First Trip to Jersey

Okay so let's put this into perspective, I got to see my Pop-Pop, Uncle Joey, Nino and Lauren and I met my other Tios, Tias and a bunch of cousins....so that fact that I was strapped into my car seat for sooooooooooooooooooooooooo long wasn't that bad!

I actually slept most of the way up to NJ. We had a long day at UNC and met a bunch of the doctors that are going to be working with me. They were impressed with how strong and smart I am and I met so many people that I didn't really sleep so I crashed when got into the car. Mommy and Daddy said "we did good time." I am not sure what that meant but they were happy when we got to Uncle Joey's house. That is the house that Mommy grew up in. It was kind of cool to see the house. Oh man and there was this crazy dog there. I thought Jersey was bad when she barked! Max, my Uncle Joey's dog, was SOOOO LOUD and his bark was so high pitched, but he was interesting.....

When we got there Pop-Pop was there and he gave me such big hugs and kisses and Uncle Joey too. It was really nice and I got to stay up a little later and play!! But then Mommy stopped all the fun and made me go to sleep. Sheesh...she really just breaks up the party sometimes.

Anyway, we went to Uncle Joey's school the next morning to "show me off" and then we went to NY to visit my other Titi Keila and my cousin Jojo. He had the same surgery as I did!! We have matching scars!!! So we crossed this bridge that Mommy called the "GW" and we drove by Central Park and down 5th Ave. Daddy wanted to go walk downtown Manhattan, but it was way too cold so we hung out with my cousin. Check it out.

JoJo is trying to figure out who I am....LOL

Hey it looked just like the bib I have at home....don't be mad at me!

On Saturday, a lot of family came over the house to meet me. Here are some of the pictures:

This is me and my Uncle Tuto...yeah he is funny, I was checkin him out...LOL

This is my cousin Mikayla, my Tia Gladys, me and my hair twin Little Lauren HAHAHA

This is the first time me and Mikayla met. She is Mommy's cousin Mimi's daughter. She is already a year old! She was a little scared of me I think....I was trying to grab her hand.

Oh and this is my cousin Samathaly. She loved playing with me and was reading my book with me.

We just relaxed on Sunday oh and went to Woodbridge Center. It is a mall that Mommy and Daddy used to go to. Then my Tio Alex came over with my other cousin Annelisse and we were hanging out and playing. Let me tell you these people know how to party!!! Well I couldn't sleep I just hung out all day. I didn't want to miss anything! There was so much going on!


On Monday we had to leave to come back home and I was a little sad, but Nino and Lauren were coming back with us so I knew I was going to have a good time with them!! And we went to a diner for breakfast. Well I already had my breakfast but Pop Pop and Mickie came and took everyone else out to breakfast. Pop Pop always goes to this place, it is called Mercedes Cafe. Everyone liked the food. I even tried to get in on it....LOL check it out....

Yeah that is bacon....no I didn't eat it...

Okay so here is the link for the rest of the pictures of my first trip to New Jersey. Mommy said there is a lot more family that we didn't get to see, but hopefully next time. Love you all and miss ya!

Yeah Mommy still hasn't figured out how to arrange the pictures on photobucket, so they are a bit out of order....AGAIN.....

http://s793.photobucket.com/albums/yy220/jerseyraleigh/First%20trip%20to%20New%20Jersey/

Wow What A Weekend

I could have stayed outside ALL weekend. And I tried to. Every time Mommy or Daddy opened the door I was headed straight for it. I even tried to go outside with Jersey when Mommy let her out. It was so pretty and warm. I didn't even need a jacket!!!! That was great, I had a little more freedom in my car seat. You know I am starting to like this one. It is more comfortable than the other one. I guess Mommy and Daddy were right.

We went shopping on Saturday and got me some T-shirts and more socks. I swear Mommy is on this sock thing with me. She is always buying SOCKS for me. And Daddy says we need to take OFF the socks so I can practice walking more. Well it was nice being out and about on the town and going to the stores...oh oh oh and no more medicine!! Did I tell you how much I HATED this last one...well thankfully I took it for the last time yesterday. WOO-HOO.


We went to a party on Saturday. It was a Shay's house, my neighbor. I like her, we were hanging out and I got meet her friends and family. Mommy said I did really well. Hello! I am a social person, look at my parents, well Daddy not so much, but Mommy yeah. LOL just kidding Dad. Okay, well I was good until it was past my bottle and bedtime. Then we needed to get out! So Mommy took me home and Daddy stayed to hang out.

Oh and yesterday Mommy got me all dressed up and we went to take pictures with Daddy and Gwen came. That was fun. It was the first time we took professional pictures. We got a bunch for the family, but here are just a couple. Titi Chell got me the outfit for Easter. I hope you like them.

It Is Getting Nice Outside!

Went to the doctor yesterday and they took off that paper that was stuck under my jaw. They said everything looks good. Mommy still has to give me that NASTY medicine, but she says only for a little while longer. We are supposed to have a busy weekend. Maybe we can blow more bubbles and hang out outside. I like doing that.

Well my Tio took this picture of me and sent it Mommy and she said I HAD to put it up. She says I look like Mom-Mom in this picture.

Hospital Again...

Well I went to the hospital on Friday....Again.... I swear Mommy shouldn't even have to pay for parking anymore. I think we need a reserved spot. I really don't know what that means but I heard Mommy say that so I will just repeat it....LOL. Anyway we went in on Friday and I knew we were going to have to have surgery again and Mommy said I was going to have that scan, but then I had to stay overnight. It wasn't as bad as the last time, they took us in pretty early. I had my doctor laughing because when he was explaining everything to Mommy, I was looking at him and listening. He just stopped and said, "Wow, he really is listening to me, huh?" Hello! do you think I don't pay attention. You are about to gas me and cut me again, of course I want to know what is going on! Well Tio was there with Mommy until they took me back to the room and then he left to go get Daddy.

When I woke up Mommy came to the room to get me and gave me some juice and stayed with me until they said I was ready to go to my room. I wasn't sure why we had to stay, but my face hurt more than last time and they gave me more medicine. I got some phentenol something or other and later on some oxycodone. Mommy said they had to cut further down to check out my bone and see what was going on. She said they found some of my plates that were breaking up and that was causing the infection, but they cleaned it all out and I should be good to go.

Then we went back to this short stay place. They say if you are only going to be there 24 hrs that is where you go. It was cool, the nurse had me in my crib and was rolling me around and we went on an elevator and she said I was doing so good. And then I met another nurse and we took some more medicine. It wasn't that bad, except for this thing they had on my hand. Okay, I have had IV's before, but this was crazy. It was pretty big and in my wrist, so they had special wrapping on it and then Mommy and the nurse decided they needed to put a sock over it so I would try to pull at it, but then they took away my fingers! That is was got me frustrated the most. I couldn't really pull myself up or crawl around and all of these wires! And sticky stuff on my chest, even Mommy didn't like it because it was hard to pick me up with all of these things hanging down. But I ended up having a bottle and falling asleep with Mommy for a bit and then Daddy came! It was good to see him. Daddy picked me up and switched places with Mommy and then I fell asleep on him in the chair.

That night wasn't so bad and I felt a lot better in the morning. And we got to go home! Dr. Liau came down to show Mommy and Daddy my scan that morning and said everything looked really good. Mommy and Daddy were happy. I just thought it was cool that I could see my head on the computer screen!

It was great on Saturday, we got home early from the hospital and I got to see my new car! Well it is not new, but it is new to me. I had never been in Daddy's car and he fixed it this weekend and we went out in it! It was pretty cool. On Sunday I was hanging outside with Daddy and Mommy and Jersey just sitting in the backyard laughing and playing in the sun. Mommy got the bubbles to work and they were pretty cool too!

Titi Chell and her friend Mickey came over on Sunday. Titi Chell bought me this cool turtle toy thing with a hammer. I was trying to figure it out. I really like to take the hammer and bang it on the table! That was fun and everyone seemed to react when I did it! We also went shopping, well that is what Mommy said, I was asleep the entire time. Titi Chell bought me my Easter outfit and said that Pop-Pop was buying Nino and Lauren their Easter outfits on the same day, so we had to do it also. Mommy said I got new shoes and a new outfit and she wants to take pictures next week so we will see how this all works out! She keeps talking about these pictures things. I mean we take pictures all the time, what can be so special about going somewhere to take pictures?

Okay, I need to stop talking all of this has made me sleepy. Here are some hospital pics from Friday.

Here I am listening to the nurse, waiting to go to the back to get gassed.

These were after surgery. My face was still numb and I was a little out of it. You can see my yellow sock covered hand in one of the pictures. Oh you see how red my cheeks are, that is because the tape they put on me pulled my skin off!!!

This was a little dark. It was really early in the morning and I was trying to break out of my crib!

Busy Busy Morning for my 9 MONTH BIRTHDAY!!

Well this morning Mommy and I went to my pediatrician for my check up. The stats are:

19 lbs. 15 oz. and 27 in.

And the doctor who saw me said I was so smart and delightful, oh and so cute! All the things Mommy tells me. She said I was doing so well in all of my gross motor skills (yeah, no idea what that means, but Mommy told her that I could pick things up with my fingers and walk around the furniture and stuff. So I guess it is related) Oh and she gave me this toy....yeah I have no idea why people like these things. Have you ever seen those weird balls that have these rubbery strings that come out of them??? WHO THOUGHT THAT WAS FUN? So weird. It is just weird to touch. Mommy tried to buy me a big ball this weekend, but uh NO I was not a fan. So when the doctor came into the office with this little rabbit with that ball rubbery string body yeah I just looked at Mommy and she knew what I was thinking...."No way." But the doctor also gave Mommy some bubbles too. Who knows maybe these will work.

Then it was in the car, pick up Tio and off to UNC to go see my doctor that likes to put a mask on me and make me go to sleep. Yeah he is the one with the knife that has done my surgeries. Well my surgery from two weeks ago, not so good. The spot is infected again. So he actually pulled out a little knife and cut me there in the office! It sounds a lot worse than what it really is. It wasn't that bad. I just don't like them messing with me. Mommy had to hold my head. They tried to use Tio to distract me. I am too smart for that people! You should know that by now.....

Oh and I saw Leah in the hallway. Yeah the one who makes me drink that funky stuff to check my swallowing. Yeah, I got a little nervous when I saw her, but it was okay she just wanted to say Hi.

So now the doctor is talking about a CT scan. Beats me what that is, but Mommy said I had one before when I was smaller. I don't remember, but I will believe her. I kind of have to. She is my mother. Oh and he said then another surgery to clean out this nasty thing and maybe staying over at the hospital! It is a lot, but I know Mommy and Daddy will be there with me. I think she and Daddy are a little worried. They have been kissing me WAAAAAAY more than usual. It's okay I still like it. LOL

Oh these are those balls...yeah NOT A FAN....TOO WEIRD AND WIGGLY

I Have Been Pretty Busy...

I know it has been a while, but I have been doing a lot of things: working on this walking thing. I am SO good at walking around the table and even walking holding on to the wall! It is pretty cool. I get a little tripped up when I run out of wall or I see Mommy or Daddy and I want to walk over to them. I kind of just throw myself closer to them and try to land on them. WHY NOT! It may seem a bit funny, but I am a little guy we do these things. I am still figuring it all out. Oh and I am so fast at this crawling thing. Mommy thinks it is funny when I crawl into the kitchen because she can hear my hands slapping on the floor. I HATE that....it means I can't sneak up on her!! But I go in there and keep her company sometimes. Oh and I love to steal that towel she has hanging from the stove. LOL I'll take that thing and go everywhere with it. She keeps telling me not to hold on to the stove, but it is cool! It is all shiny and I can see this other baby in the window. Oh, and I am trying to work on my pronunciation of the word "No". I think I have it down pretty good. Mommy tries to get me to blow kisses and says MUAH, they think they are going to get me to stop saying it....LOL sorry guys. You armed me with it and I will use it. Sometimes I wonder what I am supposed to use it for, but hey, it is something that I say.

Oh let me tell you THESE people (my parents that is) tried to convince me they were doing me a favor by buying me a new car seat! Who do they think they are kidding?! It is the same thing that keeps me from moving in the car. It is a mobile jail I tell you. Oh yeah it is all fancy and big, with a pillow or something and some other straps, yeah I even have a cup holder. FOR WHAT!!! Not necessary, I don't even like the cup, haven't you all noticed? Sheesh....well they said it will be better when we go to Jersey at the end of the month. They said I will be more comfortable. Yeah Mommy tried to put me in it last night at the house. WOO- HOO that was funny. I don't think I ever moved that fast to squirm out of the seat. I mean eventually I will have to use it, but I am still not convinced it will be better.

Well this weekend I went out to breakfast with Gwen and Mommy. That was pretty cool and then we just hung out. Mommy bought me these things called bubbles. She was excited, but I don't know what the fuss was about. She opened them on Sunday to show me and she got upset. I guess they didn't work. I was interested, but nothing really happened. Maybe it needs batteries or something. When my other toys don't work that's what we do, we change the batteries. Maybe I'll tell Mommy to get batteries for the bubbles. Oh well.

Hey check out these pics. You guys know I love to go under the table and mess with those CD's, Mommy caught me AGAIN and she now has proof.....