15 Months

Brady's 15 month checkup was this morning. The big guy is 33 ½ inches tall and 21 lbs 10 oz. The great news is, Dr. Haney is very pleased and no longer concerned about his weight. Whew! He's still long and lean, but looking chunky (for Brady). The REALLY great news is, Dr. Haney got Brady to WALK! :) 5 steps from her to me and completely by himself. Brady is much more aware of the fact that “we are at the doctor's office” and “they normally stick me”, so he got super sensitive once we were in the room. He wanted Mr. Bear, his thumb, me, and no one else touching him. He cried when the nurse and Dr. Haney checked him out, so when she took him he was upset and wanted me back bad enough to walk to me :) She said he's perfect and will walk once he has the confidence. She said his need to hold on is a 'security thing'. Makes sense.. stuffed animal obsessed, thumb sucker and all :)

I was nervous that once I got him home he'd be all comfortable again and only want to crawl, but I've already gotten him to do it twice by myself. I'm excited for Eric to get home so we can try some more and hopefully get a video. Brady's expression is the best. Half shock, half pride. And I'm busy screaming and clapping. I'm sure it's quite a sight!

We just got back from our family vacation in Florida. It was a WONDERFUL week. Eric needed the time off of work and away from the stress. He couldn't remember the last time he had a vacation. Literally! Brady did so well even though we were completely off schedule and out of our element. He was very go with the flow. It was a LOT of work, but worth it to see his cute little tush on the beach and splashing in the pool. He even called my Dad “Pawpaw” a few times. Eric got to deep sea fish and ride a wave runner. I got plenty of time laying out and a tattoo! We are already planning our next trip back :)

We are so thrilled that our friends Patti and Mike live so close to where we stay. We were able to spend a lot of time with them through the week <3

That's Love

After two seperate conversations with good friends, I was recently reminded just how lucky I am to have my husband. I am always well aware of what a terrific husband I have, but sometimes I get smacked with an overwhelming feeling of love and appreciation for all he does. I am blessed to be able to stay at home with Brady, worry free of how the bills will get paid. Eric works LONG, hard hours recruiting. Several days a week, he is gone before Brady wakes up and home after he's asleep. Several times a month his alarm rings at 3 am and then he works on weekends. Eric rarely complains about any of it and regularly tells me how great I am. Really? :)

We each know that we cannot do what the other does. Eric 'hits the streets' every day, talking to kids, their parents, teachers, etc. I would be beyond burnt out after a year and a half. I literally can't stand to think about going a day without seeing Brady. But Eric knows he would “lose his mind being trapped in the house all day”. Yes he actually used those words! Lol I'd love to see him take care of Brady all day, do some laundry, clean, find time to shower, and cook dinner. All by himself for a day! 

The truth is, we are the perfect team. He is strong where I am weak. I never doubt him or worry about anything. He is my biggest fan and always supports me. Hell, he did weight watchers and work out dvds with me to lose baby weight. That's love :) I know I have him by my side and that together we can get through anything. January will bring our 3^rd anniversary. We've already been through so much and only God and the USMC know what's still to come <3

 

AngelCare

Moms are always busy discussing the latest information about raising their babies. We have to worry about their safety, health, developments and the list goes on. What I don't hear much about is SIDS. I know it's a scary thing to talk about and when Brady was really young, I couldn't even say the words. I read up on it and followed the recommendations. When I see and hear about moms sleeping with their babies, putting them in a bassinet, or some form of a co sleeper, I get anxiety! Babies are safest on their backs, in their own crib, and with nothing else in the bed. SIDS is more likely to occur anywhere else. Here's my 2 cents. Everyone's got their 'thing'. This is mine :)

It's hard for most parents to imagine leaving their baby, especially a newborn, in the other room. But if you have a great monitor, you'll be fine. Do you want them in your room for them or for you? 

When I was pregnant, my aunt told me about the AngelCare Monitor. I immediately knew I had to have it. (Fortunately, she gave it to me at my shower :) This monitor is the KING of all monitors. I believe every parent should invest in one. Eric and I had such peace of mind when that monitor was on with Brady sleeping in his crib, which he has been doing since the day we brought him home from the hospital. In addition to the regular sound monitoring, this monitor detects and monitors the baby's motion, which includes breathing. A sensor pad (that's about 1 square foot in size and very thin) goes under the mattress and a cord runs out to the base. (Obviously you have to run the cord close to the crib and tie it off. It's nowhere that Brady could get to it) The monitor comes with very detailed and easy to follow instructions. It gives step by step set up and tells you how to test out the monitor to make sure it's working properly.

If no motion is detected, it instantly sounds a loud 'BEEP'. That's my warning. If for 20 seconds, there's still no motion, it then follows with an alarm like the dickens! A crazy loud 'BEEP BEEP BEEP' ing that will make your heart race! I always got up and started into his room at the first warning. Most of the time, the monitor 'picked him back up' as I say, and he was fine. No crazy alarm necessary. I would say from the time Brady was born until he was a year old, it alarmed like that two or three times a month on average. NOT counting the times we got him up from the crib and forgot to shut it off! You won't do that too many times though. Usually I went in there to find Brady had wiggled himself into the corner or had his blanket underneath him, making it hard to detect his motion. But a few times, I had no idea why it went off, but I was sure glad I had the monitor to tell me to go in there and rub his back or pick him up to make sure all was ok. I would've gotten up a thousand times to be sure of that. I don't think I would have slept at all had we not had this monitor.

The monitor has SEVERAL other features that make Eric and I wonder how anyone does without this blessing of a piece of technology. It has super powerful batteries that it came with that it automatically switches to if the power goes out. That's happened probably 3 or 4 times in a year while he was napping or at night. It comes with two receivers. We have one in our bedroom and one in the living room. They are wireless, display the temperature in his room, and you can tell just by looking at it if there's any sound or movement (helpful while vacuuming, etc.)

The kicker for me, was after I had recently seen a story on the news of a baby girl being kidnapped right of her crib at night. Brady was nearing a year old and I wondered if we should turn off the motion detecting, and only have the sound on. Which you can do when you're ready. I saw that story and thought, “Thank God for my AngelCare.” I would know before they made it to his changing table that he wasn't in his crib. Then like a truly paranoid mom, I thought, “What if they know how to turn it off?!” It hit me! I had wondered before why the base made a loud static sound when turned off. It sounds over the whole system. Duh. If someone turned it off, I would know. I immediately told Eric if he ever heard that sound at night, grab a weapon and run! Lol. The chances are slim, but let's face it. We live in a world where this happens.

This website has all the info about the monitor.  

http://www.angelcare-monitor.com/United-States/en/products/angelcare-monitor-AC401-deluxe

The truth is, it's all in God's hands. But as parents we should still do everything we can to prevent harm. Some people may think something like this monitor is going overboard, but I think it's a gift. There's nothing better than knowing your baby is safe!

D DAY

It sure felt like D Day on Thursday when Brady weighed in at the doctors. I was just so nervous that his doctor would want to start him on some sort of supplement or fortify his milk. I don't even know if they do that for 1 year olds, but it would be my luck! Brady weighed 21 lbs 4 oz (still 32.5 in tall). Which is 10 oz up from where he was exactly 1 month ago. It isn't where he 'needs' to be, but it is getting him back on track to be there. I probably had my hopes set too high because at first I was disappointed with that weight. But how much weight (healthy weight) can a baby gain in one month? He only gained 4 oz from 9 months to 12, so 10 oz in one month is MUCH better! Dr. Haney was happy with the gain and that his appetite has been strong. She doesn't need to see him again until the normal 15 month check up. Yay!

About 2 weeks ago, ECI called us about setting up an appointment. They asked a bunch of questions, and based on his developments, they didn't need to see him yet. Since he did start pulling up to standing and walking holding onto the couches and tables (he's even started scaling the walls :). He's back on track. If he's not walking by 14 months, which is another 2 weeks from now, we will call them back and discuss again. Brady gets very content with what he's doing at the time, and doesn't worry about what's next for a while. When I hold his hands and he walks, I can tell he is BARELY using my support. I am sure he could stand on his own, but he just doesn't want to yet. If I let go, he sits down. Such a stinker! I know he will walk when he's good and ready.

Brady's 4^th molar is starting to come through. I'm glad they're all coming in quickly because I am ready for that crap to be O V E R. I think he's slept through the night once in the last 2 weeks. He just needs teething tablets and a little comfort to go right back to sleep, but Eric and I are beat! Eric has been so good about helping me and I'm going to give him a break this weekend. The teething pain seems to only torture us at night, so during the days Brady is as happy as ever. He laughs at everything! Which most of the time makes us laugh. Once in a while.. it's embarrassing. For instance, at Costco, Brady started laughing at a kid that was crying. The kid wasn't hurt, just mad he didn't get what he wanted. But OMG! We ducked down an isle so fast! Then at Kroger, Brady laughed at a rather large man wearing overalls with a long beard. I'll admit he was silly looking. After we make a get away, Eric and I get a good laugh too :)

Eric and I have both been doing so good with exercise. It makes such a difference. He's been going to the gym and I've been doing my Jillian DVDs. I think Eric was surprised just how difficult they are when he did some with me. They are only 25 min long, but even Eric was red and dripping sweat after. I have enough time during Brady's nap to exercise, shower, and clean up a bit around the house. Perfect! Any longer and I'd find a way out of it ;) We have so much motivation with all that we have coming up in the next few months. In September, Brady and I will be in St. Louis for a week. October is our Florida vacation and family pictures. The Marine Corps Ball is in November (I've already ordered my dress!) With birthdays and holidays, we have a very busy rest of the year! So blessed!

                Giving Sugar her birthday kiss :) Our sweet girl is 4 today!

Brady's 1 Year Appointment

I wanted to blog after Brady's 1 year check up on the 16^th, but I decided to wait until I had more information. The visit didn't go exactly as we would've liked, but what ever does?! I knew going in that Brady was probably a little thin. He's been thin-er since about 7 months, but after being sick the week of his birthday (diarrhea, vomiting, and LOW appetite), I was pretty sure he lost at least a pound. That's a lot for a baby! The nurse weighed Brady in at 20 lbs 10 oz. Only up 4 oz since he was 9 months. Even knowing he had been sick, that shocked me. For being 32.5 in long, he's pretty skinny. Babies generally triple their birth weight by 1 year. Brady was 8 lbs 5 oz at birth so he would need to be almost 25 lbs. Dr. Haney told us that based on Brady's growth his first year (using his weight at each appointment), he should be at least 23 lbs. I explained his being sick and picky eating habits. We go back August 16 to check on his weight gain. Brady has been drinking plenty of whole milk, and has had a stronger appetite lately, so I'm very hopeful he will catch up!

Now to the walking. He's not. Brady crawled later so I knew he'd walk later too. But he is 3 days shy of 13 months, and just now showing interest in really standing and moving around. At the time of his appointment, he wasn't doing that though. I told her all this, and this coupled with his low weight, concerned her. She said he is strong physically, but we needed to get him more interested now, so he wasn't late to walk (older than 15 months). She gave us a referral to Early Childhood Intervention, which is an organization run through the school district. They will come to our house to evaluate and work with him (It's been a slow process but we should have an appointment next week). 

When Dr. Haney said this, I felt like crying. It was hard to hear, to say the least. Eric and I have talked about it a lot since and are actually excited about it now. We know there is nothing “wrong” with Brady. He is smart and strong and develops every day. He just needs a stronger push than most babies and I need help with how to do it. I can tell he thinks about trying something new physically (like crawling, pulling up, walking) and it will take him a while to decide to actually do it. I can't complain about that really. Maybe he will always be so careful and I'll never have to worry about him getting hurt?! ;) My mom said I was the exact same way as a baby. And guess what? I'm not a retard! :) Sorry to put it so bluntly, but sometimes I think people need the reminder. 

Moms put so much pressure on babies to be 'advanced' these days and expect other moms to be perfect. I mentioned Brady being later to do things to a mommy friend in my meetup group, and she told me her oldest son was the same way. Crawled at 10 months, walked at 15. I'd be willing to bet she wouldn't have told me that first, if I hadn't brought up Brady being that way. So many people think every baby walks at 9 months because that's what they hear. Then think it's so strange to hear of a baby not doing that. But think about it. Moms aren't running to facebook to announce “My baby is NOT walking yet!” Every mom is proud of their baby and should be! I'm just saying don't judge. We each have different babies and different experiences. I'm glad I get to share the hoops Brady makes me jump through :) Every baby gives their parents different challenges. If I find myself getting jealous of other babies moving so fast, I remind myself what a quiet, easy going newborn Brady was. Few parents get that! I will be elated when he walks, but for now I enjoy my little booger reaching his arms up for me to get him when he's stuck :)

Brady has 2 molars that just broke through for a total of 8 teeth!! He's all about kisses these days and we are LOVING it! He's really such a sweet, happy boy. 3 days after his doctor's appointment, he pulled himself all the way up on the coffee table and walked around it holding on. HUGE for him. It's like he could hear us talking about him and finally said, “Oh alright, I guess I'll do it.” :) 

Nothin but a Fairytale

Lately, I've had a lot on my mind about marriage. I've got a few friends and friends of friends going through hard times in their marriages, possibly facing divorce. Every marriage goes through highs and lows, but these are some of the lowest lows. Hearing about other husbands lying, cheating, never coming home (plenty of wives are guilty too) makes me incredibly grateful for my husband and the strength in our relationship. But it isn't just luck. We put a lot of hard work into our marriage and it surely isn't perfect. We've said hateful things to each other when we are low on patience, but we are quick to take them back and apologize. When we screw up, we learn from it.

I used to think 'our generation' would do better than our parents. I know plenty of happily married couples that seem to be doing their best to make it work. When we say 'I do', we are promising to stick it out through anything. Sounds simple, but promising to be with each other when you have no clue what hardships you may face in the future, isn't for sissies. Selfishness and immaturity are great ways to screw up a marriage. Certainly, some people marry the wrong person and aren't meant to last. I'm talking more about the people who get stuck always thinking the grass is greener somewhere else. Focusing on what we DO have and what IS good will only make things better.

When Eric and I got married, I never thought we would live in Houston. I had no idea what recruiting entailed or how hard it is raising babies away from my family. I put all my faith on the fact that I was marrying the right man, and whatever we faced, we would manage it together. After only 2 ½ years of marriage, we've faced quite a bit, and only God knows what else is yet to be thrown our way. I rely on the fact that the hard times don't last forever and sticking it out through a hard day, or a hard year, is worth it. Couples that celebrate their 25^th or 50^th wedding anniversary, don't do so looking back on nothing but a fairytale. When Eric and I clink our champagne glasses on April 10^th of any year, I will smile, laugh, and shed a tear. It's tough, but it's beautiful. And we earned it!

My Big 1 Year Old!

No one has asked us yet, “how old is he?' I'm waiting for it and know it'll be so weird to say “1”. His birthday party was perfect. Brady was in a great mood, napped when we needed him to so it stayed that way :), smashed his cake, and played with the other babies. It was HOT, but we did a good job keeping cool with the fans, tent, water, and kiddie pool. We are so thankful to have had our family and local friends there to celebrate. It's truly a celebration for Brady and us. As a family, we have come so far in a year. Really longer than that counting the time I was pregnant and we were preparing for him. It was bittersweet to say so long to having a 'baby' and bring on the toddler! I still call him my baby of course and told him I won't ever give that up! :)

He's finally getting over a tummy virus that he picked up at the party. He and two other kids ended up with diarrhea the next week :/ Brady was the only one that had vomiting as well. He never got a fever thank God, but his appetite was LOW to non existent. My skinny little boy doesn't need to lose an ounce, so it really broke my heart. He doesn't like pedialyte and now we are set WAY back on weaning from bottles and formula. After a few days, I could tell he was just sick of being sick. I always got like that as a kid, which my Mom reminded me of and which I do remember somewhat. He got really fussy after the 3^rd and 4^th day of being sick. I swear I saw him thinking, “Really Mom? When is this gonna go away?!” I realize this is the first time he's really been sick and for that I'm grateful!!

It was fabulous to have my family in town again. My Mom, sister, and brother-in-law hadn't been here since Brady was born and my Dad's visit was last November. I've been back to St. Louis since then, but it's different to have them here in our home with Brady in his environment. Brady is a great traveler, but he does get a little off his normal schedule. We went shopping, out to eat, and got everything ready for Brady's party. We definitely couldn't have had such a fun, smoothly running party without them. My Dad stayed for the whole week. He, Eric, Brady, and I went to the Houston Space Center and Grandpa watched Brady Thursday night for an hour so we could go get ice cream for a mini date night. I'm looking at plane tickets so Brady and I can hopefully make a trip to STL in September ish.

On Brady's actual birthday, he was still sick and it was a rainy day so we took it easy. We woke him up singing happy birthday, went for a walk, grocery shopped, and watched movies while we played. It was pretty perfect (minus him not feeling himself) since we had already had his party. Eric and I are now on a serious detox until my birthday! 23 days to go!! :)