Houston is 1 year old

Our sweet and precious miracle baby turned 1 year old on Sept 3, 2012. HARD TO BELIEVE!! One year since our 26 week 5 day old baby boy entered this world so unexpectedly and changed our lives forever.

Here are his stats:

Size 3 diaper

18 month clothes

22lbs 1oz

29.49 inches in length

45.7 cm head circumference 

Preemie growth chart:

Weight: 73 percentile

Length: 84 percentile

Head circumference: 60 percentile

Full-Term growth chart:

Weight: 34 percentile

Length: 33 percentile

Head circumference: 30 percentile

His pediatrician was very pleased with his growth and could not be happier with his stats and how he his in the 30th percentile on the full-term growth chart. He received 3 shots and we go back in 30 days for his second dose of the flu shot. Since his doctor or myself had any concerns with his health and progress we were in and out in very little time.

She did suggest we start to wing him off his bottles and by at least 15 months old be bottle free. Landon winged himself off the bottle at 10 months. Houston doesn't seem to be giving up his bottle on his own so we are going to have to start gradually taking it out of his day.

She also said to go ahead and give him whole milk and give up the formula. ;o) 

We stopped giving him baby food and are completely on foods that we eat and foods he is able to feed himself.

His favorite foods are:

YoBaby yogurt

cheese cubes

vegetable straws (vegetable chips)

graham crackers

green beans

carrots

strawberries

bananas

apple sauce

Gerber Yogurt Melts and Gerber Puffs

he pretty much eats anything you put in front of him ;)

6 teeth total; 4 on the bottom and 2 on the top

pulls to stand and started to cruise around on the furniture

says "ma-ma", "da-da" and "ba-ba" and a bunch of other sounds

He LOVES to play with BIG brother in his room

He LOVES to rub his face in blankets and snuggle with them

Does not take a paci or like to be rocked to sleep

Sleeps ALL night and gets up about 6am ready to eat a bottle but goes back to sleep till 8am

Houston at 1 day old

2lbs 7oz

3 months old

6 months old

9 months old

1 year old

Houston,

You light up our lives, you are perfect in every way. Even though you came so early and spent almost 3 months in the NICU I would not take it back for anything. Our journey with you has created a special bond that not a lot of parents can understand. Your daddy, brother and I were changed forever when you were born and we thank you for that. You are special and we are in awe how much you have over come despite what others may have said in the beginning.  You continue to amaze us each and every day. We love you and cant wait to see what year number 2 brings in your sweet little life. 

Love,

Mom, dad and brother