Photo taken with my 50 mm 1.2 lens.
Yesterday morning I headed outside for the first time in a very long time to take some photos…just because I wanted to. No pressure. I felt a little more rested than usual. The sun was almost peeking out. My children were all occupied in non-nefarious ways. The moment just seemed right.
This year has been beyond stressful. I remember asking Chuck before Apollo’s heart surgery, when do you think it will seem real? For us there was never that moment of shock or devastation that I would expect when you find out your child has a heart defect. I think because we were searching for an answer for so very long and were convinced he had a double aortic arch long before the doctors were even willing to look. I suppose the being “convinced” along with the voice in my head saying, “get real, Renee, you sound like one of those crazies, diagnosing your child with some rare defect…over the internet…” eased me into the idea slowly.
When Dr. S uttered the words, “he has something called a vascular ring” the pieces of the puzzle just shifted into place.
2012 has just been one long struggle…
On the bright side, guess who slept through the night for the first time ever?
Yes, my friends, Apollo slept from about 10 o’clock until 6:30! He has had a handful of stretches of 4 or 6 hours in his life, but has never, ever, slept all night.
This calls for some type of celebration. I’m just not sure what.
Praise the Lord! I am so thrilled that Apollo got some real rest! Hang in there…..it will get better day by day….
Funny those exact words came out of my mouth the moment i read he had slept right through. Praise the lord!! God is great!!! So very happy for you, seeing Apollo packing on the pudd (getting chubby, rough translation lol) and giggling and now sleeping through is something most parents take for granted but i can just imagine the rejoicing in yours and Chucks hearts. Celebrate!!!! xo
WOW!!!!! I have been praying for this night for months!! So excited for you and your little guy! I will continue to pray for his healing and growth. Fantastic news!!
Yipeee! May it be the first of many, many, many, restful nights for you and your Hubby.
Hooray! So wonderful. As for when it seems real, it may not be for some time that you really, fully realize everything you guys have been through. I know for us it has been a year since our boys were born and I have just now been looking back at the NICU pictures of our son. Before they never seemed strange to me, it was just “normal”. However, now that he has just turned one, I look back at those pictures of him with tubes and wires and being so sick and it just hurts my heart because that is in NO way a normal thing for a child to go through. I think when you are in the situation your mind and heart can only handle so much so you don’t fully comprehend what you are going through and you have to be in constant “go mode” so there isn’t really time to process it either. Our boys will have some good battle pictures to show their friends someday
Totally agree
agree also
I think it calls for a Celebratory Nap!! I am so thankful for you and Apollo!
Today’s universal feast is the Sacred Heart of Jesus, how awesome that this milestone would happen today! Praise God!
May Apollo’s heart (and all hearts) continue to be touched by our Savior’s Heart!
With love and prayers of thanksgiving.
Bridget (and Peter)
Wow, that is really deep. God is perfect in His timing on all accounts!
I agree with the celebratory nap idea.
I’m so happy that things are starting to go better, and I’ll continue to pray for you and Apollo!
Praise God! So glad to hear this news. Praying that this was the first of many!
Did YOU sleep? i am curious if you woke up from being used to it. Not used to it, but that it was a typical night to have many interrupted hrs of sleep. I wish I slept better. I always say that every time we have a new baby” I now have something to do” at night.lol:)…
with our 3 month old I still wake many more times a night than he does. Like you I am probably chronically exhausted. i know what you mean about 2012…we are in the midst of many med changes for DS who is 6.5yrs… and now our 4.5yr old needs serial castings for a couple months….so I feel your pain in so many(different) yet the same ways. I am fearing what is in store for other 2 littles.
You are so strong Renee! YOU give ME strength. I, like you, suspected our son had ADHD/ODD etc….from birth..lol….he NEVER slept….the Ped dr kept saying my daughter tip toeing was fine. I said it was not fine seeing as she couldn’t walk flat foot because it hurt to much..so we went to an ortho doc on our own..now here we are facing casting, braces and an MRI for possible CP…like you I just kinda soldier on. No big break downs…I already knew what they all were telling us..
Prayers!
Liz- I awoke at 4:30 and realized he hadn’t been up yet. Sleep was fitful from there on out. I wasn’t about to risk waking him to check (he’s almost two, after all).
Yahoo! That is wonderful news! Love, chenning
Hooray!!!
Congratulations!!! That is so exciting!! I’m praying this will be his new normal and he will do this every night from now on! I’m totally down on the celebratory nap too! Organize an international nap! Where all of your blog readers take a nap simultaneously! Or we could name this day “Apollo’s Epic Sleep day” and have a party every year with cake and everything.
lol wishing you had a like button!!
I have been following(some may call it lurking?haha) your blog for a few months now & am so happy to read that your little boy is doing better. He is often in my thoughts & I pray he goes from strength to strength. Take care of yourself
Oh, I could just cry! He must be feeling so much better & finally have a full tummy. Thank God for the fact that you are slowly getting answers & finding the correct treatment. Blessings!
Waaaaahoooooo! So, so glad to hear this!! Enjoy the celebration, whatever it is!
Congratulations! Really pleased for you all.
Awesome, awesome, AWESOME! I know you must both feel completely different with a decent night’s sleep! Definitely celebration time. I pray that this is the beginning of improved health for Apollo and less stress for you. Congratulations again on the first of many sleeping-through-the-night nights
!
Wanted to jump up and down and cheer when I read this! It is amazing what a little sleep can do for one’s disposition, I KNOW from experience! So excited for you!!! Praying for another good night!
God has answered many prayers! So thankful for you and Apollo. Really with a good nights sleep…the morning is just so sweet!
Your little fella looks so happy and healthy in your recent pictures! So glad for you that he is sleeping through the night.
What wonderful news about Apollo’s sleep!!!!!
Isn’t God good to NOT tell us everything that’s coming in the future? I often think that I wouldn’t be able to handle it, if I could see all the challenges ahead. Instead, day by day, with our hands in His, we walk on.
I’m so proud of you, Renee, for the strength and determination you’ve shown during this whole process.
I hope tonight brings another great night of sleep for Apollo – and for you!
I am amazed and so pleased for you both. I hope that now that Apollo has cracked it he will do a big sleep again and again. Then you will all feel a little less stressed etc. God bless you and keep you.
How well I remember lying in bed waiting and wondering. It was far from easy but good for you for trusting and letting him sleep.
What kind of pump does Apollo have?
A Joey.