Flint's 1st Birthday!!!

        Flint began his birthday celebration with a wonderful MRI check-up in Dallas.  Since he's older and isn't content to be bundled up, the MRI experience itself was a lot harder on him than the previous times.  I'm pretty sure that this process is going to get worse before it gets better, but once he's old enough to remember that it doesn't hurt him, hopefully it will be smooth sailing!  We met with Dr. Weprin, who only had good things to say about Flint's progress, and then he cleared us for yearly check-ups now, instead of every 6 months.  WOO-HOO!  We spent the rest of the day celebrating my sister, Katie's birthday, and then her mother-in-law, Gena, came and took some darling 1 year pictures of Flint.  I think she did an amazing job!

 

         If you look closely in the pictures, especially the one above, you'll be able to see one of my favorite things about Flint - his long tuft of hair that grows where his scar is.  He doesn't have much hair on the rest of his head, but growing out of his scar is a line of long hair!  The doctors have all commented on how strange that is, because usually, no hair ever grows in the scar tissue.  To me, this little tuft of hair is Flint's symbol of strength.  It's like he's saying, "You say I'm not going to grow hair in my scar? Well, not only am I going to grow hair there, but I'm going to grow it EXTRA long just to show you I can!"  I think it really kind of epitomizes him, so that tuft of hair isn't going anywhere for our little Samson!      
      We had a great, short visit in Dallas, and then flew home on Friday.  We had an amazing experience on the flight home!  One of the flight attendants had been watching Flint throughout the flight and started talking to me about how alert and happy he seemed to be.  I was able to tell her a little of his story and she was swept up in the details of all that has happened over the last year.  She asked how old he was and when I told her his birthday was the next day, she asked if she could take him to the front of the plane with her. I said yes, and the next thing I knew, she had carried him to the front of the plane and was telling his story over the loud-speaker to the whole plane.  She asked everyone to sing to him, and he just sat there in her arms while the whole plane erupted into a chorus of "Happy Birthday."  Even after all this, she still kept him at the front of the plane with her, and I was curious what was going on.  Finally, I saw that the other flight attendant was making him a crown to wear.  A few minutes later, Flint was returned to me looking like this:

 

         Isn't that the cutest thing ever?  I thought those flight attendants were so sweet to do that for him (and really for me, since he had no clue what was going on)!  The best part was that he kept the crown on the rest of the flight and all through the airport.  He never seemed bothered by it at all!  We got home in time for dinner, and then my parents arrived late that night, ready to celebrate with us.
        We spaced out Flint's celebration throughout the day, so he didn't get too tired and we could all enjoy the festivities.  He got a pancake breakfast and had lots of help opening presents.

                                              

                                              

                                              

      He was obsessed with the birthday cake his sister and brothers decorated for him, and he dove right in more than any of my other kids ever did. I love this series of pictures, as he goes from one hand, to both hands, to all the frosting eaten off the top of the cake.  He was one happy boy!

                                               

                                               

                                               

                                               

                                               

                                               

                                               

                                               

        My favorite part of the day though, was when we took brownies and a thank you card to the NICU at BSA.  This is the hospital where Flint was born and where he spent the first 6 weeks of his life, other than the week we were in Dallas.  We had planned to go earlier in the day, but our plans changed and we ended up going around 4:00.

We forgot to take a picture by the NICU, but got one in the front drive of the hospital

      As we pulled into the parking lot at the hospital, we noticed a life-flight helicopter coming in for a landing.  I made the comment, "Someone's life is about the change," and we continued into the hospital and up to the 3rd floor.
       There was quite a crowd in the waiting room of the 3rd floor, and then as we turned into the hallway where the NICU is, we saw a small cluster of people standing right outside the door to the NICU.  You can't just walk into the NICU.  There's a phone in the hall that you use to call inside, and then if you're already on their list of patients, they let you in.  Since we no longer had a patient inside, we explained that we were there to deliver a thank you gift, and wondered if they could send someone out to get it.
     While we waited for someone to come out, we heard the other people commenting about how, "They just landed.  They're bringing him up." I asked them if the life-flight was for someone in their family, and they said it was for their new grandson who had been born in Childress but was having problems with his platelet counts. We recognized the strain and fear in their faces, and we tried to reassure them.  Right about that time though, the door to the NICU opened and out came a couple of nurses and our favorite nurse practitioner.  In addition to the brownies, we had brought them some cards the kids had made, and a picture of Flint on the day he was born with a picture of Flint that had just been taken.  They remembered him and the drama with getting him to Dallas and back, and were so excited to see how well he was doing.  Flint turned on the charm and grinned all over the place at them and did his best to show his gratitude for the care they had given him.  They thanked us for coming and then they went back to work.
       This whole interaction was being watched carefully by the little gathering of people, waiting for their new grandson to arrive.  As the nurses left, we turned to this family and said we wished them well.  They told us it was perfect timing that we showed up when we did; that they needed to see that and feel some hope.  We just showed them Flint again and said that there were so many miracles that could happen with God, faith, and medical science.  It touched my heart that even in that small moment, Flint was able to bring a measure of peace and hope to a family who desperately needed it.  Seeing them waiting outside the NICU, with the strain on their faces, was just so close to home, especially given the fact that it was exactly one year after we were going through the same thing!
        It is impossible to sum up my feelings about celebrating Flint's first birthday!  He has come so far this year and taught me so much.  I have learned again and again that with God, all things are possible, if only I do not limit Him.
        I asked my brother to put together a music video of Flint's life, showing where he started and where he is today.  Actually, the video is already a little outdated, because Flint is now crawling (when he decides he wants to), but I think it's the most awesome video ever!  I'm so grateful for this happy little boy and the sweet spirit of joy that he shares with everyone he comes in contact with.  He is my little "tough as Flint" boy, and I am SO proud to be his mom!  Happy birthday Flint!


Flint from Derek Williams on Vimeo.