All the cousins together.

We had Mitch's brother, Eliot, and his family out for a visit yesterday.  Hailey and Dylan had a great time playing with their cousins Emma & Aiden.  We all had a wonderful time just hanging out.

Hailey and Aiden - could they get any cuter?!

Sweet Emma & Dylan.

Dylan says "I love you Auntie Kim."

Therapy with Mommy

Lots of therapy with Mommy this morning.  Thanks to Dana, Dylan's therapist for letting us borrow the big mat/mirror.  Dylan is finally becoming really interested in looking at himself in the mirror.   He also enjoyed drooling on the mirror and rubbing his hands in it. 

Now to the jumperoo, he is reaching for the toys in front of him and pushing off the ground with his feet.

"I've almost got it Mommy!" 

We are still working on Dylan grabbing his feet.  He will do it by himself when he is in his Water Way Pool, but when not in the water I have to help a little bit. 

Some ball therapy. 

I have found that you can do a lot with a $0.99 toy.  He was also doing great laying on his back and kicking at the ball.

All tuckered out and ready for a nap.

Gloworm

I couldn't help myself, I just had to take some pictures of Dylan with his Gloworm.  Every night when I put him in his crib I turn on the Gloworm (it glows and plays music) and he smiles the most precious smile ever and coos.  I find myself standing by his crib for 10 minutes just staring at him smiling.  Yes, he has on a pink/flower sleep sack - that's what happens when you have a girl first and reuse some things (he also has a pink Bumbo seat).  So far Mitch doesn't seem to mind as long as I don't take him outside in pink.   

Getting Chubby

Silver Spoon Baby
One more Silver Spoon Baby picture, Dylan sure loves this super soft blankie. It actually looks like Dylan is getting chubby. He has been eating great the last four days- taking his usual (4) six oz. bottles and now 2 solids in a day. Whoo Hoo!! I can't believe the change in him. It's so amazing so see him eat now, actually wanting the food and opening his mouth for the spoon and not being a moving target - it definitely has made my life easier.


O.K. I had to add these videos only because I am so proud of myself that I finally figured out how to upload videos from youtube to my blog!!!  (I know, I know, it really wasn't that hard).

New Camera

I got a new camera and couldn't help but take pictures of my little cutie-pie. Some are a bit blurry but still so cute, I am figuring out how to work the natural light setting and I am not a photographer.

So after many days of computer trouble, and me trying to fix the problem myself, I finally had to call someone out. Sadly the problem had to do with my blog. I was unable to comment or see any of my followers and this was making me very upset. Thank goodness for very smart computer guys, he was able to fix the problem in an hour and now my blog is up and running great. And while I was rejoicing I couldn't help but take some pics of my little pickle.

Another Day of Just Being Cute

Superman

Eating yams, his favorite food, soon he will turn orange.

Dylan is a Silver Spoon Baby! This adorable blanket was made by my close family friend Linda Williams. Go to www.mysilverspoonbaby.com to check out more beautiful blankets like this.

Progress Review

Today Dylan's therapist came and gave me the results of his last (9 month)assessment. I can't believe the progress that he has made. Here are the results:

Cognitive: 6.5 months
Receptive Language: 5 months
Expressive Language: 6 months
Gross Motor: 5 months
Fine Motor: 5 months
Social-Emotional: 6 months
Self-Help: 5 months

Now, I am sooooo excited because 3 months ago (at the 6 month assessment) he was scoring at 4.5 months and below. He continues to amaze me everyday. Tomorrow I take him back to the plastic surgeon to see how his palate has healed and to see how much weight he has gained (remember he lost about 8-9 oz after the surgery). He also has an appointment with the Geneticist. I am very anxious to see what she thinks of him. I will post an update tomorrow.

This is what happens when you leave a 3 year old unattended while you take a shower. She said that Dylan was cold and she couldn't find a blanket. I think I counted 8 stuffed animals on him - too cute.

Another Beautiful Day

Another beautiful day. Today Mitch and I have been married for 6 years and couldn't be happier. We spent the day together as a family. We went to the ranch to see my horse, Kelsey and Hailey got to ride in her buddy seat with me. We also went to the park with the kids and had lunch. It was a great day.

Hailey

This post is about Dylan's big sister Hailey. She is the best big sister he could have ever asked for.
These pics are from today - take note it is January 9th and it is 70* in So. Cal. What has happened to winter?

Dylan 8 months

Dylan 3 months

Dylan 1 month

two weeks old

4 days old

I have been reading Chicken Soup for the Soul - Caring for Children with Special Needs and it has made me think (and cry). One particular essay titled "Believe" really touched my heart. It made me think of Hailey and what a wonderful sister she is to Dylan and what a wonderful daughter she is to me.

Back to when we got Dylan's WHS diagnosis the social worker came up to me and handed me a pamphlet about a long term care facility for medically fragile children. I looked at it and thought "is Dylan so sick that he cannot come home, or will we not be able to care for him ourselves?" He just looked like a newborn to me - eating, sleeping, pooping, crying. Mitch and I had created him out of love and he was OUR baby, we loved him no matter what. The last thing we wanted to do was put him in a nursing home. I remember her saying that some parents choose not to take their babies home from the hospital with a diagnosis like this, because they want their other children and themselves to have a normal life. (Now before you get mad at this social worker she also told me that she was just giving us all of our options). But of course after hearing this my first thought was of Hailey - how would she have a "normal" life. I looked at the list of specialists that would need to see him and felt completely overwhelmed- Hailey had never seen anyone other than the Pediatrician and in her 3 years had only been sick once with an ear infection. I thought to myself, how would I be a good mother to Hailey and give her the love and attention she needed, how would I go back to work, how would I take care of my horse, how would I live life as I knew it? I will also admit that I did feel a little detached from Dylan in the beginning. It was very strange to come home after having a baby and not have your baby with you. In a way I felt like I hadn't given birth. I missed out on that initial bonding, we weren't allowed to hold him until he was 3 days old and when he was diagnosed we were told that he may not live very long. In that first week in the NICU every doctor that came to see him told us of something else that was not right inside his little body. I felt like somehow it was my fault because my body had made him and didn't make him perfect. I blamed myself- was it because I had been on birth control pills, was it where I worked, the cleaning products I used, where we lived? I know now that it was not our fault but just a fluke of chromosomes.

When we finally left the hospital with Dylan I felt like it was with a death sentence, I was so afraid that he was going to die and so afraid of what the future might hold that I had a really hard time feeling happy just holding him/loving him. I was devastated by the loss of my "perfect" baby and I cried all the time. But not Hailey. She was so excited to have a baby brother and to be a big sister. She wore her Big Sister shirt with pride and every time we went into the NICU to see him she wanted to hold him and give him lots of kisses and hugs. She didn't see that Dylan had anything wrong with him, he was just her baby brother that she had been waiting anxiously to meet and love. She was my shining light in those first few dark weeks. When we brought him home she made me realize that everything was going to be o.k. and our family was going to be "normal." She helped me see past the diagnosis and just see Dylan, the beautiful new addition to our family. She didn't care that Mommy had to take Dylan to see the doctors again and again, she just wanted them to check her too. She plays with him everyday, helps to take care of him and thinks he is just the most precious baby ever. She doesn't think there is anything different with having Dana, Dylan's therapist, come to the house every week - she just wants to help teach him too. She loves her baby brother completely and unconditionally and smiles every time he looks at her, in which she replies "aaawwwww, he smiled at me Mama". If we are out and about and someone walks by she proudly proclaims "that's my baby brother, isn't he soooooo cute!"

I love both of my babies with all of my heart. I believe that everything happens for a reason and that Dylan was given to us to teach us all about acceptance and love. When I hold him I feel more love for him than I ever though was possible. I am truly blessed with a wonderful family and life. The funny thing is that our life really isn't that much different from before Dylan was born. I still work part-time as a Labor & Delivery RN, I still go to Stroller Strides, I still get to ride my horse (Hailey and Dylan love to go to the ranch with me), we still go on camping trips and Hailey still lives a pretty charmed life. The only difference is that there are a few more appointments thrown into the mix.

Sorry to go on and on but I have had a lot of thoughts, feelings and words to tell and just had to get them out today.

Hangin' With Mom

Today I have decided to complete one of my New Year's resolutions - CLEAN OUT MY CLOSET! I have to say that either I have gotten taller or my clothes have shrunk because I don't remember all of them being belly shirts. I am also going to report that I still have my prom dress in my closet, yes this is true. The saddest part about it is that since senior year of high school (15yrs ago) I have moved about 5 times and that prom dress has moved right along with me, and if you look closely to the pile of clothes the prom dress is not there - yes it is still hanging in my closet (memories, I just can't let go). So while I was trying on lots of shirts to see if they possibly still fit, Dylan was chillin' in the tub, and having a great time swimming around. Cleck out that hair - he looks like a Kewpie doll.