2 months old already!!

9 weeks old already. I can hardly believe it's been over two months. For the most part it's been life as usual, just the normal stuff that comes with having a new baby in the house. The only major difference has been the slow weight gain. I'm used to chunky babies but getting weight on this little guy has been very difficult. We are finally seeing gains with the coconut oil. He's up to 8lbs 5 1/2oz. Whoop!! He is starting to smile a little bit, but not consistently. He has a little dimple on his face by his mouth that is so cute. His therapy sessions are going great. He is trying to roll over and is holding his head up better every day. This child is going to be so spoiled by the love and attention he gets from his siblings. We all adore him.

We head back to the cardiologist next Tuesday so prayers that the doctor will have wisdom about when his surgery should happen would be appreciated. And also pray for peace for me and Michael. When we are just living life every day with him it is easy to forget that he is sick because he shows very little sign that his heart isn't functioning properly (which is a great thing). But when we go to the cardiologist it is a reminder that there is a big problem, that he is sick, and that he is in congestive heart failure. Those days are very hard and emotional.  Last week when I met with the nutritionist she took me on a tour of the ICU where he will be after his surgery. As I walked around the area I was greeted by kind, smiling faces of the nurses 
caring for the babies but as I left it occurred to me that they were smiling at me and fawning over John because they new that he would be there soon. That was a hard reality to deal with. I'm trying to look at pictures of other children who have been through this surgery to prepare myself for a the machines and tubes but I wonder if you can ever really prepare. Besides, it's different when it's your own child and your seeing it in person. 

It is my hope that we can hold off on surgery until the other children are done with school and I have been able to celebrate Bella and Victoria's birthdays in which are May 10th and May 11th. We are also hoping to surprise the kids and take them on a long weekend to one of the Phoenix Condos in Orange Beach. I hate to say that my children have only been to the sandy white beaches of Gulf Shores once and that was right after my dad's death. We really would love to do this before surgery since it will be difficult to do it after. So if the doctor says we can put off the surgery until mid-May then we can do these things with the older children.  Of course, nothing is more important than John Isaac's health so that takes precidence and if the doctor feels it is best to go ahead with the surgery then of course we will do that.  

Thank you for your prayers. We couldn't do this without all of your love and support.