May 23rd

Happy 40th Birthday, Daddy. 💙

The boys wanted so badly to celebrate with you today. They even got all dressed up this morning. Their amazing nurses made sure both boys were already rocking their Cubs gear and ready for game day. Mom had to break the news to them that they still have to wait a few more years before they can come along for birthdays and ballgames like this. To say they were upset would be an understatement. There were definitely some angry tears and some sad tears today. But deep down, I think they understand that right now their biggest job is just continuing to grow stronger every single day.

Hahaha!!!!

Overall though, today was another very “Green” day for both boys, and after everything we have been through lately, we will take every single green day we can get.

Colton spent most of the day trying to figure out life after increasing his feeds to 27k calories. Poor buddy is really trying to relearn how to poop comfortably again. Honestly, if someone handed you protein shakes for every single meal of the day, you’d probably feel pretty miserable too. His little tummy has definitely been working overtime trying to adjust. Thankfully, things are still moving in the right direction and he continues to push through it like the little fighter he is.

Declan had a pretty solid day too. We made some adjustments on his vent settings and spent most of the day focusing on keeping him comfortable and letting his tummy rest. One of the bigger steps today was changing some settings on his stomach tubes so we could start pulling gravity instead of suction. So far, he seems to be tolerating that really well, which is a huge win for him. If things continue to go smoothly, there’s a chance we may even be able to start trying feeds again in the next couple of days. Right now though, his body just needs rest. Slow and steady.

Honestly, that’s where both boys are right now. They just need rest. Quiet days. Calm days. No setbacks. No emergencies. No scary moments. Just a peaceful weekend where their little bodies can continue healing and growing stronger.

The best part of the day was that the boys had a visitor today, and it absolutely made their day. They got hand hugs, little snuggles, extra love, and some special one-on-one attention that both of them soaked up. Seeing them awake enough to enjoy those moments means everything to me. These tiny little milestones that most people would never even think about have become some of our biggest victories.

As for Dad, despite missing his boys today, we hope had a really great birthday. The boys definitely missed seeing him, but they know they’ll get more time with him later this weekend. And honestly, I think that gave all of us something exciting to look forward to.

This weekend feels different in the best possible way. After weeks of uncertainty, scary moments, setbacks, and living minute by minute, this weekend finally feels a little lighter. Not perfect. Not easy. But lighter.

So tonight, we celebrate 40 years of the best dad these boys could ever ask for. The one cheering them on through every hard day, every scary night, every tiny milestone, and every green day.

Happy Birthday, Daddy. We love you so much. 💙💙