Monday, September 21, 2009

Four Months

Jack Ryan...you are four months old! What's up with you these days?

You weigh about 16 pounds (we will hit the doctor for the official four month weight tomorrow afternoon) and are about 25 inches long (by mom's estimation...I'm probably WAY off).

You wear a size two diaper, but the next box we buy will be the size 2-3.

You wear size 3-6 month or 6 month clothes for the most part, though there are a couple three month items that you still wear that are actually big on you.

You don't really like your swing much anymore, so we have moved that into the spare bedroom for "emergency use" so that we could have room for your new excersaucer.

Speaking of the exersaucer. You aren't quite sure what to think of it. Depending on the time of day, you will hang out in there for 10-15 minutes and then you get annoyed.

You recently discovered your hands (not that you haven't been sucking on them for months), but this week you have started holding them out in front of your face and staring at them for a while with an amazed look on your face. It cracks mommy and daddy up.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Unbelievable

I know it has been almost a month since I have written. School started and I have been busy trying to get into a groove of working, spending time with Jack, and having some time for myself. I just needed to take a minute to talk about a family that is on my mind tonight.

I read a lot of blogs. One that I have read for quite a while is this one. This family as endured unspeakable tragedy. In July 2003, they welcomed their first child, a beautiful little girl named Madeline. In December of that year, their little girl was diagnosed with a bladder tumor (and later a tumor at the base of her spine). Her tumor could not be classified and baffled the doctors. After a long battle, Madeline passed away just after her first birthday in August 2004.

In 2006, the couple welcomed Grant to their family. Now a dinosaur-loving three year old, Grant is thankfully healthy.

In October 2008, Annette joined their family. Unbelievably, in December 2008, Annette was diagnosed with a tumor in nearly the same spot at the base of her spine as her sister had. Again, it baffled the doctors. Genetic testing was done and it was determined that something was going on, but fortunately, the mutated gene has not been passed on to Grant. Annette went home on hospice care not too long ago after it was determined there wasn't anything more that could be done. Last night, she joined her big sister Maddy in heaven. When I woke up this morning and checked my blogs, my heart just broke for this family. I can't imagine losing one child, let alone two. It just does not seem fair.

The streets are too full of tiny angels tonight. I can only hope that this family finds strength in knowing that their little girls have touched the lives of so many people across the world that have never even met them. I will think about them this weekend as I hold my beautiful baby boy. I hope that you will all hug your children a little tighter tonight and tell your family how much they mean to you.