Colin Update

I told myself when I started writing this blog that I would at least update Colin's blog consistently while he was in the hospital, and then periodically when he got home up to his 1 year birthday. Needless-to-say, I'm stumbling to cross the finish line! The blog has taken on so many faces in this past 10-plus months, really. It was first the face of communicating to family and friends. It then took on the face of therapy - for me - getting my emotions out through all the ups and downs that describes what we were going through. And then slowly it turned from being the face of commitment to do the blog for Colin back into the face of commitment of doing the blog for others (to communicate to family, friends, and extensions of our friend's families - people whom we've never met yet pulled hard for Colin to make it and thrive). So the blog has come full-circle, if you will. Now the only difference at this point in time is I have an active little boy to care for, to feed, to give his medicine to, to hold and calm when he vomits, to clean his surgical site, to change his diapers and clothes, to bathe, to play with, to make laugh, to help him learn to sit and reach other developmental milestones, and on and on. Time is at a premium. Energy is at a premium. I'm exhausted, quite honestly. And yet it's the best time of my life.
As time has gotten away from me, I sit here in awe that next month is Colin's 1 year birthday! What a year it's been! Just in the last several weeks even, Colin has undergone a major transformation: he's sprouted his 2 bottom teeth (so cute), he's starting to sprout a head of hair (starting), he's starting to sit on his own, his personality is definitely shining through as he's becoming more confident in himself (bounces, grabs, knows what he wants, yells, talks, flirts with the ladies and acts cool with the guys - no really - it's amazing) and he's knocking on the door of 14 pounds. He's still not sniffing the growth charts, but he "feels" like a big boy now. And my goodness, the kid has gained, after all, about 13 pounds in 10.5 months. Not bad.
The one thing that has remained a constant battle and a source of concern and anxiety is his vomitting. Oh my goodness. We thought for a while that we were putting that behind us. How naive. Despite all of our efforts (medication, posture post-feeding, volume adjustment, the way we feed him, etc), just about every feeding is an adventure. We've got yet another GI appointment tomorrow, but I know what the doctor will say: "he'll eventually grow out of it". Standard answer. Or, he may just offer up doing the Nissen prodedure (fundoplication). Ania and I refuse to do that to Colin though. We'd just rather live with the vomit, providing he continues to grow/thrive. So, although on some level we have a happy, healthy baby boy who is such a joy to be around, we still live with the daily reality that Colin was a micro-preemie and he'll have certain, special considerations for some time. But I've so come to embrace that. It is who Colin is, and in my eyes he's perfect. He's no doubt my inspiration. Amazingly, he's my son. I am still in wonder over that. Thanks be to God!
I will try my best for a strong finish, updating Colin's blog once per week until his birthday. I'm still amazed at everyone's support out there for Colin and for us. We are blessed with so many wonderful people in our lives. Thank you, truly, from the bottom of our hearts. Next up for the blog are updated photos. Be on the lookout!