Hello Friends

Hello friends. I report to you that John had another good day today after waking up every 3 - 4 hours last night to nurse which is very good for a 1 week old baby. For this we are thankful. He slept a lot this morning but this afternoon and evening has been very active. He has enjoyed his floor time and the massages and holding.

He is steadily gaining strength and control as he works to lift his head off the floor. His grasp is also getting stronger as he is better able to wrap his little fingers around ours. Each day, we try and allow him floor time on his stomach and his back. He really benefits from this time. One thing that we noticed today is that he is beginning to coordinate turning over onto his belly from laying on his side. We are so proud of him - he works hard. About a half hour to an hour at a time is about all that he is good for. We try to do this 3 - 4 times a day.

Today we went to the clinic for a lunch meeting. The front office staff and nurses just couldn't get enough holding time. While we were there, we weighed him and he had gained an ounce since Monday.

We continue to be thankful for the things that we have and what he is able to do but there are also days that are difficult for us as we think about the child that we don't have. Today was one of those days for my wife - it seems that the more time we spend with him individually, not only do we see his strengths but we also see his weaknesses.

Please pray for us as we continue in this journey. It is not easy at times both physically and emotionally.