myles oliver : monthbymonth 12

This kid.  Seriously such a joy.  

A year ago, Kyle and I were sitting in the living room timing contractions.  Kyle calling the hospital to decide whether we should go in because they just were not very consistent but definitely getting closer together.  Around 11pm on the 12th, we headed to the hospital and were admitted.  Apparently by that point my parents were already on the road because Kyle had sneakily texted them and told them it would be a good idea to head down here.  I was admitted and given a room pretty quickly.   The nurses had a hard time getting the iv started and that was seriously the worst part of the entire experience for me.  We tried to get a little sleep but I knew it wouldn't happen while I felt the contractions, so I broke and went for the epidural around 2am.  Well, that did its job, but having to bend over so far for the procedure just pushed Myles further up into my ribs.  So no sleep for me at all.  

The doctor on call that night was nice but was definitely the more awkward/quiet one that I had met from the practice.  I secretly hoped Myles would hold out for the shift change so I could get someone else.  This doctor did mention wanting to give me some Pitocin but I knew I did NOT want that unless there was a problem.  There wasn't and I continued to progress through the day.  I did let him break my water after the epidural.  My parents got to the hospital around 3am or so and just checked in on me every now and then.  Sometime in the morning I asked the nurses to find out what doctor would be taking the day shift with me.  Of course!  The only doctor from my group that I hadn't met yet (Dr. G).  He stopped in around lunch time to check on me and said everything was looking great.  I immediately loved this guy and was excited that he was going to be the doctor.  Around 3pm Dr. G checked and said I was 10 cm but my contractions were still only 3-4 minutes apart so he was going to run and do a procedure really quick and would be right back.  About 30 minutes later the nurses that were with me that day (amazing amazing amazing women!) decided that my contractions might be about as close as they might get so wanted to see how Myles responded to a push.  

The ONLY reason I was bothered about getting an epidural was because I knew that being on your back was pretty much the worst position to be in.  I asked them if I could raise the bed up so that I was sitting up more.  They quickly got me positioned basically to sitting on the edge of the bed with my legs in the air.  I wanted gravity to help as much as possible despite my epidural.  Grabbing my legs had me pretty much folded in half and I was able (not really wanting to) to see everything that was happening.  The first push went pretty well and Dr. G showed up and was really excited how everything was progressing, so we kept going.  After about 25 minutes of pushing and some amazing coaching from Dr. G and the nurses and Kyle, Myles was born at exactly 4pm on his due date Nov. 13th.  Dr. G basically forced Kyle to cut the cord.  Kyle really just wanted to be a spectator and not a doctor for this experience.  A head full of hair that wasn't cone shaped since he came out so quickly, and a crooked nose was quickly cleaned off by Dr. G (per my request) and skin to skin time went relatively uninterrupted for the next hour.  We did ask one of the nurses to quickly weigh him for our own curiosity part way into our hour of time alone with our son.  

We stayed in the hospital for 2 nights and were surrounded by our families the entire time.  The nurses were completely amazing.  The lactation consultants were extremely helpful since Myles seemed to only want to nurse on one side.  It could not have really been much of a better experience.  Unless they had let me eat while I was waiting for Myles to arrive.  That would have been nice.  

A year later, you are about 21 lbs and 30 inches tall (your doctor's appointment isn't until next week so I'm guestimating here), have basically 6 teeth (4ish on top and two on bottom).  You still eat pretty well but are having issues with your high chair.  You would much rather eat while standing or in my lap.  It might be because daddy is gone, or because I have started progressively weaning you to soy milk.  Or because I have let you do that for snack times and you think you can get away with it at meal time.  Whatever the reason, its annoying.  You love pizza, even weird ones like greek pizza with lots of feta and olives.  I recently tried out peanut butter on you and no allergy!  You are enjoying PB&Js!!!

Not walking yet, but several times a day you will get distracted and let go of whatever is supporting you to hold onto your cup or a ball or something.  You are standing longer and longer amounts of time.  You climb all over everything and try using everything you can as a step stool.  You are certainly mischievous and have perfected your "look".  You know exactly what you aren't supposed to get into or go and look at me and grunt right before you do exactly that.  You love trying to "share" everything with the cats and me and your friends.  You cuddle with everyone and have been known to launch yourself into the arms of complete strangers.

Your hummed "meow" has evolved into "mam mam" every time you see the cats and sometimes you say "buh buh" when you wave goodbye.  You like the "T" sound, going around saying "atttttttt".  We think you are trying to say daddy but it usually comes out as "da Ttttt" it is probably still just a sound to you, more than a word with a meaning.  I think you tried to say "ball" one time while playing with a ball.

We had to make an upgrade this month, you really seem to enjoy being in your big boy car seat now.  A lot less whining and the cupholder is your favorite feature.  For now it is your "snack cup" and you immediately put your hand in there to check for some rogue Cheerios.

you were Dr. Conway for Halloween.  We were your patients.  

It might be you getting older, or just your response to daddy being gone, but you have been extra snuggly lately.  Several times a day you will want up on the couch with me and just sit there or lay next to me for minutes at a time.  I am soaking that time up since all other moments of the day you are busy busy busy all over the house.

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching you morph from newborn to little boy these 12 months Myles Oliver.  I can't wait to see what you get into next!