Zach getting ready for Bed. :)

Sherry, my Best Friend (Terry's sister) and Zach

Nick, Myrah and MJ their son, Christmas 2008

Well, all is going well with the family. Nicole my oldest in now in college. She is going to Northern in the UP of Michigan. It is about as cold as Alaska. She want's to get a degree in Enviromental something. I am sure it is a good field with the economy being in such a mess now. Everyday I have a job to go to is a good day, some days I feel like I work in a slaughter house and I am waiting in line. So many people losing jobs and houses. I live a modest live style and always have, so at time like this it works well. Nick is now getting A'S in school it took him till his Senior year to get it together, all his teachers say he has really matured, now he just needs a J.O.B. And Zach is doing well. Well he is crying up from his nap, my blogging is done for a few months, UGGGGGG

We bought this costume to sell on EBAY. But we needed a model. I may save this to show Zach, when he gets married. Oh the doll on the floor, not his....Really

Nick and his son, that was adopted. The family that adopted him, keeps the kids updated and sends pictures often. I am sad I am not involved in his life, but I am so happy that he will have opportunites that other wise he would not have had. He is very loved.

Nick and Miariah. I am sure I spelled her name wrong and I am even more sure she will tell me. :)

This is Terry's Family at his Grandmothers 99th Birthday.

Zach really did love this costume.......I think.

Happy 3rd Birthday!!!!! I just love this BOY :)

Well I finally have a day off and a short window of opportunity to update this dormant blog. We are all doing well. Considering some things I could complain about but I think we all could IE, the price of gas, food and a never increasing income. And I can honestly say it will take more then a new President to fix this mess we are in, I am not however going to force my political believes on any one. Well here's some updates: My 19 year old daughter moves to Arizona, she's loves it. And this must be true, because since being there she has had her car stolen and set on fire. When she went to see it, it was unrecognizable. And the icing on this cake was not only did she have no insurance, I just bought her a GPS to help with the drive out there, it to was gone. I hope the idiots find my address in there, I would love for them to drop by. My 16 year old son is now a dad. He and his girlfriend did decide to give the baby up for adoption. This all without my input. I do however feel it was for the best, but I was up many a night crying, thinking to myself this is my first grandchild and it's not suppose to be like this. Last week the adoptive mom invited me to the Baptism. I really love to see the baby, his name is Michael, they call him MJ, but I am so afraid of getting attached. UGGGGG.And Zach and his dad are just great. No earth shattering news to report there. Zach is talking more and more, what he says however is gibberish to me. He relates pictures to terms well. If he sees a Comerica Bank sign he says Momma, and McDonald's=Fries however without the F. Every teenage girl Is Mariah (Nick's Girlfriend) which could be trouble is Nick ever goes out with someone else, and every winged creature is a Duck.Well my time here is up. I hope everyone enjoys the pictures.

Happy Easter!

Terry and I have been very busy and haven't had a chance to post any new news or pictures. So finally here I go. Terry, Zachary, and I went to Hudson Mills Metro park yesterday for the annual Easter Eggs Hunt and festivities. It was a blast. Zachary had sooo much fun, and he picked up right away what he was supposed to do about finding eggs. As soon as the whistle blew, he was off to pick up eggs with Terry in tow to put them in his basket. We were only allowed 10 eggs, and Zach got those too fast. As soon as Terry and Zach took off, they were swallowed up by the hordes of kids and parents. I stood back and took pictures. Zach was at his annual physical recently, and the doctor said he is doing great. He weighs 31 pounds, and he is 34" tall, almost 3 feet. He is all over the place now, and even opening up the outside door and going outside. Terry is chasing after him constantly. He says about 25 words, which isn't much, but he is getting better every month. We are happy with his progress. Terry has a new business venture he is undertaking which involves the Health field. So for anybody who is interested in saving money on Health, or Working from home, just click the appropriate link located to the right of this posting. (He wanted me to put this in the blog, as he is trying soo hard on making this work) (He wants me to retire from my job in 3 years.) We'll see. That would be nice. Anyway, Hello to all, and Happy Easter

And the terriable Twos get into high gear. Zach has been improving his skills, he now in a flash can get up on the counter and find whatever he can in one second flat. On a good note I got the cheese off the discount rack for a buck fifty. :)

Tarzan Big Sister Nicole Zach and Daddy

More Pictures: My oldest Nicole has graduated High School, she will be attending Central Michigan in the Fall. I can hardly belief it. Time goes by so quick. I am sooooo proud of her!!!! Nick has a new and steady girlfriend, Miriah. (and I actually like her), she runs track like I did and she treats Nick nice, and Zach is doing great..... into Everything!!! Zach is very different from Nick and Nicole. He has No Fear. He thinks nothing of crawling up the back of the highest chair and hanging there, (until we yell "Zach, Get Down). He can open the front door and if thats not scary enough, he runs as fast as a spider. So needless to say we have to keep the inside door closed, this he has not mastered the opening of, YET!!!! Zach had his hearing tested and past with flying colors. When the doctor first saw Zach she was a bit cold, I am sure she was thinking oh God another child, since it appears she works on more adults then children. After running the initial test she came back in the room and said I can't believe how still he sat, maybe I can test the ears with the tool that will tell us if his ears are sending the correct waves. She put the little device in his ears and he was wonderful. Her attitude towards him changed completely after the test it was like she was a different person. He past the test with Flying colors. He is only delayed in speech. If needed later he may have to go to Speech Therapy, but for now we have no concerns.

Hello all,

I am finally updating with pictures and more info. Zach went in for his latest developmental clinic on Monday, and the doctor said he is performing above his level in everything except for speech. His motor skills and thought process are excellent. Jill and I were very proud at the things he could do, some we didn't even know he could do. Like put blocks in their place, and put marbles in a cup. I was a very proud father.

The doctor wanted to see how he could walk and run over a long distance, I put him down and he took off so fast around the corner, she didn't get to see it. Oh well. Zachary is doing great, and he weighs 21-1/2 pounds.

We went to the March of Dimes Walk of America walk 3 weeks ago, and he was a lot better than last year, he even walked across the finish line, and ate a piece of pizza afterwards. That was a fun morning. We even ran into one of the preemies we met in the NICU and his mother and grandmother, his name is Carter Hill. He's doing great, very close to walking. We had fun. Keep up the good work, and give us an e-mail sometime.

So anyways, Take care to all you parents out there, and have a great spring.

We are back. Did not go far, but we moved and had alot going on. Moved into a really nice Modular home. It is just like brand new inside and a bunch more room. Zach is now walking and continues to have the funniest faces ever, once I find the cord to the camera I will load some more pictures. Terry has a website in which he sells clothing for premature babies. It is a bit slow now, however he will be selling our own products shortly, instead of making others money selling their products. March of Dimes Update: I would like to Extend a very heartfelt Thank You to all those that gave to the March of Dimes, expecially my brother and his wife, JIM AND JONI. Thank you. Please follow the link on my Blog to see what the March of Dimes does for Premature babies. Well off to find the cord for the camera updates to come soon.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!! No we did not keep Zach up all night he just woke up at 11:55, so we kept him up to ring in the New Year. Dad looks like he has been drinking, however we don't drink, he was up since 4:00 AM with Zach. Well time to get Zach back to sleep it is 12:30...Wish us Luck, we never had him up at Night and had to put him back down.

Merry Christmas. Some shots I took when Zach woke up Sunday morning, while Dad was still sleeping. I did nothing to make Zach laugh, somethimes he just starts laughing and can't stop, it starts to make everyone in the house laugh. The pictures of Zach in his T-Shirt were taken later in the day. Hope everyone has a WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON. It is so nice to be home and not in the NICU this year. I think often about those families that are spending Christmas in there and I pray you are given the same strength that we found to get through it. And may you all be holding your baby in your arms at home next year. God Bless you all.

Last weekend we went to the Rock Financial Expo center in Novi, Michigan. They had a Christmas show, which when you think about it did not have to much at all to do with Christmas. A few Christmas Trees and Carolers, and a whole bunch of vendors selling stuff. We did buy one of those personalized CD's that is sung by Elmo, which repeats the child's name, did I say repeats your child's name, over and over and over again. Anyway Santa was there and Zack was so amused by his hairy appearance he did not even look at the camera. So the shots we got are just that, Zack checking out the old Dude with a hairy face. Tomorrow we will be going to see the Doc, for a few more shots. I am a little concerned about Zack's weight. As of his one year mark we switched him to Whole Milk. Gone is the formula. He eats well on most occasions, but he is a smaller guy. We will see tomorrow what Dr. Weinberg has to say. Another thing I find curious, Zack is getting his first tooth, an incisor tooth, you know the fang tooth, and only one. In all my experience with children I have never heard of this. So if anyone reading this has, Please clue me in. I don't believe we have "vampire" in our family history. And last but not forgotten.... I would like to say HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER IN LAW NANCY. Your the bestest.

If you were any part of the many many days in which Zach spent in the NICU, you will remember Terry working on a cross stitch. The project and I use this word lightly, began as a Cinderella, as we were told numerous times and have the video to prove it, that Zach was indeed a Tiffany. After the birth of Zach and the discovery that Tiffany was indeed a Zach, we changed the theme from Princess to Winnie the Pooh. Back to my explanation of the cross stitch, Terry finally finished it. It only took one year to do it. Ok, maybe the word "only" does not belong in this sentence. He promised to have it done before Zach turned 1, and this he accomplished. And here it is.

Zach's older brother Nick is determined to have Zach become the "World's Youngest Skateboarder". Zach on the other hand wants no part of it.

Happy 1st Birthday Zach!!!!!! November 21st, 2006

I reviewed some of the pictures we have taken recently and have found some of my favorites. Some are comical, one of them is a picture of Nicole the Big sister at 17 years old and Zach her little brother, one of them is Terry's grandma Vera who is a young 96, and some are just for fun. Pay no attention to the stains, we on occasion let Zach experiment with feeding himself and well, you know.........I hope they make you smile. I know today sucked at work and it was just what I needed.

If you look at the nurse's fingers in the second picture you can get a idea of how small Zach was.

Zach's birthday is coming up. We just found some pictures which are added for a time of REFLECTION. Some of them are blurry.

Zach's 1st Halloween. I can honestly say, I miss when my children, Nick and Nicole were small, and I am loving it all over again. Only difference is this time I have a wonderful supportive Husband. Last night we took Zach out trick or treating, what Fun !!!!!! Not to sound like I am bragging but at every house people thought Zach was sooooo Cute and you can just see his father gloating. Dad took Zach up to most of the houses and I watched, I think this gave me the biggest kick, just watching the two of them. After trick or treating, we went to the Brighton Fire House, every year they have games, pizza and treats for the children. Just like last time I went a few years back they had run out of pizza. So we just came home and ordered a pizza. It was a perfect Halloween. Today we had a meeting with Nick's teachers. They are so impressed with his improvement from the last few years, and we can not be more proud of him. Nick struggles every day with his schooling due to having ADHD. Nick also was a premature baby, however his coarse was not as bumpy as Zach's. He did have a touch and go with a minor operation and stopped breathing then was air flown to University of Michigan and spend a week on the vent, this after being born at 34 weeks. They say ADHD can be a result of being premature, we can deal with this, much worst could of happened and I thank god it didn't.

Some long overdue updates! Here are some new pictures as well. The first one is of Zach and his new activity gym. He likes it sometimes, and other times, he hates it. Just depends on his mood at the moment. (Yes he has a temper). And the other four are with Zach and the process of getting him ready to go outside in the cold. Which we don't like doing now, with it now being RSV season. Zachary has a birthday coming up, he will 1 years old. Wow, where has the time went. I remember when Jill and I brought Zachary home, I was so scared to take care of this little man who had wires hooked up to him and a tube down his nose. Afterall, the NICU took care of him for 3 months, and now it was our turn. Well, I am so happy to be able to stay home with him, because he brightens my day. All he has to do is smile, and he does that a lot. Anyhow, he is almost 11 months old (8 months adjusted), and he can sit up on his own, crawl, stand with support (on one of us, or on his own by holding on to something), and he has also started to shuffle along the couch standing up. It won't be long now until he will be walking. (That's when the fun starts for me). But what baffles me, is he still has no teeth. Hopefully they will come soon. He says da-da, na-na (which I take to be ma-ma), and a few other distinguishing babbles. The doctor's at St. Joseph say he is progressing nicely. We had an 8 month (adjusted) developmental clinic appointment on Saturday October 7th. And the developmental nurse told us he is doing great. She said he is actually ahead developmentally by a little over a month. Jill and I were happy to hear this. The only thing is, he is a little underweight. He should be around 18 pounds, but he only weighs around 16 pounds. So we had to bulk up his formula to 24 calories instead of 22 calories. Normal formula is 20 calories, so you can see, he needs to put some lbs. on. I thought he was heavy as it is, but then again, he does get heavy when I carry him and his carseat around. I thinkhe has gained a little since the clinic, because of the increased calorie intake. We also got him some fast flow nipples which seem to help (he doesn't suck as hard now and get tired out.) We'll see when he goes in for his flu vaccine this Saturday. Next month he gets 4 or 5 shots, he's not going to be a happy camper that day. The following day on Sunday, we went to the NICU annual reunion. It was their 4th annual, but the first for Zachary. We saw some parents and their children that were there when Zach was in the hospital for those 78 days. We also saw a couple of Zach's Neonatologist doctors, including Dr. Ivacko, who was there in the delivery room to help deliver him. And we saw some of the nurses and RT's who helped keep Zach alive during his trying and troubling times in the NICU. Zach seemed to like the bubble machine, once he got used to it, and he crawled around on the floor with a little girl who will remain nameless (actually we don't know her name). All in all it was a good time. And then our journey took us back to the NICU where Zach was for 78 days, not actually the same NICU, they moved since we were there, but it still keeps the same nurses there. We saw some nurses that weren't at the reunion, and they were happy to see Zach. What a busy day, the same day Zach got his new activity gym. What a lucky little man, but he is ours and I wouldn't give him up for anything!!!!!!!!!! And the last piece of information I have for you all, is Zach's baptism. He was baptized, Sunday, September 24, 2006 at St. Patrick's church in Brighton, by Father Karl Pung, in front of the whole congregation. Wow, that was awesome. When the whole congregation clapped and welcomed Zachary to the fellowship, I welled up a little with tears. It was a great feeling. Besides Zach, Jill and myself, Zach's older brother Nick, Zach's Godmother Denene, and her youngest daughter Sara were there. I would say it was an experience I will never forget. I'm just sorry that Zachary will not remember it. Well, I guess that's all for now. As we speek, Zachary is crawling around back and forth and saying da-da, da-da, da-da, so I better put the pen down. Thank-you to everyone who reads our blog about our precious little man Zachary, and thank-you for leaving a comment, Jill and I love to hear your thoughts.

Some views of Fall.

Life of our special Preemie-Inside the NICU and Beyond

Zachary is progressing nicely. The doctor said he can go off the NeoSure and on to regular formula. He is 35th percentile for weight and 50th percentile for length. He weighs in at 15 1/2 pounds and 27 1/4 inches long. He is sitting on his own, crawling, and starting to pull himself up. Look out, I'm going to have to start chasing him all over the place now. His new favorite thing is the dog's water dish. He either splashes the water or tries to drink it. Oh little boys, Jill says I'll start losing weight just chasing after him. It's probably true, because I'm doing it now. He's babbling a lot more now also. He has said "dadda" several times now, and a few other small words that sound like words. Anyway, here are some new pictures I took while Zach and I were waiting for mommy to wake up. Hope all is well with all the family.

All is well here. Nothing much new, each day is a blessing. The picture above includes "Alex" the dog or AKA Mr. Jealous he will do anything to be in between you and the baby. The picture to the side is my other son, Nick. He was the baby at 15 until Zach came along. :)

Hello Everybody!!!! Zach is doing pretty good. Usually I start with Zach is doing great, however the last few days he has had numerous bouts of crying spells that can't seem to be explained. We think he may be teething, but we can't feel any pokey things sticking up yet. Last night I think dad got one hour sleep, he is looking a little ruff. If I have not said it before shame on me...Terry is the best FATHER EVER !!!!! If I could of choosen certain fathering skills that a man should have in raising a son I would say Terry holds them all. I am posting a picture of a giraffe that Zach's God Mother Denene bought him, Thank You Agian !!. We are so blessed to have Denene and Tim as God parents. They are special people and have raised two beautiful children. Denene used to be my boss at my current job and if you ever heard you can't be best friends with your boss and you believed it, your wrong. Denene and I had a very good working relationship as well as a friendship and I miss working with her very much. I usually don't say mushy stuff much so that will be it for the year..... One more thing Happy Birthday, Denene, You old Fart!!! Zach will be baptized on September 24th, what a special day that will be!!!!

Today August 13, 2006 we went to the Kenisington Metro Parks Farm. These pictures were taken inside the barn. Zack is sitting on a horse saddle, and the other picture Dad is checking Zach's height. It seems he is trying to get in every little inch by standing on his tippey toes !!!!! The weather is starting to break, I so much look forward to Fall. :)

Doctors appointment at 9 months. Wow, I can not believe Zach is now 9 months. To look at him he is very comparable to a 6 month old. He now weighs 14lbs 7.5 ounces. His iron was excellent as well as his white blood count. The best news of all is he has the green light for ice cream :). I asked the doctor and his response was "Chocolate would be best !!!!" So after his shot today we came home and had a little ice cream, he loved it. He pretty much eats anything. We just have to watch it is mushed up real good. I would say the Gerber spaggetti is his MOST favorite, must be the Italian in us Hoffman's :). The picture was taken as he was beating up his dad, he looks like he was having a ball, I know I was :)

These are the dog days of summer. The car read 101 today. I thought it was hot when I lived in Florida, but this has that beat by far. I guess my next move will be Alaska!!!! I enjoy the cooler weather by far. We chilled out in the pool today or should I say dad and Zack. He seemed to enjoy his little boat much more this time around. He is now sleeping, pooped him right out!!!!! Today's accomplishments include the ability to suck on his toes, and being able to handle his own bottle. He seems to be moving right ahead with his development. We could not be more proud. Nick my 16 year old has started driving school, talk about being on two sides of life. One is beginning to crawl and one is beginning to drive. I told Nick I never took any classes or driving school. I went to the school of Mr. Ed Hoffman AKA Dad. That was tougher then any class he will ever go through. But I must say so myself I am a pretty good driver no accidents yet......Knock on wood.

Zach has discovered sucking on his fingers awhile ago. However he is not satified unless he sucks them all at once and chokes at least once a day. This is a great shot of his talent, can you fit all your fingers in your mouth. We all have to have a talent :)

Sorry we have not had updates in so long. We have been busy playing with Zach so much and have fallen into a routine. Now is usually quite time for Terry and I. I just said to Terry " We have to put some new pictures out there", so here we go. But first I want everyone to know that Zach is doing Super! He is already scooting, and eating solids, and laughing out loud. Long behind us are the sleep studies, eye surgeries, spinal taps, multiple blood and urine tests, apenea monitors, ventilator, C-Pap, blood transfusions, bilirubin lights, heel pokes, and taking caffeine to help him remember to breath.

Life of our special Preemie-Inside the NICU and Beyond

Hello everybody. Thought we would give a update since it has been awhile. I am now back to work and dad is staying home with Zach. It is hard to leave in the morning because that's when Zach is in the best mood. He wakes up smiling everyday !!!!!!!! Guess he is glad to be here, it is almost like he knows what he has been through and appreciates every new day. We went to his first developmental clinic on June 12th. He is exactly where he should be on most activities. A little slow with following sound from the right side, so we will keep an eye on this, it could be because it was a new environment and he got stimulated by everything going on. When on his stomach he reaches for toys and the physical therapist told us that was great, a little ahead of most and all in all no signs he was a preemie, only by size when you look at his actual age.

He weighed in at 14 pounds 7 ounces at this last appointment, and Terry said he is now up over 15 pounds, right where he should be. He is in the 50th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for length, so he might grow up to be tall. At any rate, he's perfect to me and Terry.

We went to see all the nurses in the NICU after his clinic appointment, and we were fortunate to see Amy, Sharon, and Linda. they were the nurses we got closest to during Zachary's stay. He was making all kinds of noises for Amy, which made her and Terry and I very happy, and Linda and Sharon got to hold him which made us happy. Thank-you to all of the wonderful nurses at the NICU. It was a very good visit for Zachary, Terry and I.

Life of our special Preemie-Inside the NICU and Beyond

I took this picture for two reasons, Zachary loves grabbing hold of things now that he has learned how to, and because I love how he holds his toes curled down. I think it is so cute. Zachary is getting so big now, I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it every day. He is up to 13 pounds now. As Jill said earlier, he eats solids 2 times a day now, I introduced him to prunes last week, and again yesterday, and he introduced them back to me, didn't like them, they went all over his bib and me. So now the new thing is berries, not sure about that yet, we'll try it out on him this weekend. He goes in for his physical therapy appointment on June 12th, to see if he is developing on schedule. I already think he is, from what I see every day, but it's nice to be reassured by the docs. Zachary is so fun now. He cries less, and laughs more. He actually laughs or giggles out loud now, only a little bit, but when he does, it's priceless. He smiles like crazy when I do something that he likes, which is almost all the time. I can usually get him to start smiling if he is crying, by acting stupid, which is easy for me to do. He sleeps most of the night now, only waking up for 1 or 2 feedings, but that usually only takes 30 minutes each, so I only lose 1 hour of sleep now instead of 2 hours as before. Although I sometimes make it up during his morning nap, which he gets in the morning, afternoon and early evening. He usually goes to bed around 7:30-8 pm, but lately it's been more like 9 pm. He likes being outside with me when I do take him out to work around the house, he only gets bored once in awhile, so he will enjoy being outside. Jill and I have a blow up pool, it's pretty big, I can lay all the way down in it, and over Memorial day weekend when it was so hot, I took Zach in the pool with me and he absolutely loved it, for about 1/2 an hour, then of course he got bored, but I was so proud that he didn't cry and liked the water, which is a huge plus for Jill and me since we have a boat on the lake, he's going to love it. Well I guess that's it for now, Zach is starting to stir from his nap.

I'm ready for my close-up

Zach loves his new boppy!

Liz in California, THINK WE GOT YOU BEAT WITH THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!

No new updates, just new pictures...

Is this basket all mine?

Quit staring at me Dad, take this!

Okay, I guess this is fun

This is new, and what is this in my hand?

Our 6 month appointment(3 Months adjusted) went very well. Zach weighs in at 12lbs 1 and 1/2 ounces!!!!! We have already bumped up his solids to two times a day. He loves the carrots, and squash, and his newest favorite is applesauce. He laughs all the time, even in the morning which he must get from his dad and my father (his grandpa), because the thing I hate more than working for a living, is mornings!!!!!!!!!! We have recently tried using a rolled up towel under his arms and he really enjoys it.....Well off to work, I'll blog more in depth later. IT'S FRIDAY :)

On this weekend, on Mothers day 2002, I lost my best friend (My Mom). I would like to dedicate this picture of my son on this Mother's Day to her. I wish she was here today. See, she had me at 41, the same age I was when I had Zach. I have so many questions for her. So many questions that will never be answered. I know she is here with us, sometimes I can feel her next to me. She would be so happy if she knew that I have this wonderful family now, somehow I know she knows this to... but if I could only see her face. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY, TO ALL YOU MOM'S!!!!!

I think about this often.....If we live long enough we will be bald, with no teeth, wearing diapers, having someone feed & bath us, and be in a swing. :)

Dad and son. This picture says it all. Terry is looking through the scrapbook I made about Zach, and it appears Zach has found his life story very interesting. He appears to be thinking "Dad, Do you think Speilberg might like to make a movie about me?"

Zack trying hard to crawl. The amount of effort he puts into it is astounding.

Life of our special Preemie-Inside the NICU and Beyond

Just a thought...... We have read many other preemie blogs and all have touched us in different ways. The many twists and turns a preemie baby faces are filled with emotional ups and downs. The thanks we receive is mostly a non verbal form of affection directly from our babies. A smile, a deep stare directly into our eyes and even a cry which is soothed by our warm loving arms. The future for most is undefined. Each day, month, and year can bring new challenges and accomplishments. Some days we live in fear of the unknown. While at work my clients will ask how Zach's doing, I always say great, because when I look back and see where he came from and what he has overcome I can only respond with great. Most will never know how the emotional ups and downs have changed me, most will not know how the word GREAT can be so powerful. I pray for all the babies who have been born prematurely, and I embrace the only individuals that truly know what we all have been through. Thank God for these blogs, every day it gives me a sense of understanding, it is a therapy which is the glue that holds it all together. I pray for each and every one of the families which have touched my heart: Kaitlyn @ Lizmccarthy.blogspot.com Adam & Eleanor @ twomiracles.blogspot.com Holland & Eden @ micropreemietwins.blogspot.com Fiona @ www.babiesonline.com/babies/f/fionae/ Halle @ www.hallegrace.blogspot.com

Kids these days have it too good. Zach talking to mom on the phone.

Crawling progress...or lack of Well Zach gets a A for effort

Team Zachary. Dad, Mom, Denene, Sara and of course, Zach!!!

Dr Ivacko holding Zach at the March of Dimes Walk America 2006

Dr. Ivacko crowned Zach "The Apena King" However this is a title which he has retired !!!!!

Today we walked for the March of Dimes. We had a great time. Some of the hi-lights included seeing Dr. Ivacko. She is the first NICU Doctor that delivered Zach. She is the Doctor that informed us that we had a problem that indeed Zach was not a Tiffany!!!!! The other hi-Lights included seeing pictures and stories of preemie babies including Zach, the stories were displayed inside the Family Team Tent. Also seeing other families which we knew from St. Joseph's was great. Our Family team included our good friend and Zachs God Mother Denene and her daughter Sara. The weather was fine and we all pray that with the funds that the walk raised it will help save many more premature babies, just like they helped save ours. :)

Zach, my WONDERFUL boy!

-Zachary Glen Aden, my precious little angel, you came into this world a bit too early. -But I wouldn't change a thing, because you are so very special. -When you were in the NICU, it was very hard on me, but I kept strong for you and mommy. -You've been through your up's and down's, and you've shown us how strong you really are. -You have the most beautiful blue eyes, the cutest feet, and a birth mark from your grandmother in heaven which is shaped like a heart. -Your smile is so rewarding, your laughs so refreshing, and your pouty lip sad, but wonderful. -You're taking longer to do things other babies can now do, but you've come a long way, and are well worth the wait. -Being a father at 38 and married to you're wonderful and beautiful mother, makes my life complete. -You are my precious little angel, who will one day grow up to be a strong and powerful man. -Love, Your Daddy

What's this? 

You look funny Daddy! 

Zach the movie star 

Zach and the pouty look! 

Um hello, I'm still a little young for Football 

Zach at home with Dad

Well, It has been 3 days now that I have been home alone with Zachary, and I still love every minute of it. I am a stay-at-home dad, and Zach is a joy to be with, except when he is crying, but usually that can be fixed by the diaper change or food, or playing with him, and of course, HOLDING HIM. He's up to 4 ounces a day now, and sometimes he spits about 1/2 an ounce up, but very rarely now-a-days. No matter how much he cries, when he flashes me a winning smile, it makes my heart melt. I know this might sound stupid but it makes me tear up a little talking about this, because I am so happy to be able to see him smile, what with all he has endured. I'm just so happy to have him here and healthy. He also likes to grace us with the pouty lip whenever he cries. It is so cute. Jill and I just both go "augh" because he does it so convincingly. I swear he knows what he is doing when he does it. I have a picture posted like this, but it is no where near his pouty lip potential. Well Zach is pretty much on a regular schedule now. He wakes up at 6:30-7:00 am, eats, stays awake until mom goes to work, falls asleep until around 10am, then gets up and zach and I play or he's in his bouncy chair. Takes another nap around 1 pm, wakes up around 2:30 or 3pm, waits for mommy to get home, then goes to sleep 1/2 hour after she gets home. (He knows when she gets home, because he makes sure he's awake). he usually gets cranky around 6 pm and we feed him some cereal (yes the doctor said this was O.K.), We then give him a bath, and he calms down for his bath. He just loves his bath, imagine that. We play with hime for a couple of hours and then he's ready for bed. He goes to bed around 8:30-9:30 and usually stays asleep until around 3am, for his feeding and then goes to sleep again until 6:30 am. That is Zach's routine now, and of course, I feed him more than I wrote in this. I talked with one of Zach's favorite nurses today, she's one of our favorite nurses as well. Linda was pleased to hear from us. She wasn't there when we left the hospital after the 78 day roller coaster ride. She was thrilled to hear Zach is doing so good, and plans on going to this blog to see his progress. She gave Zachary a very soft bear and a very nice brush and comb set. He loves them both, well maybe when he gets older. So, Zachary looks forward to his walks with his mom and dad, ok so Jill and I and the dog (Alex) look forward to them, he usually sleeps when we take him for a stroll around the block, but the fresh air is good for him and the threat of RSV is no longer active, so we are happier taking him out. We look forward to walking with him in the Walk of America the weekend of the 30th. Well I have to go, Zachary is calling me:)

Zach and Alex practicing the art of flight

Looks like Alex has a hemangeomia just like Zach's :) 

Mom NO MORE PICTURES, I'M NOT SMILING AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME !!!

He loves his new buddy 

I am what I am and thats what I am I'M POPEYE THE SAILOR MAN !!!!!!

Zach and his new BUILD A BEAR. Named ........ZACH

Doctors visit 10lbs 3.4 ounces

Well on Friday April 7th, 2006 we had a doctors visit to receive our last Synagis shot. I am sure the insurance companies are happy the shot cost $1800.00 and that was the last one Zach will ever need. Synagis® is a prescription medication that can help to prevent serious respiratory illness in babies and young children at high risk for severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease. Respiratory syncytial virus (sin-SISH-shul VI-rus) (RSV) is a very common virus. RSV causes mild cold-like symptoms in adults and children. But premature babies or those with lung or heart problems have a high risk of getting very sick if they catch RSV. This is because premature babies do not have fully developed lungs. Also, because they were born early, they may not have received virus-fighting substances (called antibodies) from their mothers that help them fight off RSV and other viruses. Each year, 125,000 infants in the United States are hospitalized with severe RSV infections, the leading cause of infant hospitalization. Severe RSV infections cause up to 500 childhood deaths annually. RSV may also be associated with more long-term health problems, such as asthma. RSV season usually starts in the fall and runs through the spring. Due to this I had limited visits and would like to thank those friends and family who could not visit and tell them I really appreciate your understanding. Zach looked really good and the doctor was impressed with his muscle tone. He almost got up on all fours, the doctor said WOW !!!!! We have set a appointment with the eye doctor for the near future as well as having his occupational thypist coming to the house next week. Thank You to everyone who has past thru our blog and left comments, you may not know it but they sure do brighten our day!!!!!

Click on link to see March of Dimes Video

http://easylink.playstream.com/marchofdimes/2006_english.wvx

A preemie poem

Every time I read this I cry, it is sure to hit home with all parents who have been through the experience. As I love you thru the glass, the hours seem so slow to pass. I stroke your skin, and hold your hand; this isn't exactly what I had planned. I cast my eyes up to the sky, and say a little prayer; that the Lord will hold you in His arms, and keep you in His care.So sleep and grow my baby, and dream of clouds of foam, and I will Love you thru the glass until you can come home. AFTER SPENDING 78 DAYS IN THE NICU ZACHARY GLEN ADEN HOFFMAN FINALLY CAME HOME. Please join us to Support the cause to help others with Premature Babies visit us at: www.walkamerica.org/JAH3399.

I just love this face !!!!! This is what it's all about. Being with my family through this all has given me a new prospective on life. It's not about the Job you have, the car you drive, the big house you may live in or the clothes you wear, I can live without all that. It's about FAMILY. And I love mine so much.

Sleep Study

Zach passed his sleep study. This means he does not have to take any more caffeine !!!!!! In addition to this the apena monitor we have will soon be gone. We feel more comfortable keeping it for now. After our discharge we stopped by and visited with the doctors and nurses in the NICU. Unfortunetly Zach was still conducting his own sleep study and did not wake up. It was so nice to see Dr. Ivacko, Amy, and Carolyn as well as the nurses from Special Care.

Zach at St. Joseph's hospital getting ready for his sleep study.  

Laughter is the best medicine !!!!!

Today is the first day Zach laughed out loud for most babies this is wonderful, however for Zach it seems to be so much more then words can describe. It is so nice to hear something other then crying. We are going to St. Joseph's hospital to have our sleep study today. The doctor stopped the caffeine on Monday since the test must have no results which may be affected by the use of the medication. Upon discharge from St Joseph's we had a sleep study conducted and Zach was the only baby ever to have the study ordered that actually past it. I hope he can do it again. :)

Zach in the morning.....obviously does not take after his mother!!!!!

Nicole

I thought my big brother was cool....then I met my big sister

What is he thinking?

Did someone say Fry ?

Zack is practicing the art of the SNOOTY FACE. It is funny how your entertainment of the week revolves around your babies faces. Oh that thing on his shirt is a french fry, although he cant eat them yet we did allow him to smell it. That also could explain the face he may be contemplating how to get a hold of it.

Zach 9 lbs 9 ounces

This is Zachs sneaky look to the side. We beleive he is in practice to be a spy. Actually we just arrived home from the doctors office we will be having our sleep study this weekend at St. Joseph hospital. We hope to see some of our friends in the NICU. We have come to miss them very much.

Zach on tummy time. The spot on his head is called a homanginoma. It will grow and then gradually disappear. We think it gives him character, if it doesnt disappear he's a shoe in to replace Rudolph. :)

:)

Zach is starting to smile, now the fun begins !!!!!

Zach and Dad.  

This may appear to be overstimulation, or a boy with too many toys.....NAH a boy can never have to many toys!!!!!!! 

Zach and his new toy, he loves his swing. It seems to be putting the dog to sleep so thats a bonus !!!!! 

We have a foot fettish in our house. These must be the cutest little feet ever!!!! 

This week we had a follow up with Dr. Dass (the eye doctor). Everything looks great so it appears the surgery was a success. In addition to this the home Nurse is pleased with his progress on feeding, No More Tube in his nose!!!!!! Feedings now take half the time. I am displaying some new pictures we have taken this week. Zach now weighs in at 8lbs 10 ounces. So he would of been a big baby if he went to his Febuary 19th due date.  

Nicholas

My big brother is the coolest !!!!! 

Zach in the NICU bouncey seat 

Zachary at home

Well, Zachary has been home for 2 weeks now and Jill and I have gotten about 12 hours of sleep in those two weeks. (kidding). As you can probably guess, Zachary has kept us awake for quite a many hours at night. It's his feedings which usually run an hour long. We have to give hime the opportunity to bottle feed for half an hour, then he gets tubed the rest of his food, should he not finish it. Using the NG tube to feed Zachary is a process too. We have to check for tube placement with a stethescope, then hang the food, and finally flush the tube. It is actually quicker if Zach takes his food by nipple. Which by the way he has done since yesterday afternoon. This makes Jill and I very happy, because he pulled his tube out of his nose yesterday (again) and we haven't had to put it back in, yet!!!! And then his Apnea monitor goes off in the middle of the night scaring both Jill and I out of our sleep. Half the time I think they are false alarms, or somebody is playing a sick joke on us. We think they have a remote and they trigger it when we are sleeping to keep us on our toes. Because 99% of the time, Zach is breathing fine. And it doesn't go off hardly at all during the day. Oh well, we've gotten used to getting up. Then there is the problem with Zach keeping his food down in his tummy. He has thrown up a few times, but it is not as often anymore. The nurse said no more than 3 in a 24 hour period, which he hasn't, and now it's rare. When he did express his food, it was because we were moving him around too much, so we've stopped that, and it seems to be working. YEAH!!!!!! Zach had several appointments last week with various doctors. The first of which was his pediatrician visit. The doctor said he looked fine. He's gaining weight good his lungs and heart sound good, and his hernias are gone. His second appointment was with the opthamoligist, and he said Zach's eyes are looking great, and he is not concerned anymore. This is great news for Jill and I, although he still could end up with glasses, but at least he will be able to see. Then we took him to the NICU to get a blood pressure reading and that was 98 which is kind of high, but not to be concerned about according to the pulmonoligist. Zach was scheduled to get blood pressure readings twice weekly, but his last two blood pressures were 84 and 80, so we don't have to worry about that anymore. Zach has a home nurse that comes to our house twice a week. She checks his blood pressure, weighs him, which by the way, he is 8 pounds 2 ounces now, and gaining every day. She also listens to his heart and lungs, keeps track of his feedings and various other things. Zach kept us up for a very long time last night and I'm contemplating contacting the doctor to see if I can change his caffeine intake times to the morning. I feel this may be the reason he is staying awake at nignt. We'll see. His nurse will be here in a couple of hours and then Jill and I can take a nap. So All in all we are happy with his progress, and very happy to have him home. He is my bundle of joy. It always amazes me that Jill and I have a little boy, and I am so proud to call him my son. I especially love his facial expressions. Zach is a little boy with many faces. And they are all adorable.

MR.Milk Mouth. The end of my feeding. Nite. 

Zach during a feeding 

Sleeping on Mom

CHRISTMAS IN THE NICU 

Zach at Two Weeks old at his lowest weight of 2 lbs

Ventilators: Babies in the NICU sometimes need extra help to breathe. The infant is connected to the ventilator (or breathing machine) via an endotracheal tube (a plastic tube that's placed into the windpipe through the mouth or nose). Babies who've been in the NICU for a prolonged stay - months at a time- may have a tracheostomy (a plastic tube inserted directly into the trachea) that's connected to the ventilator on the other end. There are many different kinds of ventilators - different situations call for different machines - but they all accomplish the same basic purpose: to help your child breathe.

GOING HOME!!!!!! DAD AND SON  

Our last stop Special Care, inside NICU 

home at last !!!!!!!! 

Zach the pacifer is almost the size of his head.  

Zach on CPAP

Nasal CPAP delivers air into your airway through a specially designed nasal mask or pillows. The mask does not breathe for you; the flow of air creates enough pressure when you inhale to keep your airway open.

Amy

Amy one of the most wonderful nurses at St, Joseph Hospital, holding Zach, on the day he went home

Dad and our little peanut.  

The roller-coaster inside NICU

Picture of Saint Joseph's delivery room. Zachary Glen Aden Hoffman, born 11-21-2005, 27 weeks. Zachary was our gift from god. Terry and I had given up hope on ever having children together. After returning from vacation in Florida, a vacation which found me to be ill, I purchased an at home pregnancy test. To our amazement it was positive !!!!!!!! Terry and I were so EXCITED. I was diagnosed with Diabetes prior to becoming pregnant. After meeting with Dr. Bryant, Terry and I were told I would have to have insulin shots. YUCK, I dispise needles, but if it was better for our baby I would not hesitate to be poked. Terry helped and gave me my shots at night. Dr, Bryant followed my progress with numerous tests, one included an ultra-Sound, which showed a picture of what the doctor told us was Our Little Girl. All was going pretty good until November 17, 2005. I felt cramps for three days and we thought it was best to go into the hospital to have it checked out. After discovering I had a thinning cervix, I was admitted for observation. Due to the fact I was 41, had diabetes and UTI, I was given two steroid injections to help the babies' under developed lungs. On November 20th, 2005 I attempted to utilize the bathroom, then it happened !!! My water broke. Looking back now the next day appears to be a blurry. The vision I will never forget is the look in Terrys' eyes during my C-Section. Moments after the baby was born Dr. Ivacko came in and knelt beside Terry and I, she said we had a problem, Our little girl was in fact a little boy!!!!!!! Our hearts sank at the moment she said we had a problem, but the news was delightful. Zachary Glen Aden Hoffman, born November 21, 2005 at 2LBS, 6 OUNCES 27 weeks. Zachary did not need a ventilator at birth, he started out breathing on his own. The only assistance he needed came from a nasal canula, this assisted his breathing with a constant flow of air. It was discoved that Zach needed additional assistance later on, so he was then put on CPAP, another type of breathing assistance device. After a week of numerous Apnea events, the doctors thought it would be wise to give Zach a break, and he was introduced to the Ventilator. Seeing your child on a ventilator, breathing for them, is one of the most hopeless feelings to have, (especially when your child cannot make any noises due to the tube in his throat). We were told if they did not give him the rest he needed he may have become stressed out and not have been able to breath at all. Zach did not like the Vent, it was only after a week to the day that he pulled it out and we once again went to CPAP. It was a slow transition from CPAP to Nasul canula. The Apnea monitor has a way of draining the life out of parents. Many alarms and weeks later Zach was weaned from the CPAP and was only on nasul canula. All premature babies have a vision exam, due to the fact it is common to have a condition known as Retinapothy of Prematurity Aka ROP. This is a condition in which the Blood vessels stop growing towards the Retina and start growing abnormally. In order to correct this, if the condition is advanced, Laser Surgery must be performed. Well to our disappoinment when all seemed to be going good, Zach was diagnosed with ROP. The surgery itself was concerning, however even more then that, we were facing the fact of Zach being placed back on the Ventilator. It felt as though someone just dropped a bomb on us. FACT: Retinopathy of PrematurityThe eyes of premature infants are especially vulnerable to injury after birth. A serious complication is called retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), which is abnormal growth of the blood vessels in an infant's eye. About 7% of babies weighing 1,250 grams or less at birth develop ROP, and the resulting damage may range from mild (the need for glasses) to severe (blindness). The cause of ROP in premature infants is unknown. Although it was previously thought that too much oxygen was the primary problem, further research has shown that oxygen levels (either too low or too high) play only a contributing factor in the development of ROP. Premature babies receive eye exams in the NICU to check for ROP The Ventilator is needed for this surgery because the medications given paralyze you so you cannot move. After the hour surgery, Dr Dass came to inform us Zach did well, however we will be following up with his office and Dr. Tish ( an optmoligist) for many months. Prior to the surgery we were told Zach will wean off the ventilator within two hours, give or take a few. Terry and I went home that night and anticipated a phone call that night telling us he was taken off the vent, but that call never came. We looked forward to seeing Zach the next day breathing on his own. Once again the roller coaster ride continues. That next day numerous nurses watched over our baby as he remained on the ventilator. I watched him turn Blue and stop breathing in my arms several times. The sick feeling that over comes a parent in this situation is indescribable. Thank the lord Zach took off breathing again. He needed extra oxygen and stimulation numerous times. I can not say enough about the NICU at St. Joseph's in Ann Arbor. I have spent time at the NICU in UOM in Ann Arbor with my oldest son. You always hear good things about UOM'S NICU, however in my experience St. Joseph is by far the best !!!!! We really are so grateful to all the wonderful doctor's and nurse's. If god planned to have angels on earth I found them there. Well Zach is home now, prior to his discharge he was given a sleep study to evaluate his apnea during a 12 hour period. This is given to support the decision of the need for oxygen at home. Zach is the First baby to pass the sleep study, he did not need to go home on oxygen!!!!!!!! At this time Zach is on an apnea monitor at home and a feeding tube. He tends to tire out towards the end of his 2 ounce feedings so we feed what's left in the bottle through a tube which runs into his stomach via his nose. Zach is now 7 lbs 12 ounces. We feel truly blessed that he has come to us. We still don't know what hurdles we may have in the future, but we know that all the love we have as a family and with the strength we have obtained through this we will be able to make it through anything.

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