Happy Halloween!

Rawrrr!

Sam the lion cub (minus the giant headdress)

Making Daddy laugh

Sleepy Sam hanging out with Aunt Stephanie

Snuggling his true love--Sophie the giraffe :)

What's New?

See if you can guess what’s new from this picture:

Just in case you need a hint, here is Sam 30 seconds before the above picture was taken:

That’s right! Our boy is off the oxygen. He is Sam, unplugged. The picture above shows the ceremonious moment in which Jason and I simultaneously removed Sam's tender grips. 

It’s amazing to be able to take him up and down the stairs, out on a walk, out in the car, etc. without having to turn his oxygen tank off, disconnect him, turn on the new tank, and reattach him to it. He feels like an entirely different baby, and he looks pretty different, too. As Jason put it, it’s like looking at someone who always wears glasses without their glasses for the first time. I think Sam feels the same way because he spent about 30 minutes staring at his little reflection in the mirror this afternoon.

Aside from our excitement over Sam’s ability to thrive without supplemental oxygen, we are also looking forward to not having to change those awful tender grips on his tender cheeks every few days, not having to pick dried mucus out of his nasal cannula with a toothpick, not having to order oxygen tanks and respiratory supplies, and most of all, not having to start every day by suctioning out his nasal passages. Hurray for freedom!

On a slightly less smiley note, we also wanted everyone to know that Sam’s upcoming heart catheterization has been scheduled for November 21 (the Monday before Thanksgiving). Please send your good thoughts our way because we are really, really hoping this works...even though we know that there is a good chance it won’t. Our little Sam is a tough guy, as we all know, and being proactive with this procedure will hopefully spare him from extra open heart surgeries in the near future.

A little information that's less critical but more fun: Sam is now enjoying the high life…from his new high chair. Here are a few pictures:

He looks so tiny!

Just before his first high chair meal...

...about 60 seconds later. (Those are pureed peas, by the way.)

Thank you for reading the blog and keeping up with us (even when we’re not so great at keeping you updated). I will be sure to post some Halloween pictures next week of our lion-hearted little man.