A New Set of Firsts


Tomorrow we celebrate Brady's very first birthday. As I was talking to one of my best friends I explained that I felt I didn't have very many firsts left in my life. After college, career, engagement, marriage, buying a house, and having a baby I felt like all of those exciting firsts had quickly come to an end. However, she explained that I now get to experience a whole new set of 'firsts' through Brady's eyes. How fitting I thought!

So to baby Brady, my precious little boy: we celebrate your FIRST 12 months with us. And what a joy they have been! 
















Waiting is My Invitation


A few weeks ago my pastor's wife preached an incredible message. The major take away I received was a point she titled "Interruptions are Life's Invitations." My life is full of interruptions. Everything from the minors like the coffee machine not working to a major work project can make me pull my focus from what really matters. Sometimes I am graceful and forgiving. Other times.... well we will just call it hormonal (because I am only 11.5 months postpartum... right?!) Brian and I have recently encountered one huge interruption that has served as a wake up call to us both.


My pregnancy was amazing and labor was such an incredible experience for us. Brady has slept thru the night since week 2 and hasn't had an antibiotic yet. (For all you working mamas using daycare you know how big of a deal that is!) But as wonderful as this all sounds we have had seemingly bigger issues. At three months Brady hadn't gained a significant amount of weight. The doctor didn't seem concerned and gave us a few easy fixes that we tried. She did want us to come in for monthly weight checks, which was fine with us. But by six months he had only gained a few ounces, had no head growth and wasn't hitting milestones like rolling and sitting up. And so the waiting began.

We waited for physical therapy to begin. As PT started we waited for Brady to do anything that showed progress. In the meantime we tried some new diet options and began intense play at home to keep him active and progressing. By nine months we still hadn't seen much progress so we were referred to a neurologist where it was determined that he had a thin myelin sheath that caused low muscle tone. We began more lab work that found he had thyroid myopathy.  The doctor said he wanted to run a more specific panel to double check the results. He said if it was still elevated we would wait for the endocrinologist to call. At this point I felt like I needed a separate address book for Brady's medical posse.


We waited for the results and finally received a call later that week stating that his thyroid was still elevated and that his creatinine was extremely high. He needed to come in the following work day. His levels were near those of kidney failure. So we sat in complete shock. How could this little boy who eats like a sumo wrestler and plays and smiles all day long be so sick. We waited for some sort of sign that he wasn't well. We waited for Monday to come so we could see the doctor.

Talk about serious suspense. Long story short, we began discussing the results with the doctor only to find some discrepancies. It was quickly discovered that the results we were given over the phone were not ours. Unfortunately someone else's labs were connected with our contact info. So many emotions flooded my heart in that moment. The doctor review our labs and stated that Brady's thyroid had regulated with our diet changes and his results were completely normal.  But this isn't a post about a human mistake and whether it is forgivable or not. This is a post about an amazing answer to our prayer and the lesson we learned through that experience.


It has taken me a few weeks to process everything that has transcended the last few months. And on today, Brady's original due date, I have come to realize two things. 1.) Being a mom is a lot of waiting. I have waited to have Brady. I have waited to get in the doctor's office. I have waited for lab results. I have waited on Brady to finish PT. I am Brady's waitress every. single. day. I will wait for school to end. I will wait eagerly for a date night. I will wait for extracurricular activities to start and then end again. But all of this present and future waiting has taught me a second lesson. 2.) Waiting is my invitation.

I have learned that I need to take those moments I am waiting in and focus my attention on molding Brady into the amazing man I pray he will one day become. I have realized that though I may not be with Brady every minute of every day, I am one of the two main people he will look to for guidance. Even at his young age I am using my waiting as God's invitation to invest in my son. This has become not only my prayer, but my purpose. What are you waiting for?




11 Months Update


We are a week behind, but I made it to the 11 months post. The school year is just about to wrap up and we are well on our way to summer. Brian and I have a mental summer bucket list that includes Friday night concerts, food trucks (my new favorite thing in the whole world), cold sangria, and plenty of time at the pool.

Brady is hanging like a champ and has grown so much in the last month. Here are the stats for his eleventh month:

Weight: 18 lb 11 oz
Height: 30.1 inches

Favorites:
Crawling 
Waving at new and old friends
Saying uh-oh while purposely doing something he shouldn't
Animals of all kinds
Pointing to mama's nose, hair, and mouth on cue
Standing in his crib
Ice Cream and Cake
Swimming in the pool

Dislikes:
Being put on his back
Having his nose wiped
Being put in the car seat 
(*So basically anything that keeps him confined)




In just one short month our baby boy will be in a big one. We had the lovely Kristin Dustman of Kristin Dustman Photography shoot some amazing cake smash photos. I was even able to sneak in for some mama/son photos. I can't wait to see the finished product!

We are in our last few days of school and are going to hit the ground running once summer vaca starts. Between baby showers, birthday parties, and a few awesome vacations coming up I am going to need that sangria down by the pool right about.... now.