Fun with Grandparents

We had a wonderful visit with Daniel's parents!

Xander loved grilling out with daddy and Grandcracker

It was so unseasonably warm, we were able to take Zoey and Jake to the water at the dog park.

Xander loved playing in the water with Grandcracker!

There they go!

Jake is such a cool border collie.  He absolutely loved Xander, playing fetch with him (despite Xander's throws being underwhelming), and letting Xander hug him, and touch him in the face.  While Zoey is very protective of her little brother, she is also jealous of the attention daddy gives him and gets easily frustrated with him being in her space.  Jake was an awesome puppy playmate for our rambunctious boy!

Tickles!

Xander is one loved little man!

He seemed especially taken by Grandmomma.  Xander was always watching her, reaching for her, or blowing her kisses.

He loved Grandmomma's drumming skills!

He had just figured out how to make this book play music, and was enthralled when Grandmomma began to drum along!

My little gear head was eager to watch Grandcracker lower Daniel's car with Eibach racing springs and especially fascinated with the wheels of the cars.  He and Grandcracker will likely spend hours working on cars together!

Grandmomma snuggles

On their last night here, we all went to Adventure Zone for some dinosaur mini golf.

Mandatory picture with the T-rex!

At the last hole, Steve and I both got a hole in one for a free 4D movie ticket and a visit from the angry T-rex!  Xander watched the dinosaur very closely to make sure he couldn't escape his cage.

That's a T-rex guys!

The game was a blast, and it was the first time Daniel had ever beaten his dad in mini golf.  Proud moment!

After golf, we headed into the arcade for some games.

Xander loved the bright lights and fun noises.

A future ski ball pro

We all enjoyed watching Daniel play his favorite arcade game

Daddy shootin' hoops

He beat the high score by 100 points!

Grandcracker and Potatoes playing a fishing game

One last game on our way out...shooting beer cans!

We were all sad to see Grandcracker, Grandmomma, and Jake go.  We had a blast and hope we can all get together again soon.  They made it a very Merry Christmas for our little Martin family!

Y'all come back now, ya hear!

Merry Christmas!

We are thrilled to have Daniel's parents here for Christmas!

They got here late Thursday evening, and due to a late nap, we were able to keep Xander up to say hi before he and I went to sleep (I had to work Friday).

Xander's school was closed Friday so Daniel and his parents had the day together until I got off work.  Xander has entered the separation anxiety phase and is especially clingy to Daniel, but after warming up a bit, he loved showing off his new walking skills to Grandcracker and Grandmomma!

At 1am Saturday morning, Xander woke me up moaning.  This was very strange!  He felt hot, but measured in at 101, which is typically viral, so I gave him Tylenol, then he nursed and went back to sleep.  I didn't really think anything of it.  Twenty minutes later he woke up again, and for the rest of the night he was fitful and fussy, and would not settle unless laying on my chest.  At 6am, this wasn't good enough either, and only Daddy's chest would soothe him.  He was again hot, so I gave him more medicine.  He got less hot, but was obviously still a bit feverish.

Saturday, Christmas Eve, was a pitiful sight in the Martin house.  Poor little Potatoes was like I've never seen him.  He slept in Daniel's arms all day, only opening his eyes to look around occasionally, and refusing to be put down or held by anyone else, even mommy. 

At about 3pm he felt hot to the touch, and the medicine was not lowering his temperature.  He still measured at 101, but he started having a gurgly cough, so after checking with my good friend, Kim, who is a PA and mother of four (soon to be five), we headed to the ER.

Our poor baby had pneumonia on Christmas Eve!

His temperature spiked at 103 and they said x-rays were not even necessary as his breathing indicated pneumonia.  He was hooked up to antibiotics and fluids through an IV for an hour, given more antibiotics and Motrin orally, and had his nose suctioned out.  The doctor warned us that it might be necessary for us to stay overnight if he was not able to get more oxygen after the IV.

My heart was aching and I felt helpless, as Xander wanted nothing to do with anyone but daddy.  I could only sit and pray.

Thankfully, God gave our little man strength, and though he continued to struggle after the IV, the doctor said we could take him home if we felt comfortable monitoring him and pushing fluids, and that he would be working all day on Christmas, should we need to return.

Two years in a row Potatoes had us worried we would spend Christmas in the hospital (last year, we were worried he would be born on Christmas), but alas, we have gotten to be home!

Since that ordeal, little man is not 100% but continues to get better, with a bit of his appetite returning and most of his energy.  He is once again go, go, go until he crashes to sleep.

We are having a wonderful time with Grandcracker and Grandmomma, and had a beautiful Christmas!

Look at how sharp he looks in his three piece suit from Grandcracker!

 

I haven't done as well with taking pictures this week, because I've been so preoccupied with our little man's health, but now that he is on the up and up, I will get back at it!!

Happy First Birthday, Potatoes!

On Thursday, our sweet, energetic boy turned one year old!

We had a great time celebrating his birthday, first with my dad and then at his party on Saturday with my mom and a small group of close friends.

On Thursday, my dad and I had a laid back day with a happy Alexander.  We enjoyed the gorgeous weather by playing disc golf, the same activity I was doing a year earlier when I had to leave to head to the doctor to find out I would have a baby that day.

That evening, Xander opened his presents from my dad and me....a super great walker, toy carrying Red Flyer wagon and from me, an air dancer.  He loved the wagon, but the air dancer terrified him!

After presents, I served a baby picture classic for the first time- spaghetti!  I thought it would be perfect to save this photo opportunity for the big b-day, and little man did not disappoint in cuteness!

We had a cookout with a few friends on Saturday afternoon.  It was another warm December day, so we were all happy to hang out both outside and in, and we were able to take advantage of our ping pong table!  Daniel was proud to boast that he came into a game down 8 and still pulled off the win!

Smash cake time!

We were all shocked by how much cake Xander was able to consume!  He left only a few bites on his tray.  Sugar rush!  He headed straight to the bathtub before rejoining the party.

It took hardly anytime at all to figure out how to open presents!

A Mega Blocks car with self propulsion from Laura- vroooom!

Two books illustrated by Andy Warhol from Uncle Ryan and Aunt Mary

A hoodie towel that feels like a blanket- perfect for our blankie loving boy

Babies for Harambe!

Gammie gave our little reader a box of books.  We've already read nearly all of them!

In true Potatoes style, Xander loved being the center of attention at his party.  He was passed between all his closest grown up friends and got some awesome peer play with his new friend, Elsie.  It was really great watching his social skills in action.

This was not just parallel play.  These two were very interactive!  When Elsie woke up from her nap later, she asked, "Where's Potatoes?"  Play date required- soon!

Happy Birthday little man.  We love you so much!

Milestones:
We have his twelve month appointment tomorrow, but looking at his Ages and Stages questionnaire, it appears he is right where he should be for his age.

He is not sleeping well this week, waking up pretty much every two hours.  He will not deescalate without nursing, so I am running on fumes for energy right now.
This is likely because he is weaning himself off of breastfeeding during the day-. only wanting to nurse before naps.  He has to much to do to slow down!

He tolerates whole milk well and will gladly take it on the go.

He loves walks in his riding car, but needs a snack or something to do if he has to sit in his stroller.

He is crazy energetic!  He loves to be outside, to open and close things, to throw and to empty things.

Our biggest milestone is far away the fact that our little guy is now WALKING!

On Sunday, he took his first steps, and we were blessed to have the Goeres's over when it happened, so Karlee got it on camera for us.  On that day, he managed two steps at a time, and did it repeatedly for the attention he received.

On Wednesday, the night before his birthday, my dad, Leaha, and I were all hanging out in the nursery after dinner.  Alexander not only practiced his new walking skills, but we literally watched his face as his brain made the connection that this new skill could be used for transportation and not just for getting attention.  We could see the light bulb go off!  For nearly half an hour this little guy worked and worked on his walking, resembling a movie montage of an athlete in training.  It was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced and brought all three of the adults in the room to tears.

He seems to be an evening trainer.  Every night after dinner is when he really gets to work on his gross motor practice.  He is now able to nearly cross the room with walking!  

The funny thing is, he is far more stable if he squats to standing on his own than he is if he leads off from standing while holding onto something.  He likes to do things on his own.