Noah Ryan, it's already been a year!

Noah Ryan, I love you so very much and am so thankful God has brought you into our lives!!  I remember one year ago on January 30th, 2009, your daddy and I went to the hospital anxiously looking forward to your arrival!  The night before we went to chili's and I could barely eat because I kept having pretty intense contractions.  Later Nana and Grandpa arrived to stay the night and take Halle to childcare for a while until they could bring her up to meet you.  We were supposed to arrive at the hospital at 7am and we didn't make it until around 7:20!!  It was very hard saying bye to Halle that morning.  I was so worried about her knowing she was loved and still our baby even though we were having another baby!

When we walked up to the nurses station, my doctor was there and looked at his watch and laughed!  He said, "let's get this started!"  He told me to get my gown on and he was coming in to break my water!  Talk about your heart dropping!!  I was thinking, I don't have an IV in....seriously, this quick???  I remember the progression with Halle and breaking my water was not the first step with her!  I was basically freaking out!  The doctor came in oh about 3 minutes after I got my gown on and was ready to go.  However, he discovered that you were not head down!  After getting a quick ultrasound, it was confirmed, you were breech!  He scheduled the C-section for 11:30 and left the room.  That was that.  Mixed feelings were running through my head.  The anticipation of labor and delivery and how my body would handle it.  Every thing you think and consider during the entire pregnancy about how labor will go was now out of my control.  I made a few phone calls...."change of plans"....and rested, prayed, and visited with family until it was time to walk to the operating room.  It was very cold, very sterile, and different.  I had the most amazing nurses and physicians ever!  The procedure went by so fast!  I heard one nurse say, "your right, it is a boy...."  and I said, "how do you know?"  She replied, "because he's out honey!"  Amazing!

Proud daddy!  Welcome to the world Noah Ryan!!  1-30-09 11:47am. Weighing in at 8lb 2oz and 19"long!  (exact same stats as sister!)

Your sister was so happy to see you!  She kept wanting to hold "her baby!"

This may be my favorite picture of Halle!!  Look at that smile!  She received a big sister gift (a baby doll) from her baby brother!!  I have documented every milestone and special moment in a calendar for you!  During your first year, your daddy and I have collected different news articles and memorabilia to put in a time capsule for you!  We'd love for you to look back and see what the world was like when you were born!

THREE MONTHS

The hat is from one of daddy's coworkers!  They knew that daddy wanted to name you Rufus (seriously, no joke).  Rufus Charles was your daddy's papa's name!  He loved him dearly and wanted to pass the name Rufus on to you!  I couldn't get past Rufus, and so we were trying to decide between Gabriel Ryan  and Noah Ryan.  Noah is perfect for you!  Noah, meaning "rest, comfort, peace" and Ryan, meaning "little king."

SIX MONTHS

NINE MONTHS

TWELVE MONTHS

These past twelve months have been so wonderful!  You are a true blessing from God and we pray over you and thank God for you every night!

You had your twelve month well check today!  You weigh 20lbs 8oz (10th percentile) and are 29.5" in length (50th percentile).  Your doctor told me to start feeding you as much as you'll eat.  Your pretty energetic and are all over the place!  The doctor said that your last monitor download (nov 15-dec 18th) showed 12 central apneas over 16 seconds.  I keep getting different information from nurses and the doctor.  I guess it doesn't matter.  I know your perfect and safe and you won't remember anything about the monitor and tests!  You will know love, safety, and security because we show that to you every day!  The doctor did say as soon as we have two months without one single episode we can take the monitor off!  Home health came by today to record information from your monitor so we are praying that this will reveal one month of perfect uneventful sleep!  

Your favorite snacks are yobaby yogurt and gerber veggie puffs!!  You would snack on those puffs all day long if I let you!  You also like cheese, raviolis, waffles, turkey hot dogs, cooked carrots, broccoli, turkey meatballs,  pasta, bananas, and green beans.  You have always loved veggies and haven't been very big on fruit.  You are starting to like it more and more. 

Your now walk everywhere and love to kick the ball all over!  Daddy says you'll be his little soccer player!  You love to play with soccer balls, baseballs,  and basketballs.  You love to throw the balls around so mommy, daddy, or sister can go get them and bring them back to you!  You also love to play with cars and trucks and even make the raspberry sounds while you're pushing them around!  You love your little yellow and green plastic golf clubs and have pretty good hand/eye coordination if I do say so myself!!  

You wave and say "haiiii" (with a very country twang) and wave and say "baiiii baiiii" (with the same twang!)  You say:  "ma ma" "dada" "Boo" (for Booze), "ba" (for bath), "ba" (for ball), "mo" (for more).  You point at everything and make the cutest facial expressions when your upset, can't get something, or are surprised!  You sign: more, all-done, water, bath, milk, play, cheese, banana, thank you, please, and ball.   We encourage these signs, but you love to imitate them in your own little way!

You have two teeth on bottom, and just in the past two weeks your top two teeth broke through.  You have two more that look like they're fixing to break through anytime!  You had a very gummy smile for about the first ten months of your life!!  

You currently wear size twelve months in clothes.  You can wear some 18 month shirts, but they are still a little long in the sleeves!  You are still wearing size 3 diapers.  

You stay with your aunt Lala, cousin conner, Aunt Ashley, and sister Halle everyday while mommy works!  She loves you and teaches you new things everyday!  Most of the time you take two naps a day, around 10am and 2pm.  You also love napping in the car!  

You love bath time.  Every night after dinner I ask you if your ready for a bath, and you immediately perk up and sign and say "ba ba ba ba."  (while squealing with delight!)  You would stay in the bath for an hour if I let you!  On the other hand, you know when you get out of the bathtub at night you have to put the monitor on.  You try to do everything you can to get away from me when I lay you down to dry you off and get you ready for bed.  We thought that we'd be able to say goodbye to it by your first birthday, but just hold on buddy, because we'll be done with it before you know it!  After bath time you get a bottle, usually from mommy, and we rock.  You are a wonderful baby!  I lay you down in your crib after you finish your bottle and you only fuss for a few minutes and your asleep!  You still wake up at least once at night, but hopefully that won't last too much longer!

We love you and have enjoyed you so much!  You are a true blessing and I am looking forward to watching your little personality grow and develop!  I hope that you will always know what a blessed, loved little boy you are!!!