Five Months Old and Life With My Toddler Boy!!

The Kurtz family continues to be in for a wild ride! The babies and I have temporarily moved to North Augusta, SC, while Daddy Chad flies back and forth to Baton Rouge. There are days when everything seems against us for sure... but then we hear our Brooks saying new words and Parker laughing out loud and we are ok.

Parker spent his 3rd month birthday, 4th month birthday, AND his 5th month birthday in the hospital. Needless to say, we are pretty tired of hospitals. We have just finished a 10 day stay at Scottish Rites hospital in Atlanta. We feel like progress is finally being made!! Parker is now fed through an NJ tube (running from his nose to his intestines). He is doing fantastic on his tube feeds!! Since becoming a tubie, Parker's hair is growing back incredibly fast, his liver enzyme levels are completly within normal range, and his head tremors are less and less each day. It is amazing what good nutrition has done for him! Unfortunately, having a tube in your nose as a 5 month old isn't very convenient. We should hear from Parker's surgeon soon to decide what is next. I can't overemphasize how much better Parker is doing! Even though he gets a few sympathetic looks and questions from well meaning strangers, we are completely confident that tube feeding has been the best decision we have made for Parker. Chad and I don't even see that tube.. we just see that pretty, sweet face!

As for Brooks, he is officially 20 months old!! We will have a 2 year old on our hands very soon. Too soon! He is such a ray of sunshine each day. It is so fun to hear his little voice as he learns new words. He now says, "please," "Papa," "Daddy," uh oh," "here," and "thank you" pretty consistently. He is such a sweet little helper. He enjoys helping Mema with the laundry and unloading the dishes. Brooks is having a lot of fun here in North Augusta. Having extra help with Parker, I have been able to spend some much needed time with just my Brooks. I have MISSED that boy!

Parker receiving pet therapy from his friend Sams in the hospital! :)

Sweet Parker finally getting some rest.

Our little crawfish... This is what happens with a 5 month old has a tube in his nose. They put diapers on his hands to keep him from pulling it out more. He was so proud of pulling out that tube... he fell right asleep!

Brooksie got sick for the first time EVER. The upside of getting your blood drawn.. he got a sucker for the first time!!

After refusing to eat breakfast for a week, we discovered that Brooks would only eat if he fed himself!

Parker Kurtz is 5 months old and GROWING!

Sweet brothers loving each other!

Four Months Old and Life with My Toddler Boy!

It's been another roller coaster of a month! We've already established in the past couple of months that Parker is a hot medical mess! He is such a sweetheart though. Those big blue eyes just melt our hearts. We can't really call him "little red" anymore, because all of his pretty hair fell out.... in one day!  He looks so different as a baldy... especially since all of this oatmeal has made him pack on the pounds. He is still smiling as usual. Really, our Parker is an angel! :) We have a consultation with a surgeon in another week to see if Parker is a good candidate for the Nissen surgery. Even if the surgeon thinks that this is great for Parker, Chad and I will have a big decision to make regarding this surgery. With the Nissen, it's not a "cure" for reflux. Instead, essentially his esophagus and stomach will be permanently changed. We need to make sure that this will be the best long term decision for him. In other news, Parker is getting soooo strong!! He can now roll over both ways! That's a BIG DEAL for a 4 month old!

Brooks has been the BEST big brother ever!!! We are so LUCKY that Brooks is such a easy and happy boy. He honestly just goes with the flow. He doesn't mind who takes care of him, just as long as he has cookies AND the Grinch! Yes, we are still watching the Grinch at the end of January... SEVERAL times a day. Brooks walks around with his movie box all day long and "kisses" his Grinch. We love that silly boy!

Sweet baby Parker... back in the hospital. 

I LOVE these brothers together!

Big brother roaming the halls! 

Brooks spent a lot of time with his cousins! 

Four Months Old!! Now in the 75% for height and weight! 

Both boys with Daddy at 18 mo and 4 mo appointments. 

Big beautiful eyes!

Brooks having so much FUN at a birthday party!

Three Months Old and Life with my Toddler Boy!

Woo! What a month it has been!!! We started off with a trip to the ER with Parker, a week in GA/SC with my family, a NINE day stay in the hospital with Parker, home just in time for Christmas, then Christmas in NOLA, and we ended this whirlwind month with one last trip to the ER! I think we FINALLY have our red-head fixed! Before Parker's hospitalization, he cried in pain pretty much all day, every day. It was heartbreaking. Now, he plays and is happy all day, and sleeps for 8 hour stretches at night. AMAZING! And boy did we miss our Brooks! We thank God for healing our youngest and letting us all be back together again!

Santa visited Parker at the hospital!

With his peach hospital gown, everyone kept telling us how pretty "she" is!

Mema took Brooks to see Santa!

Big Brother visiting at the hospital. 

No more IV!! He's ready to go home!

3 Months Old.. 12 lb 7 oz (25%) and 24 in (50%)

Home Sweet Home... in time for Christmas!

This boy LOVES his trains!

Opening presents with Maw Maw. 

Just taking it ALL in!

I LOVE watching him play.

Christmas morning with Mema and Papa. 

These two always seem to sleep in the same position. So sweet!

Loving on brother!

Look at this happy baby!

The WILD boy!

The Start of the Christmas Season!

Brooks woke up this morning to a decorated house, an elf, and elf juice (chocolate milk). He was AMAZED! This may even be better than Christmas morning!

Pure JOY!

There he is.. our Elf on a Shelf!

 A letter to Brooks & Parker from our Elf.

Elf juice is DELICIOUS!

Two Months Old and Life with My Toddler Boy!

Well, Parker turned two months old on Friday and big boy Brooks is 17 months old tomorrow. Our lives are so busy these days.. time is flying! We've talked a lot in the past month about how much we truly enjoy being parents of two very young babies! It is challenging for sure... but so rewarding to be able to raise these boys together. As I said, we've been busy! We've had Halloween, which Brooks LOVED! He was the cutest little Super Man I have ever seen! We've taken a trip to the aquarium. Ooh, and we also braved our first time out to eat as a family of four!! The boys did great!

Brooks and Parker are so very sweet together. Brooks is such a good helper. He always thinks Parker needs a bottle shoved in his mouth! Sweet boy.. he is becoming a much more gentle giant. Brooks lays on the floor with Parker during his tummy time and LOVES to play with his little feet in the bath. Parker is now smiling. I swear it is the sweetest smile I have ever seen! He can also roll over!! Impressive!!

I'll leave you with a cute story from Parker's pediatrician appointment. As Parker was being weighed and measured this morning, the (new) nurse commented, "Look at you, big sexy... you have grown!" I told her, "No way... the real big sexy (Brooks) is at home!"

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We are BEYOND thankful for this life we are sharing with these children.

Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is GOOD!

Brooks playing on his early Christmas present from Mema and Papa!

This is how Parker spent Halloween!

Super Brooks!

Sweet sleeping angel. 

LSU v Bama!

Brooks was amazed by the big tanks at the aquarium. 

Look at that BIG smile! 

These two do EVERYTHING together! Sweet brothers! 

Learning to feed myself with a spoon, It is messy! 

Tummy time! 

Two months old... 12 lb 4 oz (75%) and 23 in (50%)

One Month Old and Life with my Toddler Boy!

Well it has already been one whole sleep deprived month since sweet little Parker (or 'Little Red' as I like to call him) was born. Even with all of his reflux issues, he is a sweet baby. He is a growing baby too! On our scale at home (no dr appt until next month), he weighs 10 pounds! Yes, right on track with big boy Brooks! The nurse at our pediatrician's office said, "you guys are raising big men." We agree. Parker is very alert these days. You can really tell his eyes are focusing better when he looks at us with those big blue eyes. In fact, Parker seems to never sleep! He likes to stare at me and coo all night long. And I better not even think of putting him down or he will scream his head off! I am taking it as a compliment that he thinks his Mommy is pretty. :) Maybe his infatuation will end with me soon so I can get a little sleep. 

Let me tell you about big brother Brooks! Initially we were pretty concerned with how rough Brooks would be around Parker. Well, the rough period only lasted about a week. Our baby giant is so gentle and sweet with his little brother. He likes to hold his little tiny hands, touch his sweet little feet, and pat that red head! As soon as Brooks wakes up from nap time, he runs to Parker's crib to look at his brother. He runs to him when he cries and thinks that Parker always need his paci. 

Daddy and Parker sleeping. 

Brooks always coming to check on his little brother! 

Sleeping like a little angel! 

Brooks picking out the perfect pumpkin. 

Brooks with two baby pumpkins for he and Parker. 

Sweet Parker is growing! 

Little Red is 1 month old! 

Silly Brooks playing in Parker's room.