A Very Merry Christmas!

We had such a wonderful Christmas. I don't have my pictures available just yet, but I plan on posting them to Memoirs of a Mommy some time this weekend so go take a peek when you have a minute.

Noah is doing wonderful! Even with the nasty cold I gave him. Yes, I gave it to him. I never leave my house except to go to the Hospital and I am very persistent in washing my hands and disinfecting my house, but then a few days before Christmas I decide to have some "me" time and I went to Walmart at about 10pm. I was able to pick up a few surprises for Shane but I came home with more than I bargained for. So unfortunately, Noah got a undeserved and nasty Christmas gift. My cold. But even with that, he is doing great!

He is eating so much more than he ever has before. He actually gained a whole pound in ONE week! That is just amazing. He now weighs 15 lbs 5 oz. For a 6 1/2 month old that is still very small but when you look at him he is just chubby and healthy looking.

I thank Heavenly Father everyday for this precious little booger. He loves to play. He shakes his rattle so hard sometimes that he smacks himself in the forehead. He doesn't cry but looks at it like "why did you do that you dumb thing!" then shakes it again. He kicks a lot but still hasn't discovered his feet yet. And while I've seen him move around the floor a little from kicking so much, he still isn't even rolling to his side yet. But OT and PT will start back up now that the Holidays are over and he has had time to recover from his surgery.

I still have one thing that is weighing on my heart though. Every morning when I feed him and give him meds and every night when I do the same (as these are the only quiet times we have together) I sit in the chair and rock him and think about the heart that is beating in his chest and keeping him alive. I think about the child it used to belong to and the family who had to say good bye to that baby. I am so over come with gratitude and so humbled by this miracle. I want so badly to write to them and share my thanks. I want them to be a part of our lives so they can see the legacy of their baby live on through Noah... but then I let my worldly, anxiety ridden mind create all these scenarios and it keeps me from writing. I am SO afraid of writing something that would cause this generous family more pain. What if I write it and say something to the mother but the circumstances were such a tragedy that the mom passed too. That's just one example of the craziness that I think of. I know it's not logical. But that doesn't seem to help me much. I just wish I knew the circumstances better so I could prepare my letter more appropriately. I just have so much gratitude I can't simply say a quick thank you. But anymore than that and I might cause them more pain. Well, this post has become much more than I intended. It's just been something that has been on my mind every single day. I guess when I am really ready, the words will come and I will be able to say what I need to say. And when I do, I really hope that our Donor Family finds comfort in knowing what a gift they have given us. I really hope they are a part of our lives.

I also hope you all had a Very Merry Christmas. Since it's the season for giving, remember to give to those who are in need. You can be someones miracle with just a small Act of Random Kindness (Noah's ARK).

And one final note... and a wonderful note it is!

One of Noah's Heart buddies Kaidence (who we learned about through the CHD support group Intermountain Healing Hearts) received her NEW HEART a few days before Christmas!! You might have heard about Kaidence's story on the news a while back. She was the first infant in Utah who was able to receive the use of a Berlin Heart. She is now also the first child to use a Berlin Heart and then receive a transplant. What a miracle she is. Please visit her blog and see how well she is doing and also, please keep her in your prayers. Recovering from a Heart Transplant is an up and down process (as we know all too well). But she is doing so great and we are so happy for her.