Evie girl, part 3

Check out Sweetie Evie giving away some snuggles... she is doing so well!  This past Thursday, she was 2 weeks old! The only tube that remains is a feeding tube, but she eats SO well on her own... her Daddy even got to give her a bottle this weekend :)  But that's not the only good news going around-- Evie may be able to come home THIS Wednesday. Pray pray pray!  Anna and Robert can't wait to have her home, but obviously don't want to rush things- pray for wisdom and for this super strong girl to take these next 48 hours to triple quadruple her strength!

Big sister Lizzy LOVES Evie- she is so protective of her toys and stuff- she won't let my Max near it :)  She talks about Evie and sends her videos and looks at her pictures all the time... they're bonding without even meeting!

The "average" day for the Prusas includes taking Lizzy to the sitter, Robert working, and Anna driving an hour to the hospital to hang out with Evie, then an hour back home, to get Lizzy before the sitter closes up shop.  Then they spend their evenings with Lizzy and sleep-- and repeat it all the next day.  At this point, Anna is pumping regularly too, in order to feed Evie... which still includes middle of the night "feedings" even through the baby isn't home with them right now. This is all very tiresome, as you can imagine.

Lastly, at this point, there is no way to tell if there are any side effects to being born so early- a learning disability could possibly be a reality as Evie was so anemic when she was born, among other things.  BUT God is the Healer- He can do anything, fix anything, and grow Evie into the most beautiful, most healthy, most intelligent girl you've ever known!  Pray over her!

Overall, while life is hectic, there is still so much to be grateful for- for all of us who have gotten to walk through this with the Prusas- we've gotten to see God's healing hand and His wisdom, we've gotten to see many prayers answered and a tiny baby grow and blossom much quicker than anticipated- continue to praise Him!

Needless to say, they still need our prayers and if you're close by and willing and able, meals are very appreciated at well!  Here is a link to sign up:

http://www.foodtidings.com/SignUp.aspx?ScheduleGuid=eecdb7a8-1f05-447a-ae85-f6a1d5c5142d

**UPDATE: As of yesterday (Sunday), Evie does NOT have a feeding tube- she takes a bottle for EVERY MEAL!!!  HUGE news :)

Did You Know?

*NOTE: Certain pictures were removed after some disturbing online data

Did you know that 18 months is officially considered a toddler... as in NOT a baby?  Did you also know that my Max is 18 months old today?  Aka, a toddler.  Someone, please make it stop!



Max is eating about anything and everything you put in front of him.  And he's talking like crazy-- some of his new words this week include "I stuck" "awesome!" "watch" and "Jack".  Now if I could just figure out how to teach him not to whine and to use his words all of the time, not just some of the time, then we'd have a great thing going-- but as it is, he's still pretty good, so I'm going to keep him.  Max is slowly venturing upward in size too.  He has 2 pairs of jeans that he just started wearing this week that are 18-24 months, and just maybe we'll be able to move past those 6-12 month socks this month... He teeny tiny tennis shoes still fit, but we're getting close to the end of those too.  We may be turning a foot-size corner, but it's too early to tell.



Max continues to make his personality abundantly clear- he loves to laugh and will do many crazy things in order to get a laugh.  Sometimes he gets going, and can't be stopped- and it's funny, so we're laughing too much to try very hard to stop the little whirlwind!  We have had gorgeous weather in ATL this week, as I type this, it's 71 degrees!  Max has spent a lot of time in the backyard exploring- I can sit at the table right by the back door and watch him and work- it keeps us both happy!  Our backyard is totally fenced in, so he can wander around without causing me any fear, and I can sit and watch him while getting things done!  There is also a dog that lives next door that Max just loves!



Speaking of loves, his favorite things are still balls, doggies, airplanes and M&M's.  He got a set of golf clubs for Valentine's Day and he just loves golfing.  I have a feeling this is going to make Chad and my Dad very happy!  After many nights of 2am wake-up wails, accompanied with a very runny nose, and lots of drool, Max finally cut 2 new teeth this week as well.  That brings his grand total up to 12!  I'm sure we still have a good week of getting those 2 new teeth poked all the way through and established, but hopefully the hard part is over... hopefully! 2am wake up calls and a pregnant mommy isn't the best combo!



I'm not sure if Max is a 2 nap a day kind of kid, or a one nap of day type of kid, at this point in his life.  I've been reading that's it's normal to go down to one nap a day around this point, but really, it's a stretch to get him to make it with just one-- and we have to be willing to endure some grumpiness.  BUT if we aim for 2 naps, then it's a fight to get him to actually fall asleep the second time, but once he does, he still sleeps for 2 hours.  So, I'm just constantly guessing at this point in the game!  Move the nap up, move it back, wake him up, put him down for two, the options are endless, and I'm just sure which one suites him...

Max, my love, I'm so glad you're mine!  God is using you to teach me so much about me, and stretch me in ways that I didn't know I needed... but I do.  (That God, He sure does know everything!)  I still just love our time together- whether we're playing, reading, riding in the car, or going from store to store, you're my little man, and you make me laugh and smile and kiss you all over!  I'm looking forward to your baby brother's arrival in about 17 weeks, but I just can't help but to want it to slow down sometimes too, so that I make sure I soak all of you in.  I love your mind and how you learn, I love how you put words together, I love how your eyes light up and how you already joke and and goof off like your Daddy.  I love watching you and Gabe play together, and how much all of our people love you.  That's because you're contagious :)  Speaking of contagious, I'm sorry I shared the flu with you this month, will you forgive me?  Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of the stuff that I'm going to give you that's going to cause you grief-- that's because I'm not perfect, but just remember, you're Heavenly Father is perfect- and He knows everything about you, even the future teenage bad stuff to come, and still loves you enough to send His son to die for you-- that's huge!  You can trust Him no matter what- you can trust Him more than you can trust me and Daddy, in all of our love for you.  Speaking of that- despite our goof ups, and bad decisions, we love you more than we can ever tell you, we're proud of you, we're blessed by you, and we're so very happy that you're our son!  Much love on your 18 month day!

What Ke$ha Did To Our Family...

I'm not trying to pass the blame, but I'm pretty sure that Ke$ha is to blame for my meanest mom action yet.  You see, it happened before Christmas.  Chad and I had a date night-- we had a yummy steak dinner then headed over to Target to Christmas shop for the boys.  I had made a list before we went- and we did great- we stuck to the list and managed to find almost everything we wanted to get them.  In normal pregnant girl fashion, I had to stop by the restroom before we could check out.  I left Chad towards the front of the store with the buggy.  When I came back, he was on the craft aisle looking for an art kit for Gabe.  We didn't find what we were looking for- but right at the end of the aisle we super cute dancing animals that sang while they grooved.  I was just positive that Max needed one!  I threw one in the cart, and we made our purchases and headed home.

Fast forward a couple weeks, and it's Christmas Day.  Max unwraps his dancing monkey and him and Gabe both L-O-V-E it!  They press the button repetitively and dance around our living room.  And they keep pressing the button, and keep dancing around the living room.  Again. And again, and again.  Until my pregnant, hormonal, mean nerves are SHOT!  So when they weren't looking, I carried it to the car and hid it.  That worked well until Max discovered it in the car, and insisted on holding it-- all the while pressing the button repetitively.  I couldn't take it.  I just couldn't take it.

And here in lies the worst parenting move yet-- I took the darn thing back to Target.  That's right.  I gave the kid a toy and took it back, purely from selfish motives.  I just couldn't take Ke$ha and that dumb song over and over and over.

Look at this happy child with his dancing monkey... and yes, I stole that happiness from him.



So I'm a bad mom-- judge me-- just don't tell Max, he still thinks I'm the best thing, ever!

Update

Just a quick update-- this time last week, the chaos was beginning... Anna was finding out that it was time for an emergency C-section-- hearts were racing, fear was building-- this wasn't what anyone was expecting or wanting for baby Evie.  Speaking for myself, I was scared for her life- scared of the condition of her heart and lungs- scared for my sweet friends who were going to live through this, whether they wanted it or not.  All I could think about were the hours and days ahead.

But here we are a week later, just one short week, and look at this little beauty:



Very few wires and tubes are in and around her body, and she lays there sleeping like a little Angel as her mother visits.  A few more weeks of NICU care and development for her little premie body, and she'll be coming home!  Glory to God, forever!

Evie: Part 2

Good morning!  This blog post is one of the best blog posts I have gotten to write in a long time... and I like all my posts :)  Let's just start with the key element of this post-- bottom line, God has done some HUGE things in the life of little Evie in a very short time-- and there is so much good news that there is no way anyone else can get the credit-- only God, the healer and sustainer of life!!

(If you've missed the beginning of this story, please check out the part one: Evelyn "Evie" Claire )

First of all, initially it was going to be a long while before Anna could hold her little girl, but Anna has already held her twice! She even has plans to feed her today!

Secondly, Evie is breathing ON HER OWN!  As in no C-pap, no nasal canula, NOTHING.

Thirdly, Evie has lost weight which means that the fluids in her chest have been absorbed and she's peed it out!!

Fourth of all, her heart is looking great and the cardiologist is very pleased-- it's no longer swollen.

Next on this list of awesomeness,  Evie can potentially get the 2 tubes the run into her tummy out later this week!

Also, she is no longer on antibiotics

Evie's platelet count also stabilized over the weekend and she no longer needs transfusions!

On a special note, sweet Evie has a new name... yesterday as Anna and Robert were filling out the birth certificate paperwork, they made the last minute decision to name Evie after Anna's Granny-- So I'm thrilled to introduce Evelyn Virginia "Evie" to you! She is absolutely precious and you will fall in love with this little baby doll!



Now her initials are EV-- Evie, get it??  And how cute are these sisters?  Elizabeth Grace = EG and Evelyn Virginia = EV.  Adorable!

At this point, things are looking so good, Evie is blowing everyone away!  BUT please don't stop praying- any infection or change could be a major issue considering her size.  Anna and Robert are now trying to balance being home, caring for Lizzy G, visiting Evie an hour away from their house, Robert's job, and Anna's healing.  Also, after Anna was released from the hospital yesterday, she was almost home when they received word that Lizzy had come down with a stomach virus.  So for obvious reasons, Anna wasn't able to go home-- after not seeing her little girl for 5 days, this was crushing :( Please pray for Lizzy to get better quickly, pray for the germs to be banned from the Prusa house during these next several months, and pray for wisdom for Anna and Robert as they navigate all this.



Also, all of their wonderful friends and family have come to help-- they have been blown away by this- Anna was just telling me last night how blessed they are by all of you!  But if I could encourage you to keep it up, that would be great!  Anna has very little energy, she is still healing from major surgery, Robert heads back to work today, and as always, a 2 year old takes a lot-- so your visits, your meals, and your prayers are still coveted!

L is for the way you look at me...

Maybe I'm still 7 years old at heart, but I really love Valentine's Day and little cards and candy.  And the thing about having lots of boys in my house is that I have lots of Valentines :)  I have had my gift wrapped in heart paper, tied with candy, and adorned with a valentine card for a week now... and tonight is the night!

We're not having a particularly fancy dinner and there's not much romance planned, but you've got to see these sweet faces that I'm spending the night with... but please note that they are MINE!  The first two are taken until they're at least 30-- at that time, I'll let you know if you may compete for their hearts... and the last one, well, he's off the market for life.  Sorry to bust your bubble.  There will be hamburgers and mac n' cheese and broccoli (Gabe's request, seriously!), birthday cake, and maybe even a family game after bath time.  It's not exactly what Hallmark was going for when they created this day, but let's be honest-- isn't this what life's really about??

Gabe- our birthday boy :)  He turns 8 today, making him a real life Valentine!



Max- my best baby... at least for 17.5 more weeks :)  He makes my heart pitter patter 24/7!



Chad- my one and only someone, my Valentine til the Lord takes us home!



Happy Valentine's Day to you all-- hope it full of love and a reminder of the blessings the Lord has surrounded you with- whether you have a special someone or not, God loves you immeasurably more than you can ever imagine-- you were worth His son's life!

Evelyn "Evie" Claire

Yesterday, Evelyn Claire was born.  You remember Elizabeth Grace (Lizzy), Max's girlfriend?  Well it's her new little sister!  And so far, it's been quite the miracle and quite the God-story-- so I wanted to share it with you and ask for your continued prayers over the Prusa family.

At Anna's 21 week ultrasound, they found a small tumor on her placenta.  This is very rare, but being that it is attached to the placenta, it doesn't pose a threat to the mother, and if everything goes well, it doesn't really cause a threat the the baby either.  The catch is that the tumor and the  baby are sharing and competing for blood.  There is no reason or cause for the tumor and the chance of this happening is very very scarce.  When the doctor's discovered the tumor, the decided that it would be best for Anna to go to a specialist every 2 weeks, but otherwise, everything would be considered a normal pregnancy.  For 10 weeks, there wasn't a problem-- the tumor was growing, but the baby was growing too, and the doctors we're thrilled with the progress.

On Sunday, Anna began having contractions.  By Monday they were very regular, so she went to her doctor and was checked into the hospital.  After 2 days of extensive testings, ultrasounds, and visits with the pediatric cardiologist, it was decided that Anna was not in pre-term labor, and the baby was doing fine. So they were sent home after being given 2 doses of steroids to speed up the baby's development, just in case anything were to happen down the road.

On Wednesday, Anna worked a full day as a speech pathologist at a public middle school.  She did her mommy duties that evening and began taking care of her house and her family.  On Thursdays, Anna does not work, and had scheduled an appointment with the specialist.  While at the appointment, they discovered some fluid in the baby's chest and decided that an immediate, emergency c-section was necessary.  Anna was sent to the hospital right away... and this is when God's handy work and God's perfect timing becomes very clear:

First of all, Robert, Anna's husband was with her at the appointment and Anna had a bag packed in the car.

Secondly, Chad was painting at their house and I had just arrived to bring him a sandwich.  The boys were playing in their backyard and I was setting up some stuff in their house when I got the call.  I was able to pack a bag for Robert and head straight to the hospital to be there for them.

Thirdly, the tumor had actually been causing the baby stress for up to several weeks, but it was not something they couldv'e seen on an ultrasound, so the fluid development and the specialist appointment was perfect timing and got the baby out just in time.

Fourth of all, although the baby is 31 weeks along (9 weeks early) she still weighed in at 4.4oz!

All the miracles are from the Lord, the given and sustainer of Life!  Praise Him!

These next few days are critical.  The baby is stable, but has serious issues going on in her little body.  The NICU is very encouraged because they only things that have gone "wrong" and the only "issues" that have arisen were totally expected by them.  Baby Evie is covered in tubes and wires and masks, and it makes this mother's heart hurt-- I can NOT imagine how her parents are feeling- but Anna has been able to hold her hand, and hopefully, in a couple days, will be able to hold her precious girl.

Please pray for Anna that she makes a quick recovery from her c-section so she can focus on her new baby and her sweet 2 year old.  Please pray for Robert as her supports them all emotionally, and processes this, as it's his daughter and his wife going through all of this, physically, but the whole family is dealing with the repercussions of all of this.  Please pray for God given bonding experiences for both parents-- not being able to hold and connect with a new baby has to be very taxing and surreal. Please pray for Evie and all the doctors that are taking care of her.  Pray for her lungs and her heart development.  Pray for her platelet count, that it would rise.  Pray the the fluids in her chest would be absorbed. And pray that she knows she's loved and adored by many. And please pray for the journey that is ahead.

And most importantly, praise God from whom all blessing flow.  Praise Him for taking care of Anna and Evie and praise Him for all the wisdom that he has given everyone involved.