Oma and Opa Schouten came to see Taylor last week. Taylor loved spending time with them. She especially liked babbling with Oma. Something about Oma just brought out Taylor’s talkative side and she hasn’t been the same since. :) Thanks for coming out Oma and Opa- we hope you will come back again soon!
Yesterday Taylor had a follow up appointment with her developmental therapist. The doctor said he is very pleased with her progress since his examination of her in the hospital. Taylor’s reflexes have improved and her range of motion is normal. At this point there aren’t a lot of milestones to be able to gauge her development, but from what he can tell she is on the right track. He’ll reexamine her in a few months and hopefully we will have more good news.
Finally- Taylor is putting on some weight! In the last few days she’s gained almost half a pound. She’s nearly 8 1/2 pounds now. That’s pretty tiny for a baby that is 9 weeks adjusted age. But HUGE for our little 1 1/2 pound wonder. We are proud!
Here are a few pictures I took of Taylor today. She looks good in Ralph Lauren, huh?! :)
This August 6th we celebrated my birthday! Jeff surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of tulips and we had an amazing dinner at the Melting Pot while Grandma Hunt had a girls night with Taylor. It was the best birthday yet! Thanks to my friends and family for making me feel so loved!
My beautiful family!
And my beautiful flowers!
I am one lucky girl!
After hanging out with us for about a week- Grandma and Grandpa Hunt had to head back to Colorado. But not before we had our first Hunt Family BBQ in the backyard! Thanks to Jeff, we had a beautifully manicured back yard to dine in! :)
Cuddling with Grandpa before he left.
And Grandma too!
Thanks for coming out to visit us! We had a great time and can’t wait to see you again!
My boss, Representative Ted Poe (TX-02), gave a touching tribute to Taylor and her incredible journey.
TAYLOR: THE LITTLE MIRACLE BABY
SPEECH OF HON. TED POE OF TEXAS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2009
• Mr. POE of Texas. “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” Madame Speaker, Hellen Keller made this observation about life and today I’d like to share the inspiring story of Taylor Christine Hunt. A little baby who I like to call the Miracle Baby. Her story is a moving reminder that prayer, faith, hope, and love can and do overcome the challenges of life.
• Born at 27 weeks and weighing just one and a half pounds little Baby Taylor beat the odds. Last fall my staffer, Nicole Hunt and her husband Jeff Hunt shared their excitement with me as they announced they were expecting their first baby at the end of May. In January of this year they found out they were having a girl. We all rejoiced at the news. However, on March 1, 2009, due to pregnancy complications, little Baby Taylor was born three and a half months premature.
• Taylor was immediately admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and placed on a ventilator to help her breathe. She remained on the ventilator for nearly a week as doctors kept a close watch on her. Nicknamed the “little spitfire” by doctors and nurses because of her sassy and stubborn attitude towards all of their poking and prodding, Taylor would not let anything keep her down.
• Early on doctors detected an irregularity with her heart and took prompt medical action to correct it. Thankfully they were successful. In the first few months of her life doctors also discovered that Taylor had an eye disorder that primarily affects premature babies. Miraculously, it was there one day and gone the next. Today Taylor has perfect vision. Slowly, as Taylor’s body matured, she learned to breathe on her own, take food, and maintain her body temperature.
• While Jeff and Nicole sat by her bedside day and night, they also rallied a huge group of supporters to pray for Taylor. Taylor even had her own website called “Pray Taylor Home” and literally thousands of people all over this country and the world prayed for her recovery.
• On June 2, 2009, after 94 days of hospitalization, hundreds of tests, dozens of specialists, 3 blood transfusions, and one ambulance ride, Taylor was finally well enough to go home.
• Today Taylor has been home for about two months and is thriving. She is almost 8 pounds and is developing beautifully. It has been a pleasure to see this little Miracle Baby beat the odds and I am proud to share her story with this Chamber today.
• Edith Wharton, a famous novelist, once wrote: “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” Taylor is that candle–spreading hope and teaching all of us that we must never give up.
• And that’s just the way it is.
THEN
NOW
This past weekend the Hunts headed out to Mount Vernon and Taylor got her first taste of life as the American President. It was a pretty warm day- but Taylor did great and we even dined at the Mount Vernon Inn after our tour. It was a great day!
This past weekend Taylor welcomed back her Grandma and Grandpa Hunt. She hasn’t see Grandpa since she was just a few weeks old and still in the NICU. Grandpa got to hold Taylor for the very first time. As you can tell it was very exciting. :)
And as usual Taylor loves it when Grandma holds her.
