Merry Christmas little lion man. So disappointed that you are not here with us. You were still with us last Christmas, and now, it feels so different. I hope that today is a blessed day for you and that you know how much we love you. We miss you constantly and especially when it comes to celebrating - pretty much anything.
Hazel says Merry Christmas little brother. We picked out some gifts for you - favorite books and small toys. We think the world of you and remember you often.
Our Story
This is our story of Henry, who was diagnosed with anencephaly at 20 weeks. We cherished his time with us and made the most of every passing day. We think about Henry constantly. He will always be part of our family.
As Hazel says, there are four of us now.
As Hazel says, there are four of us now.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Happy Easter
happy easter henry. we all love you and miss you. look forward to the day i see you again.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Henry is Born
Henry was born February 14, 2011 at 7:15 am. He was born alive but lived only a short while, spending his whole life in the arms of his proud mom and dad. Henry was welcomed by family and friends who held him and loved him with great joy during his brief time with us. He was 5 pounds 12 ounces and 18.5 inches long. Henry has big hands - we had to rip the seams in his sleeves to get his shirt on. He is beautiful with dark blue eyes and a wisp of dark brown hair.
We baptised Henry at birth and he was dedicated to the Christian church by pastor Jeff Cannell.
Henry's big sister Hazel was able to hold him, help give him a proper bath and dress him in his dinosaur clothes. As tragic and terrible as this day was, the peace of God was present. We have many wonderful pictures to remember this day - thanks to Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.
We baptised Henry at birth and he was dedicated to the Christian church by pastor Jeff Cannell.
Henry's big sister Hazel was able to hold him, help give him a proper bath and dress him in his dinosaur clothes. As tragic and terrible as this day was, the peace of God was present. We have many wonderful pictures to remember this day - thanks to Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Final Visit
This morning was our last visit with Henry. We went to the maternal fetal clinic at Riverside Hospital for the 7th time. We were able to see Henry, take all his measurements and get pictures and video. This has been a really important time for us to bond with our son. Watching him grow and develop on the screen has helped us learn about Henry and appreciate being his parents.
Henry has long legs and big hands. He stays tucked down low towards the cervix. Henry likes to box and roll. He never hides his boy parts but often covers his face. He is a beautiful boy. Without this time at the maternal fetal clinic, we might not feel as close to Henry. These visits have given us time to bond and really enjoy Henry.
Now we count down the days until Henry is to be born. We wait with anticipation and anxiety. We are as ready as we can be to face this day. And this has been a very challenging 17 weeks. I'm not really sure how many more weeks we would endure. We wouldn't choose not to have Henry. He is our baby no matter what. We would not chose to deny his existence or hope that he had never been. He is - and that is precious to us.
Henry has long legs and big hands. He stays tucked down low towards the cervix. Henry likes to box and roll. He never hides his boy parts but often covers his face. He is a beautiful boy. Without this time at the maternal fetal clinic, we might not feel as close to Henry. These visits have given us time to bond and really enjoy Henry.
Now we count down the days until Henry is to be born. We wait with anticipation and anxiety. We are as ready as we can be to face this day. And this has been a very challenging 17 weeks. I'm not really sure how many more weeks we would endure. We wouldn't choose not to have Henry. He is our baby no matter what. We would not chose to deny his existence or hope that he had never been. He is - and that is precious to us.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Due Date Approaching
Henry's official due date is February 17. We are coming down to the final days with our son. We enjoy every jump, roll and kick. Sometimes we can even make out the impression of his foot. We know that our time with Henry is short. Every moment is meaningful.
We have expected that Sarabeth may be induced to get things moving. At the last OB appointment, our doctor suggested a date - February 13. Which would mean that Henry would likely be born on Valentine's Day. That might be good. His birthday would always be associated with a holiday, as trivial as it is.
Naming a date makes our time seem more limited. We love Henry so much. We have gotten to know him through many ultrasounds and procedures. Our last opportunity to visit Henry before his birth will be February 4. We have another 3D ultrasound scheduled. That will be our last chance for pictures and video before Henry is born. Because of these appointments we have been able to see Henry grow and development. To admire is long legs, his hands and feet. To see him be an active baby. And we will be able to put these images together in a slide show to enjoy. We have been able to be parents, to learn about our baby, and to love him thoroughly. And for that, we are thankful.
We have expected that Sarabeth may be induced to get things moving. At the last OB appointment, our doctor suggested a date - February 13. Which would mean that Henry would likely be born on Valentine's Day. That might be good. His birthday would always be associated with a holiday, as trivial as it is.
Naming a date makes our time seem more limited. We love Henry so much. We have gotten to know him through many ultrasounds and procedures. Our last opportunity to visit Henry before his birth will be February 4. We have another 3D ultrasound scheduled. That will be our last chance for pictures and video before Henry is born. Because of these appointments we have been able to see Henry grow and development. To admire is long legs, his hands and feet. To see him be an active baby. And we will be able to put these images together in a slide show to enjoy. We have been able to be parents, to learn about our baby, and to love him thoroughly. And for that, we are thankful.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Plans
We are getting closer to Henry's birth day. We're trying to plan for that day and making sure everyone will be notified and have an opportunity to meet Henry. At the same time, we are writing his obituary - before he's even born. It's so unfair. How can this be?
I love laying next to my wife and feeling my son move. We may not ever get to sleep together. This is our chance to be together. I did not pay so much attention to these movements before Hazel was born. But now, I am aware of just how precious those moments are.
I love laying next to my wife and feeling my son move. We may not ever get to sleep together. This is our chance to be together. I did not pay so much attention to these movements before Hazel was born. But now, I am aware of just how precious those moments are.
Monday, January 10, 2011
A New Year
So it's a new year but not a new chapter in our lives. We're still waiting with Henry. Anticipating his birth but anxious that our time with him will be so brief. I just found out that friends of ours had a baby boy at Thanksgiving named Henry. I'm half afraid to see the baby. But another half wants to practice holding a newborn. I can't wait to meet our son Henry. We have gotten to know him so much more than while Sarabeth was pregnant with Hazel.
Sarabeth had an excess accumulation of amniotic fluid due to Henry's condition. She was so uncomfortable she could barley do anything. So she finally said yes to an amnio draw. The surgeon placed a small needle with a catheter into the uterus and removed a liter of fluid with a vacuum jar. We could see everything on the ultrasound. We could even see Henry kicking the catheter. It stopped working after a while. And when the surgeon pulled the catheter out, we could see why. Henry destroyed it by kicking so much. He is a feisty boy, earning his nickname "Henry the Lion" every day.
Henry jumps and rolls when he hears us. He gets excited when mom eats certain foods, too. He sleeps a lot, but when he's active, he's really active. We love him so much. It's so hard to imagine that we'll have to say goodbye.
Sarabeth had an excess accumulation of amniotic fluid due to Henry's condition. She was so uncomfortable she could barley do anything. So she finally said yes to an amnio draw. The surgeon placed a small needle with a catheter into the uterus and removed a liter of fluid with a vacuum jar. We could see everything on the ultrasound. We could even see Henry kicking the catheter. It stopped working after a while. And when the surgeon pulled the catheter out, we could see why. Henry destroyed it by kicking so much. He is a feisty boy, earning his nickname "Henry the Lion" every day.
Henry jumps and rolls when he hears us. He gets excited when mom eats certain foods, too. He sleeps a lot, but when he's active, he's really active. We love him so much. It's so hard to imagine that we'll have to say goodbye.
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