New member of the Family

Well Derek got his Valentines present from Baker this past week. Harley!!!


She is an CKC registered Great Dane! Solid black with a diamond on her chest. The mother was brown and weight around 140, and the dad was Grey and weight in at 190ish... Derek said that the Daddy, Titus, meet them down the road and he was jogging by our Tahoe and he was looking in the windows.


Derek has always wanted a Great Dane!! And since I stay home with Baker now, I figured it was a good time. And the price was right!!! We got her for a steal!! Baker loves Harley!! He likes to rub her fur!!

Baker's Surgery

After surgery


Just wanted to let everyone know that Baker's surgery went well Friday. He had tubes in his ears, a bronch scope down his throat, and a sedated hearing test done. We left Thursday night and headed to Birmingham. We had to be at the hospital at 5:30 the next morning so we decided that we would go up the night before and stay with Derek's Uncle Don. It is a challenge to take Baker on an overnight trip because we have to load up EVERYTHING!!! I know it is hard for all parents to load up baby stuff, so imagine doubling all there stuff!! But over all we did well... we didn't forget Anything!! The next morning we woke up and it was less than 10 degrees in Birmingham. So we bundled up and threw a blanket on Baker and loaded back up to head to Children's Hospital. Got there on time and we went straight back to get his lab work done. Baker has very bad veins and it is hard to get blood from him. After 3 sticks I asked if they could just get his blood when they started his iv while he was asleep. Thank goodness they agreed. We went into the small room that they put you in to wait and the nurse came in to answer a bunch of questions. And we waited about 10 min for Doctor Hill to get to the hospital. As soon as they took him into the surgery he was gone about 30 min and then he was in recovery. He did so well that they let us go on home. They said everything was perfect now!!! We were on the road traveling back home by 11:30!!! Just wanted to post!!!

Happy New Year!!!

This past year has been the hardest year by far for Derek and I!! The beginning of 2008 was good for us. We were expecting our first child on May 30, we had saved up some money to start looking for a house, and bought us a larger vehicle. Things were good! On May 13th Baker was born and we were expecting to hear him scream and for him to be perfect but things just didn't work out that way. He was born at 4:16 pm and by 9:30 that night he was loaded up and being flown to Birmingham's UAB hospital. They was the hardest thing that I have ever done was watch them take my child away from me while I was stuck there in Dothan. I was so scared of what the future looked like for us and so mad that God was putting us through this. All I heard while I was trying to sleep was our neighbors little baby screaming and the daddy singing to that baby... I tried not to cry because my mom was with me and I wanted to be strong. And I knew that God was with us, and he was not going to forsake us!!!

The next day was the start of a long journey for us as a family!!! Baker went through months of test, blood work, surgerys, and ups and downs, but thankfully he was a trooper and made it through for Derek and I. (And thanks to Derek for all his help and support. Expecially when I was in the hospital with my gall bladder for a week. He was going back and forth from hospital to hospital. And took tons of pictures and videos for me to look at. I don't know what I could have done without him!!) Now we are home for the second time and things are wonderful... We still have to deal with equipment and germs, and things that most people wouldn't even have to worry about. But Baker is an easy baby. He sleeps all night. And he is never fussy!!! And the best thing is that we are still at home thoughout this cold and flu season... so far!!! Every doctor told us that we would probably be back in the hospital during this time... But Baker likes his home better : )

We have big plans for 2009. Hopefully a HOUSE!!! We need more space for sure!! But that will be another challange in itself. Having to find a house and make sure it can be adapted for a wheelchair. But it should be fun!!! I am so thankful for this past year even though it has been hard at times. God has truly blessed us and enriched our lives greatly with this little boy!!! We have been through alot and seen alot worse. We have made lots of new friends that we met in the hospital and see at clinics. And we will forever be part of the Children's Hospital family!!


Happy New Year!!!