A weekend of Firsts!

Miss me?? Yeah, I've been trudging through the swamp of the working world trying not to sink to the bottom. Not fun!

We did, however, have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend!! I had off work on Friday, which I LOVE because its like a "free" day with my kiddos! We had so much fun. This 4th was Bennett's "first" because he was still in the NICU last year. What a holiday it was too - we went into D.C. to watch the fireworks on the National Mall! It was our first time going and we've both lived in the area practically forever.

It was also both of the boys' first ride on the infamous Metro! Carter thought it was awesome. Bennett was antsy.
We had to get there early to stake out a good spot (and as you can see, we had a fabulous spot!), so we had to find activities to fill the three hours while we waited for the display to start. Carter went on adventures around the Monument.

Then the boys wrestled their Uncle Arian.
Bennett won.
Then he loved on his Ninang (godmother) aka Tita Ann Ann.
Then the fireworks finally started!!!
I was nervous that they would scare B-boy, but he sat back, chilled and enjoyed the show with the rest of us!
The fireworks were o.k. - nothing to write home (or blog) about. I expected something spectacular, being as we were in the nation's capital on the nation's birthday and all.
Then we fought the masses to get back on the Metro and get home. It really wasn't all that bad. And the boys were troopers! I doubt we'll be taking on that adventure again anytime in the near future though.

So yesterday was kind of a big deal for me. It was (July 6th) the one year anniversary of Bennett's homecoming from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit!!! He spent nine long and difficult weeks in the NICU. Safe to say, his homecoming was one of the greatest days of my life! It was kind of iffy if he'd be coming home or not, because he still wasn't a great eater, was still on oxygen, and was prone to having bradycardias (heart rate decelerations) with eating. But home he came!!!! A few days shy of his due date (July 11, 2008). And he's come SO far since then!!

July 6, 2008

July 6, 2009

I'm guesstimating he's about 18 lbs and 28 inches now (we'll find out for sure at his pulmonology appointment Thursday). If so, he now weighs approximately SIX times more than his birth weight (3 lbs 2 oz) and nearly TWICE his birth length (14.5''). He is twice his homecoming weight and ten inches longer than his homecoming length! Indeed, I'd say he's come far!