Liam Smiles

Right now I am pretty much the only one he will do this for, but it absolutely melts my heart!! Sweetest baby EVER!! I just love being a mom!!

JOIN THE CAUSE!!!

As many of you know Liam was born early at 32 weeks and 5 days. We have been blessed beyond belief with his health and thank God everyday for his continued growth and progress. If any of you have been through the heartache of having a premature baby in the NICU, then I know that this cause will hit close to home. We are planning on walking in the March of Dimes "March for Babies 2009" in April and would love your support!! Whether it be finical support to help us reach our team goal of $2,500, or moral support by walking with us on April 25th both are appreciated!! You can visit our team site at www.march for babies.org/amiekirk . 

Two Months

Little update on the little one. He was eight weeks old yesterday! Hard to believe. He is doing so well, as you can see he is growing each and everyday. The last time we went to the doctor he was up to 9lbs. and 3oz. and that was on the 17th of December I am betting he is probably close to 11lbs by now. You should see his chunky little legs... so cute you could eat them up!! He is now wearing 0-3 month clothes and filling them out nicely. He still is not sleeping through the night, and I am beginning to believe the parents that say their little ones sleep all night are in some way lying. I joke....I just hope to see that day soon. I am also beginning to believe that you can in fact spoil a baby. I know, I know, I was told that holding him too much would spoil him but did I believe it...nope. Liam thinks that he should be held at all times day and night. I am really trying to do better about putting him down during the day. It is hard, he is so darn cute! I am enjoying so much being a mom and feel so blessed everyday that I get to spend with my precious little boy.  

Liam enjoying Tummy Time 

He can already lift his head all the way up and turn it from side to side!

 

I can't believe how big he is already! 

Two month picture 

Liam's First Christmas!!

We all had so much fun enjoying Liam's first Christmas. I know that as the years go by they will only get more exciting! Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy! Merry Christmas!!

All Dressed up for his first Christmas!

Great Granddaddy and Grandmother Pam

Liam's first Christmas present!

Christmas Morning at Home 

You can tell he loves his presents

Yep, still trying to sleep...

His first Christmas Stocking

Taking a Christmas nap with Daddy

Proud Aunt Emily at Grandma and Grandpa's

Christmas at Grandmother Pam's

Emily and Alex's first Christmas too! So cute!!

 

Liam's first church service!!

Grandma and Grandpa Libengood and Aunt Emily

Grandmother Pam and Great Granddaddy Sam

Posing with Mommy and Daddy after Church!

Liam got to go to his first church service tonight at 12Stone! I feel so blessed that he is doing so well and that he is here to enjoy the holidays with us. All of his grandparents got to be there too! How special!! 

NICU Follow-Up and Uncle Andrew

Well, Liam had his one month NICU follow-up today. Everything went perfectly! He has gained 3lbs. in a month!! HOLY COW!! He is now up to 8lbs and 5oz. Let me tell you if this would have been a full term baby he would have been huge! For preemies born at his gestation (32 wk 5days) he is in the 80th percentile as far as weight. He is such a happy baby. He is still on a every 3hr. feeding schedule. I am in the process of trying to stretch that out to every four. Sometimes it works. The nurse told me that usually after they hit 10lbs. they are able to sleep for longer peroids of time. The way that Liam is growing that will be in about two weeks :) He is nursing which is a blessing. A lot of preemies have trouble latching on and being able to nurse, not Liam. He is definitely getting plenty to eat proven by his 3lb. weight gain. The only concern from the visit today was that he looked a little jaundice. They went ahead and did blood work to check his bilirubin levels...they came back at 7.7 and Dr. Suskin said that there was nothing to be concerned about, so all is well.We do not have to go back until June. 

My brother came in from Arizona today! This is the first time he has got to meet Liam. He was so excited! It is nice to have him here. It has been a whole year since he was here last. He brought his girlfriend Sierra with him to meet the family... brave girl considering they will be here for nearly 2 weeks! I am excited to have the chance to get to know her. Andrew seems to like her pretty well. It is so nice to all get to be together on Christmas. I am feeling blessed! 

Best Mom EVER!!

Let me tell you, I have some shoes to fill. If ever there was a woman to set a good example of a mother it would be mine. Now that I am a mom it is so weird, I see my mom in a whole new way. I think ahead and wonder if I am going to be to Liam what my mom is and has been to me. Once you become a mother, you are a mother forever. I am 27 years old and I am still someone's child. I look at my sleeping baby and think, there is nothing I would not do for him, now and forever. Now I understand. I am still someone's sleeping baby. My mom still looks at me and feels that same way towards me as I do to my infant son. No matter how old I am if I am sick my mom will take care of me, if I am sad she will comfort me, if I am lonely she will be my company. I am someone's Mother!! What huge responsibility!! 

How blessed I am to be able to have a mother who loves me and has taught me how to be a mother. Through nothing more than being one to me. Her love and selflessness is something that I have always admired and now that I am a mom myself I am beginning to understand more where a love like that comes from. I want so much for Liam. I look at this precious little person and become overwhelmed with what a huge responsibility I have been entrusted with. I wonder why God is so good to me sometimes. Of all the things that my mom has taught me, above all she has taught me to love God. I feel that if I fail at all other things in raising my son, if I can teach him above all else to love God then I will consider myself a success as a mother. 

There are so many things I look forward to, yet so many things I fear. I can't wait for the first smile, the first laugh, the first word, the first steps, the first day of school and on we go.... Yet I fear the first cold, the first boo boo, the first spanking, the first heart break, the first of many things. I pray that I am able to handle to good with the bad and teach Liam life lessons when good things come his way, and life lessons when bad things come as well. 

As I embark on this journey called motherhood I must say that I have a good example to follow and good shoulder to lean on. I have been blessed beyond measure and I pray that I will never take a single moment for grated that I have to mother my child. One day he too will be grown and he will be someone's father and I hope he will want to look for a woman that will be as good as a mother to his children as I hope to be to him.