Things have been kind of tense around our Happy Home lately.
On Monday they did a little test on the Happy Baby and found that he has some sort of defect with his kidneys. The doctors want him to go on antibiotics indefinitely.
On top of that, he has not been taking his bottles very well. Our doctor this week informed us that although he is gaining weight most days, it is not enough. They keep adding increasing amounts of formula to my breast milk to try to compensate for his lack of volume.
It’s looking like if we want him to come home, he will be coming home with a feeding tube.
And on top of that, I am sick! 102 degree fever preventing me from seeing my little boy this weekend.
The Happy Hubby and I needed something to lighten things up.
I’ve been doing research on a post about fun things you can do with your kids on a long road trip. One of the ideas was to give them a roll of aluminum foil and let their creative juices sculpt the foil into something awesome.
It sounded fun, so I grabbed our aluminum foil, threw some at the Happy Hubby, and told him to get to work.
He had an idea almost immediately and became engrossed in his art.
I was laughing so hard when he finished and proceeded to model the tin foil creation for a series of photographs.
Yes, he did give me permission to post these pictures online. 🙂
Want to see what I made?
In honor of the Happy Baby and as inspiration for him to eat, I made a bottle.
(I realize that this might look like a different kind of bottle. No, the stresses of the last couple of days have not driven me to drink. This bottle is purely full of milk!)
C’mon Happy Baby! You can do it!!!
🙂
I totally recommend this simple at-home date idea for you and your Happy Hubby. It’s a great stress reliever. Feel free to share your creations on Happy Home Fairy’s Facebook page!
Please keep praying, sweet friends. As much as I didn’t want to come home with a feeding tube, I’d really like to just be fully surrendered to whatever God wants. And as much as I know He knows what’s best, it’s super hard to let go of some of the things I thought were best.
Happy Tin Foil Date-ing! 🙂
My niece had a swallowing issue at birth. I’m fairly certain after her first few bottles strangled her and scared her mommy to the ER, she never had another. She had a feeding tube until she was completely on solids. Now, at 5, she is strong, healthy, perfectly normal, she eats more than my boys, and she calls her feeding tube scar, her 2nd belly button! lol 🙂 Hope you feel better soon!
My heart aches when I read this. Julie & Ryan, your journey with Jet has been a long and hard one and it seems that it will continue to be rocky and difficult. Only God knows why. You can only do what you have been doing…placing your hearts, your faith, and baby Jet in the arms of the LORD and trusting that He knows what is best even though it seems so wrong. Remember, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Is. 55:8-9
“Difficulty is actually the atmosphere surrounding a miracle, or a miracle in its initial stage. Yet if it is to be a great miracle, the surrounding condition will be not simply a difficulty but an utter impossiblity. And it is the clinging hand of His child that makes a desperate situation a delight to God.” from Streams in the Desert.
You are all in my prayers and in my heart…hugs to all of you. Love, Marla
Bless your hearts! Julie, it was my honor and privilege to meet and talk with you last night…we talked at the food table…and to hear you spread your magic as the Happy Home Fairy! And to see the photos of you and your Happy Hubba!
Sorry, I hit the post button too soon! As I read Marla’s post this thought came like a flood from my heart to the brain! After meeting you AND seeing the sweet face of the tender warrior you share life with, I’ll venture to say the ‘why’ Poppa has allowed your sweet little Jet to endure such suffering at such a tender age-glory. His glory…just like when Jesus told the disciples the man was blind from birth to reveal G-d’s glory.
You guys shine with His light, bright and beautiful.
Our Redeemer so Lives!
I”ve been praying from afar here in Tn. For your precious baby and your sweet family! Believing in prayer w/u for his complete healing. May the Lord equip you for the journey ahead, and may your happy baby be home with u soon! Pray you feel better soon as well!
Hey Julie, are they wanting to keep him until he is off the feeding tube?? I say that only bc that was the final straw keeping Avery there. Finally she pulled the tube out herself, subconsciously(?) when she was ready and then we had to wait another week and a half until she proved she could gain weight on bottles only. I know how frustrating it is. After 8 weeks at home she still is showing rebellion of not wanting to drink as much as we would like but it might be worth it for you to wait those extra days til he is feeding tube free. We can’t wait til our girl is completely 100% wireless, as I’m sure you can relate to too!!
Marla said it all! Our ways are not God’s ways so we continue to pray for this new “kink”, the possible kidney problem and now your own illness, Julie. Please be sure to get enough rest and you will soon be back on the job as the Happy Mommy. Ryan, you are such a good sport and such a good daddy! And I’m sure you are also becoming a good “nurse” to your wife. So glad to hear stories of success from others who have been where you are. You will someday be a great source of encouragement to others as well when you emerge on the other side of this new dilemma. May The Lord grant you much wisdom in the decisions you both make with the doctors. Love, Ruth
Yall are too cute. Prayers your way for Happy Heathly family!
We are so doing this on our upcoming road trip if not sooner! 🙂 As always, keeping you in our prayers. Even my trio prays daily for you and the Happy Baby. ” I remain confident of this: [YOU] will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” – Psalm 27:13,14 We are still confident that God is in control and has a plan in all of this. Hope you feel better soon!
I’ve done this on our long drive to Myrtle Beach and it does keep them occupied for a while. What I also do is give them a roll of quarters before we leave. I take one away if they are misbehaving. They can keep whatever is left when we arrive at our destination. The first year I did it they lost quite a few. Last year, no one lost any! God Bless your little one.
Praying for your family as always. Thanks for the fun idea. Maybe we should do that this week while we are on vacation.
I can’t remember how old your other child is, but when we traveled with our 4, we would give each of them a roll of quarters, they would get one warning, and after that everytime they asked are we there yet, or argued to much with their sibling it would cost them a quarter. They only had to lose a few and it stopped. They didn’t like giving up their spending money. Also there are a ton of road bingo and scavenger hunt form out there for all ages. If you don’t have time to find them, let me know and I’ll send you what I have. Hang in there, you are doing a wonderful job.
Great idea! I think that your date idea brought some much needed stress relief. Praying for your family.
Surrender, surrender…it’s hard to do that around here these days, too. Praying for all of you, Julie. Know that the Lord is using your journey and your faithfulness in the lives of so many! Praying for both of your sweet boys and for the two of you, too. I know–firsthand–this is just plain hard.
You are in my thoughts and in my prayers. I understand how difficult this is. My grandbabies were in the NICU for three months. Seemed everything that could go wrong, did…..yet I knew God was in control…..and it was that not long ago my grandson said to me, Ninny, I know how God looks. He came when I was so sick. I believe him as he has told me this several times. God is awesome…..feeding tubes are not so bad….it will get better…Keep your faith, sweetie.
Continued prayers for your family and especially the happy baby. I look forward to the updates, so I can know what to pray for specifically. I hope you get feeling better, too. Much love.
Praying for your family….walking through the valleys of life calls for reliance on the Shepherd. I know from your writing that you are hiding under the shadow of His wing!
Thanks for sharing the tinfoil idea. I’m going to keep a roll in my kindergarten classroom, for those random days when we lose a special or a recess!
ReadWriteSing
I love the at home date ideas that you share. They’re fun and inexpensive – just what we like. 🙂 I pray for all of you each day. Hugs xxxx
This looks like so much fun! We are “all in” on this activity!…Maybe we’ll do it tonight with my Mom and Aunt Chris. and…may I say…Julie, you are a beautiful, fun, full of life, amazing mommy, thoughtful woman. :0) The Lord is for you and Ryan, and He is Lovingly directing your steps. Keep trusting, keep seeking, and keep resting in HIM. We love you guys!
Julie,
so creative and inspirational! We will continue to pray for the Happy Home and Happy Baby! Thanks for sharing.
I’m praying for you all this morning!