Bye Bye Woobie, Hello Big Boy

It has been a big week for Holden. We decided it was time to say bye-bye to Woobie (pacifier). We asked Holden if he wanted to send all of his Woobies to Alex in heaven. He said "yeah" and then he helped Mommy collect them from all of the places he had hoarded them. I think we ended up with 14 in total. I have to admit, he's handled it way better than I thought he would. He hasn't asked for it once. During the day, we stay so busy, I really don't think he's missed it much. It has been harder to get him to nap without it. And the first 4 or 5 nights, he woke up every 2-3 hours crying. Even though the nights were rough, I'm still glad we did it. I'm already noticing Holden being more vocal and attempting new words. It really hit me this week, that my little guy is growing up.

And while I'm so glad we are where we are today, I have to admit, I was not completely prepared for the "terrible twos" (and yes, I think Holden got there a couple of months early!). Some days I wonder what happened to my sweet easy-going little Monkey! But I know this is a normal phase and I'm ready to take it on!! I have no doubt we'll have lots of good blogging material the next year or so:)

So lately Holden has a very strong opinion on nearly everything. It starts each morning with breakfast. If he doesn't like what Mommy makes, he makes his way to the pantry and makes his own selection. And getting dressed has been hysterical, as Holden wants to select his outfits. His favorite outfit seems to be a Gator Jersey (good taste on this one), camo pants, and sandals with socks (this one drives me crazy, it has been 40 degrees out, so if we are going to wear sandals, I'm glad he's being sensible about the socks!

He is also obsessed with all electronic gadgets. We just purchased a media armoire so we can lock him out of touching the TV, DVD, Stereo, etc. It is less about watching TV and more about touching all the buttons. He especially likes putting in and taking out DVDs from the DVD player. So while we are trying to protect our equipment from the little Monkey, we are also looking for other ways to encourage his curiosity and need for exploring anything with buttons, lights and sound. He does well (when supervised) on the computer and we got him a Leapster 2, which is an educational electronic hand held game.
Holden was recently evaluated by a speech, occupational and physical therapist. We were so happy to hear that they think he's pretty much caught up to where he should be developmentally. It is always nice to have someone (unbiased) tell you that your child is intelligent. He scored in the mid-high 90s on the series of tests. So our biggest challenge now is getting the little guy eating/drinking more. Doctors are looking for slow and steady growth. The therapist is confident that he knows how to eat. She thinks he's doing the typical toddler thing and just eating when HE feels like it. So for now, we will have to continue giving him milk at night with his feeding pump. Not ideal, but you do what you gotta do!

All of these recent changes have me reflecting on where we were 1 year ago. Of course all babies change so much between the ages of 1 and 2. But we also have the improved health and catching up on milestones we were behind on, to also be grateful for. I remind myself of this each time I clean up crushed cereal from between the slats of our hardwood floors!! What a blessing. And what a journey!!

The Wonder in it all...

I imagine most Moms with little ones say that it is near impossible to get anything done while their child is awake. So I've accepted that most days the dishes may sit in the sink until bedtime and laundry is done (folding is a whole other story) in between playing and making meals. But, in exchange for a home that is less than perfectly clean, I get to be a part of the wonder and exploration of Holden's world. It is awesome to see things through his eyes. Everything is so innocent. Everything is new. And imagination rules in this fantastic place!



Holden's Aunt Amy (from CA) and his Granma Deda were in town for a visit last week. It didn't take long for him to invite them into his world! He was fascinated by the magic balloons that would stick to just about anything. And he was amused seeing the balloons, like Mickey ears on Granma's head. It seems like he finds something new to do with these little balloons every day!

Because of the germ factor, I had never let Holden play with or on any public toys...until the past couple of weeks. Now he's hooked. He especially loves the train sets. And while Mommy sits there with her Purell, making sure no fingers go in his mouth, Holden has a blast. After our snow days and cold spell, I felt bad that Monkey had been so couped up. So we headed to Barnes and Noble. I thought we'd hang out and read some books. Little did I realize that it would turn into an impromptu play date with the dozen or so kids, who all, like Holden, had some pent up energy!

As much as I want to take precautions and protect Holden, I am learning to balance that with finally letting him just enjoy being a toddler! And although he's had 5 colds already this winter (which has almost felt like one long cold!), he's worked his way through them just fine.

We've been back to playing outside again now that it has warmed up. Holden's newest fascination is with sticks. He surprised me as he hauled a long branch that had fallen out of our tree during the snow/ice last week. The branch was twice as big as he is, but he was determined to get it out of the front yard. Then he found a smaller stick that he used like a walking stick and then to explore things like piles of snow, leaves and any bug he saw moving. Similar to the way Alex was with sticks, Holden remembers exactly where he leaves them each time we go back outside.

I don't know at what age I lost the "wonder" and amazement in the little things, but I am grateful that Holden has given it back to me now!

Surrounded by LOVE this Christmas...

Merry Christmas to all of our friends and family. I think Holden had a great Christmas. Although he was not that into opening the presents, he did love seeing what was inside! But I would have to say that his favorite thing was playing with his family. He is one social little monkey.




On Christmas Eve we went to Aunt JoJo and Uncle Steve's new house for a celebration with my side of the family. Holden immediately found Ariana and Alyssa's toys - looking for anything with wheels. I laughed as he dumped the Barbies out of the Barbie car and immediately started driving the car along the floor! And he had fun pushing the baby doll around in it's stroller. Of course he's learning to play rough with his boy cousins, Robbie and Richie, and loving every minute of it. It is great to see him able to keep up with them!



Christmas with my family is always fun, but chaotic with all of the kids running around. But among the chaos, I found myself smiling as I thought about how blessed we are to be surrounded by such a loving family.

We somehow convinced Holden to sleep in a bit on Christmas morning, as Santa was up late. He was so excited when he came downstairs and saw that Santa brought him a John Deer Tractor and Trailer. We had to laugh...Santa forgot that the battery had to charge for a full 24 hours, so the little guy didn't know it was battery-powered until the next day! Fortunately, Daddy pushing was just as good as having it battery-powered.

Christmas afternoon we headed to Rome, GA to celebrate with the Parker side of the family. I was so happy for Holden to get to know Reece's Grannie, Aunts, Uncles and cousins better. He made himself at home rather quickly and had every one of Aunt Marcy's Christmas dolls/toys making noise. It was the perfect evening and a great reminder of what Christmas is all about. Spending time with those you love.

The next morning we packed up and headed to Brevard NC to see Holden's Granma Deda! We were excited to find snow still on the ground, but even more excited to spend a couple days with Granma and Sam!

Holden was thrilled to see the playhouse Granma made for him. He had hours of fun, going in and out and peeking out the windows at us. At one point, he even took a pillow inside, in case he wanted to take a nap! But he was having way too much fun to take time out to sleep.

Although it was pretty cold outside, Granma's house was comfortable, warm and full of love! It was hard having to say goodbye to head back to GA!

Other than losing Alex, 2009 has really been a good year, especially when it comes to Holden! Our little Monkey continues to amaze his doctors as he grows - getting stronger and healthier every day. And while none of us really know what the future holds, I am looking forward to enjoying each day the new year brings with high hopes that it will be a healthy, happy and prosperous 2010!

And I wish the same for all of you! Thank you for still reading our blog, but mostly, for all of the wonderful thoughts and prayers you've said for Holden, Reece and I these past 2 years. We are so blessed to have you in our lives! God Bless you!

Believing is seeing

I know most people say "Seeing is Believing", but I like to think that BELIEVING IS SEEING.

We took Holden to see Santa at Stone Mountain Christmas tonight. As we stood in line, I couldn't help but think how blessed we are. Holden has come so far since last Christmas. I remember crying when we visited with Santa last year. Holden had just gotten out of the hospital. He was, of course, on oxygen. He was on the feeding pump 20 hours a day. And we had been given a bleak prognosis for the future.

Some of the doctors had told us that Holden would likely be on the oxygen indefinitely. I think about how we could have held on to what those doctors were saying. We could have given up and started telling Holden to get used to wearing his nasal cannula. We could have quoted the medical statistics and sat around feeling sorry for ourselves. But rather, we had faith in the unknown. We believed it would be possible for Holden to wean off the oxygen. We tried to live each day with optimism instead of pessimism. We continued HOLDEN FAITH and I am so glad.

While I respect everyone's right to live and think the way they want, I have never understood why some people prefer to live in a world of negativity. Why would you want to wake up each day preparing for doom and gloom rather than believing anything is possible. I can tell you that I would have had trouble getting out of bed these past two years if I let myself believe the worst for Holden.

I believe that Holden will be able to do anything he puts his mind to. And unless health problems prove to get in the way, I plan to encourage him to try whatever he wants, including sports. At this point, he has been cleared to participate in all activities with no restrictions. So unless/until we uncover a problem, why would I speculate or discourage him from anything? For me believing is seeing ... and I believe.

Saying good-bye is hard to do...

... It is with a heavy heart that I write this week's blog. Our dog, Alex, was struck and killed by a car on Monday evening. I keep thinking it was a bad dream and wake up each morning expecting him to greet Holden and I and give us kisses. Alex was part of our family and we will miss him dearly. And while Alex was sweet to Holden and I, he was definitely Daddy's dog. Alex always wanted to be wherever Reece was. They were definitely buds!
I realize that Alex was a pet, however, we treated him like our child. I know that is hard for some people to understand (or accept), but that was what we wanted. He would have been 4 years old this January. Although it was a short life, it was a good one. He was mainly an indoor dog and made himself comfortable throughout the house. He got 1-2 walks a day. He loved when we would take him to the dog park or for rides in the car. He went on several vacations with us and loved exploring new places. But most importantly, he loved us unconditionally. He would have done anything to make us happy. He accepted Holden from the moment he met him and was protective of the newest member of his pack. And ever since I've been home with Holden, Alex has been a huge part of our day. Holden can not quite say Alex, so he called him "Al". The past couple of mornings, Holden walked around the house calling Al. And then he'd go to the pantry and get Alex's treats and call him again. I've told Holden that Alex is with God. We have a little German Shepherd Angel Christmas ornament that we've put on the tree. Holden pointed at the ornament this morning and said "Al". I said, "Yes, Alex is now an Angel."

We will miss you sweet Alex. RIP

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

It has been a busy, but great week. I have spent a lot of time thinking about how much I have to be thankful for this year! Holden is doing great and continues to make progress every day. He has been blessed with improved health and I feel so blessed to be his Mommy.

We had Thanksgiving dinner at our house. There were 16 of us total. This was the first get together we've had since Holden was born, where I actually cooked (instead of ordering platters or having it catered) and I have to admit, it was challenging. I spend most of my days playing with (or chasing) Holden. So most of my preparations had to take place during naps or after he went to bed. Fortunately, dinner turned out well. We had 2 turkeys. I roasted one and Reece fried the other. It is pretty amazing how I spent hours roasting my turkey, between prep and baking and Reece was able to prep and fry his in less than an hour. And I have to admit, it tasted just as good! Between all the sides we made and what my family brought, there was plenty (okay, way too much) of delicious food. Holden was having so much fun playing with his cousins, that it was hard to get him to sit still long to eat, but he did pretty well. His favorite seemed to be the corn and the green bean casserole! I hope his love of veggies lasts!

Unfortunately, my camera broke, so I don't have any new photos to post. But picture this..Holden with his cousins, Robbie, Richie, Melina, Ariana and Alyssa - all running in circles around our house. Some were riding Holden's trucks, some pulling Holden in a mini wagon and everyone running (and screaming) at one point or another. Instead of it being a "Calgon Take Me Away moment", it was a moment I'll remember forever. This was the first time they have all been together since he started walking (and running!). And I loved seeing the little Monkey keep up with everyone.

So it has been a great week full of family, good food, blessings and love. And to each of you, I want to say thank you. I am so lucky to have you in my life and I thank you for your positive thoughts and prayers. I would love to hear about your Thanksgiving and how things are going for you. This is true for those of you I know and friends I've yet to meet. Please feel free to send me an email at reeceandchristine@yahoo.com . I look forward to hearing from you!