Jake's 1 Year Check-up

For some reason, I have begun a tradition of taking picture of him in his bandaids on his well check days. It's so easy to see them and say, "Oh, that's 2 months, that's 4 months, that's 6...9... 12 months." I'm a nerd...but I can't help but love the pics of his little chub legs and his bandaids. :) Even if the whole shot process does tug pretty hard at my heartstrings.

Jakey recently went to see Dr. Edralin for his One Year old well check and I thought I should update about our sweet lil toddler. He's just gettin' so big! He was almost 26lbs and 32 inches long. He was 84% for weight and 94% for height. His head circumfrence was right in the middle of those as far as percentiles go so he seems to be what we already know- big and perfect! :)

This month Jakey had his blood taken for the first time. Mama had to hold his legs down and it was just one of the hardest things to see him scream so hard. I hate to see my innocent baby in pain, even if it is for his own good (anemia check).

The doctor talked with us about the usual- sleeping, eating, drinking, and motor and speech skills. Jake seems to be excelling in every aspect and we have absolutely nothing to complain about right now! He continues to sleep late, eat mostly everything, walk everywhere, talk more than his share, etc. In fact, when the doctor walked in he jokingly yet seriously told me that we didn't need to talk about his verbal skills b/c he could hear him from out in the hallway. Haha...that's our boy! When Jeremy and I are home with him, and there are few distractions he's very good at repeating words we say and he'll repeat just about anything. He's our little parrot....I'm going to have to start watching exactly what comes out of my mouth now! ;)

The doctor also said, "Well, we know he's walking great...he was trying to escape!" After the nurse weighed him and took his temp he was in just a diaper in the room and she left the door open to our room. Jake took off for the door and went out into the hallway before I could catch him about ten times. He was sooo cute running around in a diaper like he owned the place. :)

I just cannot put into words how much I love this little baby boy who has completely stolen my heart. Life just can't get better than this! :)

Another Surgery?!?

Ok...so I should update the latest on my thyroid saga!! :) Well, I'm not sure how connected this is to my thyroid, but this saga now involves my brain! When I went to that new endocrinologist I loved a couple of weeks ago she found out that my cycle had not returned since before Jake was born and also that some of my hormones were measuring high. So, that's why she sent me for an MRI and abdominal ultrasound. The abdominal ultrasound came out perfectly normal. The MRI, however, did not. I got a call from the dr's office last Thursday asking me to come in on Friday (the day before Jakey's party). I thought that was a little quick, which made it a little suspicious! So, Jeremy took a sick day and came with me while my dad kept Jake. Right when she walked into the room she told me that she was glad that I brought my husband. Both of our hearts sank. We knew that was bad news! So, she proceeds to tell us that she found a 1.8cm tumor on my pituitary gland which is in your brain. She then told us that was quite big for that area of the brain and so she would refer me to a neurosurgeon and that he would probably want to take it out. She also scheduled me an ophthalmologist appointment for the next Monday and also a lab appt to go get more blood work.
By Tuesday I had received a call from the neurosurgeon's office asking me to come in the next day. Soooo.....I saw him yesterday and he was awesome! He was friendly and very understanding and spent time explaining my options to us and explaining what was going on and showing us my MRI films. My type of tumor cannot be shrunk with medicine, and is already affecting my vision. If the tumor is left in my brain, it could possibly cause total vision loss down the road. Surgery will be within the next two weeks and will require 2-3 nights in the hospital. I think the best news of all may be that they can go in through my nose which will not leave any scarring or even need an incision at all!
We are unsure if this is going to solve all of my hormone problems, or if it will cause more problems for me. So, not much to report other than...please pray! Wow...a baby, thyroid surgery and brain surgery...all within 12 months! Crazy!
I'll try to keep y'all posted!

Jakey's 1st Birthday Party!

The birthday cowboy!

The adorable cake!! (that wasn't ready on time!)

cowboy boot/hat sugar cookies

Mommy, Daddy, and the birthday boy!

treat bags!!

Jakey's present from Mommy and Daddy!

Hahaha!! Loved the cake!!

Precious!!

With Haley

Brian and Matt

Craig and Clint

Leah and baby Joshua! He's sooo cute!

I loved TayTay's red cowboy had and cute outfit!

Jess, Rach, and Nikki

The front porch...Jake and his cousin Kaleb

We had a blast at Jakey's 1st Birthday Party! We were hoping to have it at the park in my parent's neighborhood but it has been quite chilly lately! We ended up with over 60 people there! We are so blessed to have so many family and friends that were able to come celebrate with us. Jakey got to play, open gifts, and totally dug into his little mini cake. It was so precious to watch him dip his head ever-so-slightly into his cake.

Thank you all for loving our sweet Jake and for coming to help us celebrate! Oh, and for all of the cute clothes and fun toys, too!! We never could've done any of this without my family...they worked hard and it all looked so cute!!

Thyroid Update!

Ok, so I AM working on a ONE year post for a certain little baby boy right now. But, I can update about this quicker so I will do so now. :)

I'm sure most of you know/remember that a thyroid nodule was discovered when I was pregnant with Jake. It was quite large so I had surgery to have it removed last spring. Since then I have been diagnosed with postsurgical hypothyroidism, or not enough thyroid hormone. I have seen several doctors and have had several horrible experiences. This past week I met with a new endocrinoligist in The Woodlands and I love her! I had a nearly three hour appointment and she was very thorough and detailed and seems to be taking care of me with a sense of urgency. Anyway, she thinks my body is in chaos mode after a baby and surgery so close together and also that there are some things going on that are not quite right. So, I am scheduled for an abdominal ultrasound today and also an MRI on my brain, or more specifically my Pituitary Gland, which controls several thyroid-related hormones.
Please say a quick prayer that they find the reasons for my abnormal bloodwork and get me back to feeling and looking like my old self again soon! I go back toward the end of the month to go over my bloodwork results and my MRI/ultrasound results with her. I'll try to keep y'all posted.
Thanks for the thoughts/prayers! We hope everyone starts off the New Year with a great week!

Our baby Jake turns ONE!!

Jake and Gammie on Jake's 1st Bday (we got a moment of happiness out of our sick baby)

Uncle Matt, Jakey, Gammie

Aunt Haley and Jakey

Mommy, Daddy, and Jakey (Jake wasn't so much in the mood for cake)

He wasn't his usual happy :(

Our family....with Jakey sick on his bday :(

It seems like just yesterday that we met the love of our lives! He's been feeling a bit off lately and wasn't feeling too well on his birthday. Good thing his party isn't until next weekend! Atleast I got to sit and rock my cuddly boy for a super long time last night. :) Heaven on earth. And oh, did the tears fall as I remembered the first time I sat with him in his rocking chair the night we got home...and all of the memories in between. God has blessed our little family with an amazing year.

Little Jakey, at one year you've been:

-Talking up a storm. You've said Mama, Dada, Dad, This, Baby, Gentle, Puppy, No Sir, and Bottle. Some of these words you only really said repeating/mocking me or your Dad. You've also been mocking our coughs and fake coughing. Tonight you walked up to the dogs, pointed at them and repeated "no sssssirr, doh thur" haha...that's how you say "no sir" and it's super cute.

-Finally walkin'! It's super cute. A little over a week ago it kinda clicked for you and you took about 14 steps. Then, when at Papaw and Gammie's for New Year's you showed them several times how you could walk, taking about 12 steps across the kitchen. You aren't yet exclusively walking, but that's ok...we'll soak up watching your little crawl for just a little while longer. You will walk for the rest of your life! ;) We're soo proud of you!

-You still love playing peek-a-boo and will do it on your own and on command. You also still like to wave bye-bye, clap, shake your head and doing your little tongue trick.

-You're still super friendly but have a new shy face where you look at someone and then bury your head into me. It's one of the cutest things I've ever seen.

-You're a great eater! You LOVE avacados, sweet potatoes, frech fries, crescent rolls and biscuits, chicken nuggets, apple ceral bars...and now, whole milk!

-You continue to be a wonderful sleeper and are weighing in at a little over 26lbs. You wear size 18/18--24 month clothes, a size 5-6 shoe and a size 4 diaper. You've also finally gotten a normal amount of hair... ;)

It's taken me a couple of days to finish up this post...I just didn't want to conclude your ONE YEAR POST. :( I just think you're so perfect and that I can't say enough about you. You were made for us and I know I'm forgetting a lot. I wasn't ready for you to be ONE but I've heard things will only get better. I guess that words cannot express the love I feel, the pride I have, and the joy you bring. Pure perfection! Thank you God for giving us a baby. A healthy, adorable, precious baby boy. A dream come true.

We love you, BABY Jake!

xoxo,

your Mama