FiNaLLY!

So everyone has been getting on me to update my blog. And you should be! I have been horrible. Since coming home from the hospital with Ezra on October 11th (I know... I know... its been two months!) we have gone through A LOT, including moving. So I thought, if nothing else I can put up some of the pics I have with little notes and updates and just try my best to keep up on it from here on out. I should have been doing this when she was sleeping more, but any of you who know Ezra, know SHE DOES NOT LIKE TO BE PUT DOWN! I promise to start taking better advantage of when I have both arms to myself.

Ezra (I lovingly call her Ezzy Lu for Ezra Lucy) absolutely loves bathtime! And Ellen the Great absolutely loves giving them to her whenever she can! Who can blame her? This is Ez just chilling out after one of many fabulous relaxing baths. What a little diva. Now tell me that's not the cutest baby you ever saw!

My Mommy LOVES playing dress up with me! She can't help it, I'm just too cute! LOL. I love this shirt, and I couldn't wait to put her in it, but its purple and blue and I don't really have anything to go with it! Oh well. She looks cute no matter what I put her in. Even if its mis-matched.

My adorable nephew Israel love love loves Ezra! They are so cute together. They are going to be big trouble with the big beautiful bright eyes they both have. I realize this picture doesn't exactly show that, but I think its cute anyway. Eveytime Ezra cries, Izzy says "What baby? What?" in the sweetest little tone. It is so cute! He just loves giving her kisses and holding her. When we come over he runs and sits on the couch and pats his legs until we hand her over. I just love him to bits. It will be so fun when his Mommy has another little one.

We just took our first official Family Pics. We only took a few and they didn't turn out great, but what can ya do? I had the hardest time picking something for poor little Ez to wear. This teddy suit seemed to be perfect at home, but once we tried to take pics, she kept burying her head and trying to suck on the suit! Anything that touches her mouth, she thinks belongs in it.

We also went to the Dr. yesterday for her 4 month check up. She had to get three shots, which was horrible! I cried just as much as she did, if not more! We were SO excited to find out she weighs 7 lbs. 5 oz! And she is 20 1/4 inches long. She is getting so big! Well, in comparison to when she was born of course. She is 4 1/2 months old and still in Newborn clothes, so she can't be THAT big! It is so fun to see her smile, and try to "talk" to us. She also loves to cross her legs and clutch her hands together. She is such a little lady, and always looks posed. She also slept for about a 6 hour stretch last night, which was amazing! That is the longest she has ever slept, and about 5 hours of it was in her cradle! She usually has a hard time sleeping unless her Mommy is holding her, which makes it hard on Mommy! (But she secretly loves it).

LoVE

Precious one,
So small,
So sweet.

Dancing in
on angel feet.
Straight from Heaven's
brightest star.

What a miracle
you are!

-Author Unknown

TiD biTs oN eZRa

So... I don't have any pics today, but I just thought I would add a little update while I pump, because she did so many cute and funny things today. Ellen the Great told me that I had to add in that when they gave her her vitamins today (can't remember what they are called)... which I guess she gave my Mom when she was little... Ezra started sticking her tongue out over and over and pulling all kinds of funny faces. Judging by the smell of them, I don't blame her! The funniest thing happened, though, when I went back to the hospital tonight. They have been giving her suppositories to help move the air out of her tummy. So when we laid a diaper under her to start giving her a bath, it wasn't long before she had pooped. Blink and you missed it. So the nurse put out another one. And another one. And another one. By this point, I was thinking... lady, just leave it before you go through a whole pack. LOL. After about the sixth diaper, she finally laid a cloth one under her... which she pooped on. And then she laid another one under her... which she ever so gracefully peed on in fountain form... and then pooped on. It was all I could do to keep from laughing when the nurse finally got her all cleaned up, and while making the final transition to a clean diaper... she pooped on the blanket under her. I don't know if the nurse found it as entertaining as I did, but she was sweet about it. LOL. As I was trying to get her to sleep before leaving, every time I would talk to her she would try to open her eyes... but she was just too tired. Finally I was telling her goodnight, and she made one last attempt... and finally managed to open her eyes for just a moment. She was so content with herself that she gave me a big triumphant smile... and dozed off to sleep. I just love her to bits!

Baby Ezra Update

Not feeling so good :(

Ezra and Daddy

I know. I know. I said I would update you every week... yeah right! The time is going by so fast... which is great... but I never seem to be able to find enough time to sit down at the computer! I have been using my parents camera and it has been really hard to get a clear picture. These pics were taken last night by my sis-in-law (thanks Amber!)... but unfortunately she was having a very hard time breathing and therefore was not feeling well at all. The last few weeks have been quite a whirlwind, but I will try to update you the best I can. Since my last post, Ezra's little lungs had collapsed down a little and her x-ray showed that they were very hazy. They put her back on the nasal CPAP hoping to keep her from getting pneumonia. When her x-rays did not improve, they put her back on the ventilator and within a couple days told us that she did in fact have Pneumonia afterall. Of course there was a lot of stress and tears through all of this... but a few days later we were told that they did not believe she had Pneumonia, and it had just been an educated guess. They put her back on nasal CPAP at this point, hoping it would help clear up her lungs, which it did... confirming that she did not have Pneumonia. She was on nasal CPAP for several days when they decided to try her on a low flow nasal cannula. This lasted a few days until last night when she just got too tired and was really struggling to breathe. They put her back on a high flow nasal cannula, which seemed to make her more comfortable. However, her follow up x-ray showed that her lungs were hazy again and she was put back on nasal CPAP last night. I know that is a lot of information, and it probably doesn't even make much sense... but that is it in a nutshell! She is up to 2 LBS. almost 13 OZ. and I am getting to hold her twice a day now. Jarom also held her for the first time last weekend, and it was so sweet to see. She still looks forward to story time with her daddy, daily visits from Ellen the Great, and loves getting all dolled up in the Micro-Preemie outfits Grandma Leder has bought her. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. It means the world to us.

Baby Ezra

... this is what she does when the baby next to her starts crying (covering her ear)...

...opening her eyes and taking a peek around...

With what little time I have, I think this is going to be my best option to keep everyone updated on the baby. I am going to try my best to add an upate on a weekly basis. I will also try to add pictures, but the NICU is often dim, and obviously no flash is allowed, so they rarely come out well enough to see. She does so many cute and funny things, so if you want to see them, I guess you will just have to come visit! (Just kidding.)

Last Monday, July 28th 2008, our baby girl decided it was time to come into the world... three months early. Ezra Lucy Brown was born at 6:39PM and weighed a whopping 1 LB. 14 OZ. She came out kicking, and there is no doubt in our minds we will have a hard time keeping up with this little firecracker. She has progressed considerably in the time she has been in the NICU. She started with a breathing tube down her throat, progressed to a nasal mask within a couple days, and is now wearing a nasal cannula, which is one of those air tubes you see old people wear in their noses when they are on oxygen. The next step is a smaller nasal cannula, and then room air. She is off of antibiotics and drinking a substantial amount of milk (along with IV fluids), which increases every day. As with all babies, she lost weight after birth, and is now up to about 2 LBS. 1 OZ. She loves holding her Mommy, and hearing her Daddy read stories. She gets lots of love and visitors, and we are so thankful to all of you for you thoughts and prayers.

GiRL!

We are thrilled to announce... we are having another girl! Not that I couldn't have told you that all along. LOL. The bad news? Apparently our baby has suddenly become shy and wouldn't really let us take any pictures of her. Maybe I will add a belly shot instead one of these days.

tHe FirSt gLiMpSe

After a crazy five or six weeks, I am making an attempt at another blog. Following my last one... I had a matter of days to pack up our entire house to get ready to move. That was interesting, but luckily I got lots and lots of help. We moved into an apartment in Pleasant Grove, and with just a few days to settle in... then came time for me to have surgery. Hectic would be an understatement. Things are settling down now and I thought I would share our first sonogram picture! Everything is looking good at this point, and Jarom and I are so very excited! Baby Brown #2 couldn't look anymore perfect to us, and in just a couple weeks, we are hoping to find out what we are having!

mOnTaNa

So after leaving early Thursday Morning with my parents, sister (Hannah) and nephew (Izzy)... we arrived late afternoon in Missoula, Montana to go see my sister Harmony and her husband Eric. We spent about three and a half days eating at local restaurants, going to see where my sister works, going to the park, riding the carousel pictured), checking out a few shops, walking to and fro, and just hanging out. Though, like any other, this trip was not without argument and debate, I think everyone had a good time... although I'm sure they were also relieved at the thoughts of Home Sweet Home. I did come home to an unexpected surprise, though. Jarom had been keeping journal entries for me to read about how much he missed me while I was away! I thought I would just add in an excerpt, so I didn't embarrass him too much. Saturday April 20th 2008 "I am wondering where you are and what you are doing... I drift through sleepless days and meaningless nights without you! I am so lucky to be blessed with a wife as wonderful as you are! Please never forget how much I love you! You are so beautiful..." Who wouldn't want to come home to that?