7 Months!

Hard to believe we are at the 7 month mark already. Time is passing far too quickly these days. Noah is weighing in at 6lbs 9oz. We are once again in a slump with his weight. He has lost a couple of ounces over the past week. We have had to decrease the concentration of Neocate in his breastmilk because of the constant gagging and retching through his feedings. So now we are trying to very slowly increase his volume to see if this will be better tolerated. Unfortunately it is all just trial and error right now. Times like this it is difficult not to let my mind get carried away with the "what ifs" of the future. But I know that the future is in the Lord's hands and He continues to carry us one day at a time.
Therapies are going well and Noah is now reaching for toys and using his hands more. This is a big milestone for him. He is very interactive and his head control continues to improve as well. When he is not on the pump, he is a happy little guy. His swallow study is scheduled for May 17th.

"Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light." Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

A New Face

Noah's new face continues to take shape before our eyes. It's been almost 4 weeks since surgery. We still notice small changes each day and we are so pleased with the results. It's already hard to remember what he used to look like but it's been easy to fall in love all over again. We have begun to massage his scar daily to loosen up his lip and keep the scar from becoming too raised. Noah has been fighting a cold all week, but thankfully his lungs have remained clear. We have increased his breastmilk/Neocate concentration once again and he is now up to 6lbs 7oz!

We are settling into a routine here. With no surgeries scheduled for the near future, we can relax for a bit and start to focus on other issues. Socially, Noah is doing very well. He is very alert, loves to smile and laugh and is beginning to vocalize to us. Physiotherapy has started coming into our home once a month. We are working on head control, tummy time (which Noah is extremely resistant to and can only handle a few seconds) and leg exercises (his legs are tight). We are also working on deep touch since Noah does not enjoy alot of handling. Occupational therapy in our home will also start soon. Right now for speech therapy, we have to drive to Morris, but hopefully in the future, they too will come into our home. We also have a child development worker who comes in once a week to help work on all these areas. So our weeks are busy with all the therapies, plus other specialties that are involved in Noah's care (pediatrician, plastics, dentristy, ENT, feeding, orthopedics, neurology, respirology). We have never been more thankful for Canada's healthcare system!!
God has been so gracious and we thank Him each and every day that we can enjoy our little miracle.

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning: Great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:21-23