Happy 1st Bday Braden!

That's me just before delivering my triplets...haha...

It's hard to believe a year has passed since Braden's birth.

The delivery was so great compared to my first one! I thought we were gonna spend the next day there then head home with no problems....

Boy was I wrong! The next two pictures were taken only a little while before the little guy was put on an IV and flown out of my arms to TMC.

I only got to hold the little guy for maybe 30 minutes before He was hooked up and I couldn't pick him up. Without going into details (because I don't feel like crying this morning) it was the hardest thing I've had to deal with to date.

Jarom took off in his truck to meet him at the hospital. He stayed by his bedside the entire time. I went once but felt sick and came home, only to end up back in the hospital twice. They wouldn't let Jarom hold Braden for the first few days, yet he stayed in the chair next to his crib.

Eventually he got to hold him, and I even got to nurse him while I was there. The poor guy had so many bruises from all the pokes: IV's, spinal taps, etc. He was fed through a tube, his belly button...things no mom should see happen to her days old baby. He was born 8 lbs so he looked like a giant next to some of those preemies in the NICU.

This is him in his crib with the "Will work for food" sign the nurse had me make. It worked and I got to breast feed! lol

I was so unsure about everything. It was one of those, hope for the best, prepare for the worst times. He seemed to be doing better, but all I was getting was reports from Jarom on the phone. (I knew he was hiding any negative information from me.) I don't know how he held up. I think things would have been different if Braden didn't have his daddy talking to him and comforting him.

We were told different things by the doctors, so when he came home we were kind of paranoid. We didn't know when we could take him out. 2 months? 6 months? We put a sign on our door that said "no visitors." I felt so bad turning people away but didn't want to chance anything.

Now, one year later, I can't believe any of that even happened. He has been so healthy. Hardly a cold or flu! And not to mention-he looks like a beast! He is now saying words, walking, laughing, playing like the healthiest kid around!

Oh, I forgot about the time he was put in the hospital for dehydration. But he was a trooper! Handled it like a pro. If you can't tell from this picture, he's sayin, "Mom, I'm bored! This is nothin!"

For Brooke's 1 year bday I made this detailed Dora cake. It took a couple hours. The electricity went off and the frosting started melting half way through...I knew I wasn't going to attempt such a hard cake for Braden, so I scratched my head a while and came up with the most simple cake ever! I smeared some brown frosting on the cake and pan, found some of my brother's old tractors, crushed up some graham crackers and called it good. Less than 5 minutes!

(Thanks to my mom for making the cake and frosting the night before)

Apparently it took too long to frost! We were all having a good laugh at Braden while he was snoozin right before we were going to sing! Priceless!

It took him a while to dig in...

Sister showed him what she knew...

And the rest is history!

Guess he was a little excited for this present!!!!

His first photo shoot-He was kinda tired and grumpy, so I didn't get as much as I wanted to. I'll have to take him out again, but I did get some keepers!

I love this boy's guts! We are so blessed to have him in our family. What a test of faith the first few months. But we endured and for that I am eternally grateful. I can't wait to watch him this next year as he learns to talk and sing. I love my little man!

Happy Birthday Braden Jarom!