Trip #4

Tomorrow morning we leave for another trip to Michigan. This will be our fourth trip in just three months, we are TIRED but certainly ready for some insight from Dr. Trese. He will put Colton to sleep in the Beaumont Children's Surgery Center and examine his eyes, we will know a little bit more about how his eyes are healing after the surgeries in January. There is a very slim possibility that Colton will need more surgery but hopefully we will get out of Detroit without that happening. As always, prayers are welcome and appreciated greatly. I'm a bit bummed because Colton has just gotten back to his old smiley self just in time for the Docs to bother his eyes again and make him mad. I already know he will keep his head down and eyes closed for the next two-three weeks, I miss that smile when he is sad.

In other news... How about them WILDCATS? I could not be more pleased with the way UK is playing this season. We are dedicated big blue fans even during the crappy years but boy is it fun to win.

Spring is here and the weather is very nice. Colton's new favorite thing... falling asleep in the swing at a local playground, he loves being outside.

Corrected

Today is a hard day for me, it is Colton's 2nd "Corrected" Birthday. In the preemie world a corrected birthday is the date the child should have been born (the mother's due date). For Colton this day was March 17, 2008.

I was very excited to have a March baby, it was the perfect month in my opinion, not too hot or cold, just right. Our family is full of Fall and Winter Birthdays so it was a chance for our son to have his own little part of the year. I was quite disappointed when Colton decided to make his early appearance on November 25, 2007. Not only was my son fighting for his life but all my dreams of the perfect birthday for him had been crushed... you think of all the silly little things that could have and should have been when you have months to sit with your thoughts in the NICU.

In the beginning of our NICU experience they told us if Colton made it he would probably be in the hospital until around his due date. That date came, then went and we still didn't have Colton at home with us, I honestly cannot tell you how I made it to May 14th, it was the hardest 172 days of my entire life.

Colton celebrated his 2nd "actual" birthday 4 months ago. When I think about how far in the past that seems I realize just how much time he was robbed of to grow and thrive inside of me. It also reminds me how much of a miracle he is, as if I could EVER forget that.

Today is a hard day. It's hard because every time I close my eyes I am taken back to March 17, 2008 sitting by Colton's bedside, fighting back tears, reminding myself I needed to be strong for my little boy and wondering if he would ever make it home alive.

Corrected Birthdays should not exist, March of Dimes is working so hard to eliminate the term and make sure that ALL babies are born healthy but they need help to make this happen. I challenge you to donate just $5 today to help this very worthy cause in honor of Colton and all others who know just a little too much about corrected birthdays.

Happy Corrected Birthday, Sweet Boy
You're pretty much amazing!Colton Lee Darnell, March 17, 2008

Walkin' On Sunshine

Colton got his walker today. At first I stood him at it and let him explore a bit, then he starting dancing while holding on to it so I decided to try and get him to take a few steps and guess what... he did!

So... it is a beautiful day here in Kentucky, a great day to go outside and that is exactly what we did. Colton, Nana and I went out and let him walk with his walker.


He is taking steps with it by himself. I hold on to it for safety purposes right now but he is doing it mostly on his own!!! He fusses a bit as he gets tired but when you pick him up he wants back down with it. I am really hoping this is the start of something wonderful.

Ball of Infection

Hopefully, no one noticed that I only wrote like 6 posts in February... it's not entirely my fault though. Colton spent most of the month either recovering from eye surgery or being sick. It's been a rough month for him, ear infections, upper respiratory infection and one very nasty sinus infection... he has basically been one big ball of infection all month (costume idea for next Halloween...?) and he has been the grumpiest he has ever been in his entire life, literally.

Well Colton is back as of yesterday!!! He is back on his regular schedule and back to his smiley self (despite the still-constant stream of snot running out of his nose). This makes me very happy. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the extra cuddle time he insisted on just about every night but I am so thankful that my baby boy is getting back to his old self, I missed him.

I have also been increasingly busy with March for Babies - Team Colton fundraising (you can click the link if you would like to contribute). Considering Colton's battle with prematurity, our family is very passionate about March of Dimes and everything they do for babies like him. We have a few fundraising events in the works but I am slowly running out of ideas, if you have any suggestions that have worked for you in the past then please feel free to suggest them.

I am going to try very hard to at the very least write more posts this month than I did last... I am sure I can do it. We only have one trip Michigan this month (on the 22nd) so I think I will have much more time on my hands.