Happy Birthday Super Trooper!!

Dear Sebastian,

Wow, I can't believe that today you are 3 years old. It might not seem like a lot of years, but you are a true miracle. I remember the day you were born so well. We went to the ultrasound that morning, and of course, got the very scary news that you were super sick with fetal hydrops and if we wanted any chance at all of you making it, we needed to deliver you straight away. I was so scared for you that I didn't even have a chance to get nervous about the surgery I would undergo in order to get you out!!

We arrived at the hospital and you were born within a couple of hours at 1300hrs. You did not come out screaming the way parents typically expect. You needed to be intubated immediately. You were very tiny, weighing only 830grams (1lb 13oz). In case you are wondering just how small that is, it is less than 2 blocks of butter. And, by comparison, your brother was born weighing 8lbs 13oz. You were very sick. Almost instantly, they had you on all sorts of medications to control your blood pressure, your enlarged heart etc. That first weekend, you just kept getting sicker. They had to move you to the oscillating ventilator (seriously, that machine looked like it came straight from the 1950s!!). Next up they had to add nitric oxide, apparently a super expensive machine to operate. There was not much left they could do, and thankfully, you started to improve. Of course at one week old, you had a cold blue when your bowel perforated. That was another scary day. Luckily though, after the bowel perf, you started getting a lot better. And, 72 days after you were born, we finally got to take you home. Of course, two weeks later you were back in the hospital for ROP laser surgery on your eyes and to fix the hernia from the incision from the surgery for the bowel perf. And it was so scary again knowing you'd be intubated again. Luckily, you came through that good as well.

It has been such a treat to watch you grow and learn over the last three years. It took you a bit longer to do some things, but at three years old, you have caught up to wear you should be developmentally. We have enjoyed all the moments along the way. The first time you rolled over, stood up, crawled, walked and talked. I love reading stories with you now as you finish all the sentences in the books. You are so much fun to play with too!! Building trains, playing play-doh, reading books, drawing sidewalk chalk, playing in your playhouse, cuddling on the couch, getting hugs, making up stories, doing puzzles. You are fun to hang out with. I love your imagination. Every day you become more creative and interesting.

Thanks for being our little miracle. We never realized just how much of a miracle you were until this past year when we were questioned by so many doctors about you. Many of the doctors tried very delicately to ask about whether or not you made it. One even came right out and said "he didn't make it, did he?". So we know now, that you truly are a miracle. How you overcame all the hurdles that were in your path, I will never know, but I do know you had a lot of people on your side, hoping and praying for you.

Happy Birthday Super Trooper, and I look forward to what this next year has to offer. You are an incredible little boy, and I'm so proud of how far you have come. I am excited for what the future brings you!!

Love, Mom