Mothers Day 2014

I'm a few days late on this Mother's Day post, but oh well.  Scott gave me a great day, I was however battling a cold and the boys ganged up on me and woke up a ton that night between Saturday to Sunday.  All the same it was still pretty great.  I slept in, which for me is until 8:00 AM, had some crepes, and checked out me gift.  Which was a new car, well a new used car.

I also got a new candle, which is awesome.  Back to the car.  2011 Altima. it has a handy smart key, super dark windows, and is super nice.  

We have been in the market for a new car for a while.  Oliver's new convertible car seat is huge, and in our now older car the passenger seat had to be pushed up all the way just to make it fit.  We looked into an SUV, but this car actually had the most space.  We still want to get a bigger car in the distant future but we will cross that bridge when we get there.  I have so many requirements for vehicles now.  

Back to Mother's Day.  Rivers sang again in sacrament meeting.  He did so great!  He is such a little performer!  The primary sang two songs and between songs I looked over at Scott and Rivers called out "Mommy I'm up here!"  It was hilarious.  Ollie fell asleep nursing during Sunday school and I got to do my favorite thing, hold my sleeping baby and rest with him and snuggle.  We left early to head over to the Shepherds to make dinner for Meg.  I was also battling a cold, I think I might be allergic to rain or something because this happened a few weeks ago during a few days of rain, hence to allergic idea.  Maybe it's mold or something.  

Anyway, I feel so blessed to be these boys mom.  I was talking to Scott the other day, reminiscing abut when I brought little Oliver home from the hospital.  With Rivers I was scared and nervous, everything was new and I was unsure.  With Oliver I was amazed they let me take him home!  I was so overjoyed just being with him!  He was mine.  Rivers is so sweet, and happy, and smart, and funny, and handsome.  He has the best laugh, loves to snuggle (now, wasn't always the case) and is the best big brother.  He often comes up to Oliver, gives him a hug and states "I love this guy!" How adorable is that! He loves to make Oliver laugh, and is fairly helpful.  Rivers will also make statements like "I'm so proud of you" and "Can I ask you a few questions?"  He wants to help with everything. Oliver is also pretty great.  He is always so excited to see me in the mornings.  He loves to snuggle, seriously loves to snuggle.  Oliver loves to sleep in my arms, lay in my bed with Scott and I, sit on my lap, be held in my arms.  He loves to clap his hands and sign 'more'.  He loves to eat whatever we are eating.  Such a change from Rivers.  I still can't believe he's mine, that I get to keep him.  Both boys.  I love being a mom, I feel so blessed to have them both.    

Oliver at 7 Months

Not much changed from 6 to 7 months, well Oliver learned to sit up, didn't get sick, and still isn't sleeping through the night.  By seven months he was only waking up once a night, which is totally do-able.

Oliver still wasn't a fan of solids by 7 months, and only tolerated 2 or 3 bites a day, but was always super interested in whatever Scott, Rivers or I were eating.  So we just pretty much give Oliver small bites of whatever it is we are having.  This is worked out really well.  We have had a few choking problems, the bites are small enough that he shouldn't be choking, but he still manages to do so.  It turns out Oliver LOVES food.  everything but veggies, go figure.

He is such a snuggle bug!  He loves being held, watching his big brother, watching mama cook or do the dishes, hates to be alone, flaps his arms and kicks his legs when happy or excited, loves going outside, hates his car seat, and is a total mama's boy!  I love my Oliver Eugene!

Oliver at 6 months

I was shocked when I realized my little Oliver was 6 months old!  I'm so in love with him even if he does wake up at 6:00 every morning.

 He's pretty great!  I can't believe how many challenges I have had to over come with this little guy.  I swear we have doctors appointments every week.  I still wouldn't change a thing, even though we have to see a handful of doctors to just deal with his crazy head shape, which doesn't include his regular pediatrician and well kid visits, and the fact that he's had to have CT scans, ultra sounds, and cranial scans, he has also been really sick. But that all seems to be behind us now!  No more sickies!!  

But he looks so cute taking his breathing treatments! Watching your child suffer is the hardest thing ever.  I know there are other children out there with much worse conditions and problems than his, and I know that his set backs are only temporary.  I also just enjoy him so much.  He is the sweetest little boy and had just been a joy to have.  

Oliver is 5 Months Old!!

I feel like I have been terrible about posting month to month about my sweet little boy.  I also feel like this 5 months has gone by so fast! Oliver has such sweet spirit, and I can't imagine our lives before him and he is such a good fit in our family.  Here are some Ollie facts
At 5 months Oliver:
Hates tummy time
Is a terrible sleeper, seriously he wakes up every 3-4 hours a night if not more.
Has a stinky head from his helmet.
Has the best laugh and smile.
Loves his mommy.
Hates solids, well he's only had a taste of rice cereal once I'm not in any hurry to start solids.
Loves to play with toys.
Hates his car seat.
Can almost sit up on his own.
Has successfully rolled from tummy to back and really wants to roll from back to tummy.
Loves to play peek-a-boo.
Only has two more months with his helmet!

I sure love my little Oliver Eugene!

Ollie's Helmet

So, this post is four months in the making.

When Oliver was born, both Scott and I noticed that his head had an odd shape.  No one said anything to us about it while we were in the hospital, and the pediatrician on call didn't seem to show any concern, so when we brought him home we just figured it would be one of those things that would fix it's self.

At his 2 week appointment, Dr. Fox, Our pediatrician, was concerned about the shape of his head.  He asked us to follow up with him in 2 weeks, and again in 4 weeks to see if it was getting better.  It was, but not at the rate he would like to see.  So he sent us to a pediatric plastic surgeon.  The concern was that the plates (fontanels) in Oliver's head had fused closed early.  

Oliver never had a soft spot when he was born. After meeting with Dr. Siddiqi at Primary Children Hospital he ordered a CT Scan.  By now Oliver was 2 months old, and the scan revealed good news, that his skull was still open.  He asked us to come back in 2 months to see the shape and how it was growing.  

At that appointment Dr. Siddiqi decided Oliver would need a helmet, which is a relief, the other option was surgery where they would go in and break his skull and place it correctly.  

Next, we met with Dr. Beavers to get fitted for a helmet.  This also involved a scan, and teaching me the formal name for Oliver's condition, Scaphocephaly.

Then it became a waiting game to see if insurance was going to cover the cost of the helmet.  Once that came through the helmet was ordered and shaped and is now being worn by my sweet little boy, who hates it.

Here's some pictures.

 tummy time at just  few days old

 few weeks old

 CT scan, this was pretty scary for me. My little baby being strapped down and x-rayed through this huge machine.  Mommy didn't like this.

 this is to show the ridge along his forehead

 Bump in the back

 First night in the helmet, he hates it!

 the idea of the helmet is to control the growth so it grows out from the ears, instead of front to back, if that makes sense.  He still hates it.

  And it has put a huge damper on our snuggles.

This has defiantly been a learning and growing process for me.  

I know that there are other babies that have bigger and more serious problems than my little Oliver has, but it still hasn't been easy.  I've had to change the way I hold and snuggle and comfort my baby.  He's so mad at me.  I know that this is only for a short time, and he will get used to it and we will both go on our merry way, but for now, for this moment in time it really blows. He's been a real trooper really.  I'm just grateful that we can fix this with out surgery.  Nothing is more scary than having your doctor going over concerns and possible complications related to surgery at such a young age.  The information and facts and things gets so overwhelming.  Plus the constant meeting with doctors and going to clinics and hospitals, it's not fun one bit.  

Plus side we get to keep the helmet, so I'm going to find fun ways to decorate it.  I need to show off his personality which is pretty awesome!