April whizzed by and now my baby is 13 months. Just in the last month he has turned into a new kid. He is walking/running everywhere. He has learned how to pick things up and put them in/over things, such as the garbage can, down the stairs, in the clothes hamper, in the food cupboards, and I'm sure if the bathroom door/toilet was left open more often we would find things in the toilet as well. He is busy all day long rearranging his toys around the house. He loves getting into the recycling stuff and taking all the soda cans out, sipping the last little drops and then throwing them. He has quite the arm, and loves throwing everything! We think he might be left-handed. He does things with both hands but it's mostly left, and his throw is stronger with left. It's something I had never thought about I guess just because Lane and I are both right-handed. It could make teaching writing and such interesting. He is Mr. Jabber Jaw as well now. He has said "Mama/Mum-um" before a few times but ever since I went to the hospital, he has been saying, "Mama" a whole lot. I love it! So he says: Mama, Dada, bah (ball), baba, hi, bah (bye--with a wave), uh-oh, cah (car--sometimes), wah-uh (water), and heh (here). He is definitely understanding a lot. I love watching him learn and understand things, and hearing him attempt words. Along with all his babbles he has learned how to squawk/scream; which is not a pleasant noise. He makes up for his not-so-cute noises and activities with his sweet smile and dimples. We love him to death!
Kobe had his first Easter and Easter basket, and egg hunt. Oma got him his first basket, and because of travelling and back issues I was lazy and didn't get around to doing anything cute for him this year. So the Easter bunny reused Oma's basket with a couple items, and added sippy cups and bubbles, and filled his sports eggs with Cheerios, puffs, and Craisins. He doesn't know any different. Next year we'll have more fun with it.
When I was pregnant with Kobe, there were about 5 other women in my ward that were pregnant and due around the same time. Last year we took a picture of those babies, and there are even more now around the same age. We did our best a year later, this year, to take a picture of them all again. Nursery should be fun, haha!
Laurel and Ranzy joined our family dinner and Easter egg hunt this year. They're basically family and it was fun to have them!
Kobe just bein' cute.
At his cousin, Tobie's baseball game
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Taterbug at his brother's baseball game
We tried taking Kobe to the carnival but he was too little to ride the rides so we just walked around
Playing with his neighbor, Quentin DeJong
He loves to snuggle his monkey when he sleeps. I can't handle how cute it is.
Watching Daddy play in the Appleblossom 3on3 basketball tournament.
Sharing his love with Popo. Popo went into the hospital when I got out of surgery. He wasn't feeling well.
Kobe loves his daddy. He just sits there and plays by/on him and randomly snuggles.
Doing his soda can business
I have never had surgery before, on anything. The idea of it terrified me. I had a nervous pit in my stomach for over a week before it happened. I knew it was the best thing for me because I was going on two months of being on heavy medication and still hurting and was limited on what I could do. We are wanting another baby soon and I especially didn't want this happening while I was pregnant. I got a blessing the day before surgery and had many people fast for me and felt a little more ease and comfort prior to surgery. I was still very nervous. I didn't know until Monday, the day before, what time my surgery would be but they had told me that it would most likely be first thing in the morning. When they called me Monday they said to come in at noon. Noon doesn't seem that late on a regular day, with regular sleep, on a day where you can wake up and eat, and when you don't have a child to wake up to at 6am. But when you have to fast starting at midnight (I started earlier because I didn't feel like eating after our 7pm dinner), and your baby wakes up at 6am, and you are nervous about surgery, and you've already cleaned the house and packed, noon is a long time to wait for! We went to a couple stores just so I would calm down because I was pacing around the house like a crazy person. Finally we dropped Kobe off with Laurel and checked into the hospital. The prep for surgery could have taken a half hour, but with all the waiting and stuff it took almost 3 hours before they wheeled me into the OR. I got in my gown, answered questions, got hooked up to my IV (I hate IVs), got blood drawn, answered more questions, talked with the anesthesiologist and surgeon, had the process explained to me and then finally the nurse came in for me and said it was time. The nurse gave me the "pre anesthesia" med through my IV and told me it would make me drowsy and calm. The anesthesiologist called it "liquid courage." I said goodbye to Lane and was nervously wheeled into that cold OR with all those big scary machines and bright lights. I remember stating my name for another nurse, getting really tired, and hearing the nurse say she was going to give me some oxygen, and then I took a half hour nap.
...Only it was a 3.5 hour nap. I woke up in the recovery room on my left side. I actually wasn't totally confused or out of it. I knew where I was and what had happened. I just remember feeling a tight, pulling pain across my lower back and was uncomfortable. I did feel like I was going to throw up right away so I told the nurses and they quickly gave me some nausea medicine that set in almost instantly, luckily. I asked them if they could help me move to my right side and so they moved me and I was trying to get comfortable. One of the nurses said, "Oh ya, you just moved to your side while you were sleeping," so I said, "Oh well then can I lay on my back because I am not comfortable." That was much better. I was in there for about 20 more minutes and then the nurse said my room was ready so she wheeled me upstairs, and I was so happy to see Lane in there waiting for me.
I had a rough couple days of recovery. My surgery was Tuesday and I wasn't ready to go home Wednesday but the surgeon thought I was ready Thursday so he set everything up for me to go home that day. I wasn't ready at all. I felt like all the nurses were trying to push me out but I didn't feel like I made any progress. The first time I stood up on Wednesday to use the restroom was a fail because I got close to passing out/throwing up, so I had my first bedpan experience. Bleh! I did okay the second and third time but nausea started setting in again so I warned the nurses that I would probably call the next time I had to pee, and sure enough that night (Wednesday night) I passed out in the bathroom. It took about an hour for them to get my blood pressure up, give me fluids in my IV and finish with my vitals and medications. I don't know why but all the nurses would leave my door open and it made me so angry. I couldn't sleep as it was, but when I could see the lights from the hall, and hear everything rolling around out there and talking all night long, I was so edgy. I didn't sleep at all the night before either so I'm sure that didn't help with my moods and attempts to stand. So after the nurses finally left my room that night, and they left the door open, I had a break down. I bawled my eyes out like a freaking baby for 45 minutes. I know I could have pushed the call button for them to shut my door but I felt like I was being annoying (I know. It's their job. That's just what was going through my head). Then I finally fell asleep and they came in to give me more meds. All day Thursday I would try to sleep and then someone would walk in the door right as I drifted off, and I had physical/occupational therapists trying to get me to try moving, and I was just so frustrated and tired and in pain. They decided (long after I had told them I wasn't ready) that I wasn't ready to go home yet. I fell asleep trying to eat my lunch. I could not keep my eyes open. I took a good nap finally and was woken up in a grog by the physical therapist. I knew I needed to try to move but beforehand I was just hurting too much and was way too tired. This time I stood up ok and was able to get to the bathroom and walk down the hall a little ways with a walker. I finally felt like I was making progress. I felt ok enough to finally try taking a shower. The surgeon had ripped off my big bandage and I felt itchy all over. The occupational therapist (whom was a very sweet lady and very helpful) came in as the nurse was getting me set up and she took over. She was talking me ear off and trying to get me to do more than I was wanting, like blow drying my hair. I was getting so annoyed and anxious and overwhelmed. Like I said, she was a very nice lady, but my exhaustion and pain were getting the best of me. I went on a couple more little walks with Lane that evening and after a good night's sleep Thursday night I finally felt ready enough to get the heck out. I had so many wonderful visitors, and a lot of good nurses, and friends helping me out by sleeping in the room with me (Laurel), scratching my itchy legs (Laurel and Ranzy), and helping me stand up and get to the bathroom or roll over in bed. I hope to return favors one day to all these wonderful people.
The pain I experience in my back now is completely different than before. It now just feels like my muscles were sliced (because they were) and I can feel them healing every day. I feel the need for physical therapy and strengthening my core. I have gotten over the worst part though and am on the high road to recovery.
I finally got a few minutes of snuggles from my sweet boy.
