Two

Well gang...our Gaines is two.  I cannot even believe it.  The first year of his life seemed like it took 10 years (and probably took 10 years off my life) but this last one has gone by amazingly fast.  I'm starting to see him progress on a daily basis and the last several weeks and even months have been so good.  I'm not going to lie...I love that child with all my heart, but his first year was H.A.R.D. and there were times this year when I thought I was going to pull my hair out but it seems like now we might have turned a corner.  Don't get me wrong, he's two now and he has two year old fits and two year old power struggles but man...he is so enjoyable lately.  I hope that doesn't come out wrong.  Obviously I enjoy my children but the hard times with Gaines are fewer and fewer.  And I can't tell you how awesome that is.

He's gotten so "big" lately and so grown up.  I can't even really explain it.  He's just doing more grown up things.  He's been going to Gymboree this spring and is doing well there.  He's been eating better now that he's not on his appetite stimulant anymore.  He's also off his diuretics so maybe that's what it is.  Who knows?  At this point we are down to one medicine a day...well two I guess...Prevacid and Flovent (a puffer med so I don't really count it).  If things continue to go well we will start pushing for 4 hours off oxygen this weekend.  The 3 and 3 he's off now has also made such a huge difference.  Not having to haul around an oxygen tank anytime we leave the house is so nice.  I can't wait for it to be like that full time. 

Tomorrow Gaines get's assessed to see if he qualifies for Early Intervention speech therapy.  I feel pretty certain that he will.  He's making improvements but he is still behind in his speech.  I kind of think he'll end up getting it on his own...but if he qualifies for the therapy, I'll take any help he can get. 

Oh...you know how I've said before that I love seeing Gaines do things that Reed does or has done?  Well tonight Gaines was playing in the bathtub laying on his tummy...like Reed does all the time.  It just looked so "little boy playing in the tub". 

Anyway, we celebrated his birthday two weekends ago in Birmingham with Beau's side of the family and last weekend in Andalusia with mine...which was also Easter.  The pictures below are from the past weekend.

 In the swing at the Dream Park.

Loving life outside Saturday afternoon while Reed played in the sprinkler.

Not really loving life so much when the sprinkler hit him. Does it make me a bad mother that this picture makes me laugh?

Sweet brothers playing together.

Happy again.  These pictures don't even do him justice...he is such a beautiful child.

Cooling off with a Capri-Sun.

Sans cannula with Grandaddy (well my grandaddy, his great-grandaddy) at his birthday party.  I am loving seeing that whole face more and more.

Hunting eggs with cousin Sarah Anne.

My family with my grandmama.  I wish I'd gotten pictures with my other grandparents!

Cute little family of four.

Ok...this took a million years to put together.  I'm out for tonight.

Love to all,

Brittany