Life As We Know It: Happy 11 Months Big Girl!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Happy 11 Months Big Girl!

Wow. 11 months. I'm sitting here chatting with a friend as I type this, and I feel like it was just yesterday I was chatting with her, telling her that I thought I was REALLY in labor. I remember the moment so clearly. I was so excited to meet my baby girl and was also completely oblivious to just how much my life was about to change. And 11 months ago, I was sitting in the NICU holding my baby girl, trying to comprehend everything that had happened in the 18 hours since she had been born. If you would have asked me where I'd be 11 months from then, it sure wouldn't be here. I thought I was faced with an impossibility. Down syndrome? Open heart surgery? I couldn't handle all that. I didn't have the strength. I was more scared than ever. And yet somehow, we've made it. We've had ups and downs and we've had our share of challenges. But I wouldn't change it for the world. Okay, okay, maybe I'd make some of the challenges a little easier. After all, I am really sick of fighting for EI services. I remember telling my husband on the way home from the NICU that we would have to plan things out differently. We always thought about having a second baby once Kennedy turned one. Obviously we would need to wait longer. Kennedy was going to need every bit of our attention and we would just have far too much going on to think about another baby so soon.

Boy was I wrong. I quickly found out, mostly after Kennedy's heart surgery, that life really wasn't all that much different than we had expected. Here we are, 11 months later, and nearly 13 weeks pregnant with our second baby. I was right, we would have to plan things differently. We just decided to move it up a little bit. Kennedy has done absolutely amazing. She's the happiest and most easy going baby, which actually makes me a little nervous for her sibling. But I'm so excited to see her and her new sister or brother together. I know she's going to make a great big sister. She's truly the light of my life, and I love her more than I could have ever dreamed. Her smile and her giggles just melt my heart on a daily basis. It has been so much fun to see life through her eyes and to celebrate each and every accomplishment she makes, no matter how big or small. She will always be my baby girl, but today, as I dressed her in her 12 month outfit, and didn't even have to roll up the pant legs, I realized just what a big girl she's becoming. I'm so proud of her.

And here's the pictures I promised. More lousy cell phone pics. I'm determined that next week I will be better about pulling the real camera out again and taking some good photos. For now, these will have to do....they still show all of her cuteness. (Even if they are a little blurry from the residual slobber of her chewing on my phone.)

I'm pretty sure by now, everyone knows that Kennedy isn't a fan of EI. And she NEVER shows off for Amanda. In fact, she does exactly the opposite of what Amanda wants her to do. Yesterday Amanda kept trying to get her to draw on her Magnadoodle. It was a no go. She also kept trying to get her to raise her arms up. That was also a no go. But literally seconds after Amanda left, she did both. I made sure to text her pictures, immediately.

See mommy, I can draw with my pen.