Looking Back on 2013

What a great year for the Hawk family - 2013 treated us well.

We had lots of firsts and lots of fun as a family of three.



My how our little boy grew up this year...

Wishing each of you well in 2014!

The Hawks 

Christmas 2013

How much fun was Christmas this year? So. Much. Fun.

We spent the entire day at home and it was just what we wanted.

Happy Holidays from the Hawks!

A Christmas Eve walk as a family...

Such a sweet little boy…

Christmas Eve photo by the tree...

I don't want to go to bed, mama. I want to play with my trains in my Christmas footed-pajamas. 

RF's letter, cookies and milk for Santa…

Coming down the stairs Christmas morning...

Oh, wow, mama!

Making a beeline for his wagon from Nana and Babu...

Let's go, daddy! 

So excited about his new wagon! 

He opened all of his presents in his wagon...

Time for A Christmas Story and cinnamon rolls...

Hanging out in his wagon playing with his new toys...

Meme brought blocks…and he looks so cute with his reindeer antlers on...

Meme also brought Apple-Apple…yummy! 

RF's gifts to his grandparents and his daddy…

Sweetness...

Prophet, Sign, Neighbors, Joy, and Light

Saturday, December 21 - Prophet

"The best prophet of the future is the past." George Byron

I used to be a neat freak…now I'm so happy that my little boy is having fun, that the mess is perfectly fine with me. 

Sunday, December 22 - Sign

Laundry is the house-chore that I loathe the most. Maybe his love of laundry baskets is a sign that RF will be a good little laundry helper one day. 

Monday, December 23 - Neighbors

I'm pretty sure the neighbors heard the squeals of fun coming out of this little boy as he un-rolled a roll of wrapping paper. He was having the time of his life. 

Tuesday, December 24 - Joy

This kid is such a joy. He is silly. He is sweet. He is full of fire. 

Wednesday, December 25 - Light

Those eyes - they are so full of life and so bright with light. 

I love you, Robert Franklin Hawk. 

Rejoice, Strong, Free, Mercy, Patient, and Good News

After five days in the hospital with RF, I am playing catch-up on our Advent Photo-A-Day posts.

Sunday, December 15 - Rejoice 
"There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice." John Calvin

RF enjoyed seeing all the lights at Bellingrath Gardens.

Monday, December 16 - Strong 

RF is such a strong little guy…he handled getting his IV like a champ. 

Tuesday, December 17 - Free 

I wished so bad that I could free RF from all of the sickness he was feeling. 

I can tell by his eyes just how crummy he was feeling...

Wednesday, December 18 - Mercy 

"God's mercy is fresh and new every morning." Joyce Meyer 

RA and RF watching the sun rise Wednesday morning…

Thursday, December 19 - Patient

RF had been such a good patient over the past four days that we gave him a few tastes of some ice cream…needless to say he liked it. :-) 

Friday, December 20 - Good News 

No cords - and about four hours after this photo was taken, we were told that we could go home - definitely good news. 

Day 5...

We had good night - RF was able to maintain blood oxygen levels of 93/94% on a liter and a half of oxygen. The three previous nights he was requiring three and four liters and was only maintaining 88/89/90%. Progress is being made, slowly but surely. 

Our favorite nurse is back on the floor today and told us this morning that our goal today is to get RF off of the oxygen today during the day. We saw the pediatrician this morning and he agreed that we will try and get him off the oxygen and get him up and moving more now that his lungs are a little stronger. We are waiting on blood work results to see if his infection levels have gone down, but the pediatrician also said that his lungs are sounding stronger. Possible second chest x-ray as well today to verify that his lungs are getting better. 

RF has finally begun to calm down when his nurses come in the room. The first day or so he would scream when they would come in, now he just watches them as they move around the room - keeping a close eye on how close they get to him. Yesterday, RF was not in the mood to be poked and prodded and actually looked at one of his nurses and started waving at her, then he said bye-bye. He was letting her know that he is over it and she should feel free to leave at anytime. Silly boy... 

During some rest time yesterday we were flipping through the channels and stopped on Kelly and Michael - any guesses as to what caught RF's attention - it's sitting in the middle of their desk... :-) 

Playing with the cover to his dinner plate provided 30 minutes of entertainment. 

Aunt Hartley stopped by last night and brought mama and daddy ice cream...RF had a little taste, too. 

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good 

1. We are fortunate enough to have access to great medical care and we are where we need to be in order for RF to get better. Our nurses have been super sweet and supportive. 

2. We are all three here together as a family. 

3. We have seen a few smiles from RF in the past day or so.

4. RF's respiratory therapist said that his lungs are sounding clearer. 

5. I am getting lots and lots of baby snuggles. 

6. We have received sweet texts, FB messages and emails from folks who are thinking about and praying for us. 

The Bad

1. RF's oxygen levels still have not improved yet and we cannot leave the hospital until he is completely off the oxygen both day and night. 

2. Hospital linens are pitiful and hospital food isn't the tastiest. 

3. We are not able to make the trip to Perry to see all of RA's family for the holidays. 

The Ugly 

1. My sweet boy is sick. He is such a happy, curious, animated and on-the-go little man, to see him so subdued, so cruddy, so upset is heartbreaking. 

And then there's the perfect...

This little man is my heart. 

Wednesday Update on RF

Not much has changed for RF. He is still on oxygen, but his respiratory therapist did say that his lungs were beginning to sound a bit better, not much, but some. The pediatrician from our group agreed that he is showing small improvements - increase in appetite and more interactive - indicating that he is starting to feel a bit better. He can only go about 2 hours awake before he has to lay down and rest/nap. The simplest things tire him out easily. And while we know that we cannot rush the healing process, we are ready to be at home. Our pediatrician told us that he has to be able to go day and night without oxygen before we can be released and that that process can take longer in some children - 8-10 days. We are praying that we will not have to spend Christmas in the hospital. Our room is looking more and more home-like with RF's toys scattered about and our blankets and pillows (hospital blankets and pillows are a joke...) laying around. But the walls are definitely closing in on us. We asked if we could take RF in a wheelchair on a 'ride' or outside into one of the garden areas, but he is basically quarantined because of the RSV. So, we are trying to make the best of the situation. We know we have to keep RF in good spirits so that he can focus on resting and getting better. 

Thanks for checking in on us. We will update tomorrow with any changes. 

Resting as much as possible...

Play-time with daddy...

RF loves balloons, so I ventured down to the gift shop yesterday while he was napping. He gave us a few smiles while he batted at it for a while once he woke up. 

RF also loves flags. The kid can spot them from a ways away. I had Papa Tad send me a few of his photos that had flags in them. As soon as I pulled them up on the iPad, RF's face lit up. We're trying to do everything we can to ease him through this. 

A sick little boy...

I thought I heard him wrong. What do you mean you need to admit him? Wait, what is going on? 

I knew deep down that something was different about this round of sickness with RF. He's had the crud a couple of times, but I certainly wasn't thinking that we would be instructed to leave the pediatrician's office and head straight to the hospital. In my mind, we'd get some antibiotics if he had some sort of infection and we would be told to make sure he rests and gets lots of fluids. Being admitted to the hospital wasn't even in my realm of thought. 

Once we arrived and were taken to our room, fear really set in. I was scared (and feeling lots of guilt) on our drive from the doctor's office to the hospital, but seeing a hospital floor dedicated to sick little ones, a hospital machine equipped crib, seeing him be taken to have an IV put in and then be hooked up to machines, was my ultimate nightmare becoming reality. I know that we were coming to the hospital to get him better, but this was scary. But as all mamas do, I put on my mama-face and was there for my son. 

I held him as he cried and whimpered through all of the pokes and prods. I kept whispering to him how much I loved him, how big and strong he is, and how much everything we were doing was to help him feel better. 

He managed to sleep really well Monday night through all of the interruptions. He even held my hand, squeezing it every now and then, all night long. Tuesday morning's visit by the pediatrician verified the pneumonia from a chest X-ray and solidified the fact that the double ear infections, RSV and pneumonia will keep us in the hospital for a few days as he is requiring oxygen right now. 

We are hoping that he will get the rest and medication, as well as lots of snuggles from mama and daddy, that he needs and that we will have our silly, busy, animated, and oh so sweet little boy back to  himself soon. 

Thanks for checking in on us. I will update as things change. 

A sick little guy... 

RA brought RF's favorite toy from home so that he could have a little bit of entertainment. 

Justice and Gather

Friday, December 13 - Justice

I don't think I could take one photo that would truly do justice to the fact that RF is entertained with ordinary items. Friday night as daddy was cleaning up the kitchen, RF discovered the pots and pans cabinet. Now, if I could just be inside his head as he discovers things for the first time, to hear what he is thinking.

Saturday, December 14 - Gather 

RF woke up early Saturday morning with a very high fever and lots of congestion, so one of my first reactions was to gather all the necessary items to try and ease his discomfort. He spent the majority of the day sitting still or napping and for a kid that is constantly on the go, that was a sign to me that he really did not feel well. After some snuggles with mama and pushing fluids, he seemed to be a little bit better tonight. We are hoping that he sleeps well and can be back to his bouncing, silly self tomorrow.

How RF and I spent most of our Saturday...

He even stopped in the hallway at one point this afternoon and laid his head down on Gracie's couch…he wanted so bad to play and be his active self, but just didn't have the energy today…

Holy, Steadfast, and Hope

Tuesday, December 10

"For everything that lives is holy, life delights in life." - William Blake

RF wandering around Cathedral Square Tuesday afternoon...

Wednesday, December 11

RF is steadfast in his dedication to helping around the house…

Thursday, December 12

I hope RF continues to be as animated and active as he is right now. He has a new expression, a new trick, a new word, or a new skill everyday it seems.

He has recently learned to blow kisses...

And he has learned how to say, "Shhhh". Now when the dogs bark he walks around the house with his finger in front of his mouth (or up his nose…) saying "Shhhhh…Shhhhh….Shhhhh."