A huge one year ago...

April 29, 2009 - After Evan's second eye exam and being fully dialated. He spent the afternoon with these "cool" patches on. April 30, 2009 - EVAN'S ISOLETTE TOP CAME OFF!!! He was now able to maintain his body temperature without the help of the isolette!!! This was a HUGE day!! AND he got moved to BAY 5!!! In NICU terms "YIPEEEEE!! He graduated!!"

Peeking out from his blankies without having to look through a plastic top anymore!!

So, I was looking through the daily journal I wrote in specifically for Evan while he was in NICU. I wrote the days events in there every day!

One year ago today, the top came off his isolette and he was moved to Bay 5!! In NICU terms...HUGE DAY!!!! He was able to maintain his own body temperature without isolette assistance, and Bay 5 is the "HORRAY" Bay...before Bay 6...which is the REALLY horray bay. These bays give you the hope that you will one day (hopefully soon) be heading home!! I think Evan housed all 6 bays at one point!

My entry today was this:

"You got your isolette top off AND moved to Bay 5!! It is AWESOME! You look perfect here. One step closer to the door!"

Yesterday (one year ago I mean) Evan had his 2nd eye exam. He had these super cute eye patches on because he had been fully dialated. Not fun for a little bean.

Looking back at these pictures bring such memories. Very special, although trying memories. We still lived with fear. We still wondered. We still ached every day. We knew that things could still come up, and we knew that the final day we left that NICU would be a day so very exciting, yet agonizing all at once. We would get to bring our son home...yet forever leave the only place we knew Zac alive on this earth. We would be leaving with only one car seat, instead of the two we had purchased. We would see only one spot filled in our back seat where we had planned for two. But we still had days ahead to focus on, and still had no idea when the day we'd get to bring Evan home would happen.

Anyhow, I've been enjoying sharing memories of "one year ago" with Evan with all of you.

Here are a few more of those special pictures to share.

Blessings,

Heather