Flashback Friday - Tiny Little Miracle

I've been MIA lately, but I'm back to play along for another week of Flashback Friday

Ryan at 6 days old with my hand resting on his tiny rump. He was 1lb. 6oz. at birth, but dropped to 1lb.

All babies are miracles. But that baby in that picture there - and the little boy he has grown in to - has made me truly 100% believe in miracles

Gosh, I was there and still can't believe how tiny he was....can't even remember it, really. But I remember being scared, especially after losing our firstborn who was born at almost exactly the same gestation (Zachary was 23 weeks 4 days. Ryan "cooked" one day longer.) 14 months earlier. That's what I mostly remember. Being scared. Scared to love him (impossible not to). Scared to get attached (too late). Scared that we would lose him (the odds weren't in his/our favor). We were warned that even if he survived, there was no telling what kind of long term problems he could have, be they physical or cognitive. We were prepared for the worst. Asthma, chronic lung problems, blindness, deafness, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, seizures,....the list went on and on. All we could do was pray. He spent 6 months in the NICU and battled tummy issues (2 surgeries), an open heart valve that required surgery, infection after infection, prolonged time on the vent and possible talk of needing a tracheostomy (didn't happen...he was even off oxygen before discharge), laser surgeries on his eyes. There were just so many obstacles.

But man, did he beat the odds. Wow. I still can't believe it sometimes. Sure, he is probably legally blind in his right eye and he is extremely farsighted in his left eye and wears glasses to correct that. He may never be able to drive. But he is ALIVE. He is healthy. No lung issues. He is smart. He is funny and sweet (when he wants to be) and inquisitive. He loves life. He may not be the most coordinated 7 year old and he still receives physical, occupational, and speech therapies in school. But he is always making progress. He is very close developmentally in most areas when it comes to his peers. Honestly, after expecting the worst I am ecstatic about well he is doing.

He truly, truly is a miracle.