DEXTER THE TODDLER...

I would feel like a horrible mom if I didn't devote posts to Dexter.  He has been an absolute trooper through this whole journey.  While I feel like I am missing parts of his life, he is adapting so well to his Grandmas taking turns raising him for a week.  While I was on bed rest, my mom took  him for a week.  He napped so well for her, he learned how to say, "Bandit", my parents dogs name, and he is starting to like my dad, Papa Monson!

This next week he will go to Ephraim with Dereks mom and I'm going to miss him so much.  I hardly saw him last week and this week.  It has been emotional.  But, I learned from my c-section with Dexter that I need to take care of myself so I can recover faster and not fall into the baby blues/PPD.  I am just extremely humbled and forever in debt to both my mom and my mother in law for helping to raise Dex these next 6 weeks.  We are so fortunate to have such wonderful families.  It really takes a village to raise a child.  Our moms are raising Dexter these next couple months and the NICU is raising Lola.

Anyways, Dexter has loved being at my moms house with Bandit.  My mom would take him on the tramp out back and jump, they would sit on the swing, and go for walks.  Dex also enjoyed feeding Bandit food from the high chair.  He is also teething!  His bottom two molars are coming in.

Looking back on the couple weeks prior to everything that happened, Dexter was so clingy to me.  He would get upset if he saw Derek hug me.  He would come over and push Derek away and then give me a hug.  It was almost as if he was being extremely over-protective of me.  He was extremely cuddly and kept giving me kisses.  And loved snuggling on the couch with me while we watched movies.  I think he knew what was going to happen.  It was almost as if he was telling me, "these are our last cuddles before I grow up to be a toddler, mom."

The evening I got my c section, Derek came over to the hospital with Dexter.  Dex knew what was going to happen that night too.  He sensed something was going to happen to me.  He kept coming over to the foot of my bed while they were putting in the IV and started getting fussy.  We called my brother and SIL to see if they could come to the hospital and take Dexter home to bed so I could continue to be prepped for a c section.  When they took him out of the room, he was crying.

It is amazing the link between children and their mothers.  It is also amazing how children and babies know what is going on.  I'll try to update our blog with cute stories about Dexter as well as update weekly about Lola's progress.  I need to give equal attention to my children.  I am amazed how much my heart grew with Lola being born.  I love both of my children so so much!

Dexter reading books at Grandma Monson's house.

Selfies with Grandma!

Dad took Dexter to the park while Mom was on bed rest.

Playing with his new race track that we bought him.  We have felt so bad his schedule is getting all turned around, that we bought him a race track.  He loved playing with it at Grandma Debbie's.

Giving cuddles to Dad.  He has really become attached to Derek while I was on bed rest.

Dex the Destroyer.  He LOVES to makes messes.