Happy New Year!!!

Once again, I must apologize for not writing in such a long time.  I can't believe it's almost been a week?!?! I wish I had a good excuse; but, I don't...not really.  I've just been kinda lazy.  So here's what we've been up to since last week:

• Not sleeping
• Having one or two health scares with Stephen (not cool)
• Getting ready for Stephen's 1st birthday (YEAH!!!)
• Spending time with my extended family (nieces, sister, brother-in-law, parents)
• I was out of town for a night
• Celebrating New Year's Eve
• and watching lots of movies

I say not sleeping because ever since we came home from the hospital this last time, Stephen has been waking up multiple times throughout the night.  And not just waking up and crying, but screaming.  Like he's being poked with hot pokers.  The only thing that calms him down is holding him, but the second you lay him down, he starts screaming again.  The doctors think it's some sort of night terrors and/or memories of being in the hospital and being messed with.  What's funny is the only two nights he's slept through the night, have been the two nights my parent's have been here!  I think Stephen's just showing off!! :) But it's left us with really long nights of getting up with Stephen and finally having to let him cry it out.  It hasn't been easy!

The health scares have been the non-stop screaming at night and his new catheter site leaking.  Christmas night, I went in to his room to try to calm him down in the middle of the night and noticed that the area below his catheter was wet. Not good.  Thankfully the nephrologist met us in the office the next day with the dialysis nurse and checked it out.  Apparently, the site hasn't completely healed yet.  So they backed off on his dialysis a bit and I've been changing his dressing more often at an attempt to keep his skin and the area dry.

I don't think I need to say anything about #3!  Can you believe his birthday is on Wednesday?!?!?!  I've been thinking so much about last year lately, and I'm sure I'll have more to say about it later.

Unfortunately, I wasn't out of town for anything particularly fun.  I didn't mention this on Christmas because I didn't want anyone to feel badly or sad, but my last living grandparent, my Grandma Noll, passed away on Christmas morning.  She had been sick for quite some time, so it wasn't unexpected, but still sad none-the-less.  She never met Stephen and I don't think she could ever comprehend that I had a little boy, but I'd like to think that when I told her I was pregnant in Spring of 2010, she understood for at least a little bit of time.  What I am happy for is that she's now in a much much better place, she can be reunited with my Pappy, and is now another guardian angel for Stephen. 

Bill and I were lucky that my parent's were able to come down to VA for New Year's Eve and babysit Stephen so that we could go out for a night.  Friends of our has a wine tasting party, and it was fun to get out for a night and celebrate New Year's with a bunch of other people.  The last time we celebrated with more than just each other was the very first New Year's we spent together in 2004/05!

Aside from that, we haven't been up to too much.  We've watched a lot of movies, a lot of football, ate a TON, and slept in.  I can't say that I've really made any resolutions for 2012.  My only hope for the New Year is to keep Stephen healthy, out of the hospital, and that he continues to grow longer and stronger so that he can receive a new kidney.  And on a personal note, to work more on my relationship with Bill and to be a more patient wife.  My hope for us (just Bill and I) is that we'll get a chance this next year to spend some more time quality time together without feeling the weight of the world on our shoulders.  Okay, so I guess I do have some resolutions for 2012!! :)

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe New Years and happy 2012!!!!!