Christmas is Coming!!!

We've been super excited with Christmas just around the corner! It's been so fun to get ready with a baby this year. Here's just a few of the holiday festivities we've enjoyed this month at the Holden home.

Christmas Lights. The lights on the Christmas tree have caught Andrew's eye. He loves looking at them! It will be sad to take this entertainment down in a week or so.

Earlier this month we met up with my cousin Andrea and her darling little family when they were visiting Chicago from Iowa. We met downtown at the Lincoln Park Zoo and walked around the zoo lights! I was amazed at the how decked out the zoo was. Lights were everywhere, some synchronized to music and all surrounded by animals. Andrew's eyes got so big when he heard the loud lion's roar. We even got to watch them carve an ice sculpture. This week, Stephen and I also found some lights close by in a park that we were able to walk through! Simply said....I LOVE Christmas lights!

Santa. We had a fun time at our ward Christmas party. Where we ate a yummy breakfast, sang Christmas carols, and enjoyed some great company. Andrew even got to meet Santa and sit on his lap for the very first time!

I love how he's intently looking at Santa...wondering who the crazy man in the big read suit is? Unlike the other kids, Andrew wasn't afraid of Mrs. or Mrs. Claus. We might not be so lucky next year!

Christmas Candy. This year I decided to make some yummy candy. Growing up my mom always made homemade candy around Christmas time. A tradition I'd love to start around our house. It was a lot of fun dipping chocolates and wrapping caramels and sharing the goodies with friends and neighbors.

Presents. Andrew is starting to reach for toys while on his tummy and back. You might occasionally find him trying so hard he's rolled over a time or two. He's found that Christmas presents are also fun to reach for and play with!

Tomorrow morning we'll be packing up the car and spending the week with Stephen's family. Everyone is heading to his sister's house just a few hours away from us. We can't wait to join them and have been counting down the days!
Merry Christmas!!!

All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth

Well...even just one tooth would be nice. At this point I'll take ANYTHING!!! Andrew sure hasn't been the happy baby he once was and I'm blaming it all on teething...(hoping its just a phase and my happy boy will soon return) Naps are sometimes non-existent, everything is in the mouth, drooling all over the place and I can't seem to set him down for a minute or two and he's in tears. A little white tooth poking through his swollen gums is secretly on my wish list for Christmas this year. We'll see if we get a tooth by the holiday or not. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

A Sad Little Boy

On another note we've had more doctor's visits this week....surprise, surprise. :) His speech/feeding therapist did another observation and looked at how he was doing with his oral motor abilities and gag reflexes. Everything looked normal so before I knew it, she slipped out of her office and was back with a little bowl of rice cereal and a spoon for him to try. Before she started, she explained the sometimes long process of transitioning to solids and helping kids who struggle with feeding. She emphasized, that we should just expect the first month or so of feeding solids as play time and not to expect him to eat anything. Just expose him to a spoon in the mouth and trying things to strengthen his tongue muscle. After a few tries, Andrew was opening his mouth so wide and it seemed as if he couldn't get enough. The therapist couldn't believe how he "just got it" and was doing everything he was supposed to. After seeing that, she gave me a few handouts and dove right in to explaining the next few months of feeding solids and how to best help him. YEA!!! We were so excited we pulled his high chair out, set it up and couldn't wait to try it at home!

What a BIG boy in his high chair

Daddy is doing a great job!

That's a smile underneath that messy face :)

A whole new phase awaits us. I guess those baby spoons and bowls wrapped and under the Christmas tree need to be opened pretty quick! 'Cause we're gonna need them sooner than we thought!

Exciting News

I just have to quickly share some exciting news!!!

In February, my parents...

Will be spending the next 18 months half way across the world...

Serving as Missionaries for our church. They have been called to serve in the Alpine, German Speaking Mission.  Which covers areas of Southern Germany,  most of Switzerland, Austria, and the little country of Liechtenstein.

They will be primarily working with the young single adults in that area. We are so thrilled for them! They have been looking forward to serving a mission for a very long time. What is even more exciting is that when my dad was 19 he spent 2 1/2 years serving and teaching the people of Austria. He'll have to brush up on his German and my mom will have to learn the basics. It will be such a neat opportunity for him to go back with my mom and serve together.

Our entire family has been anxiously waiting to know where they would serve. We got a call on Wednesday night and were able to skype with all of my siblings as they opened their call. All of the grandkids are very excited for them. What examples they are to me.

Favorite Pictures

I finally uploaded the camera with some darling pictures of our little tiger. Andrew continues to grow like a weed. Yesterday at the doctor, he finally made it on to the regular growth charts for kids who are the same age. (and that's saying a lot)  Since we have some type of dr. appointment almost weekly. He's now weighing in at 15lbs 6 oz.

Here's a few of my new favorite pictures...thought you might enjoy.

Andrew sporting his cougar attire. I must admit I was out numbered for the BYU vs USU B-Ball game back in November, but in the end I will say I taught Andrew the Aggie fight song after their win.

 

I was doing a little tummy time after changing his diaper and caught him really studying this picture of Ethan we have on his dresser. 

LOVE it!

Andrew just loves bath time. He loves to kick and slash and his favorite toy in the tub, is of course the washcloth, which goes straight for the mouth.

Stephen and I have both decided that we really don't need much this year for Christmas. We've been given the greatest news about our little boy. But let me rewind a bit so you can understand where we are coming from. Back in May, we met with a neurologist about both of our boys and their prognosis with all the neurological issues they both were facing. In Andrew's case he was in the middle of fighting all the nasty infections, on top of his meningitis, hydrocephalus, still on the ventilator... let's just say our conversation was pretty grim. With him being virtually a lifeless little 3 lb baby in an incubator, the neurologist painted our future with our son saying that "best case scenario...he might recognize you as his parents, and possibly might be able to get himself around in a wheelchair someday. That is if he can breath and eat on his own, but with Andrew's history and MRI's. Who knows?" These words have really echoed in our hearts the last 7 months. Always hoping for the best, not ever knowing what the future would hold for our family and for our little boy.  We've known that he's exceeded all these expectations being able to breathe and eat on his own,  as well as smile. These everyday things for most babies, were huge in our eyes. Well, last week the neurologist here in Chicago was very surprised at the progress Andrew has been making and all the milestone he's reached given his medical history. He is right on for his adjusted age (5 mo) with visual tracking and fine motor. He told us that there is no reason he shouldn't keep progressing and possibly even walk some day.  As for when....that's a tougher question to answer....who knows it could take a very long time and it will take a lot of work and therapy.  But he has filled us with so much hope. Truly an answer to many many prayers and the many priesthood blessings. I cried the entire way home from the doctor. We have so much to be thankful for.