Celebrating one year and bad pants

It's been awhile since I checked in with the Caroline Junkies.  I originally started writing on this blog to update family and friends about Caroline and to relieve some nervous energy (I almost blew up the internet).  Now my time is better served teaching Caroline to say "Dada" (she has already mastered "Mama").  I have heard there are some people out there that want some more updates.  Caroline is doing great, and I am not a talented enough writer to write just for the heck of it.  I'll leave that for the good bloggers like Allison Aars (http://wehaveaars.blogspot.com/) and Meagan Clanahan (http://clanahanfam.blogspot.com/).  Meagan and Matt's baby girl, Quinn, will be having heart surgery in about a month.  I can say without hesitation that the best heart doctor in the business is her surgeon.  So send your thoughts and prayers in their direction.

Katie already updated everyone about Caroline's first birthday party.  We took Caroline to the doctor for her one year check up.  She is 14 pounds, 2 ounces, and 25.5 inches.  She is now in the 0.1% of height for the premie girl growth chart.  It may not be much, but you have to start somewhere!  She continues to get great reviews from her pediatrician about her overall health.

As many of you know, we are the "sponsor family" of the TCH Bad Pants Open golf tournament that will be on October 12th in Kingwood (Sign up for the Bad Pants Open).  On Thursday, we went to the Bad Pants Open fashion show at the hospital.  We ran into two doctors that took care of Caroline a year ago, including Dr. Speer, the doctor that checked her into the NICU.  I can still remember talking to Dr. Speer on August 13, 2010 at Caroline's bedside while her nurse, Jennifer, was moving a million miles per hour.  I was in a complete daze, but he assured me that they would give Caroline the best care.  A year later, I found myself talking to Dr. Speer in a pair of John Daly golf pants while Caroline was munching down a cheese puff.  Surreal.

The fashion show was actually a lot of fun.  I learned a lot about the golf tournament from families that had amazing experiences at TCH over the years.  Many families have been helping out with the tournament for several years (now in it's 14th year).  It was pretty neat to hear stories from those that experienced the NICU 20+ years ago and how much it has changed in such a short period of time.  I am happy that we will hopefully help the hospital take it to another level by helping raise money for the NICU and the Texas Children's Pavilion for Women which opens in early 2012 (cool video about the Pavilion).  My story should have stopped there, but I...cannot...resist....  Katie, Caroline and I were on a local FOX26 news story about the fashion show - Baaaaadddd Pants.

I'll leave you with a few of my favorite photos of Caroline from her first year:

Always reminds me of how far she has come.

Holding Caroline for the first time was worth the 2 week wait.

Signifies her daily struggle.

Finally able to keep her eyes open.

First day of no oxygen...

...had to leave work to see it with my own eyes

First time to capture a smile.  It was only the beginning.

She knows how to get my attention

Look at me now

Life is good

Finally met the rest of her family.

Her normal self.

Finally out and about.

Mother's Day

Typical Caroline.  Blurry feet because she will not stop moving.

Trying to beat the crazy heat.

Pulling up

Having fun

Vacation

Deserved birthday cake

Happy 1st Birthday, Caroline!

Happy Birthday, Caroline!!

Happy Birthday to my sweet baby girl!  I love you so much and I'm so very thankful for your smile and silly laugh.  I love waking up to a happy silly baby every morning.  It is so amazing to look back over the past year and realize all that you have accomplished!  Your Daddy and I are extremely proud.

You love to explore, crawl  and pull up on everything.  You turn chairs and boxes to walkers.  Last week you crawled from my room to the kitchen next to your highchair when I turned away... I think you were really hungry.  You've been trying to chase Jackson but he is too fast for you.  You absolutely love to laugh and giggle.

Caroline enjoyed celebrating with family and a few friends.  She wanted me to hold her for the first 30 minutes of the party but she really warmed up!  She enjoyed her cupcake but was much happier with a cracker and yogurt.  I gave her a bite of my chocolate cupcake and I think she preferred it to her vanilla!

Here are some pictures (Papa and Poppi were camera shy)!  Ryan and I are so very grateful for everyone's help with the party!!

Yummy Cupcakes!  

Happy Birthday!

Bubba and Boo!

Gigi!

Nonnie!

Meme!

Sues!

My sweet nurse, Krysti, and her beautiful daughter, Madison. 

Caroline's sweet nurse, Meghan!

BFF, Quinn!

Aunt Kim - It was her birthday too!

The last few weeks have been full of fun!!  We spent some time in Laguna Beach celebrating GiGi's, (Ryan's mom) birthday.  The day before we left Caroline got her first ear infection... Thankfully, she was awesome on the plane and slept most of the time. Caroline loved the beautiful cool weather and hanging out with her sweet cousins!!  She really enjoyed exploring the amazing house we stayed in.  We even spotted a tooth... but it has not come out yet.

Mark, Nicole, Caroline and Luke

Sleeping on the plane

Family Pic in California

After Laguan Beach, we headed to Galveston for the week with my family.  Caroline had her first girls trip.  It was just Aunt Em, Nonnie (my mom), Caroline and me for the first part of the week - the boys met us for the weekend.  Caroline loved eating the sand and finally mastered sitting (First week of August 2011)!!!!  While Uncle Patrick was taking some pictures of Caroline we saw her stand by herself for a few seconds.

Beach Bum!

Caroline loves sand!

Yeah vacation time!

I was a little worried about being back home because Caroline really loves her beach naps.

Caroline has really started babbling.  In fact, after her speech therapist was here at the end of July she master her ba ba ba.  She stayed up late with Daddy and surprised me when I got home from a night out.  Here is a video... it's way past her bedtime but she was determined to babble.

Caroline has been improving on feeding herself and eating big girl food.  She really likes cheese toast, pasta, cream cheese and crackers, turkey deli meat, Pirates Booty cheese puffs, granola bars, nilla wafers and yogurt.  We actually have to hide the yogurt if we want her to eat anything else.   She has started shaking her head "no" and blowing raspberries when she is finished eating or does not like the food we are feeding her. 

Tomorrow is her appointment so we will update with all her stats...  Last week she weighed 13 lbs 14 ounces and was 25 inches.   

A year ago today...

...Katie had her 26 week check up.  The doctor told us that "Mini Cooper" was not growing.  In fact, Mini was only in the first percentile in size.  We were told to go home, pack a bag and return to Labor and Delivery.

Three weeks until Caroline, aka Mini, turns one.

Champ!

Caroline got her first cold last week.  She'd been pretty fussy at night for about two weeks and we thought it was due to her new trick.  See the trick here VIDEO.  Ryan and I were curious where our good sleeper had gone.  

Feeling sick but still perfecting her trick.  

I finally took her to the doctor because she was not getting any better.  It turns out she had a UTI.  The picture at the top is when she was FINALLY feeling better.  To be on the safe side we had to get some additional testing done to make sure she did not have reflux into her kidneys.  Today, she went to Texas Children's West Campus to have an ultra sound and VCUG.  She was such an CHAMP and I was so proud of her. 

 She absolutely loved the fancy distraction machine.  Here is a picture of the snoezelen, an awesome machine that had bubbles, lights, music, led light strands and pictures projected on the wall.  She was memorized!  Thank God she was completely normal and there was absolutely no reflux!!!

Once the antibiotics kicked in Caroline has been a HUGE eater.  I am shocked at how much food she is eating... WOW.  She has even started to vary the foods she will eat.  This week she's had tomato, corn and squash mix and apple, mango and rice cereal mix.  

Finally, here is a sneak peak of our Bad Pants Open Golf Tournament photo shoot.  The golf tournament benefits the Newborn Center at Texas Children's.  This year, Caroline, Ryan and I are the featured family.  

10 Months

Wow!  I cannot believe that Caroline is 10 months old.  We’ve been super busy in the Cooper household.  She is 12 pounds and 1 foot, 11 inches. 

Caroline had her first night away and stayed with my parents, Nonnie and Big Papa, while Ryan and I headed to Florida for a fantastic wedding.

Soon after, Caroline started crawling (June 1).  Here is a video of Caroline on the move.  

Crawling Video

She loves crawling and would prefer to hang out on the ground these days.  In addition to crawling, she likes the swing, which we finally hung in our front yard.

Caroline went to see an eating specialist three weeks ago and she gave us some great tips.  We’ve stopped doing the mommy scrape and only put a spoon in Caroline’s mouth when she is ready.  I’ve also chilled out on all the foods she is refusing to eat (basically anything besides orange vegetables and cereal).  Be on the lookout for her orange nose.  I am happy to report there has been a huge decline in vomiting while eating…   Now if we could get her to take a big bottle.  J 

Of course, I was recently bragging about what an AMAZING sleeper Caroline is or should I say was… Sweet Caroline has been refusing to go to sleep at night.  We’ve tried to let her cry and she gets worse and worse and worse.  Once we walk in the room she stops and wants to party.  We think it may be separation anxiety so Ryan and I have been taking turns hanging out and trying to be very boring… I am going start our bedtime ritual earlier tonight and see if that helps.   

At the beginning of June Caroline started babbling.  She is almost exclusively using G, perhaps trying to sing happy birthday to GiGi, Ryan’s mom.  I swore I heard a M sound and Ryan told me he also heard her say omelet.  

Babble Video

ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) follows Caroline through a follow along program.  Basically, I fill out a questioner about Caroline’s development and they evaluate her and set up follow up as needed.  Caroline had not started babbling when I filled out the form so they would like to see her and make sure she is able to express herself.    

We went to see some of Caroline and my sweet nurses two weekends ago.  It was great to show off Caroline and say hello to some old friends.  Here are some pictures.

This past weekend, Caroline was trying to pull up on her bumper pads… they are now out of her bed.  That first day she was too excited to nap.  Ryan caught her peaking out of her crib looking out the window.  She also slept with her legs out of the crib... 

Yesterday, to celebrate 10 months, Caroline went swimming in her baby pool in our backyard.  She loved it!  Here are some of the pictures from that.