Super Quick Picture Update!



For Gray's 10th Birthday Auntie Kylah & Uncle Patrick took him to Disneyland!

Kell slept for 7 hrs. one night last week! Amazeballs!!!




Asher LOVES Keller (who is 13 lbs!)



It's sunny today! We went to the park this morning before preschool. 

Now off to pick-up Ash...this was a quick update! Hope you are all doing well!
Lots of Love,
Shelly

Finally An Update!

First of all I want to apologize for not being better at posting updates. I honestly had the best of intentions to do at least weekly updates, but when we brought Keller home on that glorious day in April we basically brought home a newborn. Keller functions perfectly for his adjusted age and not like the almost five month old that he chronologically is. I know that you are all itching to know how he is doing, how we are doing, and what life is like for the official family of 5 so without further ado here is our update....



Kell's 1 Month Adjusted Age Picture

 

Keller has grown so much, he is close to 12 pounds now! Micah calls him the face cuddler because he loves to have his face close to mine. After Keller's hernia surgery we both longed to snuggle. The nurse on duty could tell and suggested that I hold him even though he had only been out of surgery for a few hours. While I wanted to hold him I was really nervous about hurting him. That cuddle session did both of us a lot of good. We both sacked out almost immediately and were nose to nose. I woke up to the nurse trying to sneak a picture of us, she thought that we looked so sweet together. Even now, Micah often finds us passed out together nose to nose or forehead to forehead. What can I say!?! It's our happy place!

Kell has started therapy and it's going well! The therapist comes right to our house and gives me a list of things to do with Kell to help his development. He's been working hard on neck strength and he's not a big fan of tummy time on the floor. He cries and it breaks my heart, but he has to do it. Keller is becoming more social...holding our gaze and smiling at mommy's hilarious antics. It's so exciting to see him making progress. I pray everyday for his development and it weighs heavily on my heart but God's got this.



Asher for Crazy Hat Day at his preschool.

 

Asher....oh Asher, crazy, Asher! He's getting SO big! I can't believe how much he has grown up in the past few months. Micah and I went to his school conference last week (Cutest thing ever! I practically melted in my chair!) and he got a little report card and everything. He's doing great and we're so proud of him! He has handled all the changes with such grace. He is a kind, respectful boy at school and a tender big brother at home. He watches closely to see if Keller has spit up and if he has he wipes his little mouth with such care that it makes me want to cry. Then the next moment he's back bugging Grayson and that takes care of those tears!

Gray's team won it's league tournament tonight. Now we're off to play the other leagues on the Eastside.

 

Grayson my in-betweener. He so wants to be big but he's still my sweet little boy. Asher was doing something yesterday that was melting my heart and I told him that he was precious. Ash asked me if Gray was precious, too and I said no. Ash gave Gray a victorious look (brothers...) until I said he was my Mr.. Handsome. Gray acted like he was way too cool for his nerdy mama, but his eye rolling, grin said it all. He loved it. Grayson has also grown up so much as well and it's hard for Micah and I to see him begin those awkward growing pains. Where did all the time go!?! You can pray for his heart to heal more. His soft heart took a beating this year and it's been harder for him to bounce back.

Sad baseball bear...ready to go home & eat!

 

Micah and I are doing really well. Micah started a new job as a project manager for MN Custom Homes at the beginning of April (never a dull moment in the Dolen household!) and he loves it. We're looking forward to the summer and continuing on our path of the new normal. Part of our new normal will include me staying home next year. We still aren't exactly sure what we can expect from Keller (developmentally) and what his schedule will look like. Not to mention the colds and flues I would be exposed to and in turn be exposing Keller to. After much prayer and discussion, kindergarten just doesn't fit into the plan for next year. It makes me a little sad to think about not being in the classroom but it will be a huge blessing to be home to care for my boys.

 

Thank you so much for loving our family & continuing to pray for us! I will do my best to do a better job at updating.

 

Lots of Love,

Shelly

Homecoming Photos



So excited! Ready to leave Swedish!



Daddy carrying Keller to the car...



First normal car ride! (He rode in the ambulance from Evergreen to Swedish)



Great friends decorated our front door with welcome signs for Keller.

Kell's first trip inside his home. I cried.

Final Countdown...Going Home!

It's the final countdown! Praise God we are going home today! We are going full circle the neo that will be discharging us was one of the noes from the beginning of our journey. He was the neo the day I broke down with tears of frustration from not being able to help Sky. He was the neo who had to tell us that same day in rounds that one more thing would likely push Sky beyond his limit to live and he was the neo to offer condolences at the first set of rounds after Sky had passed. (The neo who was with us when Sky passed stopped by to see Keller yesterday. He hadn't seen him since the week Sky passed. So now all of our favorite noes have seen our big, strong boy.) This morning when the neo popped in he asked us when we wanted to go home. I replied, "Now" & Micah said, "Yesterday." The neo said, "I'm glad I'm here to discharge him." and now we can't wipe the grins off of our faces! This has been such a long journey, one we're excited to close and begin ours as a family at home. Don't tell the boys! We're surprising them! Pictures to come.... Lots of Love, Shelly

Surgery

Today has been a long day and it's only 1:30. Kelly had his surgery this morning at 10:30. When he went in we were expecting to have his left hernia fixed, exploration of a possible right hernia, & if all went well a circumcision. Praise God, all three were complete with an added surprise of a pretty good sized hernia on the right as well. The surgeon came in around 1 to tell us things went well & Keller did great. He's getting settled into his space in the NICU and we're waiting in the family room here at Swedish. Once he's settled they will come get us & we will get to go back & see him. We can't wait! My mom is at home with the big boys today so Micah & I both could be here. It's been such a blessing to know all is taken care of at home. We were joking this morning about this being her opportunity to fulfill her dream of being a stay at home mom. I texted her and asked her how living the dream was & she said, "Clean." Go Mom! I am living the dream of having a wife at home, it's quite nice! Thank you all for your prayers!! Lots of Love, Shelly

Quick update

Last Friday I took the day off of work to pick up Keller to bring him home but on the drive to the hospital we got a call from Evergreen saying that they were worried about Keller’s hernia and that he would not be able to come home with us and they were planning on surgery.

Fast forward to today…

110 days ago Keller was born at Evergreen weighing 2lbs 3oz .  Today Keller weighs 9lbs 1oz and is ready for his next adventure. He was transferred today to Swedish NICU for his surgery tomorrow at 10:30.   He is having his hernia fixed.  Shelly and I are very hopeful that this will cure the pain that he has been in.  He is such a happy little guy and it breaks our heart when he is in pain.

The need for a hernia surgery is common for preemies but it usually happens when they are older but the doctors feel his pain level justifies the risk to do it now.  We met the surgeon today and we feel comfortable that will be in good hands.

If all goes as planned we are hopeful that he will be coming home in 5 days.

Please pray for his surgery and speedy recovery.

Thanks

Micah

Almost home

Auntie Kyle here...

As you all know Shelly posted yesterday that Keller was scheduled to come home today. However, he is still really miserable and the doctors think it's his hernia. He will not make it home today and will be under the watchful eye of the doctors.

Please pray that he gets better quickly and can come home SOON.

Thanks,
Auntie Kylah