Photos are chronological with most recent at the top  
July 2008 - Left: Helping change his own diaper (he's getting very independant). Right: Close up of his tummy and new button. You can see the "thing" left from surgery has finally worked it's way out and he's left with a red spot scar area at the top. Phew!
July 2008 - This is a close view of his new button. The first one was too big but this one seems to be better. We've still got redness and some infection from the site - a constant battle - but it's better than it was. It's also nice to not have the long tube hanging down - threatening at any point to be yanked out.
Safe from the bugs, enjoying tromping through the woods. Eli is down by the edge of the marsh looking for frogs.
We found frogs, deer prints, moose prints and (above) fresh bear paw prints!
July 2008 - David and Eli doing archery.
Eli gets a thousand points!

July 2008 - Up at the cabin and drinking (little bits) from a bottle (the great power of sibling imitation....)

...but lets hope he doesn't pick up Eli's self soothing "finger in the eye"
April 27, 2008 - Pokemon Play
April 27, 2008 - I'm over the Rotavirus and have my smile back!
April 2008 - Jonathan standing up so solid with James and Diane (giving him his daily saline soak).
April 2008 - Standing well and even doing a pointed foot dance move.
March 2008 - Jonathan "eating". He's interested in food and has a lovely curiosity about tastes and texture. Unfortunately, he has a terrible gag reflex that is triggered by food hitting the back of his tougue. He can take liquids and yoghurt but will vomit if a piece of food with more density threatens to go down his throat. Which is why he still relies heavily on the enteral feeding tube. We begin work with a pedeatric eating disorder expert in April.
Messy Happy Boy - Jonny takes many things into his mouth, and chews happily, but almost all of it comes back out again. As you can see, meal time can get very messy. Add the constant drooling and he goes through about 6 costume changes a day. Lots of laundry in our house!
Jan 5, 2008 - Smiley faux hawk in the tub
Feb 2008 - "Hello?" Talking on Diane's cell phone

Nov 15, 2007 - Jonathan - sans chemise - with all beauty marks and omphalocele for Wendy's comparison.
Nov 15, 2007 - What a miracle boy....
Nov 11, 2007 - Diane's birthday. Jonny waving
Right: Eli and Di blowing out the candles.
October 31, 2007 - Pre-Halloween. Jonny is enjoying bouncing in his jolly jumper with Eli.
October 31, 2007 - Halloween. Jonny with the Pirate. Once again he just took it all in with his calm and focus.
Oct 13, 2007 - Up north (away from the city) for the first time in 14 months! A wonderful weekend. A great way to celebrate Jonny's 11 month birthday.
  Oct 14, 2007 - Diane and Eli crawling on a rock on Keith and Deb's farm. Jonny loved looking at the animals. He was mesmerized.
Oct 4, 2007 - Jonathan's first week of sitting up by himself - what progress he is making already.
Oct 4, 2007 - Warm sunshine, grass, my family around.....life is good! Would you like a leaf?
Aug. 19th - Home again, thank god. JJ expressing himself for Eli's birthday!
Aug 19, 2007 - Eli's birthday in the park. What a year for Eli. What a wonderful, creative, accepting, kind, resilient soul he is. Janis and I are so proud of him.
AUG 11, 2007 - Discharge day! Left: Goodbye NP Kim and RT Lindsay.
Right: The wonderful 4D Nurses and saying goodbye to Jonathan
Aug. 9, 2007 - this picture was taken when we were still in hospital, a few days after Jonathan's chest tube was pulled, and his lung collapsed. It is for the Sick Kids annual report, in which our family has been featured. He is clearly not feeling well, but his eyes are so old and wise, it's arresting.
Aug 2007 - Sammy & Stacey - This is little Sammy who was born at 29 weeks and was Jonathan's NICU room mate for a couple of months. Stacey and her husband Gord gave us laughter and commiseration and understanding when things were tough (all around for both our babies). And now look at how well he's doing! A testament to his parent's love and devotion.
Aug 5, 2007 - Left: Getting ready to pull that awful chest tube out after 11.5 weeks.
After the Chest Tube - Look how many bandages and tape he has on, poor guy. This was a hard day. On top of it all, we had no idea his lung had collapsed in the process.
Aug. 3, 2007 - One of our fabulous 4D NP's, Linda, who won our discharge date contest.
Right - Care team member Ruthie with her Jonny.
Aug 3, 2007 - Waterfall - Jonathan and Mama beside his beloved water fountain at Sick Kids. The hours we have spent here....
When nothing else would soothe him, the sound and sight of the water often did. I think you can really see his recent weight gain.
July 31, 2007 - Jonny in the arms of his soul mate beautiful Stephanie. Stephanie and her mom have helped us through so many trying times. Another "O" baby, she will always be Eli's friend and Jonathan's role model.
July 26, 2007 - Doing "The Cowboy" - If he's feeling well enough we start with him on our tummy leaning against our legs. Then we pull him forward gently, supporting his arms so he's sitting up. Then we bounce him a bit on our tummies like he's riding a horse. It was designed by our new O.T. to help him sit up and develop strength in his torso but as you can see it makes him giggle, which makes us all laugh.
July 6, 2007 - Little Jonny in the bumbo chair. Practising sitting up and strengthening his neck muscles. In the background I'm showing one of our nurses, Kathryn, a picture of what his omphalocele used to look like.
July 7th - Eli on his first sleep over - thank you to the 4D staff - in his spiderman pyjamas in the hospital bed with Jonathan.
July 2007 - Dragon-Slayer, Master of the House, the bravest boy in the World, Heiko with his beautiful Mom and Auntie. Rest In Peace Dear Little Angel (03-01-08)
June 26, 2007 - Jonathan smiling as I (mommy) blow on his feet. His omphalocele is so much smaller. You can see his surgical scars, and the bandaid is where his chest tube enters his body (still draining that chylorthorax). He's coming back.
June 2, 2007 - CCU - Jonathan starting to be more conscious in CCU. So glad we're out of there.
June 20, 2007 - Being soothed to sleep
Left May 23, 2007 - Jonny in the oxygen box. He's been extubated but is struggling. Eventually they had to re-intubate him but he never stabilized. His heart couldn't take it. The pressures were too high so he was opened up again for another surgery and his pulmonary valve was cut.
Right May 29, 2007 - Second Surgery Post Op - Two surgeries in one week. Just too much. I debated about posting this picture. I guess I want to convey visually how much he's been through. I wish he didn't have to go through any of it.
May 22, 2007 - Heart Surgery Post-Op - 3:00 PM in the CCCU.
May 22, 2002 - So tough to see him like this again.
May 22, 2007 - Heart Surgery Pre-Op - Left: 6:30 am Playing with Jane and Bunny Angel in the waiting room.
Right: 8:00 am The surgical nurse and our wonderful general surgeon, Dr. Arnaud Bonnard, escort Jonathan into surgery. His cardiac surgeon was Dr. Calderone.
May 14, 2007 - Week before surgery - Pre-Op ECG - Jonathan on the infant ECG the week before his heart surgery. He was very calm and tolerant (as usual). Note how much smaller his omphalocele is.
May 16, 2007 - 6 days before surgery. Smiley in his exersaucer.
May 2, 2007 - HOME AT LAST - Someone's thrilled to be here! Where he belongs. In our kitchen
May 13, 2007 - Brothers playing together - Whenever Eli hears Jonathan crying he calls out, "Eli to the rescue", and comes running to him to try to make him smile and feel better. Most of the time it works. Jon seems captivated by Eli as you can see.
April 30, 2007 - Discharge Day! Leaving the NICU after five and a half months! Jonathan's Surgeons, Dr. Annie Fecteau and Dr. Arnaud Bonnard.
April 30, 2007 - Saying goodbye - Nurse Kelly, Dr. Jonathan Hellman, Diane, NPs Carol & Jennifer.
April 7th - NP Carol, Diane and ostomy nurse Theresa at a dressing change
April 28  - Jonny's second core nurse Serena during his last week in NICU.
Left: March 30, 2007 - The first outing after the silo came off March 25th. Note how much smaller the omphalocele is.
April 2 - Out in the hallway by the window. There's too much sunshine so we tried these glasses. Jonathan has had no exposure to direct sunlight so he's very sensitive to light. See how he rests his hands on the O. He plays with the knot.
March 29, 2007 - NP Carol and Diane doing the dressing change soon after the silo came off. The room is dark because it's the NICU. Carol is giving him morphine orally and he is watching a video to distract him. Diane is doing the dressing change.
Same Day - view of the omphalocele after the silo. He's grown another thin layer of skin covering and his O has reduced tremendously during the 7.5 weeks he was in the silo.
March 13, 2007 Four Months Old Left: Eli and Mama reading Jonathan a book in the parent room
March - Tiny Jonathan in his wagon
March 8, 2007 - One more of the JP-F PCD. Tiny little hand holding mine.
Six weeks since perforation. Playing with the water bottle in Mama's lap- such focus!
March 8, 2007 - Week 16 - The Jonathan Purdy-Flacks Personal Carrying Device (JP-F PCD). First time out of the unit in 7 weeks. He can be flat and stable but see new sites.
March 8, 2007 - Close up of his face. He's so happy, despite the pain and weight, to be moving around. You can get a good view of his PICC line in this shot (right arm).
February 18, 2007 - Smiling at Mama. Eighteen days since surgery, back in his familiar crib, on a new mattress and weaned from the fentanyl.
February 28, 2007 - The new support brace. Four weeks since perforation. The first time in my arms. A great feeling.
Feb 14 - Life returning...holding my hand and batting at his toys
February- Jonny's world - note how the silo is attached to a suspension bar. He is stuck on his back.
Post-Perforation - February 12th or 13th - After the terrible bowel perforation (Feb 1st).  Earlier shots are too difficult to even look at. This is the first time I felt like he was like himself again. He is back in the warming bed and note the new "silo" that needed to be created after he lost his O casing (3 months of skin growth!) in the emergency operation. I think he is so beautiful and angelic in these photos. We are so thankful he made it.
The Silo - The silo is actually sutured to his abdominal wall and holds all his internal organs. It needs to be suspended/supported from above at all times. The base is also quite fragile. That is why he can't be picked up, held or even moved without great care. Very difficult for all of us. This was taken after he was extubated from the ventilator - what a horrible (but necessary) machine!
Jan 7, 2007 - Sabba and Safta with their new grandson
Jan 7 - Photo taken by Sabba of our sleeping angel
January 2007 - Comfort from NP Kim after a hard dressing change
January 2007 - eye contact
Jan 16, 2007-  Jonathan smiling at Mama after a dressing change.
Jan 16, 2007 - close up
Christmas Day 2006 - Diane, Santa, Eli and Scooby
Christmas 2006 - Santa, Jonny and Janis - an emotional time
Dec 24, 2006 - Grandma Purdy with her new grandson
Dec 24, 2006 - Grandpa Purdy
December 2006 - Giant Omphalocele
December 2006 - Jonny with Kelly Roddy, his core nurse and our saviour
November 25, 2006 - Week 3 - Eli cuddling his little brother
December 11, 2006 - Jonathan at 4 weeks squeezing my finger! What a purdy face :)
Left: With Eli at three weeks
Right: Jonathan at 4 weeks squeezing my finger. Around this time he really began having open eyes. But you can see he is very thin and struggling.
Nov 16, 2006 - Jonathan two days old with Mama
Nov 18th - With Mommy on Day 4, first time I held him
Nov 14, 2006 - Jonathan's Birth. Mt. Sinai hospital before he was whisked to Sick Kids.
Nov 14, 2006 - View of the omphalocele. Just before he was intubated.

Contact: dianeflacks@hotmail.com