Rock Chalk!!!!

Your Jayhawks are currently in the Sweet 16 for March Madness. You watched the game with Daddy, Poppy, and your Uncle David last night...everytime they would tell at the TV you would run up to the tv with your fists in the air and scream at the TV too! We were laughing so hard! Then if they'd cheer, you would run to the TV and clap! If was the cutest thing ever! You'd say "Goooooo U!!!" (For Go KU!) And you'd throw your hands up in the air! Definitely stole the show yesterday! ;)

You still are fighting eating dinners... I just can not figure it out. Usually, if we can force you to take a few bites you'll love it...but I don't know why you fight it so much. You give your mama anxiety; I'm so afraid you aren't getting enough vitamins and nutrients and there's something we need to be doing for you to keep you healthy!

Your follow up at the ENT a few weeks a go was great news...no tubes!!!! The dr thinks maybe your Eustachian tube (your little tube in the ear) has gotten larger this decreasing your ear infections! As of right now, (knock on wood) your last ear infection was in December!!

We had a lot of left over baby food that we just did not want to waste...so we used it as finger paint this past weekend! Your daddy and I was very impressed with you...you actually got your hands dirty!!! We really didn't think you would, but you had a blast! You were covered!!!! :)

Your new baby cousin was born March 14th! Kambree Marie! She is so incredibly tiny but so beautiful just like her sisters! Your Auntie had her Thursday evening after a very rough day...I was so thankful to see her and to know that she was a healthy little girl. There are so many things that can go wrong with and so many risks and threats to a baby's health...it was a relief to know she was ok. She ended up being pretty jaundiced but she did not need to be admitted or anything, so all is well! It broke my heart to see how big you looked next to her though...It doesn't seem like that long a go you were mama's seven pound baby cuddling with me on the couch. Time sure is flying by. I sometimes think about having another baby someday...but for now, you are all mommy and daddy needs! You definitely keep us busy enough! It took a few visits with Kambree for you to really show interest in her...in fact it was all if a sudden one day...you let out a little holler and ran as fast as you could towards her...arms stretched out and all! It was almost like it was that very second that you realized...There's a baby!!!! :)

You are really starting to interact while playing...it's adorable. You play "Where's Lathan?" And hide your face and then jump out at us. You play with your cars and make car sounds while driving, you love to play ball with daddy and you just roll it back and forth... But your most favorite thing to do is chase after the poor dogs. You absolutely LOVE your doggies... Love, love, love them!!!!!

Ma spent a week and a half in the hospital but is back home now.... Those were some very tough days for mommy. My heart wanted to be with you and her both and that was impossible; you are a toddler so sitting still at the hospital was most certainly not on your to do list :) You'd push buttons, grab tubes, knock on doors, and just touch everything you could reach. Your daddy had to spend some extra quality time with you so mama could be with Ma...because on those days, she needed me the most. Thankfully, she is now back home to continue her fight!

So last time you heard from me...you were a very very sick little boy! Those couple days were very scary but I'm so happy we have our ornery little boy back! It definitely was not a quick recovery though; we had to go back to the pediatrician and basically force water and Gatorade down you for days. Also, for a while afterwards, you refused to eat anything - it was an ordeal to get you to take even one bite.  Sometimes, we would literally have to hold your head to still long enough to give you a bite while you screamed and cried; typically, after the first few bites you realized how much you love eating and then you would eat the rest of the plate without a problem.  It seems to be getting better, but there still are days where you have no interest in food at all. 

The week that you were so sick, we had a huge blizzard!  Mama took off work after attempting to drive there and realizing there was no stinking way I was going to make it to Lawrence.  You were at Ma and Poppy's so I went over there and we were snowed in the rest of the day.  I tried to get you to touch the snow but you wouldn't - you jerked your hand away everytime it got close.  You're a funny little guy - it took you a while to walk in the grass so we knew you wouldn't be out there playing in the snow!
You are chattering more and more. You can point out a few animals and actually say their names - cat, dog, and duck. You say those words super clear. You also like to chant "Go, Go, Go!" while you run around the house. It's adorable. You blow lots of kisses and love waving all the time. You love to rough-house and wrestle with daddy...you tickle us, hide from us, run from us...you're a little blast!

Mama still nurses you in the morning and in the evening and apparently you have figured out that we always use a pillow to lay you down on for that or just to have a bottle in general.  Now you have gotten to the point where you just bring me the pillow when you're tired at bedtime and want some milk.  We crack up every single time!  I think it's about time to stop nursing now that you can literally carry the pillow over! :)

Daddy gave you your first haircut today...he's trimmed around the ears a few times but this time he did the back and front too. You look SO cute!!!! I can not believe how good of a job Lance did... Pretty proud of him!!

Ma is currently at the hospital...she has had a very very very rough few weeks. Her cancer has gotten so aggressive and it literally kills me inside. You are such a little ray of sunshine though and you can ease all my heart ache with a simple kiss. I'm hoping and praying that she gets to go home soon.

Hospital Visit

Well it's two in the morning...you and daddy are asleep on the hospital bed next to Mama. You're curled up in your baby orange hospital gown with an oximeter on your toe and an IV in your arm. :(

You started vomiting Saturday night and it really took it out of you. Ever since, you have not been able to keep anything in your stomach but tablespoons of water, you haven't moved off our laps, and have barely made any sounds but a cry. We knew something was terribly wrong with our happy little ball of energy! Daddy stayed home with you today and he really tried to get you to drink lots water...you could tolerate that but a sip of pedialyte...puke! A bite of a saltine cracker...puke! When mama got home, we decided we needed to bring you into the hospital and get you evaluated for dehydration. Good thing we did! You were extremely dehydrated!!

Since we checked in, you've had an IV out in, labs drawn, an x-ray of your belly done to check for an obstruction, a catheter put in to collect urine for a urinalysis (After two bags of IV fluid, you still hadn't peed yet...so they had to do it the hard way.) The third bag of fluids is currently running right now; the doctor said she realized you were worse off then she thought given the fact you didn't pee after the first two...so she ordered a third. You have had such a traumatic few days! The IV was absolutely awful! Mama can not handle seeing you cry so I am so sorry, but I had to step our. I heard your cries through the doors and when it was finally over I rushed in to be with you and saw that your Daddy's eyes were filled with tears. We just love you so incredibly much and it's so hard to see you in pain; apparently your Daddy isn't as tough as he pretends to be! ;)

So we are currently waiting on the doctor to come in and discuss what's next. I hope all that's left is our discharge papers to get you home in your own (ahem...mama and daddy's) bed!

Update:
I am so happy to say that you are doing so much better! It was most certainly a scary few days. After the three bags if fluids they gave you...you were still dehydrated. The dr gave us the option of having you admitted or bringing you home She told us typically she would make you be admitted but she said the pediatric floor was currently "The Plague" with influenza and RSV and it would almost be better to let you go home and see dr parr in the morning...so at 330 in the morning we took you home with a prescription for Zofran to stop the vomiting. That next day Mama stayed home with you and forced Gatorade and you had a few crackers. By the time daddy got home you were babbling and smiling...just like your normal self! It took you another day to get down off our laps and actually start playing, but with each day we can tell that feel stronger.

It was absolutely awful seeing you so sick and so miserable. I thank The Lord that you're doing better!!!

Let Me Eat!!!!

Well...I think we have won the food battle! You might still be winning the sleep one, but mama and daddy has won the eating! It took a lot of patience and several very looooong dinners.... But you now eat everything in sight! You love your food and have no interest in baby food anymore. I know that you have gained a lot off weight now; I can feel it when I pick you up and you can definitely see a differences in your body. In fact, we have had to go up a size in your jeans...I feel that you are finally flourishing how you should have been all along!

We celebrated Valentines Day on Thursday. You had a party at your day care so we made little Mickey sugar cookies and put two of them plus a Mickey Valentine in a little bag for each of your friends at Nancy's. You helped mama make them...you worked really hard drawing on each of th valentines for all of your buddies. It was adorable! You also made one for Ma and Poppy, Kendalyin and KassKass, Aunt Sheena, Auntie, and Uncle Ezra. Sheena brought over a plate of sugar cookies and candy, Auntie brought a Mickey themed bag full of goodies! Stuffed Mickey, Mickey cup, plate, Mickey board books, and some of your favorite snacks. Ma and Poppy bought you candy, and Mama and Daddy got you a big I Love Yiu bear, a valentines book, and a big Mickey cookie! You also brought home a sack of yummy snacks and valentines from daycare. Needless to say...you are very loved!!!!

You are currently cuddled up on Maya's lap taking a nap. You had a putty rough night...I think you have th stomach flu AGAIN!!! You were up sick most all of the night; Mama didn't get any sleep because I was so nervous I would miss you starting to get sick. Every little noise made me panic! You have not been able to keep anything down yet today; my poor poor baby! :( I just hate it when you are sick...you do not understand what is going on and I just wish I could make it better for you! It is so sad!!!!

Besides this current little speed bump right now, you are still such a happy little guy! Last night, you figured out how to share with the doggies; you threw all the food off of your tray and laughed and laughed each time they would scurry over to get it. You got the biggest kick out of yourself!

Messes Everywhere!!!!!

Today, I underestimated how long your arms were! Mama left you in your booster chair while I finished cooking dinner. You had already eaten; you had a waffle, goldfish crackers and Oreos...since you were still hungry, we started a container of baby food. Banana berry...dark purple baby food! Well I had my back turned to stir the soup and heard you squealing with delight... I turned around and your long monkey arms had reached the jar or dark purple baby food and you were making a huge mess! You dumped some over your head...dropped some on rocky...and just played with the rest on your tray. Boy, oh boy, you were covered. Mama just took off your shirt and let you play for another few minutes. Daddy put you in the bath tub...where you proceeded to poop in it. Ha. Needless to say, you've made quite the mess tonight!!!!

Hey little one year old!!!! Things have calmed down after the excitement of your birthday parties and we are still trying to get our house back in order... Basically our living room is nothing but your play room; your toys are everywhere. If we try and clean up, you just waddle over to your toy box and pull the toys out for yourself. So basically we just have accepted that this house is no longer ours.... It belongs to you!

We had your twelve month appointment on Wednesday... We are not very happy with how it went though. You are 31 inches in length which is in the 90th percentile for height but your weight has remained the same for six months...putting you in 6th percentile for it. The dr was not very pleased with that; he said if you still haven't gained weight at your 15 month check up, we will have to meet with a specialist. We have been trying our hardest to get you to eat...we have been introducing more and more regular food, but you are putting up one heck of a fight...you just want your baby food. We have discovered that you are in love with waffles and Oreos though. :) You will eat those without a problem at all... You'll eat a few bites of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese but then you are done with it and want your Gerber foods. We will keep trying though because obviously the baby food is not enough calories for you anymore. Everything else with the appointment went great though...your head and everything is growing fine so he knows you are not malnourished or anything like that's...just tall and skinny! Hmmm....wonder why!?!? Passed all your milestones...plus some! We had met with the ent a few weeks a go and they suggested a two month observation and we will go back in march and chances are we will have to schedule tubes and also removal of your adenoids...dr parr agreed that would probably be best for you with your snoring, your restless sleeping, your ear infections, etc. I really really really hope we don't have to! The thought of you under anesthesia with a breathing tube is almost too much to think about.

Immunizations. I absolutely hate them. This was an appointment where you had to get four...and one of them was the dreaded MMR. That is the one that' people claim causes autism. I said so many prayers and the dr promised me that is nothing but a silly fear....he stated there's absolutely no link between the two...I Pray he's right. Of course I made your daddy be the bad guy again...he stood up by your head and tried to comfort you during the shots. You cried and cried... :( Mama loved on you as soon as they were over though.

We were working on blowing kisses tonight...it was the cutest thing ever though.... You can not fully grasp the econcept. Is would put my hand up to my mouth and blow a kiss and you would cover your eyes and say muah!! Then you'd put it on your forehead and say muah. Haha, oh lathan! Could you be any cuter!?!

One Year Old!

Well a year has come and gone. Lathan, this has absolutely positively been the best year of our lives and you are most certainly the reason! Not a day goes by that I don't just look at you and still just marvel in the little miracle that you are! It amazes me that just one year a go you were this newborn baby that was completely reliant on us...now we have this little boy with 16 teeth, walking, babbling, talking (some), and with the ability to feed himself finger foods! You have such a strong personality; I just know that as you continue to grow, you will be this outgoing, head strong, little sweetheart that will continue to melt mama's heart with each little smile. It has been a tough year with lots of struggles, but you have given me something to smile about each and everyday. You have brought so much joy to our family! I love you so much and I can not wait to see what this next year brings!!!! :) :) :)