Happy 1st Birthday Logan!

One year ago tomorrow my best friend gave birth to a little boy, Logan Bennett.  Logan was born 8 weeks premature with a due date of June 14.  I remember getting a call from her mom on that morning.  I happened to be on a break at work and she said "Maelen, they are taking Jen in for an emergency c-section, Logan will be here today." I hung up the phone and spent the rest of the day worrying about my best friend and her new little boy.  I knew he was very premature and with a stay in the NICU, many challenges and difficult times were ahead. But what a stubborn (A little bit like his mother) and STRONG little boy he was! Throughout the days and weeks ahead, Logan would improve, then fall back a little, then improve, then fall back and then improve some more.  I was fortunate to visit him and Jenny at University of Washington NICU a couple of different times and was amazed at the work they do there.  Logan is the first child close to me that was born premature or had to be in a NICU for that matter.  My first visit, Travis (Jenny's husband) met me at the elevator. (Such a good guy! Jen knows of my fear of  riding elevators by myself so she always had someone waiting for me) He showed me the ropes of how to enter the NICU with the complete scrub down and health check. I was very intimidated by all the tubes, machines and alarms at first. I was able to touch Logan and see his little face and body and again felt very intimidated but as time and visits passed, I became more and more comfortable with it and even got to hold Logan on one visit! Logan got to go home on July 3, 2010! He spent a total of  8 weeks in the NICU at University of Washington, was transferred to Children's Hospital for surgery and then spent 2 weeks there before going home.  Today Logan is a happy and healthy one year old little boy!  On Saturday we will celebrate him and all he has overcome in his first year of life. I am so excited to help celebrate with him. I have watched him come a long way and fight so hard! He truly is a blessing and I love him!!

This picture is from my very first visit with Logan. I believe he was about a week and a half old. So tiny!

This is my favorite picture! His little eyes are open, looking at mom and dad.  Jenny and Travis were amazing through this whole thing.  One of them was by Logan's side at almost all times. Logan was blessed with very loving, patient and faithful parents!

Logan chilling at the parade (Late July 2010)

I took this picture about 2 weeks ago at the mall with his new hat that I bought him.

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY LOGAN! AUNTIE LOVES YOU!