Okay, one of my favorite things about blogging has definitely been the ability to look back and see how things were compared to how they are now, to relive some of our memories, things like that. I haven't done an update on Holden in awhile and have had quite a few people ask, so I thought I'd share a little about where he's at and where Aurora's at as well because God knows that little girl is growing up way too fast!
Holden is now 17 months and is doing so great! We haven't been down to Riley since August, I think, and we were told by his plastic surgeon that we didn't need to come back to see him for another year, which is awesome. We are going back in December to meet with an audiologist to double-check his hearing. Sometimes hearing can be an issue with Pierre Robin babies, but Holden hasn't shown us any signs of less than normal hearing. (Especially at night when he's sleeping and we have to creep by so that little dude doesn't wake up!) Feeding has been going good. The last time he had a swallow study was in July, which showed slight aspiration when he drinks ultra thin liquids (water, juice), and he penetrated once (where it looks like it's going to go down the wrong tube, but then comes back and goes the right way) with milk when he would drink too fast. But his doctor was still optimistic that he would be off his tube in October. We were super hopeful, but when we first told his SLP that he sees here in town once a week, she was a little skeptical. Unfortunately, I think Holden still has a little bit to go before he'll get his tube out, but he is still doing really well and we are okay with not rushing things. After all, feeding him this way has become so routine for us that it's not really anything extra at this point, but will also be a huge relief when we don't have to. Other than that, he's been eating all normal foods. He loves the usual kid stuff - pb&j, mac and cheese - and has started eating more vegetables, which he wasn't doing at all. He loves yogurt - LOVES ice cream - and, overall, he has a really good appetite and is gaining well above where he at least needs to be.
All of that aside, he is living up to my second-child-theory more and more each day!
Boy is exhausting! He is all over the place, into everything, and hates napping, lol. He is the epitome of a sour patch kid - will bite you, then look at you with his big cheesy smile and pucker to give you a kiss. He loves going on walks around the neighborhood, idolizes his big sister, and is the friendliest kid you will ever meet. (But he will wait until you walk away to wave at you.) I'll show him my belly and tell him there's a baby in there, and he'll lift up his shirt to see where his baby is. When he gets excited about doing something, he'll say "Yah, yah, yah." Loves bath time, HATES bed time and still cries for a good 15-20 minutes when we put him down. He loves Zoey so much and I think she kinda loves him back. He loves dancing to Mother Goose Club, which is by far the most annoying kid's show out there, but it makes him happy, so we shall suffer through. I think his favorite time of day is when daddy walks in the door (if he's still awake). Boy LOVES his daddy.
Mr. Holdy Man, you wear us all out, but you bring us all more join than we ever knew we could handle!
And then there's Aurora, who is now 8. Who actually was almost the same type of baby as Holden, but not so sour-patchy. Just super friendly and a people-person. I think it's pretty safe to say she was and is and probably will be my easy baby. From pregnancy to now, she's pretty much been a breeze. I'm sure I'll change my mind on that one once she hits her teenage years. She still has a little bit of that only-child sass left in her. But she's mature, a smartie who catches on very quickly, and when Jose's gone for work, I can totally count on her to help out with her brother (and maybe get distracted by the TV a couple thousand times in between). Maybe it's just because there's such an age difference between the two, but I swear this girl grew up the second Holden was born. Her big sister instincts kicked right in and, for the most part, she loves helping out with him. Sometimes she tries to jump the gun a bit - wants us to let her carry him down the stairs in the mornings, which I'm not ready for (maybe, like, if the house was and fire and she HAD to, but not every day), but she really tries to do whatever she can and I just love and appreciate her so much. I remember taking her shopping for her birthday a few months back and I was just so amazed at this little lady she's growing into. Don't get me wrong, she still has her moments, but she definitely makes me proud to be her mama.
At the moment (bare with me, this could all change by the time I finish typing this), she's obsessed with Squishies, loves doing anything artsy, loves talking (like non-stop, and says "like" and "literally" almost as much as me), loves the black shoes in the picture below because they have a slight heel, loves her white furry coat, especially loves them together, loves making her little brother laugh and being told she's helpful, says she'll cry if #3 is another boy (although, I know she'd grow to love him), loves watching Liv and Maddie and Bunk'd, and will start telling a story from three years before it began to five years after it ended (maybe kinda sorts like her daddy). She wants to be an actress when she grows up and star in a movie with Dove Cameron. :)
I already catch myself looking back on both these kids and how much they've grown and changed in their short, little lives. (And I know I will with #3 too.) And, while I want to bottle these moments up and keep them little forever, I also imagine what life will be like when all three are grown up, coming and going with their friends, and then with their own families and I just know that that's what life is all about. Also, because Jose and I will be free to come and go as we please by that time too. :)
