A shirt-tastic week 25!

Happy 25 weeks sweet boy! 

This week has been nothing but busy for you! You have been busy kicking at all hours, busy growing, and busy soaking in lots of snuggles. We have been having so much fun talking to you and telling you all about our adventures and telling you about how busy you have been keeping us! You just roll and squirm when you hear our voices, it's the best. We've also been giving you the pleasure of hearing our 'wonderful singing voices'. ;) Mama sings "You are my Sunshine" and you get so calm and quiet. Its beautiful. Well, it's beautiful at how calm you get, we can't say the same for Mama's singing voice. Mama can't wait to hold you in her arms and sing it to you.

We finally got the special chance to ask Uncle Jason if he would be your Godfather! Of course he said yes and him a Daddy celebrated with a very Godfatherly cigar. 

Every night, before bed, we have some snuggle time on the couch. Big Brother talks to you and loves feeling you move around. This week he laid really close to see if he could hear you talking back. :)

We got your shirts in from the amazing team at Shirt Kong!!!! (Have we mentioned how much we love them?!!!) Your very first fundraiser is complete and it was such a HUGE success. We are in the process of getting a lawyer and drawing up papers for a trust for your foundation and paying for the ultrasound scan that we had of your brain. This fundraiser is helping to pay for those two things. The remainder of the funds is being put towards our Duke University donation, and being saved for your future medical expenses and foundation work. We are so grateful to everyone who contributed to Luca's Bright Light Fundraiser. Thank you for helping us to do so much more for our son and for all babies that are diagnosed with Acrania and Anencephaly. However, Thank you will never be enough and truly doesn't justify how much your generosity means to us.

Mama and Papa have been super busy sorting shirts and getting them delivered and mailed.

We loved getting a few pictures in of Team Luca supporters in their shirts and we cant wait to see more Luca adventures in the coming weeks. 

Thank you Jordan Lawrence!

 

And thank you Backes for looking stunning...as always. 

                                              

On Thursday our friend Laurel told us about the upcoming season premiere of KSDK's Frontline for Hope, a show that chronicles the stories of the brave children at Saint Louis Children's Hospital. In the season premiere preview a sweet baby girl named Aliyah is born without the top of her skull and diagnosed with Acrania, the same diagnosis that you were recently given.Through our research we know two things, she defeated her death sentence and she is a moving and grooving sweet little girl. To say we are overflowing with hope is an understatement. We are so excited to see her story unfold, learn about their research and developments, and get in contact with the doctors that are working on treating these babies right in our own backyard, here, in Saint Louis.

Everyone came over to watch the show with us! We contacted Children's again and officially have an appointment set up with them next week. We have been praying like CRAZY that their team will be more optimistic and get us the answers we need and that every family facing these diagnoses deserves.

We love you baby boy...to the moon and back, forever and ever. -Mama and Daddy

Luca is 6 months!

Can you believe it baby bear?! You are 6 months old. Oye, how time flies. Mommy and Daddy would give ANYTHING to slow down this time with you. Its going way too quickly. 

This week we fulfilled the number one thing Papa wanted to do with you...take you ice skating. Hockey is a huge part of our family, in fact it's how Mommy and Daddy met, and being able to ice skate with his boys was something Daddy was determined to do. 

After your loop around, we of course had to take a photo opt with everyone who was there skating with you. Thank you Grandpa Greg and Uncle Jacob for having so much fun with us. <3

And an extra special shout out to Grandpa Greg for helping Mama tie her skates! You (Luca) were so excited and stretching out all over Mama's tummy, that Mama couldn't bend to do it herself. Thanks Grandpa, it was just like the good ol'days. 

Daddy and his boys ice skating for the very first time. <3

On Sunday we went to Build a Bear with Big Brother, GodMama, and her sweet little munchkins. Big Brother had oodles of fun and you were just as thrilled as you wiggled and kicked the entire time! Big Brother made you your own special Luca Bear that you can snuggle with at the hospital when you are born. He can't wait to give it to you! He's keeping it safe by his bed till February. No worries.

First, Big Brother picked out your bears heart and warmed it up! Then, he added all the kind qualities he thought your sweet little bear should have.

Next, he worked very hard on stuffing your bear with lots of soft squishy love. 

 

Yup, that feels squishy enough!

 Your bear is all finished! Well, almost. We got a special recorder while we were there to record your heartbeat at our next sonogram. The recorder fits perfectly inside your bear so that we can always hear that precious heartbeat of yours.
 Big Brother and Mama made an official bear birth certificate for Luca Bear the bear. 

He's all yours!

A visit with Grandma Melinda and Uncle Devin! :)

It snowed! It's so hard to see it in this picture but it snowed for the very first time on Thursday (November 13th). You kicked and punched all around! You were so happy...or scared because of all the little screams of excitement that you may have been hearing in Ms.Melanie's classroom. It was so pretty!

Later that day Papa came and visited us at school for Thanksgiving lunch. It was soooo good! You had 2 plates, plus your new favorite dessert....pumpkin pie! And then you may or may not have had another slice after that one. We'll let Mama's thighs do the talking in a few months. 

Our buddy Greg took you to the King of Kings statue or "Touchdown Jesus" at Notre Dame. Awesomeness!

Thank you Greg!

On Friday we got the results back from your chromosome test. We had been told that you likely have other chromosome abnormalities along with your Acrania and Anencephaly. The doctors suggested doing the chromosome test to have us clearly see what other life threatening obstacles you were facing and why your survival just wasn't possible. However, the test came back that you are at NO RISK for any other chromosome abnormalities. You are our perfect little fighter. 

So what does this mean for you and for us now? Well, we hope that it will give the doctors a green light for ordering the fetal MRI. We hope it will give them the curiosity to see what the real issues are with Ancephalic babies and why they can't be saved, and someday on how they can.  We are tired of hearing guesses and hope someone will start wanting to learn more about the facts. We hope one of them will want to fight right along with us.

Not all Ancephalic babies have Chromosome Abnormalities, so our guess is that not all Ancephalic babies have to die. 

Keep fighting baby boy, we are all right here fighting with you. 

Happy 24 weeks of life sweet boy.

We love you SO MUCH, to the moon and back. -Mommy and Daddy

Where is the time going?! Week 23!

Happy 23 weeks of your precious life Luca Bear! 

                                                

Backes was getting a little jealous that he wasn't being included in any belly pictures, so we let him take over this weeks.

Every time he gets near you you roll, flip, and give oodles of kicks and punches. Although he stresses Daddy out to the max and makes Mama a little bonkers, we are pretty certain he's one of your favorites! You can't get enough Backes love. <3

You also LOVE music! As soon as you hear a tune you start to dance all around. It's awesome! You, Big Brother, and Backes have been getting down to Mickey Mouses Hot dog dance this week. You guys definitely have some sweet moves!

Mommy and Daddy headed to Mercy to see you again this week and talk to the doctors a bit about your delivery...which is just 3 MONTHS AWAY!!! Stop growing up so fast. :( 

Seriously. 

In true male fashion, you wanted no part in getting your picture taken. Anytime the probe came close, you stuck those hands right up! Goof ball!

We did get a little look at those big Gilbertsen lips that you have before you shooed us out of the way. 

So stinkin handsome...

 

However, you were perfectly happy stretching out, mooning us, and showing off your boy goods. Typical boys. Oye!

We got a HUGE surprise this week at school. They let us in on a little secret that they had been selling Luca bracelets and raising funds for our family. It was such a wonderful surprise to see Big Brother walk in with a 'Luca Lion' and wearing his very own Luca Bracelet. Mommy, who is an incredibly great detective, had NO IDEA! 

(We are still in amazement by the amount of love and support we get each and everyday from so many families at Chesterfield Academy. 'Thank you' will never justify the amount of gratitude we have for each of you and the overwhelming support you have given us through this gift, the constant hugs, kind words, and encouragement. Thank you for loving our little boy and for helping us to achieve so much more for our son. And thank you to Ms. Melanie for the most beautiful heartfelt bracelets for Luca and for coordinating this entire event. You are an amazing woman with the biggest heart. We love you all so very very much.)
 

 The next day at school children from all classrooms walked in to show us their very own Luca bracelet. 

Our hearts are filled with SO. MUCH. JOY!

THANK YOU! 

Happy 23 weeks of life Luca!

We love you to the moon and back!

Mommy and Daddy

A SPOOKtacular week 22!

This week was your very first Halloween and, must we say, you and Big Brother were the cutest lions EVER!

But first, we kicked off your very first fundraiser. Mommy and Daddy are so excited to share the awesome t-shirts that were designed in your honor and to tell everyone about your Bright Light Fund. 

Thank you to everyone who is helping to make this a success. It means the world to us.

On Sunday we went to Rombachs pumpkin patch with Big Brother, Taelor and Pearly girl. It was such a beautiful day for pony rides, funnel cakes, and pumpkin picking!

Big Brother and Daddy helped pick out the most perfect Luca pumpkin! Isn't it adorable?! 

You loved having your first bite of yummy funnel cake! It made you flip and roll all over, 

Later that afternoon you and Mommy went to church. After mass, Father Joe met with us and did lots of chatting with Mommy about everything that has been happening. He was so reassuring and, as always, he was very helpful in helping sort Mamas thoughts. You were so thrilled to meet him too. He held you and blessed you with the most beautiful prayer. 

Big Brother worked SO HARD at cleaning out your pumpkin during Pumpkin Carving night. He loved digging through all the goo and seeds. We bet you'd like getting messy too.

 

Look at those seeds sticking to his belly! What a goof ball :)

Then, Daddy did the most amazing carving job! He worked so hard and the pumpkins were so special and so beautiful!

On Halloween night Mommy cooked her scrumptious chili that you love so much and Grandpa, Grandma Christi, Grandma Sue, Uncle Jacob, Uncle Jason, KenKen,Taelor and Eric all came over to spend the spooky night with us and do some trick or treating! It was so cold out so we only made it to two houses, but you and Big Brother still had a blast being with family and eating yummy treats! 

And lastly, look where you got to go! Mexico!

Thank you Ashley Whittaker for taking our sweet boy on such an adventure!

We love you SO MUCH baby boy...to the moon and back! 

-Mommy and Daddy