Cole's #1!

Sweet fancy bananas! We have been busy like bees doing all sorts of fun stuff. Don't worry, we took a few (thousand) pictures to show you guys what we've been up to. So sit back and grab a snack, there's a lot to review.

Kicking off the fun parade is Cole's birthday celebration. Our kid is officially one. That is nutso! And, a good reason to par-tay (insert crazy dance moves here).

Aunt Hanna swooped into town to boogie down with her favorite nephew. Unfortunately, she came down with THE PLAGUE en route to the festivities. She insisted on taking proper precautions. Safe, but sassy:



Cole got lots of gifts from his friends and family (thanks generous everybody!). At first he was all "rectangles? I love rectangles!"



But then he was all oohhhhhh, wrapping paper



Destruction! What a great gift!



But wait, there's more, it has a sweet candy center



It's escargot flavored, my favorite, nom nom nom



Escargot appetizer that is, because people, there was cake! Small cake really, of the cup variety. We drove all the way across town to get the best birthday treats in Boston for Cole's inaugural sweets. Lyndell's bakery, in a word, yum!

We were a little worried that once he'd tasted cake he'd never eat boring stuff like green beans again. So we were shocked (considering his double sweet toothed genes) when Cole wasn't entirely excited about the cupcake:



Still, Cole was mesmerized by candle fire



And intrigued



You talkin' to me?



Finger lickin' good



I crush the birthday cakelettes



Carnage



We capped off our birthday celebrations by visiting our favorite friends in the NICU

Hi Stacy, my primary pal! Let me just check your ID



Steve! My respiratory therapist, look how good I am at breathing, thanks for the tips!



Does this scale make me look fat?



No, kid, you look great!



Good times, good times. It was nice to visit my friends. Everybody was so smiley. What a happy day.

Speaking of smiles, we've been out and about doing lots of fun stuff like going to the playground.

Climbing on the jungle gym



Swinging on the swings



We went to the Newton Town Fair, mom and dad thought it would be fun. They ate cotton candy and corn dogs, and all I got was this lousy balloon



Boring much? Where's the fried dough, guys?

So, it's Fall in New England and state law practically requires us to do some seasonal activities. We headed north to Russell Orchards in Ipswich for some local type fun

We checked out the punkin patch









And made the acquaintance of the local residents







Oh, and there was doughnuts, hot homemade cider doughnuts



Which are not too shabby



Plus farm fresh produce, pears!



And finally just a coupla artsy close ups of the kid





Halloween is coming up, so we've been working on a costume. There's so many choices, and face it, Cole is adorable in everything. Here's a few we considered

Pooh! We liked this one because it had a built in pot belly (not that Cole needed any padding)



101 Dalmations? Cole was not amused



But, neither of these was the winner. What will Cole be on Halloween? you'll see....!

So yeah, year one? Check! We're hoping the next one will be a little less eventful. We kinda doubt it, though. Because there's so much to be excited about

Bananaversary

The actual post it note marking the appointment that started it all.

As we approach Cole's first birthday, there's another less festive but still significant anniversary to mark. One year ago today, at 1:30 PM on October 3rd 2008, everything went sideways on a pretty epic scale.

We managed to make our way through every anxious minute, but it's only now that we've come out the other side, that I truly appreciate the magnitude of the events that transpired (thank you survival instincts, for providing the emotional equivalent of giant styrofoam peanuts).

Now, we bask in the warm glow of all things Cole, but we still remember some of the harsh, fluorescent lit moments in the hospital.

The day that Cole shifted from twenty three to twenty four weeks gestation, crossing what the docs refer to as the "threshold of viability." That's the actual medical term for, well, might.

Listening as a doctor described the myriad of possible and potentially catastrophic side effects of being born at 24 weeks, and the higher math we did trying to calculate the remote possibility that he could be "normal."

The moment the doctor asked us to decide the "parameters for rescuscitation" for our unborn child and the mind-bending re-definition of "good parenting" that it required.

How odd it felt that the arrival of our little one didn't involve the typical madcap, sitcom style dash to the hospital, the standard bedside new family portrait, or any traditional celebration.

Feeling strange when someone congratulated us, and strange when they didn't.

Sitting with our baby boy as he set off alarm after alarm by "forgetting to breathe" and watching his heart rate drop on the bedside monitor. Hoping, wishing, willing him back to life. For months.

The loooooooong ten day wait to hold our little guy, and the very first butterfly cuddles.

The sheer terror, worry, wonder, hope. The crushing physical, mental and emotional exhaustion.

And yet, there have been a thousand points of light along the way. Of love and kindness, of luck and grace, of artistry and intuition, of care and snacks.

We have come to accept that though our story isn't conventional, we think it's special and beautiful in its own way. Preemie parenthood is an intense experience, and it has given us much more than we ever imagined.

We feel so lucky, and very, very grateful for Cole, who had spirit, and fight, and heart, and courage, and even a little bit of sass as he faced yucky challenges and eked out tiny triumphs along the way. Even the doctors marvel at our fat little miracle, who defied all the ugly odds.

Might we use this solemn occasion as another excuse for cake? Probably. Because today, we celebrate all the elements of our extraordinary journey. And what's a celebration without a little something sweet?