Appreciating each bite...

A very wise relative reminded me recently that every bite Holden takes is God's work at hand. Well God has been busy lately because Holden is making progress with his eating. He loves bananas, sweet potatoes, pears, macaroni & cheese, mashed potatoes, etc. He's beginning to show interest in what is on our plate and is even willing to taste what we are eating (oatmeal, salsa, smoothies, ice cream, etc.) We are no longer feeding him with the feeding pump at night. This will hopefully let him wake up hungry. And we feed him solids 3-4 times a day. We still have to supplement with formula for any uneaten calories, but we've made huge progress in the last couple of weeks.
Monkey is now helping Mommy and is trying to feed himself. We have a ways to go here, but not bad for a kid who would not let a spoon near his mouth less than a month ago!

Holden is teething again. This time it is his canine teeth. Hopefully these will come in quicker than the molars!

For those of you who wonder what Holden does when he does not have a woobie in his mouth, well - he chews on everything like a new little puppy.

Holden is starting to cruise, taking steps along our furniture and even exploring the stairs. I am sure he'll be walking before we know it!!

We're heading down to Destin, FL this weekend for our friends Jeanine and Joey's wedding and for some play time at the beach! I am looking forward to spending time with both of my guys! We'll be sure to take pictures!

Vacation Fun

We had a great trip to Florida. The only thing missing was Daddy. But it was a good opportunity for Holden to spend some quality time with Grandma Rosanne and his oldest cousin Melina. It was also the first time some of my closest friends (who live in FL) were able to meet the little Monkey. So it was a great trip for a variety of reasons!

For the first couple of days, we stayed at the Nickelodeon Hotel (which is just outside the gates of Disney). They do a fabulous job making it all about the kids. The suites are very kid friendly and each one is decorated with a Nick character. We had SpongeBob. Thursday morning, we took Holden to a character breakfast where he was able to meet Dora the Explorer, Patrick, Blues Clues, Avatar and SpongeBob Square Pants. Every 30 minutes, the characters and crew would do a dance in the center of the restaurant. Holden was captivated and would clap his hands as he watched Dora do "air guitar" and dance around! At first, he was not sure what he thought of meeting them up close, but by the time Dora came by, he had warmed up to it. Then when SpongeBob came to visit, Holden was much braver and even reached out to touch him! I have to admit, I teared up watching the excitement in his face. I know I've said this before, but nothing beats experiencing the world through your child's eyes!!
And the pool at the Nick Hotel was awesome for kids of all ages. I wish I would have had my camera with me to catch some of Holden's adventure! We splashed around in the shallow end and watched the live Nick Show that they do pool side. At one point, Holden climbed out of the pool and began to crawl around (fortunately, they whole area around the pool is a soft rubber surface.) Holden was ready to explore, so we took him into the toddler area, where there are water features and kiddie slides. He was able to go down his first water slide (with Melina's help) and laughed as they splashed into the water! Priceless!!

On Friday, we met my longtime friends, Yvette, Jason, their 5 month-old son, Hudson, Trish and Ari for lunch at Wolfgang Puck in Downtown Disney. This was their first time meeting Holden and my first time meeting Hudson. And although Holden feel asleep for half the lunch, I was so happy we were all able to get together.
After lunch we took Holden to ride the Carousel and to see the life size Lego sculptures. Seeing his little head turn from side to side at all the sights made me think that he is really going to love Disney World when we go in September. And I suspect by then he'll be walking (as he as of yesterday is now pulling himself up on everything on his own and he'll take a couple steps with help).

In addition to being a proud Mom, I am also a proud Aunt. I can honestly say Melina has to be one of the most beautiful kids I know (on the inside and out). We invited her to come with us in a way to reward her for all her hard work in school. Not only has she always gotten good grades (straight As since 3rd grade) but she is just one of those kids who has such a big heart. At thirteen, I can't say I wanted to hang out with my family, especially my younger cousins. But she at an early age has learned to have great balance in her life. Not only does she excel with her academics, she is very active with sports, church, her family and she has a great group of friends. I offered to treat her to a spa service at the hotel, but Melina asked if instead she could get something that would always remind her of the trip. So we had a t-shirt made that said Melina & Holden's Roadtrip 2009! Too cute. My sister and her husband Steve should be very proud. They've raised an amazing young woman!!

On Saturday, we checked out of the Nick Hotel and headed east to the beach for Art and Sheila's 4th of July Party. Again, I wish I would have done better with the picture-taking, but we had a blast! Holden is with Aunt Trish in this picture. It was also the first time Holden was at the beach. He seemed frightened of the waves at first, but was okay as long as Mommy held him. It was funny to watch his reaction to the sand sticking to his hands. We are heading back to the beach in 2 weeks for a friends wedding, so hopefully he'll be more comfortable with it next time!

And kudos to the kiddo for being a good car traveller. He was awesome on the trip down (about 8 hours). The trip home was slightly more challenging - taking 12 hours. But all-in-all he did great!

We are planning a trip to see Granma Deda and her friends in Brevard, NC in early August and then heading back to Florida again in September for 5 days at Disney World. So Holden's Summer Adventures continue...

Love it patient, Love is Kind...

Lately I've had so much I've wanted to write about and lots of cute pictures, but not nearly enough time! Holden is keeping me busy and despite being tired, I'm loving it! And I'm not saying it is always easy, but I think being a Mom is the best job on earth!

Holden is now crawling laps throughout the house and is having fun playing "tag" with Alex. And the little Monkey's 4th molar tooth finally started to cut on Sunday. So hopefully we won't have quite so much drama (he's like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when he's teething).

Working with his therapist, we've decided to push a little harder with his feedings. Instead of putting Holden in his high chair, we've been putting him in a booster seat in front of the TV. Totally not the way I want it, but sometimes in life, you just do what you gotta do! And it seems to be working. Each day we've been able to feed him several tablespoons of baby food. I know it may not sound like much, but I am so proud of the Chunk-a-monk. Last week he wouldn't even open his mouth for solid food. And he's warming up to the sippy cup. I'm not saying it has been easy, but we're working on it! And I am convinced that "patience" comes from heaven above. One definition of patience is: "the ability to wait calmly for something to happen without complaining or giving up". So my personal goal each day is to commit myself 100% when feeding Holden. I know by showing him patience and love, but firmness will help him continue to improve with eating. When I really think about it, patience can make a big difference in lots of situations in life. Don't we all do better when our parents, spouse, friend, boss, etc treat us with patience and kindness!!?? And hopefully that is what I'm teaching my little guy!

Summer Fun

Lately, it seems like every day Holden does something new! He is now able to push himself on his little cars and is pulling himself up into a standing position (with very little help). He is gabbing like crazy - not that I can understand him, but he sure has a lot to say!! And he's crawling so fast now that he can catch Alex (our dog). Alex is not sure what to think!

He recently started crossing his wrists (or hands) when he is sitting down. The pose is identical to the way my Dad often sat! Since Grandpa Joe is no longer with us, it is a wonderful daily reminder (for me) of my Dad.

The kid is a teething machine. His 1 year molars caused him grief for over a month before beginning to cut. Now 3 molars have cut within the past 10 days. He seriously puts everything in his mouth! Picture me with anti-bacterial wipes in my hand at all times running behind the Chunk-a-monk with an oxygen tank!!! That is a good part of my day - and I say that with a smile. And molar #4 is sure to poke through any day now. I think we'll all be happy once the molars are in!

We went to Holden's twin cousins', Ariana and Alyssa's birthday party, last Saturday. I can't believe the girls are 8!! Holden had a blast at their party. He thought it was hysterical when all the kids were kicking the soccer ball pinata! The Little Monkey even got a turn at it.He had a good time playing with the soccer ball, swinging on the swing and watching the big kids play soccer.

It has been great to be able to socialize with our family and friends. Although Holden can be shy at first, he has really come out of his shell and is quick to make friends everywhere we go!

Life is Good

I absolutely love being a Mom - especially Holden's Mom. It is an awesome feeling to watch your child experience "firsts". And in Holden's case, I don't take any of these firsts or milestones for granted. Last week we met Grandma Rosanne, Holden's cousins Robbie and Richie and my brother-in-law (Rob's) parents at the Mall. We had lunch and then took the boys on the carousel. The little Monkey was fascinated with all the lights and liked going up and down and round and round. At some point in our lives, things lose the magic that they had as a child. Being a parent certainly has brought the magic back in a way I never could have imagined!

Holden was blessed with a healthy head of hair that grows like a weed (just like Mommy and Daddy's). It seems less curly these days and has gotten a bit lighter. We went again last week for another haircut. Now he looks like a mini-Reece to me!!

Holden is now crawling like a mad-man! Mommy is always close behind with this O2. He had picked up speed and is now exploring and getting into everything. Alex (our dog) is not sure what he thinks of having someone else moving around on all four! But he is definitely intrigued!

Holden finally busted out of the state of Georgia, when we went last weekend to visit our friends Brian and Jennifer who live on Hilton Head Island. The Witmers are expecting their first child - due in December, so we were happy to be able to spend some time with them and celebrate their big news.

Holden had a great time with their dog Cleo. They would play chase and Holden would crack up when Cleo would come close.

Holden is loving the pool. We've been a couple of times here in our subdivision and then went to a very cool pool at a resort in Hilton Head. The little guy does well sitting in the shallow water and hanging out in his floaty.

We'll see what he thinks of the beach when we head down to Florida (twice) next month. I am so glad that Holden is finally strong enough to handle travelling. It takes some planning and organizing on our part (probably true for all babies!) but it is so worth it when I see the expressions on his face as he encounters new experiences. I think we all need a little magic in our lives! Life is good:)

Change is coming...

The Chunk-A-Monk is now officially crawling. He's not yet fast and he hasn't gone too far, but he has the mechanics down and certainly is getting where he wants to go. I'm so proud of the little guy! It has been a long haul, but he's doing it! And I suspect walking is not too far out. As you can see by the picture, he is now standing. With just a little help, he's pulling himself up on anything and everything. And while Holden has always required a lot of attention and supervision, I suspect that Daddy or I will constantly be following behind him with an oxygen tank. We are currently checking into a new 2 lb tank. If our home health company is able to get them for us, Holden can hopefully sometimes carry his own mini tank - in situations that will give him more autonomy. I pray we'll be able to continue to wean him off the oxygen. We recently weaned down to 1/4 liter flow. So Holden continues to fight for his health - and has been amazing all of us, including his doctors!

I have been enjoying watching his little personality blossom. The little guy already has so many layers to him and he's only 15-months old. He is definitely strong-willed - we knew that. He is also happy, caring, feisty, smart, observant and wise beyond his years!!

Our next challenge to tackle is eating. He had been doing well, but is currently refusing his bottles and won't take any solids by spoon (but he will eat just about anything we dip his woobie/pacifier in). So we have had to rely completing on feeding him via feeding pump. His therapist says it is sometimes common for premature babies with developmental delays, to only be able to concentrate on one milestone at a time. Plus, he's been teething for over a month now - still waiting on the one-year molars. So it is possible, he will soon be ready to focus on food. But in the meantime, I am checking into a great program that would provide us with some intensive support. Hopefully we won't need it, but it is good to know we have additional support available to us if he continues to struggle.

We enjoyed Memorial Day with the Viti family. As you can see, Holden loved having play mates.

And he certainly wasn't shy when getting a kiss from an older (and adorable) girl!!

He does so well with other kids and we're looking forward to lots of socializing this summer and fall.

We have several trips planned for the coming months: Hilton Head to visit the Witmers, Orlando (Nick Hotel) and Satellite Beach for the Schmitt's 4th of July Party, Jeanine and Joey's wedding in Destin, a trip to Granma Deda's in Brevard and then Disney with the Kramers this Fall.

As difficult as we've had things, I can only say it is awesome to live in each moment and appreciate it in a way I never really did before. I am not only seeing the world through my son's eyes, I am thanking God for all he's blessed us with and looking forward to every day!