showing off in the tub

Andrew has been so excited these past few days to have Steve around more. Steve has been working overtime the past few weeks for the upcoming shuttle launch as well as keeping pretty busy with work at home for our business. Anyway, here's a little taste of Andrew showing off. Aunt Sue definitely knows what we're talking about. She is one of Andrew's favorite people to show off for. He is also talking a lot more, like last night instead of fussing to wake me up to change his diaper he was literally yelling at me. Or like this morning when I walked out of the room to get some coffee & he hollered after me. Ha! I guess he better get away with it while we're still just excited to see him communicating vocally : ) He loves to hang out in our bed, especially when we are all in it. He will put one hand on Steve's face & one on mine & just look back & forth smiling. Actually sometimes he tries to get Steve's attention by starring at him & smiling - even when Steve is still asleep. It's so cute! Another cute thing he just started doing is patting us on the back. I love it when babies do that! He is also sitting up better & better everyday. Right now he can sit by himself for about 10 minutes.

A quick word

I just feel the need to be honest...
Steve & I are having a blast being Andrew's parents & having him home is awesome, but it is also scary. You all have been through a lot with us & have witnessed the miracles that God has granted us, the reason Andrew is with us today, but I just felt like recently the blog has only been a best foot forward type of thing. For myself, I still struggle with the fear of loosing Andrew. You may be wondering why I am writing this, there is a reason. Because in a way this reality is also blessing, a constant reminder to cherish every second. I know many of you know what I am talking about. But for some reason our dumb nature longs for everything to be just perfect only to take it for granted when it is. (This is a mystery to me.) I guess I just wanted to encourage everyone that when the kids are healthy and the bills are paid and so on, to make the time (in our insanely busy lives) to really appreciate your loved ones. One of my favorite people once said there are probably a hundred ways you could show that person know you love them. He was right. All those things that seem so important - it's just busy work, like back in 4th grade when the teacher gave you a worksheet to do because apparently her lesson plan took way less time than she anticipated & she had to do something with you for the next 20 minutes , so crossword puzzle (related to whatever holiday that was coming up) it is. People, we are missing out on after school play time & recess for stupid busy work. Even kids are smarter than that. The craziest thing I do is spend time worrying about things & I complete miss out on the blessing of that moment. Seriously, go out on a date with your spouse & have tea with your daughter, whatever. Money will probably always be tight & the house will definitely always need to be cleaned. Surely spending time with the Lord daily is even more important! 'for Mary has chosen the better part, which shall not be taken away from her' LUKE 10:42 I don't write this as someone who has figured it all out, in fact quite the opposite, I'm as big a fool as ever, but God has placed me in a position to be faced with my foolishness (I usually like to hide from that) & hopefully my foolishness will be of benefit to you as well. In any case, thanks for listening.

Pool Fun (for real this time)

So I had to bust out movie maker for this one b/c I took SO many clips. Andrew enjoyed the pool much more this time around. We figured we'd let him get used to the bath tub before we'd try the pool again. This time daddy got to join in the fun. As you can see, Andrew is quite the chunker these days. He went to the g-i doctor this week & got his tube switched to a g-tube with relative ease, but wait there's more... Andrew had grown so well (17lbs, 10oz) that he doesn't have to be on fortified formula any more (whoo-hoo, just straight formula from now on) AND he was able to get off one of his g-i meds. And still more good news this week: Andrew has gotten completely off his narcotic & 'chill out' meds! SO 3 meds gone this week. HURRAY!!! This kid is simply amazing! Steve & I are so proud of him! It is such a blessing to be his parents!

Some pictures

Hanging out with Jessica.

Sierra glammin' it up (with the credit cards no less : )

Andrew with his fuzzy blue from Jennifer.

Jen over for a visit.

Speak up

I cannot believe my little miracle is 8 months old today! Steve & I are so proud of him. Every day he amazes us. As you can see the fact that he is shy around others does not mean he is soft spoken. I just got the pack & play out today & he just loves it right from the start.

This just in...

Andrew's cardiologist called this morning about the echocardiogram results & he was very pleased with Andrew's heart function. HURRAY!!! Right now the only plans are to keep having fun with Andrew & go back to see him in 6 weeks. Andrew is flopping around in his jumperoo right now (which, by the way, I had to move up to the #2 setting because he was getting too tall for #1) & I'm pretty sure I'm the most blessed person in the world : ) I have to mention, one of my nieces was wondering how you can know God is real if you can't see him. My sister said, 'what about Andrew?' and that was pretty much the end of the conversation (the proof is in the cutie pie). He is without a doubt a living miracle. Thank you so much for the continued prayers & support! You'll never know how much it has provided for us.

Sweet Potatoes

So it turns out that my Andrew likes his veges. He humored me with the pears & apples, but he is really opening up for the sweet potatoes. I don't give him too much because I don't want to overstuff his belly & make him spit up. I want him to have all good feelings about eating because he is doing awesome & I am hopeful that he will catch on pretty quick now that he's got the idea. I don't think I mentioned before, but we have been giving him his tube feedings through the port that goes to his stomach instead of bipassing to his intestines (a different port). He has been doing great with it. Another lesson we are working on is burping. He thinks he's gagging when he just needs to relax & burp. (Though he also thinks he's gagging a lot of times when he is just yawning, etc. Poor kid, even some of his first sounds are very similar to gagging sounds.) Anyhow, I'm sure once he gets the hang of burping there will be no stopping him; a mom can only hope : )

Also, Andrew started holding himself up on his hands & knees. He hates it! I think he only does it to avoid being put on his tummy. Still, it's exciting that he is strong enough to do it now. Of course we will continue to torture him & try to convince him that it's fun. He is warming up to the bath though he still doesn't like it yet.

Tooth No. 2

Andrew's 2nd tooth arrived in scene early this afternoon. I have decided to name it Bartholomew, after Mom Bartholomew (my grandmother, and that really is what we call her) because we love her so much & we know what it's like to look trying times in the eyes. Of course, in my culture (the one I make up as I go along) this is the utmost honor for a great grandmother; and we really do think that much of her. Thanks for all the other suggestions & keep them coming. Heather, I'm not sure Andrew is going to have that many teeth : ) he got a lot of love over there. Truly, I live on this kind of nonsense. It doesn't take much to tickle my funny bone, that's one thing I wouldn't mind passing on to Andrew.

First Time in the Pool

Steve & I went out this afternoon & bought Andrew a pool to celebrate since he is able to get in the water now that he is i v free. I think this video captures his sentiments about the water exactly. Give him some time.

Just arrived on scene...

Toother!!! Andrew is now the proud bearer of one, genuine, through the gums tooth. The bottom left incisor, which I have decided we will call Peter, busted through sometime last night / this morning. The bottom right is looking like it will follow suite within a day or so. He has quite a few more that are fairly near the surface. I would like to invite everyone to place your suggestions for names for the choppers to follow. (I'm not seriously going to refer to his teeth by their first names, but I think the process of naming them is hilarious!)
Andrew did awesome on Monday. His i v line is gone now & the site is healing well so we hope to be in the tub in a few more days. He is going to be a great splasher, he is next to me on the bed right now thrashing about. We should hear about the results of the echocardiogram early next week when Andrew's doctor is back in the clinic. Actually, the fact that we didn't get any news yet is a good thing, because that means the cardiologist that read it didn't see anything that he thought needed immediate attention.