Time flies

It's been a little over a month since we've been home from the hospital. I can't believe how fast this month has gone. They say time flies when you're having fun. That is so very true. 

Things have been progressing quite nicely on the home front these days. Jackson has started sleeping longer stretches at night (which makes mommy and daddy very happy), he's had a "well" check from his pediatrician, and he's was dedicated at church on Sunday. He's doing very well. His lasix is almost gone. As soon as he finishes the bottle, he's off of it! By the end of the week, we'll be able to pick him up under his arms instead of the scooping we've been doing. His sternum will be healed. 

His pediatrician told me that his cardiologist is amazed at how well Jackson is doing. She's read all this through the notes that are sent to her from the cardiologist. We couldn't be more thrilled. She assured me that he is a "normal" baby who should be treated as "normal". I'm just not sure how to treat him like a "normal" baby. He's had open heart surgery!! But we're trying to do just that. The lasix and picking him up are the only two things holding him back from being "normal." 

There's a long running joke in my family. My mom was very sick when she was pregnant with me. She had toxemia. She labored for a whopping 39 hours before I arrived. We both ended up in coma's. The nurses commented to each other that we were both likely going to die. My grandmother overheard the nurses saying this and quickly reprimanded them. We both ended up doing just fine. So the long running joke is that "she almost died having me." It's true, but it has been pointed out to me my whole life. We always laugh about it. 

Jackson's pediatrician said that this would be his long running joke. I will (probably) remind him of the stress of this ordeal his whole life :)

As I was getting ready for his dedication yesterday, I thought back to the day he was born. I was so unbelievably nervous, as all mothers are. There were so many unknowns. We knew so much about his condition, but at the same time we knew so little. The fabulous team of doctors assured us that they would deal with anything he threw at them and that he was in great hands. They couldn't have been more right. I'm still in constant amazement that my little (big) man has been through everything he's been through and he's only 6 weeks old. 

Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks. 

Jackson's Dedication at our church. 

The Schwieterman's 

Lucy loves holding her brother :) 

Thank you all for your prayers. We are so grateful for every single one of them. Please say a prayer for our friends and their soon to be little man. They are about to go through a difficult ordeal. They need your prayers. 

Happy Earth Day!