Happy 4th Birthday Braxty-Boy!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAXTY-BOY!!!!

Let me show ya how you started out......

This is me and Bub-bub the morning the doctor came in to say, that "today's the day!" Of course I wasn't smiling at the time, actually I was bawling my eyes out, I was afraid of all the complications of you arriving so early. Since your mother isn't the smartest of people, and I didn't realize then that you were all about doing things your own way, and at your own pace. (Conception should of been my very first hint). I was terrified, one big bucket of nerves...just like your daddy! It was about 7:00 am when they said, they would take you at noon, so we called the family, they all arrived, all thrilled and excited, but I just kept crying, praying, and hoping they knew what they were doing. After being there for a week, and my asking everyday to see the neonatologist, I finally told the nurse I would NOT consent to surgery until I spoke with them, I had so many unanswered questions, so around 1:30pm that after noon Dr. Berry came in, who I swear to goodness was Drew Carrey's twin brother (which scared me a little bit, it was kinda hard for me to take him seriously at first) So I asked him what I was I suppose to expect, so he proceeded to give me statistics, and since your weren't an African American girl, I was getting more worried by the minute. Everyone else had gone down to the cafeteria for lunch so thank goodness Taffy showed up, because she is so much better at asking questions, I guess my nerves got the best of me. So she asked him about your vision and hearing because they were going to take you the week they were to develop. So again I started crying even more, he said " I don't anticipate any problems, just because your measuring at this gestational age, he could be small because of your blood pressure, at some point the blood exchange is so forceful, he could be deprived of the nutrients he needs to be the size he ought to be for this age" So now the guilt sets in, was I starving you? Were you deprived? I haven't even told you no yet! So then he went on to say, best case scenario is you will be home in a month, worst case you will have to be here a few months. He told me he could take care of you as long as you could breath okay, and since I had already had two rounds of steroids to strengthen your lungs that he didn't anticipate that, but if so, you would be moved to another hospital, because they did not do ventilators here. He actually made me feel better, and I had alot of faith in him by the end of our conversation, even if I couldn't get past the idea of Drew Carrey being responsible for your life. We agreed to proceed, so after being prepped and every ones nerves on end, at 8:00 pm they took us back to surgery. Although I was numb, once the doctor went in to get you, it was the most ungodly feeling I have ever felt in my life, it was so unnatural, but your dad kept telling me it was going to be fine, and Dr. Barry kept reassuring me what I was feeling was 'normal" (well let someone go elbow deep in his gut, then we will chat Drew Carrey Okay???), after 11 minutes of tugging and pulling, there was this high pitch sound, it almost sounded like a little kitten crying, and omg you were so pretty, I just cried and cried, Dr Barry brought you over to me so I could see you sweet little face, and I kept saying, "He is so small, is he okay?" they weighed you, 3lbs 10oz, 17 inches long, and such a pitiful cry. Dr Barry wrapped you up, told dad to follow him, and your dad being the excited nut he was, was saying "Oh my god baby, its a boy, He's so pretty, it's a boy" Gosh he was proud, looked like a rooster walking out behind Drew Carrey.

Your first picture.....

I had to stay on an IV for 24 hours, so I wasn't allowed to see you until the next night, which was probably the longest 24 hours of my life, I was in so much pain, and the nurse's probably thought I was a pain, but I didn't care I wanted to see you, I wanted to know how you were doing, Of course I got updates, from everyone else in the family on how you were, but it wasn't the same, I think at times it only made it worse, I wanted to be with you....mean ol' nurses!

So FINALLY 24 hours pass, they say I can get out of bed, so I jump up, which was a bad idea since I was basically cut in half, but I didn't care how much it hurt, I just wanted to get to you, so your Nana pushed me to the NICU in my wheelchair, I scrub in and she takes me to your incubator, you were so tiny and precious, I opened the little arm window of the incubator stroked your little head and told you hello, and your eyes popped open, and Nana said "Oh wow, he hasn't opened his eyes since he was born", since we were all wondering about his hearing and vision, so again I bawled (see the pattern here?) They asked me to leave the NICU to go to my new room, but when I came back the nurse said, that I could hold you....SURPRISE I am bawling again....

Your little hand couldn't even wrap all the way around my finger, but that's okay because I was wrapped around yours.

Your Bub-bub got to hold you too, he was SO proud of you, he couldn't say Braxton so he called you "Braskins"










Of course daddy was proud of you, he called you his little "Glo-worm"

You may have looked like a little Conehead, not because of the shape of your head, but by the shape of your butt, you didn't have enough meat on you to make butt cheeks, but you had your own personality, don't think I didn't notice you rolling your eyes at me when I kissed you in the picture!

After 2 weeks and 4 days, you were up to 4lbs, you were staying warm at room temperature, and you went 24 hours without being tube fed!


We got to take you home.

YAY!!!!


We got to be the ones to take care of you!
We got to bathe you!


(you used this pink basin as a bath tub for about four months)

Kiss all over you!






Your Bub-bub got to show you off.....





This is a picture of you the day before you orginal due date....





One thing is for sure, in four short years, you have accomplished so much, I mean how many 4 year olds become CEO of their house?


(okay your probably not the only one, but still)


And we love you, and are as proud of you as the day you were born!


(especially your bub-bub)




WE LOVE YOU BIRTHDAY BOY!!!!!