Happy Birthday, Miracle baby!

One year ago today I looked like this:

I had just reached 28 weeks.....excited to be in my 3rd trimester and looking forward to September when my baby would be born.

On the 26th of June, I went into un-stoppable labor. I had a baby who we were not sure would even survive. All those years of trying for another child and the miracle of his conception....all the hope of making Tyler a big brother and adding our last child to our family.....all the excitement of the crib, the nursery, the new life, the new baby boy, the new pregnancy, the professional pregnancy pictures, the perfect little baby with 10 fingers and 10 toes. All that was put into jeopardy and our lives were changed forever.

My baby, Trenton Alan Samuel, all 3 pounds, 2 oz. of him was born 12 weeks too early.

When his brain started bleeding, and thus he start seizing at 3 days old, his prognosis was very poor. If our son survived, he would not have a good quality of life. Because he had the highest level of brain bleeds you can have, and the resulting hydrocephalus, he had a 90% chance of having cerebral palsey (CP). What that would look like, no one could guess. He would likely have spastic muscles, would not walk and need a wheelchair, would be blind, maybe deaf. He had lung disease because of being born so early. etc. etc. etc.

We began to pray for his life only. I never even prayed that God would make him thrive. After we almost lost him to a nearly deadly sepsis blood infection caused by his PIC line, I prayed fervently for his life. All I desired was his life. Who cares if he has all the issues that he was likely to have? I just wanted my baby in my life, no matter what that looked like.

After 3 months in the NICU, 2 brain surgeries and myriads of tests, my babes finally made it home! The shunt in his brain saved his life. He still had a seizure disorder, but medication controlled it!

He was checked out by the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and although he is extremely far-sighted, he is NOT blind! (6 months)

When he was 8 months old, he began sitting on his own!!!!!

At 9 months old, he found himself in the ER because of his lung disease. But, he overcame that after only a week on O2!

At 10 months old for the first time in his life, he was completely weaned off his seizure medication, SUCCESSFULLY! He now no longer has a seizure disorder!!!!

Every other week he meets with the Developmental Specialist through Early Intervention. Once a month he meets with the Blind School rep. and the physical therapist. The PT noticed that he has extremely weak muscles in his hips. This would not allow him to crawl or sit on his knees. He may be showing signs of CP in this area. That was 3 weeks ago she told us that.

THIS was last night:

He is now getting on his knees routinely, rocking back and forth. It will only be a matter of time before he is CRAWLING!

So this year, when my baby turns 1 year old in just a few days, I am not only celebrating his LIFE that I so begged God to allow him to keep. I am praising Jesus for allowing my son to THRIVE. He is a miracle in every sense of the word.....his conception, his early birth, his life, his near-death, his meeting of his goals and catching up.

I celebrate my son THRIVING. Thank you, Jesus for giving me more than I even asked for and blessing our family more than we ever thought humanly possible!