Chomper!!!

Yes, you read that right, we finally have a chomper!! It is the bottom left one and Nana discovered it and did the metal spoon test to be sure!! We have yet to capture a picture of this elusive little tooth but she does try to show it off. I thought we were getting close though! On the 22nd we went to our follow up visit with Dr. Palmer, aka King of Ears, and were getting quite fussy in the waiting room. Chewing on her fingers constantly! We also went to see Dr. Mandel, aka Ticker Champ, and he gave us another thumbs up on Laiken's heart condition...a small leak is present but not a concern at this time. Now we get to see him every 9 months! Laiken weighed in at 20 lbs even...obviously no issues with gaining weight anymore! =) Now we are in Birthday mode...getting everything ready for the Big Day!! Wow, where has the past year gone?!?

First Trip to

the Fort Worth Zoo Town Square in Southlake! We attempted to go to the zoo but oh my I think everyone in Ft. Worth had the same idea and since we have been planning to take Laiken on her actual first birthday we decided to wait. We did want to be outside this weekend though so we went shopping and did some yard work! While in Southlake we went by Stride Rite to get Laiken some sandals, they were having a sale so she got two pairs of shoes...her feet are only a size 1, on the box it said for ages 6 weeks to 3 months...those tiny feet are going to have a hard time balancing that booty and belly! We went into this little boutique that I like called Charisma...it used to be Ruby...and they had the cutest oversized chair that had been re-done in pink glittery vinyl so we had to get pictures in the perfect princess chair! After that we went a played at Hobby Lobby where Laiken practiced wearing a birthday hat...we still need some work but we have a few more weeks! All in all, a great weekend!

So Comfy

Big Cheese

Bigger Cheese

Biggest Cheese!!

Oh no

Ahh...

There we go!!

Toobin'

Today was ear tube day and after fretting and pouting about Laiken's SECOND surgery in her ten months, two weeks and three days in existence we got the show on the road. I say show, it was more like a long commercial break (if you watch Grey's or Lost you know exactly what I am talking about) The entire time spent apart~10 minutes on the dot, we no more than went into the other waiting room and I took a potty break and her comes Dr. Palmer, AKA ear toobie genius, to say Laiken was fine and they would get us in a minute. Elated doesn't even begin to describe it. Although she was upset at first, Laiken took a nap and was back to her normal cheerful in no time. We even went to breakfast afterward...only cause Dr. Palmer said we could, we didn't even ask he just said, "she is going to be a little groggy but not in any pain, she will probably take a good nap so go grab breakfast and carry on like normal" We were at the hospital at 5:30 and on the road to go home by 7:40! We didn't even get to see Vanessa since her work day, like most of us, starts at 8:00. I knew this was going to be easy, nothing compared to last time, but I was a little worried since the day before at pre-op I was reminded that sometimes our kiddos with Down syndrome react a little differently to anesthesia, and she would have to be monitored a because of her heart history too. Here are a few pictures of Laiken prior to surgery...there were no after cause we weren't there but about 10 minutes after and then she was asleep! I am so glad she is a better patient than her Daddy!

Roddy says her arms look like the Michelin Man!

She is rolling her tongue in this one!

10 Months!!

Oh, Miss Laiken, you are growing up way too fast! You have really perked up this past month and are always talking and making the us laugh with all your new expressions!

You are eating mostly stage 2 baby foods still but you like a few stage 3 and just the other day you had some rotisserie chicken and a third of my sweet potato mixed with yogurt...you gobbled it up! You have been eating yogurt everyday due for the past couple months thanks to being on antibiotics and your poo issues so thank heavens for your pedi. suggesting some Activia!! Your therapist wants you to start eating soft cubed food and you will but you are pretty stubborn about feeding yourself...I think you like to feel like royalty and have someone else do it.

You are wearing six-nine month clothes although you are starting to get too long for your six month jammies now. As far as diapers, size 3's are still fitting nicely and I don't think we will be stepping up in size anytime soon.

I have started planning your Birthday party which makes me both happy and sad. Sad because I can't believe you are almost a year old and I feel like every time I blink it's time to roll the calendar again. Oh, so happy though because Baby, we had a rough start and lots to overcome and you came through everything like a champ! You inspire me everyday to enjoy life and not to sit around waiting for the bad to happen but rolling around in the good and trying to make every day go by as slowly as possible. I figure the bad tends to find you if you are looking for it so lets try to run in the sunshine as long as possible...btw, I am talking to you sunshine...could you come back real soon...I don't think I have had warm feet in like 6 months. Thanks.

Laiken, I about to take you in for a x-ray cause you still have no chompers, and as much as I love a gummy smile...this is getting a little silly! =) Don't worry though, you still get birthday cake and ice cream...teeth or no teeth!

As for activity, you love to roll around on the floor, in the bed and anywhere else you may be but crawling is something you simply are not interested in. Your therapist is going to be bring you some hip helpers to make your hips a little more stable. I think you could do it if you really wanted to but I think you roll faster and you know it! We are supposed to place your toys out of reach to intice you to crawl to them and it does intice but if you are sitting up you gently knock yourself over and...you guessed it...roll to it. We will have to see what these hip helpers can do for you.

Words are another thing, you only say the bad one...Dada and mmm when we eat. =) We are working on Mama, ba-ba, and Nana. You also like to spit and blow raspberries...all cute until dinner time. Now we have been on a hunt for larger bibs. Luckily, bath time is one of your absolute favorite things in the whole wide world! Love you Laiken! Thanks for making life so much fun!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Updates and Toobies

First off, Jace made it home on Sunday, the 7th so he was only in the hospital from Feb 3-7th...surely that must be some sort of record! So, thank you all for the prayers and well wishes, they obviously helped!

Now for the bad news...Laiken has to get toobies in her ears. =( I feel bad for her but I know this will help tremendously and apparently this is like a rite of passage for our chromosomally enhanced children. Dr. Palmer will be performing her surgery March 5th and we are thankful once again to not have to travel far for the best children's hospital I have ever been to! At our first appointment with Dr. Palmer back in October he told me that Laiken would probably get tubes before the 18 month mark and now that she has had two ear infections in two months he says with our special kiddos we don't sit around a wait for it to clear up, we fix it so there is no hearing loss. Speaking of hearing loss...my BIG baby, Roddy, was also checked out by Dr. Palmer and told he had significant hearing loss and was recommended to get musicians hearing aides for now with the possibility of real hearing aides in the near future. =( So now I am supposed to feel bad when I get mad at Roddy for not hearing me I guess...Man, that is going to take some getting used too!!

Prayers for Jace!

One of Laiken's buddies, Jace, who is also chromosomally enhanced and has the same heart defect Laiken, is undergoing his repair today. His big sister, LC also went through the same surgery about a year ago. Although their Mom and Dad are old pros at all this surgery business I am sure they would appreciate any extra thoughts and prayers from Laiken's fans. Nicknamed Zippy (Jace) and Pudge (LC) , they have quickly become our friends and we wish them a speedy recovery and safe return home! LOVE YOU JACE!!

Jace~Laiken wanted to personally thank you for the last zipper-free picture and to remind you that chicks dig scars!