Loving that warmer weather has returned 😎☀️ it called for a walk around our neighborhood and then relaxing out in the backyard. Love this boy!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Apr 10, 2015 at 5:25pm PDT

The cutest big boy I ever did see! He loves to sit in the comfy rocking chair in the family room lately. ☺ Smart kiddo, it's everyone's favorite chair. I love seeing him sit up so nice and tall, he's amazing!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Apr 6, 2015 at 6:04pm PDT

#tbt to one year ago this week - Garretts first week being HOME. I can't believe how little he was! My cute little baldy. What a great year it's been, and I'm so happy with the progress he's made. Go buddy! 💛💙💚 #garrettistheman

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Apr 2, 2015 at 8:39pm PDT

This cutie pie is getting better and better at sitting on his own every day! 🙌 I think he thinks it's a whole new world being able to look around sitting up. Slowly but surely he'll get there! 💛💛

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Apr 2, 2015 at 11:32am PDT

Lots of kisses tonight for this cutie pie in the middle 😘 It's been such a fun day! We had our parents over for dinner tonight, and celebrated with cupcakes too! Garrett is a little unsure of really sugary things, but we'll get him liking it more and more soon. ☺️ Thank you for all of the sweet comments today. We feel so grateful for all of you who follow our journey with Garrett. He's a miracle boy in so many ways! 💛

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Apr 1, 2015 at 8:47pm PDT

Today marks a BIG day at our house! A huge reason to celebrate, which is exactly what we will be doing today! 🎉 1 year ago today our sweet Garrett came home for the very first time, at almost 19 months old! I will never forget the feeling I had as Jake and I drove away from Primary Children's that day, with just our little family in the car. We were both filled with an overwhelming feeling of happiness and joy. SO proud of our fighter boy Garrett. Garrett spent the first 19 months in complete ICU care, too sick and on too high of ventilator settings to be able to leave the hospital. He lived at 3 hospitals during that year and a half, one of them being across the country in Michigan. Those 19 months were the hardest and yet some of my happiest moments as well. In 1 year this boy has been able to stay home with no overnight hospital stays, he's rolling all over the family room, starting to scoot, and getting closer to sitting up all on his own. He is breathing on his own, and can be completely off of his vent when he is awake, and his labs have never looked better! He is a lover of all things Mickey Mouse and his laugh lights up the room! We feel incredibly grateful today for all of the doctors and nurses that helped get our boy HOME...and for our amazing friends and family, for your love, support and prayers in all of our behalf. And I feel so grateful to my Heavenly Father for every single day I get to spend with Garrett. It's a true gift. He's the happiest, and healthiest he's ever been...and that does a Mom heart a lot of good. 💛 Happy 1 year Anniversary of being home buddy! We love you so much! 💛

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Apr 1, 2015 at 10:21am PDT

My happy Garrett 💛💛💛 This boy has the silliest sense of humor, and I absolutely love it! And I love that he will contently sit on my lap for long periods of time. 💛 Tomorrow marks a HUGE milestone in this sweethearts life, 1 year being HOME...So be prepared for picture overload!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 31, 2015 at 11:46am PDT

Don't let this cute, sweet, innocent face fool ya...this boy was a stinker today when he had his therapists visit! 😜 It was quite comical, actually. 😂 He was showing off all of his tricks like fake sleeping (some yawns included) and making sad faces so he could get out of exercises. We all had a good laugh! Love him! I love his little shenanigans though, and I'm so glad he can communicate to us, despite having a trach. He's amazing!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 30, 2015 at 12:59pm PDT

I love watching this cute boy...he was taking everything in tonight as we sat outside on the grass. There were so many days that I wondered if I would ever get to take my baby out of the doors of the ICU. These little things I longed for the most. I love you Garrett, more than you'll ever know. 💛

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 29, 2015 at 9:47pm PDT

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Garrett swinging on my lap tonight at my parents house ... He did so good! He was unsure at first but then he loved it. This boy, he's my favorite.

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 29, 2015 at 7:36pm PDT

Back tickles for daddy while watching Mickey Mouse...a perfect Sunday afternoon!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 29, 2015 at 1:54pm PDT

Garrett admiring all of his loot! He even got a cute Mickey Mouse bath toy 🙌 That Easter bunny sure knows how much our cutie pie loves that Mouse! This weather is fantastic! ☀️💛 and yes, Garrett doesn't go outside without wanting his shades on. 😎 LOVE it.

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 28, 2015 at 12:13pm PDT

March 27...one year ago TODAY, We all arrived back home after spending nearly 3 months in Michigan at Mott's Children's Hospital. I love how happy Garrett and Jake look to be going HOME. When we flew Garrett to Michigan, in January of last year, he was in very critical shape. We were most likely weeks away from loosing him. We are eternally grateful to U of M, and Dr. Green, Dr. Hollister, and Dr. Ohye and many more amazing people - they created a 3D airway splint that not only has helped Garrett breathe on his own, but saved his life. 💕 We KNOW that miracles happen today, because Garrett is a living, breathing miracle that I get to spend every day with. He brings us all so much happiness! We love you Garrett the Brave! 💕

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 27, 2015 at 2:48pm PDT

Practicing his piano moves this morning 😍 he's got them down! I love this boy!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 27, 2015 at 9:20am PDT

Spending this rainy day home with this smiley boy is my kind of day! ☺️ just when I think there's no possible way he could get any cuter, he throws these giant cheesy grins my way.

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 23, 2015 at 11:02am PDT

This kid 😍 Driving around running some errands, and this boy looks so cute hanging out in his sunglasses 😎 He lovesss the car and is such a good sport!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 19, 2015 at 11:59am PDT

Late night family treat run ☺️ I love how we can take Garrett just on oxygen if we are going somewhere close, cuts our "getting ready to leave" time in half for sure, since we can leave his vent at home. Don't worry, Garrett made sure Goofy came along for the ride! 😂👍

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 18, 2015 at 7:47pm PDT

One year later and these pictures that the University of Michigan took for us are some of my favorites. We were nearing the end of our journey at Mott's Children's Hospital, and our sweet boy was doing SO great! Better than any of us ever expected, just 1.5 months after open heart and airway surgery. These were taken for their website and for our first NPR article we did 1 year ago this week. I remember going out the day before this shoot, and for the first time in almost 4 months, I was able to dress Garrett in clothes again...it was a big milestone! We really felt like we were dreaming at times, with how amazing the hospital was and the procedure went. So so grateful. 💕 #tbt

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 12, 2015 at 10:18am PDT

Oh ya know, just chillin' with my cousin Hudson! ❤️ I love seeing these 2 together, and can't wait until they are running around causing mischief together ☺️ Love having them live so close!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 11, 2015 at 1:58pm PDT

Signing Times vs Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Since Garrett has a trach, talking or making any noise at all is very difficult. Before he got his trach I was nervous that he wouldn't be able to communicate way well, and he and I would get frustrated easily not knowing what he wanted. Well, that is not the case at all! I can tell exactly what this boy thinks and is telling me. We pretty much have our own language 👌 These pictures make me laugh - the one on the left is him watching Signing Time, and on the right is him watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! 😂 Love this boy!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 3, 2015 at 10:44am PST