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2005 Archives Christmas 2005 with the Black Family
We stayed the night at Peggy's house before heading back to Tyler. It was a mush needed break from the road for Ella and Mom, especially. To see pictures from the Black Family Christmas together, click here. More 2005 with the Hollis Family
We played games and hung out with Jana, John, and Molly and Travis, Marci, and Meredith. It was really a fun time to spend with family, especially with a newborn! Click here for the rest of the pictures from our trip to Kansas. Christmas 2005 with the Hollis Family
December 11, 2005 - Ella Noelle Hollis is here!
Ella is 7 pounds 1 ounce and 20 inches long. She is eating well and sleeping a lot! When first entering the world, everyone could here the set of lungs she had on her. Very tired parents are thankful to everyone who has come to visit. We are especially thankful to God for this wonderful gift. She is precious! Click here for some pictures of this wonderful event! October 30, 2005 - Pumkin Patch Fun!
We also hosted a pumpkin carving party last weekend. It was a nice time of fellowship and we did happen to turn out some pretty cool pumpkins! Click here to see our pumpkins that we carved. October 8, 2005 - Pictures of Ashley
I can't believe we are already coming upon 30 weeks. I am now visiting the doctor every other week so my next doctor's appointment is right around the corner on Tuesday! Don't forget to read below and listen to the heartbeat if you haven't! More updates to follow... September 29, 2005 - The Latest Heartbeat at 28 Weeks! We are so blessed! Today was another doctor's visit! I thought that now that I am into the third trimester, that we should update the latest heartbeat. The heartbeat is right in the middle of where babies usually are and is around 130 - 140. It was accelerating as we were listening, I think due to the fact that we were talking and the baby was awake. Click here to listen! For today's visit, I had to drink the (poor tasting) glucose mix so they could check my blood for gestational diabetes. That was probably another reason the heartbeat of the baby was increasing due to all of the sugar. The visit went well. They will call me if my blood results turn out badly, but otherwise things should be fine! I measured a week sooner than what I should be (but, that is what everything has been saying, including sonograms - keep praying it will come a little early!). After the doctor's visit, Justin and I registered for a childbirth class through the hospital from October 27 through the first week of December, once a week. My next doctor's visit is in two weeks. We should be posting some pictures soon of my rather large waistline for those who are curious how pregnancy is taking a toll on my body! The baby is definitely starting to "hog" space in there and it is still the neatest feeling to feel it sliding around inside! Stay tuned for pictures... August 5, 2005 - More Sonogram Pictures!
During the sonogram, our baby was sleeping (of course). It's funny how a baby can be uncooperative from the start! She pushed baby Hollis around trying to get different views for measurements (and baby Hollis would just sit there and kick his/her legs or move his/ her arms). Basically, our baby is an average size. According to the measurements of the head, belly, and thigh, our baby is about average (50th percentile) in weight and a little tall for it's age (go figure). He said we will probably have a big baby, but that it could change between now and then. The circumference of the head was about 18 cm. The circumference of the belly was 18.5 cm. Baby Hollis knows how to eat and had food in the stomach and urine in the bladder. The umbilical cord was three stranded (normal). The heart was difficult to get pictures of, but in most likelyhood is normal. We saw it pumping (that is so amazing to see the different chambers!) I am a little disappointed in the pictures they let us take home. We don't have any face shots, but the feet are pretty cute. I want to get a 4D sonogram so we can see it better!! Twenty more weeks and we'll hopefully be seeing it by then without any equipment! Click here for pictures of the sonogram! July 13, 2005 - The Beating of a Heart at 17 Weeks Thanking God continuously, we have a good heartbeat again! Today was another doctor's visit where I met with my third and final doctor (who was just as nice as the last two and very friendly). I am finally positive on the scale, having gained one whole pound above my pre-pregnancy weight! I'm sure from now on, I won't have any problems gaining weight... but might have difficulties losing it later. Well, the doctor said the baby's heartbeat was 170, but how could that be possible when it sounds just the same, if not slower than the first one? If anything, it is sounding more and more like a girl! But then again, we will be happy with either version of a baby Hollis! The moment you've all been waiting for... (drum roll, please)... here is the baby's heartbeat once again! (In four weeks, on August 5, I will go in for another SONOGRAM!) July 11, 2005 - Tommy's Surgery Update
After hearing from Meridith, it seems the surgery went well and he is now recovering. He has had some problems coming out of the anesthesia and hasn't been able to keep much down. The doctor is not too worried though considering it was surgery on his middle ear which is very sensitive. He said he should start eating like normal whenever he gets hungry enough! Please pray for Tommy's recovery and for Meridith as she sees her little boy hurting. He understands so much more this time around than when he went through this procedure as a 2 year old. July 19 is the official date of when they will be "turning on" his processor and turning off his old one. From that point, he will be learning to hear out of his new ear for the first time! Once he has mastered his new ear, he will have both processors up and running! July 6, 2005 - My Hair is Gone...
It feels SO much better! I am already feeling a lot cooler outside now. And it is the funniest feeling to turn my head and feel my hair bounce instead of getting caught in the door or window or seatbelt or bag or someone else's bag or anything! I donated 10 inches and went to Great Clips to have it cut because they are one of the participating salons. Overall, it was a great experience and I just might do it again! Click here for pictures! June 17, 2005 - Tommy's Implant is a GO!
One way they are able to have the Dallas Hearing Foundation and the implant company donate to Tommy's surgery is because they are making Tommy a "test subject" for a new type of implant. He will be receiving a new version of cochlear implant that the implant company has devised. Because they are making him a research study, they are able to get most of the costs covered for the surgery. Tommy will have a different processor on his other ear, but eventually they will upgrade the one he currently has to that type of processor and he will look more symmetrical. We are just so amazed! June 16, 2005 - Hear HER(?) heartbeat...
Today we had our second doctor's visit. It went very nicely. I met with my second doctor - who was very nice. We turned down genetic testing, again, and she said "Good choice". The only problem I have is that I am not immune to Rubella which can be dangerous when pregnant. The good news is that kids should be vaccinated with that before entering public school so I shouldn't have too high a risk with teaching while I'm pregnant. She did say that after the baby is born, I need to be vaccinated so that I will be immune during my next pregnancy. My next pregnancy... who can think about that at a time like this? :) June 14, 2005 - Updates... I am beginning my 14th week of pregnancy (second trimester) this week! It has been very exciting so far. I haven't been too sick, just nauseous occasionally and a few lost lunches. Overall, I have had a very blessed pregnancy. I still don't look pregnant (unless I am in a swimsuit), but I do not really fit well in anything anymore. Our next doctor's appointment is on June 16 (just two days away). At this appointment, they will probably let us hear the baby's heartbeat! That will be very exciting. Besides pregnancy, things are going well. Justin will be starting a new job soon with Southside Bank in their IT Department. It should be a good opportunity for growth in his career. The company he is currently with is smaller and has less upward movement, so we are looking forward to the future and what may come.
May 18, 2005 - VERY New Things!!!
We are very blessed by God to have such a wonderful gift. It wasn't planned (just yet), we were actually going for summer, but we couldn't be happier! The due date for now is December 19. We are hoping the baby will be ready earlier so that we can spend Christmas with family. We'll see! Enjoy the pictures! |
Today,
Tommy went in at 7:00 am for his day surgery. He ate a HUGE breakfast
last night because he wasn't going to be able to eat breakfast this
morning (he did not like the "no breakfast" idea, hence
breakfast for dinner!). Meridith made everything possible for breakfast
(dinner) and boy did he chow down!
Meridith
just called me and had some very, very, very good news! This goes
to show how much God takes care of us even when things look bleak.
She has been waiting on a quote from her doctor to see how much
he was going to charge for the surgery. Today, she received a call
from them saying they were going to have the Dallas Hearing Foundation
cover the majority of the costs of Tommy's surgery. Meridith and
Bill will be left with a bill that is around $2,450. When Crusade
turned them down again for the last time, they offered a love offering
to them of $2,000. As long as that offer is confirmed and received,
that will leave Meridith and Bill with $450. Is that not amazing?
Of course there will be expenses afterwards, like doctor appointments
and speech therapy, but that is nothing compared to the amount that
they started with.
It
is really too soon to tell whether our bundle of joy is a boy or
a girl, but based on the old wives tale, we are having
a girl. HER heartrate was 155 (which is in the top range of heartbeats
for babies). They say the slower the heartbeat, the bigger chance
it will be a boy, and the faster the heartbeat, the bigger chance
it will be a girl. We were allowed to take a recorder in with us
so that we could capture the heartbeat for everyone. 
For
those who haven't heard, Tommy (Meridith & Bill's son) was refused
by insurance again on getting his second cochlear implant. Their
doctor has performed at least 70 of these surgeries on children
(all of whose costs were covered byother insurance companies). The
sad thing is that in larger crowds (like when he goes to Awanas
at the awards ceremony), he doesn't hear when they call his name.
It's a lot easier to hear out of two ears that it is out of one.
The cochlear implant company donated an implant to Tommy since the
insurance company turned down the procedure. Now, it is up to Meridith
and Bill to completely cover the high costs of surgery for Tommy.
They have set up a fund with the Dallas Hearing Foundation and are
accepting donations for this expense. The Dallas Hearing Foundation
will collect money on the behalf of Tommy and send out tax-deduction
receipts to donors. Tommy will receive 100% of the donations towards
his surgery. Any extra donations received will go towards Jake's
implant surgery (he is also deaf) and towards speech therapy for
both boys. If you would like to donate to Tommy's surgery, please
mail a check made out to "Dallas Hearing Foundation" to
us (