One Month Out and a PICTURE OF HEALTH!!

Literally, HUNDREDS of people have prayed for our sweet Parker over the last 7 months. I'm asked daily how he's doing and I just want to report that this boy is PERFECT!!! I've been planning to share pictures of our journey, but have been pretty busy getting our hot mess of a life back together. Saturday marked ONE MONTH since Parker was discharged from the hospital. Parker has not been out of the hospital an entire month since he was 2 months old. We are SO THANKFUL! This journey has been HARD. I've questioned every decision I've made for this sweet child, as it was so difficult holding him down for testing, IVs, feeding tubes, etc...  If you were counting, Parker had 6 hospitalizations and a dozen or so ER visits. When we left for Atlanta, Parker was bald, extremely pale, had elevated liver enzymes, lactic acid and pyruvate acid levels, as well as a very pronounced head tremor. When we left he wore three month clothes. The night we came home, I realized those baby clothes had to be changed... he now wears NINE month clothes! Through it all, Parker has loved us, trusted us, and been the sweetest baby you will ever meet. Parker Kurtz, you are FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made! We thank the LORD for healing our youngest son. We thank YOU for all of your prayers. We are so happy to be home as a FAMILY! 

First trip to the ER... He was SO sick this night... I had to put this gown away. I could never look at it again. 

Going for our first rounds of GI testing. 

Sweet Parker's very 1st hospitalization. 

Daddy loving his boy. 

Nothing sweeter than cuddling with an infant. 

Sweet brothers holding hands. 

Holding my angel after his scope. That almost gave me a panic attack! 

Home for a few days with his brother!!!

Getting an EEG. 

All of Parker's hair fell out in my hands one day. His nutrition was awful at this point. 

Another test... such a trooper!!

Watch out!!! A wild little boy spent the day at the hospital! 

What a cute little baldy!!!

Then the head tilt began...

This was in January. We went to the park and had a family meeting. We decided Parker needed to go to Scottish Rites.

Parker was admitted to Scottish Rites in Atlanta!

He had sweet visitors...

He got some rest...

He had more visitors...

He got a feeding tube...

He met new friends!!!

Daddy did too!

While we were there, Brooks had a GREAT time with Mema and Papa! 

He had wonderful care. He's a loved baby boy!

Sometimes he had to wear "no no" sleeves to keep him from pulling out his feeding tube. 

Enjoying kisses from Daddy. 

Leaving Atlanta for Augusta! 

Holding BOTH my boys! 

With his tube, Parker GREW!!! 

And he enjoyed playing too because he felt so much better. 

This is how we traveled with our feeding tube backpack. 

Lots and lots of dr appointments!

Sometimes he pulled out his tube. Look at that proud face!! Notice we are back in the ER!

Back in the hospital in Augusta. 

But he's always smiling!

What a precious, precious boy! 

Leaving the hospital...

Back again.. but still smiling!!

Brooks is his favorite visitor!

No tube and learning to eat!

What a big boy in his high chair!

Ready to go home! For good this time!!!!

Our Family.. TOGETHER! 

Six Months Old and Life With My Toddler Boy!!

Parker Samuel is SIX months old. Goodness gracious, we've made it a half year! Poor thing spent another 16 days in the hospital this month. But guess what six months old means? Big boy is finally eating solids and they are our saving grace! Parker still has reflux for sure. He somehow even manages to spit up solids. BUT, he can REST and PLAY and be a normal, HAPPY baby boy! For that, we are so thankful. Our youngest baby is now sitting up on his own (just a little wobbly) and getting up on all 4's. He is an ambitious little guy!

Brooks Carter is the happiest toddler on the block! I can't even describe how funny he is on a daily basis. I love both of these ages so much.. a cuddly six month old and a funny, silly toddler. Sweet, sweet, sweet. Brooks loves going to "school" two days a week (Mother's Day Out). The first few times he broke our hearts crying when we left. Now he walks right in like a big boy and goes straight to the toys. He LOVES school days! Brooks also loves being outside each day. The Louisiana heat is going to kill me this summer because big boy needs his outside time. He is a rough and tough little boy! He's got several new words, including "Parker." :)

Here he is.. SIX months old!

Handsome guy.  

As you can see, Brooks no longer likes getting haircuts. :(

Parker sitting in a high chair for the first time.

Brooks visited and of course he had to sit in the high chair too.

Sweet boy looking outside for his Mema to get home.

Sitting up!

Ready to go to the St. Patty's Day parade!

Sweet, happy Parker!

Our little cookie monster always has a cookie mouth.

Playing outside on the first day of Spring!

Five Months Old and Life With My Toddler Boy!!

The Kurtz family continues to be in for a wild ride! The babies and I have temporarily moved to North Augusta, SC, while Daddy Chad flies back and forth to Baton Rouge. There are days when everything seems against us for sure... but then we hear our Brooks saying new words and Parker laughing out loud and we are ok.

Parker spent his 3rd month birthday, 4th month birthday, AND his 5th month birthday in the hospital. Needless to say, we are pretty tired of hospitals. We have just finished a 10 day stay at Scottish Rites hospital in Atlanta. We feel like progress is finally being made!! Parker is now fed through an NJ tube (running from his nose to his intestines). He is doing fantastic on his tube feeds!! Since becoming a tubie, Parker's hair is growing back incredibly fast, his liver enzyme levels are completly within normal range, and his head tremors are less and less each day. It is amazing what good nutrition has done for him! Unfortunately, having a tube in your nose as a 5 month old isn't very convenient. We should hear from Parker's surgeon soon to decide what is next. I can't overemphasize how much better Parker is doing! Even though he gets a few sympathetic looks and questions from well meaning strangers, we are completely confident that tube feeding has been the best decision we have made for Parker. Chad and I don't even see that tube.. we just see that pretty, sweet face!

As for Brooks, he is officially 20 months old!! We will have a 2 year old on our hands very soon. Too soon! He is such a ray of sunshine each day. It is so fun to hear his little voice as he learns new words. He now says, "please," "Papa," "Daddy," uh oh," "here," and "thank you" pretty consistently. He is such a sweet little helper. He enjoys helping Mema with the laundry and unloading the dishes. Brooks is having a lot of fun here in North Augusta. Having extra help with Parker, I have been able to spend some much needed time with just my Brooks. I have MISSED that boy!

Parker receiving pet therapy from his friend Sams in the hospital! :)

Sweet Parker finally getting some rest.

Our little crawfish... This is what happens with a 5 month old has a tube in his nose. They put diapers on his hands to keep him from pulling it out more. He was so proud of pulling out that tube... he fell right asleep!

Brooksie got sick for the first time EVER. The upside of getting your blood drawn.. he got a sucker for the first time!!

After refusing to eat breakfast for a week, we discovered that Brooks would only eat if he fed himself!

Parker Kurtz is 5 months old and GROWING!

Sweet brothers loving each other!

Four Months Old and Life with My Toddler Boy!

It's been another roller coaster of a month! We've already established in the past couple of months that Parker is a hot medical mess! He is such a sweetheart though. Those big blue eyes just melt our hearts. We can't really call him "little red" anymore, because all of his pretty hair fell out.... in one day!  He looks so different as a baldy... especially since all of this oatmeal has made him pack on the pounds. He is still smiling as usual. Really, our Parker is an angel! :) We have a consultation with a surgeon in another week to see if Parker is a good candidate for the Nissen surgery. Even if the surgeon thinks that this is great for Parker, Chad and I will have a big decision to make regarding this surgery. With the Nissen, it's not a "cure" for reflux. Instead, essentially his esophagus and stomach will be permanently changed. We need to make sure that this will be the best long term decision for him. In other news, Parker is getting soooo strong!! He can now roll over both ways! That's a BIG DEAL for a 4 month old!

Brooks has been the BEST big brother ever!!! We are so LUCKY that Brooks is such a easy and happy boy. He honestly just goes with the flow. He doesn't mind who takes care of him, just as long as he has cookies AND the Grinch! Yes, we are still watching the Grinch at the end of January... SEVERAL times a day. Brooks walks around with his movie box all day long and "kisses" his Grinch. We love that silly boy!

Sweet baby Parker... back in the hospital. 

I LOVE these brothers together!

Big brother roaming the halls! 

Brooks spent a lot of time with his cousins! 

Four Months Old!! Now in the 75% for height and weight! 

Both boys with Daddy at 18 mo and 4 mo appointments. 

Big beautiful eyes!

Brooks having so much FUN at a birthday party!