So Happy Together: Cominghome Queen

On September 2, 2010 we came home from the NICU after 2 long months. See this post from a year ago. This past week we have reflected on being home for a year. What a year it has been and how special to reach another milestone. In some ways our time in the NICU seems like another lifetime - I remember one of our favorite nurses, Laurie, telling us those feelings and fears would fade. Of course I didn't really believe how they could at the time and of course she was right.

I realized I hadn't updated the blog with information from a couple of our one year doctor appointments. Ainsley had her well baby check up in July and everything looks great. She was updated on her immunizations and we made another appointment for her when she is 15 months to check in - so nice to have appointments about every three months now, instead of every month (or at the beginning, every week!).

Ainsley also had her one year appointment with her pediatric eye doctor, Dr. Wheeler. He is the one who has been monitoring her eyes since she was about a month old. The appointment went well and she won't go back again until she is two - wow! We are so thankful to have the resource of Dr. Wheeler, he is so great with Ainsley - she was especially fussy during her appointment and Dr. Wheeler was a pro. =)

As far as appointments go we have another meeting with the developmental follow-up team (neonatoligist and OT) coming up probably this month. They previously checked in with us when Ainsley was 6 months corrected. Now, we are coming up on one year corrected so we will have another appointment. We are so thankful for all the connections of support that the NICU put in place for us - the developmental follow-up clinic being one of those.

Ainsley's Developmental Highlights:

Cruising! Ainsley LOVES to pull herself up and "walk" around the room holding onto the couch and anything else she can get her hands on.

Climbing! Ainsley is developing this skill quickly - she loves to climb up on the hearth and is getting close to climbing up on the couch! In the picture on the right she is climbing up to the top of the slide.

Clapping! Ainsley has started to clap and breaks into a big grin when we join in on the clapping. In the picture to the left she is clapping after climbing to the top of the slide.

Chatting! Ainsley continues to babble and is adding words to her vocabulary. Right now she says, Dada and Mom mostly, but she has adding her own version of words - but = button, gock = clock, dis = this, gar = car. She says these while pointing. It should be mentioned that gock is one of her favorites and is also said when pointing to many other things.

Pointing! Ainsley is all about pointing to things and saying "Dis?" We have taken this to mean "What's this?" And so we will name the item. Sometimes she will repeat us. Our favorite that she has repeated so far is peacock. =)

Here are some recent pictures:

Ainsley was fascinated by the city - she loved watching the people, lights, and cars from our hotel room on our Seattle trip in August.

On the move! The hotel room had lots of fun places to explore.

We enjoyed walking around Pike's Place Market on our Seattle trip.

Ainsley and Daddy on the waterfront in Seattle

Hanging out with the grandmas. The main reason for our trip to Seattle was to meet up with Ainsley's Great Grandparents after their Alaska Cruise. It was so special to spend time with Great Grandma Stringer and Great Grandma & Great Grandpa Bearden!

Dinner with Grammy & Grandpopz

Saying Goodbye & See ya soon, to Great Grandma & Great Grandpa

We had breakfast and a walk with Grammy & Grandpopz our last morning in Seattle.

Our dear friend from college, Holly, her husband, and her two boys were visiting from Kansas. It was fun to hang out and have the kiddos meet for the first time.

Playing on her Winnie the Pooh car.

Thanks Grandma Kris, Grandpa Bruce, & Auntie Kari!

Hanging out with Auntie Kari & Grandma Kris

We had a picnic and a lovely walk at Oregon Garden.

Friends Kyle & Rheanne had lunch with us while they were in town.

Thanks for making time guys!

Elianna came to visit and Ainsley was so interested.

Swinging at the park with Grammy.

Giggling while being tickled by Grandma Sherry.

One morning while making breakfast, I turned around to see this. Too cute!

Later that day - enjoying PB&J.

We had a blast introducing Ainsley to our annual friend trip to the Oregon State Fair. Here she is experiencing one of the best things at the fair - an ice cream cone from Dairy Women of Oregon.