A Long Overdue Update and Happy Channukah

Hi everyone!!

Things have been a little busier than usual in the last few months. Doctors apts have kept Sarah and I on the go much more than I would have liked. It sometimes feels like we are going non-stop around here. In any case, things seem to be getting a little quieter these days.

Sarah had the never ending ear infection on and off for about 6 weeks. That finaly resolved and then suddenly she came down with a terrible stomach bug that landed her in the hospital for dehydration for 2 days too. Glad that was over, but not before she gave all of us the nasty bug. Every Rees seem to catch it, with the excpetion of Uncle Rob. Luckily is was a quick one and we were all 100% after just one day.

On the devleopment front, Sarah has mastered the cruise and is starting to show interest in standing on her own. She pushes around her push toy and walks all over the living room with it (pictures to follow-maybe!). I am told walking is just around the corner.

Sarah enjoyed her first few nights of Chanukah so far. This is her first holiday season at home!

Wishing you all a lovely holiday season with you and your families and a happy new year!

One More Video

Going up the stairs, She can go up 5 before I stop her.

New Videos and Update

Today, November 8, marks 1 year since my little Sarah extubated herself from the ventilator that was keeping her alive. Here is a picture of her on the day just one year ago. Totally AMAZING.

Here are some videos taken this week of her. These are things she has been doing for weeks, I just finally got around to recording the milestones! ENJOY!


This is Sarah and the door stop....amazing how the dumbest thngs entertain the most!! Notice how she goes up the steps to get to it, burps, spits up a little, plays with the spit up (YUCK) and then gets to the door jiggler!

This is Sarah showing off her pull to stand skills, her blabbering and then her sit down skills. She is such an overachiever, just like her Daddy!

Jeans

The Cutest Little Tush

The Duck

Dry

Wet

Sarah's First Birthday

October 11, 2007 3:34am: Sarah made her debut.
October 11, 2008 3:34pm: Sarah's First Birthday BBQ celebration commenced!

Sarah turned ONE year old this weekend! Where does the time go!! This past year was sure busy. The first three months spent in the NICU, the last 9 months at home. Sarah has mastered the crawl and moved on to pulling to stand, walking with assistance and standing all alone. We had a little BBQ to celebrate the big day. Enjoy the pictures...

playing before everyone arrived

posing with Mom

the yummy cake Grandma made

with real flowers

as everyone sang "Happy Birthday"

so much for "no gifts please"

standing at the new activity table

with the new xylophone

Thanks to everyone who came to help us celebrate. Thanks for all the groovy gifts. And thanks Grandma for the beautiful birthday dress.

We hope to celebrate only happy occasions together. Wishing you all the best.

P.S. Watch for more pictures with the new "Ducky" bath tub soon....

Sarah's Birthday Gift

Sarah seems to have a new interest in catalog shopping...



Thankfully, it was short-lived, and quickly replaced with this new interest...



And she's not just interested in crawling away from Daddy, she'll crawl toward me, too...

Like any celebrity, she knows how to handle an aggressive cameraman.

PS. Please forgive my breathing into the camera. As you can imagine, we were a little excited!

New Video's

Sarah's Trip to Chicago!

We took Sarah to meet her great-grandparents, a few great aunts, great uncles and lots of cousins last week. We were very nervous about the flight and trip in general but Sarah was a trooper. Thanks Jet Blue for making the flights so nice for Sarah!!

We had a great time! Thanks to all the family that showed us great hospitality and love.

On the Airplane with Daddy

Daddy and Great-Grandma Rosemary

Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Richard

Hanging out on Great Auntie Gina's Porch

Sarah spent the weekend being bounced from one cousin to the next

Four Generations of Rees' with Great Auntie Gina

With Great Auntie Rachel

Playing Dress Up

Sarah and I played dress up today. Enjoy the pics:)

Sarah is 10 Months Old!

Sarah is ten months old on Monday. Wow how time flies. Things have been busy the last month. Sarah had a good month of growth and gained, after loosing and having very low increases the 2 months before. She is currently 10 pounds 7 ounces. Developmentally she is doing great. She has mastered the sitting and has moved on to trying to crawl. She can get into the crawl position on her own and hold herself up. With a little help she can move forward, just not yet all on her own. I like to joke that she is going to be the worlds smallest crawler. She currently in a stranger anxiety stage. Kinda cute, until you realize Mom is the only one that can calm her down. Makes it a little hard to get anything done. Her reflux is calming down a bit with upchuck episodes not as often. She has been giving us a hard time going down for the night, other than that, we got nothing to complain about. We had to take a break from solids because of some dislike on her part. We starts up again last week and she is doing better, actually opening her mouth and taking a few bites.

Here are some photos from the last few weeks:

The Crawl

Racing the Dog

At Maya's birthday party

With a Cool Hat On

What a Perfect Picture!

Summer Olympics Almost Here

Sarah didn't make the USA Swim Team this year, but maybe soon!

Swimming and Sitting and Smiling - oh my!

I got a lovely, long visit with my munch yesterday! She was a bundle of absolute joy, and I got to see her enjoying a swim, sitting by herself for more than 20 minutes at a time, being licked to death by the dogs, and just having a great Sunday afternoon!

4th Of July

We went away for the holiday weekend down to Grandma Mimi's in Dana Point. We had a lovely time, despite the LOONG 4 hour drive in traffic to get there. But once we arrived, we had only one thing on the agenda, relax, relax, relax. And that is all we did. Here are some of the pictures...

Enjoying my stroll in the park

Hanging out with Daddy on the Beach

Fascinated by the waves

Sitting in the sand seat

Hanging out in the big girl stroller

Chewing on the Bjorn

Checking out all the cute boys

9 lbs. 13 oz.

Someone is almost 10 pounds! Can you believe it? I can't. She is getting bigger and bigger, happier and happier with every day! We just love her so much!

PS. Erika is pretty good, too!

Our Weekend

Looks like someone is getting ready for a swim...

Visit with Auntie Castine!

Here's me and my cute, cute, cute Munchkin! She loves her aunt, and her aunt loves her!

First Night in My Crib!

We finally made the move this week to the crib. While Sarah is only 9lbs, she has begun rolling and the bassinet is no longer an option when the rolling begins. Sarah handled it like a trooper, as she handled most things. I thought I would be a little more nervous or emotional but I wasn't. She looks so tiny in that big girl crib! I still do get up to feed her (while she is asleep) at night and we have the monitor on to listen for any cries, but it seems to have been a smooth transition.

The Cackle

Happy 8 Months old Today!

In honor of Sarah's 8 month anniversary of her birth, we decided to try out some solids. It went pretty well for the most part, except that she got kinda "backed up" and she wasn't too happy about that. In any case, things seem to be back in the moving order as of today. We started her on a little rice cereal and some sweet potatoes.

Just look at that face. I love kissing it 24/7!

A New Sound...

Sarah has recently discovered her voice can make different sounds. Most of the day we hear this lovely chatter. It is music to our ears.



Sarah hanging out in the backyard with the dogs

An important addition..

Please add "Going to Auntie Castine's for dinner" to Sarah's list of favorite things!!

She came over last night and was a complete angel. She giggled nonstop and was a downright muffin.

She didn't really care for the chicken sausage pasta, so maybe we have a vegetarian amongst us?!! :D

229 Days and Counting...

Well folks, it is official, Sarah has been home longer than she was in the hospital. She was in the NICU for 114 days and has been home now for 115 days! Wow how time is flying. Seems like yesterday she had just come home!

We dropped by the NICU last night on our way home from dinner and got to show them how good Sarah is doing since coming home. They were so excited to see her, as were we to see them. It is a surreal feeling going back there with your baby to visit, rather than having to go there to visit with your baby. We are so grateful to the blessings we have been sent from heaven to have to chance to take her in to visit.

In these 115 days since being home we have learned a lot about Sarah that we didn't know when she first left the hospital. Here is our list:

Likes:

• Being home.
  
• The dogs.
• Being held all day long.
• Toys.
• Prevacid.
  
• The vacuum noise.
• Sleeping 8-10 hours straight at night.
• Not having her tube taped to her face.
• Giggling.
• Crying.
• Mirrors.
• Her mouth.
  
• Car rides.
• Physical therapy and exercising.
• Bouncing on daddy's knee.
• Formula.
  
• The Bumbo seat.
• The colors on the TV.
• Baby Einstein Music.
• To be swaddled.
• Baby talking.
  
• Putting toys into her mouth.
  
• Spending her days with Mom and evenings with Dad.
  

Dislikes:

• Naps.
• Bjorn.
• Tummy Time.
• Teething.
• The car seat.
• Gas pains.
• Going to the Doctor.
• Sitting still.
• Acid reflux.
  
• Sitting up for too long.
• Not being the center of attention.
• Quiet time.
• Breastmilk.
• Colic.

Loves:

• Mommy and Daddy!