Eli's first appointment

I just wanted to update those in the blog world on Eli's first of many ortho appointments today. We were very pleased with the doctor. His name is Dr. Shapiro. He told us that to correct Eli's feet we will have to do a series of castings. We will get the first castings put on in three weeks and then, have to go in every week for 8-12 weeks for adjustments to the castings. After the castings are complete he will have to do a surgery to loosen his Achilles tendon which is usually an outpatient surgery. He will then have to wear special shoes for 3 months and wear those for 23 hours a day. We will be able to take them off for an hour a day to give him a bath and play for a little while.

As for his hands, we are being referred to Scottish Rite to see Dr. Ezaki. She will be able to tell us more of a prognosis for his hands. They said the referral process usually takes 6 to 8 weeks. We will hopefully be able to set that appointment up this week.

He also wants us to go see a geneticist to figure out what is truly wrong with him. Dr. Shapiro feels that it is some sort of syndrome that made his hands and feet they way they are. We will go to that appointment in the next two to three weeks.

Thank you for your continued support and prayer during this time. We are very pleased with the doctors that we have seen so far and look forward to finding ways to help our little guy. He has been such a blessing in our lives.

Please continue to pray for Brad and I as we go through this new chapter in our lives.

I will try and update my blog as often as we have a new appointment. We look forward to seeing what God has in store for our little "mister". We are completely blessed by him.

Spring Day at the park

While my parents were in town after Eli's birth we went over to Pop and Nana's house and went to the park. Madison loves to "push" her stroller instead of ride in it. We went to the park and she couldn't decide if she wanted to "play" or "push" her stroller.


Eli even made the trip out there. He slept through the whole experience, but enjoyed being outdoors.



She finally decided to slide and swing, but it took a lot of persuasion on our part. Man, that girl has a hard head. I have no idea where she gets that from.



We had a wonderful time with Pop and Nana at the park.

Brother & Sister...

So, I decided to have a photo shot with my kiddos. Here is proof of an almost two year old's attention span....

"Oh puppies, momma look..."


Oh are we taking pictures....



"Brodder..."

Finally, a great picture...

Man, I could not be happier and more blessed with my two little ones. It is a lot of hard work, but so worth it when the last thing that your daughter says to her brodder is, "Nite Nite brodder, love you". It brings a tear to my eye just writing it.

Thank you God for our many blessings!

Two week appointment

Well, we had his two week appointment with his pediatrician. Our little guy is growing like a weed. He has gained 13 ounces in 10 days. He was 7 lbs 3 ozs when we left the hospital and he now weighs 8 lbs even.

His doctor said that his general health is great. He is an excellent eater and sleeper. We just need to work on the night time feedings. He likes to stay awake and just stare at me. I love it so much, but not when it is 3:30 in the morning.

We have a wonderful little boy. Thank you God for truly blessing us with Eli Bradley Reeves. He is truly a miracle in our lives.

It's a....

BOY!!!

His name is Ellis "Eli" Bradley Reeves. I got my boy!! He is such a blessing in our lives. Eli was born on March 10, 2009 at 11:02 am via C-section because he was breeched. He weighed 7 lbs 6 ozs. He was born with club feet and his hands are not fully functional. He has all of his fingers and toes, but is not able to use them like a normal newborn. Everything is fine though. His heart, lungs, kidneys, etc are all fully functionally. Brad and I were unaware of the physical deformities that he was going to have. My sonograms didn't show them at 19 weeks. He will go to the pediatrician on Monday to see where we need to go from here. We will have to go to a pediatric orthopedic doctor to see what kind of surgeries he will need to straighten out his feet and hands.

God has truly blessed us with him. We love him so much and can't believe that he is actually here. I can't believe I got my boy!! I am so blessed! Words can not describe how much I am in love with him. I didn't know how I would feel about having another child, but I could not be happier and more in love.

Madison has been a wonderful big sister and really loves her little brother. She always wants to know what is going on and how he is doing. If he cries she wants him to stop crying and see how she can help to make him stop. She did wonderful with us being in the hospital. My parents stayed at our house and took care of Madison while Brad stayed with me at the hospital. She came up everyday to see us. Since I had a c-section I had to stay for three days vs. the typical two days. Here is a picture of Madison at the hospital with us:

Madison eating lunch with Mommie and Eli (she loved it because she got to sit up on the bed with me)

Please pray for Brad, Madison, Eli, and I as we endure the next year or so of doctor's appointments. We know that we have a long emotional road ahead of us. It also already been very emotional for me (hormones) and Brad. I am so thankful for our many blessings and know that God is going to watch over us during this next couple of months.

Baby!!!

I went in for my weekly appointment this morning and found out that the baby was breeched. I will be having a C-section on Friday at 7 am. I am so excited to finally meet my beautiful bundle of joy! God is so good!!

Please pray for Brad, Madison, and I during these next couple of days.

In our backyard...

Since the weather has been so spring like lately, we have been enjoying some time in our backyard. Brad has always had this camera, but we just decided to take it out and use it this past week. Since Madison moves so fast it is so easy to use this camera on her because the digital camera doesn't take the pictures fast enough. Here are some pictures that Brad took of Madison (I am a little bias, but I think he is a great photographer)...

Two months and counting...

I have two months and counting until baby Reeves comes. I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by. I am trying to enjoy every moment that I feel the baby kick because it may be the last time that I feel those things. The baby moves around a whole lot and very forcefully which I don't remember happening with Madison.

I am also trying to enjoy Madison as much as I can because her world is about to completely change. I know that she is going to be a great big sister. She will be momma's little helper. She already gives the baby kisses and tells the baby Hi. I don't think she quite gets what is about to happen as much as we tell her. We have the baby's room ready to go because we are able to use all of Madison's old bedding.

Please pray for us during these next couple of months. I am excited and hopeful to see what all God has in store for our new family of four.

Here is a picture of our Christmas pictures and Madison giving kisses to the baby...

The Year in Review...

I can't believe how much you have changed Madison. It is crazy how this year has flown by. You have changed so much and grown up right before our eyes. God has truly blessed your Dad and I with you. I can't believe that in three short months you will be a big sister to a brother or sister. I know already that you are going to be a great sister. You are already a great momma to all of your baby dolls.

Some events of the past year for Miss Madison Faith...

- Madison turned one year old and started walking one short month later
- started to understand what we were telling her
- saying so many words (for example: momma, daddie, duke, cali, granny, pappaw, nana, pop, orange, apple, banana, baby, elmo, rock, yeah, hello, hi, and the list goes on and on)
- she became very independent and wanted to learn to do things on her own
- started to feed yourself and not take bottles anymore
- really started to like fruit and vegetables
- she rode in the car for 18 hours one way to North Carolina
- in both of her uncles weddings this year
and so many more...

Madie, we love you so much! I hope that this year brings us as many adventures as 2008 did.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Day. We went to Brad's parents house and feed the reindeer because that is where Santa was going to come for Madison.

We had to feed Santa's reindeer first....

Santa came and delivered the gifts...

Madison woke up to survey all of her gifts...


I love my new slide from Santa and I played with it all morning...


and my kitchen...

and my Elmo chair (what 19 month old wouldn't like an Elmo chair)...

Here is a video of the morning (just a warning it is kind of long)...