Dear Oliver,

It has been two weeks and one day since we said hello and goodbye to you.  Two weeks since our worlds were rocked.  Two weeks.  And we will never, ever be the same.

You arrived with the snow, just like your big brother Liam did.  It seems as though snow = babies for me.  Two nights before your birth there was a crazy snow storm in Petawawa.  I remember leaving work around 8:30pm, driving halfway home and having all of the street lights suddenly turn off.  The world seemed so quiet and still.  Daddy and I lit candles and just snuggled together, safe inside our little house.  Unbenownst to us, a candle that was lit beneath our bathroom mirror was slowly heating up the glass above, creating a large crack throughout.  Looking back now, this crack was like an omen of things to come.  No more perfect after this night.

The morning of Saturday, December 22nd was beautiful.  The storm had passed and the air was SO clear and clean.  The sun shone so bright, making the snow sparkle like diamonds.  I spent a stressful morning dealing with Walmart on the phone.  I had ordered photo mugs for your Great Grams and Gramps over a week prior (they were supposed to be 1hr photo mugs) and they had lost not one, but both orders at separate times.  Christmas was approaching, we were due to depart for Ottawa the next day, and I was determined to get this gift in time.  After finally sorting it all out, I said a cheerful goodbye to your Daddy and Liam as I left for the hospital.  Your Daddy called out not to take too long as we had lots of packing to do, and I replied that I would take as long as was needed to ensure you were safe (plus I could have spent every day listening to your heartbeat on the monitors at the hospital if they would have let me).  Saturdays visit to the hospital was purely supposed to be a double checkup kind of visit.  You were absolutely fine on Tuesday, but our doctor wanted to just make sure after a few days had gone by, that things were still looking ok.

I entered the hospital room SO prepared, and yet so vastly unprepared for what was to follow.  I had brought my slippers as I had forgotten socks on Tuesdays visit and had cold feet all day (I hate socks...you should know this about your mom!).  I had a cold can of ginger ale in my purse just in case you were sluggish again...it would get you moving.  I had a magazine to read just in case it took awhile.  The nurse put the cold gel on my stomach, and began looking for your heartbeat.  I joked with her about how everyone had had trouble nailing down your heartbeat since the very beginning.  You always seemed to dodge the monitors.  But this time she was having no luck at all.  She decided to get the Doppler type of monitor instead.  While she was away I pushed at my belly, willing you to roll over or move so we could hear you (no worry yet).  She had no luck with the Doppler either so went away to get someone else to try (worry started creeping in).  The doctor on duty came in with a small ultrasound machine (more worry!).  The moment I saw the screen I knew.  You see, I knew you little man.  I knew what kind of movements you should have been making, and I knew exactly where your heart was and that it was not beating.  I knew.  No one said a word.  Finally I said, "he's gone isn't he?" and the doctor confirmed that yes, you were gone.  How does one react in a room full of strangers when their world suddenly stops? I asked for privacy to call your dad, and your Nana and Poppa.  Your Daddy had to be so strong as he was alone with your brother Liam.  I am sure he wanted to just break down, but instead he helped Liam paint a picture to help make Mommy strong when she got home.  Nana and Poppa, and Grandma and Grandpa arrived from Trenton in record time.  While we waited for them we packed on autopilot, and sat down to explain things to Liam.  We told him that you had died, and were now safe in heaven with all of the angels.  And we told him that we needed to go and say goodbye to you that night, so Grandma and Poppa would stay with him.  He seemed to take it all in, and made a comment about how his baby brother had fallen down.  Then he continued chatting about Santa Claus.  Oh to be in the mind of a three year old!

We returned to the hospital around 5:30pm to start the induction process.  Not only were you gone, but I was going to have to deliver you as well.  The doctor did one last ultrasound before starting the process to ensure that your heart was indeed no longer beating.  I knew it was impossible, but I still prayed for a miracle.  There was none to be had at that moment.  Your Daddy and your Nana stayed with me as the drugs began their job.  The pain started fairly quickly (the same as when I delivered your brother), and continued through the night.  I tried a few pain relief drugs, some worked while others did not, but it is hard to tell if the physical pain or the emotional pain was worse.  I had just asked for an epidural (finally!) on the morning of the 23rd, and that is when you made your entrance.  9:18am.  It was such a bittersweet moment.  My body cried out with relief as you were born...the end of the physical agony..but my heart.  Oh how my heart cried.  I saw the tears pouring down your Daddy's face, but all I wanted was to hold you.  I don't even remember my tears at all.  I remember looking at you and thinking how truly handsome you were.  At only 27 weeks and 4 days, I was apprehensive about the way that you would look when you arrived.  I had no need!  Your nose reminded me so much of Liam's when he was first born.  You had the Vieau toes.  You had wavy dark hair like your Aunt Mel's.  You had ten perfect fingers and ten perfect toes.  You were perfect!  I smelled you in (just like I did when your brother was first born).  I kissed your features one by one.  I tried as best as I could to memorize everything about you. I don't know if it was one of the drugs finally kicking in (I suspect it was), or a combination of the drugs and just pure exhaustion, but I just couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.  So I nestled you in my arms and closed my eyes.  It was paradise just to feel you there with me.  Your precious weight, all 2 pounds and 11 ounces of you, safe in my arms.  If only time could stand still.

But time stands still for no one.  Eventually it was time to leave you.  Our midwife Megan promised that she would stay with you as we left, and that she would take you to where you needed to be.  She hugged me and cried with me.  I can say without a doubt that leaving you behind in that hospital room was the hardest thing that I have ever had to do in my life.  I kept touching your face and had no idea how to tear myself away.  Babies are supposed to leave the hospital with their families.  This was all wrong!  I barely remember the walk to the car or the car ride home.

I could recount the next few days, the whirlwind that was Christmas. The calling of the funeral home as we were packing to leave on Christmas Eve (seriously..how does one choose a funeral home? I picked the oldest/nicest looking house). The brave front that your Daddy and I put on as we squeezed as much magic as we could from our broken hearts so that your big brother could have a wonderful Christmas.  The way the days blurred into each other as we travelled between families homes.  How thankful we were to have our families around us, sheltering Liam and letting us have the moments we needed to grieve.

But what I really want to do is just tell you, sweet Oliver, how much your life has meant to us.  How blessed I feel to have known you for the 27 shorts weeks that I did.  From the first second that I found out I was pregnant with you, I felt so excited.  Like I had this secret inside that no one else but me could feel.  As sad as I am that I will never get to see the boy or the man that you would have become, I knew you for every single beat of your heart.  As I write this, the tears are falling, but I am also smiling.  Because you were, you are, so very special.  I relished in every single move you made (although I will admit to a lot of grumbling since you always seemed to find my bladder when you kicked), and will be forever grateful that your Daddy was even starting to feel your movements in the last few weeks we had with you.  I was SO sick throughout my pregnancy with you, but I loved seeing my stomach getting bigger and bigger and was finally fitting into pregnancy clothes properly.  I loved making plans for the Spring and Summer I was going to have with my boys.  Oh how much there was going to be to show you!  I hope that in time I can speak to others about you with a smile, and no more tears.  That I can find a way to honor your short time with us, and that someones life may be enriched because of you.

My prayer is that wherever you are now little man, you can feel how much we love you.  That you are happy and safe and waiting for us to join you.  We joke that no baby could ever be loved as much as you were upon your entrance to heaven...you have so many beloved friends and family that would be waiting there with open arms to hold you (and maybe even a little bantering about who would get to hold you first...just like your family on Earth would have done).  It brings us some peace to know that you will never, not even for a moment, feel any pain or suffering.  This world we live in is beautiful and amazing, but it is also filled with suffering and fear.  You, my precious one, will never know that.  You have known joy and love and peace.  And I promise that I will take you along with me for the rest of my life.  When I see a sunset that is particularly beautiful, I will remember to take you with me.  When Liam learns to ride a bike for the first time, you can run alongside me as we let go.  You will live on forever in our hearts and our memories, and in this way, you will never truly be gone.  I will cry, and ask why this had to happen to us, and yell at fate, and miss you....but underneath all of this, there is love.  And that will get me through.

Thank you Ollie.  For touching our lives, and teaching us so much about the nature of true love and loss.  I love you more than words can say, and cannot wait for the day that we are together again.  Rest in peace my love.  My baby boy.  Oliver Grayson Adams.

With Love,
 Mommy.

This Week

This past week was fast and furious.
Liam has pre-school on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, so this week my friend (and Liams daycare provider) Pauline drove Liam and her daughter Addy in on Tuesday while I went to work, and I took the kiddies in on Thursday while Pauline packed for an upcoming trip.
My mom arrived on Wednesday for a visit which was great.  Liam loves having visitors, and it was especially nice for him to get some one on one time with his Nana.  My mom watched Liam while I went to work on Friday bright and early, and once I got home, it was off to Ottawa!
On Saturday, Liam and I spent a very wet and cold morning planting trees at Andrew Hayden Park in Ottawa as part of TD's Tree Day. My parents, as well as my Grams and Gramps were nice (and brave) enough to visit us there, and immediately got put to work! lol. My dad and I ended up doing the majority of the actual planting, while the others entertained Mr. Liam (who looked MIGHTY cute in his TD shirt and rain boots, with his little Cars shovel and watering can).  It felt nice to do something so great for the environment, and it made me proud to work for such an environmentally conscious company.
Saturday afternoon was spent at my brother and sister-in-laws house, picking up a few things (Hello pregnancy body pillow...my new best friend!!) and visiting.  Liam always walks into their playroom and stops in his tracks with how many fun toys there are!  He could probably spend forever there quite happily.
Sunday morning we took Liam to his first gymnastics class on base.  I had started not feeling well the night before, so it was a bit daunting to drag my butt out that morning.  But thankfully Bill was there, and Liam had SO much fun.  It was nice to sit back and watch him participate for once, rather than being the one in action with him.  I also met an old friend at the class, so it was fun to sit back and just chat.  Liam was a superstar on the uneven bars, but has a little work to do learning to actually jump on the trampoline (though his frog jumps were pretty innovative if you ask me! lol).  I didn't bring my camera as all of his previous classes have been no-photo zones, but evidently it is ok in this class.  So I will hopefully get some shots this Sunday.  The rest of Sunday was spent resting on my part, trying to kick this cold to the curb (didn't quite work, still called in sick today).
Today was a bit of a bust.  Sore throat, achy joints, runny nose...the whole works.  I feel like it is some unfair punishment that pregnant women can still get everyday colds on TOP of feeling so crummy otherwise (at least this pregnant woman).  Bill asked how I was feeling last night before bed, and I told him that I didn't know it was possible to feel so crummy, so many different ways at once.  Blah! My next shift is not until Wednesday, so hopefully I feel better before then.

And here is a little update on "blueberry" for the week! Still growing up a storm in there :)

How far along?: 14 weeks

Baby is the size of a: navel orange (or a closed fist according to one book)

Total weight gain/loss: no idea actually..truly! lol

Symptoms: Well the nausea is slowly subsiding, though that darn morning   sickness likes to pop its head in once in awhile still 

Food Cravings: GRAVY, oranges, pickles, banana popsicles, melted cheese (still weird even to me...I usually hate all cheeses) 

Food Aversions: Same things still...garlic, icecream, the smell of cooking meat 

Sleep: What is sleep? I have been sick this past week, so it is more elusive than ever before

What I miss: Sleeping on my back (read that was not so great while one is pregnant)

Weddings Rings On or Off: On ! yay!

Any Names Picked Out Yet: Not yet..been tossing them around though :)

Movement: Not yet

Maternity Clothes: Just a few shirts for work, and comfy pants for at home

Labor Signs: N/A

Best Moment of the Week: The nausea finally letting up a smidgen!!!

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: hearing the heartbeat at my next midwives appointment, and my ultrasound at the end of October!!

The News

I have been a VERY, very lapsed blogger in the last long while.  I have many excuses ready. Here goes: I have a busy little boy who is speeding towards turning 3 (can't even believe it still myself), my said busy little boy just started a pre-school two mornings a week in the neighboring town (which means I spend two mornings a week away from home, commuting and shopping or what not while he is in school),  little man is also starting gymnastics every Sunday morning at the end of this month, I have a job at a bank (so that takes up the days I am not at pre-school), I have a puppy (who actually likes going for walks..go figure! We go for walks every day...often stopping at the park along the way), and you know, I just have SO many things I purely just enjoy doing (knitting, editing photos from my new D-SLR, sewing, reading, hanging with my fam).  But all that being said...

 Pretty dang positive! lol

 We got some exciting news this summer, and I am hoping to keep up with this blog at least once a week as something of a journal for our NEW BABY!! That's right...we are expecting a new little one in March 2013.  We are so thrilled, and excited, and just feel so lucky to have been blessed again.  Liam will be three by the time the baby arrives, and I just can't wait to see how he is as a big brother. I have been feeling pretty sick up until now (kind of blindsided me as I felt awesome the whole way through my pregnancy with Liam), so that's why it is taking me a little longer to start with the belly pics and whatnot. lol.  All worth it...all worth it...all worth it...that is my mantra :)

Our little "blueberry" at 10 weeks

How far along?: 13 weeks

Baby is the size of a: lemon

Total weight gain/loss: no idea actually..truly! lol 

Symptoms: Nauseous...oh so nauseous.  And exhausted.  But my hair and nails rock! lol 

Food Cravings: Hamburgers, Oranges, Pumpkin (weird), Banana Popsicles, Melted Cheese 

Food Aversions: Many things...icecream, garlic (sad face), ceasar salad..

Sleep: Kinda crummy...peeing about 3 times a night currently.

What I miss: Ceasar Salad!! My favorite.  And kind of missed having a few coolers while at the cottage during the summer.

Weddings Rings On or Off: On

Any Names Picked Out Yet: Not yet..been tossing them around though :)

Movement: Not yet 

Maternity Clothes: Have broken out a few maternity pants and shirts for work, but still able to wear my normal jeans and most shirts (the benefits of favoring looser shirts normally)

Labor Signs: N/A

Best Moment of the Week: The nausea finally letting up a smidgen!!!

What I’m excited about/looking forward to:  Hearing the heart beat for the first time

The way I announced it to my family...with Liams help

 

I will try my best to post some belly pics soon as per request (Kathy! lol), but for now I will leave you with the cute pic above.  Boy I love him!! :)

 

P.S. Inspiration for the above questionnaire came from a few different blogs I have been reading lately (some great gals..check them out!); http://littlebabygarvin.blogspot.ca/, ://www.ourlittlecasita.com/p/pregnancy.html

What a Week (and it's only Tuesday!)

What a week, WHAT a week!  Hang on...it's only Tuesday right? lol.  Okay...well I guess it just feels like life has been on this endless loop lately.  I have been trying to find some sort of toe hold, but seem to always be pumelling into whatever the next turn, the next day may bring.  Life just gets SO crazy busy sometimes! 
I am the type of person who needs some quiet time now and again to gather my thoughts and to just get in tune with myself.  This "quiet" time has been sorely lacking lately, and it is catching up to me.  Don't get me wrong, I adore my life.  I love my son such that no words can do it justice.  I am always falling more and more in love with my husband (even when he is driving me nuts).  My puppy Chloe continues to offer so much unconditional love into our household (even when she is driving me nuts!).  It's just the "loving myself" part that needs some nurturing right now.

We all need to love ourselves from time to time don't you think? Find that one thing that makes us happy and just go for it.  Lately my one thing seems to be crafting.  I always knew that I had a crafty spirit, but truly didn't give myself enough credit.  I CAN KNIT!! Who knew?  I've been on a roll lately knitting wool hats for the kiddies in my life.  I can work a sewing machine and make actual beautiful things with my own two hands.  Didn't know that either.  Wish there were more hours in a day to make pretty things!  I have all of these different projects floating around my head: finish Liams first year photobook (yeah..you heard me right...first year! And he's in his third year now. I am behind.), organize and label the photos I have taken with my iphone since November (currently they have no rhyme or reason on my computer), learn how to crochet, finish/start my first quilt (I think I started cutting squares for it while I was still in University), etc. etc.

On a completely different note....Liams first trip to the Nature Museum this past Sunday was SUCH a huge success.  My parents ended coming along with us which was fantastic...Liam so enjoyed having his Nana and Papa there.  The first room we entered was the dinosaur exhibit.  My boy was too thrilled for words.  His eyes just got so big and his little pointer finger made its first appearance of the day.  He pointed out everything to us, and just kept calling out what he was seeing; "dinosaur...rawr!!!", "Eggs mommy (dinosaur eggs)", "feet".  He was a little weary of the actual dinosaur replicas they had and made sure to sort of walk down the center of the room.  Like he wasn't too sure if they were going to stay where the were supposed to.

We let him run and explore for most of the day.  We did bring the trusty stroller (though in hindsight our Ergo would have probably worked out great too...just wouldn't have been as useful in carrying our lunch bags, diaper bag, and extra coats..lol), but I'm of the opinion that kids need their freedom to see and learn things on their own terms.  Of course we made sure that he wasn't running into other people, or touching unappropriate things, but I loved watching how his little mind worked.  Loved seeing what things fascinated him and made him stop in his tracks.  We learned that he is not afraid of heights.  We learned that he truly does adore all things creepy-crawley.  Bill and him spent some great quality time in the bug/spider/fish/snake room. 

We learned that 3D glasses are not his thing (we took him to his first in-theater movie...a 3D).  But he was so good in the theater....put all my fears to rest (so wasn't looking forward to being "that" mom that takes her child to a theater before s/he is old enough and then wonders why s/he can't stay still or stay quiet).  By the end of the trip he was just exhausted! He finally crashed in his stroller with his blankie, his soosie and his belly button and that was that. What a fun day!

This week is a busy one (as previously complained about...lol).  I work four days straight which is unusal for me, so I am already feeling pretty beat.  Though I did just make it home from the gym...kudos to me.  Bill is off right now for his March Break, so the timing of my full work week couldn't really be better.  I love knowing that Liam is at home having fun with his Daddy.  And it doesn't hurt having someone to help with with meals at home either.  Or to come home to a clean bathroom, organized hat/scarf/mitten closet.  Love my hubby!  He is currently off checking out the karate club on the base.  He took karate for many years, and I have been sort of pushing him to get back into it.  I think it would be great for him to have an outlet outside of home or work, to meet some new people and to just be able to get away from "us" for awhile. lol.  Hoping it goes well for him tonight.

This coming weekend Liam and I are off to Ottawa for my niece Devyn's 5th birthday.  Seems like yesterday I was living in Ottawa and visiting teeny tiny baby Devyn as much as I could.  She is such a sweet, wonderful girl and I am just SO proud to be her auntie. 

Spring?

Looking like Spring is slowly on its way here in Ontario (though I will miss the cuteness that is Liam all dressed in his winter gear! lol).  Today brought with it extremely high winds and temperatures in the pluses finally.  It also brought with it lots of slushy roads and power outages.  I worked for most of the day, so Liam got to hang out with his Daddy.  Bill is now off for his March Break, and it is delightful to say the least.  There is just something great about leaving for work with no hurt in the back of my heart for leaving Liam at his daycare.  I know he has lots of fun at daycare, and Pauline does such a great job at loving him like I would, but those days that he doesn't want me to leave and clings to my body...those days tug at a mommy's heart strings.

Tomorrow we are off to Ottawa for the day.  I have been wanting to take Liam to the Nature Museum for quite some time now, but circumstances have always seemed to foil our plans.  So tomorrow is finally the day!  I cannot wait to see my little monkey's face when he gets to see all of the animals, birds, dinosaurs and the like.  I think he is going to LOVE it and I can't wait.  We are also fitting in a visit with my grandparents and with Bills parents, sister, brother in law and our niece Stephanie.  Nothing like a busy day. lol. 

Liam is such a busy guy these days.  I was very happy that Bill got back from Cochrane when he did this week, because I was getting dang exhausted running around after him and Chloe.  Liam has sort of got the "no way" thing mastered now, and does not hesitate to make sure we know it. lol.  He also loves to throw things all of a sudden, so no toy is safe.  Liam is such a smarty!! Today while our power was off, we spent some family time on the couch reading books.  I loved listening to him and Bill learning the alphabet and counting out numbers.  Liam can pretty well count from 1-10 with no problems now, and is awesome at the alphabet.  It's crazy how fast they pick things up at this age.

 So here's hoping that the Spring weather continues around here.  I can handle some wind and rain as long as it means that the mountains of snow we have might finally melt.  I am SUCH a Spring girl...it can'ts come soon enough for me :)

Liam is 2!

My baby is TWO! Guess I missed a few months since my last post....because did I mention that my baby is TWO?? It is such a cliche to say that kids grow up way too fast, but it is so true.  I was sitting in Liams room the other day, rocking him to sleep for his nap (he was getting spoiled...we don't usually do that anymore), and I just kept thinking about the day that he was born and about how tiny and precious he was.  At that time it was hard to imagine life outside of sleep schedules and breast feeding, but now here we are, two years later, and life is fantastic!

Liam is very, very busy these days.  He almost always wakes up in a great mood, raring to get going...and doesn't slow down until after bathtime at about 7:30.  He is even trying his darndest to give up his afternoon nap, but thus far we have managed to convince him that they are still a good idea. Ha.
He is VERY car obssessed! Well...pretty much he is obsessed with any sort of machine that moves (think trains, planes, cars...you get the idea).

Before Liam was born I had all of these ideas about trying not to push any sort of gender stereotypes onto my child, but little did I know that some things are truly just engrained into them.  I am sure that having a father and grandfather who are also car obsessed has played a huge role in Liams love for them, but he has just been a very "boy-y" boy since day one. He likes to push baby strollers, but has no qualms about tossing those poor babies right on the ground as soon as he realizes they are along for the ride.  At least we have a Lighting McQueen stuffie that he loves and we work on giving hugs to, etc. So I have at least a compassionate car loving little guy on my hands :)

The other loves in Liams life right now would have to be:

  * Going to playgroup.  If we even walk by that building while walking Chloe, he gets really excited.
  * CARS 2!!!!!! Seriously, we watch this movie every. single. day.  No lie.
  * His Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater Stuffies.  Sleeps with them every  night.
  * Swimming.  He continues to be a water baby and actually kicks and swims very well.
  * Bath time.  Goes along with his love of water.  He could stay in there forever.
  * His Grandma/Nana/ and Poppas.  He just loves them all! He's a lucky, lucky little man.
  * Being outside.  He will often bring me his boots to tell me he wants to go out, and hates to come in.
  * His belly button.  Enough said. lol.
  * Reading books.  He especially loves Clifford books, and seek-and-find books.
  * Food wise: cheese, crackers, apple juice, cereal, pb and j sandwiches, broccoli, bananas, nutrigrain bars, yogurt, strawberries, cucumber, kiwi, and anything mommy eats! lol
  * Playing with Chloe.  He loves it when Chloers chases him.
  * Snuggling with mommy or daddy after bathtime.  That's our favorite too :)

Dear Liam...

  You are now 21 months old (soon to be 22 months old) and you are such a joy to me!  Somedays I feel like I spend every spare moment just staring at you.  Wondering how I got so lucky to have been blessed with having you in my life; wondering how you are growing up so dang fast; wondering what you will choose to do with your wonderful life; wondering how I don't just fall over all the time with how CUTE you are; wondering how you got so funny so fast; wondering what you are thinking about; wondering whether or not to cut that awesome hair of yours (the decision changes daily); wondering how I could ever love another child just as much as I love you.  And the list just goes on and on. 

 You are SO much fun these days monkey!  You smile all the time, you laugh when you think something is funny, you clap and dance along to music or shows on tv. You can point out all of your different body parts, and can even repeat a lot of their names when mommy or daddy tells you what they are.  You know SO many words now: purple (pretty sure this is your favorite color right now), mama, dada, nana, papa, truck, moo, dog, puppy, choochoo, train, banana (you say "nana" for banana)....and the list just keeps on growing.  I tell you I love you like a thousand times a day and I just can't wait until you can say it back.
  You have such a jest for life.  You LOVE, LOVE, LOVE trucks, cars, planes, trains and anything else that moves and makes noise.  This summer there was a lot of construction happening in our neighborhood, so you were truly in your glory watching all of the big machines.  You get SO excited when "Mighty Machines" comes on the tv.  We know now that we just need to stop anything we are doing so that we can stop and be excited with you.  You always point at the screen, make a "ooohhh" sound, and then turn back to make sure that we are SO seeing what you are seeing.  Too cute! lol.
  Mommy recently went back to work, which has been an adjustment for all of us.  You are not used to staying with anyone that is not mommy or daddy, but you seem to be having lots of fun with Pauline and Addy of the days that mommy is at the bank.  This week Daddy left to go away for week for 6 weeks, and I think that you have picked up on it.  When I went to drop you off at Pauline's today, you cried and clung to my leg (not something you usually do).  So I came in with you and hung out until you felt more comfortable.  It hurt to leave you today, but I knew that you were safe and happy, so we made it through.  Needless to say though, mommy's favorite days are the ones that she spends completely with YOU :)
  I would write about what your favorite foods are...but there are just too many to list! lol.  Here are some of your favorites right now:  pizza (typical kid!), bananas, grapes, cucumbers, cheese strings, goldfish crackers, mommy or daddy's cereal (whatever that may be...guess it tastes better from our bowls), freezies, watermelon, and cookies (of course).  We are SO lucky that you are such a good eater.  Thanks buddy!
 

We love you to the moon and back Liam, and cannot wait to see what the future will bring!
           Love Mommy