Blaise is two!!

Blaise had an awesome second birthday party! How in the world is he two already?! I think he is our entire world! We love every single second with him.  He had a wonderful birthday party. The theme was John Deere tractors and farms. He loved his cake and kept pointing to it and saying "mine. Mom accidentally stuck my hand in the front of it and kind of ruined it before the party. He also loved when we sang Happy Birthday to him, and sat on the table smiling big. He did great opening presents and ripped into every single one of them. His favorite present of the night ended up being a drill and tool set. He also got a bubble mower, picnic table, sleeping bag and red flyer trike. He did so great all day long. The weather was great and we grilled out on the deck and ate outside. We went in to open presents and have cake and ice cream and it started getting cold out. The next day it snowed! We are so thankful to get to celebrate these wonderful milestones with Blaise. We couldn't have imagined how amazing of a child he was going to be at two years old!! He absolutely melts the hearts of everyone that his ever met him. He is widely known throughout our community and I'm pretty sure everyone loves him.

 

At his two year old check up appointment he was pretty miserable. Who blames him, as he has gotten shots at the doctors office every month and every time he has been there for the past six months. He started sobbing about five blocks before we got there and didn't stop for the whole hour appointment. He got two shots that day. He weighed 25 lbs 3 oz. He was pretty much in the 20-30% for all categories. Once they turn two, they put them on the big boy scale instead of the baby one and leave all their clothes on. I'm guessing he is a little bit under 25 lbs. He was also 34 inches tall. The doctors were impressed with how he is doing.

 

We had a fetal echo done at Children's on Baby H #2. Dr. Danford gave the report of this one having no heart disease! We are moving right along and around ten weeks til this baby arrives. Lots to do before then! Funny how little you think about your pregnancy once you already have one.

 

Blaise loves to be outside, loves the neighbor kids Brady and Maycie. He would go outside every second of the day if he could. His favorites are digging in the dirt and dumping it into buckets. Anything to get dirty. He has been taking swimming lessons every Saturday morning at the YMCA in Fremont. The first lesson he wouldn't let go of Mom, was clinging and not so sure. Each week he has done great and loves swimming now. He stands on his own on the stand thing, kicks his feet and floats on back and tummy. He is in love with the bath tub now too. He thinks he needs a bath every second of the day. His vocabulary is totally taking off. I DO still seems to be his favorite saying and answer for everything. I DO need Milk. I DO need a bath etc etc. He is very polite and says please and thank you and bless you a lot. He has been doing good on the potty and goes once or twice a day on it. He calls it poopy instead of potty every time though! He has been doing great going to bed and sleeps through the night until about 6 in the morning. We are putting off switching to a big boy bed, but really need to.  The Friday before his birthday I took his pacifier away from him. He is doing pretty good and going on two plus weeks without it. I'm so proud of our big boy!!!!

 

I wish I could bottle up every memory and never forget them. I know how much I'll miss them someday. We try to just tell ourselves to enjoy each day and each second and minute with him as much as possible. All the time we think how great it is to be this incredible little boy's parents.

Picture post

L

Baby h 

Snacks on deck

St Patricks day

Cow chores w dad

Hauling hay

Chalk

With cousin cooper

Tractor w uncle Adam

Ranger with great grandpa and grandpa Sudmann

Zoo time

Hugging Elmo 

Deep Breaths

So much has been happening around the Hartwell House! I'm sure I'll miss quite a few things when doing this blog update, but I'll for sure get the highlights. Of course I want to put down some of the cutest things Blaise is currently doing just so I don't forget! His vobaculary has just totally taken off! He repeats almost anything these days and is saying so many things! My favorite words of his are noodle and cookie, basically because he has a hard time saying either of them. Noodle is more like nononono and cookie is co co co cookie. If there is a chance it's barely warm enough to go outside, by gosh we better be outside because he LOVES it! He can go down our stairs now just holding onto your hand and has moved past the sit and scoot down the steps. We've almost got all of his teeth in, but are still working on some. He is totally obsessed with trains right now. Everything is choo-choo.  Now on to some more happenings.

A few weeks back, our babysitter on Monday text me about 3 to say Blaise had a temp. I headed home from work and indeed he did. I gave him some Tylenol and it seemed to get a bit better. He fell asleep and about 6:30 woke up crying OWIE and all of a sudden started breathing really weird (almost like he was panting couldn't catch his breath) and was shaking. Of course, I totally freaked out calling his dad who was out at the truck shed and Grandma Peg saying that something was definitely wrong with him. By the time Mike flew in the driveway I was headed out with a blanket over Blaise's head for warmth yelling we needed to get to Omaha. After talking some sense into me, we decided to just head to Oakland's ER. When we got there they took his temperature right away and it registered at 105. They explained his breathing/shaking symptoms were from a high temperature. I was already on the phone with Children's Cardiology because of course the first thing I think when he breathes weird is that something is wrong with his heart. After much reassuring and some more Tylenol his temp went down and we headed home. They said he was having early signs of a high-temperature seizure. Thanks to all who said prayers while I was freaking out.  He had a temp for the next few days, and his pediatriciation thought maybe it was a virus the next day. Well, come to find out Hand Foot and Mouth was going around and he had been exposed to it. A few days later the infamous spots showed up and he refused to eat or drink anything due to the ones in his mouth and throat. After a few more worrisome days of thinking he might be dehydrated he started to turn the corner. After a good almost ten days the spots finally went away. Let's just say I HATE that virus!

Mike and I got away to a wedding in Kearney for a weekend since he was a groomsmen. It was fun to do something just the two of us and Blaise spent almost three days at Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann's. I'm sure he got in plenty of horse petting, tractor rides etc.

Blaise recently had his last RSV/Synagis shot. He weighted in at 23 lbs 5 oz. I was really hoping that he could get to 24 lbs before his 2nd birthday. He still has about two weeks to go, so hopefully he packs on the pounds.  Mike got to go with to this last shot and witness how miserable they are. Blaise cries the WHOLE time since he knows what is coming, and this time was yelling OWIE before they even gave the shot. So glad these are over for awhile!

Our other exciting news is that we had our ultrasound for Baby H Two. Right away, before the ulstrasound tech said it, Mike and I could tell this baby has a four chambered heart! So much relief and such a different experience than with Blaise. According to the ultrasound this baby is measuring ahead of schedule AGAIN and is estimated due around July 14th now. They aren't changing the due date but going early would be fine since my sister Jenna is due July 24th. The further apart we can get them the better! They also said the baby weighted 17 oz making it in the 87%!! What in the world? I"ve never heard a number that big before! Even when pregnant with Blaise they estimated him small and I went on a high protein diet to help the baby gain weight. I have a feeling we are in for a totally different experience this time round.

As exciting as a healthy baby is, of course a part of me can't help but be extremely sad for Blaise. How hard it will be fore him to see a healthy brother or sister that never has to worry about what tomorrow brings, the unknowns of their future and the repeated doctors appointments open heart surgeries and having half a heart. It weighs very heavy on this mom's heart. I'm sad that our pregnancy with him was full of stress and anxiety. I'm sad that soon I"ll have to start explaining to him that he is different that everyone else. Phew. Pregnant hormones are crazy!

I'll update pictures soon!

These are a few of his favorite things!

What's new with Mr. B Man- Blaise Hartwell?  He is so much fun- the light of our lives!  Recently, his vocabulary is becoming larger. A lot of things sound the same and many probably wouldn't catch what he was saying unless you are around him a lot. Some new things are blue, bowl, hat, get out (when he is yelling and wants out of the crib in the morning) baby, "I'm gonna get you" and so on. He loves trying to tickle you yelling I'm going to get you.  He is very obsessed with his dad, and is devastated when Mike leaves to go to work. 

He is very much a monkey-see, monkey-do kid, especially when he see's his dad. The other day, we went out to play in the snow and got his "boo"  boots on, snow pants and everything. When we came in and took everything off on the porch, I turned and looked and he had grabbed his boots and was headed for the door to the basement. Mike always sets his boots at the top of the steps to go downstairs to stay warm, and Blaise must have wanted to put his there too.  Also the other day, I caught Blaise lifting the lid of the trash can in the kitchen and spitting into it.  Again- must have gotten that from dad!

He is very into his potty chair these days. He's yet to actually "go" on the potty, but loves to strip down and sit on it and the big potty. His word for potty is actually "poopy" but we are working on it. I was getting breakfast ready one morning and looked over and Blaise's diaper that he had been wearing was laying on the kitchen floor next to me. I went to look for him and he had climbed up stairs by himself and was sitting with no clothes on the potty in his room. The potty is now downstairs for easier access.

Blaise knows there is a baby in mommy's tummy and points to it and says baby a lot. Tonight, we told him to give the baby a kiss and he leaned over to kiss mommy's tummy. He is a very, very sweet and loveable little boy.

Thanks for all the support during heart month. It's always a hard month to get through (maybe harder when you have raging pregnant hormones). We love hearing stories from our heart friends, but sometimes they can be a very tough reminder of the difficulties and futures for these kiddos.

Baby Hartwell Round 2 Update: We are now at the 20 week mark. How in the world are we half way done? This one has gone lots faster and for obvious reasons is just a fleeting thought during the day. I'm sure we will remember to get a few diapers and necessities before it gets here! HA Our big prayer request is for March 12th. We will be having our 20 week ultrasound, which is where they discovered Blaise's heart condition. We pretty much could care less if it's a boy a girl and see only one purpose for this ultrasound which is to determine the health of our baby. We pray for a totally healthy baby!

Thanks for keepin' up with our growing family!!

A parade of photos

Ok, here is an update of photos from October!! Phew!   Thanks for being patient!! I'll try much harder to stay up - to - date. 

For now, I'll blame my lack of updates on a new little surprise in our lives. Blaise would like you all to know that he is going to be the world's greatest big brother in July!!! Baby Hartwell Round 2 is due July 21st!  

Hopefully now that we are past the first trimester I'll get some energy and time back to do things like update the blog!

Thanks for the continued prayers for Blaise's heart and the new ones we ask for a healthy new baby.

Halloween with Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann

 Mom and I

 A night at Texas Roadhouse in November with mom and dad

 Dad's home from trucking. Walking across the yard after helping him drive and put his truck away.

 Children's Hospital ER visit on Thanksgiving

The great Christmas Tree hunt 2013

 In Kansas City with Grandma Donna and Aunt Jenna.

 Got into mom's makeup and eyeliner.

 Meeting Santa at Bass Pro Shop

 Grandpa Grandma and GG at Christmas

 Look Santa came!

 Me and cousin Parker

 Just looking cute

 Trying on mom's shoes

 Helping feed the cows

 Fixing my tractor

 Visiting Aunt Jenna

 Someone emptied out all the pots and pans

 Eating French fries on a date with mom at McDonalds

 Eating at the Heart Banquest

 Dancing with a new friend at the Heart Banquet

 Bath time

 Valentines Day 2014

Heart Day 2014

Heart Day 2014 is almost upon us! February marks Congenital Heart Disease awareness month, and the 7-14th are specifically dedicated to raising awareness of this disease that effects 1 in 100 babies born. This year, we took Blaise to his first Midwest Heart Connection Kids Banquet night last Saturday night. He loved it! It is where kids and parents of kids with CHD get together to celebrate. Blaise loved playing/laying in the bounce house. He couldn't quite figure out how to stand and jump in it, but I had a hard time figuring out how I was going to get him out without climbing in it myself. He also got a balloon puppy made for him by a clown. We ate dinner with everyone, there was a magician and then a dance for all the kids. He loved the dance floor, and one little girl loved him. They held hands and danced and she kept chasing him around the dance floor. He kept trying to run away- I think he had enough of the little girl!

 

We are again asking all of our friends and family to help us celebrate Blaise on Friday- Valentines Day by wearing red. You can send us your photos, or put them on Facebook and tag Mike and I. We appreciate everyone's support and are reminded so many times during heart month how precious these little lives are. We pray everyday for God to keep Blaise's heart healthy and thank him each morning.

 

Blaise got his synagis shot tonight and he did not like it. For this first time instead of just crying he yelled owie owie owie!  Breaks my heart!!

 

Here are a few Christmas photos- I'm still trying to play catch- up!

 

 

 

Long Overdue

I'll try and catch everyone up to speed on Mr. Blaise. I apologize for how long it has been since there has been update. Fall is such a hard time, Mike is gone almost all of it. Finally the middle of November his schedule slowed down and he has been home more. It was amazing the difference I noticed in Blaise as soon as his dad was around more.

I'll start with some health updates on Blaise, then move on to some of the fun stuff we've been up to.
Blaise has officially started his synagis RSV shots. We have to do monthly weights for these, and unfortunately in October when he got weighed, he had not gained anything since August. A few weeks later in November when he was weighed he was up to 22 lbs even! Unfortunately, this is very small for a 20 month old. His size 12 pants are still too big on him. He will be 21 months old in a few weeks. We have started trying to give him adult Ensure to help pack on some calories. He is a very picky eater and basically only eats hot dogs or mac and cheese. about every day.  Day care has been going ok but he has been getting sick a lot. He has had a pretty good cold with a snotty nose and cough for about a month. Unfortuantely, on Thanksgiving he woke up with a temperature. After spending the day at the Hartwell's, we headed to Treynor and upon arrival Blaise had a 102 temperature. With so many things going around, and not wanting to worry about him all night, we decided to head to Children's ER since that was the only thing open on Thanksgiving. We can now cross the ER off our list of places we had yet to see at Children's. After a chest x-ray and four very miserable pokes and digging around in his arms they finally got blood drawn. It was decided he has a virus that needs to run its course. Being at the hospital again was no fun. He kept looking at Mike and I with his hands in the air saying" WHY" every time they tired to do something to him. All I could think was how hard his next surgery is going to be. WOW. He was put on amoxicilian, which has been giving him pretty bad diarrhea on top of not wanting to eat. I'm very nervous that we are going to go backwards again on weight after dealing with this.  He then started doing better, and got a sinus infection and ear infection the Monday before Christmas. A few meds and he was on the mend again, both  Mike and I have been sick, I had the flu, but it hasn't gotten to Blaise yet, knock on wood. He has continued to get his RSV shots once a month a cries as soon as we get to the parking lot. He is holding steady on weight, hoping for some slow increases. He is a pretty good grazer and snacks a lot throughout the day.

He has decided that he no longer needs to sit at his high chair, or a booster, or any chair for that matter at the table. Right now, the only way we can get him to eat is if I hold him on my lap.

Day care is going okay, he is doing better and doesn't cry the whole day anymore. Once in a while he seems excited to go, and others he sobs when I drop him off. As long as he can stay healthy I think day care is a good thing.  He has  started saying a few more words, more, ewww, puppy, burr, etc. I think he is coming around in this area.  For awhile there was a little boy that was getting potty trained at day care. Blaise thought he should also sit on the potty all the time, so I would set him on it but I think it was more a fun idea than him actually knowing what he was doing. We will try maybe next summer.   We are always surprised at how smart Blaise is. Of course every parent does, but there isn't too much that gets past this kid! Cracks us up how many ideas he has and how he doesn't forget anything. He knows his way around in a car pretty well and knows how to get to the grandparents, flower shop, grocery store, cows, Red Barn, etc. 

I'll try and back up to October and let you know what we've been up to. I'm sure I'll forget a hundred things.  We spent almost every weekend in October at my parents on the farm. Blaise can't get enough of that place and is obsessed with the horses and tractors. He got plenty of tractor and combine rides. He went with my mom and myself to Des Moines to visit Aunt Jenna and Uncle Mitch for our annual shopping trip. He got drug along the whole time this time and did great in the car and a full day of shopping. We carved pumpkins for the first time while we were there and Blaise thought it was fun putting the lid on and off the pumpkin.  We also went to Boo at the Zoo in Des Moines for trick or treating. For Halloween Blaise was dressed as a puppy. He did really good wearing his costume. He got candy, wanted to eat it right away, and would pick a piece of the basket and put the one he was just eating in it instead! This was the first day we realized that he kept saying puppy on repeat! He loved being a puppy!

He did fall down a couple of steps once this fall and cut his lip open a bit, I freaked out because it was the first time I had actually seen him bleed! (obviously his two surgeries didn't count ha!). Just a little bump and cut and all was well. We tried to spend as much time as we could outside this fall since he just loves it. Trips to the park and playing in the leaves.

In November we were busy getting ready for the Holidays. Blaise loves to "cook" in the kitchen with me and thinks he can have all of the spices and ingredients I use to make things. He loves stacking blocks and playing with his tractors. He also learned to climb on pretty much everything. He always grabs your hand and pulls you to where he wants you to go. He drinks out of a big person cup now and always has to share mom's glass with her.

Thanksgiving was cut short as we spent time in the ER. We went Christmas tree shopping for a real tree the beginning of December it was a beautiful day so Blaise went with. His favorite part was the ride in the wagon behind the tractor on the way to the field, except he couldn't figure out why he couldn't actually ride in the tractor.  He left the tree alone pretty good this year and loved looking at Chrsitmas lights, he would point them out to us from the car. The middle of December he went to Kansas City with grandma Donna, mom and Aunt Jenna. We ate at a restaurant where the served you by trains and he loved it. We did some exploring and he sat on Santa's lap for the first time. No big deal he loved Santa! He says Ho Ho Ho when you ask him what Santa says.  The next weekend he sat on Santa's lap again with mom and dad at Bass Pro Shop. He gave him a high-five and did great!

For Christmas, we did Christmas Eve at the Hartwells we went to Church with them and Great Grandpa Glenn from Kansas. Blaise sat very good through church as was intrigued by the candle and cup for the candle-lit service. Santa came Christmas morning, then off the Treynor and the Sudmann's. He got lots of presents there again and had a blast opening them all. Of course he was super spoiled all Christmas. The weekend after Christmas the whole Hartwell family got together and he loved playing with his cousins.  He spent New Years Eve at Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann's and we are now getting back into a regular routine.

I'll get this posted for now, and fill in pictures later! Hope everyone enjoyed catching up!