Ollie is 100 days old today.

It’s a big milestone. A number that somehow feels both impossibly large and impossibly small, depending on the moment.

When I think back to Day 1—April 14—I remember the fear. I was still on the operating table when we found out he wouldn’t need an emergency cath procedure after all. We didn’t know if he was going to make it, and those first 20 minutes were some of the longest of my life. But from the very beginning, Ollie showed us he was here to fight (he came out screaming, and it was the best noise in the world – because it meant he could breathe!).

And now? He’s 100 days strong.

He smiles every single day! Big, beaming, joyful grins. And by everyone’s account, he’s an unusually smiley baby for a heart kid. His resilience has never wavered, and he continues to meet the world with wonder. He’s gaining weight, using his voice, discovering his hands, and holding his head up proudly. Every single “word” he utters, every tiny smile, every drop of milk—we celebrate them all.

It’s been 77 days since his Berlin Heart surgery and 77 days on the transplant list. We may still have 100+ days to go. But in this time, Ollie has grown into a little boy with strong opinions and a gentle spirit. His personality is emerging, and it’s been the greatest gift to watch it bloom.

Life in the hospital for 100 days becomes its own kind of normal. All the tubes and wires, the machines and beeps—they’re just part of our everyday rhythm now. And while it’s not the start to parenthood we imagined, we’ve adapted. We’ve found beauty in the in-between. We’ve learned from specialists, bonded with nurses, and embraced the weird little perks of hospital life (like having experts on call 24/7).

And through it all, we’ve worked hard to stay grounded in the Lord. Taking time to pray, enjoy each other, to explore Gainesville, and to hold tight to our hope.

That hope is what fuels us now.

Our friends down the hall just received their gift—a brand-new heart for their baby. Watching them reach that final chapter has reminded us that our day will come too. We’ve already had one call that didn’t work out. But we believe the right heart is still out there. And when the time is right, it will find its way to Ollie.

To our sweet boy:

You are our greatest joy. We would never trade this journey, because it brought us you. Loving you, fighting for you, and watching you grow has been the honor of our lives. Your strength and joy have already inspired so many—and you’re just getting started.

Here’s to the next 100 days.

— Mama Mad

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