Liam Marcus Gilliland
A year ago today I awoke with a very pregnant body, showered, dressed and went to Banner Gateway hospital to be prepared for my third cesarean section. A very few short hours later my husband and I were taken into the operating room and just nine minutes after the surgery began my third son Liam was born. It was December 28, 2009 12:39 pm and he was 6 pounds 3 ounces and 19 inches in length...he arrived much as his older (living) brother Hadrien, screaming his beautiful, slightly deeper, it's cold, put me back baby cry. Once again I was overcome with being blessed a mother and this time was a little different. In fact all three have there distinct differences. Instead of waiting til the baby was stable in the NICU and I was stable out of recovery to see him or waiting til the baby was cleaned up and swaddled to see him; the nurse this time simply wrapped a receiving blanket around him and had wiped his face slightly then brought him over to say hi. He heard my voice and his crying slowed for just a moment. It was a moment that I know I will hold in my heart for the rest of my days...the moment we saw each other face to face.
Since that moment many milestones have been met and a few worries have come and gone. We had an early worry come up when Liam's newborn screening came back with an indication that his thyroid wasn't working. After many test including blood draws, xrays, an ultrasound and a nuclear medicine study (not at all fun for an adult let alone a brand new baby) and after many more prayers we discovered that mommy dearest (me) has Grave's disease and Liam's developing body had simply put up blockers to prevent him from getting to much of my hormones. It just took a little over a month for his body to adjust and realize that it was no longer in harms way. I am happy to report that his thyroid works just right now and he is as healthy as can be. Thanks Be to God!!
Liam also has a very different temperament than his brother. He is as his Gaga (grandma Kathy) calls him a turtle. He is fearless and very easy going. He doesn't mind just sitting and watching and learning. I'll comment more on Hadrien and his temperament in a later post. Liam has developed some skills much faster than Hadrien and its no doubt due to having his older brother to watch and learn from. Liam began walking at ten months, he cut his first teeth at nine months and has easily transitioned from breast feeding to the bottle to solid foods. He hardly ever cry's and just recently received his first of many ouches, a fat lip from losing his footing and not quite catching himself before being met with the tiled floor. His quickness at picking up new skills astounds me and of course his first word "dada" at three months came as no surprise...even if I did have a little twinge of jealousy which quickly passed.
We celebrated his first Easter before he could help to decorate the eggs, this coming Easter will be fun with two boys making dye messes! Liam's first Halloween came and went without the favorite mommy past-time of dressing up and trick-or-treating...again the coming year we're going all out. He loved his first Thanksgiving turkey meal at home with Papa (grandpa Bill) and Gaga, mom and dad and his brother. And Christmas was celebrated in Douglas with Nana (grandma Barb) and Tata (grandpa Hal), his uncles, mom and dad, brother and many more extended family members. Unfortunately after Christmas Hadrien and daddy were very sick and so we celebrated his first birthday quietly at home, just the four of us, a cake and a small present of toy cars. He loved it...especially the cake...and wasn't shy about digging in.
This first year of his life I am happy to say was filled with many blessings. It is true that a mother and father love there children the same, there is no doubt that our love for each is also different. I wouldn't have it any other way. May God continue to bless my boy abundantly and I Love You Liam...
Since that moment many milestones have been met and a few worries have come and gone. We had an early worry come up when Liam's newborn screening came back with an indication that his thyroid wasn't working. After many test including blood draws, xrays, an ultrasound and a nuclear medicine study (not at all fun for an adult let alone a brand new baby) and after many more prayers we discovered that mommy dearest (me) has Grave's disease and Liam's developing body had simply put up blockers to prevent him from getting to much of my hormones. It just took a little over a month for his body to adjust and realize that it was no longer in harms way. I am happy to report that his thyroid works just right now and he is as healthy as can be. Thanks Be to God!!
Liam also has a very different temperament than his brother. He is as his Gaga (grandma Kathy) calls him a turtle. He is fearless and very easy going. He doesn't mind just sitting and watching and learning. I'll comment more on Hadrien and his temperament in a later post. Liam has developed some skills much faster than Hadrien and its no doubt due to having his older brother to watch and learn from. Liam began walking at ten months, he cut his first teeth at nine months and has easily transitioned from breast feeding to the bottle to solid foods. He hardly ever cry's and just recently received his first of many ouches, a fat lip from losing his footing and not quite catching himself before being met with the tiled floor. His quickness at picking up new skills astounds me and of course his first word "dada" at three months came as no surprise...even if I did have a little twinge of jealousy which quickly passed.
We celebrated his first Easter before he could help to decorate the eggs, this coming Easter will be fun with two boys making dye messes! Liam's first Halloween came and went without the favorite mommy past-time of dressing up and trick-or-treating...again the coming year we're going all out. He loved his first Thanksgiving turkey meal at home with Papa (grandpa Bill) and Gaga, mom and dad and his brother. And Christmas was celebrated in Douglas with Nana (grandma Barb) and Tata (grandpa Hal), his uncles, mom and dad, brother and many more extended family members. Unfortunately after Christmas Hadrien and daddy were very sick and so we celebrated his first birthday quietly at home, just the four of us, a cake and a small present of toy cars. He loved it...especially the cake...and wasn't shy about digging in.
This first year of his life I am happy to say was filled with many blessings. It is true that a mother and father love there children the same, there is no doubt that our love for each is also different. I wouldn't have it any other way. May God continue to bless my boy abundantly and I Love You Liam...Happy Happy Birthday to my baby boy!
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