*there's several firsts

Today I took a nap after dinner. When I woke up Will had learned to clap! He had been doing something else with his hands for months when we would clap with him. I don't think he realized there was another way to do it until today.

 This month he also learned to drink from a sippy cup
and walk really well behind a push toy.

 

 

This is an example of the pre-cut craziness that had become of his hair.

I love this photo because his cheeks look huge. 

He could store walnuts in there don't you think? 

*there's his first haircut

Before anyone gets angry with me for allowing the curls to be chopped, I promise they are still there! They just look less crazy. When his Daddy started to call him "Little Gene Wilder" I knew we had to do something.

This was an old fashioned barber shop. Can you see the built-in ashtray in the arm of the chair?

Can you spot the tear on his cheek?

If Will could talk he would probably say that his first haircut was awful. Somehow the crying and screaming weren't caught on camera. I think he'll like it more when he's older. The barber was perfect and they had a really neat miniature town and train set in the front window.

"...graduated from babyhood..."

I don't think so.

Will sends a big "thank you!" to his biggest fans for the fun time he had this morning!

*Merry Christmas!

Will has had a great Christmas day. We had to call the doctor last night because he's not tolerating feedings very well but otherwise he is fine and having fun playing with his new toys. Luckily a store was open so we could get him some Pedialyte. Hopefully the mysterious tummy trouble will leave as quickly as it came.

Christmas jammies

White Christmas 2010!

*there's Santa!

We attempted to get a picture with Santa on Saturday! We went to this year's holiday party at the hospital for families of kids with CHDs just like last year. It was a fun little party complete with cute kids, food, and crafts. I finally got a copy of this book I've been wanting and songs were led by Mark and Jay O'Shea...country artists from Austrailia that were on season 2 of a reality show on CMT called Can You Duet. Like Will, Mark has TOF. Here are some photos of the song portion of the day:

 

Our sweet friend Kobe Preston doted on Will the whole time. He showed him how to sing, he patted him on the leg, he patted him on the head, he patted him on the back, and he even showed him how to clap!

 

As the songs were winding down Will was just getting started with his own lyric shakin' screamfest!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 And here is Santa!

 You can't tell by looking at this picture but Will is crying! 

Santa was fine from a distance but sitting

down next to him was too much for Will. 

This is the best (and only) picture of Will with Santa this year.

...notice Santa has removed his hat due to 

one of Will's previously mentioned phobias...

 If only it had helped!

Go here to see what the visit with Santa looked like last year.

Back at home cuddling with Daddy:

 And here is Mommy showing him his Baby's First Christmas ornament:

Recent news: Will's Mommy turned 35 yesterday!

*there's a tooth and some phobias

Do you remember when we had a teething false alarm? That was back in July! And we have heard "he's probably teething" ever since. This time there is actually a real tooth. Will is 13.5 months old, which would be 11 months old if you correct for prematurity...so either way he is pretty late in the tooth department. This time we are absolutely sure there is a tooth there because you can see it, feel it with your finger, and the pediatrician confirmed it is there! Stay tuned for photo evidence. And that little rough white spot that was on his gums back in July? The tooth isn't even in that spot. It has been there ever since! A cyst I guess.

Since this has come up several times lately I thought I would also make a record today of Will's current phobias:
*balloons
*hats

He didn't like the balloons at his birthday party. That one is sort of understandable...but hats? We first noticed that he cried when his Daddy put on a hat at home. Then one day I went to pick him up from daycare and he was screaming but no one knew why. I looked around and saw that there was a father there picking up his child who was wearing a hat. As soon as I walked Will into another room where he couldn't see the hat he calmed down. Here is where I am going with all of these details - he also starts to cry sometimes when there he sees a new/strange man. We missed his first opportunity to meet Santa last weekend because he was sick. Next weekend will be his second chance to meet Santa. Assuming everyone is well and able to get there this time, we wonder how a situation of meeting a new man in a hat is going to go! And if there are balloons nearby I'm guessing Santa will not get a warm welcome from Will. Check back for news and hopefully pictures of how that goes.

Pictures from this week. 

One day he woke up with this cute little hairstyle:

And here is Will and the snow at our house this morning!

*there's playtime

Here is what it looks like at our house at playtime:

 

 "I know I'm not supposed to play on the laptop. 

But it's right here where I can reach it.

And don't I look so big and important?"

 One time I walked up to find that he was
accidentally saving a file with the title

"EEEErdferersfserserafeef"

 No, he didn't put himself in the corner. He realized he could

reach some of his birthday party decorations and entertained

himself for about 20 minutes with one piece of raffia.

 And here he is inserting blocks into a toy that wasn't meant to hold blocks.

 

See?

How did he get them all the way to the middle? 

I hope he also knows how to get them out of there.

*Happy Thanksgiving!

Things we have to be thankful for:
*family and friends
*hospitals and doctors
*funding for congential heart defect research
*hope and faith...100% responsible for keeping us from losing our minds

Fun facts about why:
*Open heart surgery has been around for only 66 years. That is during Will's grandparents' lifetimes.
*Untreated Tetralogy of Fallot has a survival rate of approximately 75% after the first year of life, 60% by four years, 30% by ten years, and 5% by forty years.
*Now over 85% of those with TOF survive to adulthood with corrective surgery. Very good but fairly new odds in Will's favor.

We are giving thanks that he was born in 2009 and not 1943. One year before the surgery that opened the door for heart surgeries as we know them now. We still haven't had a chance to see that movie, Something the Lord Made, about it. I'm putting that on the list of things to do over the holidays.

*there's an anniversary

One year ago was

The Day I Became a Heart Mother

One day my world came crashing down,

I'll never be the same.

They told me that my child was sick.

I thought, "am I to blame"?

I don't think I can handle this.

I am really not that strong.

It seemed my heart was breaking.

I have loved him for so long.

I will not give up on this child.

I will listen to your advice.

I will give my child any chance.

No matter what the price.

I will learn all that I need to help my child thrive.

I'll even use that feeding tube.

My child must survive!

Will he need a lot of therapy?

Will he gain the needed weight?

Please God, help me do this.

I will accept our fate.

When the monitors beep at night, it serves as my reminder.

How many parents would love that sound.

Tomorrow I will be kinder.

As another Angel earns his wings,

I run to my child's bed.

I watch him sleep for quite a while.

I bend down and kiss his head.

I cry for the parents whose hearts have been broken.

I look to You wondering why?

Oh Lord, I just can't know your ways....no matter how I try.

And yet, I trust you hold his life, and guide us through each day.

My mind says savor each moment he's here,

but my heart begs, "PLEASE let him stay"!

From pacing the surgical waiting room, to sitting by his bed.

From wishing for a good nights sleep, to learning every med.

From wondering, "will he be alright?", to watching him reach out his hands.

With every smile my heart just melts, despite life's harsh demands.

For all who see that faded line.

I look to them and smile.

You see my child is loved so much.

I would face ANY trial.

That scar I trace with my finger (It's the door to his beautiful heart).

God must have known how much I'd love him (Just as He loved him from the start).

A heart mom is always a heart mom.

Now wise beyond her years.

For those who have angels in heaven,

Our hearts share in all of your tears.

Every day I will try and remember,

I was chosen for him (and no other).

I will always embrace that beautiful day.......

When I became a "Heart Mother".

Stephanie Husted

*there's a cutie

The Diannas