Hello there! Sammy here – or, more commonly known as “Chaseton’s Mom”. I want to apologize. Chaseton’s Grandpa handed this blog over to me quite a while ago, and I have failed dismally at keeping up with it. I’d like to say that this was completely accidental and that in the whirlwind of New Mommyhood things just got out of hand…but that would only be partially correct.

To be honest, I’ve been willfully ignoring this small space of internet. Please don’t be offended! I love this blog, and I love what my Dad has done with it. But it was created to serve a purpose – to keep everyone In The Loop while Chase was experiencing his first hospital stay. And for a little while, I just didn’t want to think about any of that. For a little while, I wanted to pretend that the every-day life we were living was all that there was to it, that I did not have the kind of baby that has his own blog and a medically-dedicated savings account.

And so, for the last four months or so, that’s what we’ve done. Chase has been amazing.

He is eating,

and sleeping,

and growing.

He was weaned off of his medications shortly after we arrived home, and hasn’t been taking anything since. Due to his own insatiable appetite, some amazing support, and a couple of wonderful lactation consultants, he has been eating on his own without the help of any tubes (or even any bottles.) We celebrated his first Halloween,

his first Thanksgiving,

and his first Christmas.

(And a few smaller holidays, too.) He has grown into the happiest, most easy-going baby I’ve ever met.

We hit three months,

four months,

five.

And things have been amazing.

Besides the monthly Cardiologist visits, it would have been easy to forget just what we’re in the middle of. Well, that and this:

Our pulse oximeter. We were lucky enough that our insurance covered a rental – one of the things that has allowed us to see Chase’s Cardiologist as infrequently as we do.

Now, though, things are starting to change. His “numbers”, as we refer to them (his blood-oxygen levels) are beginning to drop. We notice blue around his mouth and on his hands and feet with more frequency. Honestly, it’s alarming. But this is when I try to remind myself how lucky we are – how we’ve had these few months that many parents with Heart Babies never get. Medication-free? Eating on his own? Growing exactly on par with a “healthy” baby and meeting all of his milestones?! This child is actually in the 75% for height!

And I know how rare that is. I know how many babies are blue, constantly. And I know how lucky we have been. It is a comfort, but the honeymoon is over, and reality has started to sink back in. I find myself thinking about a Hospital Packing List on most days, and my parenting choices are made with his next visit in mind: “How can I soothe him in a way that will work in the hospital, too? Will introducing solids have any effect on his eating habits after surgery?”

And that is why I finally decided to try my hand at this whole thing. First, I re-read all of the original posts. It wasn’t easy, but I think it was necessary. Now, I’m forcing myself to look ahead. I will try to ease all of us back into this thing as slowly and positively as I can, with more regular updates about Chase and, when the time comes, our preparations. Hold on tight, folks, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.