Lawson Andrew & Amelia Paige

Where has the time gone? Christmas already!

The kids are doing well and enjoying the Christmas season. Lawson has really gotten into decorating the tree and learning about each aspect of the season. (Christmas story, angels, trees, ornaments, etc) Amelia is just her sweet happy self. Watching her brother's every move and so close to crawling. She is on all fours rocking back and forth. Though she can't crawl forward, she moves backwards and side-to-side. She is really starting to enjoy some table food (sweet potatoes, pasta, green beans, etc). It is amazing to see her adapt to the texture so quickly.

This season has already been a lot less stressful than previous. Everyone is cutting back and really just enjoying the fellowship with one another. It is so nice to not be so caught up in the gifts and to actually sit back and remember the real reason for the season, the gift of Jesus!

I hope everyone has a very MERRY CHRISTMAS & a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

It has been a rough month for the kids in the wellness department. One of them have had something every week since Halloween. Lawson had a fever virus that lasted 5 days, then we all (except for Amelia) caught a nasty stomach bug, then Lawson got bronchitus & a sinus infection, then Amelia got thrush and an ear infection. She has been on antibiotics for a week but they haven't helped so the dr. saw her again today. They did give her a different antibiotic and did a chest x-ray (which came back clear). He did say that she had bronchialitus (sp?). It comes from RSV. It is basically a viral respiratory infection. She is a bit miserable with the coughing and congestion. They say it can last 2-3 weeks. We are praying that it will be short lived.
We are also praying that we are getting all the sickness behind us at one time. Then we'll be sickness free for the holidays and winter. I know - most of you are thinking....sickness free daycare kids, good luck. It's a big prayer but hey, no prayer is too big. right:)?

I hope everyone is well. Even during these crazy times, there is lots to be thankful for. I am so thankful for my blessings and thorns:).
I hope you have a Happy TURKEY Day!.

Today was an extra special day. Not because it was Halloween but because Amelia met her great grandparents (Poppa & Grandmother Mills) for the first time. Her & Lawson LOVED seeing them. Amelia caught a cat nap in Grandmother's arms and Lawson played a little ball with Poppa. Then we enjoyed lunch together. We had a nice visit.

This was Amelia's 1st Halloween and Lawson's 3rd. This was the first year where Lawson understood and liked the idea of trick-or-treating. Lawson was a boxer again this year and his costume was a much better nfit this year. Amelia was a cute little ladybug. We trick-or-treated with Sawyer, one of Lawson's classmates, and then went back to Sawyer's house to play. He had a ball. Amelia had fun strolling and checking out the decorations and costumes. Thanks to Greg & Lauren Nye for inviting us over.

Amelia said ma-ma-ma-ma for the first time today. Even though it was said when she was crying and wanting to be held....it was exciting to hear. (I had to wait for 15 long months before Lawson mastered saying "ma ma"....better late than never though, right:))

Amelia is sitting up unsupported and loving every second of it. She can even catch herself if she starts to gets unbalanced. She loves reaching for EVERYTHING and then it all goes to the mouth.

Lawson is growing and keeping life fun. Always saying the funniest things. Just a couple of his latest funnies,
"Momma, you kill'n me."
"Daddy, you cracking me up."
"Amelia, It be ok. Don't freak out."
(in response to Eric and I talking....)
Eric says, "I need to leave early to get my car tag, go by the bank,etc....
Ashley says, "I need to leave early for a meeting...."
Lawson says, "I need to go back to bed...."
(Eric and I thought his idea was much better!:)
When Eric asked him who he was voting for, Lawson's response was, "MeMe, Pappy & Smokey (the cat)"

Amelia is saying da-da-da-da. Daddy loves the fact that this was her first word:).

Today was Amelia's 6 month checkup. We got a really good report. She is meeting all of her milestones (i.e. rolling over, sitting up somewhat unassisted, on a consistant schedule with eating and sleeping, etc). As for size, she is over the 95% height and off the charts for weight. I asked the Dr. if there was anything that I needed to adjust in her diet. Though she wasn't overly concerned about her being off the charts, she mentioned that I could cut back on her oz. per bottle if she is eating 2 jars of baby food per meal.
Her current schedule is:
Breakfast - 1-2 jars of baby food
Mid morning - 5 oz bottle
Lunch - 2 jars of baby food
Mid afternoon - 5 oz. bottle
Late afternoon - 5 oz. bottle
Dinner - 2 jars of baby food
Bedtime - 6-7 oz. bottle

So all-in-all - - she is on a good schedule and we got a good report.

As far as Amelia's disposition, she is so sweet and playful. She loves her big brother and loves to watch him play and make funny faces.
She is quite the chatter box these days saying "dadadadadadad".

She is such a joy and blessing to us! We love to watch her grow and to see what each new day will bring.

We have teeth! I can feel the top ridges of her bottom 2 teeth. Sweet thing is growing up!

Today was Lawson's 3 yr checkup with the pediatrician, Dr. Webster. In addition to his physical checkup, he had to draw a circle, tell her his name, count to 3, tell her his colors, balance on 1 foot, then the other, etc. He did great. No shots, only a finger stick. I'm glad that was it b/c he kept asking me on the way there, "momma, they gone stick me?"

As far as his growth is concerned, his growth hormone seems to be workin. He is 32 lbs and 35 inches tall. He is in the %10 for his height and %50 for weight. We are excited to finally be on the charts for his height.

All-in-all, a good checkup!

HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY LAWSON!!!
I can hardly believe that it has been 3 years. Makes me sad to see it pass so quickly. BUT it makes me excited to see him blossom into the little guy that he is. Sweet, loveable, head strong...:) I still thank God daily for the miracle that he is. I thank him for his growth and development, both mentally and physically. As much as his random temper tantrums test us, I am thankful for them. It shows me that he is a normal 3 yr old and that we are right on track.

We continue to be thankful for everyone that ever thinks about, prays for and ask about Lawson. We know that YOU play a big part in him being where he is today. THANK YOU!!

We plan to enjoy and savor every moment of another year. Yes, even the 3 yr old moments:).

Much love to you all!!

The kids are doing great. Just growing SO fast. Lawson is about to turn 3 and I am interested to know what the year will bring. Many people have told me that 3 is more challenging than 2. I am starting to see the truth in that. We have our challenging moments. I have to mention his sweet moments too though. He still loves to cuddle and be held when he is tired. I am savoring these moments while I can:). He continues to do well on his growth hormone shots. He is such a great sport. He is so proud of himself too. Today was show & tell at school and I asked him what he wanted to take and his comment was, "my big boy medicine." What a clever little boy. When it comes to his sister, he is SO sweet to her. I will catch him rubbing and holding her hand in the back seat. And going to her to comfort her when she cries saying, "It's ok Melia." My favorite has to be when he calls her by a pet name (i.e. Sweetheart, Darling, Sugar, Cupcake.)...it cracks me up.

Speaking of the little princess:), she is doing well. Growing really fast. I guess since Lawson was so small for so long, his baby stage didn't seem to pass so fast, but Amelia's baby stage seems to be passing so fast. It is so fun to sit back and watch her each day. She smiles all the time and has a sweet little spirit.

I thank God for trusting Eric and I to raise Lawson and Amelia. What a blessing!

Amelia flipped from her back to her tummy tonight. She did it like she had done it 10 other times...an "ole pro."

Amelia ate her first full jar of baby food tonight. She ate Rice Cereal with Apple Sauce and LOVED it! It is hard to believe that she is old enough to start eating baby food. Time sure does fly.

Ok -Lawson FINALLY did #2 in the potty. I would call the first time more of a "catching him in the act and throwing him on the potty" type deal. This time he actually came to me and said, "Mommy, I need to go poop." This usually means that it has already happened but much to my surprise - it hadn't so we RAAAAAAAAAAAAN to the potty. Well, as soon as we got there he got a fearful look on his face and said he didn't need to go. So I casually sat him there and we started to chat. 25 minutes later and 20+ pages into the Better Homes & Gardens - - Taaaadaaahhhh! Wooooooooooowhoooooooooo - I have never been so happy to simply flush instead of change a dirty pullup.

Now let's just pray that this is the start of a good thing!!

Amelia had her 4 month checkup today. She is a HEALTHY girl. She weighed in at a whooping 17 lbs! She is in the 95% for her height (25.5 inches). I don't think she'll be needing to borrow any of her brother's growth hormones:).
Amelia wasn't to happy about the 4 shots that she received but she calmed down soon after they were given. The doctor seemed very pleased with her growth and development. The only thing that we changed was her formula. She suggested getting off of the Nestle Good Start b/c the cheap proteins were making her gassy and fussy. We changed to Similac Advanced.

All-in-all, it was a great checkup.

Lawson has been on his growth hormone shots for over a week now (start date - July 27). I wouldn't say that he likes them but he is tolerating them. It is a bit of a struggle to hold him down but it is quick. The device looks a lot like an ipod. The needle is hidden inside and only comes out when the device is pressed against the skin and the button is pushed. We hold it in place for 3 second (though it feels like an eternity) and it is over. Lawson does cry a little but not for long. We've tried to explain to him why he has to have it and his response was, "but it hurts me mommy." Talk about breaking my heart. I told him that he had to have it to grow big and strong. And his response was, "Like Jesus?" I told him, "yes, like Jesus." Sweet baby boy! He has been such a trooper through his little 2.5 yrs of life. Back and forth to the dr. and lots of bloodwork drawn. I admire him more than he will ever known.

We just got home from a family vacation at Navarre Beach. We had a great trip and a nice visit with everyone. Though we really missed my Poppa & Grandmother Mills. Grandmother was feeling under the weather and they were unable to make the trip. They were defintely thought of while we were there. We had a big group, Us, MeMe, Pappy, Les, Bubba, Gavin, Ava, Shane, Kylee, Jennifer, Toby, Brody, Blake, Kelly, The Coggin's, Wolford's and Mill's. LOTS of people. We had a great time seeing all the kids and babies (4 new ones since last year).

Lawson pooped in the potty for the first time!
I know it is a crazy thing to document but it is a big deal for us. We stopped at the Peach Park on the way home from the beach. Changed diapers, fed Amelia, ate a scoop of ice cream and gave the kids a break. When I changed Lawson's pullup before we left, I asked him if he needed to go to the bathroom. Of course he says, "No." Then we get on the interstate and I hear a little voice from the backseat, "Mommy, I need go to the bafroom." So Eric pulled off the next exit. Low and behold, he pooped in the potty!! I never thought that this milestone would be made at the Chevron off the Clanton exit. But hey, when nature calls....
Go LAWSON!!!!

Amelia turned over from her belly to her back!! Yeaaaa!
We wanted to be sure that it didn't happen on accident so we put her back on her tummy and she flipped again and again and again (7 times):)!

I feel like I always make updates about dr. visits but fail to post in between visits. So here we go.

Lawson update - He is talking and talking and talking. Repeating EVERYTHING and remembering EVERYTHING. Some of my favorite things...
"I want mommy to way (lay) with me", "Wuv you mommy" and "Hey sweet baby stista (sister)", "Hey sugar pie (or darling, precious, etc)". He is a great big brother!

Amelia update - Almost 3 months old now - - - wow - time flies! She is smiling and cooing now. SO MUCH FUN! She has found her hands. Knawing on her fist a lot. She goes to bed around 9:30pm and wakes to eat around 1:00am and then again around 5am. She will start daycare in August.

I will try to stay on top of posting milestones. It is a bit harder with 2 now. They are keeping us on our toes:).

Today was Lawson's 6 month checkup with the Endocrinologist. These appointments are always long. Arriving at Children's at 1:00 (appointment was at 1:15), sit in the waiting room until 2:15, then back to see the dr., then to the lab. Finally leaving at 4pm. The kids were great and the appointment went well. Though Lawson's bloodwork showed that his sodium was normal, the dr. said that we could go up on his medicine. Hopefully this will make the potty training a little easier.

Lawson starts the growth hormone as soon as the meds are delivered...any day now

Amelia made my day by smiling at me for the 1st time! It melted my heart, to say the least:)

Amelia had her 2 month checkup today. Dr. Webster gave her a good report. She is gaining quite nicely weighing in at 12 lbs. 4 oz. And no, I am not feeding her buttermilk, ha:). The appointment ended with 4 shots :( and lots of hugs and kisses. With infant Tylenol and kisses from her big brother, she was feeling much better.

Lawson had his growth hormone stimulation test on May 22. They shortened the test to 3 hrs because of his age (and the challenge of keeping a 2 yr old still for 4-5 hrs). As soon as we arrived, they started an IV. I'm not sure if I have ever mentioned it but Lawson has really bad veins. A LOT of scar tissue from all the sticks and IV's in the NICU. It took 3 people a while to get the IV in his hand. He was so good. Cried big alligator tears but calmed down quickly and didn't try to pull it out. After drawing the first set of labs, it began to go bad. They were able to get 1 cc of blood from it 20 minutes later and then had to remove it. We played with cars, colored and watched Elmo for the next hour before they had to draw more labs. They had to stick him one more time (in the top of the foot) for the last lab. Lawson began to sob hysterically when he saw the needle. It took all of my strength to hold him in my lap. It broke my heart. It was finally over. All-in-all, he did really well. He was asleep in the car before leaving the parking deck. He took a 4 hr nap that day. We are so glad that the test is behind us.

We got the results back from Lawson's growth hormone stimulation test on May 28. It looks like he isn't COMPLETELY deficient...meaning that he does make some growth hormone...just not quite enough. Which means that he will only need the growth hormone through puberty (until he is 17 yrs.old). Not through his adult life. He will start the growth hormone shots within a month.

Thanks to everyone that had us in your thoughts and prayers through this test. It sure did help us through the day:).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMELIA PAIGE!

Amelia Paige was born April 13, 2008 @ 4:29am. (we must like 4am deliveries...LAW was born at 4:23am:))

As far as the details - Everything went well. My due date was May 5. I had her at 36 weeks and 5 days. I got my cerclage out on Tuesday and went into labor at 10:30pm the following Saturday. Got to the hospital around midnight, was fully thinned out and 3 cm dilated. Within an hour I was 7-8 cm, got my epidural and within 45 minutes was fully dilated. I pushed for 30 minutes then Dr. Kennedy (the on call dr) came in to deliver. It went really smooth. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. We feel so blessed to have a happy and heathly 2 yr old and newborn.

We recently found out, through our latest bloodwork, that Lawson will have to start taking a growth hormone. We will have to go in for a more detailed test. This test is a 3 hr test:(. They will give him something that will make his pituitary gland secrete the growth hormone and then draw blood every 20 minutes to test his levels. This will measure the level of GH that he is currently creating on his own. It will take 2 months for us to get the results. Then we will start him on GH injection 6 days a week. And more than likely will be on the GH until he is 17 years old. Eric and I were really discouraged by this news but after much discussion, realize that it is necessary. Lawson is only 2-3 inches shorter than the average 2 and a half year old. Though it is a small difference now, the gap would grow without the GH. Lawson should be caught up within a year or two. He will grow to the actual height and weight - - had he been full term. We are thankful that the GH exists but dread that we will have to administer it through daily injections. The good news is:
- It is a lot like a diabetic pen (or an epi pen). Hopefully making it less painful than a normal shot.
- He is followed closely by an Endocrinologist and he should grow at a normal pace.

I'm still doing lots of research on this so I am looking forward to learning all that I can.

If you or anyone you know have taken a GH at a early age, I would love to hear your story and experience, awood@xsp.com. Thanks:)!

Eric and I are having so much fun watching Lawson grow and become his own little person (tantrums and all). Though we are spending a lot of time in TIMEOUT these days, a lot of his comments make us laugh. More times than not, I find myself saying, "I need to write that down." Here are just a few fun facts about our little buddy:
- He loves singing his ABC's
- He loves counting. He is doing really well despite the fact that he says "S" in place of "4"
- He loves singing his blessing before we eat
- His favorite song is LOW LOW...heard that in daddy's car
- He LOVES LOVES LOVES ball...any kind of ball. The kid would wake up and fall asleep with a ball in his hand. Like father like son:).
- He LOVES his cousins, "GABIN", "B" and "CAMRON"

More fun facts to come:).

Today was Lawson's 6 month checkup with his Endocrinologist. He has grown 2.5 inches in length and gained 5 lbs. since our last checkup. The doctor was very pleased with his growth. He is in the 3-5% for height and 10% for weight.

We discussed his medicine dosage for his Diabetes Insipidus. The Dr. increased his morning dose to assist in our potty training efforts. With the older dosage being administered at 7am, it would start to wear off around 3-4pm. He would start getting really thirsty and his diapers were REALLY heavy. So hopefully this new dosage will help control the drinking and heavy diapers until his night dose at 7pm.

We will go back in a week to get his bloodwork drawn. They will check his growth hormone, thyroid hormone, cortisol, sodium and several others. These are routine checks.

One last note - - We asked the doctor about the odds of his little sister having DI. We were told that the odds were SLIM to NONE. Most likely his DI came from him being so premature (his brain bleed, oxygen needs, etc).

Lawson and Daddy spent a day at the zoo together. They had a GREAT time. Lawson strolled for the first hour then walked beside his daddy the rest of the time. He got his picture made with lots of animals and even got him a tiger from the gift shop. Needless to say, mommy was sad to miss the action but happy that he and Daddy had such fun.

Lawson's first day in his new class went really well. He came home with the same outfit on...meaning no accidents....yeaaa! He pee-peed in th potty once while at school. All-in-all, a great start in his new class.