Priceless moments with Wrenn & Tanner

Today I had the opportunity to visit Wrenn again. Last time I visited it was late in the day and there was very little light so once I heard their trip to St. Louis was delayed we schedule a time so I could come visit again. When I first arrived Wrenn was resting with Nicole after getting her ready for her photos.



Nicole mentioned a nurse had made a beautiful flower headband for her so we took a few photos of her with her flower. Something tells me that as she grows older we'll see many more photos with her precious little flower hair accessories.



It was so cute to see Wrenn all dressed for photos today. I think it was an uplifting moment for Nicole to have with her little girl. Nicole spends several hours a day in the hospital with Wrenn but I imagine it's not every day that she gets to dress her up like she did today.



A few minutes later she woke right up. I can tell she's grown in less than two weeks since I last saw her.









I knew the nurses at Winnie Palmer were great. As challenging as things are we can all be reassured that Wrenn is getting the best care. Her nurse, Colin, was amazing today. After seeing her flower he joked about wearing one with Wrenn for a photo. Funny thing is, he wasn't joking - he was very proud to take photos with Wrenn and her awesome flower hair accessories.







While I was there I noticed they had the "congratulations" sign that is typically posted just after birth in the hospital. As I saw it posted to Wrenn's crib in the NICU I realized she's been in the NICU for 47 days.



I know the crib she's in at the NICU isn't quite the same as the one she has waiting for her at home but it's the only home she's known for the last 6 1/2 weeks. I admired seeing Nicole comfort Wrenn through the bars of the crib.



On the outside of Wrenn's crib I found her big brother, Tanner's awesome artwork.



I admired Wrenn just a little longer as we awaited Tanner to return to the NICU to see Wrenn.



Today was my first time meeting Tanner. He greeted me with a smile and told me he was back to see Wrenn.



He's such a happy little guy. I suppose knowing how much the Parris family has been through and how much is ahead it was uplifting to see Tanner in such great spirits.



Tanner had so much to say to me. He said his ABC's and 123's and told me how he got to see Shrek this afternoon.



Of course we wanted to try to get a few photos of Tanner with his sister but because she's still attached to medical wires it wasn't the easiest. Jason lifted Tanner up to her crib for a few photos. Tanner was happy to see his little sister again.



Yes, Tanner had fun being lifted up to see Wrenn. This moment was priceless to be a part of.



Unlike many other two year olds, Tanner was not shy of the camera. He gladly smiled for me. He has the most amazing green eyes.



We tried for a couple more photos of Tanner with Wrenn but instead decided to have Nicole hold Wrenn. Yes, priceless moments.





Wrenn's family must now wait until she gains more weight before they head to St. Louis to prepare for the lung translant she requires. Unless her condition worsens or she makes it to 8lbs they'll remain in Orlando. She's just under 7lbs right now so our fingers are crossed that in the coming weeks she'll be ready so that she and her family can move forward to helping her build the strength needed to someday be home.

Videos from my visit with Wrenn & Tanner

It was a pleasure to visit with the Parris family today in the NICU. I will have some great new photos of Wrenn & Tanner to share soon. While I continue to get the photos together to share online I thought I'd share these two cute impromptu videos of Wrenn and Tanner.

As I mentioned to Nicole that I'd like to take a video she said that things have just been so crazy that they hadn't been able to take a video of Wrenn yet. So it made my day to be able to capture a first for their family and to see this beautiful little girl smile.



Before I left the NICU Tanner returned and I got to meet him for the first time. He's such a bright little boy. He proudly said his ABC's for me a couple times.



I'll have a few more priceless pictures to share soon.

Still in Orlando

Hi everyone! Lisa M. here. I know you're all wondering what's going on. Well, Jason, Nicole and the kids are still in limbo. The transplant team in St. Louis is willing to take a look at Wrenn, but they'd like her to be a little bigger before she flies. She weighed in at 6 pounds 10 ounces on Thursday and they'd like her to be at least 8 pounds. In addition, she is fairly stable - her oxygen levels are fairly constant and she has not yet needed to be put on a ventilator. In that sense, she's doing fairly well compared to many other babies with her disease. They'd like to wait and see what happens. If she takes a turn for the worst and needs the ventilator, she may be sent to St. Louis quickly. However, if she is able to continue to do well with the supplemental oxygen and no vent, she may be in Orlando for a couple of weeks, growing bigger and stronger.

The fact that Wrenn is doing so well without a ventilator is great news. When she flies, she will have to go on a ventilator, and it's unlikely that she'll come off before transplant. The longer she stays off, the better the chances of something surprising and miraculous happening. On the other hand, this is difficult for the Parris family, not knowing what tomorrow brings.

Nicole and Jason are working on a post to share with you. I can tell you that they are extremely grateful for the outpouring of love and support over their very special little girl. You are all so amazing.

Wrenn is Six Weeks Old Today

She's never seen her house. She's never slept in her crib. My heart breaks when I realize how long it will be until she does these things, even under the very best of circumstances.




Please keep Wrenn and her family in your thoughts and prayers tonight. They hope to find out tomorrow that they have been accepted for transplant at St. Louis Children's Hospital.

The Love Between Brother and Sister

Hold on to your heartstrings. Tanner paid a visit to the NICU a few days ago and was able to touch his sister Wrenn... for the very first time. In another reality, these siblings would have been together all day, every day, for the past six weeks. Instead, they are only able to share short moments together, once in a while.

Sheridan Asks You to Help Baby Wrenn

What do you do when your 5 year old tells you she wants to help her friend Tanner help his sister? Here's what I do - pull out my video camera and start asking questions.

Wrenn's Golf Tournament

North Shore Golf Club in Orlando, Florida is hosting a golf tournament to benefit Wrenn Parris via the NTAF Southeast Lung Transplant Fund. The tournament will be on Saturday, July 17, 2010 - Shotgun start at 7:30 am. Each team of four costs $300. Hole sponsorships are available for $100 per hole. All proceeds will be sent to NTAF to go directly to Wrenn's medical expenses, and all donations are 100% tax-deductible. Thank you North Shore and thanks to Lee Siskie for setting this up!