Sweet Cheeks First Birthday Photo Session



My wonderful aunt shot some pictures for me for Sweet Cheeks first birthday. We got these gems in about a half hour session out in my front yard. Although none of these are touched up yet I am more than pleased!! Check her out at "Shoot Me" Photography.  Enjoy!

what's a lil boy without a baseball :)

had this lil diaper cover made on etsy sooo cute!



 

"one" just learned this :)



waving to mommy

  

this is his sock monkey that we did his party around

 

 

you can see how his forehead protrudes and the top of his head is pointed









Sweet Cheeks birthday and craniosynostosis appt

Hello all,
       I have been busier than a bee in a flower patch lately. I have been working my butt off in all areasof life: working, babysitting more, and sewing for custom orders, not to mention 1 husband, five kids, and a dog :). Needless to say I am totally exhausted. I wanted to inform of Sweet Cheeks updates:
       He turned one!!! Yay!! We threw a big outdoor sock monkey party for him at our campground because unlike the other kids I am very well aware how blessed we are to still have our little man in our lives. They all had parties too but this one was special to my heart because at one time we weren't sure what may happen and I realize that if he had been born anywhere else he may not be here right now. For his party, we made a color coordinating candy table. All the candy on it was red and browns to go with sock monkey colors (red hots, connamon disks, suckers, root beer barrels, twizzlers, etc) and I added some coke in glass bottles because they seem to fit the era and theme as well. I also made his monkey cake myself - I used a squre pan and then added a circle on top for the face and cupcakes along the sides for the ears and used the cut off top to make the cake flat for the hat and mouth. It turned out really cute! Tenderheart helped me make "Monkey Munchies" which is a cookie recipe in a quart jar to give out to guests and we put matching fabrics on the llids and tied them on with suede ties. It really ended up super cute although it was extrememly hot! He got to eat cake and ice cream and made a huge mess as every first birthday should be :) I will try to remember to attach some pics later.
       We also hit his six month post op date and so had a dr appt. Unfortunately the dr believes that we need to do a second surgery for the front of his head :(. The last one was only from his ears back and this one will be from his ears up. The measurments from right after surgery to now showed that his head has narrowed again since his last surgery and has also became more pronounced on his forehead. The best way to describe it is cro-magnon ish. We have to get the surgery in the next couple of months because if we wait til his head isn't growing as much they say he won't heal as well and the results won't be as nice. Please keep him inyour prayers!!
    Well I have a lot of other stuff going on but not time to talk now... it's off to work I go!!

11 Month old Sweet Cheeks

My beautiful little baby boy is now 11 months old!! How time flies. It seems like last week I was in the hospital begging for the epidural (I only had it with the last 2 kids, but with his head shape from the craniosynostosis I was in some major pain trying to get him out). Sweets is now crawling and pulling up on things trying to get into stuff. He says several words like dada and mama. He is also doing some baby sign language. He knows the sign for "more" and is learning the ones for "milk" "mama" and "dada". He has six teeth and is has an absolutely adorable smile. He greets me every morning with that sweet smile and helps me get up on those days when I really don't wanna.  He leans in to give me lovins and kisses and is unfortunately also learning a few bad things like slapping people's faces :o  Oh, how quickly they learn to be naughty! I am anxiously awaiting his appointment next month with his plastic surgeon and neuro surgeon so we can see if they think he is going to need the second surgery. It is weighing on my mind lately and the closer it gets the more nervous I am about it. Not sure if this little mama can handle that again. He took it like a real trooper and was so much stronger than I, I am so proud of my lil' man and am looking forward to all the things we are going to get to go through together in this all too short life, good and bad. Motherhood has been such an honor and a blessing in my life. I try never to take it for granted that I have such a great, big, awesome family. I never thought I would have five kids, but now that I do I don't know what I would do without them. Praise God for knowing what is best when I obviously don't have a clue.

She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. Proverbs 31:15-17