Daddy and Jonathan

Jonathan driving his totwheels with Jackson trying to hitch a ride.
Jonathan and Jackson sitting on the loveseat on Jackson's third day of school and Jonathan's first day.
This is Jackson's signature entertainment face.
Jackson enjoying his cheetos.
Jonathan trying out cheetos for the first time and loving them!

It has been three weeks since my last update! Here we go...

Jackson started Mothers' Morning Out for the third year at Noah's Nook the Tuesday after Labor Day. Jonathan was supposed to go that day as well. I signed them up last year thinking I signed Jack up for Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and Jonathan on Monday so he could do therapy on Tuesday and Thursday. Alas, I was confused. Needless to say, I showed up with Jonathan the wrong day last Monday and was so embarrassed!

Jonathan is up to between 16.5 and 17 pounds. He is eating baby food along with yogurt, banana, grapes, peaches, hamburger meat, spaghetti, muffins, rolls, eggs, etc. He is doing a great job of feeding himself. He is drinking out of a cup with a straw very well and is still nursing some.

Jonathan has three teeth and is working on a fourth one. We had heard that he would get teeth late, out of order, and they might be turned in crazy ways. He got his bottom two, a front tooth, and is working on his other front tooth. He turned ten months old last Thursday so we are thrilled with three teeth coming in, with a fourth on the way!

Jonathan is crawling, in a sense. He gets up on all fours and then lunges. He pulls himself around with his arms so we are having to tuck his legs under him and show him how to move one knee forward and the alternate hand and then switch. He is going from his tummy to a sitting position on his own. He is sitting nicely and handling rough-housing with his brother well. He loves it, in fact. When Jackson puts his little brother in a headlock, Jonathan just grins.

Standing is something Jonathan loves as well. He is so thrilled when he can stand on his own. He leans up against the couch or holds our hands and grins from ear to ear.

Jackson is quoting story lines from books and incorporating them into everyday conversation. One day last week he said, "Mommy, I woke up in a cold sweat last night and ran downstairs." I started laughing and asked him where he got that. He grinned and said, "Papa Bear, when he had a bad dream." He loves to help me cook - he cracks eggs, stirs, and pours in ingredients I have measured. He tries to help feed Jonathan, wants to hold his baby brother, and gives Jonathan toys to play with when he is in a sharing mood.

Kids are like sponges where their memory is concerned - whether they quote you (not always good:)), a story, a movie, or scripture. Jamie and Jackson are watching Star Wars a lot these days (the non-violent parts) and Jackson tells me about R2D2, adats, "Darf" Vader, "Wuke" Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess "Wea," etc. We have a Star Wars Trivial Pursuit game and Jackson loves the pieces in it - four pewter game pieces in the images of Luke, Lea, Han, and Darth Vader. There is another counting device in the form of R2D2. He sleeps with this. He quotes Star Wars lines to me and then wants to talk about different things - like the planet he calls "Hoff" (Hoth). He tells me that it is made of snow and ice and that "Earf" is not like that. When he is not quoting stories or movie lines, he is learning scripture at church. It has been very convicting watching a three year old turn out scripture like a champ when I don't make it a priority in my life. I have begun to do it myself. Our church has a website with a section called "Know the Word" where you can sign up to receive a weekly passage to memorize. I am trying to keep up!

That is all for now.

Have a great day,

Julie:)

juliewarren@mindspring.com

Tubes, Growling, No more bed rails

Jackson and I took Jonathan to see his ENT today. We went six weeks ago. At that time, Jonathan had a tympanogram done that showed a graph of ear activity. His right ear revealed negative pressure. That means it could act as a vacuum and suck in fluid. There was no fluid at the time but we were supposed to come back for a check up. We came back today.

I got there at 8am. The receptionist looks at me questioningly and says, "What do you need?" I am thinking, "What the heck does she mean by that?" I say, "We are here for an appointment." Duh. Then she says, "Oh, we deleted today's schedule and were not sure who was coming in. The doctor had surgery this morning and won't be in for an hour. You can wait." Yeah, sure. I will wait in the waiting room all morning because I have nothing to do. I stay at home so time is not precious. We just watch TV and eat a lot of cheetos so hanging out here will be a change. Yeah, thanks. I do say, "No, we won't wait. This is inconvenient for me and I won't come another day. We have plans this morning. I will come back." So, I came home and stubbornly found things to do for 20 minutes before going back.

We went back at 9am, waited for a while, and then got called back. The nurse did a tympanogram on each of Jonathan's ears. The doctor explained that now there is fluid in the right ear, something he was hoping would not be there. He explained that in kids with DS, he would rather be aggressive than wait. He wants to do tubes. He talked about how kids with DS are going to have speech issues and how they need their ears to be working - I can agree with that. Jonathan's speech and language will suffer if he cannot hear properly. He cannot afford that.

So, I left the office with plans for Jonathan to have tubes put in his ears next Wednesday. Jackson had his adenoids removed and tubes put in over a year ago so Jonathan's news does not really scare me like it did when it was time for Jackson to "go under the knife." Now I am thankful it happened to prepare me for today. However, now that I think about it, even this would pale in comparison to the heart surgery. Everything does. No sweat.

The surgery will be performed at Children's hospital. The doctor says that kids with DS don't always react to the anesthesia in a positive way. He just likes to be extra careful.

On a different note, Jonathan is attempting to communicate quite a bit with growling. If he is working hard, he growls. If something happens he does not care for, he growls differently. He used to cough at me, I would imitate it, and he would do it back to me. It seemed to be our little joke. He is our little bear.

Jackson slept in his big boy bed last night without the assistance of the bed rail. Jamie coated the floor with pillows in the event of a fall. However, Jackson was fine and has reached another milestone!

Thank you for keeping up with us!

Love,
Julie

juliewarren@mindspring.com

Betsy, Check Up, Evaluation

Aunt Betsy came this weekend with her friend, Claire. Their mission in coming was to try out for American Idol. Betsy thought that she would make a spectacle of herself so she could be on TV. Alas, the cameras weren't here. She tried out anyway, singing a Christina Aguilera (sp?) song. She purposely sung off-key and acted as if she was really good. Then she sang "I Saw the Sign" and did hand motions. I wish cameras had been running!

Today I took Jonathan for his nine-month check up. He got his thyroid checked because his head circumference and length had not increased significantly since last we were there. He has very little veins so he howled while they took blood from his arm. I must confess I shed a few tears as well. There is something mean about holding your child down and whispering, "It's going to be okay" while a needle is inserted in their arm, and they cry out in pain. Jonathan weighed 16 pounds at the doctor's office.

After that, we went to the Bell Center for Jonathan's fall evaluation. Jamie was there already and watched Jackson while I answered questions by Jonathan's team of therapists. They were impressed with him and kept saying how fabulous he looked. Jamie and I swapped about halfway through and he continued answering the questions while I entertained Jackson.

Towards the end of the evaluation, the nutritionist talked to me. I am usually a little unnerved by her because her advice is often not the same as Jonathan's pediatrician. She wants Jonathan taking vitamins, me taking vitamins, and us giving him 24 ounces of breastmilk or formula a day. Well, Jonathan's pediatrician says he is getting all the vitamins he needs through his food and me. I should be taking a vitamin and I do (not every day because I am lazy). I am no longer putting out that much milk so we will have to supplement with formula if we feel it is necessary to do what she says. Ugh! However, we want to do what is best for him and what can it hurt? Nothing. She also weighed and measured him. She got slightly different numbers than the pediatrician's office (weighs 15 pounds, 13.25 ounces). But, she said she thought that he looked good in terms of his measurements.

With all that behind us, we are ready to get into the groove of a schedule. We are ready for Mothers' Morning Out to kick in soon. It starts after Labor Day. Jack will go three days and Jonathan will go on one day.

We head to the beach this weekend with the Bishops - one last trip in the sun!

Take care,
Julie

juliewarren@mindspring.com

Crawling and more highlights...

We went to the Jacks' lake house for our annual Sunday School party - Jonathan's first time. Jackson and Jamie rode the sea doo and mambo.

Jonathan was dedicated to the Lord July 23rd. My parents, Jamie's parents, Jamie's godparents, Emily, Ryan, Eric, Emma, and Granny all came. It was a neat celebration.

Last weekend we went to Greenville to hang out with the Voelkerts - Ryan, Em, Eric, and Emma. We went to the pool on Saturday and it was drizzling so no one was really there. Jackson loves Bible stories right now. He and Jamie will re-enact some of them - his favorite is David and Goliath. Jackson will be David, select his stones, hurl them at Jamie (Goliath) with his imaginary slingshot, etc. Jackson began using his action figures to play out Jesus being nailed to the cross and we had to explain that we don't do that... kind of hard to explain you can act out David and Goliath but Jesus dying on the cross for our sin is serious... I say all that to tell you about the pool. We were in the pool and I hear Jackson say, "Daddy, I want to walk on the water like Jesus." Jamie lifts Jack up, pool vest and all, and carries Jackson mid-air, making it look like Jackson is gliding across the water as Jackson yells, "Hey, everyone! I'm Jesus walking on the water!" He gets out, runs up to his aunt and uncle and says, "Aunt Emmy, Uncle Ryan! Did you see me? I walked on the water like Jesus!" Then to Jamie, "Daddy, I want to do it again!" Let's just say that is probably Jack's one and only time to do Jesus walking on the water.

Jim came and picked Jamie up to go back to Birmingham on Sunday. I went to see my friend, Bronwen, from college. Her girls, Rachel and Elizabeth, played with Jackson while Bronwen and I visited. After that, I headed to Columbia and spent a week with my family.

My mom and sister gave me a break by helping me tremendously with the boys. Jack and I went to a nearby park with my friend, Lori, and her son, Noah. Betsy, Jack, and I went to Fayetteville, NC, to see my brother before he went to Iraq on his second tour. We swam in the neighbor's pool. We jumped on my parents' trampoline. I watched some movies and had a few naps. One or both of the boys got up each night so I had a few naps while I was there. My dad was gone during the week and came back so we got to see him, too. It was a great visit for all of us.

Jonathan has been congested since May. His doctor says that is common and he is too little to be able to cough up what is in his chest and it will go away. This last week at Mom and Dad's at night, his breathing got barky, like a seal. I would listen to the monitor and pace over his crib, making sure each breath wasn't his last. After what we have been through with him, I am probably more nervous than I should be. He seemed to get better as the week progressed.

Jim and Betty babysat for us on the evening of our anniversary a few weeks ago and noticed his congestion and how it became more croupy. I had heard it before. I thought he was looking at me and coughing on purpose to get my attention. As it turns out, he was. He now looks at me, does this repeated croupy cough as he bobs his head up and down with a smile on his face. I respond in kind and he does it back. It is our little joke.

On Wednesday of last week, my mom watched Jonathan while I was out. She thought Jonathan crawled. I thought he had been doing it but thought perhaps I was being overly positive. He was! He is doing it himself! We are so excited! He is eating three meals a day, napping regularly twice a day, rolling all over the place, crawling, sitting up, sleeping through the night, and continues to wow us!

We got home last night after a smooth trip and a stop to see my college roommate, Rozalinde and her husband, Chris. Chris watched Jack so Roz and I could catch up. It was good to see them.

Thanks for keeping up with our story - I will post pictures later!

Julie:)
juliewarren@mindspring.com

Catch Up

This is Davis and Jackson driving Davis' jeep. They uncovered a dead bunny moments before. Jackson jumped out and picked it up. We thought they ran over it at first but later discovered it was already dead. Yuck!
David, Jackson, Kate, and Jonathan outside of an aquarium restaurant in Nashville, TN.
Our best friends, Chris and Jayne, holding their daughter, Kate, and Jonathan. When Jonathan was born, even though she was nine months pregnant, Chris and Jayne hopped in the car and came to the NICU to be with us. Then, shortly after Kate's birth, they drove to be with us during Jonathan's surgery. What great friends!
I was trying to take photos of Jonathan for his dedication picture that was to be printed in our bulletin. This is one of the photos that I got of him smiling. He will be dedicated the evening of July 23.

Things have been crazy around here for us as I am sure they have been for you. I took a trip to Disneyworld to see my sister the last weekend in June. She is working there this summer in conjunction with a campus ministry with which she is involved at the College of Charleston. It was parents' weekend and Mom and Dad weren't going so I thought I would go see her. That was the first time that Jamie was alone overnight with the kids since Jonathan's birth. The day before I left, our downstairs fridge quit working and 175 mL of frozen milk I had stored for just such a trip melted and soured. Amazingly, I didn't cry! Jonathan survived on formula while I was gone and it was no big deal.

Jonathan started cereal, fruits, and veggies in May. We started with two "meals" a day and quickly went to three. He went through a period where he woke up at night until I figured out what he needed in order to be full through the night. Now he is sleeping soundly again.

Jonathan began sitting up the first week of July. He has been trying to crawl for some time and I am learning how to help him do so.

I experimented with taking Jackson with me to the Bell Center. The problem is he remained in a foyer that had doors that opened out to the street. He figured how to get out and screamed for me (I have to be in a separate room with Jonathan while Jackson entertains himself with toys in an adjacent room) when he caught his arm in the door. While he was in pain, I was thankful it stopped him from getting out. Needless to say, Jamie is picking him up from his Mothers' Morning Out program again so I don't have to worry about Jackson's safety. This summer is different because I am doing the therapy while a therapist directs me. It is good because I am forced to learn. Sometimes it is nice just to sit and watch, to have a mental break. This has been much better for me so I know how to direct Jonathan at home and model what I learned for Jamie.

Jonathan is sitting up and trying to push up to sit from a prone position. Last week a therapist worked with him that had not worked with him since he was a month or two old. She told me that she "wasn't just saying this"... he looked great and was very strong. She just oohhed and aahhed over him. He was leaning in one direction playing with a toy. She took the toy away and he continued to hover to the left, not flopping down from fatigue. She was amazed.:)

Jackson is full of energy and talking up a storm with no stuttering. What a relief and very freeing for him as well. He tells us stories he makes up and has a wild imagination. He loves to help me cook by mixing and cracking eggs. We still watch him like a hawk with Jonathan - he is very rough, trying to play with Jonathan. However, I think he will prove to be Jonathan's strongest asset.

To update you on us, we got a new pastor on June 11. He is 28 years old and is incredible. He has five degrees and is impressive - you can see the hand of God on him as he speaks. We are so excited to have him. If you are interested, you can view video on this site or hear his sermons: http://www.brookhills.org/media/page_videocast.htm. You will love it! The thing about him is that he continuously references the Word of God and operates completely from that. Anything he says is based on that. I could go on and on...

We went to Jamie's church he grew up in over the weekend preceding the fourth for an outdoor singing event. Jamie's parents still attend there and we went so we could see their friends who have not yet seen Jonathan and who have not seen Jackson for a while. We got to see one of Jonathan's therapists and her newborn son. She is one of his favorites and we had missed her since she left to have her baby!

That night, Jonathan was croupy so I took both boys into the doctor the next day. Jonathan had been congested for six weeks or so. Jackson had a cold for over a week so I asked the doctor to check him out as well, just in case. It turned out that Jackson had strep - I thought he had nothing other than a cold! I felt badly that I had misjudged him! Both boys finished up their antibiotics last week.

We visited our friends, Chris and Jayne, in Nashville the weekend after the fourth. We had fun - the kids got along better than ever which was nice for the adults! Chris and Jayne used to live here in Birmingham. We were sad to see them go. As I mentioned next to their picture, they have been such wonderful friends to us. They came to be with us when Jonathan was born and again when he had his open heart surgery. Friends for life!

I took Jonathan to an ENT who has a child with DS last week to get his ears checked out. His left ear was fine and his right ear showed negative pressure, meaning it can act as a vacuum and suck in fluid. I am going to go back in six weeks to make sure all is well. JOnathan is supposed to have speech issues for sure but if his ear canals are blocked so he can't hear, that will cause unnecessary speech problems. We have to stay on top of his ears, eyes, and thyroid.

We are learning so much. My faith took a beating for at least three solid months - it is slowly being built back up. When all this first happened, I was sure I would never be the same or recover. I will never be the same, but that is not bad. I am certainly, and always will be, a work in progress. I pray every day for the Holy Spirit to permeate my life and I am beginning to pray through scripture for Jamie and the boys on a daily basis. I am seeing the need to saturate myself with the Word of God and I experience Its power daily. I see that I cannot live this life on my own. I am hardheaded so I often forget this lesson and am re-reminded. Eventually, I will get it, I am sure!

Julie:)

juliewarren@mindspring.com

Pictures, Roaches, and Raspberries

Jackson, Airborne Bear, Uncle Stephen, and Jonathan
Uncle Stephen and Jonathan
(Sorry, if I turn it around it cuts off Jonathan's head.)

Daddy multitasking with Jackson and Jonathan.
Jonathan in his jammies.
Jonathan's first bath with Jackson.

Last night Jackson had a rough night. He came to the top of the stairs calling. I was so disoriented that I asked Jamie to go get him. I had this blanket balled up next to my face and thought it was Jonathan. So, I thought I had one kid and wanted Jamie to take care of the other. By the time I realized the blanket was not our younger son, Jamie had already left to tend to Jackson and I had trouble going back to sleep myself. Jackson came out again and I stood at the bottom of the stairs and asked him what was wrong. He said a roach was in his blanket. I told him to shake it out and hop back in bed (I am so understanding). He hung his head and slunk (is that a word?) back to bed. I went back to bed and could not sleep. I got up some time later to check on him. He was still awake - his eyes were wide open but he was still. We went to the bathroom, got water, and I rubbed his back. I had difficulty sleeping myself and heard him some time later. I let him come down and get in bed with us. I realized this morning that he had quite a bit of dessert last night and must have had a sugar high well into the night!

Jonathan woke up around 4am. I got him, nursed him, and put him back in bed. I stayed upstairs so I could hear him (and also to avoid being kicked by Jackson if I stayed in my bed). Jamie left for work and let us sleep. I got up late, Jackson got up, and then he and I ate breakfast. The baby monitor was on in the kitchen and we heard this noise. I turned up the monitor and it was Jonathan doing raspberries! He is so pleasant in the mornings.

My brother, Stephen, came to visit the weekend of June 10. He brought Jackson an Airborne Bear and Jack loves it! Stephen loves kids and held Jonathan a lot. He played hide and go seek quite a bit with Jackson, too. Jack could not find him at one point. I came into the foyer and Jack was on the stairs yelling for Uncle Stephen. Stephen was on the landing overlooking the foyer. He had climbed over the railing and was standing on the edge. I sternly told Jack never to try that and what Uncle Stephen was doing was not to be repeated. Stephen then confessed to having hidden in the crow's nest above our front door (he had to leap across the chandelier). That is what happens when you let your kids play with an uncle who is a Ranger. Our life is a bit slow and boring compared to what he does. He is supposed to head back to Iraq in July so we appreciated him taking some leave to visit us.

Last week was Jackson's first week back to his Mothers' Morning Out program. I had to stay to fill out paperwork the day that I took him so our parting was not swift and sweet. He was also in a class with younger children who cried a lot. He was upset most of the day. I came home and called other programs, thinking we might try them out in anticipation of the fall. Thursday we tried his program again and he had been moved to a different class. He got in the car and was a changed man. Thank goodness!

The day Jackson started back to MMO, Jonathan began therapy after a three-week hiatus. This program is where I do the therapy while a therapist looks on and helps me. Jonathan has not really cried before and he is crying in earnest now. I am helping him learn to sit up by prop sitting, twisting, and I am rotating his body to come to a sitting position from being on his back. We are also learning to crawl. I put his knees underneath him. He does this on his own but he has difficulty pushing up his arms. Tuesday was tough because his PT from the state agency worked him out in the morning and he was tired by the time we started therapy up again at the Bell Center that afternoon. I would put him up on his knees and he would just cry. It was tough for me, too! Please pray he develops more upper body strength and I take the time to work on this with him.

Jonathan seems to have gotten a lot of hair in recently. Keep it coming! He took his first bath last night with his big brother. I had to hold onto him because he can't quite sit up on his own and because the jets were going. Jackson was thrilled that Jonathan could be in there with him.

That is all for now! If you pray for us, please pray I have the discipline to work Jonathan out on the days we are not doing therapy, for our overall health, that Jonathan continues to gain weight (we think he is around 14 pounds now) and grow proportionally, and we continue to stay on track spiritually to find our peace in Christ and not our circumstances.

Please also pray for a little boy named Joshua. He is the grandson of a former co-worker of mine. Tomorrow (Wednesday, 11 June 2006) in Cleveland he will undergo the same surgery Jonathan had - pray he comes through smoothly and for his family to have peace.

Love,
Julie:)

Pics, update

The cousins at the beach - Jackson, Jonathan, Emma, and Eric.
Jonathan prefers to feed himself. Nice!
Jackson's imitation of Jonathan's new eating habits.
Jonathan learning to sit up!

Next Tuesday Jackson starts Mothers' Morning Out and we begin going to the Bell Center. We have had a three week break.

Jonathan is on his way to sitting up. He can prop sit for a couple seconds here and there. When I do his sit ups with him, he braces his feet. As he comes up from the sit up, he keeps coming up to a standing position. He gets a huge grin on his face and is so proud of himself!

Jackson still naps once a day. Last week Jonathan started napping when Jackson does in the afternoon. After Jonathan went down for a nap on Friday, I simply sat there, realizing that was the first time in six months that had happened! I didn't know what to do.

Jamie and I had a lengthy discussion last night about our journey the last six months. After talking, our conclusion was that we are both in better places since Jonathan's birth. Our faiths have grown in ways they might never have and we have learned things that might have taken much longer or simply never developed. We have experienced God's hands at work in our lives.

So many people say that people with Down syndrome (I found out last week that the "s" in Down syndrome is not supposed to be capitalized) are blessings. We are finding that to be so true. However, Jackson is just as much a blessing as Jonathan. He teaches us so much. He loves Jonathan unconditionally, has a sweet and tender heart, and sees no difference in Jonathan. We feel so blessed with both our kids. We are so grateful for our children and the unique way God created each of them.

Thank you for your prayers and for your encouragement.

Julie:)

Pictures, Six-Month Visit

This is Jonathan at bathtime. Look at his scar - it is healing so nicely!
This is Jackson with Noah. Noah is the son of my best friend growing up. Her mom and my mom were friends while they were pregnant with us, too!
Jackson out on the beach with his "cheese" smile.
Daddy and Jack at the beach.
Jackson and Jonathan with their cousins, Emma and Eric, wearing Nana-designed outfits.
Jonathan and Jackson at the beach.
Jackson put a "hat" on Jonathan this morning at breakfast. When Jackson was little, his first joke was in the car. One day I looked in the back seat and he had a cup on his head and he said, "Hat" and just grinned! He is now passing the joke on to Jonathan.

At Jonathan's six-month visit today, he weighed in at 13 pounds, three ounces and is now 25 inches long. He is still in the third and fifth percentiles in regard to typcial weight and length. However, he is in the 25th and 90th percentiles on the Down Syndrome growth chart. So, he is doing just fine!

Yesterday was Jonathan's last day at the Bell Center for this school year. The therapists again raved about his development. One therapist had not seen him before and asked, "Is he really only six months old?" She told me, from her perspective, that he was doing great. We'll take it!

Have a great Memorial Day,
Julie:)

juliewarren@mindspring.com

Visits, Vacation, Doctor, Thoughts

As I sit here to update you all, Jamie is at work, Jackson is snoozing in his room, and Jonathan is on the floor, doing raspberries, rolling, and scooting/crawling. All is well in my world at this moment.

We saw my parents a couple of weeks ago. It was a great visit. My sister came to stay here with us for a week. I was able to cram in tons of appointments and errands and was so grateful for the help. We went to the beach last week with Jamie's family - his parents, his sister and her husband and children. Jackson and Jonathan did not sleep well while we were there but we had a wonderful time. We got sun, ate constantly, and relaxed.

I took Jonathan to an opthamologist today to have his vision checked. Jackson went with us. He was fairly well-behaved. "Toy Story" was piped into the room which he found thrilling. We are trying to phase out movies like that because he is starting to mimic fight scenes and the cynical banter. However, I was grateful for the distraction! The doctor promised him some treats and he seemed disappointed and, upon receiving a sticker, asked where the suckers were.:) Children with Down Syndrome are more likely to have vision problems so it is wise to stay on top of it. Jonathan's vision was 20/20 today although it seems he is tending toward nearsightedness and will probably need glasses in a few years. The doctor said that his eyes look 100% healthy with the exception of his blocked tear ducts. His eyes tear a lot and get kind of gooey from a back-up in the channel that should drain his tears. He has had this since birth and it seems to be getting better. Hopefully, it will correct itself. If not, he can have a procedure done at 12 months that should clear it up.

It is hard to say how we are doing these days. Some days are wonderful and others are really tough. I am really speaking for myself rather than Jamie. I find that the days I dwell on a blurry past or unknown future combined with filling in the blanks with my imagination, I can develope quite a case of emotional upheaval. At the beach last week, I was able to have a really meaningful conversation with my mother-in-law despite children shouting, snatching, crying, etc. so it is significant that it stuck with me. It is just what I needed to hear.

1 - God is more concerned with my character than my circumstances. What we put so much emphasis on is not necessarily what He finds important. I felt immediate relief upon hearing this from Betty. I don't need to cling to my circumstances and rant and rail about how unfair they are or how tough they are. He knows but He is more concerned with my response.

2 - I put too much stock in lies from Satan. I have noticed recently that a lot of my unhappiness stems from believing lies...

a. Weight is very important.
b. You need to have a perfectly clean house if you stay at home because... you stay at home. Otherwise people will
think you sit around and eat candy and watch TV.:)
c. What others think is very important.
d. Your children should behave in a way others find appropriate even if those people don't know what has transpired that day.
e. If someone has hurt you in the past, keep your distance from them and don't let them close. They will only hurt
you again.
f. The way to please God is to strive for perfection on your own strength. He will be impressed... as will others.
g. You must be tough. Don't ask for help - it suggests weakness.

I put so much pressure on myself to be perfect and to be tough. The last six months have really taken a toll on me and hammered me in these areas. I have been struggling in these areas for far longer than Jonathan has been alive but the circumstances under which he was born have really highlighted my struggles and have given me a perspective I might have been lacking the rest of my life had he not been born with his condition.

3 - There is no magic pill. I know this but I forget and find myself trying to analyze my life to death, convinced I will find the one thing that will take away the pain. I will never find the formula to make everything perfect in my life. I will struggle on a daily basis for the rest of my life. Being a Christian does not make my life easier - sometimes I think it is tougher. Being a Christian means recognizing that I am powerless and I need help. I have worked my whole life not to need God and I never knew it. He has allowed me to be brought to this place where I need help and I cannot deny it. I cannot go it alone. It is not about more scripture memory, more Bible studies, better behavior, etc. It is about committing to surrendering my will to His on a daily basis.

4 - It is a daily choice. Not only is there no magic pill, but it is a daily choice to choose to allow the Holy Spirit to live through me. I must choose to live for Him rather than myself. Again, I find a sense of peace in that. I don't have to live for me anymore. I don't need to be living in a constant state of self-preservation. I can let go of hurts and disappointments, focusing on living for Him instead of myself. However, I have to commit to it every day because complete healing will not occur with one prayer. In fact, I won't find complete peace until I get to heaven. I cannot do it alone. I thought I could keep searching until one day I would be one of those people that you read about - those people that are Christians and seem perfectly at peace all the time, who don't appear to struggle with anything. That is a myth! Maybe those people exist but I don't think so. What is probably more accurate is that those people get up every morning, recognize they are powerless, pray intensely for help, and surrender their own desires on a daily basis.

Thanks for following our story. I will post pictures when I find them. We had some great ones from the beach!

Julie

juliewarren@mindspring.com

Jesus Loves Me

Sunday morning I woke up to the sound of "Jesus Loves Me." Jackson's room is right above ours and he was singing to himself. There is nothing like the sound of a child's voice, singing praises. He constantly reminds me to have the faith of a child because I complicate things so much with my analytical brain. He also walks around the house singing, "Jesus, you're my star, my best friend, you're my super hero." He must have learned that one at Mothers' Morning Out because I have never heard it. Again, a reminder from a child of where my focus should be. Yesterday, he took Jonathan's arms, raised them up in the air, and said, "Praise the Lord! Mommy, I just helped Jonathan praise the Lord!" Wow. From the lips of children come the most brilliant things.

Wednesday, Jonathan and I attended Farm Day for the Bell Center. It was a day out at the farm of a retired PT. I knew Jonathan may not remember the animals but I am always on the prowl for new friends, positive people to interact with, who can provide encouragement. It proved to be a good move. I had had some dark days and needed some positive feedback. Tina, another mother, introduced me to her son with DS, Charlie. Charlie is 20 months old and just as cute as he could be. He was wearing a little smocked outfit and had a cute haircut. He could not speak well or walk but was on his way to both. He could sign what he wanted to communicate. It is amazing how different that makes someone appear. If they cannot talk, your perception is so different. The fact that he could communicate really made a difference in the way I perceived his functionality.

Charlie's mom reminded me not to look into the future, which is what I had been doing over the past several days. It always gets me down. The problem with it is that I don't know the future and so my imagination runs wild. It is where Satan gets a foothold in my life everytime. She also said that it is not even accurate to assume Jonathan is going to be where current DS twenty-somethings and up are because most of them have not had the early intervention our kids are getting now. She said she met a young adult with DS the other day and he was entertaining, silly, and very concerned about his hair and clothes. They said he was so refreshing and such an positive picture.

We did not have the Bell Center on Tuesday but our PT from the government organization, Jane, came. She worked with Jonathan and told me at the end that she was very impressed with his progress. Jonathan is rolling - a lot. You put him down and he rolls across the room. When he is placed on the floor, he lies on his tummy and looks around. He is getting very strong. He likes to roll left rather than right. If you push him to roll right, he resists. It must not be as comfortable yet that demonstrates his strength because he is pushing against you. He is also scooting. This child is so determined and works so hard. I am so proud for him! He is doing raspberries with his mouth and has been for a couple of months. He will catch my eye, smile, and start talking. I love it! He is batting at toys and figuring out how to get them to work. He pushed a truck yesterday and I was thrilled. Amazing how excited you get over the smallest things.

Yesterday Jonathan worked with Holley, his PT at the Bell Center. She worked him hard and also commented on his strength and progress. She wants us to start working on helping him to roll to a sitting position. He can already sit well with help, without toddling. She showed me ways to help him prop sit and then to roll to a sitting position. I am having to do what they show me and take notes now so I don't forget what to do.

Jackson is such an asset to Jonathan and I am sure the reverse is true. I could not ask for a more loving relationship. Jackson wants to kiss him, hug him, and hold him all the time. He likes to feed him with a bottle, too.

I talked to a mother this week who found out that she is having a girl who tested positive for DS. I was glad that I could "pay it forward" and encourage her, empathize, and offer advice. I am grateful for the opportunity to help others in this way.

Please pray for our continued good health. Jonathan is over 12 pounds now - pray he continues to grow. Pray that his ear canals are not blocked so he can hear sounds. Blocked ear canals will stunt his ability to speak well and to develop cognitively. Pray for my outlook and that I have a day-to-day attitude rather than venturing to an imagined future. Pray we are positive.

Thank you for your prayers,
Julie:)

More pictures

We had Jackson's birthday party with friends outside in our back yard last Friday. The boy is very territorial when it comes to his toys and playset. He was so afraid that someone might try to swing on his bucket swing (he can swing on the regular ones just fine) that he decided simply to stay there most of the party and call out greetings to his friends from there as they arrived.

Jonathan at Jackson's friend birthday party.

Jackson's birthday theme was bugs, bugs, bugs! Here he is at our family party blowing out the candles on his dirt and bug cake.

We went to go see the Easter Bunny at the zoo the morning of Jackson's birthday, April 15. As you can see, 1945 called and wanted its Easter Bunny suit back.

Jackson and Jonathan on a tractor in the farm area of the Birmingham Zoo. Jackson had no interest in the tractor until I placed Jonathan on it. Then he declared it his "favorite," sat there playing around for at least 10 minutes, and we had to pry him off of it so we could leave.

The Warren Family, Easter 2006

Sorry for the potty and speech talk but the update is that Jackson is no longer wearing diapers at all and stays dry at night, too! His speech is consistent and clear with little stuttering.

Jackson went to the dentist and had a good visit. We went to the zoo afterwards with friends. After lunch, we saw a few more exhibits and then headed to a new eating/play area. Part of the play area is a playground and the other part has rubber on the ground with fountains that spurt intermittently. Kids get out there in diapers, underwear, bathing suits, clothes, etc. running through the spurts. We opted to get wet after Jack finished running around on the playground. I took off Jackson's shirt, thinking he could get his shorts wet. Jackson seemed to think that would not be comfortable because when I turned around after putting away his shirt, he had shed his clothes - ALL of them. Two women sitting nearby could not stop laughing - more like twittering. Jackson was simply looking on at the other children in the water, ready to get in, totally oblivious to the fact that being completely unclothed in a public setting might be slightly inappropriate. Now, keep in mind that the place was full of kids from schools, kids with daycares, and stay-at-home moms out for the morning. It was hysterical and what was even more funny was that he was so completely at ease in his "birthday suit." After quickly slapping on a pull-up, Jackson ran out into the water and I followed with Jonathan.

The last few weeks have been pleasant and peaceful. Thank you to those of you still praying for us. We have been healthy and we are so grateful. Jamie and I are reminded daily that we are not in control and I am praying each day that the Holy Spirit would permeate my life and that I would yield control to the Lord. I am finding such peace and contentment in letting go.

Julie

Special Weekend

This weekend was special - marked by Jackson's celebration of his third birthday and Jonathan's first Easter.

This Easter Sunday's message was challenging. Our church is currently on the prowl for a new minister. David has been our church's speaker for a six-week series called "Unstoppable." His messages have prompted a lot of personal soul searching. On Sunday he ended the message with a question: Is Jesus the Master of your life?

Jonathan's birth brought so many unexpected things and my world shifted dramatically in an instant. What was so difficult for me to digest was that these changes were permanent. I was totally out of control. All of my life has been lived in an effort to achieve perfection, to keep up appearances, and to stay in control. A guy I coached with once said he was glad that I wasn't a police officer because I would never go off duty.:) I laughed at the time, but that is the pattern of my life - I neither accept nor extend grace. The standard for myself is perfection and, therefore, is the one I demand of everyone else. That mentality is in direct opposition to what Christianity is.

As a Christian, my basic knowledge is this - I am a sinner and I am unworthy to enter heaven or have a relationship with God on my own merit. A price has to be paid for my sin and since God is holy, He cannot accept my imperfect offering. It has to be an offering that is completely perfect and holy. Jesus, who was without sin, came to this earth and died in my place. I accept Christ's payment. He is my "ticket" to heaven and to a relationship with God while I am here on this earth. I know this in my head, but I realize that I have not always believed it in my heart.

I experience my life like a bank account. Growing up, I bought into the picture that others painted of me. To keep my place on the pedestal, I would deposit things into my account - good grades, a hard work ethic, daily devotionals, abstinence from foul language, rigid dating standards, etc. If something happened to end my stint of perfection in an area, I would become angry and defensive, listing all the things I had done for God and how unjustified the situation was. Eventually, things would improve and I would think I had wooed the Lord to my way of thinking. I thought I was superior to others and did not deserve the same treatment because of all the good I had done.

Now I look at Jonathan's scar on his chest and all it represents - a need for a heart change, the realization that I am not perfect, and the knowledge that I cannot survive without help - grace. Christ died in my place - yes, my place. I can do nothing to earn my way no matter how "good" I am.

Is Jesus the Master of my life? NO. I fight Him on a daily basis for control. From this day forward, I want to accept His grace, extend it to others, and invite Him to be my Master. I am so tired. I will let go of the bank account/police officer mentality and let God perform open heart surgery on my heart. He is the Great Physician and the Great Healer. I need to let Him do His job.

Julie:)
juliewarren@mindspring.com

Weight gain, Birthday Celebration

Jonathan went to have his last (hopefully) synagis shot on Thursday. Before giving him his shot, they weigh him to insure he is receiving the proper dosage. With his diaper on, he weighed 12 pounds, two ounces! Slowly but surely, he is gaining weight!

Jackson celebrated his birthday today with friends. It was high drama. He was on the bucket swing, calling out to people from the swing for most of the party. He did not want to surrender the swing for fear someone might use it. :) We just played outside, had snacks, and ate cupcakes. His friends were a lot of fun and I was so glad so many of them could come. I cannot believe he is three years old!

Tomorrow we celebrate Jackson's birthday with family. We hope to avoid meltdowns.:)

Have a wonderful Easter,
Julie:)

Jonathan

Just wanted you all to see a recent close up of Jonathan.

Julie:)

Playing Catch Up

Warren family visits Thomas the Train. Jackson was thrilled!
Pops arranged our Thomas trip.These are Jamie's parents (Nana and Pops).
Jackson "wrestling" with Jonathan.

Thursday, March 30 - Pops went with Jonathan and I to the Bell Center. Jonathan did well. He was weighed while we were there - 11 pounds, 12 ounces! The dietician reminded me to be taking a vitamin and wanted to know when we would begin adding cereal. No clue. I need to ask!

Friday, March 31 - We went to Thomas the Train in Calera at an old railroad station. Jackson ran from train to train, unable to contain himself. I am being serious - the kid did not walk until we got in line to wait to ride the train. He would climb up on the old trains and commandeer them - he's a bit territorial these days.:) Jonathan took it all in stride.

Saturday, April 1 - Jonathan awoke around 1:30am with a cough. It was the croup - that unmistakeable barking sound. We opened up the freezer, took him outside, and finally settled on sitting in the bathroom with a hot shower running. We stayed up with him for about two hours. We ran the humidifier and then Jamie slept in his room with him. Jamie took him to the doctor the next morning where they heard the congestion but no wheezing so he was in the clear. However, he is too young for antihistimines so we just have to wait out the congestion.

Wednesday, April 5 - We went to see the cardiologist. It was wild. I went alone with the boys - no big deal, right? It started with not finding a parking space in the deck. I ended up at the doctor's office 30 minutes late because I parked in another deck a couple of blocks away. Imagine carrying a baby in a carrier in one arm while fighting for your three-year-old's hand with the other hand in downtown traffic! We got there and had to wait because we were late. Upon our arrival, Jackson took control of the toys in the waiting room. Sometimes you just have to act sorry on the outside and contain the laughter on the inside.

We were called back to weigh Jonathan. While I was trying to undress Jonathan and keep an eye on Jackson, Jackson stepped on a nurse's foot - she had on sandals. She made a real show of the intense pain she must have felt from a small child barely grazing her foot with his little shoe - I found it rather amusing and had to keep from smiling. I made certain we properly apologized then explained to Jackson he needed to stay seated - amazing the social pressures of needing to feel like you have properly disciplined your child to the satisfaction of another when really it is no big deal.

We went back to the waiting room and Jackson ran in the play area where he entertained himself. He jumped up shortly thereafter declaring he needed to use the potty. I was thrilled. Of course, a doctor's office is not the ideal place for your child to use the potty. I grabbed all of our stuff, dragged it in the bathroom, hiked Jack up, and then he decided it was a false alarm. About 30 minutes later, we got called back. Jackson climbed all over the place, trying to be beside his baby brother, worried the doctor was going to hurt him. I let Jack have some goldfish and regretted it the instant Jonathan kicked them all over the floor.:) I tried to occupy Jackson with an explanation of the ultrasound and what the colors meant. He was enthralled. Too soon he was bored. He was jumping from stool to stool, flipping the lights on and off. It was interesting, to say the least. Actually, it was quite hilarious but, again, I put on the stern face.

Jonathan weighed in at 11 pounds, 14 ounces. He will continue to take one-fourth on an aspirin daily for another month. After that, no meds! His heart looked good and he had a little congestion left over from the croup Friday night. The doctor said that he looked and sounded wonderful and no need to see him until a year from now!

On the way out, Jackson did use the bathroom and I had no treats with me. We got McDonald's on the way home for him as a reward. We stopped and got lunch for Jamie and me elsewhere. We dropped it off at Jamie's office and headed home. When I got home, I saw a cop car parked outside our house. I parked at the top of the driveway but not in the garage. Our door between the garage doors was open. I left the boys in the car with the windows down and crept inside the garage. The cop called to me from the top of the stairs. When it was established that I was the homeowner, she apologized for pointing her gun at me - I did not know she was pointing her gun at me! She said she was sorry for going through the house - I thanked her. People must be pretty rude with them for checking things out - I was thankful she had gone inside. It was established, after talking to her and ADT, that one of our doors set off the alarm. It probably blew open (we found out on Sunday that our former neighbor did it!).

I went outside and Jackson was screaming. I assumed it was because he was mad he had to stay inside the car. By this time, I was low on patience. I told him to chill out and calm down. The police officer said, "He is saying something about a bug." Low and behold, a yellow jacket was in the car. So, I let him out and could have kicked myself for not paying better attention! He proceeded to run to the top of the backyard and yell, "Look! Look!" I told him to come back down and go inside, that he was taking a nap. This did not go over well either. I apologized to the police officer, she left, and we went inside. Jamie came home and checked out the house just in case. I was a little afraid someone might jump out of a closet or from underneath the bed or something.

Jackson went down for a nap. When he woke up, we went outside. He ran to the same spot in the yard and yelled, "Look! Look!" I went over there to look. At the base of a tree was a raccoon. I was afraid to get too close. I felt badly for it because flies were swarming it. I assumed it was dead but noticed its chest rising and falling. I called four different organizations, trying to figure out what to do. If it was hurt, I wanted to help it and not let it get eaten alive. The consensus was that it had something called distemper - similar to Alzheimer's in humans. An hour or so after we saw it, it got up and walked around as if it were in a drunken stupor. It would lay down, seize, and then get up. It walked around as if its legs were not its own. When Animal Control called the next day, the raccoon was no where to be found. Animal Control said it probably crawled in a hole to die - so sad!

That was quite a day.

Thursday, April 6 - We went to a session with a speech pathologist from Ohio. He was here for a conference and we were able to meet with him so he could evaluate Jonathan and give us suggestions. His main philosophy is to imitate your child through methods he calls balancing and matching. Balancing is imitating your child and adding a bit more. Matching is doing exactly what your child does. Anyway, that is the basic concept. He said we should interact with Jonathan by imitating and taking turns with him. For instance, he might make a sound and wave his arms. We make the sound back and then move our arms. It is amazing because he will respond and do the same thing again or something else. What you find is that you are having your own "conversation" with him. The doctor said that DS kids have a tendency not to be social and that if we teach them to interact socially, the rest will follow. He said that after 35 years of practice, he has seen clients with DS accrue lots of knowledge but are unable to interact on a social level. We need to teach them to interact. I think he was trying to stress the danger in being too focused on physical therapy and academics. There is a balance to everything and our kids with DS need to be social because academics will only get them so far. This guy was phenomenal. He said that Jonathan did a good job of following us and connecting. The website where you can get more info is www.jamesdmacdonald.org. I would highly recommend it!

Saturday, April 8 - Jonathan turned from his back to his tummy!

I went to the speech conference portion for parents. I was nervous because he would ask us questions about our children and I would answer, hoping I had the "right" answer. I usually did not. I think my thought processes are so academic and his point was that will hurt Jonathan more than help him. I need to play with him, imitate him, try to have fun with him and simply relax!

Tuesday, April 11 - We went to the Bell Center while Jackson was at Mothers' Morning Out. Jackson has his third birthday this Saturday and he is excited. He told me exactly who he would like to come. It ought to be fun! He also said to me today, "Mommy, you are a good cooker!" Ha! Aren't our kids wonderful?

Please keep praying,
Julie

Pictures

Jamie and Julie at the Guild Gala.
Jonathan playing on the boppy.
My dad with Jonathan.
My mom with Jonathan.
Both kids with "Gigi" (my grandmother).
Jackson with Grandpa.
Jackson with the Dobbins' family dog, Rupp.
Pops (Jamie's dad) flew us to Columbia in his
plane.

Jackson was evaluated today and the consensus that what he is going through is common and there is no need for him to see a speech therapist on a regular basis. Yeah! We thought that was probably the case but were not sure.

If you are reading this and you know of anyone who needs some encouragement because they have/had a child with Down Syndrome and/or the heart condition and you think we could be of help to them, let me know at juliewarren@mindspring.com. I would love to help or offer encouragement to others as we have been helped.

Have a great week,
Julie:)
juliewarren@mindspring.com

More Details...

Good morning. I realized after my last post that I omitted some details over the last few weeks...

Jonathan had his four month check up two weeks ago. He weighed in at 11 pounds! He got his shots and had his next to last synagis shot two days after his check up. The synagis shot protects him from contracting RSV.

Jackson is using the potty on a regular basis now. About a month ago or so, we had a "Come to Jesus" talk. I told him he could use the bathroom and it was time he started. We spent one day where we went every hour, then every 30 minutes, and then every 15 minutes. When he would go in his pants immediately after an attempt, I knew it was an issue of control. Once he had success, he started wanting to go and now accidents happen only on occasion. I think a big part of his success is tied to Jonathan. I kept making a big show of telling Jonathan how big his brother was, using the potty and wearing underwear. Each time Jack went, I would show Jonathan and make a big deal. Once I forgot to praise Jackson in front of Jonathan and after using the bathroom, Jack said, "Mommy, tell him what I did!" I think he enjoyed impressing his little brother.

Jackson is still stuttering so I am taking him to a speech pathologist on Monday. Hopefully the stutter will still be there so she can tell us if it is a big deal or not. I don't think it is, since it comes and goes. However, we want to be sure and not ignore something that might be significant.

I am so grateful for how loving Jackson is with Jonathan. He wants to lie down by Jonathan constantly, help feed him (when I use a bottle:)), give him toys, kiss him, and show him how to do things. Jonathan reciprocates by smiling, laughing, and talking. It is so neat to watch.

We are rarely feeding Jonathan breastmilk with bottles. There is no need to document how much milk he is getting now that he is gaining weight. He is only nursing unless we are out running errands, at church, etc. The pediatrician and dietician are impressed with his weight gain on breastmilk alone. He is developing well considering he had open heart surgery less than two months ago.

Jonathan's scar continues to heal beautifully. Before I went to Columbia last week, Jamie kept insisting one place was not healing correctly. There was a white scab - it looked like a thick piece of skin that was not fully healed. I said it was a scab and not to worry about it. The pediatrician agreed with me. Jamie was bathing Jonathan one night and kept playing with that piece of skin. Finally, something popped through - it looked like fishing line. It was a souture that was irritating the skin just below the scab. Jamie had been right all along - the souture was irritating the skin and needed to be clipped. I called the cardiologist's office and spoke with a nurse. She walked me through the process and said I could do it. I opted not to. I figured if I could, the pediatrician could. I did not want to take chances on causing some kind of infection because I didn't sterilize something enough. I took Jonathan in and the pediatrician pulled the souture as tightly as she could and clipped it as closely to the skin as possible. Jackson saw what was going to happen, heard Jonathan whine, and said, "I'm worried!" The doctor said, "Do you want a sucker?" That calmed him down.:) The child is definitely my son - he finds immediate comfort in food! Since Jamie freed up the souture, it looked less red. It looks even better now that it has been clipped.

Yesterday we went to the Bell Center. Jonathan is rolling from his tummy to his back. With very little help, he rolled from his back to his tummy. He is holding his head up high while on his tummy - great considering all the work done on his chest. He is chattering like crazy, batting his arms, kicking his legs, scooting across the floor in an attempt to crawl, and so much more. I am simply grateful for these things! They give me hope.

We are functioning - we have bad days and good days. For the most part, we are faring well. We love our boys. We still would not have picked this situation. Please pray for us. Pray for Jackson's stutter, Jonathan's weight gain and development, and our outlook on the future. I want to be the parent that is positive and that the DS is a component of our family but is not who we are.

I will post pictures later!

Julie

Update

Hello! It has been more than three weeks since my last post. I think I became complacent once Jonathan's surgery was over and he seemed to be in the clear.

Thanks to so many of you, again, for your prayers. I was at home in Columbia this weekend and was able to see many people in my hometown neighborhood and at church. It had been seven months since I last visited and I was overwhelmed with the number of people who said they had been praying for us.

To update you, Jonathan is doing great. He is rolling from his tummy to his back, holding his head up, trying to sit, can track objects, batting at things, holding toys, trying to crawl, loves to eat, and is sleeping all night. Jackson still cannot get enough of his little brother and I am so thankful for that! He is such an example to me of how to love - unconditionally.

I tried to post some photos but was unable to so I will try again soon.

Julie

Pictures

Hello, everyone. I thought I would attach some pictures. Some could be termed as "gross" so just know I warned you! I hope they turn out okay - I have had a hard time figuring out how to put them in next to the correct descriptions.

Jamie and I attended the Guild Gala this weekend. We went to dinner at a couples' home where they honored Jonathan. It was so nice and we were thrilled. Our dinner was Russian-themed. After dinner we went to the ball and saw many familiar faces. I have not dressed up like that in so long! Jamie and I agreed we ought to do that more than once a year. Thanks to Bill and Suzanne for babysitting the boys so we could go!

We are doing well. Jonathan is hard to resist and makes it easier to accept. He is eating more than ever. He is laughing out loud without being tickled. He smiles all the time - especiallly when he takes a bath or gets his diaper changed. The boy likes to be clean!

Jackson still stutters on occasion but nothing like before. Thank you for your prayers.

This is what Jonathan's chest looked like right after the surgery. I was giving him a bath. The two holes on the bottom left and furthest to the right are where tubes went in to get to his heart. The cut below his incision is where a drain tube was. You can kind of see the staples on his actual incision.



Jackson and Jonathan in their PJs. Jackson just loves Jonathan so much. He always asks where "Baby Jonathan" is and wants to kiss his hands and head. I have to work to keep him off of Jonathan. He is so loving and affectionate! He is very proud of Jonathan and I cannot think of a better big brother. I am so thankful Jackson loves his little brother so much.


Jackson commiserating with Jonathan. He has his own "scar," too! You can tell that Jonathan's skin has not really seen the light of day yet.:) I thought it would be fun to give Jackson some "scar" treatment. He was thrilled. At first he was scared when I mentioned it, but then he thought it was neat.






This is Jonathan a few days ago. Amazing how this child is healing up so quickly!