hugs

this week, i am hugging my littles a bit tighter, grateful that they are healthy and happy.

matt's cousin gave birth on April 24 at 25 weeks.  she had had some bleeding around 22 or 23 weeks, and was put on bed rest.  at 24 weeks, the bleeding started again, and she was admitted to the hospital.  she began having contractions, and they were unable to stop them, so they decided to deliver her at 25 weeks.  little liam was 1lb,15oz at birth.  he continues to fight in the nicu, and is doing pretty well.  they have had a few setbacks, but for the most part he is making decent progress.  it will be a long road ahead for them, full of ups and downs. 

i reached out to matt's cousin to offer her some of my frozen breastmilk, but she is pumping enough to keep up with liam's needs, so she doesn't need it right now.  i put together a care package that includes a preemie outfit for liam, some luna bars for beth, and a book for big sister called, "my brother is a preemie." 

i think of them everyday, and look at my little man, fat and happy and full of smiles, and am so thankful that he is healthy.  it makes me appreciate how truly blessed we are. 

i'm also giving padfoot some extra snuggles.  my sister sent everyone an email yesterday telling us that they had to unexpectedly put their cat, brady, down late monday night.  callie woke up monday night to the sound of something dragging down the hallway outside their bedroom, only to find poor brady unable to use his back legs.  anthony rushed him to an emergency clinic, where they discovered that he had thrown a blood clot that lodged in his spine.  the clot was also causing pulmonary edema, so by the time anthony got to the clinic, brady was in essence drowning.  the vet offered to give him medication to dissolve the clot, but his lungs were already so bad, it most likely would have been a futile effort, and brady would have suffered.  the entire thing happened in less than 2 hours.

i feel so so so badly for callie.  brady truly was her first baby - she got him right out of college.  i just cannot imagine how scared she must have felt monday night, and how sad she must feel now.

so hug your babies and your pets extra tight.  i know i am.

this picture is of brady and baby quinn.  callie sent it to me on monday afternoon.