Andrew-15 Month Update

 Andrew had his 15 month check-up on Tuesday, and he seems to be doing really well. He was only 20 pounds 4 ounces (the 5th percentile!), but the doctor said he looked great, and he is just a little guy. He was 35th percentile for his height at 2'6.

When we were in the waiting room, we met another little boy that was also 15 months. This little boy sat nicely at the kids' table, while Andrew tried to make a run for it outside over and over again. His doctor's office has the doors that detect motion and open and close whenever somebody approaches. Andrew figured that out real quick, and he would never pass up a chance to go outside! Every day he brings us his shoes or coat and cries to go outside. When we went to get his weight, he clung to my sweater, and the nurse could not get him on the scale. They ended up taking him over to the adult scale, where the nurse handed him to me after I stepped on the scale. On our way there, we passed the baby scale again, and the other 15 month old was sitting up there nicely. That's my stubborn little guy!

Right now Andrew is up to 6 teeth (2 on bottom and 4 on top). The doctor said we should be brushing his teeth each day, but I still haven't done it. I tried it about a month ago, and it was not pretty! I may try again here in the next few days and see what happens. He is a pretty good eater and drinks about 16-20 ounces of whole milk a day, along with his 3 meals and 2 snacks. I don't know there the weight goes! He had a lot of trouble with the milk in the beginning, but he has been doing really great the last month. He did a great job of giving up the bottle, and he looks like such a big boy walking around drinking his sippy cup. We just have to make sure he doesn't have too much dairy in one day. His favorite food is Mac and Cheese, which can make it difficult. He would eat Mac and Cheese for every meal if we let him! He also LOVES cheese, which he gets every day at lunch.

He is a wonderful night sleeper and usually sleeps 7-7 (sometimes even later). I may jinx myself by typing this, but I don't think he has woken up in the night for over a month now. Once in a while he would cry for a minute later in the evening, but has not done that in the past month. Usually I just bring him on the couch for a minute, and put him back, and he is just fine. He does a good job with his morning nap, but the afternoon nap is hit or miss (usually miss). We have just been calling it "rest time".

Andrew still loves reading books and watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He has started doing a new "dance" where he spins in circles when he hears a song he likes. I'm going to see if I can get video of that over the next week. He loves other kids, and he especially loves his daddy! There are real tears every time dad leaves the room. He is also still super cuddly, and loves hugs and kisses. The thing he loves to do most (besides going outside) is throwing balls. He has tons of balls and spends a lot of time throwing them over and over again.

Throwing a ball for Jez and having her bring it back makes him laugh every time. Jez just does such a great job with him, though, and she is so patient!

Right now, Andrew has about 4 "real" words that he says, which include "Ma", "Dada", "Ba" (ball), and "Guh" (dog). He also will roar like a lion any time you ask him to (he loves this). He has been going through a phase right now, where he has to always wear his shoes. I think it is because he thinks he might get to go outside. I have been hiding his shoes at night, so he doesn't wear them the whole day in the house. Earlier this week, I compromised with him and let him wear his soft boots for his nap. When Mike came home last night, I told him good luck on taking his shoes off when he asked why they were on. After some commotion, I hear some playing for 5-10 minutes, and then I hear Mike say, "Will you just forget about those shoes!" I was washing his high chair tray in the kitchen and just started cracking up. Andrew does NOT forget. :) We also have to be careful because he opens doors. This morning he opened the laundry room door again, and was about to head down the stairs to the garage, and I caught him just in time.

I think the next few months will be exciting, as he continues to grow and talk more. I just can't hug him and squeeze him enough. Sometimes I swear he is already giving me that look like, "Enough, mom! Geez!" He always smiles that adorable smile of his, though, so I know he can't be too annoyed. :)

Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day was not an easy one, as it was the day after mom's memorial service. However, I had bought Andrew a card and some gifts about a month prior, and I wanted him to have his special day. :) Since he likes to carry around the cardboard Elmo from his Elmo Mac and Cheese box (this is the one he ate), I decided to buy him an Elmo and some Elmo books.

Unfortunately, Andrew tossed Elmo over his shoulder and hasn't looked at him since. He doesn't care about the Elmo love book; however,  he doesn't seem to mind the Elmo balls book.

Here he is in his "Mommy loves me BIG TIME!" shirt. Doesn't he look happy to be wearing it?

While the circumstances were unfortunate, Grandma Kay was also here to watch Andrew open his Valentine's Day card from her.

He also received his card from Grandma Marcia in the mail!

All of my family that was still here from the service came over to my house for the day, and we ordered some delicious pizzas from Papa Murphy's. Mike also ordered me some beautiful flowers (tulips, my fav!).

On a final note, I wanted to make quick mention of what had happened at lunch after the service the day prior. We headed over to a lunch buffet, and when I went to get my dessert, I decided I couldn't resist the chips and nacho cheese, as well. So, here I am with some chocolate covered strawberries, banana cream pie, and nachos. Well, somebody had made a comment about my combination of food, and I responded that it must be a "Julie Thing". My aunt then says, "I think it is a Siegrist thing", and I look over at that moment and see that my brother is eating the SAME THING. He has desserts with chips and nacho cheese! LOL! I just had to had to share that story. :)

Saying Good Bye

Last Monday, we held a small memorial service for mom at the funeral home. She had requested in writing before she passed that we not have a funeral or visitation, but she would be okay with a very small service if it was something that my dad and brother and I wanted. Close family from both sides come down Sunday to be part of the service. When I walked in and saw the room on Monday, everything became so real, and the entire situation was overwhelming. This was a day we never wanted to see, yet it came upon us so quickly. The funeral home helped create an absolutely beautiful display, and I imagined mom smiling at the wonderful pictures and mementos that we picked out to share from her life.We are hoping to scan a lot of the old photos that we used on the photo boards in the upcoming months, and I would love to post some of them here once that has been completed.

Yesterday, Dad and I went through the majority of her belonging at the house, which was a tough, tough thing to do. It just feels unfair and unnatural to decide what to do with your mother's things at such a young age. However, mom was organized and a minimalist, which made things easy on us. I feel like things have been a little easier to manage than the first week she was gone, but it will always be hard. I think dad has been doing better, too, over the past few days. It sounds like he and Tiki have been getting into a little bit of a routine, which must be incredibly tough to do after over 36 years of marriage. Dad had done so much to help her through her disease the past two years, and mom called him a "hero" in her letter to me. Not only did he take wonderful care of her, but he took over most of the duties that she had done their entire marriage this past year. I'm proud to call him my dad!

I also wanted to thank all of the wonderful family, friends, and co-workers that have sent cards, gifts, and condolences. Without all of your support these last two weeks, I don't know how we would have made it through. Words cannot express my appreciation. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Mom

Last Wednesday, February 8th, was a day we knew would come, but was not something we could ever be ready for. Mom's struggle with ALS took a turn for the worse over the last month, but I don't think any of us were prepared to lose her so soon. Mom had more bravery and strength than anybody I have ever known, and we take comfort in knowing that she passed at home with her family, which is exactly what she would have wanted. Mom had made it clear from the start that she did not want her final days to be in a hospital, nor did she want a home care nurse. Up until the day she passed, she was still walking (very unusual for somebody with ALS), bathing and feeding herself (through a feeding tube) and was even facilitating a health course with the University of Phoenix Online. While she was unable to speak for the last year, she did a fantastic job of communicating with her students online, as well as through email, texting, and her voice synthesizer. The thought of losing the ability to speak or swallow is unthinkable to most of us, but I did not hear my mom complain one time about her situation since the day she was diagnosed. This is woman that I can't remember being sick a day in my lifetime. She was continually active, ate great, and took good care of herself. We never know what life is going to deal us.

Mom left a letter for each of us when she passed, and I feel like the letter gave me great closure, and I can't thank her enough for leaving me such a wonderful gift. The first letter she wrote was handwritten the month she was diagnosed, and the second letter she wrote was typed five days before she passed. In the handwritten note, she mentioned that she would like to take credit for the person that I have become, but she thought it was due more to my "own determination and hard work than anything she ever did." That could not be further from the truth. The love and life lessons I took from my parents growing up have completely shaped the person that I have become today. They were always great role models, and provided a happy and supportive environment to grow up in, where the only person I had to worry about was myself. So many parents argue in front of their kids or let their kids in on any troubles they may be having, but I never heard my parents argue with one another or discuss any matters that didn't concern me. I assume they kept that between the two of them, and my brother and I lived carefree, as should all children. I always thought that they didn't have any troubles or worries, but now that I am a grown adult, I know that just can't be possible. :) As my brother and I were going through pictures for mom's service, my brother mentioned that it wasn't until we were older that he realized that our "Brady Bunch" (my words) lifestyle was not typical. You don't realize how lucky and blessed you are until you grow up and move out, and we were lucky to have the type of family that so few kids have now.

If there was an official checklist for moms, my mom would have all of the boxes marked off and then some. I don't remember her ever letting me down, and growing up, she knew when I was upset about something even when I didn't say anything (boys!). Out of all the silly plays and "dance parties" my friends and I put on, as well as every basketball and football game when I was on poms in middle school and high school, she and my dad never missed an event. I don't even remember her ever being late to pick me up from somewhere. As my friend, Tammy, mentioned in her card to me this week, mom was always so "calm and gentle" no matter how annoying we were! I don't know how she did it. Patience is definitely something I did not inherit from her! While I remember her being stern at times, I don't even remember her ever yelling at me or my brother. I also remember her cooking a hot meal every single night (as well as packing me a lunch every day!), and the four of us would eat dinner together. I couldn't even manage that for Mike and me before Andrew was born! If we didn't like what we were having for dinner, she would make me or my brother a fruit and cheese plate. She would drive me or pick me up from a friend's house no matter what time of day it was (I didn't seem to care about her schedule), and she supported me no matter what I wanted to do. I know my move to Arizona was not easy on my parents (especially with a guy I was not even engaged to at the time), but they didn't say a word. If you were sick, she was the first person to take care of you. There is one memory in particular that sticks out from when I was about 10 years old. When I was at Disney World with my friend, Emily,  my mom's brother passed away. When I returned home, she was gone; however, she had taken the time to leave me a note and record my favorite books on cassette tape so I could hear her voice.You don't realize until you become a parent how selfless you have to be, and mom always gave her all to both me and my brother.

She also made every birthday or holiday special. Even though Ken and I shared the same birthday, we each had our own party each year, and she made a separate cake for each of us (mine was angel food cake every year). I was telling Mike the other night that she was a great tooth fairy, and she always gave me my favorite orange Bubbalicious without me waking up. My parents always overdid it on the gifts for us for Christmas, and we received something from her for even the smallest of holidays. I also mentioned to Mike that every single Christmas, my dad would buy my mom a million presents, and we would grow so tired of how the presents never ended for her. My brother and I would be done opening presents, and we would see that there were still 5 left for mom, and my brother and I would groan. The love between my parents was special, and their marriage should be a great example for all married couples, which we see so seldom these days.

Mom was the kind of mom that kept all of our childhood drawings, cards, and gifts. I even found all my baby teeth in her jewelry box this week. Not quite sure what we will do with those.... :)  She kept all of our childhood books, and I even have been reading some to Andrew over the past year. She mentioned in her letter to me that reading to Ken and me when we were children were "some of the best times of her life." She requested that I read those books to Andrew and mention that Grandma would have loved to read those books to him.

Mom also was a perfectionist in everything she did, whether it be school work or teaching her classes. She always received an A in her course work and went the extra mile for the students in her class. Looking at her planner this week, she did things that I would never take the time to do in my classes. She took special interest in each student (just as she did with her patients when she was working as a nurse), and even made sure she responded to each student in the discussions. She also had a special place in her heart for animals and the outdoors, and she was just a gentle soul all the way around.

Even though she left us earlier than we would have liked, I feel so blessed for the time that I did have with her. There are people that lose their mothers when they are young children or when they are young adults, but I was lucky enough to share so many major life events with her. She got to see me graduate from high school and college, as well as get married and have a baby. She was a lifesaver during my difficult pregnancy with Andrew. She was there for me the entire time, even though she was battling a terminal illness (always putting others before herself). She even came out to watch him every day for three months when I came off of maternity leave. I feel lucky that she got to be here for Andrew's entire first year and even be part of his first birthday party. I don't think anything brought her more joy than Andrew over the past year. While she may not know what type of impact she has had on my life, I find myself raising Andrew the exact same way she raised me; although, I can only dream of her kind of patience.

While I could go on forever of the things I will miss in my personal relationship with her, I will just mention some of the more significant ones that stand out in my mind. Some of these things are things I missed before I even lost her. I will miss taking the dogs out for walks and meeting to go out to lunch. I will miss talking about our favorite shows and our weekly magazine exchange. I will miss our long talks (I did most of the talking) and  her hugs and her unconditional love. Things will never be the same, but I am forever grateful for 32 AMAZING years and all the lessons she taught me.

On a final note, when I was over at my parents house this week, and I was bringing in something from the car, I found myself alone for minute. I heard some birds up in the tree above me singing happily. The thing that I found odd about it is that that is not a sound you hear at the beginning of February. I had been over there every day since Wednesday and would have noticed something like that, since it was so out of the ordinary. I would like to think that that was sign that mom is happy and in a much better place! I will look for peace and comfort wherever I can find it. I think I will even buy some bird seed this week. :) We love you and miss you so much, mom! Thank you for a lifetime of love and memories!

Throw it in the air!

Over the last 2 weeks or so, Andrew has been throwing the ball for the dog. He usually gets it about as far as a foot or so. Well, last night, he discovered he could throw things in the air. He was so excited that he was picking up every little thing he could find and throwing it up. I ran to get the video camera, so sure he was going to stop doing it, but he kept it up! It is just hilarious at about the one minute mark or so when he runs out of things to throw and grabs the dog's foot and tries to throw it. This is actually the moment that the pic is showing below on the video link. So funny!

After this scene, he went and took a bath, where he continued to throw all the bath toys into the air. By the time he was done, by shirt was soaked. Silly guy!

Mr. Attitude

I may have actually used this title in an earlier post when he was about 8 or 9 months old, but I can't remember. I guess that means he is still as stubborn as ever. :) While we have had to deal with Andrew not going in his car seat for months, he has now started it back up again. I feel so bad, because we don't take him as many places as we normally would, because it is such an ordeal. I took him out on Saturday to grab some food, but he had something else in mind. I decided I would put Mickey Mouse on my phone from YouTube, and try to get him to watch it while I put him in the seat. Instead he threw it down, and I saw a shoe fly up in the air. Since all I could think about was getting some cheddar fries, I used all my strength to get him in there, but he cried or whined all the way there and back. There are times where he makes it almost impossible though, since he either does a back bend or scrunches his body all the way down. Every time you finally get him where you need him, he moves when you are using your hands to get the seat buckled. Not to mention that I am hunched over, because my car is so small. I think the reason he does it is because he thinks we are going outside. He was so excited when we where leaving that he even lifted each foot in the air for me to put his shoes on and tried to open the door himself to the garage. Once he realized we were going in the car, he wasn't happy at all. Every time we come in from going outside to play, he goes nuts because he doesn't want to come in. There are numerous times in the day that he carries his shoes over to me and gets upset if you don't put them on. On Saturday, he was so persistent that I gave in, even though he had a cold, and it was 40 degrees out.

I love these gloves, because his fingers don't reach the actual finger holes.

On Sunday, I walked him down to the park in our neighborhood, and he had so much fun on the slide and the swings! This is the same park I took him to for the Halloween parade when he refused to get back in the stroller, and I was struggling to carry him and push the stroller. Some things never change. :)

Mike was in Vegas last week with some guys he works with, so Andrew and I had some time to ourselves. He deserved to go on a vacation, since he hasn't been anywhere since I got pregnant. I at least go out to Phoenix in the summer for work. On Friday night, Mike's mom came over to watch Andrew while I took pictures at Tammy's son's birthday party. It was a really good time, and I can't wait to share those moments with Andrew when he gets older. All the little boys were so funny!

Kaden (5) and Monkey Joe

My bestie!

Jon, Kaden, and Tammy

Oh, I think in my last blog, I included some pics of Andrew using his Mickey plate. I tried the bowl that came with it, and it didn't work so well.

Here are a few other favorites from the past week.

Bath time!

Dancin' Machine!

I would never cause trouble...

...or would I?

Love my puzzle

So sweet how he brings me the books he wants to read and sits on my lap.

The Two Little Pigs

Tonight Andrew made me so proud! We were watching Bubble Guppies, (the show we watch when we need a break from Mickey) and they had a girl on there that decided to call a pig on the phone (weird, I know). She was making oinking noises over the phone to get him to come out of hiding. I was sitting on the couch, and Andrew was standing in front of the TV. He then disappears into his room. He comes back out, and he is holding a pig in each hand. I seriously got a lump in my throat I was so proud. :) We have been reading a number of books with pigs in them, as well as playing with the little barn animals he has in his room. It just amazes me that he seeked out both of them in no time at all and brought them back out to show me. Here he is with his pigs (booger and all)!