We are okay! :)

I have had several texts and emails the past few days checking in on our little man...y'all are so sweet! I'm sorry I have been behind on updating. Life just got busy this week! We are back in a normal routine, and the three babies keep my hands tied up most of the day. My goal has been to get up and to do some Bible reading, prayer time, and update the blog every morning before the kids get up, BUT going back to being up multiple times during the night is getting me down. :) 

Parke is really a great sleeper, but he is still little and needs to eat every 3 hours. Micah and I take turns getting up to feed him on the weekends, but I try to take all the shifts during the week. Looking back, I was SO well rested when I only had one child. With two, I was a little sleepy. With three, I'm exhausted. I know these days will go by quickly, and I feel so fortunate that Parke is still here to wear me down. Ha! 

Maybe, just maybe, I will find time for a nap this week!

So, this little booger had an appointment on Wednesday with our cardiologist from Little Rock. We didn't have to drive down, he actually flew up to see a few patients that day. It was really great! 

Parke is continuing to gain weight, and he is at 7 pounds 9 ounces now. That isn't as much weight as they wished he was gaining, but to me, it is SUCCESS! Honestly, with never thinking he would take a bottle, I am absolutely thrilled that he is thriving. 

They checked his oxygen levels, blood pressure, and listened to his heart. We did not do another echo-cardiogram. From everything they checked, it sounds like Parke is staying pretty stable for now. 

Because of some of the coarctation, his blood pressure is much lower when they take it on the lower half of his body. However, they are still able to feel a pulse there, which is pretty surprising. 

His little heart is strong, and his body seems to be accepting all of the problems as normal right now. 

Parke has a significant leak in something called the tricuspid valve that we expected would end up making his heart stop fairly soon. It, obviously, has not. 

We are so thankful that he just keeps fighting and hanging in there! 

We left the appointment with plans to see our doctor again in one month. Another reason for him to stick around longer. :) 

We talked with our doctor about our long-term plan for Parke, and we really don't have one besides just taking it day by day like we have been. We are moving forward and planning our summer vacations with him in mind and praying for God's will to be carried out in his special little life. 

Excuse my extremely tired eyes in this picture, but I just love Parke's precious face at his appointment. He looks like a big boy! 

It's hard to believe that we fell in love with this....

really, just the idea of this, months ago. 

I love looking back at his ultrasound pictures and seeing how much he looks like them. I prayed to be able to kiss those lips, squeeze those cheeks, and even wipe that nose! God has been so good to us!