, we celebrated Patrick's first official Father's day. We celebrated with Patrick's dad, Jan, the night before and on Sunday morning we had breakfast with my parents. We spent most of the day at home puttering around and later that afternoon we went to my parent's house for a family gathering.

We will be heading off for our first ever family road trip in a week or so. We are heading to South Carolina to see Chris, Laurie and Aidan. Normally the drive time is about 8 hours, so it will be interesting to see how much longer it takes with a baby in tow. We will spend a few days in South Carolina and then we are heading to Atlanta to see our friends (and Savannah's god-parents) Bronson and Carrie. We will spend a couple of days in Atlanta and then head back home.

Since Savannah does not go back to the doctor until August 5th, I decided to weigh her today to see where she is and she weighed in at a whopping 17lbs 2oz!! I still can't believe how big she is. A dear friend of mine, Denise, came over today with her girls (she has a 2 year old and 3 month old twins) and I got to hold one of the twins and I found myself thinking that I can't remember Savannah ever being that small....but she was and even smaller. At times I have to go back and look at the MANY pictures I have taken since she was born and then I can remember how small she was....what a miracle she is. We are truly blessed to have Savannah and I thank God everyday for allowing me to be her mom.

We want to wish everyone a very happy 4th of July. Please be safe and remember what a great place we live in, we are all blessed to call the U.S.A. our home.

Love to all,
April

Patrick and Savannah-6/13/09

Sitting up.6/16/09


Savannah and her god-parents (Bronson & Carrie)-6/14/09
What a proud daddy.

So tired and so cute.
I just love her!! 6/15/09

6/22/09-Our little cutie!!

















**Here are some examples of how Savannah has grown.
12/10/08
6/30/09
11/27/08-her entire body fit inside.
6/30/09-I couldn't get it passed her knees.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Savannah's new bling, bling and pictures.

On Friday June 5th we decided it was time for Savannah to get her ears pierced. We asked our pediatrican about piercing her ears and he told us now is the best age to have them pierced. So we headed to the mall (same place our pediatrican had his daughter's ears pierced) and decided to go for it. Patrick met us there and at the last minute I told Patrick he would be the one to hold her:) I of course needed to take the pictures. Here is a link with the pictures from this event. FYI, Savannah did cry as soon as the first ear was pierced and then cried for about 20 seconds after the second ear and then she was back to her smiling self.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26727&id=1300783496&l=32a7cf12ba

Also, here are some pictures from the last month.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=27213&id=1300783496&l=f3e382671a


Enjoy,
April

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Almost 7 months old and some updates...

Hello All,

On Saturday Savannah will be 7 months old and I often find myself saying "how can this be, where has the time gone?"


This past Wednesday Savannah had her 6 month check-up with her pediatrician, Dr. Yee, and Savannah weighed in at 15 lbs 4 oz and 25 inches long which is a solid increase from her last appointment on May 6. Dr. Yee advised us we no longer need to continue our frequent visits so our next visit will be her 9 month check-up in August.


So much has happened since the last post but I will do my best to catch everyone up. I celebrated my first official Mother's day on May 10th and it was a very special day for me as I truly enjoyed the blessing that Savannah is.


Savannah and I are getting out of the house on a much regular basis as we now attend weekly play dates with some other moms and and a few trips through out the week around town. It is nice to be able to get out of the house and not worry as much about germs and Savannah getting sick.


Next Sunday is a very special day for our family as Savannah will finally be getting baptized into the Catholic Church. We have family coming into town for the event and are expecting a large turnout of local family and friends as well. Our great friends, Bronson and Carrie Kibler, will be coming into town from Atlanta as they will be the Godparents to Savannah. Sunday will be a very memorable day for all of us.


Finally, we recently painted Savannah's room with the help of my mom, Chris. There is no way that the room could have been completed without her effort. The room was painted light shades of pink and green and turned out much better than we even expected. Savannah is going to love the room for years to come.

Monday, May 18, 2009

6 months old and pictures!!

Hello All,

Where does the time go?!?! Savannah hit the 6 month mark on May 6th. I still can't believe it has been 6 months since the babies were born!!

Savannah had a doctor's appointment on May 6th and she weighed in at a whopping 14lbs 2oz. This appointment was very brief, in fact, the doctor only weighed her and gave her a couple of immunizations. Her pediatrician is/was so impressed with Savannah's progress that he said we will bring her back in a month for a full check-up and then he won't need to see her until August. We have come such a long way...remember we were going to the pediatrician every week, then every 2 weeks, then monthly.

Here is a link to some recent pictures of Savannah.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=24332&id=1300783496&l=d2ef9db1e6

Enjoy!!
Love,
April

Thursday, April 30, 2009

March for Babies update and other info

Our March for Babies team in memory of little Patrick.

This past Saturday we participated in the March of Dimes, March for Babies in memory of little Patrick. In short, it was a huge success. We set a team goal to raise $5,000 and we actually raised a little over $6,300. We had a nice size group walking with us, 18 adults and 6 babies and we all wore team t-shirts that said "Walking in memory of Patrick" and it had little Patrick's picture on the front. We also attached some home made signs to the front of Savannah's stroller that included a collage of Patrick's pictures as well as a note from Savannah letting everyone know that she was walking "strolling" in memory of her twin brother. The signs and Savannah were a big hit with the other participants.

We have decided that this event will be an annual event for us, so hopefully next year our team will be even bigger and we can raise another impressive amount. The March of Dimes is a great organization and we were happy to participate in their event.

Savannah goes back to the doctor on Wednesday, May 6th (which is her 6 month birthday). We are excited to see how much she weighs and how long she is...it has been 1 month since her last appointment. Savannah is doing well and everyday she seems to be doing something new. She now rolls over from her belly to her back with ease and is almost rolling from her back to her belly. We also practice sitting up and I know any day now she will be sitting up on her own. This past Saturday I decided to see if Savannah would eat from a spoon, so I opened a jar of organic baby food (bananas) which she loved and she did very well with the spoon. I am not sure if the pediatrician will be happy with this, but I felt she was ready. Savannah had bananas on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday and today I gave her peas, which she liked as well.

We can't wait to see what the next 6 months will bring us!

Here are some pictures from the March for Babies event as well as some recent pictures of Savannah.
Love to all,
April
The t-shirt we had made and wore for the walk.
At the beginning of the walk.

One of the signs I made.


Savannah in her bouncy for the first time. April 27, 2009
Tummy time!! April 25, 2009


Eating bananas for the first time. April 25, 2009



Practicing sitting in her bumbo. April 26, 2009

Tummy time!! April 28, 2009

Monday, April 13, 2009

Savannah's first Easter

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter celebration, we certainly did. We attended Church as a family for the first time, what a glorious day to introduce Savannah to our Church. I was a little nervous as to how Savannah's first Catholic mass would go...you never know with a 5 month old. We decided it would be best to attend the 7:30AM mass since this is a little early for most people. We got there around 7:05 and so did Patrick's parents, we found a pew that would accommodate the 4 adults and Savannah in her car seat. Patrick sat on the outside and Savannah was between us, we needed to make sure we could get out fast just in case. Upon arriving Savannah was fast asleep in her car seat, however she did wake up about 15 minutes into the service. Before mass started Patrick and I noticed her pediatrician, Dr. Yee, walk in...we were nervous not knowing if we really should have brought her due to all the people...remember she has been on lock down. Anyways, about half-way through the mass Savannah started to get fidgety in her car seat so I decided to hold her. She was a good baby and never made a peep:) She was all smiles and just a very happy baby. I took her up with me when I went to receive communion and she received a blessing at that time. Right after communion Father Ken called all the children up to receive a special blessing so I took her up to the altar and she had Holy water sprinkled on her and was blessed...it was very special. After the mass was over a lady a couple rows behind us told us we had the "best behaved baby and we should be proud of her". I agreed with this kind woman and told her we are very blessed to have Savannah. As we were walking out Dr. Yee spotted us and smiled our way. We told Dr. Yee this was Savannah's first time at Church and that we were nervous if he would approve of this. Dr. Yee told us this was not a problem since Savannah is doing so well....of course this made us happy.

Below is a link with pictures from Easter day.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=22326&id=1300783496&l=6cae231fbe

Love to all,
April

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Savannah March 12-April 6, 2009

Click on the link below to view recent pictures of Savannah. As you will see our little girl is growing up so fast!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=21818&id=1300783496&l=c961bb3e36

Love,
April

Monday, April 6, 2009

Catching Up

Below is a picture of Savannah today, celebrating her fifth month!



A lot has happened since our last post on March 15 so let me get started.

On the 23rd of March, Savannah had a doctors appointment and weighted in at 9 Lb 8 Oz so we were knocking on the door of the much anticipated 10 Lb mark. We are proud to say that today, a mere two weeks later, Savannah has gained 27 Oz to put her at 11 Lb 3 Oz. We are completely pumped as well is the doctor. She has definitely turned the corner in the eating and weight gaining department which is a very good sign. The doctor is so pleased and confident with Savannah, that we do not need to bring her back for another month.

Today, also marks her fifth month with us and time has really been flying by. Savannah still spends most of her day eating and sleeping, however, she is now getting a good amount of extra play time as well as tummy time. Some of Savannah's highlights of the day (besides eating) are sitting in mommy's lap and getting read to or listening to mom recite the alphabet. Savannah is also becoming quite the talker. While she is not actually saying any kind of words she is definitely becoming more animated and speaking out to us in her own little language.

A few other exciting things that have happened over the past two weeks is that the doctor finally gave the OK for Savannah to be held by our parents. They were all very excited to hold Savannah for the first time and it was about time after 4 and a half months.

Finally, Savannah had an appointment last week with a program called Early Steps which is primarily used for premature babies or for infants and toddlers with special needs. The appointment was with about six different specialist ranging from physical therapist to speech therapy to a psychologist. They evaluated Savannah on a number of tasks including physical ability, cognitive skills, gross and fine motor skills, communication, social/emotional skills and adaptive development. Needless to say, this was a pretty intense appointment especially considering that we were really not sure what to expect.

The appointment could not have been better. They were all very pleased and amazed at Savannah's progress up to this point. She is acting and behaving like a four/five month old should even though her adjusted age is just over 2 months. They do not see any need for her to come back, however, the service is available to us until she turns three in the event that we see issues or challenges that concern us. It was a very proud moment from both April and myself and we could not be happier with the way that Savannah is developing.

April will post some recent pictures in the next day or two so stay tuned.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Where's "Savannah"?

Per the title, please see the following picture. We decided to put Savannah in her crib with all of her stuffed animals and this is the outcome....too cute.


We had a wonderful week and week-end as Patrick's brother Chris and his wife Laurie and their son Aidan (16 months) were in town for a visit...Aidan is so cute and is getting so big. Patrick and I also managed to get some things done around the house. Chris and Patrick hung our dining room light and our dining room furniture arrived on Wednesday. Patrick and I hung some pictures so our house is finally starting to feel like OUR home. Savannah had a follow up eye appointment on Thursday the 12th and all is well. Apparently pre-mature babies need to have their eyes checked to ensure that the blood vessels are developing properly. This was Savannah's third eye check, once in the NICU then again this past December and then this week. She will go back 6 months from now, but I was told that all is normal so no concerns.
Love to all,
April

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Pictures of Savannah 02/15-03/06

Hello All,

Here are some recent pictures of Savannah, click the link below to view.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=19821&id=1300783496&l=9d39a

As you will see, Savannah is getting bigger and more animated. She is a delightful baby and I enjoy every moment with her.

Love to all,
April

Monday, March 9, 2009

What a great day today was!!!!

We went to our bi-weekly weigh in and Savannah surprised us all. For the past three months she has been gaining 6-8 ounces per weigh in (every two weeks), however, this morning she weighed in at 8 lb 10 oz. which is a weight gain of a full pound over the past 2 weeks. We are so pumped about today's weight gain and could not be happier.

Dr. Yee was very pleased and feels that today's weigh in is going to start a very positive trend in the weight gain department. The doctor also gave us the OK to finally start some tummy time so April and Savannah will be spending some time on their belly's and interacting.

We would also like to wish a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to my cousin Wendy and her husband Ian who celebrated the birth of their daughter on Tuesday, March 3, 2009. MacKenna Elle MacDowell was born early in the afternoon and is now resting peacefully at home with her proud parents.

We are looking forward to introducing Savannah and MacKenna during our next trip to NY.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Another Solid Weight Gain

Savannah had a very good appointment yesterday with the doctor and she gained a solid 6.5 ounces over the previous two weeks. She now weighs 7 Lb 10 Oz and the doctor is very pleased. The doctor still expressed concern about flu season and keeping her on lock down for a while longer. We hope that once spring time comes and she hits the 10-11 Lb mark we will be allowed some flexibility with who can actually hold her. She is almost four months old and April and I are the only ones that have touched her or held her. Thank you to our parents for being so understanding. This is a short term sacrifice that is very important.

We have also increased her feedings as of yesterday and she is now eating 3 Oz of milk per feeding instead of 2.5 Oz and she seems to be handling the increased amount with no problem. Savannah continues to grow on a daily basis and it is simply amazing how much fun and joy she brings to our lives. It is hard to fathom how someone so small can have such a big impact on us every day.

My cousin Wendy and her husband Ian are expecting the birth of their first child (a daughter) any day now so please keep them in your prayers.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Savannah's Smiling Video

Here is a 2.5 minute video of Savannah smiling and laughing. Enjoy!!

Monday, February 16, 2009

A Letter to Patrick

This past week has been good with Savannah. We have increased the amount of food that she receives at each serving by a small amount and she continues to smile more and more. She has also began to "coo" at us every once in a while. This upcoming Monday will bring another weigh in at the doctor's office and we are looking forward to getting closer to the 8 Lb mark.

April and I were unpacking some boxes over the weekend and we came across a box with Little Patrick's items. In the box was a letter that I had written to him while April was in the hospital before Patrick & Savannah were born. The letter brought tears to my eyes as I read it but we thought that we would share it with you.

The letter was written late at night on November 1, just five days before Patrick and Savannah were born.

Dear Patrick,

Today you are 30 weeks and 2 days old. As I write this, your mom is lying in the hospital and has been for over 9 weeks. This is not because of you, but I want you to know what your pre-birth days have been like.

First off, your mother and I are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished already in your short life. Eight weeks ago, the doctors diagnosed you with a condition called absent end diastolic. This means that you were not getting as much blood and nutrients that you have needed to continue to grow at a proper pace. The doctors wanted to write you off and focus on your sister Savannah but we would not accept that and neither would you. In the past 8 weeks you have stayed so strong and fought so hard. You continue to grow and defy the doctors diagnosis.

Every day you get bigger and every day you get stronger and prepare yourself for the day you are born. Earlier this week, we saw you practicing your breathing and it was awesome. Twice a day, we track your heart beats and every day you do great, just like we know you can.

We are expecting your arrival in the next 2-4 weeks and we can not wait to meet you and shower you with hugs, kisses and love. We are so proud to call you our son and are looking forward to showing you off in the near future. Keep up the great work and keep on fighting like you have been.

We love you,
Mom and Dad

More pictures of Savannah

Click the link below to view some more pictures of Savannah.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=17859&id=1300783496&l=9a334

Friday, February 13, 2009

Sponsor Me at March for Babies!

Hello All,

On April 25, 2009 Patrick, Savannah and I will be walking in the March of Dimes, March for Babies event in Tampa. We are walking in honor of our angel, little Patrick. Please check out this event and if you are available to walk with us please join our team. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you!!
April

Monday, February 9, 2009

It's Official.....7+ Lbs.

This morning April and Savannah headed to the doctor's office for her normal appointment and weigh in. The doctor confirmed what we expected and Savannah now weighs over 7 Lbs. She gained 7.5 ounces over the past two weeks so her official weight is 7 Lb 3.5 Oz.

Savannah also received an unexpected shot this morning so she has been a little fussy today which can be expected. Tomorrow, April and Savannah will be heading to another doctor's appointment with a specialist that will administer another shot. Every month, Savannah receives a Synagis shot which is a preventative shot in the event that she catches RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus).

RSV can wreck havoc on a premature babies lungs and breathing passages and that is why we are continuing to be so cautious with Savannah. If an adult catches RSV, they show symptoms of a normal cold, however, if a premature baby catches RSV, they can show symptoms of pneumonia or bronchitis and it can lead to Savannah going back into the hospital which is what we are trying to avoid at all costs.

Over the past three months, April and I have been the only two that have held Savannah and only a few others have actually seen her in person. We are looking forward to the day that we can have a true welcome home party for Savannah and show her off to the world. Hopefully, that party will take place sometime in March or April but you can be sure that when it does take place, it will be one heck of a get together.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Hello All,

As promised here are some recent pictures of little miss Savannah, also known as Princess Savannah. These pictures are from 01-21-09 to 02--07-09. Just click on the link below.

Enjoy!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=17299&l=14f80&id=1300783496

Smiling Savannah & A New Home!

Hello All,

The past few weeks have been pretty crazy for the Emrich family. April and I have purchased a new house (at least new to us) and we moved in last weekend and have spent the past 10 days getting settled. We still have a long way to go but we at least see the light at the end of the tunnel. Savannah finally has her own room and she seems to be adjusting very nicely to her new surroundings. Nala and Tyson (our cats) also seem to be happy with the added space.

Savannah had a doctor's appointment on January 26 and at that time she weighed 6 Lb 12 Oz so she is right on the door step of 7 Lbs. We have another appointment morning and we hope that she is around 7.5 Lbs but we will not know for sure until tomorrow. The doctor was very pleased with her progress at the last appointment and gave us permission to increase the amount of her feedings. Previously, Savannah was eating 60 ML (2 ounces) per serving, however, over the past two weeks we have increased her servings to 70ML per feeding. She is tolerating the feedings with no problem and we have not seen any change in her behavior.

Over the past week or so Savannah has began to occasionally smile at mom and dad when she sees us. This is an amazing feeling for both April and I and we are looking forward to more of these types of milestones.

Also, Savannah celebrated her 3 month birthday with us on Friday, February 6. This is a very joyous occasion for us, however, it is with a heavy heart that we celebrate these monthly milestones. There is not a day that goes by that we do not think of Little Patrick (doodlebug) and the joy that he brought us. The monthly anniversary of their birth makes it a little more real but we continue to push forward with as much strength as we can muster.

Finally, I have decided to give myself a weekly deadline for posting to this blog. Moving forward, I will update this blog every Monday without fail. This post may be Monday morning at 6:00 AM or it may be Monday evening at 11:58 PM but it will be on Monday. We chose Monday's because that is the day that we have been visiting the doctor's and it just seems like a good day for a recap.

April will now be taking over the picture department of this blog and she is expected to post some three month photo's later this evening or in the morning.

In the upcoming week, we will have photos of our new home as well as some misc photos of Savannah and Patrick. Also, we never had the opportunity to truly explain what caused Patrick's death so I will be explaining the disease/infection that took over his body as well as the events that occurred on the fateful Sunday, November 30, 2009.

Love and Prayers,
Patrick, April and Savannah.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

More pictures..

The link below should give you access to my facebook photo album with 30 new photos of Savannah. Please check it out.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15551&l=f3ba9&id=1300783496

Love,
April

Saturday, January 17, 2009

6+ Lbs & Pictures

Savannah had her third weigh in earlier this week and she gained 8 Oz since her last appointment two weeks ago so she now weighs 6 Lbs 6 Oz. It is nice to finally have her over the 6 Lb mark:). The doctor is pleased with her progress up to this point and we will be heading back in another two weeks for another weigh in. Savannah also received two shots at the appointment so she was pretty fussy the rest of the day which I can understand.

Saturday mornings are usually an opportunity for April to get out of the house and have some April time as well as some Starbucks which then leads to me having some Savannah time which is pretty fun. I just changed and fed Savannah about 30-45 minutes ago and she is now wrapped up and down for a nap. Who knows if she will actually go to sleep?

Also, in the last update I mentioned a house that April and I were interested in. Well, we did come to terms on a contract with the sellers and we will be closing in less than two weeks on January 30. It is exciting times for the Emrich household and we are looking forward to Savannah having her own little room.

Finally, I realize why everyone really comes to this blog and it is for the pictures and not the "articles" so here ya go......a few oldies but goodies.....




Sorry, I could not figure out how to turn this around.
























Savannah in a cute little shirt!





















Mommy and Savannah enjoying her first Christmas!



































(Above) Savannah in a cute little outfit that is way too big for her!

(Below) Savannah in her "First Christmas" outfit!