Avery 3 months old

Avery has been doing so great. She is almost sleeping through the night all of the time (we are thankful for sure!) We have been seeing a lot of doctors lately trying to figure out how to get rid of the swelling in her feet. We meet with a physical therapy team this week. Last week we saw her cardiologist (which she got a 100%.) In December we will meet with a genetic doctor to see if there is anything that we have missed. Our doctor wants to be sure that nothing is wrong! I love her for that. I especially love that she continues to tell me that science and medicine has no answers for what happened to Avery. Although I am not sure if she is a believer, she continues to assure me that Avery's life is simply just a miracle that we will never be able to explain! I CAN EXPLAIN IT!!! JESUS!!!!!!! We still continue to tear up each time we share Avery's story. We are constantly asked about her each time we go to a new doctor. Or even just random people who inquire about her sweet swollen feet. So many are just in awe of her life already. It helps that she is so stinkin cute and happy all the time. I can't get enough of her. I would have to say, I would never want to go through all that we went through the past 3 years, but seeing Avery and seeing her smile, you can't help but marvel at the Love of Jesus! She makes each tear worth it! For sure...just as Dr. Cox preached at Carter's funeral...for every tear drop there will be joy. I can say for sure...I am almost caught up!

These pictures are from 3 months and from seeing Grandparents over her dedication weekend.

 Can't help laughing at herself.

 Daddy playing with me and my passy.

 Couldn't resist her.  TOO CUTE.

 Dinner after baby dedication.

 Daddy making us laugh

  3 months old already

 Baby dedication



 Baby dedication

 Family photo (she is looking at a water fountain outside!)

 Meeting her Granddaddy for the first time

3 months old

Growing too fast

My sweet girl is growing to fast.  Tonight she sat up for 2 seconds by herself on my bed.  SHE IS ONLY 11 weeks old!!  Crazy girl. She is so much fun to watch laugh and smile and grin. We continue to be amazed at all she is doing. This past week we were at the doctors several times trying to control her reflux. Her doctor said that because she is doing things that 6 month old babies due, her reflux will continue to be bad.  Is this the same girl that wasn't supposed to be here and if she was, she wasn't supposed to be developing on target?  Still amazing to me.  We are headed to a few specialist to try and reduce the edema in her little feet. But besides that, she is a picture of health.  This weekend she is being dedicated at church.  We are so excited to have family her to celebrate with us.  I will post pictures this week of her from Sunday. In the meantime...here are a few we have taken lately.

2 months old already

It feels like the journey for us to have children took so long, almost forever!  Pregnancy seemed to move at a turtles pace daily for me.  Now that we have Avery here in our arms, I can't seem to keep up with the days.  Everything is moving so quickly and some how I have blinked and she is already 2 months old. My heart is breaking at how fast she is growing up.  She has already started to sleep for 8 - 9 hour stretches at night allowing me to get a little more sleep. She has already begun to coo and smiles at us all of the time.  My heart is overflowing with love for this sweet girl. I just pray my mind is saving the sweet memories in my heart so I don't forget anything. I know I will forget some of the things that she will do, but I pray that my heart will never forget the feeling of what an incredible miracle and gift she is to Brent and I!  I love so much and I especially love being her mommy! 

Sweet moments

They look just alike!

 Loves her daddy

Standing on God's Word...literally.

Avery has started to smile a lot and is starting to recognize Brent and I. Here are a couple of other moments that we caught.

Special friends

We had a lot of special friends that sent Avery some really cute stuffed animal gifts.  Here are just a few of them.  I personally love the Clifford dog because it came with a clifford book that we love reading!

Newborn

So having a newborn doesn't allow much time for many others things, unless you do it while they sleep. But, while she sleeps, I am usually cooking, cleaning, working and then it's time for Avery to wake up again. So that is my lame excuse why it's taking so long for pictures. I have several more to download tomorrow (I hope. And will post them asap!) 

Should be

I should be asleep. I fact, I was in bed already and had some thoughts I needed to type on my computer.  But now I find myself exhausted and yet excited to Avery to wake up so I can feed her! (it's been over 4 hours and she will wake up screaming soon and hungry!) But I don't mind.  I miss her when I am in my room and she is in her room.  I never imagined I would love someone as much as I love her!!

Here are a few more pictures from our recent photo shoot.  She did a great job.  (I will try to post them tomorrow.  My computer isn't letter me do it tonight!)

Newborn pictures

We went to have Avery's newborn pictures done the other day.  Here is a quick preview!  She is so amazing and adorable.  (of course I am bias!)

Daddy's Reflection ...

I have been overwhelmed by God’s goodness and grace this past 2 weeks.  I have reflected upon her name Avery Grayce which means “counselor of grace”.  The unique spelling of her middle name purposely to invoke (plus we thought it just looked cool) the question of why …why spelled that way. To share what grace means … “unmerited favor, a gift”, the unconditional love of God toward people.


My prayer is simple: as people hear her story … they understand His story. They catch a clearer glimpse of His Glory, not stopping short of just seeing the miracle and the end result … but seeing Him ultimately.


What I have come to understand more of …

• The reality that each of us desperately need Jesus and His grace.

• The reality that He is in control at ALL times.

• The reality that regardless of what challenges, difficulties, obstacles we face … He is trustworthy …regardless of the outcome as we would hope for, He is still good and can be trusted.

• The reality He answers prayers in His timing and in His perfect way.

• The reality that despite a circumstance looking impossible to man, He chooses to make happen, just because He can and all things are possible with Him.



No doubt, I have witnessed a miracle first hand and am captured by, but most importantly I have witnessed Him in a deeper sense.



Just taking it all in …

Pictures

I thought I would do a quick post of just updated pictures! Avery is doing great.  She is really an awesome baby.  She sleeps and eats on a schedule. She wakes us up twice to eat during the night. So although we are without sleep, it's not as bad as we had expected.  Her daddy is so in love with her! He fights me to do everything. I will MISS HIM SOOOO MUCH when he returns to work on Monday.  That's when Mommyhood will really sink in for me.

 This was my labor team.  Sally, Brent and Julie!  I won't have a baby without these two ladies ever!  They are both mom's to 5 children and were such amazing coaches.

 Leaving the NICU

 Love Mrs. Cheryl

 

First time meeting nana and grandpa

 



AVERY GRAYCE SPEARS - 100% MIRACLE

Avery Grayce is finally here. After 18 hours of labor, she arrived July 25, 2011 at 7:08 pm.  She weighed 6lbs 14 oz and was 19 inches long.  She was taken right away to the NICU because she has some extra skin on the back of her neck as well as fluid filled feet. Both of these indicated that the Turners Syndrome diagnosis was correct.  She spent 4 nights in the NICU so that they could do genetic testing, heart testing, hearing testing, as well as observation.  We were surprised that on Thursday night the preliminary results had already come back with the results of her genetic testing. The doctor took Brent and I into the "parent room" to discuss the results.  He quickly said (in a South African accent that we just loved) "These test say that your baby is perfect!"  NO TURNERS SYNDROME!!!  That means that God 100% healed her.  We didn't believe the doctor and he had to make a copy of the results for us to see and to keep for ourselves.  He said that the extra skin on her neck and the fluid in her feet were just there because of her condition during pregnancy.  She will grow into her skin and the fluid in her feet will go down.  So funny that we ask and pray for God's healing and then when He does it...we doubt and are shocked by it!  He is so good!  Brent and I are so overwhelmed with love and joy and excited.  We are so grateful for all of you who have joined us in prayer during these months and even during the past three years.  We believe that God has such an incredible plan for Avery just as He did for Carter and just as He does for us.  We still would never trade the past three years for anything.  All we can say is...thank you Jesus!  Thank you Jesus! We see your hand and will always trust your heart!


SO...we would like to introduce you to... MISS. AVERY GRAYCE SPEARS!!! OUR MIRACLE!!!!!