Missing Hunter.

                                              Hunter Lee's perfect feet.

Well, it has been 3 days since we said our goodbye's to Hunter.  It hasn't gotten easier.  Little things, like seeing the two outfits I had bought for him, or seeing the portable swing we were going to use at my place, brings tears to my eyes.  Knowing he will never get to use the stuff I bought him is so sad.  I have to refocus and remember he is happy in Heaven, safe with God.  I know I will see him again someday.  I keep staring at his pictures and thinking of how stinkin' cute he already was at only 24 weeks along.  He was so amazing!  So perfect!  So loved!  So wanted!  I can only hope he felt his family's love for him in the 90 minutes we got to spend with him while he was alive.  I'm sure he did.  Tomorrow his mommy will get to leave the hospital and then the hospital will do an autopsy, then send his body to be cremated.  His ashes will stay with his parents.  They decided to not bury him.  I am glad they will at least have his remains nearby at all times.  All of this was written just to say, I am missing Hunter!  I will always miss him, especially at family get togethers when we all notice one of our family members is not there.  I love you Hunter Lee!  Love, Auntie Karen.

In loving memory of Hunter Lee

On Friday, July 13th, my SIL (Erik's mommy), was admitted to the hospital because Erik's baby brother, Hunter Lee, was not doing so well in the womb.  My SIL was 23 weeks pregnant at the time.  They needed to keep her at the hospital for observation and tests.  It turns out Hunter's lungs were not measuring correctly (too small) and that he had fluid on his brain.  The doctors wanted to try and get Hunter to 30 weeks gestation before delivering him, to try and give him a chance.  However, one week later, Friday, July 20th, the realized Hunter hadn't grown the whole week and that the placenta was barely sustaining him.  They decided to deliver Hunter, now at 24 weeks gestation, that night.  Hunter Lee was born at 9:11 p.m. on July 20th.  He was tiny, only 13.1 oz. and 9 1/2 inches long.  He was so tiny, they couldn't get a breathing tube in him, although they did try.  They realized quickly that it wouldn't work, and so they did not take him to the NICU.  Instead, they allowed my mom and I to join my brother and my SIL in a private setting.  They brought Hunter to us and we got to hold him and kiss him and tell him we love him.  He lived for an hour and a half, and I am so thankful we got to meet him, no matter how brief our time with him was.  We spent 2 whole hours just holding him and taking pictures of him.  He had the cutest face and such perfect fingers and toes.  I am so sad we had to bid him farewell so soon, but I find peace in knowing he is in Heaven with Jesus and that he feels no pain.  We are the ones left to grieve here on Earth.  So, it is with sadness that I say, rest in peace sweet Hunter Lee!  We love you so very much!  You will never, ever be forgotten.  Some people only dream of angels, we held one in our arms.  Love,  Your Auntie.

An angel in the book of life, wrote down our baby's birth, then whispered as he closed the book, "Too beautiful for Earth".

It's a BOY!

Well, we found out Erik is going to have a baby brother.  His name will be Hunter.  And while things were going well for the 1st 20 weeks of Hunter's exsistance, it seems he has reached a stalling point in his development.  So, please, if anyone is reading this, please pray for Hunter.  Pray that he will start growing again and that he will be born healthy.  Right now it's not looking so great.  He has low amniotic fluid which has resulted in his lungs being small.  They also noticed fluid on his brain, which leads us to believe he might have hydrocephalus. The placenta is not functioning like it should which has resulted in the several problems popping up.  My greatest hope is that the doctors are wrong, but they probably aren't.  I just want Hunter to be happy and healthy.  We already love him so much, and I'd rather not have to say goodbye to him before we really get the chance to get to know him.  He does have a strong heartbeat and he moves around a lot according to his mommy.  So, please pray for Hunter.  Christopher, Justin and Erik would make great big brothers and we'd love to welcome Hunter into our family.
PS Tomorrow Claire will be 24 weeks into this pregnancy.  The doctor would like to keep Hunter in her womb until at least 30 weeks, preferrably longer.  Thanks.