Baby Mason, My Little Fighter

2011-10-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

New Pictures of Kids.... Photography done by Flashback Photography

2011-10-10T10:14:00.000-07:00

The Ongoing Miracle of Baby Mason

2011-09-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

We went to an Optometrist appointment with Mason. As I already told you before that Mason was diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity. Last news was his right eye was clear and his left eye still showed signs of stage one ROP. I didn't realize unit I was sitting in the waiting room that this appointment they would decide whether or not Mason would need surgery to correct his ROP. They give him 6 weeks after their due date to decide this and this day was 6 weeks to the day! So I sent out a mass text to friends that Mason would be HEALED in Jesus name~ Well we were called to the back and after the doctor did his examination of Mason's eyes he simply stood up and walked over to the chart. I asked, "How did his eyes look today?" and the doctor turned and looked at me and said, "He is Healed." I immediately started crying and could not believe the play on words that was just used! I am so thankful that he is Healed! Its amazing how God answers our prayers, and even outs His touch on it! How amazing....

2011-08-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

Some new pictures~!

Saturday, August 27th

2011-08-27T13:39:00.000-07:00

Today I read a blog from a very good friend of mine. She has been through so much as a parent. I know we are told that God never gives us too much that we can not handle, but my goodness.... I immediately look back at my life as a parent and think, wow He must have me mistaken with someone that can take on anything. After the loss of Callie, and Clay, Madisyne and now Mason being all premature, He must have a miraculous plan for my life. I just wish I could see the end of this tunnel that I seem to be going through.

Friday, August 26th

2011-08-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a while since I blogged. But let me update you on Mason. His last eye appointment his retinopathy was completely gone in his right eye. His left eye has not changed, but praise the Lord for the answer to prayers. He is such an amazing baby boy, I am so thankful for my little fighter. He truly is that. He is 7pounds and 4 ounces now, getting big! I am so thankful for my little man!

Wednesday, July 27th

2011-07-27T16:27:00.000-07:00

Mason has a pediatric appointment today. He is doing great, just one thing....He has lost weight since last week. He was 6 pounds and 8 ounces last Monday. Today he weighed 6 pounds even. We go back next week to see if this is an issue, or if it is a scale issue. We will say it was their scales! He is getting bigger and he eats like a boy should, so I am really not concerned with it. Well we have our first trip this Saturday. We are going to Palatka to see my Grandmother. It is her birthday party. Mason will get to meet his Great-Grandmother and Great aunts and uncles and cousins. I'm excited! Ill keep you posted!

Monday, July 25th

2011-07-26T16:24:00.000-07:00

Today Mason had his second eye appointment. Dr. Blumenfeld said that both eyes are "no worse, and no better". So I am going to take that good news. He was exhausted after this appointment. Mason would not look far enough to one side so they had to hold his eye open with a tool that opens his eyes lids from the inside. Please continue to pray for him. I know that I have the faith to believe that God has given this child sight, and that he will be able to see.

Monday, July 18th

2011-07-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Today Mason had his first pediatrician check up. He is now 6 pounds and 8 ounces. I can not believe that he is getting so big! But he looks so little. He is doing great! He has another eye appointment next Wednesday. I hope that everything is good news! He has a minor surgery on the 3rd of August, (you know the one all little boys have) Please pray for Mason, he still has a long way to go. He still is waiting for his appointment for a developmental doctor. They just make sure that he is on track to where he should be. Thank you for the prayers!

Tuesday, July 12th

2011-07-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

Today Mason had a doctor's appointment in Orlando for his eyes. He had an exam done at the hospital 2 weeks ago that said he had immature retinas. Today we went as a check up and they told us that he has stage one retinopathy of prematurity. This is a disease that can cause lazy eye, offset eyes, crossed eyes, near or far sighted eyes, or even blindness. He goes back again in 2 weeks to check to see if it is getting any worse or if it is starting to heal. Worst case scenario, it can be corrected by surgery if successful. So please pray that this goes away with no problems.

Monday, July 11th

2011-07-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

Today my Mr. Mason came home. My dad went with me to pick him up. I was really nervous about bringing him home, not too sure why. Whether it was the fact that I now have FOUR children to tend to, or if it was the fact that this little thing totally depends on me for every waking need and totally depends on me. We got there about 3:00, and were out of there by 4:00. Dad said that you can buy a house, a new car, and property in a foreign country and sign less paperwork than we had to sign to get Mason out of there. lol We came back to my house and mom, Nathan and Emily were there and Becky and Corbett came over for dinner and to see Mason. Madisyne on the other hand was really funny. As soon as I walked in with the baby I put him down and Madi just put her hand on his cheek and said, "this my baby brodder?" I told her yes. Since she is very protective, but not jealous at all. That night I was able to finally get Mason to bed. He has a bassinet by my bed and I walked around the corner and heard him crying a little bit. Well, I walked back around the corner and Madi was holding Mason and when she saw me she "Threw" him back in the bassinet. Yes I said threw. I of course spanked her and told her she can never ever pick Mason up. I believe she got the point.

This is Mason in the car seat in the hospital

Aunt Emily holding Mason with Madi

Friday, July 8th

2011-07-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

Today as I was at work I got a phone call from the Pod 4 NICU. It was our Dr. Lipman. He told me that Mason was doing great! He is off the feeding tube and he can come home on Monday or Tuesday! It is such an answer to prayer! I miss my little man so much when I am away. He is truly a miracle. Thank you so much for all the prayers. I hope that his homecoming smooth! Madi can not wait to meet this "Mason" that we all talk about!. Ill keep you posted. BTW I am having surgery on Thursday so please keep me in prayer as well. It is the end of the baby-making-business for me!

Tuesday, July 5th

2011-07-05T19:36:00.000-07:00

i don't even know what to write tonight. I know this has nothing to do with Mason but I am disgusted with the "casey anthony trial" I can not believe that this girl has just gotten away with killing her own child. I just have to say that there is a Higher Power, I just can not believe it. All I can see is Caylee's little face and wonder why there are such monsters in life and how they can even call themselves parents.

Monday, July 4th

2011-07-04T17:04:00.000-07:00

Today Jason and I went to see Mason. He finished a complete bottle for me for the first time. He is doing well, he weighs 5 pounds 6 ounces now. I was looking on the stats of my blog today and I was amazed to see that I have viewers from not only the US but also Alaska, Indonesia, Germany, Bahamas and even Poland. I am truly blessed to have people that care so much. I hope that I can keep you updated on Mason. He truly is a miracle. I hope you all have a happy fourth! thank you for the prayers

"Nothing on my face!" (feeding tube was being changed....mommy stole a picture!)

Love this picture....looks like he is playing peek-a-boo

Clay meeting his little brother

Sunday, July 3rd

2011-07-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ok sorry it has been a while since I wrote. I have been kinds in a slump....I'm so anxious for Mason to come home. I have been told 2 weeks, to any day, to 2 more weeks again. I am getting to where I am just not expecting anything, then I won't be disapointed. Well, enough of my "whoes" Mason is doing great. He is now 5 pounds and 5 ounces. He is doing awesome! He had an eye exam last week that said he has an immature retina, but that only means that the blood vessels in the retina are not fully developed. They will do another eye exam in about a week. He has to be more consistent with his bottle feeds before they will allow him to come home. Now he is at 45 ml every three hours, he will drink 27 ml, or even 10 or 11ml, and then he will out of the blue drink the whole bottle. So my little man just needs to eat more consistently. I stayed the night with him last night in the NICU and I believe I got about 2 hours of sleep. Apparently Mason likes to sleep all day and be up all night. So that HAS to change before he comes home! LOL I don't really care if he is nocturnal for the rest of his life I just want him home! Well I will update you guys as soon as there is a change! Thank you for all the prayers and please keep them coming!

Friday, June 24th

2011-06-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pictures of Mason. He is now 4 pounds and 11 ounces. He is still bottle feeding twice a day and drinking about half of the bottle on his own and the other half goes through the feeding tube. He is still having his bradicardias. This is completely normal for a preemie. Dr. Lipman said maybe another two weeks and he can come home. I hope!

Sunday, June 19th

2011-06-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

Mason is 4 pounds 3 ounces. His face is filling out so much, he almost looks like a different baby! He will be 34 weeks this Tuesday, so I am hoping that he will overcome the heart bradys that he has been having. He has had a lot fewer than before, so that is an answer to prayer. He also is doing better on his bottle feeding. The other night he drank 22cc from the bottle! Well please keep the prayers coming!

Wednesday, June 15th

2011-06-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

Went to see Mason last night. I took his aunt Sonja with me. She hadn't got to see him yet. Well we walk in, and I walk into the wrong room. I didn't know until I got all the way to the crib and saw the baby, and I was like, "Uh....this isn't my baby...." then I started laughing, because I realized what I did. The nurse was like, "you didn't look like that baby's mom" ANYWAY! I found baby Mason, and he was out of the incubator, in an open crib! He was holding his own temperature, and doing awesome! He weighs 3 pounds 12 ounces. So the goal now is feeding! He has to do three things before he can go home. 1. weigh 4 pounds, (we are almost there, probably by the end of the week) 2. He has to maintain his own body temperature, (which he is) and 3. he has to be completely bottle fed, ( we are working on that one) I am amazed at how well he is doing! Keep up the prayers and support, and thank you!

Sunday, June 12th

2011-06-12T20:52:00.001-07:00

Mason is 3 pounds 9 ounces today. I fed him his "one" bottle feed that he gets and he ate 12 cc out of 32. It doesn't sound like much but he is making improvements every day. He is such a strong little boy. All the nurses always comment on how handsome he is! :) I am so proud of my little man. I am so blessed!

Wednesday, June 8th

2011-06-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

Mason is so freakin cute.....I can not wait to get him home. I spent most of the day with him today and plan on doing the same tomorrow. I can not help but see how blessed I am to have been given such a healthy baby boy. He is doing awesome. Thank you for the prayers, and please keep them coming!

Monday, June 6th

2011-06-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today Mason met his biggest sister, Mya. She wouldn't leave the poor baby alone. It was really cute. Mason took his first bottle today. Right now he eats 29 ML and he ate 9 ML from the bottle, with no problem, might I add! No drops in heart rate, or oxygen. I am so proud of my little man! He ate what he could then he fell asleep. Dr. Lipman said that he can try a bottle everyday, until he gets the hang of it. I appreciate all the prayers. He is doing awesome!

BTW....I am going back to work, June 14th...... I am excited to go back and maybe have an adult conversation or two.....lol

Sunday, June 5th

2011-06-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been a while since I posted. I have been with Mason everyday since he was born, and yet I feel like it is not enough. I know that I have to stretch myself between home and hospital, it just is getting to be a lot. I hope he comes home soon.....I was able to nurse Mason yesterday, and today. He did better today, but he still hasn't figured it out yet. They are going to start bottle feeding him tomorrow one feeding a day. I hope he does well. I think he will because he loves his pacifier. His weight is 3 pounds 2.5 ounces. So he is gaining everyday. Our goal to get him home is 4 pounds. Thank you everyone for your prayers and please continue to pray for Mason.

Wednesday, June 1st

2011-06-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

I am with baby Mason today. He is doing great. He had a minor "freak-mommy-out" incident. He spit up all over himself in the incubator, out the nose, out the mouth, EVERYWHERE....then he started choking, whatever....I know it is normal but still.... Anyway, the other baby girl that I asked you to pray for is doing good. Of course all my info is "second-hang-ease-dropping" but I can't help it, she is right next to us! Anyway, the best news of the day is Dr. Lipman said that he sees Mason being able to come home is at least 4 weeks. They are going to try to bottle feed him this coming Tuesday. Pray that he does well, and no reflux!

Tuesday, May 31

2011-05-31T18:40:00.000-07:00

I spent the day with little Mason today. He is up in weight to 3 pounds 1 ounce. He is on full feeding through his feeding tube. He had an ultrasound of his little head today that showed he had no sign of a brain bleed. YAY! He is doing awesome. He still is receiving caffeine for his heart de-sats but other than that he if wonderful. He has a roommate in the NICU that is not doing too well. She is a little newborn that needs alot of prayer. The mom is VERY young and I do not know much about her. I have seen her twice, and both times she just came in and dropped off milk and then left....without even looking at her baby. Well the baby is having surgery tomorrow, and the mom is no where to be found. She has not given any consent for the baby to have the surgery, which means it can not be done. From the sound of it, the baby is really sick and needs these surgeries asap. I hope that you will pray for her, and the mom. My heart goes out to them. Not to be a complete downer, but I also saw a mom today, VERY pregnant, smoking a cigarette. I am not judging any of these mothers, but I can not help but get mad. My child is in there fighting for his little life, and these mothers seem to not be worried at all about theirs. It is just heartbreaking. Makes me very thankful for my little man, and makes me want to give my children all the love I can.

Saturday, May 28th

2011-05-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

Today I write from the Ronald McDonald house. I got a room here for the weekend. I was able to hold Mason last night for about 2 hours. It was hard to put him back! I am so attached. He is doing great. His weight is holding at 2 pounds 15 ounces. He should be off his IV today. He is on full feedings, only breast milk, and he is digesting everything. He has proved the "Wimpy-White-Boy-Syndrome" wrong. The nurses in the NICU believe that white males are the slowest to improve, and get better, where African American females are the strongest. I don't know how to compare because obviously I have never had an African American girl, lol but I know I am just proud of the little man that God has blessed me with. I will try to keep you updated on Mason over the weekend, just please keep him in your prayers! Thanks you!