Hi, I'm Deneen!

Welcome to my blog! This is the first Blog Hop I've done.

Now to introduce myself and my family. I've been married to Eric for almost three years, and we have an almost two-year-old son who is our pride and joy, named Jacob. This is my Project 365 blog for Jacob. The plan is to put a picture up for each day of 2009, but life has thrown so much craziness at us. My son Jacob has gone in for two surgeries on his eyes and up until recently, was a regular at BC Children's Hospital. He has been transferred now to a doctor on the Island, so we're really excited. He's a very strong little boy, and we're really proud of him. To read more about his surgeries, click the "surgery" tag. For the Project 365 pics, please click the "project 365" tag.

Eternal Gratitude

May 8

This is the doctor who did Jacob's surgery. His eye looked better less than 24 hours after this surgery than his right eye did, a week after the last surgery. Our experience with this doctor has been night-and-day different than with the last one. Our family is very grateful for that.

This is the day we came home.

He's all right.

May 7

"Hi Momma! I had surgery yesterday, and I'm still hurting a lot, but I'm OK!"

Surgery

May 6

It's surgery day! Here's Jacob playing in the Surgical Daycare playroom. He had fun, even though he had to get 16b drops over the span of one hour.

Just cause I like this picture.

In recovery **cry**
I don't think this part of surgery gets any easier, to be honest. At this point, Jacob could barely rouse himself, and it was very frustrating for him. I remember the "hospital smell" that he had, it's one of the smells I dislike the most. My biggest plan was to get him back to the Easter Seal House, and sponge off as much of the smell as I could.

Sorry

Sorry for the lack of pics! I lost my camera and then life went NUTS.

Jacob's surgery is tomorrow, pretty stressed about that....

and my birthday is today! Happy 28th to me!

Update

We are all doing really well. Jacob has prgressed in leaps and bounds, it's really amazing. His coordination has improved so much, and his verbal skills are really coming along. In the last two weeks he seems to have become a little boy.
His eye is just about completely healed, there's only a few discolourations left and that's it. We've really been living in our own little world these last two weeks, and I've loved it. I really feel like our bond has gotten even stronger.
We'll be moving soon, and I'm really excited. We'll be living very close to my good friends Nicci and Lisa. I see some playdates coming soon! (haha)
We're off to Vancouver again tomorrow for a follow up which I think will go very well. Jacob's prescription has been sent off to the lab, as well, so now we're waiting on his glasses to get here.

Here's a list of all the new things Jacob has learned to do in the last two weeks.

- signs "eat"
- says "no," "uh oh," and "cookie."
- lifts his leg so I can remove his pants.
- walk on differently textured surfaces without trippping.
- stack
- is THIS close to figuring out how to use a fork!

When we move to the new place, it's bye bye crib!

We started moving tonight. Hopefully it only takes 2 weeks or so. I want out of here, and the sooner the better.

Jacob and I have been spending a lot of time with one of my best friends and her daughter. Cierra, just turned one, and has a big mouthful of teeth. She's walking, and her and Jacob turn into little troublemakers when they're together. I love it. It feels like they're actually FRIENDS, not just two babies that have been thrust together becuase their moms are friends. It's the best.

Well that's the update for now. Thanks for reading!

Updates...January 20 - 23

January 20

Daddy and Jacob posing for Momma. Doesn't Jacob's eye look great?

Still bloody and really dilated, but it's healing really well.

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January 21

Jacob and his new friend Jayda wreaking havoc on Jessy's kitchen! It was so nice to have a quieter, stress-free day. This was my first time meeting Jessy and Jayda in person, but we had a really great time! Jessy made a nice dinner, and we all got along really well! We'll be looking them up when we go over again, that's for sure!

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January 22

I'm really sorry, but we were coming home that day, and in all the havoc I forgot to take a picture :(

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January 23

Jacob and Elmo having a nice chat at home! Woopah! It is so good to be home. We all went to bed early, and slept great. Poor Eric had to work today, so I'm making him a nice dinner to make up for it.

Surgery

January 18

Jacob and his Uncle Sam

Jacob and his Nanner

At our hotel room - Jacob LOVED the mirrors

January 19 - Surgery We'd just gotten into Surgical Daycare

The GORGEOUS hospital gown that Jacob had to wear

Looking like a very big boy

We'd just left the hospital

Once again playing with the baby in the mirror

"See, I'm OK. Thank you all for thinking of me!"

boombox love

January 17

Cheese!
Quick pic as it's REALLY late and we have a lot to do tomorrow.

I LOVE MY BOOMBOX!

OK I may not be adding any new ones for a few days, as Jacob's surgery is in less than forty-eight hours. I am not one to fish for pity or anything, but I do ask that you keep my baby in your prayers. This is his first surgery and Momma and Daddy are a bit scared.

Postive Thoughts and Project 365

January 13


Only six days until surgery!
I think as it gets closer, I'm actually starting to feel better about it all. Jacob is going to be just fine. He's got a momma who knows what the future will be like for him, and the most supportive, wonderful daddy ever. We're all going to be just fine.