My sweet Ollie is almost 9 months old!  I cannot believe how far we have come in these past months.  I look back to when I first delivered Oliver, and I honestly have no idea how I made it through those times.  It was hard.  Naturally, having a healthy baby is hard!  Having a baby with additional challenges is beyond hard!  Working full-time and trying to take care of a special babe and two other kids and keep a house AND have time for a husband…..WOW!  But, I am proud to say that we all survived!  AND, we are stronger than ever.  I am so grateful to put this past year behind us and for us to focus on the future.

Oliver’s health is great!  He continues to slowly gain weight; he is a whole 12 pounds!  I am so proud of my Heart Warrior!  I thank God everyday for giving me such a beautiful soldier.  Milestones have a new meaning for us.  Oliver continues to work hard on everyday activities that other babies develop easily.  Such as rolling.  We work everyday to strengthen those core muscles.  There was one day when I would tickle his side and it would cause him to roll.  It only happened that day, but it was worth every minute of practice!  It makes me sad to see other babies on Facebook standing, rolling, sitting, and starting to walk when my baby cannot even roll over.  I have to remind myself that Oliver isn’t like other babies.  Oliver lost the first five months of his life.  He was literally trying to stay alive!

Look at him now!  My hero!  He brings so much joy to our lives.  His big brother and big sister absolutely adore him!  It may even be borderline obsession.  The first thing they do when they get home is run to him for hugs and kisses.  They both love reading to him.  Charlie loves “babysitting”.  She feeds him, changes his diaper, and carries him around the house (not on stairs).

It isn’t always easy.  I will not lie to you.  I have new challenges everyday.  Eating for example.  The simple activity of swallowing food does not come naturally to Oliver.  He will eat great one day, and the next day he has no idea what he is doing with that food.  It ends up all over him and me!  Finances!  Oh dear!  It is like a knife to the heart every time I open a medical bill.  That is all you need to know!

Seeing that smile on Oliver’s face is worth every sacrifice, every wrinkle, every tear, and every sleepless night.