We are so excited to congratulate Bailey on her win as Miss McCurtain County! Bailey has been doing pageants for a while now, I remember when we were pregnant with Garrett going down to see her compete in this pageant and telling her that soon her time would come. What a beautiful person inside and out and we are so proud of you Bailey!!!!!! We love you and miss you terribly. Congratulations Bailey Bear!
Love,
Daddy, Dayna and Garrett
So I was Blog stalking today. A friend of mine from college Lindsay Hege posted about looking back one year. She inspired me to look back at what was happening in our lives. Approximately one year ago I was blogging about.....POOP! Well not all about Poop, but more so Garrett's vocabulary and linking words...Enter blog title Bye Bye Poop! Wow have we come a long way in his vocabulary and the things he does and says. But boy does that boy get funnier everyday! Here' looking back one year to...POOP!
Bye, Bye Poop! August 19, 2009
Ok, so as I promise this is not about potty training rather some new developments in Garrett's vocabulary and speech! I was reading up on the development of a child at 20 months, the information that I read said that a child Garrett's age typically has about 10-20 words that they understand, can speak and use in the correct context. So the other day I decided to write down all the things he has been saying lately. Bill and I have been counting, he has over 30 words that he uses. We have noticed that his vocabulary has taken off since we have been at home together. I am not sure if it is timing or the difference in the teacher, but I am excited.
One of Garrett's favorite new words is "bye-bye" he says it to everyone, as we go down the isles at the grocery store he tell products and people bye-bye. He even told the lady at the check out counter bye-bye before we put the first item up on the check out. I have since informed him that he has to say hello before he can say goodbye to everyone. We are still working on this. One of Garrett's favorite shows is Jack's Big Music Show on Noggin (if you are a parent, check it out, so cute and includes some parent humor too). Anyways, at the end of the show they sing a good bye song. I have been trying to get Garrett to say bye-bye Jack at the end of the show each day. Coincidentally, he did get a chance to tell a real Jack bye-bye the other day and has started to link the item and person with his bye-bye's.
Enter story title here: We went outside to play on our new swing set this morning and were out having a great time, when I realized that Ruby (our dog) had left us a present right under one of the swings. I quickly stopped Garrett and asked him to come with me to get something to pick up the poop. We came back out to clean up the poop and as I was cleaning, Garrett says, Bye-bye Poop! Bye-bye! I just about died laughing. I told him later that we needed to include this as we went poo poo on the potty. No joke the next time we went to the bathroom, he sat down and said, bye-bye poop! While no business took place, I just had to laugh. That boy is too smart!
Garrett and I decided it was time to take a road trip. Since the summer was about to come to a close and two of my best friends from college were about to go back to work (they are both teachers) and one of them had just had a baby, we thought it would be best to visit while everyone still have time to spend together. It was such a nice trip. Garrett and I got on the road on Monday and stopped in Georgia to see my Aunt Mary and Uncle Pete in their new place at Lake Oconee just outside of Atlanta. Such a beautiful little lake town, you must visit one day. We arrived just after 3 pm in the afternoon and didn't get on the road the next morning until 10 am so we were able to spend some time together. It was so nice to see them and sit and talk and they loved have Garrett too. The next morning we got up and had breakfast and jumped in the car again. We were able to arrive at Towa's house around 5 pm on Tuesday and the party started from there. It was so nice to finally get to meet Bennett and spend some time with Towa and Scott. The week was filled with fun filled kid adventures like going to the park to play, enjoying City Park in Burlington $0.50 to ride the rides and the Children's Museum in Greensboro. We also got to spend some time with Jill and Vycki made the trip down from DC for the weekend too. All and all we had a great time and were able to catch up with old friends. The road trip was great and Garrett was awesome in the car. I have a huge thank you to my friend Jennifer for lending me her portable DVD player to thank for the ease of driving 4 days at 6-7 hours a piece. Garrett averaged two movies and a nap and we were at our destination, yeah for technology!
Towa and I were talking about old times and realized that we have been friends for over 10 years now, crazy how time flies. We realized we graduated over 6 years ago now and have seen each other at least once a year since, thank you to Weddings and babies. We know we only have one of us left for a wedding (hint hint Adam get moving on that question for Vycki) and then we will really have to start coordinating family trips to beach to keep our record going. I would say that we have a great start to keeping the fun times alive. It was so nice to see the girls and we only wish that Rory and Dagny were there to join us.
Here are a few pictures from the trip. I realized when we got home there are none of me and Towa or Garrett and Bennett. Just a bunch of our outings and Garrett playing, but they are cute at that. 
We have been busy...well Bill has anyways. A few weeks ago Bill started the big project of getting the exterior of the house painted. Our house had never been painted since it was built 10 years ago. We originally picked a tan with a dark gray accent, however since picking that color our surrounding neighbors recently painted their houses tan. So now we stand out! We have the little Green House on the block and we love it!!!!!
Before 
After
We have also been busy with a few other projects including some that are still in progress.
Our Guest Bedroom Before
Our Guest Bedroom After
Our Backyard Before 
Our Backyard (Still in progress) 
Well these days we have been spending lots of time at home and with our little man. He is growing leaps and bounds and each day amazes us with some of the witty things he says. Here are a few that keep us smiling.
1. We recently kitten sat for our neighbors Hope and Steve. Their kitten Sylvester is, shall we say very lively and well a true kitten. He and Garrett got along great, when we were not teaching Garrett animal kindness. While kitten sitting I was also staying with my Grandmother during the day, so we would be gone all day and arrive home to a fun loving kitten. Here are a few statements from the week.
G: Sylvester, I have a problem...
S: Meow
G: I missed you today! (insert frown here)
The next day...
G: Sylvester, I have a questions for you...
S: Meow
G: How about (long pause) you take a bath with (long pause) Sudsy Bubblestein, Yes, Sudsy Bubblestein.
*For you non-parents of a two year old. This is a character off of Jack's Big Music Show, who gets the dog, Mel to take a bath by setting a bath time mood. Very cute.
2. Bill and Garrett have the cutest relationship that I have seen with father and son. Each night they spend time wrestling, giving raspberries, or better yet tickling (more so Bill on Garrett). Anyways, they have a lot of fun together. The other night Bill went to poke on and tickle Garrett's belly. Here is the conversation as it played out.
G: Don't get my belly Daddy
B: Why is it fragile?
G: NO
B: Why is it delicate?
G: No
B: Well then why?
G: My belly is for Dancing Daddy!
B: Well then what are you legs for... Getting Down!
G: Yep!!!!!
B: So your belly is for dancing and your legs are for Getting Down!
3. The last month we decided to put Garrett into swimming lessons. We have been going each day for a 15 minute lesson and he has done really well. As he swims I have a chance to talk with some of the other moms and one was asking me if Garrett was going to jump in off the diving board today. I quickly answered, no, I don't know that he is that strong of a swimmer yet. This is the deep end we are talking, my two year old dive into the deep end.... NO. She quickly stated that her boys' teacher was going to let them jump in and she would be there to catch them. I said wow that sounds fun, but I really don't think he is there yet.
Before the conversation had a chance to end, Garrett's teacher and he exited the pool. I quickly prepared his towel like a proud Mom ready to say great job today. I was surprised when he didn't come to me, but began with his teacher to the end of the pool. Oh my gosh, I guess he is jumping. Before I knew it, he was on the diving board and at the end ready to jump into 20 feet of water below. Fearless my little guy walked to the end and with a little encouragement, jumped right in to his teacher. The best part was that he swam up to the surface and to the side. I was so excited and was feeling like all the time and money we spent paid off. My little man is growing up. I just wish I had the camera out to capture it.
PHOTOS PLEASE...
Please forgive us, as my dear friend Jill asked...Where are the pictures of Garrett. We need some updates. Yes, I know. However, a few weeks ago my son threw my phone in the community pool. Well this weekend while visiting with Vycki and Adam at Cocoa Beach, my husband dropped our camera into the ocean. Neither has yet to work and we will be attempting to save the SD card from the camera soon. My apologies or should I say Bill's apologies.
Children's Footprints by Doreen Sexton
Some children come into our lives and go quickly.
Some children come into our lives and stay awhile.
All our children come into our lives and leave footprints -
Some oh so small;
Some a little larger;
Some, larger still,
But all have left their footprints on our lives; in our hearts,
And we will never, never be the same.
I read this in a book the hospital gave us, I believe it is beautiful and very fitting. It breaks my heart to know that all we are left with is our son's ashes and his footprints and the tiny memories he gave us.
In honor of our little guy, I would like to share his footprints. My hope is that these tiny footprints will live on in the memories of more people than those of us who were blessed to meet him. 
Thank you to all of our friends and family, coast to coast that have reached out to us to share love and support. Your emails, phone calls, cards and so much more mean the world to us. We are truly blessed to have each of you in our lives. Thank you!
WARNING: This is a very emotional blog post.
My apologies for this information coming from our blog or via email. This has been a very rough two weeks in the Healy house and outside of our immediate family our phone conversations have been very limited. It is very difficult at this time to talk about and even harder to write about our experience. As many of you recently learned that Bill and I were excited to learn that we were going to welcome a new addition to our family. We found out early that we were having another little boy and were very excited about being the parents to two beautiful boys.
Recently, our world was shaken up. Almost two weeks ago we received tragic news about our baby Jameson Cole Healy. We found out through some routine blood work that baby's levels showed a strong evidence of Spina Bifida. We were sent to a high risk doctor for further testing Ultra sounds, Amnio and such. We discovered that our little boy did in fact have Spina Bifida. Not knowing all the information about Spina Bifida we began to research as much as we could. For those of you, who like us did not know what it is, Spina Bifida is where the vertebrae of the spine do not enclose over the spinal column, leaving it exposed and protruding from the back. Basically what we found out is that where ever the spinal column begins to protrude there is extreme nerve damage to all of the nerves below this area. We learned that Baby Cole's spina bifida began in L4 and covered over 5 vertebrae. There are many cases of Spina Bifida out there and many forms of extremes that this takes on. We decided to visit with a Neurosurgeon that would need to do surgery immediately after he was born to learn what this meant in our situation. We learned that many pregnancies end in miscarriage, if they are completed and the baby is taken via C section that many babies do not make it outside of the womb and if they make it 24 hours life begins with and continues on with many surgeries and medical extremes. We found that we would need to have a closure surgery for Cole's back, more than likely a shunt put into his brain because there was already evidence of spinal fluid building up in brain, he would have limited mobility for a few years in his youth, but would ultimately end up in a wheel chair for all of his life, he would never have control over his bladder or bowels. And as if these certainties were not enough many Spina Bifida patients often have heart and lung problem, orthopedic as well as a long list of medical problems. In this scary time, we turn our hearts to God, medical research and all the information we could find.
We are very sad to say that our sweet baby Jamie Cole is in God's hands in heaven now. He was born on May 15, 2010 at 1:00 am. He weighed 1 pound and was 10 1/2 inches long. He passed very quickly after his birth and was surrounded by love. We ask you to pray with us that God will keep him safe with him and pain free and one day that we may meet again. This is a very emotional time for us as we continue forward as a family. We have decided to have his remains cremated and that we will eventually host a memorial. At this time we have no set plans and are just trying to spend as much time with the sweet angel that we can wrap our arms around. We will keep you informed as plans are made. Thank you in advance for you love and support through this tough time.
With love,
Dayna, Bill, Garrett and our angel in Heaven
