Meeting Ashlynn

The day finally came that we were able to meet Taryn and Ashlynn!  Taryn and I first met on facebook about a year ago after she found this blog.  Chatting on-line we found that we have a lot in common(and only live about 20 minutes apart) and have been meaning to get together for some time now.  I am so glad that we did.  Ashlynn, like Dylan has WHS, just turned one about two weeks ago and is doing AMAZING!  She is sitting up, pulling to stand and trying to crawl. 

It is always so great to connect with other WHS parents.  As Taryn walked in my front door I already felt like we knew one another, it was like we were long lost friends.  It is always so nice to be able to share stories and completely understand one another.  I know that we will be great friends and that we will keep in touch. 

Here are a few pictures from today:

Dylan and Ashlynn are a year apart and are as cute as can be together.

At five months old Luke already outweighs Dylan and Ashlynn coming in at 18lbs!

Hailey told me after that she thinks Ashlynn is cuter than Dylan and Luke and reminded me that she still wants a sister.  I told her too bad, three are enough for me. :)

My Favorites

Yesterday I received the disk from Carrie will all of our pictures on it.  She did an absolutely AMAZING job and I love all 166 pics.  I feel like she captured the true beauty of my babies.  Thanks again to Lauren for setting it all up and connecting us!  Carrie did a photo shoot fundraiser for her nephew Levi who has Cystic Fibrosis.  I was so happy to be able to contribute to "For the love of Levi."

Here are a few of my favorites, enjoy!

More Tricks

Dylan has been showing off more and more lately and I am so glad I captured it on camera.  About a year ago Dylan learned how to raise up his arms when I would say "pick me up."  He would do it all the time and then that skill suddenly stopped about 8 months ago.  I was so sad, we had worked so hard and I thought that maybe he would never do it again but today he showed me.  I am so excited!  He is so proud of himself, it's very very cute.  You will also see in this video that Dylan has begun to scoot around on his back to get to what he wants.  Scooting around on his belly is still something that we are working on everyday and he is very resistant to it but I will take whatever floor mobility he can give me right now.  Way to go Pickle!



I also wanted to share these very cute growth charts that I got for the kids.  Dylan loved showing off how big he is.

(this photo thanks to big sis Hailey)

Dylan's New Trick

We have been working on Dylan's receptive language skills for a long time now.  Some days are good and others not, but I keep on trying and trying and I know he is going to get it.  Recently I have been working with Dylan on recognising different foods.  So far he can recognise yogurt melts, graham crackers and his Plum Baby fruit pouches.  This might seem like a small accomplishment but to me it's HUGE!  My mom has also been working with Dylan on waving and a little game we call "give me your hands."  My mom has been working on this new skill a lot with Dylan and he has seemed to only want to show off for her and not me, but today he showed me and I actually caught it on camera. 

Things Are Looking Up

Dylan had his Cardiology appointment today.  I have great news to report - his ASD has completely closed!!!  He no longer needs to be seen by cardiology.  The doctor told me that I can scratch her off my list!  This is the best appointment I think we have ever been to with Dylan and the only one where I didn't need to make a follow up appointment.  :) 

Pediatrician Appointment

Today I took the boys for their check-ups.  Dylan had his two year and Luke his four month.  They both did great and are growing, growing, growing.  Here is how they measured up:

Dylan: 17lbs 6oz, 30.5" long - this puts him at a little over 50% for weight and 75% for height on the WHS growth chart - our little string bean.

Luke: 16lbs 4oz, 23.5" long - he is at the 50% for weight and only 10% for height.  He is our little chunky monkey and looks like the Michelin Man - I just love his rolls.

I love our Pediatrician.  She is so caring and compassionate.  She always makes me happy when I leave the appointment, always pointing out how proud she is of Dylan.  She was very pleased with Dylan's growth and development (and Luke's as well).  She was also excited to see the interaction between Dylan and Luke.  Dylan loves Lukey and makes it known by vocalizing (sometimes very loudly) and smiling whenever he is near Luke.  I too am excited to see the changes in Dylan from having a little brother for motivation.

Dylan is looking like such a big boy now, I love it.

Check out those arm rolls!

 

Urology and Therapy Updates

Last week Dylan was back at the Urologist for his VCUG.  Last year he had one done and it was determined that he had 4+ vesicoureteral reflux on the right side and 3+ on the left.  This time the right side was only at a 2+ and the left was barely a 1+.  I was very excited to hear that the kidney reflux appears to be resolving on its own - finally something is going right.  The doc wants to wait six months and do another VCUG and at that time if it has not resolved completely he will perform the deflux procedure.  The only down side is that he will need to remain on the once a day antibiotics for six more months, but I think we can live with that.

On to therapy.  Dylan's therapy has drastically increased this last month.  We are now up to 20 hours a month of PT/OT and developmental therapy.  I admit that it is a lot at times and can be overwhelming, but I am grateful that all of this was approved and is being provided to us free by the state of California.  Three times a week someone comes to our house and twice a week I take him to a medical therapy unit.  With three kids and one of them being four months old and breastfeeding it can take some juggling. However, thanks to my mom and my sister I am actually able to fit it all in.   It is hard because with school for Hailey, naps and feeding schedules and trying to keep my house somewhat clean it leaves little time for anything else.   In the beginning I was worried that this would be too much for Dylan.  Some days he is great for the therapist and other days not so much.  Last week was a nightmare!  He did not want to do any work.  He even got so upset during his OT session that I thought he was going to make himself throw up.  But then this week - so far so good.  He had a great session with both PT and OT on Monday and did very well with the developmentalist yesterday.  Maybe we have turned a corner!  He has been very very happy this week - cracking himself up all day long, it is very cute. 

He was having a great time on his Rody horse laughing and bouncing.