Discoveries: Trash Cans and Toilets

I am starting a new standing piece called "discoveries" because Braden is into EVERYTHING and it is so fun to watch him process new things and how to interact with them. Hence he "discovered" my computer months ago and when I let him "interact" with is he proceeded to rip the keys off, some permanently. A funny discovery was the toilet and trash can. Brian had him in the bathroom and when he rounded the corner towards the toilet Brian found him in there sloshing his hands around in the bowl.... clean bowl.... thank goodness. Then he proceeds to find the toilet paper roll and he loves to make is spin spin spin so all the paper rolls off. I know I should stop him.... but it's so cute how fascinated his is by it all. Then there is the trash can. He is so curious what is in it we just moved them all to higher ground for now because really is there anything good a toddler can pull out of a bathroom trashcan? He is doing better health wise. After the flu and throat ulcers he got an ear infection. So things happen in threes right?? Which means he is done?? :) I know this is all good for him but sure but I love having happy healthy Mr. B back! Headed to see the grandparents in Houston this weekend to celebrate my dad's new marriage to Diana/Ama.

Two for the Price of One

Mr. B started day care and he had the pleasure of catching not one, but two viruses.... He got the flu as well as a throat ulcer infection. Unrelated and both painful for different reasons. Thank God for Gammy helped as I was in Houston for most of it attending a wedding. Expected him to get sick of course but man it was still rough watching him suffer through the ordeal. He is def a mommas bot as he crawls around saying "momma, momma". Probably because he knows I am the sucker who will pick him up :) What can I say... :)

First Week of School

Braden started day care this week. He did well but is having a tough time adjusting to the new environment, people, food choices and nap schedule. I have to admit I would too as that is a TON of change. He only went three days and of course when I picked him up day three he had a fever and runny nose.... that did not take long. He will be fine as he is going to Houston with me to stay with his Gammy (my mom) while I attend a wedding. Hopefully we will see Papa and Ama too :)

Bad to the Bone

Two guesses at who dressed Braden up for Luke Panko's birthday party... it took about 10 shots to get this picture as he was not a fan of the glasses, however he dug the leather jacket and rocker shirt. He is just under 24lbs and getting closer and closer to walking as he pulls up, reaches out for us, leans and then decides to get down and crawl. This is his last week at home with Nana and then he enters the world of day care!

My Daddy's Chair and Crazy Hair

Nana brought over a small rocking chair that Brian used when he was a young child. We put Braden in it to watch Baby Einstein and he sits very intently. However, I did take my eye off him and he plunged forward and did a face plant onto the carpet. It is moments like this when I realize this will be one of many bonks and cruises, especially with a boy!! I also felt like a horrible mom and Brian came running upstairs while I was consoling B and he knew better than to "judge" even though I could tell he had a look on his face to say, "if that had happened under my watch I would be getting yelled at." and he is right :)

Brian is also determined to convince me that Braden needs a haircut and he proceeded to take him into the bathroom, put gel is his hair and spike it sideways just to make his point. I do not know why I am resisting, but cutting his hair is such a big moment and I refuse to let it happen until absolutely necessary.

Braden is still home with Nana for one more month and then he is off to daycare. While it is bittersweet I am actually excited he will get to interact with other kids and learn new things.... including picking up all kinds of germs but that is to be expected!

In Remembrance

Braden's Great Grandpa passed away but not before we had some great memories and pictures. Great Grandpa Charlie was a good man who served his country for many years while being a loyal and dedicated family man. Here is a picture of four generations of Betts men. Too much trouble in one room if you ask me :)

Braden has surgery this week and the recovery will be hopefully straight forward. He is crawling up on all fours and into EVERYTHING! Just put a swing in the front yard and he is enjoying it so much!

Ringing in the New Year

Braden is doing great! He has fought off a few colds and tonsillitis. He is crawling and pulling up everywhere! It is fun but a tad stressful as he is such a hazard to himself! We enjoyed a nice holiday break and he got a little attached to momma. When I am in the room he will crawl as fast as he can towards me, throwing toys to the side that stand in his way.

He takes a bath like a big boy. He flails around on the changing table so I often find myself on the floor which makes it interesting for other reasons but removing the 3 foot drop sure makes mom feel better :) He has favorite books, toys, and sounds. He is just so much fun and such a sweet baby. Still having a tough time with actual solid food. We tried egg for the third time and it resulted in puking all over himself for the third time. He is still at home with Nana during the day and will venture into daycare in a few months... I cannot believe it!

We took a new picture with daddy's Aggie ring and WOW what a difference in a year. Day 3 versus 1 year.

Merry Christmas!!

Birthday Party!

We celebrated B's 1st birthday with friends and family and it was so much fun. B enjoyed his cake... although he was skeptical.

He is starting to crawl and constantly wants to pull up on mom. We are certain he will walk before he crawls! I have tried some solids (actual solids) which have resulted in projectile barf so we are taking some time off from the next step.

One Year Later

It is amazing that a year has already gone by. It is hard to think about where we were a year ago because it was such a difficult place. However, when I think about what a miracle our little boy is and the trials he went through to get here I am overwhelmed in the best way. A few pics of the little man and his journey towards turning 1. Happy Birthday B.

Football Fanatic

Our little man got decked out for the game Thursday and yes he is still a torn fan..... however, he is leaning towards Aggies or Horned Frogs this year.... I cannot blame him!

He is a whopping 22 pounds! I call him my bucket of lead, kid is giving mom some biceps! No crawling but lots of good efforts. He broke a tooth so he is not the happiest camper at times but he really is a love given the circumstances! A tooth pic will come once it is more visible. Right now you can only catch a look if he is laughing or a feel if you stick your finger in his mouth.

He spent a wonderful Thanksgiving with Uncle Scott, Geoff, Brent, Aunt Sue, Grandpa Bob, Gammy, Papaw Betts, Nana, and even Great Grandpa Betts! All that was missing was Ama and Poppa Godley but we will see them at Christmas. He has attempted all foods and on to some real solids which include pasta noodles and bananas. Does not help mom has a fear of choking which is slowing my urgency to introduce food that is not pureed!

We celebrate his 1st birthday with family and friends next Saturday so stay tuned for pics. Love to you all who continue to follow his journey. He is an amazing little boy and I hope you all get a chance to meet him as he is the best part of my life along with my sweet husband. :)

Did You Say...

Da Da? Yes. B had his first words and it is "dada". I look at him constantly and say "mama" and he looks right at me and says, "dada". Kind of wonderful and at the same time I think... do you know what "mama" did to get you into this world! :) :)

He is motoring around on his walker all the time and moves with so much intent! He is an independent attitude and I already see the rebel developing. He is also obsessed with Daisy our dog! He stalks her in his walker and once he gets close to her he reaches for her, opens his mouth and proceeds to let her lick him everywhere! That is until I see what is going on and yell at the dog. Hope this habit breaks.

He is also eating well and insists on helping us feed him. our friend V was over and took her turn feeding him. You be the judge but I think he has a crush.... he is torn between Daisy and V :)

My Little Smurf

So I call Braden many things, B, Mr Man, Bug, Boo Boo, Papa, Angel, and my personal favorite, Smurf. Why? Do most of the other nicknames make much sense either? No reason. But it was the inspiration for his Halloween costume and also the reason I "voluntold" my husband we would dress as a smurf family.... at our work party. He was such a good sport. While a very quick trip to the party we managed to look completely ridiculous and get plenty of laughs from people.

On a more serious note, today marks one year exactly from when my water broke. Wow, what a difference a year makes. That experience felt like an eternity and it is amazing how long ago it already feels. Our boy is so strong and thriving and we are so grateful to all of you who still follow this blog and keep track of his progress and the true miracle he has become.

Look Ma No Hands

Braden is continuing to do so great. He has finally discovered his tummy at night and almost immediately flips over to it for his 12-13 hours rest at bed time... yes we know we are lucky.

He is eating all sorts of things including anything in his reach. He loves his car keys and is already asking about his wheels when he turns 16.

We just celebrated the marriage of Brian's brother to my wonderful sister-in-law Suzanne. B was at home but he got to hang with the family including his great grandpa over the course of the weekend (yes there are FOUR generations of Betts boys walking around).

He reaches with intent and is really such a joy. All his blood work came back normal and now we are just keeping up on shots to keep him protected from all the kiddo viruses flying around.

He is still as stocky as ever, hence the crazy amount of rolls in his first picture.

Braden Taste Test

Braden weighs 20lbs 9oz and eats everything we put in front of him. Lately anything he can get into his hands goes immediately into his mouth. I call it the Braden taste test. It is hilarious to watch him get a hold of things, put them directly in his mouth, and then watch his facial expression either approve or disapprove. One of the worst reactions came when he gave my blackberry a taste... guess it looked more fun than it tasted.

Braden is sitting up and rolling around all the time. He wants NOTHING to do with his tummy and always rolls to his back, even when he sleeps. As a result he is not crawling or even close to attempting. We even try to put objects in his way, sometimes even ourselves, to try to keep him on his tummy but he is just not having it!

It is so fun to watch the discovery process and how he is connecting things. For example when he hears the front door open he looks up for who the new person is that has entered the house. Seems like a small thing but it is huge to us as another step in his development.

His determination inspires us every day!

Just a Reminder

With football season in full swing I went back through some pics and found this one of Braden wearing a hat knitted by nurse Lily, representing our in-home rivalry and a time when he was much smaller (this hat fit on my fist).

These pics are good reminders of how far he has come. He is thriving... looking around more, recognizing people he loves, grabbing for toys, and in true boy fashion getting his first bonks and bumps.

All his appointments have gone well so far. We go to check on his potential blood disorder later this week and then get more news on precautions we would need to take for additional surgeries or procedures based on those results.

That's What I Call a Bib!!

I could not resist this bib pic. Braden getting ready for the UT kickoff this Saturday! Thanks for the adorable clothes and bibs Aunt Kelly!

Braden had a hearing and eye exam this week and checked out with flying colors. He is desperately trying to talk and is making more and more noise to make sure we know he is part of the conversation. His latest trick is spitting and making bubbles.... constantly at times. Could be worse :) He is moving on to meats and pretty much chows down anything we put in front of him.

Thank you to all of you who continue to follow the blog and ask about our little angel. We are so blessed he is doing so amazing!

Now on to the clothing battle every Saturday for the next few months.... burnt orange or maroon??

My Best Bud

Braden got to hang out with his best buddy Luke Panko today. They sat in the chair and talked all about the upcoming college football season. As you can see they were in Longhorn gear, despite the disapproval of our respective husbands. Luke and Braden had a great 2 minute convo until Braden leaned in too close and gave Luke an innocent headbutt.

Braden had 2 appointments last week and we were nervous his PDA had not closed properly and he would need surgery, but the miracle baby keeps on delivering with a perfect looking heart. He also saw his pediatrician and Braden is officially off the charts for preemies and is catching up to a 9 month old. He weighs 18lbs and 9 ounces and is 26 and 3/4 inches long. He is developing well ahead of his adjusted age and even started sitting up on his own this week!

He continues to amaze us every day!

Big Appointments

I wanted to give an update on Mr. B's health. We have a series of appointments coming in the next month including a meeting tomorrow to check on the valve regulating blood from his heart and lungs. An appointment later this week to get his regular vitals and weight progress. Another appointment at the end of the month to check his vision. Finally a big appointment next month to check on a likely blood disorder that makes it hard for B to clot appropriately. This is crucial because we had to postpone some procedures that would put him under and be invasive enough to result in him needing a blood transfusion to help with the procedures.

So, fingers crossed all these appointments are just details and more milestones we can move beyond. That said, it has been awhile since we have had a reason to be nervous, but I am staying positive that this will just be more boxes we can check off the list.

Three Amigos

Been meaning to get around to this post for a few weeks. These are 3 miracle babies who we met while in the NICU. We have Mr. Will on the far right and he is so happy and chill all the time. We have Mr. Reece in the middle who many of you know spent twice as long int he NICU as Braden and had quite the roller coaster ride but is doing great. Then we have Mr. B on the far left. They are all intently looking at Reece's mommy Kate who was making really funny noises.

B is doing really good. Sleeping and eating well. We survived our first trip out of town to Houston to see cousin Emily. She is so beautiful and loved meeting baby Braden. He also spent his first sleepover with Nana and Pawpaw while Brian and I worked the busiest week of the year, NIWeek.

He is still not rolling over and frankly hates being on his belly all together. He is getting stronger at sitting up and if he could walk/run he would!