Milestone month

Grayson is quickly catching up, after his months of being sick. In the past several weeks, he's started talking, crawling and even got a tooth!

He still has a really long attention span. And even though he is mobile, he doesn't just crawl for the sake of moving. He makes cautious, intentional moves either toward a toy or his brother. When he gets to his object, he'll sit there and play with it for a long time. Well, unless of course, the object is Tyler who runs away when Grayson reaches him. Grayson loves to chase Tyler through the house. They both laugh loudly, giggle and scream when they get to eachother. It's so fun to watch.

On a less positive note, he was diagnosed with iron deficiency at his doctor visit on Tuesday. We started giving him prescription-strength iron supplements, and we will check his levels again in two weeks. We also started treating him for asthma. Although the doctor is hesitant to call it that just yet, we went ahead and started the treatment in hopes it will keep him healthy and prevent more respiratory infections. We do at least two preventative breathing treatments a day, morning and night. And we also do another type of breathing treatment when he starts to wheeze.

Okay, back to good news because this health stuff depresses me. Grayson has been catching up developmentally and even gaining weight! He gained a whole pound in the 10 days between doctor visits! He's now 9 lbs and 6 oz. I knew there must have been a growth spurt in there somewhere, because he outgrew all his 6-12 month clothes and his size 3 diapers seemingly overnight.

Here is a full list of his recent milestones. I'm chronicling these mostly for my purposes (the baby book is nearly complete), but you may enjoy reading as well.

First official "Grayson Day" - Nov 2 
Last time to nurse (tears) - Nov 4
First Baylor football game - November 5
First time to eat puffs - Nov 8
First surgery- Nov 23
First time to say "dada" - Nov 28
First time to say "mama" - Dec 1
First official crawl - Dec 6
First time to meet Santa - Dec 8
First time to taste "table food" - Dec 8 (a banana at Cheesecake Factory)
First time to try a sippy cup - Dec 9
First tooth - Dec 20
First time to get one leg into a standing position (I need a picture to explain this) - Dec 21

Here is a photo of his first tooth. Look closely. It's the one coming in crooked in the bottom middle. He's my son. Here's to awkward years of braces, ha.

Here are some photos from his 9-month picture session. I love the progression of his crawling off the chair.

Grayson's 9-month stats

A longer post is warranted, but unfortunately, you'll just have to deal with this. :)

Weight: 18 lbs 5.5 oz (14 percentile)
Height: 29 1/2 in. (84 percentile)
Head circumference: 17 1/2 ( 24 percentile)

His iron levels are low, so we must start vitamin supplements again. He reached all of his milestones, except one, which is a significant improvement from the last visit.

The all-good-news health updates

I wanted to give you all a quick update on our latest medical adventures.

Grayson went for a post-surgery follow-up appointment with the ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor. The audiologist repeated the same hearing tests, and Grayson did remarkably well. His hearing is back to 100 percent, and all parts of his ears are working perfectly. The tubes will continue to prevent fluid from building up, so infections and subsequent hearing loss should not be an issue. The doctor was very pleased with Grayson's progress and responsiveness. He did bring up the possibility of an adenoidectomy in the near future. Grayson has another chest cold, and the doctor wants to monitor the frequency of these. We go back in six months. If he has remained chronically sick, we may schedule the surgery to remove his adenoids. If not, he will wait and do it at the same time as the second set of ear tubes. The doctor said that we shouldn't take his RSV diagnosis lightly. It could take a year to fully recover from it. And since Grayson has already had RSV twice and bronchitis twice, it's not surprising that he has lingering respiratory issues. But overall, it was great news! Our little guy is doing wonderfully.

As you know, my thyroid has not been functioning properly since Grayson was born. Today, I went to see an endocrinologist, Dr. Baum, at Medical City Dallas hospital. Turns out, there is a good reason that my primary care doctor couldn't figure out what was going on ... it's because there is absolutely no medical explanation for it. My body is healing itself, without medicine. To make a very, very long diagnosis easy to understand ... I'll just say that I am getting better. In my opinion, the entire conversation did nothing but prove the ever-present and powerful nature of our God. The auto-immune disease (Hashimoto's thyroiditis) is no match for prayer. He said that if my levels continue to decline, I will have no symptoms in about three months.   I go back in March for more blood work, but it looks like the first quarter of 2012 will start on a positive note.

Thanks for supporting us during a rough year. It's been a challenge  battling Kawaskai Disease, thyroid issues and Grayson's chronic illnesses. It's not surprising that when we asked Tyler what he wanted from Santa, he responded with "Tylenol." Ha! 

Merry Christmas from the McKinneys

Pee Pee in potty

Tyler went "pee pee in potty" for the first time tonight! After numerous attempts of "mommy, it boke. It boke," he finally got it to work. We are so proud!

I'm not ready to potty train yet, but this is definitely progress!

Grayson is half-a-year-old

Grayson is 6 months old ... I just can't believe it!

He is so cute these days, laughing and smiling at mommy, daddy and big brother. He is a very focused child. He'll sit and figure out a toy 10 minutes. He definitely has my self-motivation and drive and Chad's engineer brain. He rolls over, but doesn't go far. It cracks me up that he is more content staying on one general area and figuring out the toys in that spot. That's very different from his brother, who at this age was rolling himself under furniture and across rooms. He sits up really well without any assistance, and plays with his feet the majority of the time. He's serious and quiet, yet he'll laugh and have fun ... especially when you tickle him. He loves his thumb and sucks on it when mommy isn't looking. (I quickly replace it with a paci every chance I can, since I don't want him to develop that habit.) He sleeps from about 7:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., and loves his crib. He's just a pleasant, peaceful and content little baby. And I love him with all of my heart.

Grayson has been pretty sick the past two months. First, he got an upper respiratory infection, which turned into a sinus infection. Then, he was diagnosed with RSV, and soon after, he developed bronchitis and double ear infections. We've been praying for him a lot lately, and I finally think he is on the mend. He still wheezes a little and is congested, but it's improving. And we are incredibly thankful. 

Here are his stats from his 6-month well check:

Weight: 15 lbs., 15 oz. and 22 percentile
Height: 27 in. and 69 percentile
Head circumference: 16.5 in. and 8 percentile

Choo Choo, Tyler turned 2

Our sweet little boy turned 2 years old on July 30. I feel so blessed to be his mommy, sharing two wonderful years watching him grow, learn and get into trouble.


Two-year-old well visit

Chad took Tyler to see Dr. Alvis for what I assumed would be a quick, simple and routine well check. I stayed home with Grayson, so I could feed and keep him away from any potentially contagious bugs. We had no idea that the 2-year-old well check included hearing and vision tests. I was disappointed that I missed the appointment, because Tyler failed both tests. His "report card" from Dr. Alvis said that he failed vision on both eyes and has astigmatism. Chad assured me that we don't need to see the specialist, as Dr. Alvis said it would hopefully resolve before his third birthday. He also failed his hearing test on the right side. However, I'm not letting him use this excuse when he doesn't listen to mommy! We should be able to wait and retest next next year, unless we feel it's something that needs to be addressed immediately.

Here are his stats:

Weight: 26 lbs., 8 oz. and 30 percentile
Height: 35 in. and 66 percentile
Head circumference: 19 in. and 38 percentile
BMI: 15.21 kg and 12 percentile


Birthday celebration

When Tyler woke up in the morning, Chad and I rushed into his room--camera in hand--singing "happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you ..." Tyler loved it and immediately started dancing to the tune.

For breakfast, I made his favorite food, pancakes, shaped like the number two. This is also a little birthday tradition we started last year. Tyler ate like a big boy and played with us for the rest of the morning. We put him down for a nap a little early at 11:30 a.m., hoping he would get enough sleep before his big party. Of course, little boy was so excited he didn't go to sleep until 20 minutes before we left for Gymboree.

The birthday party at Gymboree Play and Music was incredibly fun. Tyler was joined by 19 of his closest buddies, doing train-themed activities and playing on the equipment. He was so adorable running around, laughing and hugging the Gymboree Play Leader. His favorite activity was the "Little Engine that Could." The toddlers walked up an inclined, soft structure, saying "I think I can, I think I can." When they got to the top, they shouted, "I know I can." And they jumped off the four-foot elevated surface. After about 45 minutes, we went into the party room for cake and ice cream. Tyler blew out his candles, sat at a long table with his friends and enjoyed his chocolate cake. Then, we headed back to the play area for parachute time, bubbles and a visit from Gymbo, the Gymboree clown.

Tyler fell asleep as soon as we got in the car, and he continued his nap for a couple hours after arriving back home. When he awoke, we had all his presents displayed on the fireplace. He paused to ask for more cake, then immediately ran over to start opening them. We were prepared to bribe him with the cake, but he actually enjoyed opening each and every present. Surprisingly, the cards were his favorite thing to open. He loves books, so I'm thinking it was an extension of that. He tore open each envelope, looked at the words and pictures and asked us to read it aloud. It was adorable!

We had planned to take Tyler out for a big dinner, but changed our mind, as bedtime was quickly approaching. Instead, I brought his favorite dinner home--bean burritos! After dinner, we took a picture by the oven clock at exactly 7:54 p.m., the time he was born two years prior. This is another annual tradition I hope to continue.

We did our normal nighttime routine with Tyler, and I think Chad and I both spent some extra time in his room, rocking and basking in the moment. Our little boy is growing up so quickly, and once again, I wish he had a pause button.

Overall, it was a wonderful day. There were a few little hiccups, which I'll list because I think it's funny to mention them. They were insignificant, and I'm sure no one noticed but me. Nonetheless ...

- Tyler had a bad hair day (I accidentally put too much gel in it, and I ended up washing it in the Gymboree bathroom moments before the party started).
-Tyler was exhausted, since he only napped for 20 minutes prior to the party.
-The cake was hideous. I totally ruined it by adding sprinkles in a stripped pattern. It wasn't a brilliant idea, but there was no turning back. Thankfully, it still tasted good.
-We forgot to serve the bottled water to the adults, and we ran out of ice cream.

I'm not a fan of the picture upload tool on Blogger, so here are the links to the pictures I've already uploaded on Facebook and Picassa:

Tyler's photo shoot pictures

Tyler's birthday party

Tyler opening presents

Happy Birthday Tyler Aaron! Mommy, Daddy and baby brother Grayson love you very much!

Just wanted to share ...

Chad always says that I post too much online, but I just feel like I need to explain the obvious. I'm looking at pictures from Tyler's party, and it's fairly obvious that I've gained a lot of weight since Grayson has been born. I just want my friends and family to understand what is going on with my health.

I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. My TSH level should be .3-5.1. However, mine is 49.2. The doctor said it's an autoimmune disease where I produce an antibody that shuts down my thyroid. The antibody, Thyroid peroxisade AB, should be less than 35. Mine is 740! There is nothing I can do about the high level of antibody. It will always be there, which means I will be dealing with hypothyroidism for the rest of my life. The doctor started my treatment last week, which involves setting an alarm and taking a pill at the same time every day. I go back for blood work again in 3 weeks, followed by more tests several weeks later. We continue the process until I establish a healthy thyroid level.

At my current levels, I am gaining almost a pound a day! It's just insane to me, and I am really struggling with the effects, both physically and emotionally. 

Additionally, I have been struggling with some post-baby emotional issues (as well as a recurrence of my migraines). The doctors are trying to regulate my hormones, which are causing an array of symptoms. Thus far, I've tried four different medications. Hopefully, that will level out soon.

I know this is probably more information that anyone really needs to know. It's a difficult time for me, and I'm not sure I have vocalized that to everyone. I would just really appreciate understanding, support and prayers. Thank you, friends.

Grayson 4-month well check

I thought about catching up and posting Grayson's 2-week, 1-month and 2-month well visit stats before this one. But then I remembered that I renamed the blog, so I wouldn't have to stress about getting behind on posts. Let's just say that he was about average those other months and definitely hitting all his milestones.

4-month well visit stats:

Weight: 14 lbs, 4 oz. and 32 percentile
Height: 25 1/4 inches and 57 percentile
Head circumference: 16 and 12 percentile

We're going to start solids tomorrow. I'll admit, Chad and I both got teary-eyed thinking about starting rice cereal. We don't want our little baby to grow up. He's so precious and adorable. We SO love the baby phase!

On another note, Tyler is gaining weight! Yay! He lost more than 2 lbs when he was sick and in the hospital in April. He is up to 25 lbs and 8 oz now. We have his 2-year check in another several weeks. Maybe he'll make it to 26 lbs by then! Speaking of 2-year checks ... I'll just admit now that I will most certainly be that mom that cries hysterically when her child goes to kindergarten. I want to cry now that Tyler is nearly 2 years old. He is growing up so quickly, and as much as I try to treasure every moment. It's passing by too quickly.

The Arrival of Grayson Robert McKinney

Although this post is nearly two months late, it comes with no less excitement. We are overwhelmed with thankfulness at the birth of our beautiful baby boy, Grayson Robert.

At my last OB appointment, we discovered that Grayson was measuring extra large. Our doctor moved the scheduled c-section to Monday, instead of Wednesday that week. He suggested Friday, but that was my sister-in-law's scheduled induction for her baby, Logan Christian McKinney. (Yes, the cousins were born two days apart.)

On the morning of March 7, 2011, Chad and I woke up early and headed to the hospital. We needed to check in by 7:30 a.m., since the c-section was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. My mom stayed the night, so she could watch Big Brother Tyler.

We arrived at the hospital at 7:25 a.m., spent several minutes trying to locate the registration lady and waited patiently for her to unlock her office. After filling out all the digital paperwork, she took us to the labor and delivery wing. We were taken to a room to begin the nursing check-in process, which we assumed would be long and painstakingly drawn-out. At 8:05 a.m., only five minutes after sitting down in the L&D bed, the operating room nurse walked in and said they were ready for me. I questioned the comment, since we still had an hour and a half before the scheduled surgery. The nurse replied, "no waiting. The doctor is here. The OR is prepped, and we are ready to have a baby." I asked how long, and she responded "five minutes." WHAT?!?! So before my mom could even make it to the hospital with Tyler and before I could take photos in my adorable custom-made delivery gown, I found myself walking hand-in-hand with the nurse to the operating room. Here we go ...


Chad stayed behind to send an insanely quick text message to alert family and friends. By the time he changed into scrubs and made it to the OR, I had already been given the spinal block and was laying down, arms secured to the boards. Because I am allergic to morphine, the anesthesiologist had the pharmacy mix a special spinal block concoction that was narcotic-free. Due to the risk for pain, the anesthesiologist stayed at my head, talking to me the entire time. I started throwing up as soon as the medicine kicked in, which was the worst part of the entire procedure. I begged and pleaded for him to let me sit up, as throwing up horizontally is probably the worst thing in the world. I asked, "please make it stop." He responded, "okay," and he added something to the drip. Within seconds it worked, and I was comfortable again. I took several deep breaths, looked over at Chad and braced myself for the surgery. I was unaware that at this point, they are had already begun. Our doctor didn't even wait for his partner to get there. Thankfully, I had no additional reactions, and the procedure went very well.

At 8:38 a.m., Grayson Robert McKinney was born! The doctors exclaimed that he had a massive umbilical cord. I like to grow my babies well. Grayson didn't cry immediately or nearly at all, for that matter. He was just as quiet post-delivery as he was in-utero. In fact, he took a few glances and fell peacefully back asleep, while they poked and prodded him on the scale. He's just my incredibly laid-back baby! Proud Papa Chad was taking lots of pictures while they cleaned him off, bundled him and handed him to me. Chad asked, "so what do you think of your new son, mommy?" Without a filter, I said the first thing I thought, "he's chubby." 

Grayson Robert McKinney
Born 8:38 a.m.
9 lbs. 8 ounces
20 3/4 inches long

 

The nurses took us back to the recovery room. Thankfully, they wheeled Grayson in the little crib, as holding him immediately post-surgery always makes me nervous. They did a couple more things with him and placed him on my chest for some skin-to-skin time. Before I could even get positioned, I felt a pinch. I looked down and little Grayson had latched on and started to nurse all by himself. He was a hungry baby! Breastfeeding has been easy with this instinctive little one. We stayed in the recovery room for about an hour, and then we were moved to the postpartum room. We saw our family waiting in the hallway, as we passed by.








We wanted Tyler to meet his baby brother before anyone else, so Chad scooped him up and took him into the room with us. Tyler was beyond excited to see the baby! From that moment on, all he wants to do is hug, kiss and fist bump his little brother.

Grandma Marty (now called "Memaw" by Tyler), Grandma Judy, Great Grandma Morgan and Grandpa all came in to meet Baby Grayson. We took photos with him and admired his long black hair, dimples and chubby cheeks. Auntie Rachel and Alisha came to visit later that night. And Russ, Andrea and The Owens came to meet Grayson on Wednesday.

 

Grayson stayed in the room with us the entire time. Plano Presby received the "Baby Friendly" designation, which means that he never had to leave the room. They do all baths, tests, exams, etc. right in front of the parents. It was great to have all that time to bond with him, and since he was a great sleeper from the beginning, we were still able to rest.


 

Apart from one mild allergic reaction to Percocet, I had a pleasant hospital experience. In fact, all three of us were doing really well. The nurses said that "we could teach the other parents a thing or two." They laughed at how comfortable we were with a newborn, and teased Chad about how he "tossed" the little guy around. We explained that we had a 19 month old at home. We were able to go home Thursday morning, a day earlier than expected. We packed up as quickly as possible, and Chad had the car loaded before I was even discharged. Very eager to get back home, we anxiously awaited the last few precautionary procedures. Chad took a humorous picture of me making a to-do list while waiting. Then, we got in the car and set out for home.

Tyler was at home with Memaw waiting for us. He ran over to greet his baby brother and then quickly got distracted by how incredibly cool the baby carrier was, ha. We snapped another family photo and now begins our life as a family of four.