And we love it.....

Austin has made a new friend, Jake's "Thanksgiving Gund Bear".  He just watches him and stares at him and can actually sit through the whole story (which I can barely sit through).  Just makes me laugh.  Totally distracts him.

Gund Bear also is a great help with tummy time.....

And encourages sitting up....

Or maybe its the camera case that is helping with sitting up....

Decisions, Decisions....

Long and Overdue

 Guess who's BACK!!!   The little guy is going to be 7 months old on saturday.  I can't even tell you where the time has gone.  Since I've been back at work, the days just fly by.  At his six month well check up, he weighed 18 pounds (although I'm sure he's at least a pound heavier by now).  He remains in the 75% in all areas.  He's now wearing size 12 month clothing comfortably.  He just began physical therapy two times a week and is doing great.  We've been working on getting him to put more pressure through his arms and he's getting there.  He is just about sitting by himself and is holding his own bottle.  He LOVES vegetables (not so much the fruit..go figure).  And is HAPPY!  ALL THE TIME....JUST HAPPY!   What a pleasure he is...

He got to experience his first snow storm already (we got over a foot of snow) and then two days later it was Halloween!  Crazy weather....

Here are some recent pics...

Cold Season already?!

So, we all survived my first week back at work.  I'm exhausted.  Been getting up at 5:15am, to get myself ready, both the boys ready, drive them 25 minutes away to school, then drive another hour to work...all by 9am!  Its insane, but has to be done. Austin has adjusted well.  Kevin and I joke all the time at what a complete opposite Austin's personality is than Jake's.  Austin goes with the flow, is always happy and just hangs out.  Jake is a nightmare in the morning, tends to be rather bossy, and does not like change in his routine.  Its rather amusing.

Austin got sick within 3 days of being at daycare.  And he's sick....had the fever, running nose, coughing, irritabililty.  Feel so bad for him, but I know it is gonna be around for a few months now.   Otherwise he seems to be doing pretty well in daycare.  Still hate the fact that I'm not home with him and I only get to spend about two hours a day when I get home with the boys.  Has to be done though.

We had a few doctor's appointments this week.  Monday started off with a trip to NYC for our new neurosurgeon.  We switched due to insurance issues and the fact that our original neurosurgeon doesn't participate in any insurance plans and we have to pay out of network rates everytime we saw her.  So, we made an appointment with a new surgeon, one we have seen before for consults, so we knew we liked him.  He took one look at Austin and said "wonderful".  He continued to tell us how he is more of the "hands off" philosophy and doesn't really believe in a lot of MRI's. He also doesn't like using programmable shunts because he explained that statistics show that its not usually the value that leads to shunt malfuctions.  He said that he doesn't need to see Austin again until his first birthday, at which time he will do another MRI.  (We have been going much more frequently to the other surgeon, so this was a pleasant surprise).   On the way out, as I attempted to pay my copay, we were informed that this surgeon has just decided to stop participating in my insurance plan and that the hospital also no longer takes my insurance!  Nice...love hearing that doctor's don't take your insurance after you switch to them for that very reason!  So, what next?  Well I think eventually we'll switch the family over to Kevin's insurance, who the surgeon does still participate with.  Just creates an issue as to Jake's doctor's, but we'll work something out.

Today we went to the opthamologist.  Austin is still pretty farsighted.  He is at a +5.5, and normal is +2.  But a few months ago, he was a +6.5, so his eyes have gotten better.  I really have no idea what the numbers mean, but at least I know they are going down.  We have to watch for crossing, and we are going back in another six months just to keep an eye on them.  So today was good.

Been trying to get a good picture of the boys together, but it proves impossible these days.  When one is smiling the other is not.  And Austin tends to blink at every flash now.  These were from yesterday.  Boys wore their matching outfits to school for "picture day".

The dreaded day has come....

I'm going back to work tomorrow!  UGH!  I've really enjoyed my maternity leave and I'm very thankful that I have a job that allows me to take this much time off.  But alas, all good things have to come to an end.  And I'm back tomorrow.  Austin is going to start daycare and I'm not pleased about this.  I know once he gets mobile, it will be much easier.   I'm just worried that they won't follow through with all of the physical therapy he needs and I certainly don't want to see him regress at all.  Jake is very excited though that Austin will be at the same school as him, so I know he will keep an eye on him throughout the day. 

In other news, Austin learned a new trick last week.  He ROLLS!  He has mastered rolling from his back to his stomach, but not so much from his stomach to his back.  Its very hard to keep him on his back now, and he's really enjoying his tummy.  I got it on video...

He is also loving his exersaucer (with a blanket around his middle to keep him snug in place since he's still too little for it).  Jake is an excellent helper with showing him how all of his toys work :)

Say a little prayer for Austin that he adjusts well at daycare and that the teachers follow through with the necessary therapies and precautions for him....mommy is soooo sad :(

Happy Birthday to the big boy!

4 years ago, we welcomed into this world the most perfect little boy any parent could imagine.  Little did we know that day that Jake was deaf and his diagnosis would start a whirlwind of events that would effect everyone around him (for the better).  As parents, we have had to watch our son go through numerous doctor's appointments (more bloodwork than I can even remember), therapy appointments, two surgeries, two ER visits, two leaves of absences from work, three daycares/schools to accommodate his therapies, thousands and thousands of miles on our cars driving to appointments a few times a week, and changing our lifestyle to adapt to a child with hearing loss. 

I wish I could say that these past four years have been easy.  They haven't.  We have had to do things to help our son learn how to listen and eventually speak; things other parents take for granted.  We have had to adapt to having a child who can't hear us during bath time, pool time and sleep time.  We went through a year of having our son wear a hat at all waking hours of the day because he would take his "ears" off and put them into his mouth, or throw them across the room.  We had to learn sign language so that we could communicate with our son.  We have had to watch our son have balance issues and be the one to always fall when all of his friends were already running and jumping.  We have had to hear alot of comments (some not so nice ones) about our son and "what those things are on his head".   I could go on for days about how much our lives have changed.  And more importantly, how much Jake has had to endure.

But all in all, I wouldn't change this experience for the world.  We don't take anything for granted.  Every milestone, every accomplishment, is so amazing.  And the most important thing of all is that Jake is the best little boy I know (and I'm not just saying that because I'm his mom). 

We have watched our son grow into a little man and he is a pure delight.  Kevin and I are able to look back at these years and laugh at all we've been through.  Yes, laugh.  And because of all he has been through, and all of his hard work, he is in a mainstream Pre-Kindergarten class (one of the youngest in his class by the way) and at the same level as his hearing peers...who I might add, have been hearing over a year longer than him!  Pretty awesome lil guy he is!!!

Oh how he has changed in these past four years....

4 weeks old

1 year (enter HATS)

2 years

3 years



4 YEARS!!!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FAVORITE BIG BOY.  LOVE YOU BUDDY AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!

5 months old!

Austin has a new nickname...Gooser.  (Silly Goose has migrated to "Gooser")  He loves it, haha.   If you know me, you are not surprised, as I have nicknames for everyone!   So, the lil Gooser turned 5 months old yesterday.  I can't even believe it.  I came across an email today that I sent out to my family and friends a few months after we received Austin's diagnosis.  Just reading that email again made me upset.  If I had known on that day as I wrote that email, what kind of post I would write today, 8 months later, I would have been so grateful...and most importantly, I would have enjoyed the remainder of my pregnancy. 

Austin is doing great.  PERFECT actually.  We are never "out of the woods" so to speak, but I really couldn't have asked and prayed for him to be any more perfect than he is.  Several people have asked me to call up those doctors who were so negative during my pregnancy and let them know how perfect Austin is.  Several people want me to scream at those doctors, to tell them how horrible they are to have put our family through what they put us through.  But, thats not the type of person I am.  And I really, truly, 100% believe, that Austin is a miracle.  I really believe that those doctors were telling us the truth about how much fluid there was, and what they have experienced seeing ultrasounds like Austin.  I do feel that they could have "educated" us better and maybe went about it all differently, but all in all, I'm not mad.  This experience has strengthened my faith so much more.  I put my faith and trust in the Lord, and I received a little angel. 

And an angel he is.  He is such a happy boy.  Smiling and laughing all the time.  He now weighs over 16 pounds.  We started rice cereal a few weeks ago.  He is still trying to get the hang of it, but he is doing well with it.  He still gets physical therapy once a week and he is doing very well with it.   He is putting lots of pressure on that shunt side of his head now.  He rolls over onto both of his sides from laying on his back.  He does well with tummy time.  We are working on getting him to put more pressure onto his hands on tummy time.  He reaches and grabs for toys and tries to sit himself up when reclined in his bouncy chair.  He also puts nice pressure on his legs.  The only thing he doesn't do (that he should at this age) is reach and grab for his feet.  We are encouraging that though and I'm sure he'll pick it up quickly. 

Here are some recent pics and a cute video.  (He is laughing at his brother saying "Wipey, Wipey" as he was swinging a wipe around)

Earthquakes and Hurricanes

In the short 4 months Austin has been in this world, he has gotten to experience an earthquake, a hurricane turned into a tropical storm, flooding, power outages, trees down, road closures and evacuations!  All in the same week!!!!!

Thankfully, we were very lucky and only had some minor damage with trees down (and power outage) when Hurricane Irene hit this past sunday.  Have to admit, it was the scariest storm I have ever witnessed....with the winds knocking down MANY trees by us.   Our backyard is very steep with many, many tall trees.  We decided to leave mid-storm once the first tree fell, coming within a few feet from the house.  Kevin and I really thought we would return that evening to find a tree through the house....thankfully that was not the case! 

Here is one of the trees....

Prayers and thoughts to all of the families that lossed a loved one or had damage to their homes and neighborhoods.   Hope everyone was able to stay safe.  And special thanks to G, N, B and K for allowing us to house crash during the storm....