back again . . . new updates

Been a long while since my last post and a lot has happened. 

First, today is noteworthy because it was one year ago today that we brought Zachary home from the hospital for the very first time, 249 days after he was born.  In some ways it seems that the year has gone quickly while in others it seems like lifetimes ago.  Much has changed since then but a lot remains the same.  But we are all in a very different place now than we were then, for better or worse.

We also successfully vacationed to Florida for a family reunion.  Zachary traveled 1,920 miles back and forth in the van, met one great grandmother, two grandmothers, and two grandfathers, along with aunts, uncles, and cousins -- and more than a few admiring strangers.  The trip took about 17 hours each way, which included about 10 explosive vomits on the way down.  Fun for all.

He has also been recovering from his bout with viral pneumonia that landed him in the hospital for a week or so in May.  He's pretty much off the extra oxygen during the day that was helping him heal but still gets a little at night just to help him rest easier.  Hope we can avoid future lung infections, which are especially harmful to kiddos with bad lungs.

And we are less than a week from starting the tube wean that had been postponed last month because of the illness and resulting hospitalization.  The hope is that within three weeks he won't need the feeding tube for anything other than a safety precaution because he'll be eating age-appropriate solids and getting all his calories orally.  I am hopeful but not optimistic, though I learned early on not to bet against this tough little guy.

Hope to start posting more regularly again. 

Thanks for checking in!