"A Miracle from Above "

Our Little Boys is Getting Bigger

2010-01-04T19:08:00.001-08:00

Our precious boy is 4 lbs 1 oz. He is still in the NICU on Oxygen 2L Nasal Cannula. He has the feeding tube in. Still needs to learn to coordinate breathing and eating at the same time. He enjoys hearing mom's voice and listening to Dr. Seuss and Baby Einstein. He loves shooting poop at Mom every time she changes his diaper. :)

Thank You

2009-12-17T18:37:00.001-08:00

Thank you everyone for your prayers, cards, flowers, and love. We are so eternally thankful for all your support and love. Ava Marie will always have a special place in our heart; just in the little time we had with her, she touched so many.

Adam is getting bigger and stronger everyday. He is quite the flirt with all the nurses. He now weighs 3lbs 5 oz. He still has the feeding tube and he is on a nasal cannula 1-2 L, the lowest setting before you are off oxygen. When Mommy visits his oxygen saturation goes up to 98%. Adam loves to eat, every 3 hours he knows it is feeding time and starts to get upset and squirm until his tummy is full of food.

Ava is Dancing with JESUS

2009-11-29T20:43:00.000-08:00

Our precious little girl, Ava Marie, is in Heaven dancing with Jesus.

We are thankful that Jesus allowed us to spend 6 weeks with her. She was and will always be our beautiful angel and gift from God.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-27T22:04:00.000-08:00

The Babies had their first Thanksgiving. They slept the day away in their incubators. It was just another day for them to hear Mommy and Daddy's voice.

Mom, Dad, Tara, and Dan visited Adam and Ava before heading out to Grandma Georgia and Grandpa Dean's house.

Adam was resting on his back enjoying his formula every 6 hours. Just like his Daddy; enjoys each meal.

Ava was resting on her belly. This is her favorite position. It's either the front or the back, no sides or in between. She knows what she likes. She takes after the Hoffman girls ;).

Thank you for all your prayers. We are thankful for all our family and friends surrounded around us.

Each Day With The Babies Is A Blessing

2009-11-24T20:26:00.000-08:00

The munchins are gaining weight.

*Ava is currently 3 lbs 6oz. They changed Ava's formula so it will be easier on her kidneys. The neurologist will see Ava again tomorrow.

*Adam is 2 lbs 6 oz.

They are both on the same setting of oxygen as last week.

Little Blessings!

2009-11-18T20:47:00.000-08:00

Ava is now 3 lbs.... She made it :)

Adam is 2 lbs 2 oz.

They are growing and becoming more active. Trying to pull at every tube in site. Keeping the doctors on their toes. Their tummies are content every 3 hours with formula. Increasing Feedings daily.

They are getting BIGGER!!

2009-11-11T10:46:00.000-08:00

Baby Adam

Baby Ava with Her Bow

Baby Adam

Baby Ava with her Pacifier and Mommy

Ava:

She made it to 2 lbs 8 oz. She is feeding every 3 hours 18 ml. Her oxygen setting is at 49% on the ventilator. She enjoys being on her belly. They turned off the bili-lights, no more tanning in the light. Yesterday they removed more fluid from her head. But, her head is not getting any bigger which is great news.

Adam:

He is now 1 lb 11 oz. He is eating every 3 hours 16 ml. He really enjoys being placed on his tummy. They removed his endotracheal tube and placed him on a Nasal Cannula. He was on the Nasal Cannula for about 4-5 hours then they placed another endotracheal tube. He wasn't quite ready to move up that fast. He has daddy's little lips :).

AVA DID GREAT!!!

2009-11-06T08:22:00.000-08:00

The surgeon came this morning and removed some of the fluid from her head. He removed 10 cc. Ava felt no pain. The nurse did not have to change any of the setting on her monitor. She tolerated it well.

Thank you Pastor Doug for going to pray with Ava this morning. You truly are a blessing to the family. We are so thankful for you.

Prayers for Ava

2009-11-05T22:17:00.001-08:00

Please keep Ava in your prayers.

She has a big day ahead of her tomorrow. Ava had an ultrasound today; she is going to need her head drained tomorrow to decrease some of the swelling.

Thank you all for your support.

TWO WEEKS!

2009-11-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

The babies are now 2 weeks. Can you believe it Mom gave birth 2 weeks ago. Mommy is visiting the babies daily and resting a lot.

The little ones are both eating a lot more, formula is being increased daily. Our babies are getting bigger:

Ava is 2 lbs 7 oz.

Adam is 1 lb 9 oz.

Ava is doing better, breathing on the machine, oxygen decreased to 39%. She gets exhausted with little activities and they have to turn up her oxygen. Her little lungs are still not developed very well. Ava looks more like Mommy, with her little mouth and eyes at this point.

Adam is tired from having such a big appetite, like his daddy. Adam has Daddy's nose, toes and heart shaped ears.

Hanging in there!

2009-10-31T18:57:00.000-07:00

Adam is now taking 9 ml of formula. He is doing very well. Mom was able to change his diaper.

Ava is continuing to take 1 ml of formula. No change in her head circumference which is great news. Doing well on the new ventilator. She has a pretty pink bow on her head. She is hanging in there; getting stronger as each day passes.

Update

2009-10-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

Ava is hanging in there. After our visit to the hospital today; Ava was a lot more active, extending her feet and holding our hands. She changed ventilators today. PRAISE!! To an oscillatory ventilation machine, the same ventilator as Adam. She received a visit from the Neurosurgeon today and he said as of right now; we do not need to do any interventions at this time.

Adam is a stud. He is doing well. Loves to put his right hand over heart. Oxygen level is great. He is tolerating his feedings every 3 hours.

Pastor Doug and Darren came to visit today. It is always refreshing to hear Pastor Doug's prayers. We are so thankful for the time he takes to love our little ones.

Thank you everyone for your continued prayers and love as we go through each hour and day.

We Never Know What Life Holds

2009-10-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

Adam is doing well. The nurses started giving him formula every 6 hours, a small amount to stimulate the stomach; he was advanced to every 3 hours because he tolerated it well.
Adam was having periods of apnea, otherwise known as periods where he wasn't breathing. Yesterday they gave him a little bit of caffeine to help him breath more. He did great; breathing went back to a regular rate. Mom was able to hold his head up while they changed his diaper :)

Ava's chest tube is out. Great news. She is still on the ventilator receiving breaths, but her oxygen saturation looks great. We just need her to start breathing on her own, not relying on the machine 100%. Ava has another ultrasound of her head today. We are waiting anxiously for the results.
These precious angels are hanging in there. Thank you God for your miracles.

Mama's HOME!

2009-10-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

Baby Ava

Baby Adam

We had a little scare yesterday, Ava required 100% Oxygen and needed to be switched to a different machine to help her breathe. She is doing better on a different ventilator; it helps her take breaths if she is unable to do so by herself. Yesterday Aunt Char, Grandpa Dean, Grandma Georgia, Tara, Dan, Pastor Doug, Mommy, and Daddy spent most of the day talking

to Ava gathered around her incubator.

Pastor Doug prayed a blessing over Ava. We are so blessed to have him in our lives. He reminded us God is in control. God only knows our destiny. It is always great to hear that in such a tough time. Ava is now down to 60% O2. Doing better.

After Ava was stable around 8:30 pm we decided to take Mommy home. It was the first day back home. The puppies were so excited!!! Mommy slept in her own bed. It is so nice to have her back :) Please continue to pray for our angels. We feel all of your prayers daily and are so thankful.

More Pictures...

2009-10-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

IT'S A BOY!!!

Your Mommy Is A Trooper

Mommy, Aunt Char, Daddy, and Tara

So TINY

NEW DADDY!

Happy Daddy

Daddy Looking His Best!!

Ava is being a stinker. She is needing more oxygen. Keep her in your prayers. Mom is wheeling over their to give her a talk.
Mom is doing well; she still needs to learn how to rest. Mom is enjoying her daily popcorn and walks to go pop it :)

The Babies Are Here!!!

2009-10-22T19:22:00.001-07:00

Baby Ava

Baby Adam

Baby Ava Holding Mama's hand

Baby Adam

Mommy and Daddy

Baby Adam

Baby Ava's Tiny foot

Baby Ava

Mom, Tara, and Grandma Georgia

Mommy was put on bedrest @ Saddleback Memorial on Thursday to further monitor the babies.

On the morning of October 20, 2009. Who would have known that Mommy and Daddy would soon have to make the hardest decision of their lives. Baby boy was having problems with blood flow from the placenta and reverse flow of blood. He was not receiving enough nutrients to grow.

After many tears and prayers, the final decision was made to deliver the little miracle babies. At 3:15pm Daddy was all scrubbed up with blue scrubs, a hat, and a mask. Mom was ready to go into the delivery room for a C-Section. @ 3:30 pm with smiles on their faces, they were wheeled down the hall, ready for lives challenges.

About 1 hour went by, pacing the halls, we received the news that the babies were born. Adam weighed 1lb 3 oz and Ava weighed 1 lb 13 oz. They were cared for by their own doctors and had many tubes and lines placed. But, the babies are doing well and need their time to grow. They have their individual incubators and were placed in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Ava, Adam, and Mommy were under the best care. The staff at Saddleback is truly amazing. They were not only their for the family, but the babies, as well. God has truly performed a miracle. Thank you everyone for all yor prayers and thoughts.