Ethan LOVES to stand up. Just after I took this picture, I set him down on the floor while I left the room and he FREAKED out. As soon as I stood him back up, he immediately stopped crying.
Here he is trying to get up and crawl. He's almost there.
He still prefers to roll around and do the army crawl to get to where he wants to go.
However, sometimes he becomes very frustrated when he gets stuck on all fours.
Keep trying Ethan!
Now, I realize that this may not sound like a huge accompishment, but every little milestone just seems bigger with Ethan. I was sitting on my bed yesterday with Ethan at my side when I realized he was sitting next to me. It seemed odd, because had I guessed, I would of said that I layed him down on the bed. Well, of course I had to rule out if I was in fact going crazy or not. So I layed him back down, and sure enough...............he sat up all by himself! I've been trying not to get too concerned with his physical skills but I have to admit that it still has been bugging me that he is not crawling yet. I was relieved to see that he is still developing and is not just in some rut. However, I do think that he will be crawling soon. He gets where ever he wants go by rolling or by a modified army crawl and he has even been trying to pull himself up to a standing position while in his crib. So, maybe he just needs a few more weeks and then I will be wishing he would stay in just one place. Be careful what you wish for, right?
---Allison
We decided that although cold, it was sunny enough yesterday to take Ethan and the kids to the park. Ethan, as you can see, LOVED the swings. He giggled, squealed, and grunted the entire time he was swinging. This is actually one of the first times he's been out of the house this entire winter. We were only at the park for about 10 minutes but it was so nice to feel the sun on our faces. In the 2nd picture you can see Ethan's silly single top tooth. The good news is that just this morning, his 2nd top tooth finally broke through. I am sure he will be feeling much better now. He has been working on that one for quite a while.
---Allison
Last night, Tim stayed home with the kids and I went out to dinner with my friend Jody. I had a GREAT time. The icing on the cake was that on my way home I was able to talk with my friend Carie who just moved to California. I have to say, it was just what the doctor ordered. I can't tell you how much visiting with them filled up my bucket. This winter (and staying cooped up with Ethan) has really taken it's toll on both my mental and physical health. I've gained weight and have had the blues. I have tried to stay positive and keep things in perspective (because believe me, I KNOW what a bad day is like). However, it is hard to stay motivated and get anything done when you feel so isolated. But, with that said, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The days are getting longer and the weather is slowly getting better. In fact, when I was at work this last weekend, I weighed myself (fully expecting to have gained who knows how much) and was pleasantly surprised to find that I had lost 5 pounds without even trying! (I guess that just goes to show how much I actually have to lose). Anyway, today the weather has been great! I opened my blinds to let the sunshine in and just that alone gave me some energy to try and get the house clean. Now I am not unrealistic. I realize that it is going to take a little bit more than the sunshine to get this house in order, but it's a good start.
Today was Ethan's 9 month check-up and immunizations. It was by far the best check-up we've had thus far. He had a huge growth spurt and weighed in at 19 lbs 2 oz. As far as percentiles go (compared from his visit just last month) he went from the 20% in weight to the 90% and from the 25% in height to the 75%!!!! His head even grew and went from the 55% to 75%. It is good that he grew in all 3 areas because this shows that it is "true" weight and not just "water" weight (which would be a sign of congestive heart failure). I went into this appointment worried that he hadn't been getting enough to eat or that his heart may have not been functioning as well as it should be because I've been noticing that his legs have been looking skinnier. I guess it just turns out that he was just growing (and stretching). He grew 2 inches in this last month. I don't think I will ever stop worrying.
It is so hard sometimes to be a mother of a child with a such a serious and chronic health condition. With all of my other children, I never been nervous about well child visits and in fact, didn't think much of them at all. But with Ethan, I am always nervous that although he may be looking and acting well, that one of these days someone is going to pull the rug out from underneath me and my world will again turn on it's head. I realize that this is my own struggle and doesn't make a lot of sense, but I feel like I constantly have to remember all of the lessons that I learned when Ethan was born or else something bad will happen to remind me. I am SO grateful for Ethan and his progress and feel like I need to continually prove I am worthy to keep him here with me on this earth. In my mind I WANT to celebrate the good days (like today) but I hesitate letting myself get too comfortable with his good health and try not forget that he is sick. Please don't get me wrong. I LOVE it when I forget that he is sick or different from my other children. But I fear that if I get too good at blocking out all of my fears, that God will mistake that as me mastering my challenge and need to give me another one. I completely realize that this is irrational and logically makes ZERO sense but the fact is, is that I would do ANYTHING to keep him here with me and somehow I guess these mind games make me feel like I have some control in this situation. I just need to try and find a balance of enjoying the good days when we have them and yet be realisitic about the cards we have been dealt. I guess I just have to accept that being his mother means that I will constantly worry about him and that I will always feel indebted and blessed to have him in our home.
With all of that crazy talk being said, this week from February 7-14th is the national week for CHD (congential heart defect) awareness. There are so many children and families that have been affected by this disease which can manifest itself in many different forms. With that being said, we are very lucky to be a part of a local on-line support group which gives us encouragement and many people to talk to (who may have the same crazy and conflicting emotions that I have) who have been through many of these same experiences. This is a new group, and although it is growing very fast, it is still trying to get up on it's feet. This week has been full of fundraising by individual members of the group which will go towards helping other families of heart kiddos with meals, gift bags, and supplies while hospitalized as well as to aid in financing a summer camp to meet other families and heart patients within this group. There is a website for this group (http://www.intermountainhealinghearts.org/) which has the ability to take monetary donations (in honor of a specific heart kiddo if desired) to aid in this endeavor. This group is non-profit and is completetly volunteer based by the families themselves of heart children. Any donations would be greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. Please consider (and then make, ha ha!) a dontation.
---Allison
I love having some weekends off! Since the turn of the year, I have changed my work schedule and I am now only working every other weekend. This is the first time in 6 years that I haven't worked EVERY single weekend (except for special requests). It is so fun to be home with Tim and the kids.
Tim and Emily went on a "date" on Friday night. She and Tim had a fun time going to dinner at her favorite resturaut and shopping for some new clothes. (We told her not to expect the shopping part when she gets older or no one will ever want to take her out on dates.) She then was invited to sleep over at her Grandma Karen and Grandpa Gary's house with her cousin Bailee. They had a great time doing crafts and playing. When she came home on Saturday, she took a LONG nap. I am sure she needed it.
Spencer of course was asking when he and I can go on a date. I think in the next week or so I will take him to a fun Japanese steak house for dinner. He has never been to one and I think he would really enjoy it. He is such a good kid. When Emily was at her sleep over, the rest of us stayed up to watch a movie in my room. Tim fell asleep about 11 o'clock and Spencer and I stayed up to finish the movie. We then were up untill about 1 a.m. just talking about all sorts of stuff. We talked about everything from the importance of good friends to nuclear bombs. I love that he feels comfortable to talk to me. I really think he will grow up to be an honorable young man. He is a special boy.
Gavin is still keeping me on my toes at all times. It was just a few days ago he was climbing on the counters to get a cup and fell off. He fell on his shoulder and got a big bonk on his head when he hit the tile floor. He is fine, however, he also must of hit a cup on the counter on his way down because he has a circle bruise that looks like the ring of a cup brim on his upper arm. He is so fast and strong and I wish that he wasn't such a monkey. I can't wait untill the weather gets warm and I can take him outside to get some of his energy out at the park or riding bikes.
Tim and I are doing really well. The weather has been very cold and Tim's skin is rebelling. I decided to give him a "facial" on Saturday to exfoliate some of the dry skin on his forehead. This was in the form of a scrub and clay mask that he had to keep on until it dried. I of course had to ambush him and take a couple of funny pictures in his green mask. I was very tempted to post the pictures because although he had voiced his disapproval he also promised that he would not be mad. However, after some consideration, I have decided that although it would only be in good fun, I sure do love that man of mine and shouldn't exploit him for a good laugh.......sorry. (I love you Sweetie!)
One of my best friends, Carie, moved to California on Sunday (for a BOY!). We had a going away party for her on Saturday night with a bunch of gals from work. It was so much fun to have a crazy girl's night to send her off (not too crazy, of course). I am sure going to miss her. I have always said that when it comes to my friends, I don't have quantity but I for SURE have quality! (I miss you too Jody!)
So, all in all it was a fun weekend. We went to my parents house last night for the Super Bowl. We ate more than we should of and had a fun time watching the game and enjoying each others company. The only bad thing is that now I am sitting here in a messy house that I have to clean because it didn't get done this weekend. So, off I go. I hope you are all doing well. Have a great week!
---Allison
