ENT Visit

Bentley sat like such a big boy waiting on the doctor.

Bentley had his appointment with the Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor yesterday. I suppose the visit was bittersweet. The good news...there is a solution to all of Bentley's ear infections. The bad news...he has to get tubes in his ears. He had a hearing test while we were there, and they said his hearing was not as good as it should be, but he's got residual fluid and mucous in both of his ears from all the infections he's had. So, after getting tubes, they'll recheck his hearing, and they expect it to be back to normal. Bentley was such a big boy, so his Daddy and I were both proud of him. His surgery is scheduled for the morning of June 11th, so we'll keep you updated.

Mother's Day and 13 Month Update

Mommy and Bentley...just before church on Mother's Day.

Well, let's see...where to start?

I think I'll start with Mother's Day.  Such a special day!  Last year was my first Mother's Day, and Bentley was about one month old.  He was sweet and cuddly, cute and snuggly, but none of that compares to this Mother's Day.  Seeing my little guy come down the stairs with Daddy wearing my new beach hat (I've wanted one for a while, so Bentley and Daddy made it happen!) was priceless.  We played and ate breakfast before going to church and then went and did the "family thing" in Arab.  Bentley was so sweet all day, and I loved my little Snuggle Monster wanting, "Mama."  He is a bit of a stick-tight these days.  I think he's come to the realization that I leave him every morning to go to work, so when he's got me...he wants me, which is FINE BY ME!

Overall, our actual Mother's Day was nice.  We went to church, visited with family, relaxed a bit at home, and went to dinner with Russ, Cyndel, and Coen.  While Sunday was nice, Daniel took the opportunity to celebrate Mother's Day with me on Friday evening.  DATE NIGHT!!  We are starting a Friday night rotation with all the grandparents.  The will come to the house to keep Bentley, so Daniel and I can have some alone time to unwind, reconnect, and enjoy one another's company without distraction.  This is a big step, you know.  I tell everyone that I am very stingy with my baby time.  I have to work each day, and Bentley is in bed between 7:30 and 8:00 each night, so I only get about four hours a day with him.  So, I don't want to pawn him off when I do have a chance to spend time with him.  That's why I'm not ready to do overnight visits.  I think we might start that this summer when I'm home all day with Bentley...we'll see.

ANYWAYS...where was I?  Date night...Daniel made reservations for us at Bonefish Grill, which is one of my favorite restaurants.  We enjoyed the Bang Bang Shrimp, and I had the Angler's Steak while he had the Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi.  SOOOO Yummy!  We had a fabulous, care free, relaxing, and responsibility free dinner.  Those are few and far between these days.  After eating, we went shopping at Bridgestreet Towne Center.  The weather was perfect, the temperature was ideal, and it was a wonderful night.  Daniel definitely made me feel appreciated. 

Saturday was a fun day for us, as well.  Bentley's friend, Anna Scott (Scott and Mary Catherine's daughter), turned one on May 10th, so we celebrated her birthday on Saturday afternoon.  The party was amazing.  The decorations were beautiful, the food was delicious, and there were lots of kiddos enjoying one another's company.  I hope that Bentley and Anna Scott grow to be good friends one day. 

Well, that pretty much sums up our weekend.  We managed to forget the camera for the birthday party and the family get-together this weekend, so I only have a couple of pictures to share from our weekend.  Sorry!

You'll notice he looks just like Daddy, but he has my blue eyes.

See those teeth!  (His, not mine)

13 Month Update

Bentley just keeps growing, getting smarter and funnier, and stealing my heart each day.  He has always been a pretty good sleeper, but he has been amazing, lately.  He goes to bed between 7:30 and 8:00, always awake, and is usually asleep within 5 minutes without fussing at all.  I got tickled last night after putting him to bed.  He was calling Daddy...loudly.  Every few seconds, you could hear him, "Dada, Dada, DADA!"  I was laughing.  Sometimes you can hear him, talking to his nightlight, too.  He'll say, "li, li."  Eventually, though, he'll lay his little head down, curl up with is legs under him, and drift off to sleep.  He's been sleeping all night without needing his paci, too.  I usually put it in his bed when I get up at 5:30, but he doesn't cry for it in the night anymore.  Lately, I have to go in and wake him in the mornings, too.  He rarely wakes up before 7:00 anymore.  He's taking one nap at school each day, and sometimes I quick nap for me in the evenings, but he still takes two naps on the weekends.  I hope I can get him into a good routine when I'm off this summer...fingers crossed.

Bentley is still eating really well.  He's over 18 pounds now, thank goodness!  He loves pizza, spaghetti, ravioli, smoked sausage, tomatoes, bananas, sweet potatoes, applesauce, and yogurt.  At school he eats really well, too, with his favorites including chicken nuggets, beef nuggets, lil' smokies, pizza, and hamburgers.  I think he has a new breakfast food, too...Pancakes (with syrup).  He's just like his Mommy!

As I showed in the last post, Bentley is walking.  We didn't think he would actually ever choose to walk, though he's been taking steps since he was 11 months old.  Crawling was just WAY faster.  But...when he was 1 year, 1 week, and 1 day old, he decided walking was pretty cool, and he's been strolling ever since.  He's still a bit wobbly, but he's getting faster and more steady each day.  He tried to take off running the other day, but he didn't get very far.  He's so cute and looks like such a big boy.  Where did my baby go???

Bentley's language is OFF THE CHART!  He is so smart (if I do say so myself).  He still uses most of the words from his one year post, except he's changed a few things, so I'll just start over with a new list.  Here's our 13 month list of words:

1. Mama
2. Dada
3. Titi - Sissy (Porsche)
4. Ba - Ball
5. Ba Baw - Golf ball 
6. Mmmm - Moo (When asked, "What does a cow say?"
7. Bu/Bup - Cup (for playing with in the bathtub)
8. Ba ba - Paci
9. Ma ma - Bunny (Sleepy Bunny)
10. Mi - Milk
11. Na - Cup of juice
12. Nana - Banana
13. Bea bea - Brown Bear
14. Boo - Book
15. Ba (with a short /a/) - Bath
16. Do do - Toothbrush (with the same intonation that I use to say "toothbrush")
17. All Done - I can't really get across the way he says it, but his intonation is perfectly the same as when I say "all done."
18. Bye Bye - But only on his terms or when he wants to go out the door to leave.
19. Hi - As he waves to everyone we pass in the grocery store.
20. Lie - Light
21. Dat - That
22. Baba - Vaccuum
23. No - Nose
24. Eye - with a great country accent
25. Bite bite - food (lately he's tried to say "dada," but when corrected, he says "bite bite."
26. Uh Uh - Uh Oh
27. Bebe - Baby 
28. Wawa - water (So cute to hear him say, "Bye Bye, Wawa" in the bathtub as the water runs out.)
29. Kitty Kitty - He doesn't actually say "kitty kitty," but he sticks his tongue in and out trying to.
30. He doesn't actually say bird and dog, but he refers to them with his particular sounds.

You may have noticed he calls is Sleepy Bunny "Mama."  This is not just a one time thing.  It's ALL THE TIME!  I told him, "I don't know whether to be honored or offended, but you gave your favorite thing MY name."  I'm choosing to feel honored.  His Sleepy Bunny is his most prized possession, so maybe he associates it with me, his Mama. :)  That's all I can remember for now...maybe I remembered them all.

As you can tell, he's developing beautifully.  I couldn't be more proud of my little guy.  I am so excited that I get to stay home with him over the summer.  Just 9 more days of school, and he's all mine!  And thanks to the passing of the new bill, school cannot start until August 20th, so YIPPEE, summer will be even longer than expected!

As a send off...here's some of Bentley's favorite things:

1. Sleepy Bunny (Still number one)
2. Paci (But only in the car or when I need him plugged up for some other reason)
3. His golf clubs
4. Wagon rides
5. Playing outside
6. Eating dinner outside
7. His toothbrush (And my toothbrush, and Daddy's toothbrush, and any toothbrush he can find) :)
8. His truck and airplane (He's learning how to move his feet to make them move.)
9. Bath time (Filling up cups under the running water is his new favorite thing and swimming on his belly.)
10. Laying down on the floor at any moment in time and in any place.  SO Funny!

Til' next time...Enjoy!

Eating outside...check out his tray and cup.  They are both covered in mashed potatoes.  He enjoyed this meal of grilled BBQ chicken, loaded mashed potatoes, and cinnamon apples.

Bentley wants to say "Thank You" to Anna Scott for her party treats.  This marshmallow on a stick was delicious! 

"I can just nearly get the whole thing in my mouth, Mommy."

Examining the marshmallow to make sure he takes the correct strategy.

Lately...

Well, I'm behind on quite a few happenings around the Bowling household.  For starters, Bentley had his first weekend stay away from home since he was 4 months old.  (With Mommy and Daddy of course.)  We went to Nashville for Daniel and Russ to run the Music City Half Marathon.  That's right...they ran 13.1 miles, and they are still alive.  We met Scott and Mary Catherine up there, as well, because they were also running in the race. 

Overall, it was a good trip, but Bentley was definitely affected by the change in routine.  He is usually asleep no later than 8:00, but on Friday night before the marathon, he didn't get in bed (pack-n-play) until after 10:00.  Then, to top that off, Daniel and Russ had to get up at 4:45, so Coen thought it was time to get up, too.  So....shortly after that (barely after 5:00), Bentley was also awake.  Hmmmm...7 hours of sleep compared to 11 hours of sleep...NOT EQUIVALENT.  In addition to having very little sleep, Bentley was also suffering from a double ear infection.  Poor guy!  I picked him up from school Thursday, and he was running a fever.  In the night that night, it got up to 103.3.  YIKES!  Daniel took him to the doctor on Friday, and it was confirmed...Double ear infection, so now we are going to the ENT on the 16th to see if he is going to need tubes.  This is his sixth ear infection, so I think he will need them.  Overall, Bentley did well.  He was a little grumpy from not feeling good and lack of sleep, but he was really good considering both of those things.  Here's a couple of pictures of the runners!

Here's the runners coming down Broadway.  Can you see Daniel and Russ??
Yeah, me neither!

We stood at the finish line for over an hour waiting to see the boys.  Once it started looking like this...we gave up!

Scott and Mary Catherine after the race.

Russ, Mary Catherine, Scott, and Daniel
They all look better than I would after running 13.1 miles!

After running, we walked back to our room for the boys to shower and rest. 

Resting with Daddy, right before drifting off to sleep.

Then we headed to lunch.  We ate at a local brewery that was SOOOOO delicious!  I had the best pasta I've had in a LONG time!  Once we finished lunch, we said our goodbyes to Scott and MC, and we went on a horse and carriage ride downtown.  Bentley and Coen liked it a lot. 

Mommy, Daddy, and Bentley riding in the carriage...so much fun!

The heat was exhausting, and so was lack of sleep, so Cyndel, Coen, Bentley, and I headed to the hotel for a NAP!!!  Oh, how I loved my nap!  The boys were taking in the town while we were snoozing, but we met up again to eat dinner at Hard Rock Cafe.  After a much better night's sleep, we were ready to go on Sunday morning.  Cyndel and I had planned out the day already...we were going to the ZOO!  This was Bentley's first trip to the zoo, and he loved it.  We were there for about 4 hours, and he was good the whole time.  He did get a little antsy towards the end, but he was really tired, so I can't blame him for that.  Here's our pictures of Bentley's first trip to the zoo!

Bentley was asleep when we got to the zoo, so I managed to keep him asleep while getting him in the stroller for  quick nap.

Meerkat...this is Porsche's stance (how she stands when she begs).

Coen really enjoyed the Petting Zoo.

The flamingos were Bentley's favorite animal.  They got in a bit of a fight while we were watching, too.

Bentley is pointing at the flamingos here.  Too cute.

This is the face I got when he realized I was pointing the camera at him.

Coen was "reading the map."

Looking at zebras.

Mommy's big boy!

The Fortenberry Family...if you look really closely behind Coen, you can see Cyndel's belly.
Say, "Hi," Reese!

The Bowling Family on the Choo Choo Train

Bentley loved riding the train!

What does an elephant say?
ROLL TIDE!

Mommy and Bentley feeding the birds.

We had such at good time, and I think Bentley loved it!  I'm so glad he had a chance to enjoy the zoo!

That's about it for now.  I have a ton of updates on Bentley, but it's so close to his 13 month post that I think I'll wait to update all of that stuff.  Although...here is a clip of his biggest milestone yet.  Bentley started walking when he was 1 year, 1 week, and 1 day old.  Here's a clip of the first couple of days walking.  He was really wobbly and slow, but those days are gone.  He's getting faster and steadier each day.

Have a great week! 

G.R.U.M.P.Y

Not grumpy here...I love being outside!

G   is for Good Golly Gracious...teething stinks!!!

R   is for REALLY...how bad can it be???

U   is for Unbelievable...the first two teeth weren't bad.

M   is Miserable...my baby is so sad.

P   is for Painful...his cry just hurts me so.

Y   is for Your Kidding...how many teeth are left to go?

Poor Bentley has started the wonderful world of teething.  His first two teeth were super easy with hardly any signs of discomfort.  He is starting to cut one of his upper teeth, and he is pitiful.  He's grumpy, wants to be held (all the live long day), in pain, and has diarrhea.  To go along with all of that...the diarrhea has caused his first bad case of diaper rash.  When I changed his diaper and gave him a bath, he SCREAMED!  So sad.  I was about to cry with him.  He looked at me with his pitiful face as if to say, "Help me, Mommy."  It broke my heart (and Daddy's, too).  You can see one place in his gums that is swollen and bulging.  I think the tooth is about to break through, and maybe he will get some relief when it does.  Keep him in your thoughts and prayers.  I'll post another update soon with some good news.  For now...this is it...Mr. Grumpygus!

'Til next time...See Ya!!!

Pulling at my Heartstrings

Today...

Today my heart is heavy.  I have so much to be thankful for, and I am so blessed, but still I feel so saddened.  Through reading a friend's blog (Redeeming Impressions), I was drawn to another blog, Avery's Bucket List.  I thought...that sounds cute (thinking of the movie, Bucket List).  I was right...it is cute, funny, uplifting...and at the same time...heartwrenching, saddening, and just plain painful.  As I read about Avery, a 5 month old with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy), I just kept thinking about her parents.  What must it feel like to have to raise a child knowing that in a short time...she will die?  What must it feel like to carry a baby for nine months, expecting to have her for a lifetime, only to find out that her lifetime is a mere expected 18 months.

Let me start over...Avery has SMA.  This is a genetic disorder that is somewhat common (compared to other syndromes and disorders), though so many people have never heard of it, including me, until today.  1 in 40 people are carriers of the SMA gene.  If two carriers have children, their children have a 25% chance of having SMA.  The sad part...genetic testing could inform parents of this chance, though it is not a routine test that is administered.  Rather, carriers have a child and, after the fact, learn that their child will only live a very short life.  The purpose of Avery's blog is to inform others and raise awareness.  Thus, I am trying to do just that for Avery.

Here is a synopsis of what Avery has to say...

Imagine you've been diagnosed with an incurable genetic disease and you are told you will not only lose your ability to walk and move your arms, but you will die between now and the next 18 months. What would you do? My name is Avery Lynn Canahuati, I'm almost 5 months old, and this has become my reality. But before I die, there's a few things I'd like to accomplish...this is my bucket list and my story. SHARE IT & HELP ME TELL THE WORLD ABOUT SMA!

The entire blog is written from the perspective of sweet Avery.  There are multiple posts about her health, condition, and what she has gone through in her short life.  There are more posts about her "bucket list."  Her strong, courageous, brave, and LOVING parents have made it their mission to make sure her life is full and prosperous.  Avery has accomplished so much in her short life, and it's captured through the blog.  PLEASE...take a moment to check it out. 

Here's the part that simply killed my happy spirit today...after I took my students to lunch, I took a moment to check my email, follow up on paperwork, and check Avery's blog to see if any new posts had been added.  There was a new post entitled, Avery Lynn Canahuati 11/11/11-4/30/12.  That's right, Avery passed away yesterday.  A 5 month old little girl that has done nothing wrong in the world, passed away after living with a disorder that impaired her life.  So often, at times like these, we wonder, how could God do this?  I know it's not enough to say that my heart was touched by sweet Avery, but perhaps that is what God was doing.  Millions of people from countries around the world have been touched by Avery's story, and I hope you will be too. 

Take a short time to see her sweet face, hear her sweet voice, and take in her sweet smile.  Pray for her family.  Remember to take time to love your own family.  Watch your children grow, thrive, learn, and play.  Feel their arms around you.  Feel their kisses on your face.  See their smiles as they wake each day.  And know...Avery's parents have all of those things in memory.  They don't get to do those things anymore.  BUT...Avery is waiting patiently, happily, and courageously in Heaven. 

I had planned to post about Bentley tonight.  I wanted to give you all the latest stats, tell about his new accomplishments, and fill you in on the my sweet baby.  Rather, though, I will save this post just for Avery.  She deserves it.  If I can help her to raise awareness about SMA and have at least one more person feel as touched as I am about her story, that's all I can hope for. 

Avery Lynn Canahuati

She did not let SMA take her smile away.