12 Months

Dearest Parker,

Your Dad and I are just amazed that a year has flown by so quickly.  What a year it has been.  The first few months, we were just focused on trying to figure you out and how you would fit into our family.  Now, we can't imagine our family without you in it.  You are continually bringing more joy, laughter, and delight into our world.  Our hearts and home are forever changed, and we love you beyond what words could ever convey!

12 month Stats:
Height- 29 inches (1 in. over last month)
Weight- still about 21-22 lbs.  You are moving nonstop, and your little body is getting so slender

always smiling

Teeth- 7 still, but your drooling leads me to believe more are on the way
Sleep- usually 10-11 hours a night.  You still take 2 naps a day for about 1.5 hr each.
Eating- you are a great eater.  Still mixing baby food with real food here and there.  You are always up for trying new things.  You still love sweet potatoes and carrots the best, though.
Talking- no new words yet, but you are saying Mama and Dada pretty often- and intentionally!  Your babbling is increasing each week!  I am so ready to know what you are thinking.  What has been a blessing is teaching you some sign language.  You appropriately communicate to me "more", "eat/hungry", "milk", and "all done."  Since you can't actually talk to me, it has been so helpful for you to communicate with me your needs and wants.  I am amazed that this actually works with babies.  I wish I would have started it earlier.

Your new favorite drinking location

your expressions are priceless

You are so close to walking!  You are very strong, and walk really well when assisted or when holding on to furniture or toys.  Right around your 1st birthday, you actually took 2-3 steps solo, but it isn't consistent yet.  I know most people tell me not to wish for it to come because life gets harder, but I think it will make life easier and more fun when you can get around on your own.

You love reading books every day!

We had a whirlwind month of holiday activities, but we were so blessed to spend this month with so many special people.  Your Mimi was here in SC with us for your first Christmas, and then we had a great week in Arkansas with your other grandparents and relatives.  I am overwhelmed with pride and love watching you with our family and knowing that you are now a part of it.

Your first year was a full one.  You have already had two surgeries- both of which seemed so scary and frightening at the time.  Now we look back and are so impressed how well you recovered and how well you continue to do.  You have no idea how many lives you have touched and how many parents you have encouraged by your story.

We've made so many friends, and enjoyed playdates along the way.  We watched Dad finish residency (highly decorated I might add), and now have watched him embark on the journey of fellowship.  We have had more visitors and visits than we can count, but are so blessed that you have gotten to know your family so well being so far away.

We love you buddy.  Can't wait to see what this next year brings!

9 Months

It's easy to capture your smiles- you smile and laugh all day long!

Dear Parker,

Nine months- it is crazy to think that you have been alive now for as long as I carried you!  This last month brought so many different emotions- excitement (as you did new things), joy(pretty much daily), apprehension (for surgery), heartache (when you hurt), and many many more.  It is such a shock that you are soon coming on a year of life!  The days fly by and it is amazing to think how much you have changed and grown in such a short period of time.

At your 9 month appointment- Dr. Painter said you look great!

You are really starting to thin out from all your activity!

9 Month Stats:
Height: 28 inches (50th%)
Weight: 20 lbs 1 oz (48th%)
Head Circumference (92nd%- big brain, remember?)
Teeth: 6

In your hospital gown

Big boy with a sippy cup

In your eighth month of life, a lot has happened.  On September 10th, you had your biggest surgery for your palate repair.  You were so tough and such a trooper.  All we heard was how "awful" it would be and that you would be in tremendous pain.  We got to go home a couple days earlier than we expected, and although the first day was really rough, you really tolerated the pain extremely well after that!  Since then, your little voice has sounded a little different, and we rarely see milk come out of your nose!  We should be good for surgeries for at least 5 years- very exciting!

Since your palate is repaired, we have been working on taking a sippy cup.  Some days you are into it.  And some days- not so much. We'll keep trying!

Precious boy!

You are starting to babble more and more.  You say "mamama" all day long.  And last week you started saying "ga" quite a bit.  Miss Laura and I try every day to get you to say "da" but you just aren't doing it yet....  I know when you do, your Dad's heart will explode with excitement!  We taught you a new trick.  When we cup our hand over our mouth and make our "indian call,"  we then put our hand to your mouth and you mimic us.  It's hilarious and we all end up laughing.  You also are giving high fives on command.  What tricks will we learn this month??

You LOVE the iPad- we have some really cool baby apps that captivate you!

You are a maniac crawling all over the house now.  You are also pulling up on everything, starting to cruise on furniture, and a few nights ago- you grabbed your walker and just started walking unassisted by us across the living room!!!  I have a feeling it won't be long until you walk without holding onto anything.  The busier you are, the busier I am with you- but it is SO much fun!

Daddy and I love you so incredibly much!  Your personality is coming out more and more and you are so full of laughter and life.

XO,

Mom

Update on our little patient

Does this guy look like he just had a big surgery?

I can not believe that Parker's palate repair was over a week and a half ago!  The little guy has been so tough, and we were shocked at how well he handled the pain after the first day.  Since we have been home, we are still using pain medicine each day, alternating the tylenol/codeine and motrin.  I'm giving him less and less as time goes on.  However, our poor little guy started teething again this last weekend- perfect timing, right?  As though his mouth needed more discomfort!  His drooling got worse (hard to imagine), he wants to gum and chew even more than usual, and we can see two spots on his lower jaw where some buds are about to emerge.  Starting Saturday, he started to wake up every 2-3 hours for a few days, but we are starting to come out of that and get back on our regular routine.

I went looking for Parker the other day, and this is what I found- the 2 boys playing together!!

Parker loves his Honey

Debbie (Spencer's Mom) was so sweet to fly here on Friday to help out with Parker's recovery.  Fortunately- Parker was not nearly as bad as we had worried he would be.  Of course, she had to endure his teething period, but overall- he was still really enjoyable.  Sadly we had to take her to the airport yesterday- so sad to see her go!  I can't say enough how nice it was to have her help- even just leaving Parker with her for a couple hours to run errands and go to the grocery store.  I didn't realize how tired I was until I realized how I felt refreshed having a break here and there.  And it is such a treat for me to watch Parker be around
Debbie and our other parents.  I always hope and pray that he will have the joy of knowing his grandparents as well as I know mine.  It is such a special relationship.  And this coming weekend, my mom will be here, so we will have another fun visit!

Waiting to see Dr. Chen

back to real food- so exciting

We went back to Dr. Chen on Wednesday for our post-op follow-up.  I was really worried about what he would say because I was able to see a hole the size of a pencil eraser in his hard palate.  But Dr. Chen said everything looked great otherwise.  He thinks that the hole is just on the oral side (hopefully), and said it is possible that it could close on its own with time.  If it doesn't, or if the hole goes through the nasal side, it won't matter because he won't repair it until his next surgery in 5 years.  I felt a lot better after this report.  We got the go ahead to eat regular food, and we won't go back for a year.  It feels so strange to have all of this behind us- hallelujah we are done for a while!

Using the sippy cup for the first time.  We are trying to get away from using the Haberman, and transition to sippy cups after the surgery.  He doesn't quite know how to really suck well- He's never had to so far, but we are working on it.  On some of the cups, I've taken out the valve so that milk flows freely.  He's very messy for now.  I'm just trying one feeding a day with the cup, and the rest with the Haberman.  Eventually we'll drop the Haberman.

Did I mention he's teething?  He quickly lost interest in the milk (difficult to drink) and decided to chew the cup

MELT. MY. HEART!

I don't mean to minimize Parker's cleft lip and palate.  Obviously we have had to do a lot of extra things that most babies don't deal with in his first year.  But for something that caused so much anxiety to Spencer and me a year ago, we have realized that this defect is such a small thing.  We have a beautiful, thriving child who is the happiest little boy I've ever known.  He has overcome everything like a champ so far.  There are so many things that are more challenging and more difficult to overcome- the cleft was such a small thing in the great big scheme of things.  We have really grown throughout the experience, and in so many ways we have experienced so many blessings, answered prayers, support, and made new relationships with so many people we otherwise would not have had!

We are home!

Saying goodbye to our nurses and techs at the Children's Hospital.  What an incredible place!  We had fantastic care, and they do such a great job!  It makes me so proud to work for Palmetto Health!

When we met with Dr. Chen for appointments in preparation for the palate repair, he prepared us for a long, painful recovery.  One appointment he said we would be in the hospital probably 4 or 5 days, and that the issue would be Parker wanting to eat again due to the pain in his mouth.  He always reiterated that this surgery was "a really big deal," that he will "really, really hurt," and that it would be "pretty bad."  How reassuring, right?  We were hoping that we could go home by this Friday.  However, this precious little boy is constantly surprising me, and as I mentioned earlier, he didn't hesitate to take down some milk when it was presented!  In addition, his pain was well managed that second day with the PO medicine and I never had to request for the IV morphine.  When Dr. Chen rounded on us yesterday (Wednesday morning), he was very pleased and discharged us much earlier than originally expected!  He told me that he has had kids go up to 7 days without taking any food post surgery.  Parker- you are amazing!

Jack was thrilled to have us home- he jumped straight in the car and went for kisses on Parker

So happy to be home- clapping!

We had a great day at home!  Parker was thrilled as he crawled and pulled up nonstop around the house.  He also was very happy to see Jack, and there multiple attempts to stand up holding on to Jack, as well as trying to eat Jack's collar (I didn't say he is always brilliant).  We got to be outside for the first time in days, go on a couple walks, and not be restricted to the metal crib in the hospital room.  He got to take a bath in the tub with his toys.  In addition, I only gave his pain medication a couple of times- and it was only in trying to prevent breakthrough pain and not because he was upset.  This is one TOUGH kid!  Did I mention how raw his palate looks?

Anyhow- I can only give praise to the grace of God and his answering of so many prayers and requests.  He is so good to us, and I am constantly blown away by our many blessings.  We follow up with Dr. Chen next week to see how he is healing and to get the go ahead to eat real food again.  Go Parker Go!

Back in our chair for stories and cuddling before bed time.   By the way- as I write this, Parker has been asleep for 10 straight hours without waking up!  Thank you, Lord!

Day 2 Post-op

Parker shaking his maraca!

This girl does such a great job!  All of the
 patients loved music time!

What a difference a day makes.  Today was a really really good day.  Parker slept almost the entire night through, waking up only for assessments, vital signs, and pain medicine.  He woke up at 7am, and played all morning long.  Dr. Chen came in around 9 and was really happy with how great Parker seemed to feel and gave us the green light to start feeding him.  Then at 1030, we were invited to Music time down the hall.  Child Life has a great playroom with tons of toys, games, tables and chairs.  One of the Child Life employees played the guitar, and we sang songs for more than 30 minutes.  It was so much fun.  Everyone had an instrument to play.  Parker shook his maraca the whole time and clapped his hands on his own.  It was precious!

He didn't go down for a nap until 1145.  Friends stopped by with lunch, and Parker woke up after 2 hours of sleep to play.  We made a lot of laps around the unit with the toy car.  Parker was the biggest flirt with all the nurses smiling and clapping at them.  They loved it!

This evening, my friend Kala stopped by for a visit.  Then, Ms. Laura showed up.  He saw her, smiled really big and reached out for her.  She was so happy to see Parker, and he was clearly happy to see her.  Very sweet.  It melts my heart to know how lucky we are to have someone who truly loves our little boy be his caretaker when I work.

Overall, we are a different baby.  He took down almost 20oz of milk!  That's sometimes the amount he takes at home!  We also haven't required IV medication since about 4 am.  We are getting closer and closer to being able to go home!  

parker is constantly standing up in his crib and trying to play

yesterday, Happy Wheels, a local nonprofit, came by so we could pick out a new book for Parker to keep

"come on, Mom, let me out of here!"  painkillers and "no-nos" can't slow this boy down