{Blake Sherman}
Due Date: 2/11/23
Birthday: 12/29/22
Birth Time: 4:46pm
Weight: 5lbs 7oz
Length: 18.1 inches
Blake’s Story:
Sharing the news: I shared our pregnancy with my husband by putting my positive pregnancy test and a daddy onesie in our baby crib (already had for my nephews who I use to watch). We had been trying on and off for roughly over a year. Once Eddie noticed the pregnancy test, he was in disbelief. He was so excited and we hugged for a long time. We immediately began calculating due dates/ planning for this new adventure!
Pregnancy moments: My pregnancy was relatively horrific. I had terrible morning sickness in the first and half of the second trimester that required prescripted medications to keep the symptoms at bay, a hospitalization in the first trimester for a kidney stone, and 3 other hospitalizations for bleeding (placenta previa) leading to a 17 day hospitalization pre emergency c section.
Pregnancy cravings: Sushi!! I also don’t drink typically (pre pregnancy) but I was craving a chilis strawberry -mango frozen margarita.
Naming Blake: Blake’s middle name is Sherman. My first fur child is named Sherman. I rescued him well before knowing my husband, from Puerto Rico. I have battled severe depression for many years and was in a dark place when I went on a family vacation to Puerto Rico. We noticed all the homeless dogs and I wanted to bring one back to the US with me. It was very unlike my parents, but they let me adopt one, as they could see where my mental health was. Though my mental health was bad when I initially adopted Sherman, I had a turning point for the worst that summer, approx 6 months after adopting him. I had attempted to take my life and (thankfully) failed. When writing goodbye letters, I very much had tunnel vision. While writing, I realized Sherman would have to be re-homed. This is the point where my suicidal ideations came to an end. I knew I couldn’t leave him with anyone else. With out Sherman, I don’t think I would be here today.
Meeting Blake: I briefly saw Blake in the operating room but he was quickly taken away with the NICU team. My husband wasn’t allowed to follow him into the treatment room until he was taken into the unit. My husband bounced back and forth from the O.R to the NICU keeping me updated. After recovery, they took me on a stretcher to the NICU, next to Blake’s Incubator. I was able to reach in and touch him and talk to him before going to the mother baby unit. After my nurse evaluated me and the paralytics wore off, I was able to sit in a wheelchair and go back to the NICU to spend time with Blake. I wasn’t able to hold him yet but I felt a love come over me that I never felt before. I felt like I betrayed him, with the inability to keep him in utero longer and I also felt defeated, that I couldn’t do anything to help him. I made it a point to be with him everyday, all day, and do skin to skin as much as I could to let him know we were there with him and was okay.
First look: He was very swollen at first, especially with the CPap mask on. Besides that I noticed his long fingers and big feet! Once he was able to breath without the ventilator/CPap, they were able to remove the hat that was helping hold all his breathing lines and we noticed his full head of dark hair! We were not expecting this.
Favorite features: I never want to forget Blake’s long fingers, big feet, pointy ears, side profile with his cute little nose, and chubby cheeks. He is a very squeaky/vocal baby and we never want to forget the continual noises he makes (day and night).
Favorite moments: I never want to forget his graduation from the NICU. We visited him everyday, for long days. But it was like we were part time parents. Graduating the NICU was monumental as he was healthy and stable enough to come home but also, when we became full time parents.
Blake’s personality: Blake is a lazy guy. We joked in the NICU that he wouldn’t want to breathe for himself, or he preferred the OG/NG tubes in so he didn’t have to work for feeding. Now at home, Blake loves to snack. Eat a little hear and there (which we are attempting to stop) along with sleep all the time (we are also trying to increase our awake times). He’s very much a man on his own terms.
View Blake’s gallery of newborn photos:
