4 Months Old and VBS

Isaac and Sophia are FOUR months old today. It is crazy to think of that as I feel like they are still so new. Today we had another weight check for Isaac. For those of you whom I haven't had the chance to talk to, he has been struggling with his weight gain. We were in two weeks ago and he weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz. When we came back in today, they were going to start working up failure to thrive. Matt and I had tried to figure out answers....we knew that it most likely wasn't a heart or a lung thing, but that it very well could be a GI thing. I have been in contact with our pediatrician (who has been awesome!) these past couple of weeks. She said she agreed that a GI consult would be a good plan. I had called last Thursday to schedule that appointment because I wasn't sure how long it might take to get in. It is by the grace of God that when I called, they had an appointment the next day at 9a.m. with the same doctor from GI that saw him in the NICU!!!! She felt that it was his reflux that he was probably losing about 30% of his daily intake so the failure to thrive was secondary to his reflux. She changed his reflux medication and increased the dose. She also took him off the extremely specialized formula (apparently that was what he was put on because of the cow milk allergy but also because he was having problems with his bili levels being high). His liver and bili checked out fine our last pediatrian visit and so he was taken off that medicine and the GI doctor had said we should just put him on a formula that is for cow milk allergy. She also suggested that we mix it as suggested on the can because his stamina and intake was good and that we could add some rice cereal to help make it "stick" better. So, for four days we have done this and with his new medication. In four days he gained FOUR ounces so PRAISE GOD for yet another miracle...an easy answer and a much happier baby boy! Isaac's mood is so different. He is so much happier and feeling so much better. He also hasn't had any of his choking episodes that were a result of the reflux, since being switched to this new medicine. AND his diaper rash is gone! God has continued to bless us and show His faithfulness as we continue to try to raise these four children for His glory! Isaac is cooing and smiling SO much more now. What really is funny is his crooked little grin and than the fact that he starts laughing. He makes us laugh and than he laughs more. It is really precious. We are now able to let him sleep and wake up when he is hungry in the middle of the night. He has been going about five hours and sometimes even longer. Continuing to feel like sleep is just around the corner for us!

Sophia is doing great as well! She is such a sweet little girl. She is cooing and talking to you all the time. The good news is, she is sleeping through the night! She goes to bed around 9 and wakes up around 7, eats and than goes back to bed. I have never had a child that does this!!! She is such a pleasant, laid back personality and just goes with the flow. She is getting big (we haven't had a weight check on her in quite a few weeks). It is so much fun to watch her "talk" to her brother and she adores her big sisters as well!

Grace, Elizabeth and I are having fun with Vacation Bible School this week. I am co-directing it again this year and will probably end up with my hair dyed green at the end of the week since the kids will reach their goal for our mission project!;) This is Elizabeth's first year and she LOVES it. She says her favorite part is snack and music! Gracie's favorite part is her teachers, memorizing her Bible verses and playing kickball. I am so glad that I have had this time to spend with them. My mom is down and helping with the twins.

Matt is on his head and neck rotation right now, so the hours are long, but we will manage. We will figure it out. The nice thing is that once he is done with head and neck, he won't have to do it again until he is in his last year of residency.

I think that is about it for now. Just wanted to send an update and again say THANK YOU for praying and please just praise our wonderful Lord and Savior....we knew that He was Isaac's ultimate Healer. Can't tell you how relieved we are and how wonderful it is to feel like we can FINALLY REALLY enjoy these precious gifts. Love, Erin and fam