The Twelfth Month

We made it! We have raised a year old! How? Not sure, you really just go with the flow, play it by ear, learn with baby and grow with baby, watch for queues and signals, and then listen and learn! We sure love our Graham boy. He has amazed us with his well mannered behavior from the day we brought him home. I don't think babies meant to be as good as he is. They just come once in a blue moon. Graham makes us laugh all the time. Lately he screams/squeals in delight and sounds like a girl. He loves when his dad comes home and immediately stops what he's doing and crawls to him. He LOVES being read to. Some aren't even cutesy baby books. He has a smile on face as soon as I pull the book out and put in front of his face. I love when I can see his dimples underneath his binkie. Speaking of  binkies, Graham loves his binkie but luckily he doesn't have it unless it's nap time or bed time. I think we're doing good on that...he never gets mad if we take it away on the rare occasions he does have during awake time. It really is amazing how it feels like a blink of an eye and they're so big. I remember every single month of his life, but I didn't see him grow! Here's a brief timeline of how he has grown and developed new talents. (So glad I've been filling out his cheesy baby keepsake album!)

Smiles: 5 days old in his sleep, 6 weeks at us
Laughs: 7 days old while napping smiles awake end of March
Takes a bath: March 2nd, Sink bath September 19
Rolls over: June 13
Sleeps through the night: March 1-2, July 1-4th, then August-Present
Eats solid food-July 27, rice cereal
Scoots: End of September
Crawls: Christmas Eve, 10 month birthday
Holds his own bottle: Sept. 20
Claps: Nov. 29
Naps w/out being rocked Oct. 26th
Waves: Dec. 20
Oh, and he wears size 3 diapers, size 3 shoes, and almost grown out of 12 mo. clothing.
These are just fun things to fill out in the book I have, as well as several more I didn't think I needed to mention. Well here are pictures of the latest of the greatest:

Graham's homemade Carrot Cake (I was proud of myself)

                                 We even had a birthday picnic. He enjoyed himself, and his food.

Year 2 here we come!!

The Surgery In Which Graham Is Repaired.

I remember clearly as if it were yesterday laying on the bed in the hospital, alone at the precise moment Graham's pediatrician came in. She said a few things before telling me that my baby had a cleft palate. It was so overwhelming to hear. If I only knew how little of a deal it was at that moment, I would have understood and accepted it much better than I did. I held back the tears as I struggled to respond adult like. As soon as she left I called my mom and started crying when I told her, which she couldn't believe mostly because of the bizarre coincidence. My brother also has a cleft palate so it was crazy that it fell into my genes into Graham's. Graham and his uncle will have a special relationship. Anyway, now that it's been two days since Graham's surgery, I cannot believe how quickly the months of counting down have passed. Looking at my little newborn, picturing him an 11 month old at the hospital after surgery felt like an eternity away especially when you think your little baby will always stay that small, it was hard to believe we'd get to that point.

So, to the story. We had the pleasure of waking up at 4:30 am in order to get to Primary Children's Medical Center at 6:15. We were there plenty early which is always better than being late. We checked ourselves in and waited only ten minutes or so to be called back. Graham got to be put in this adorable hospital gown (if you can even call it that...I thought it was hilarious and cute) which, as you can tell, thought was the funnest thing.

So 7 am pulled around and we were taken to a different waiting room where Graham's Anesthesiologist and surgical doctor came to talk to us briefly. Twenty minutes after that we followed the nurse down the hall and we gave him up and went out different ways. I became emotional and shed a few tears. I knew he was in good hands and I was glad I didn't have to watch the surgery. We grabbed breakfast in the cafeteria (way cheap, it was awesome) and then hung out in the waiting room. Dr Muntz (Ear tubes) and Dr Schmelzer (Cleft Palate Surgeon) both came and talked to us when it was finished. About an hour and fifty minute wait. They only allowed one of us to see Graham fresh out of Post-op so I thought Nick should go since he'd be on his way to work shortly. I was called to come fifteen minutes later because they thought Graham might settle down better in the arms of his mother. So Nick and I traded places and I got to sit and hold my poor love in my arms. He was pretty hysterical. While they were finishing up whatever they do before they take us to his room, I was able to calm him down as best I could. Poor thing had no idea what was going on. 

This was the best picture I could take with my right hand reaching to this side. He was very "drugged up" and tired I know.

All was well once he was settled in his room, hooked up and had pain meds going through him. He was an angel.

So we stayed one night and enjoyed sharing a room and bathroom with complete strangers...the nurses were also kind enough to come in every hour (for us and the other baby) and leave the door wide open while we were trying to sleep waking Graham up almost each time. I especially enjoyed this during the day (before I finally drew the curtains around our vicinity) holding Graham while he was hysterical with pain watching all sorts of visitors walking past in hall way staring into our room (because the dang door was wide open all the time) probably thinking poor poor mom! Not a pleasant stay and I wish they would've given me a form to fill out my comments and complaints because my mind was fresh with plenty. My mom came Tuesday evening with dinner. I loved the company since my husband was at work and staying the night at home. But he came back first thing the next morning. Well Wednesday morning we anxiously awaited our discharge. They wanted to make sure Graham was feeding himself properly and sufficiently without a fluid tube. I told them I was perfectly comfortable to take him home and work with him, and I was. We finally got home at 2 pm. With pain meds hes practically the same kid. He sounds very congested when he breathes through his nose and I hope that it's meant to go away soon. Can't believe it's already over. We are so blessed to have a healthy child and that he had such a small problem compared to so many other babies. I kick myself for ever complaining that he had a small hole, unnoticeably inside his mouth that never affected 

his mental or physical health. So glad he's not going to remember any of this! We sure love our son. Thus concludes our story of the year (for now) Thank you, and Goodnight 

Month 9 of My Creation

With two bottom teeth, and the ability to get in to crawling position from sitting, Graham has reached his 9th month. He is the still the happiest baby I've seen. He loves to bounce and stand with help. He says, "ra-ra-ra-ra and na-na-na, it's cute because his cheeks get all chubby as he forms the words. His best friend is probably Nick. They have their little "inside jokes" and laugh and play together as soon as Nick gets home from work. We love our son to pieces and are excited to share his first Christmas with him! I had to get cute pics of him with the tree on this first Christmas of his.

8 Month Olds, They're Just Like Us!

Well it's true, babies really do grow up fast. Dang it. I wish it weren't so. Yes it's getting more and more fun, but there's nothing like a baby in the first few months of life. Sometimes I can't believe i'm saying it when I talk about how he needs to start eating solids without a bottle, or other things that mean he's growing up. It really is a bitter sweet time! Now, here's a sneak peak at how babies are becoming more like us and can do so many grown up things!


They take baths!
(He graduated from his baby tub)

 They Stand!
(with help of an ottoman, but he does so well!)

They hold their own drinking device!
(Since September, this has saved me so much time)

 They sleep through the night! (Since August, blessed day, no this is not a pic of him sleeping during the night, but it is to represent)

 


SLOW down Graham!

A Big Deal

19.5 lbs 26.5 in and holding his bottle!!

I only let him do this once a day for practice and sometimes he needs help because his hands slowly slip away but I definitely am able to do other things! 

yes, that's all

6 Months Right Before My Eyes

When I first held Graham in my arms, today seemed very far off, in fact I didn't even think about it. It was us and our newborn--for a short while. Why do babies have to grow SO fast. Us adults pretty much look and act the same when we did three years ago. Big whoop. I really want to push pause, actually I wish I could have pushed pause three months ago. So far I've loved newborn-three months. Yes every age is fun and exciting, but there's nothing like those first few months. Now it seems Graham is becoming a kid! Sitting up, laughing, talking, playing with toys, he's interactive!

Just yesterday I got Graham to sit up for about ten seconds, and it was really exciting! And today, he sat up for 3 minutes. How do babies learn this over night? He didn't have that much practice, his body just decided to be strong enough. Well, ok! He's been A LOT of fun this boy. Sleeping through the night is a hit and miss, but I'm testing the waters with feeding him before bed. Thrice in a row he's slept through the night when I feed him at 8pm (He goes down 10ish) rather then RIGHT before bed. I don't know why, but it's been working, so I'll take it. Well I can't figure out how to post videos on here, but I put one on FB. So here are some pics of my growing boy.

We've been comfortable in the basement here at my folks. It's a total transformation, and if you've seen this basement before it was renovated, you'd know what I was talking about. Here's some pics of our new home.

Nicks loving his job at the stain glass studio, though now a days he's unable to pull 8 hour shifts because of his arm, it begins to hurt and he hardly uses it at all so he's close to border line useless at work, but I'm glad he can find something to do. I'm just home, raising a child and I love it. We're happy and loving life.

Two Months Old

WOWZA, two months already? Man, being a mom is the funnest. Even though it's practically the same thing every day, I love it because something new always happens in Graham. He smiles all the time now when he sees us and coo at him. It's amazing how he's become more aware and alert. He's very vocal and has almost laughed a few times. Until about a week ago, he woke up at 3 or 4 every night, now it's 1 and 4 am...not sure if this is new or if it's because he's had the sniffles; we'll see. His favorite things are bath time, being on his tummy on my tummy while we hold his head up for him (my sister did this yesterday and he was perfectly still and calm, loved it so much) eating, napping for 3 hours (new routine since about two weeks ago, I love it too) conversing in baby talk, car rides, and his binkie. My Graham is a binkie boy for sure. Well here's some pictures to show how my boy is growing. We love him immensely.