Last night while I was cookin-up some dinner, I decided to try a different technique with Daven and food. I sat him up in his high chair and gave him some Gerber food that seemed to be very thick. Oatmeal, applesauce, and bananas. Everything I have tried up until this point has been thin in hopes of it somehow getting down Daven’s throat. But he still easily spits it back out.

So on this night, I thought we could try the opposite. I almost pulled out the peanut butter…but I thought we would start with the oatmeal. After one bite, he seemed to like it! Didn’t end up swallowing it, but you could see in his face he was pleased with the taste/texture. I gave him another spoon full and he had the same reaction. Finally, I decided to dump it on the tray like I have done before. As soon as I did this, we had a BREAKTHROUGH!

Daven took his hand, scooped up a bite and fed himself. THEN, he actually swallowed. It was like I was frozen in time. Um, did I just see that? Surely not, I probably just wasn’t watching close enough. THEN he did it again right before my very eyes! Daven actually took a bite and swallowed three times! THREE TIMES! I know, this doesn’t sound like a true breakthrough…but with Daven I can assure you…THIS IS HUGE!

We have been trying trying trying to get him to swallow any form of food. Last night was the first time (since he was 6 months old) that he has actually swallowed anything other than formula. Yes, he puts food in his mouth, yes, he plays with it a bit…but he has never actually swallowed anything until last night. We had a great time playing and eating. This may possibly be the secret, make it a fun time…not forcing the food on him. Granted, once he was done with food, he was DONE! I couldn’t get him cleaned up and out of that high chair fast enough.

We will be trying again tonight with possibly peanut butter. GranZ said he ate two bites of a cracker this week too! What about peanut butter and crackers? Hum, we could make all sorts of combinations! Oh the possibilities!

LOVE LOVE LOVE

It has been a hard few days for our tight knit WS community. News of a sick little boy has made our hearts skip a beat and reminded us how fragile our precious children can be. (Please see Nancy http://www.heartofafamily.blogspot.com/ or Lisa’s http://emmaandtatum.blogspot.com/ blog for further details.) While thinking about all the “what if’s” I was remind of a story that I read not too long ago about God being right beside us through thick and thin. I am lucky to have such amazing friends to talk with, ask questions to, and simply to share wonderful stories. I will forever be grateful to them for that.

I am also blessed to have a friend and supporter by my side each and everyday. No matter where I am or what time of day it is, HE is there. No matter what Daven is going through, HE is there protecting him. I know that my hope for Daven’s future gives me power to get through the present. Putting Daven and his health in Gods hands is the only way I can make it through today. That is what gives me peace.

God is Cheering for You
by Max Lucado

God is for you. Not “may be,” not “has been,” not “was,” not “would be,” but “God is!” He is for you. Today. At this hour. At this minute. As you read this sentence. No need to wait in line or come back tomorrow. He is with you. He could not be closer than he is at this second. His loyalty won’t increase if you are better nor lessen if you are worse. He is for you.

God is for you. Turn to the sidelines; that’s God cheering your run. Look past the finish line; that’s God applauding your steps. Listen for him in the bleachers, shouting your name. Too tired to continue? He’ll carry you. Too discouraged to fight? He’s picking you up. God is for you.

God is for you. Had he a calendar, your birthday would be circled. If he drove a car, your name would be on his bumper. If there’s a tree in heaven, he’s carved your name in the bark. We know he has a tattoo, and we know what it says. “I have written your name on my hand,” He declares (Isa. 49.16).

May God put his hands over each and every WS child. Keep them safe, keep them healthy, and give the weak strength. May He be with my dear friends and protect their families.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Now that the decorations are up and the house is full of breakables, Daven has been wide eyed and on the prowl. At first he didn’t try to touch the tree at all, he just wanted to look at it and stare at all the twinkle lights. However, the new has faded a bit and now he wants to touch, grab, and pull on any and everything that mom doesn’t want him to.

(Here he is at Monga’s house while we were decorating her tree. Our theme this year is “50’s Christmas.” Every year we have a new Christmas theme, but that is a longer more detailed post about tradition. HA!)

I have always been a person that has said I will not be afraid to discipline my child and he/she will NOT be throwing any temper tantrums. Lately, however, I seem to catch myself giggling and smiling inside when Daven throws a fit about something. Just last night, he was crawling as fast as his little legs would allow getting to the tree before I caught him. As soon as I saw him, I scooped him up and said a stern NO! With that, he instantly started kicking his legs and screaming in anger. I have pictured this day in my head so many times. Child does something bad, mom says no, child continues to misbehave, mom disciplines child. Nevertheless this particular day I did not get angry, I just smiled and held him while he threw his fit.

To me, this one tantrum made it seem as though Daven was a “normal” toddler trying to get away with something he knows he shouldn’t. Temper tantrum by definition is a disruptive or an undesirable behavior or emotional outburst displayed in response to unmet needs or desires, or an inability to control emotions stemming from frustration or difficulty expressing the particular need or desire. Temper tantrums or "acting-out" behaviors are natural during early childhood development. As children learn to separate from their parents, they have a normal and natural tendency to assert their independence.

Watching Daven try to assert his independence is a beautiful thing! The terrible twos are rapidly approaching and I am anxious to watch and discipline each and every tantrum. It is funny how I always imagined what kind of Mom I would be long before I ever had children. Now that I have been blessed with Daven, my mothering/parenting style has changed 100%.

No matter the parenting style I end up having, I am confident Daven will grow up in a home full of love and care.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Let me start off by saying that I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I have not updated for a few days because the internet at our house has been very sporadic over the past few days. I got tired of fighting with it!

We had a great Thanksgiving Day at our house. Yes, I ate plenty of cinnamon rolls, watched the parade and the Cowboys, and put up the tree. We also had a great time putting up the famous luminarias. It ended up being a BEAUTIFUL day outside! Daven even joined us on the lawn for a little outside play time. We had the exhausting chore done in almost 2 hours. I’d say that’s pretty good for only 5 of us! Here is Daven enjoying his thanksgiving dinner. Mashed potatoes, a pinch of turkey, some bread and it isn’t a thanksgiving meal without a few cheerios. (Of course he didn’t actually eat any of it…but we tried!) I, on the other hand, ate so much turkey and dressing that I had to loosen a notch out of my belt. (I am running out of notches!)

Friday Logan had a full day of surprises for me. He started out by saying that he had arranged Daven to go to GranZ’s house for the afternoon so we could catch a nice lunch and a matinee. I was shocked by this! So we put on our best jeans and dropped Daven off at his GranZ’s for an afternoon of fun! However, that wasn’t the surprise. Logan drove right past the restaurant and the movie theatre explaining that he thought we might like to go to a nicer restaurant in Clovis for a really nice dinner. I was shocked once again! After that, he changed his mind once more. Saying that he thought maybe we should go to Lubbock (about an hour and a half away) for a very nice evening and a small “get out of town” trip. Again, I was shocked! Once we finally got to Lubbock and enjoying our dinner we were discussing what movies we might like to catch there…and he had one final surprise! He informed me that we weren't going to the movies because he had purchased tickets to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for a Christmas concert.

You can imagine my surprise by this. I had no idea this was coming. We had an amazing time watching an amazing show. If you have never heard of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra you should check them out at http://www.trans-siberian.com/ Picture “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” meets “Motley Crew.” It was a bizarre combination, but strangely it works. The arena was packed leaving no empty seats with a mixture of people and clothes. Some were dressed as if they were going to the symphony while others were dressed in cut off flannel shirts. We were somewhere in the middle. As we watched the Christmas green and red laser show, I couldn’t help but wonder if we would ever be able to take Daven to a show like this. Would he love the music or hate it? Would he be able to handle the loud music and crazy lights? Maybe next year we can attempt a smaller version to see what he thinks and possibly sit a bit father back.

Here we are as soon as we found our seats. This is our sorry attempt at taking our own picture. As you can see, I am excited and still in shock while Logan is a bit annoyed that I actually had the camera in my purse. (Yes, I carry that thing around everywhere!) Soon after, an “Event Staff” attendant came up lecturing us about having a camera. We apologized and promised that it wouldn’t come out of my purse again.

We had a great evening and I am still not sure how he pulled off such a surprise! I can honestly say I had no idea this was coming. Thanks to GranZ and PapaT for keeping Daven so we could run away and enjoy an evening together.

Christmas is officially on the way! It will be here before we know it.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

The clock today seems to be moving slower than most days. The College officially closes up shop at 4:30 this afternoon, and that time just cannot come fast enough. NO, I am not hoping to rush out so that Logan and I can get on the road. (I know you are all shocked!) We will be staying in town for the Thanksgiving Day festivities. For once, I am actually looking forward to staying at home. We have zero agenda for Thanksgiving. However, there are a few Thanksgiving Day traditions (yes, more traditions!) that I will not let slip by. Monga’s cinnamon rolls, the Thanksgiving Day parade, and putting up the Christmas tree to name a few.

There is also one Thanksgiving Day tradition that I am NOT looking forward to…putting up the Christmas lights and luminarias outside Monga and Ponga’s house. I am in fact, DREADING this tradition. For those of you “Non New Mexicans,” luminarias are Christmas lights that you put on the ground, not on top of the house. (See picture) While they are beautiful and highly loved in the New Mexico area…they are simply a PAIN to put up. With the help of the entire family and beautiful weather, this agonizing process can be done in only a few hours. Although it is never that easy! This year for instance, half the family will be away visiting others for Thanksgiving and I anticipate cold, WINDY weather. I will put on my happy face, coat, and gloves to help with this project. It is, I suppose, a tradition.

Thanksgiving Day is a day for TRADIITIONS, family, food, parades, and football. It is also a time to give thanks for all our blessings. Each and every one of us have been blessed with so many different things. My list of blessings stretches out for miles. I realize more and more everyday what “blessings” actually look like. While most blessings are obvious sometimes blessings can be disguised.

My family is obviously a blessing. Logan is clearly a blessing. Daven is, of course, a blessing. Would I consider Williams Syndrome a blessing? Maybe! Had it not been for Williams Syndrome, I would not have met so many amazing people. I would not have grown as a woman and mother. I would be ignorant and possibly cold to the world of special needs. And I would never have felt a love that I didn’t know existed.

Through the trials, heartaches, tears, and sadness…there have been mountains of blessings. And for that, I am thankful! My wish is for you to have a BLESSED thanksgiving. Stop and think of each and every blessing. There might be more than you realize.

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you…” Philippians 1:3

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Now that Daven has finally mastered the art of crawling, his curiosity has hit its peak. It is just a joy to watch him go from room to room checking out what it has to offer. The guest bedroom is great to hunt out the computer cords. The guest bathroom is great for the cabinet full of cleaning supplies. The kitchen is full of good stuff! (Mini-blind cords, hot stove, tables to pull up on, drawers to pull open, etc…) The laundry room is great for the dryer sheets that have fallen on the floor. Then there is my bedroom and bathroom that seems to have a wealth of excitement. And finally, Daven’s own room. Now this room is Daven’s least favorite. This room is FULL of actual toys and a complete safe zone for him, so it is much too boring for our little Curious George.

It is so great to watch him travel from one room to another. Following after him pulling him away from the “bad” only to follow him to the next room and pull him away from the “bad” all over again. I never thought the day would come when I would say NO in a discipline manner to him. (Other than the occasional NO as he tries to snatch away eye glasses or earrings.) Since the exploring has started, I have held his hands saying a firm NO when he is near all the bad things. Yes, I have childproofed the house as much as possible. However explorers with little fingers and hands tend to find everything they are not supposed to have.

I have said before that I will happily keep him away from things when the time came. Now that that time is here, I can honestly say…I do enjoy it. Watching him travel around the house and losing him from room to room is something I never thought possible. Looking at his face and all but watching is brain work, it is obvious that he just wants to know everything that this newly found world has to offer.

Dora’s got nothing on our little explorer!

LOVE LOVE LOVE

This weekend was a busy weekend trying to keep up with Daven. And Daven was busy trying to keep up with me. For the first time in Daven’s short life, he actually tried to follow me through the house. It started Friday morning as I was getting ready for work. I was frantically trying to fix my mop into some form of a sophisticated style for work. That’s when I noticed him peaking around the door frame; Daven was all smiles because he had found me! Which then instantly made me full of smiles and laughter! My son actually came looking for me; he just wanted to be next to me. I couldn’t stop myself from tearing up. It was one of a handful of times that I have felt his love for me. I was glowing thinking about it for the entire day, longing to see him again.

After that, it was like something changed in him instantly. I was in the laundry room trying to get some of the mass amounts of laundry done, and around the corner Daven came in search of his momma. I was in his bed room trying to pick up the toys that were pilled high (oh I can’t wait for the day when he can put away his own toys!), and sure enough…I hear the little stomps of a crawling monster. I was cooking in the kitchen, when he came crawling around the corner to find me and once he finally got to me…up went the hands. His way of saying, “Hold me mommy! Hold me!” Of course, I would scoop him up every time!

This continued through out the weekend. It started to become a game. He was playing hide and seek with me! I was hiding and he was frantically trying to find me going from room to room searching out the place. I LOVED every single second of it! Even at bed time, he didn’t want to be out of my arms. I would lay him down in his bed and he would wake up crying because I wasn’t holding him. I have never once felt like my child was clingy to me until this weekend. It almost made me swell with pride knowing that he actually does need me.

I am not expecting this to last. I think part of his clingy actions this weekend were due to a cold he has been fighting. Logan and I were scheduled to attend a symphony concert and dinner Saturday evening. After a long night before hand and noticing how clingy Daven was throughout the day, we called off the night away. I just didn’t feel comfortable leaving him knowing how cranky he had been. (Sorry Monga! Daven will make it up to you with tons of kisses!)

Even though he wasn’t feeling too well, I have to admit I loved the uncharacteristically snuggly Daven. I am however bummed that we didn’t get to attempt any food this weekend. Daven was already grumpy and I didn’t want to make him any more upset than he already was. Sigh. Maybe that can be a priority again over the Thanksgiving break.

Is it Monday already?

LOVE LOVE LOVE

A few evenings ago, after I attempted to feed Daven, I threw (not literally threw, but you get the picture) him into the bath. It is starting to be an evening ritual…attempt to feed Daven, wipe excess food off face, and throw (again not literally) him in a bath.

This specific night, I was picking things up around the house and going in and out of the bathroom checking on him. Now wait, I know the cardinal rule of parenting…”NEVER, EVER leave your child in a bath unattended.” In my defense, he does have a chair that restricts him to the seated position, making it almost impossible for his face to end up in the water. Second, I would only step out of the bathroom for seconds at a time within an ears shot of all the action that was taking place in that bath. But back to my point…

On my way out of the bathroom the last time, I heard what sounded like a…how should I say….gas bubble? You know, breaking wind except for this time it was more like breaking water? HA! After I returned to check on Daven I stayed to play and splash with him. When I got a closer look, something odd was floating around in the tub with him. Picture a loud GASP and a sudden scream…”LOOOOOGGGGAAAAANNNN!!!!”

Yes, Daven had taken care of his business in the bathtub! I instantly went into panic mode. After Logan came running to see what the problem was, he just laughed when he realized what the emergency actually was. Daven’s bowel movements have always been a huge part of our life as parents. It can make or break any day. If he has had one, Daven is usually in a great disposition! If he hasn’t, he can be a bit cantankerous. (To put it nicely) However, I prefer to watch for these bowel movements IN his diaper…NOT in the bathtub where he is supposed to be sparkling clean and smelling of fresh baby powder.

Once we got Daven out of the soiled bath water, I scrubbed and bleached the tub to perfection. Meanwhile, Logan is holding him wrapped in a towel constantly saying how stinky he still is. Well DUH! After we finally got him in the bath and cleaned up properly, I quickly snapped this picture because you could see all over his face he knew what had happened. The mischief on his face said it all.

Maybe this was his way of warning me about leaving him alone while taking a bath. Trust me, I got it! Who knew that “filling his DIAPER” had such a specific meaning?!

On that note…Happy Friday!

LOVE LOVE LOVE

As I was running out for my lunch break today, I got a call on my cell phone. It was a representative from the Medically Fragile Waiver program here in New Mexico. She just happened to be in town and asked if we had time to meet with her to discuss Daven and is eligibility for the Medically Fragile Waiver. When a call comes from a governmentally funded program, you take any chance you get. I was worried that if I told her I didn’t have time today, then it might be months before she got the chance to meet with us again. So I said a loud “SURE!” in reply.

She gave me an hour and a half to prepare. I immediately called Logan and GranZ to make sure they got Daven back at the house in time. All the guidance I have received over the past year from my brilliant Auntie Alowetta was to exaggerate Daven’s condition making it sound worse than it is in reality. Thinking this in the back of my mind, I wanted to be sure and have Daven dressed and ready to go…BRACE and all. ;-)

Logan and I pep talked each other with the understanding that we would not “brag” on Daven but rather downplay his abilities. We both went in ready to go…yes Nancy, brown lipstick and all! After our hour long consultation and observation, she informed us that Daven did not necessarily qualify in the Medically Fragile bracket. Meaning, he will not qualify for any government funding.

As soon as she left, I realized how exhausting it can be telling all that your child cannot do. Pointing out all his flaws, medical concerns, and delays...can be overwhelmingly sad!

I did however; appreciate the fact that the denial of the program was good/bad news. No, we won’t be getting the funding (however she did give us another road to try!), but it is nice to hear that your child is really… “Not that bad.” After visiting so many doctors and hearing all that is wrong with your child, it is honestly nice to hear that Daven is doing very well!

We will keep trying for governmental funding and keep knocking down doors. What do we have to lose right? But for today, Daven is actually a very healthy boy! I would much rather take the healthy side of him as opposed to the medically fragile side. So, we shall travel down other path in hopes of help there. Wish us luck!

LOVE LOVE LOVE

I spent all weekend covered from head to toe in some form of pureed food. I tried my hardest, over the weekend, to get Daven eating something. I am confident that, with the exception of any milk product, I sat anything and everything in front of him to see if he would take a bite. With little to no luck, I can successfully say that I, uh…tried.

I do feel good about how he is taking to the food. He didn’t gag, scream, or freak out at any taste or texture. For that, I am pleased. I feel that the problem now is that he won’t swallow. I honestly believe that he doesn’t know how to work his tongue, chew and swallow. He allows me to put a mouthful in, tastes it, and then spews it back out; forcing the food out with his tongue. Maybe if he knew how to move his tongue and work his mouth, he might be swallowing.

Now here lies the problem…HOW DO YOU TEACH A CHILD TO USE THEIR TONGUE? This will be my first question for Daven’s speech therapist on Wednesday. Is it possible to teach him how to use his tongue and swallow? I can see some change in his texture sensitivity; he just doesn’t seem to grasp the swallowing concept. He crunched cheerios in his teeth, nibbled on some gram crackers, and even played in the applesauce with his hands. (Before, he would have a complete melt down when anything touched his hands.) So, I can see some progress.

As you can tell by the pictures, Daven was a complete MESS! I decided to dump all the applesauce on his highchair to see if he would just play with the food. (Who teaches their child to play with their food? HA!) He loved it! I loved watching just as much. Consequently, we BOTH ended up needing a bath after each feeding. I think Daven had a total of 8 baths over the weekend. And more than that in change of clothes. I am happy I tried and happy to see some change. Daven is nowhere near close to actually eating, but I am feeling optimistic with the progress that has been made.

Here we are at yet another Monday. To lighten the Monday ugliness, I have been singing my heart out to some good ol’ fashioned Christmas music! Ah, I am feeling better already!

Hark! How the bells, sweet silver bells
All seem to say throw cares away
Christmas is here, bringing good cheer…

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Wednesday after we returned home from a full day of doctors appointments, I found a nice surprise in my mailbox! It was a CD from a dear friend that was made especially for me. I LOVED it. It couldn’t have come at a better time or day. Immediately, I stuck it in the computer to listen to all the amazing songs. Daven and I sat and listened to every song on the CD. We just laughed and danced along. He even once or twice put his ear to the speaker to hear the music more intently. I can already see his love for any and all music.

As you can see by the pictures, he was having an amazing time. I loved watching his face listening to the music and dancing along. Especially realizing that just four hours earlier, he was being stuck by needles and screaming out in pain. His smile is without a doubt the most beautiful sight in the world to me. When he smiles, his face can light up any room instantly.

Now that the weekend is finally here, I plan on enjoying the relaxing days ahead. My biggest task for the weekend will be to work with Daven trying more and more foods. Our biggest concern now, is feeding issues. We can only seem to get formula down him; he simply refuses to eat any real food. I will be playing with him and letting him feed himself in hopes that amongst the mess, he actually swallows a bite of food.

As a mother, there are some things that you wish you could go back and change. Daven’s food issue is one of those. When he was 6 months old, we started him on Gerber baby foods. He took to them right away and seemed to enjoy the different flavors and textures. When we went to the doctor for Daven’s 9 month check up the doctor started to see a lull in his weight gain. So through doctors orders we nixed all baby foods and put him strictly back on formula. Keep in mind; this was long before we knew anything was wrong.

Hindsight is always 20/20 as they say…and in this sense, I agree! If we would have realized that weight gain will always be slow, I would have kept Daven on the baby foods. Now that he has been on formula only for so long, he has a taste and texture preference for his formula. I am confident that someday Daven will be eating foods, but there is a picture engraved in my brain of him when he is much older, drinking out of a bottle. I understand this is a slow process (what part of WS isn’t a slow process!), but I am desperate to see some change in his eating habits. So wish me luck this weekend!

Come here Daven…an airplane full of green beans is headed your way!

LOVE LOVE LOVE

We made it back from a full day of doctors visits, and amazingly…came out unscathed. Daven was a true champion yesterday! We dragged him around from one end of the facility, to the other and then back again.

We started out bright and early with his well baby check up. After the doctor looked him over, he ordered a urine sample to check his calcium level, a blood test to check his kidney function, and a flu shot. We put a “urine bag” over his man hood and were on our way over to the orthopedic doctor. Once we got there, they ordered an Xray of Daven’s spine. Once we got the orders and paperwork needed for that, we rushed off to the Radiation center. (naturally it is on the opposite side of the building) Once we finally got the snap shot they needed, we rushed back to orthopedics to get our report.

Round 1 (ding)

Doctor: Is he wearing his brace?

Me: Well, actually no. We have done some research and it showed that children with Williams Syndrome don’t normally do very well with a brace. It fixes one problem while causing another. Muscle Atrophy to be exact.

Doctor: Well, uh…..Williams Syndrome, I have never heard of WS?

Me: SHOCKED! Really, never? (rolling eyes)

Doctor: How is he diagnosed with WS, is this a genetic test?

Me: Yes, actually a blood test called the FISH test.

Doctor: Wow, well who exactly diagnosed this WS?

Me: Dr. Golder Wilson a genetic specialist in this facility.

Doctor: Ah, uh well yes he is a very highly respected doctor. Well it seems like you have done your research and know what you are talking about. I still however feel that it is a priority to keep his brace on to help realign his spine.

Me: Okay, that sounds great! Are we done here?

Doctor: I guess so, lets have you back in about 6 months.

HA! That was the shortened version of Round 1. I expect Round 2 to come in 6 months. ;-) His spine overall, has not gotten any worse. This to me was great news! It doesn’t prove that the chiropractic work is helping, but things at the very least…aren’t getting any worse.

As soon as we said our goodbyes to the Orthopedic doctor, we had to run back to the pediatricians office to get his flu shot and to literally “rip” his urine bag off. (I won’t go into too much detail here, you get the picture) Once we got that taken care of and eyes full of tears, we rushed Daven off to the lab for the final stop of the day. The dreaded blood work. DAH DAH DUMMMM!

We knew we were in trouble when the nurse turned the corner calling for “Davin.” Once she figured out it wasn’t Logan or I getting the blood drawn, she outed with “Uh, ohhh, um…” Logan and I looked at each other and knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Daven was happily playing in Logan’s lap while she got everything ready. The entire time picture her nervously talking saying “oh, well um this won’t be all that hard…I have a very small needle” “Oh, hu…look how wiggly this little guy is” And other nurses yelling out across the way, “Do you need any help” Annoying nurse yells back..”Um, no, uh…I think I’ve got it.”

Once she finally got her things in order the process began. Poke once, no vein. Poke twice, yet still no vein. Third and final poke, yep…NO vein.

Nurse: “well, um, I can’t seem to find a vein” (trying to speak out over Daven’s SREAMING!) “It looks like were gonna have to prick his finger. Is that okay mom and dad?”

Me: “Whatever you have to do…just get this over with!”

After much fighting and screaming and many tears, we were finally done. I see it as a pretty good day when after a full day of running around the hospital, you only want to punch one nurse in the face. I figure that must be pretty good odds. HA! I held it together until we got in the car and headed out of the parking lot. I cried a bit and Logan just held my hand. We didn’t have to say a word; we both just knew we had survived.

All of Daven’s lab work came out great! Daven’s weight wasn’t as good as I had hoped for, but it never will be. He will always be competing in the light weight category. (20 lbs 10 oz) Calcium was great and kidneys seem to be functioning great. All in all, it was a GREAT day yesterday. We have a healthy young boy!

Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts yesterday. Knowing that we had so many supporters and teammates backing us…made that day so much easier! I love each and every person reading this. Thanks again for sticking around.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Tomorrow is the big day. We head out bright and early for a full day of doctors appointments. We start out with Daven’s well baby check up and possibly a flu shot. Yes, more shots! I am also sure we will have to have a calcium check and possibly other blood work.

We go straight from there to his orthopedic doctor. Which is where I expect the battle to begin, Round 1. (Not sure how many rounds I should expect.) Doctors are very skeptical of chiropractors and Daven has been seeing one now all his life. Daven’s first visit to the chiropractor was at 2 months of age. Now, in light of his scoliosis trouble, the research I found said that chiropractic work on a scoliosis child can do wonders! So, for the past 5 or 6 weeks, we have been taking Daven to the local chiropractor for a weekly alignment.

We won’t know if or how it is working until we get an xray done. Even then, it could be months or years before we know how the chiropractic work is doing. I am not sure how Daven’s orthopedic doctors will react to me mentioning his weekly chiropractor visits, but I am sure they will give me ugly looks as soon as I say the word chiropractor. I am going with my game face on!

It is also the big anniversary day. (One of them at least.) My goal is to go all day without having the urge to throw up in the corner. Wish me luck! I will update you as quickly as I can. Which means probably Thursday morning. Here goes nothing…

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Last Friday was my 27th birthday. I was so spoiled on my special day. I am spoiled everyday, but Friday I was especially spoiled. I received flowers from my long time friend Janae, from Lisa, and from my amazing husband! I also got a few gift cards, Mary Kay goodies, clothes, a beautiful “Mother and Child” necklace, and so many other things. (Even some unmentionables!)

The best part about my birthday was this weekend. It started Friday night with a girls night out on the town. Logan gave me the night off to spend some quality time with a few of my girlfriends. Oh we had a blast. It was a long night of pure laughter! By the end of the evening, our faces hurt from laughing so hard and had a perma-grin on. We missed you Amanda and Sarah, but we will catch you on the next girls night out! Thanks Blanca and Micah for helping me celebrate and for sharing the evening with me. I love you both!

Saturday Logan and I had a great day just relaxing and enjoying each others company. We ended up calling my good friend Amanda over to see if she could sit with Daven while we went out and enjoyed a nice quiet dinner and movie. After we thought about it for a while, we figured out this was one of the only times we have left Daven with a true-blue babysitter. Every other time has always been with family. I would have been fine all night long, had I not remembered this little fact. I would start to get worried and ask Logan if we should call home and see if Amanda and/or Daven were okay? Every time he assured me things were fine and if they weren’t she would be sure to call. Sure enough, when we got home…all was well. They had played all night long and watched lots of Daven’s movies. I apologized to Amanda for not having any snack food in the house. (One of the only reasons I loved babysitting so long ago, was to raid the family’s house for good snacks!) I was so proud of Daven for being such a big boy and not giving the babysitter too much trouble! YAY, that in itself is a huge success. Thanks to you Amanda for coming at such short notice. We had a great night and felt stress-free when leaving Daven with you.

And finally, Sunday was birthday lunch with my family. Monga (my grandmother) made her famous enchiladas and all the fixins that go with it and a giant German chocolate cake for dessert. Oh it was heavenly! What a great way to end my birthday!

I just wanted to say Thanks to everyone for making this day so special! I needed a great birthday and it ended up being not only an amazing day, but an amazing weekend! We could stretch it out to a week long celebration! Who needs a birthDAY, how about a birthWEEK?

LOVE LOVE LOVE

I took a big gulp and called Daven’s doctors today. I have been stalling, (for reasons I do not know) but knew the time had come to book his next appointment. After I looked through my book, I realized that we hadn’t gone to any doctors appointments in almost 4 months. That has to be a record time span in Daven’s young 22 months of age.

We will be taking Daven to see his orthopedic doctor next Wednesday, November 8. I can already feel my body tense up and my stomach turn. I know they will be asking me how Daven has been doing with his brace. They will want an xray to see if his back has gotten any better or worse. They will also be looking closely at his feet to see if orthotic braces are needed.

We will also be seeing Daven’s pediatrician for his 20 month check up. (only 2 months late) There, I will once again be faced with so many questions that I will have to answer with, “No, not yet.” No, he isn’t eating solids yet. No, he isn’t saying any words yet. No, he isn’t walking yet. YES, he IS crawling! This, however, isn’t what is causing my anxiety.

The time is rapidly approaching that we will have to schedule an appointment to meet with his Genetic Specialist. The doctor that diagnosed Daven with WS almost a year ago. Our famous date for actual FISH test results was November 16, 2005. However, the day we met with the genetic specialist was November 8. Yes, a year ago next Wednesday.

I can feel my body go into that infamous panic, scared to death, sick to my stomach – mode in anticipation of next Wednesday’s appointments. A year ago on this exact day, I was given some of the hardest news of my life. You think my son has what? What does William Syndrome mean? How did he get WS? Was it something I did when I was pregnant? How could this happen to my child? NOOO, he is fine…just a little weak and delayed, that’s all!

My how a year has flown by. So many questions answered from that day to today and yet so many more questions left unanswered. Daven's doctors appointments are only beginning. My days of tensing up and stomach turning are still inevitable. Anniversary’s of these famous dates will be still be hard to swallow. BUT, I have officially survived one full year. I have met so many other brave moms and seen pictures of their beautiful angels. Thanks for riding this roller coaster journey with me. I LOVE YOU all!

LOVE LOVE LOVE