Skip to main content

Short. (and sweet)

 What can I say, except that Leo is fitting into our life as if he was there all along. And sometimes I feel like I have already met him and have known him and about him my whole life. Are we destined to have the babies we have? I've had some really strong and crazy feelings of deja vu the past couple months.. Or is it self-fulfilled prophecy? I don't get it, but at least I know that I don't. Life is one big giant mystery as far as I'm concerned, and Leo is the biggest...though he doesn't act like it!  Can't believe he is three months old already! Nika spends time each day making up songs about her "little, big, baby brother Leo," and though I still feel sometimes like I am in a daze, there are more moments of clarity. And the best part is that our little bud is doing awesome. Growing and giggling, he makes us cry and laugh at the same time. Next week he has his consul with the geneticists and a Well-baby visit with his PCP. I'll let you know how it goes. Here's some more recent pics! Love to all of you, and thanks for reading.


Comments

  1. margaretNovember 29, 2010 at 2:32 PM

    The last photo is great, it's like he's saying, "Hey, really?" I love how expressive babies' faces are and Leo's can be amazingly good.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JaniceNovember 29, 2010 at 4:31 PM

    I'm from St. Basil's church in Wilmington and we met you during Holy Week earlier this year. I have been following your blog from the beginning - I can't begin to explain to you how it has affected my life. You are wonderful parents and Leo is an amazing baby - he is just beautiful and precious. Thank you for continuing with this blog - It can't be easy with all you have to do. All of you are in my daily prayers - you have given me a gift that I can't begin to describe. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Matushka AnnaNovember 29, 2010 at 6:20 PM

    It's just SO obvious that Leo is present. Look at those expressions! I will be interested to hear what the doctors have to say. He's such a darling and I'm sure he brings a lot of sunshine with the rain.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Calories and CoffeeNovember 29, 2010 at 10:27 PM

    He is so cute and, like Matushka Anna said, it's obvious by his expressions that he us present! Looking forward to hearing what the doctors have to say.

    ReplyDelete
  5. saraNovember 30, 2010 at 2:11 AM

    Love the pictures! Leo is so expressive even at 3 months.

    ReplyDelete
  6. lonnieNovember 30, 2010 at 11:31 AM

    As always, thank you for sharing. The blog updates are often a highlight of our family's day. It is a blessing for us to catch glimpses of God's mysteries and little miracles from such a distance.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousNovember 30, 2010 at 12:29 PM

    I hope you can sneek some recordings of Nika's little songs. These are precious treasures for parents years down the road. Love the photos! Love you guys!

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousDecember 1, 2010 at 1:37 PM

    Isn't it amazing how three months can change ones life? Leo has shaken the very foundation of your existance.He helped you find inner resources that you never imagined to posess.He has challenged his parents, relatives and friends far and near to become better versions of themselves. And he continues to daily impact and unite his faithful blog followers by simply- being Leo.All this in three months!"How manifold are Thy works O Lord, in wisdom hath Thou made them all."
    The pictures are absolutely darling.Leo appears to be completely engaged in the moment.What an inspiration to us all.Thank you for sharing your ray of sunshine in our cluttered lives.
    Love you and miss you all.

    ReplyDelete
  9. d&kDecember 3, 2010 at 3:20 PM

    Your photos always capture how incredibly precious and adorable your children are. And, regarding your writings, what can I say? Honest, penetrating, profound, heart-revealing, heart-wrenching, and so much more. Both Doug & I felt it was an honor & privilege to be there with you for the beginning of Leo's life and though we're now separated by so much distance, we are still honored to be welcomed into your lives and thoughts through all you're sharing here. Thank you for that and to Leo we say,
    "Happy 3-Month Birthday and many more!"
    With continued thoughts & prayers,
    K&D

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

With Mixed Feelings

So for the past couple weeks my feed has been filled with the "back to school" and "end of summer" and "beginning of parental freedom from their annoying offspring" photos. It's ok, I totally get it. Another year, another back to school pic, another notch in the door jamb, and another chapter of growth and development with junior. Look at him go! Or not, as the case may be for many children. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease control and Prevention) one in six children has one...a developmental disability. A stamp of "not normal" across their foreheads. A number. A check mark in a box. My kid is one of them. I heard a brief segment on NPR that enticingly started out with the title of developmental delays on the rise, a 17% increase over the last twelve years. And though I turned up the volume the segment only talked about how it's probably only due to poverty, and it's only the upper classes that actually pursue diagnosis...
34 comments
Read more

The Heart Knows

Today during the physical therapist's visit, Leo was put through his paces. She had a whole list of things, 40 to be exact, of regular newborn motor reflexes and characteristics. Each one gets a check-mark (or not) and then a total score once she tallies up all the information that she observed. Although the final score for Leo really itself doesn't matter, the test was more to establish a baseline of development for Leo, and to find his strengths and weaknesses. Once this baseline is established, it will be easier to tell any progression and growth. Just since her last visit, she observed that Leo was doing a much better job of keeping his head in mid-line position. Before he would always keep it on one side or the other. She also determined during the exam that Leo definitely tracked her with his eyes and responded to sound. More specifically, to my voice. She had him on his tummy facing away from us, and she shook a rattle and made some noise to see if he would move his head...
18 comments
Read more

Shunts Away!

Here is just a quick update for all those waiting and praying for our Leo, before we go collapse in bed for the night. Leo was prepped and ready for surgery early this morning, but they only took him around two in the afternoon. We were there with him for most of the day today, just waiting and biting our nails. The anesthesiologist, a very nice British guy, came up around lunch to talk to us about the risks etc in Leo's case. Apparently because of his tucked up little chin, the regular breathing tube could not be used without lots of maneuvering and fiber optic tools. The anesthesiologist decided to use another breathing aid that isn't normally used for babies; a little tube that only goes down into his larynx, and does not do much more then blow some air down. Most of the breathing support would have to come from Leo himself. Typically under anesthesia babies need help to breathe, so the anesthesia team takes over the breathing. However the side effect of that is the newborns...
17 comments
Read more