Can I get a woot woot?

Yup, little man is FINALLY at 14 pounds!!! YAY! This was a BIG hurdle for us, as we've been working on those last few ounces for a couple of weeks now! I had written a week or so ago that we had been giving it a go without any formula fortifying (thickened breast milk only) - little man was eating like a maniac (he was eating over 1,000cc's a day on a regular basis - you heart moms will understand that's no small potatoes) and he gained well for a couple of days, but then he plateaued and then his weight started dropping. So I started fortifying again at 24kcal (he had been at 27kcal) and he started gaining again. But he's still gaining slowly, so starting tomorrow, I'm going to start fortifying him back at 27kcal. It was nice for his little body to get a break from all the formula (the heavy duty high calorie stuff he's on is a bit rough on the system (not to mention expensive for the parents!), but he clearly needs it to grow, so I have no problem putting him back on it). (Plus, he should eat a bit less on the high-calorie stuff, and if I have to pump to keep up with 1,000cc's a day of milk, I'm really in trouble!)

He had his bi-weekly echo and ekg today and both looked fine, which was good news. And his cardiologist dropped one of his Lasix doses, so now he's only on it once a day! (I was thrilled about that since, if he's going to throw up his meds (doesn't happen that often anymore, but he went through a spell a couple of months ago where he was throwing them up once a day), it's always the Lasix! So, if Bodie could talk, he'd probably be saying "Thank you Dr. Kim!")

Other than that, no other news to report. Little man is happy and stable, so mama is happy. :-) Big sister starts back in preschool 3 mornings a week next week, and both mama and Sierra are happy about that. Here are some cute pics I've gotten of the kids in the past few days (have I mentioned how much I LOVE our new camera???) (and I know some of these pics are of Sierra and not Bodie, but this blog isn't just about Bodie, it's about our whole family's journey alongside our little braveheart)

LOVING sitting in his big boy high chair:
Happy big sister at the park: This was his expression looking at big sister (I swear, he LOVES her so much - it just warms my heart):
My little fashionista:
Channeling Cyndi Lauper perhaps?
Please continue to keep Bodie in your prayers as we get closer to his surgery date. It is critical that he stays as healthy as possible for his surgery (and critical that he stay healthy in general - even though he looks GREAT, he is still hemodynamically incredibly fragile and it would take little to turn him down the wrong course - kids in this interim phase have passed away from something as little as a cold - incredibly scary, but true). So please, please, please continue interceding on his behalf!

Also, please keep our heart buddyTownsend Hale in your prayers as he approaches his surgery, the Fontan, scheduled for September 13th. I know his parents must be feeling such a mixture of emotions right now as they close in the surgery (excitement to be almost past the "planned" surgeries coupled with utter terror at the thought of their almost 2 year old sweet little boy who they have so come to know and love being sent into open heart surgery once again, and a myriad of other emotions I can't even begin to get into). Please pray that Townes stays healthy and for peace for the entire family in the next few weeks.
Thanks,
Amy