Still on Track

We had our last dr appt yesterday afternoon and things are still looking good for our August 4 inducement. Erin (Dr. Clark) said I'm dialated to a 1+ and that my cervix is "very favorable." After squishing my stomach around a bit, she estimated that he's now a little under 7 lbs.

As we'll be getting started late Monday evening, she thinks it's possible we could have an early morning baby. Hopefully it won't be too early, but we've got our moms on high alert in case we need them to hurry to the hospital at a ridiculous hour. My mom is assigned to stay with me and Hardy's mom is going with him when he goes with Jackson over to the PICU, so them being there is important for everyones mental wellbeing. (Mom - this does not mean you have to camp out all night at the hospital. I'm sure you'll get there in plenty of time. [She actually beat my little sister to the hosiptal when she went into labor with her last baby]).

Mentally and emotionally, we are still doing quite well. Becoming a first-time parent is life altering in and of itself, but adding on a few extra challenges makes it that much overwhelming. On the rare occasions when I let myself think about what the future might hold, I have to remind myself what our friends Rob and Angel said about caring for their sweet son Charlie Cooper who has and continues to face a lot of challenges. They simply said, "It becomes your new normal." Their positive outlook and strength has definitely inspired us as we face this challenge of our own. How thankful we are for good family and friends.

A Fast for Jack

Dear Family and Friends,

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Jack Hardy, with his mother scheduled to be induced on August 4. Because his birth will be quickly followed by open-heart surgery, please join us in a special fast for Jack, Marc, and Aimee on Sunday, August 3. His parents need the Spirit with them as they welcome their precious son into a world filled with uncertainty. Jack needs the strength to recover quickly from surgery and to be able to thrive in difficult circumstances. The doctors need to be guided to provide him the best possible care. Please pray for them all, because we know you love them as much as we do.

Love,

Heather (Aimee's sister)

FYI

This site may be a little static and boring for the next two weeks, but just so you know, once Jack is here this will be the place for news and updates on his condition.

Right now the biggest update is that my stomach is extremely itchy and hard today which usually indicates a good growth spurt. I am still carrying him high, but he doesn't seem to kick my ribs quite as hard due to the cramped quarters. I also seem to have a lot more energy the last few days. I've heard that happens right before a baby comes, but Dr. Clark is out of town so Jack has been instructed that he is not allowed to come for at least a week until she gets back.

We've set a date

I got a call today from Dr. Clark and she has scheduled us to come in to be induced on the evening of August 4th, which hopefully means Jack will be here the morning of the 5th.

July 14, 2008

Jack is growing right on track and looks healthy other than his heart. He is now 5 lbs. 13 oz. This is a shot of his cute little face.

A blog for Jack

Up to this point I have been using my personal blog to keep people posted on what’s going on in our lives and how little Jack is doing, but as this little guys arrival date gets closer, I’ve decided it’s time for him to have his own page. That way, those of you who are interested and want to keep up on his progress can see what’s going on with him without having to hear all the other details, and family and friends can still hear about things not related to Jack’s health on my site. I may even be able to talk Hardy into posting once in a while since this will be Jack’s blog. I promise to use lots of pictures and update often, especially while we are in the hospital. Every day with Jack will be a miracle and I plan to document it well.

Thanks for sharing Jack’s Journey with us. We know that we have a long road ahead, but we have hope and faith that all these things will be for our good.