Happy 2nd Birthday, Drew!!!

Was it honestly two years ago I heard your first cry?


Held and kissed your sweet face for the first time?


Watched your Daddy (and everyone else) fall head-over-heels in love with you?


Have two years actually passed since we became a family of three?


It just doesn't seem possible in so many ways that these pictures and these sweet, sweet memories are two years old. I can still remember the day so well! (And let's be honest--I remember those first few rough nights in the hospital well, too!)

Besides being a child of God, there is nothing in this life that makes me and your daddy happier than being your Mommy and Daddy. We spend a lot of our days laughing at you because you are SO full of life, energy, and humor! You have the sweetest personality, most adorable belly laugh, and the best kisses ever. You keep us on our toes as you get into mischief. I often read "I'll Love You Forever" and smile as I look at the cover picture of the 2 year old flushing a watch down the toilet, surrounded by unrolled toilet paper. That is you! But then I'll tear up as I read about the mother rocking her 2 year old boy to sleep, solemn face and relaxed hands because at the end of a long day, that, too, is you.

My greatest prayer for you is that God will be your foundation throughout your entire life--from a very young age to a very old age. I want His guidance to influence every decision you make--the clothes you wear, the places you go, the friends you choose, the woman you marry, the jobs you complete. I want you to know that no matter what changes come your way, that His foundation will ALWAYS be firm, even when you doubt it. Know that God looks at your heart and knows everything about you, but you should tell him anyway. Make him your best friend- above your best guy friend, your wife, and your mom. ;) Because HE has your best interest in mind, above all others. Hold to him, dear son, and you will always be safe.

I love you more than 26 letters can write on paper. My chest literally hurts sometimes because my pride for you is so great! You make me so proud every day with your accomplishments, your zest for life, and your love for others. You have great, great things ahead of you, and I'm so proud to be on the front row watching. Shine on, baby boy! The spotlight is yours!

Love,
Mommy & Daddy
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What are you up to at 24 months?

--You are repeating a ton of words! You love to say: snake, ball, coke, fall, dark, truck, outside, cook, juice, and SO many more words! We have to watch what words you are surrounded by in public because I don't dare want you to repeat something you shouldn't!

--Your attention span is still so short. You jump from one activity to another. The longest you spend doing any one thing is less than 5 minutes. You seldom want to read right now because you have to sit still in order to do that. :)

--You've recognized the numbers 3, 4, and 5 and told them to us. We had no idea you knew those numbers! You also love to point out the letter 'c' on your plate. Speaking of plates, you are constantly identifying items associated with eating: fork, spoon, knife, plate, bowl, and napkin. You love to wipe your own mouth and hands after dinner and always tell us when you're "all done!"

--You get into EVERYTHING! You can undo any top, child proof or not. (Yes, you've opened child proof medicine bottles more than once.)

--You recently developed gills and now love swimming! You jumped in the pool while we were on vacation before we got your swimmies on. Let's just say mommy nearly had a heart attack and daddy had to jump in and get you as you floated, face down in the water. Ahhhh!! But after the swimmies were on, you swam everywhere! I'm telling you--you have no fear!

--You are one tough cookie! You fall, roll, tumble, trip, bump things, rip toenails off, bleed and never shed a tear! The only time you'll tear up is if you hit your little noggin too hard. I liken you to a miniature bull--plowing through anything in your way!

--Feeding you can be quite the chore as you are mighty picky. We never know if you're going to eat a lot at one meal or not one bite. It varies from day to day, but you're growing taller and are very heavy (31 lbs) so I know you're not wasting away! ;)

--My favorite words to describe you are: fun, busy, "a mess," loving, sweet, strong willed, playful, active, "hands-on," and fast! You are all these things rolled into one!

--You're beginning to understand that there might be something in mommy's belly. You know where the baby is and you will come kiss my belly. It's so sweet! However, I'm afraid you might want to send your little sister back for the first few weeks that she's home. It's going to be quite the adjustment period!

Little one, I could go on for pages and pages about all the things you love to do and your sweet little quirks! You are my favorite little guy, and I wouldn't change one single thing about you! I can only imagine what changes one year from now will bring! (Maybe potty training?--Ha!)

Happy 1 Year, Drew!

Dear Baby Boy,

It's here. Some days dragged. Some weeks dragged. But my, how this year has flown! This time one year ago, we had no idea what lay in store for us. I was so excited, so ready to experience this uncharted territory of my life. I vividly remember lying on that operating table with Daddy at my head, waiting to hear it-the most beautiful sound to a mother's ears. Oh it was beautiful. That sweet, sweet cry. You were finally REAL. Touchable. Audible. I was straining to see your face. I had imagined it for 9 long months. You were absolutely perfect. One year ago we saw God through you. Such innocence. Such perfection.

One year ago today. I can still remember the back pain!


SO ready to meet you!


This probably grosses 99% of you out, but I love it!


Finally a family of three!

My, what uncharted territory we had to face! But, oh, it has all been worth it. Your life makes my purpose clear. The world seems to be running short on God fearing men; I guess I'm a small part of that solution! You are the brightest part of our day, and the reason we make the decisions we do. You make us less selfish people. You make us look at your environment and constantly question if it is beneficial to you. I worry sometimes at all the garbage that comes our way--through television, radio, or even in the grocery store! I want to protect your little mind and keep it pure. I want you to keep your innocence for as long as possible.

You, my sweet Drew, are my greatest blessing. You are growing up far too quickly. Please, please stay little for a while longer. Your smiles and laugh are worth far more than gold! Your hugs, your kisses, the way you lay your head on our shoulders, the way you lay limp in our arms when you fall asleep. The way you squint your nose and smile. You are nothing but pure joy in our lives.

To simply say "we love you" seems oh-so inadequate. It's more than that. So much more. The English language doesn't encompass that feeling we have for you. I guess you will understand one day when you hold you own little one. But for now, stay little for me. Keep me on my toes. Allow me to tear up as I look at you when you sleep at night, not being able to believe how I feel about someone I've known only a year. Keep making my heart flip when you look at me and grin across the room. Just for a while longer....stay little.

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At 12 months:

You like: eating, trying new foods, orange juice, water, playing outside, "mowing" the grass, wrestling with Daddy, pulling things around the house (garbage cans, laundry baskets, your horse), climbing on Mommy's back, being chased, balloons, seeing family members, bathtime, bouncing, dancing, running, chewing Daddy's belt, balls, putting things together, taking things apart, figuring out new toys and how they work

(Pulling the horse around)

You dislike: (See, I was gonna write "naps," but he's gotten so much better that, for the first time, I'm not gonna write it. Let's hope it doesn't come back to haunt me!) Confinement: at diaper changes, in carseats, or in store carts. This child likes to be on the GO!

Accomplishments:

Your mouth: 8 teeth now! You love to eat just about anything! You've gotten so good at chewing. You're taking a sippy cup without problems, love to drink out of a regular cup, and can use a straw really well! You learned how to blow a whistle on 7/5/09. I'm getting ready to regain my body! That's right, we're going to start gradually weaning soon. It's so bittersweet. :(

You can say: e-i-e-i, ahhhh (when you drink), mmmm (when you eat), ah oh, mama, dada, daddy (first time on 7/6), roar (when asked what the lion says), and you sniff with your nose (when asked what your nose does or if you're stinky). You also speak in Drewese. I would love to know what you're saying as you babble on continuously!
Your nose: When we say, "What does your nose do?" you squinch your nose and breathe in and out quickly. You love doing that!

"Doing the sniffy nose. Love. It."
Your hands: You can wave bye bye, give five, blow a kiss (with the back of your hand) and clap. Your fine motor skills are progressing. Your pincer grasp is excellent and you love to feed yourself from your high chair.

Your ears: You know what "no no" means, but you don't always choose to obey. ;) You love listening to music and dancing/bouncing along. You have a LONG list of favorite songs! Any song with your name in it is always a shoe-in!

Sleep: My, how far we've come in this area! You go down for the night around 8:00 and sleep until 7:30-8:00am. You take 1-2 naps a day. Sometimes you sleep 45 minutes, sometimes 2 hours! I think you're trying to phase out your morning nap, much to my dismay!

What a long way from one year ago. Your list of accomplishements was: eat, pee, poop, and sleep...all frequently!

Happy Birthday, Angel! I pray you have many more healthy, happy years ahead of you! We love you deeper than the ocean!

Mommy & Daddy

P.S. I'm working on his one year video slideshow. It'll probably be around 10 minutes long, so that means: 1) It'll be for the avid Drew lover (aka probably family) and 2) it'll take FOREVER AND A YEAR to upload.

Scrapbooking

Drew slept on Andrew while I scrapped last night.


Not quite what I was going for. Oh well!

We're Home as a Family of Three

First of all, thank you all for your comments, calls, and prayers. We have such wonderful family and friends and are so blessed!

Drew is sleeping now in his bassinet for the first time. Prior to this afternoon, he's refused to sleep anywhere except our arms. I'm not complaining though. ;) He is by far our greatest blessing and we are SO happy to be home with a healthy baby boy. We had a really rough day on Saturday, our discharge date. Little Drew hadn't peed in 34 hours and was in the early stages of dehydration. No matter how much breast milk and formula he got, he still wouldn't pee! It was absolutely the hardest day of my life knowing something could be wrong with my baby. I finally decided to go along with the doctor and just cath him so we could see if he had urine or not. What an agonizing decision! As our nurse was about to rub him down with betadine to perform the cath, he peed!! She caught half an ounce in a cup as it shot across the room. He's been home free ever since. No mommy has ever been prouder of her son's tee-tee, I tell you!

Short and sweet:

He's eating really well now, and we have to wake him up to eat because he LOVES to sleep, and he's smiling constantly! We loooove his sweet smiles! Birth story to come later. Now to answer the question I'm constantly getting: "Where are more pictures??!!" They're right here...



Right before getting started: 38 weeks, 5 days


I'm so ready!




Surgery had started...


Here he comes!


Happy Birthday, baby boy! His cry left me crying!


Making the sweetest noise ever to Mommy's ears.


Our new family of THREE :)


My little piece of heaven...


Mrs. Lee Ann came for a visit :)

The proudest Papaw EVER


A little jaundiced


A VERY proud Daddy


Deer in the headlights look


I love this little nose and these lips...and this head full of hair...


Milk coma


Mommy and Drew's favorite napping position. Please excuse Mommy's "I just had a baby" look.


Sleeping well in my bassinet for the first time. Mommy and Daddy are thankful!


He melts me!


Mommy likes to play dress up with me

He has arrived!

Andrew "Drew" Mark Laney made his grand entrance today, July 9th, 2008, at 3:25PM via c-section. He weighted 8 pounds and 7 ounces and measured 21 inches long. He has a full head of hair and daddy was the first one to change his diaper! Mommy and baby are doing great! Here are some pictures from the big day!

Andrew