a year ago.....

it is amazing to think back to where we were a year ago!

this day a year ago......

we woke up to our 2nd morning home with oliver (he came home on the 10th)

sweet amy brandt had panera delivered to us (seriously made my day!)

we had our first visit to oliver's pediatrician, dr. patt

oliver turned 2 months old!

we were amazed to finally be home as a family after almost 2 months in the NICU for oliver

we were getting into our routine with oliver's meds, TPN schedule, feeding schedule, etc.

today we have a 14 month old who brings so much joy and laughter to our lives and continues to grow and learn new things everyday......we are so thankful!

Almost there....

Oliver isn't walking independently just yet but he's soooo close. He is getting really good at letting go of props and standing and balancing without holding on. He got a couple of push toys for his birthday.....a cool lawnmower with blocks (very classic looking) and a colorful truck with buttons that make truck noises......he is VERY good at pushing both of those around and the only things stopping him are the walls and furniture! :)

And really.....how can you resist this face! :)

He is getting bigger everyday and it is so fun to see him learn. He isn't talking with actual words too much yet but he is babbling all the time (he is his father's son! :)) He does know what a lion says (a growling noise that sounds more like he is clearing his throat), what a clock says (quietly whispers tik tik), what a horse says, can say Dada, working on Mama (yay!), Do (for dog) and definitely understands when he isn't supposed to do something....he laughs and does it again! It takes every ounce of willpower not to laugh at him when he does that because that is what he is waiting for.....sometimes I am not successful at not laughing!

He loves to hug kitties....which basically consists of him sticking his face into their fur, usually mouth open.....Loves to open drawers and cabinets.....and dance with me to music. He is good at waving bye and sometimes claps along to music in the car. Oliver loves music and books and running errands with me! :) Running errands is a perfect opportunity for him to continue perfecting his flirting skills and interacting with people.

His hair is getting long, especially in the back, and is beginning to look like a mullet. But, I don't have the heart to cut it yet! Kids always look so much older after their first haircut and I am not quite ready for that :)

We love to see all aspects of Oliver's personality - the good, the bad and the ugly! :) He really is a smart, funny, interactive, independent, stubborn and persistent kid. He knows what he likes and is very observant, sometimes too observant! He doesn't give up easily and exhausts every effort to get what he wants, including climbing all over his mom and dad! He is sweet though and loves people and his laugh is totally contagious! He is tough, too....sometimes he barely pauses after bumping his head....just keeps right on going! All in all, he is a total joy and makes me smile and laugh every day......case in point, see video below! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvv4bhYRLYU

Big Boy!

Now that Oliver is a big boy we have transitioned to a front facing car seat....it opens up a whole new world! :)

sick.....

Oliver had to be admitted to Levine's on Friday the 7th. He was throwing up and "dumping" his food (basically it was passing right through him without be broken down and nutrients not absorbed) and Friday morning he was lethargic. We took him to the pediatricians and they sent him to the hospital. He was extremely dehydrated. It was very scary because it really happened so fast. Because his colon isn't being used, he isn't absorbing water that way as most kids would and is very susceptible to dehydration. It was just terrifying how fast it can happen for him. Fortunately we got him to the hospital and they hooked him up to IVs and gave him 4 large bolus dosings of the fluids and then kept him on it for a couple days. He also received pedialyte and then eventually was able to get his formula again. We ended up spending 3 nights there and were able to leave with him Monday morning. It was scary but he received great care as usual and we have been making sure he is extra hydrated as his system gets back to normal. As usual, Oliver is a champ and handled it all very well. He was definitely sleep deprived from being in the hospital but quickly made up for that. He is feeling much better now thank goodness!

Friday morning before going to the pediatrician's office....poor baby

Feeling a little more hydrated.....and puffy

Monday morning view from the hospital room.....SNOW!

Back home and still puffy!

Oliver's first "real" Christmas

As y'all know, Oliver was in the NICU for his first technical Christmas. And that Christmas was weird....I felt great joy to be the new mom of this amazing, precious and beautiful baby boy but I also was angry and heart-broken that he was there in the hospital instead of at home in my arms. In many ways it seems like a lifetime ago but the memories of that Christmas are very much there near the surface. While Oliver was in the hospital, it was all I could do to keep it together. I would get very frustrated if anyone showed too much sympathy because I was tired of crying....I certainly went into a little bit of hibernation mode and didn't want to be around many people. I didn't want to see the looks of sympathy and concern. Definitely didn't want too many hugs :) (For those of you that don't know - I am not a big "hugger" :)) I was tired of the questions and would get frustrated when people didn't understand what was happening and why...How many times did we have to answer the same question? Owen went into ultra research mode....I am convinced that at this point he knows more about Hirschsprung's than some doctors out there :) He researched, I slept and ate and we visited with Oliver. But when that day came that we got to drive away from Levine's with Oliver in the car, I was overjoyed. Still emotionally drained but SO happy have Oliver home where he belonged. I have said before that the NICU nurses took amazing care of Oliver....but they also took amazing care of us. They treated us kindly (of course) but without the pity and it was nice to walk in and be treated like "normal" people. I don't talk about that time much but this was a nice way to "get it out", thanks for listening! :)

So....on to Oliver's first "real" Christmas. Since 2009 totally didn't count :)

We spent Christmas Eve with my parents.....mom is an AMAZING cook and she cooked a delicious Christmas Eve dinner! Owen, Oliver and I actually decided to spend the night at my parent's house which was really fun. We woke up that morning and after Blake and Sarah got there, we started by checking out the contents of our stockings......

Then we got down to business with the presents!

After we opened presents and ate some breakfast, we put Oliver down for a nap and packed up and headed on to Christmas celebration round 2 in Brevard! The snow started on our way.....

Bryan came with his sweet girlfriend, Miriana and although Charles Robert and Michelle couldn't be there (in Beijing) we had a nice time.....despite getting stuck in the snow/ice on the way up to Brevard! :) Fortunately it didn't happen until we were on Owen's parents' street....we just hit a spot where we couldn't get traction and so Owen's dad came down in his 4 wheel drive truck, grabbed me and Oliver and took us up to the house. He and Bryan went back down to get Owen and ended up being able to tow the car up to the house, yay! :) But hey, a little adventure is good for you :)

All in all it was a MUCH better Christmas this year than last year! We are excited for all the Christmas festivities to come in the years ahead and are thankful for our family and friends.....a belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!