TaDa...

I told you there were a lot of changes going on around here. Look at little Linc. Isn't he so handsome? We've called him Dr. Brown before, but now I think he could be called Professor Brown.

Don't look so unsure buddy. Just kill 'em with confidence. Like I've been told a few times, you gotta fake it 'til you make it!

We made a visit to the opthamologist, Dr. Hoffman, up at PCMC on the 6th of August. He gave us some pretty good news. We had been told, at a previous eye appointment with a different doctor, that he had damage to his optic nerve. When Dr. Hoffman did a full exam, he said he saw no damage. He also never mentioned a word of seeing ANY CVI.. This is good news! Our vision therapist has been telling me, the last couple of visits, that she really didn't think he had it either. She said he did show some tendencies, but would be very relunctant to diagnose him with that, there are far too many things he does that would go against it.

However, Dr. Hoffman noticed he is having a hard time with focusing and his eye crossing. He also let us know he's far sided. All of this would conclude he needs glasses. I've had many people ask me, and I wondered myself, how they could tell if a baby needs glasses or not. I'm not going to get too technical here, but from what I understand, they first dilate the eyes. After that, they are able to shine a light into the pupil and depending on how the light reflects back will tell you what their eye sight is. Correct me if I'm wrong...please :) They used a few different gadgets and batta boom batta bing. Lincoln's prescription is +3.25 and from what I hear that's not too shabby.

So, after consulting with a preemie baby momma, I was able to make somewhat of an educated decision on which glasses to get. I'm glad I chose the glasses I did. There was another choice and after explaining the others to the vision therapist, she told me she HATED that kind.

He's supposed to wear these babies full time. HA...I say!! Okay, we'll try our best. He's just too mischevious. He keeps pulling them down and either gets the nose pad thingies in his nose or he pulls them down far enough to suck on them. Good thing they have a one year warranty :)

I tried a bit ago to feed him baby rice cereal, he wasn't so sure about that. I think I need to mess with the consistancy. If he's anything like his father, it's the texture that's getting him! BUT we did try sweet potatoes two days in a row and the verdict is in....

He liked it, it's written AND smeared all over his face!! Full tummy=happy baby

It's okay baby...there's always more where that came from!

Luke was eating his lunch at the same time. He wanted to be extra cautious and make sure he didn't get any food on his shirt.

Why use your hands ??

FYI...I stick by REAL close when he's eating these little pinwheels. And, he DOES use his hands LOL

Back 2 School

Today was their first day back to school. I am officially a mother of a first grader and a third grader. Hard to believe! It was harder for me to accept the fact of Savana going into first than it was for Scottie going into third. Savana is now in full day and that means they're getting that much older. I've said it before, but it's bitter-sweet. Lots of changes going on around here.

Scottie's third grade teacher is Mrs. Stillson. She is a very unique teacher with a lot of drive. The kids do all of their work on the computers in the class and after earning it, they get to sit on exercise balls instead of chairs.

Savana has Miss Pothier. She is very warm and welcoming. It will be fun to get to know her better.

They were both extremely excited! I'm happy my kids love school. I couldn't imagine the struggle of sending kids who didn't want to go. My kids are way to social and love to be challenged and busy.

Kick it...buddy!

#5.....he's mine! Luke played in his first soccer game and first organized soccer league. He was SO excited. I pulled a pair of Scottie's old cleats out of storage and he wore them everywhere for two days straight. The day of his game he kept asking me every couple of hours if it was time for his game. We practiced with him here and there, but I think he still wasn't sure what to do. It didn't take long for him to get the hang of it. When he first went in he kind of ran around, unsure of where to go, just following the other kids. We clued him in and told him to kick the ball down to the other goal and kick it in.

Scottie was his biggest fan on the sidelines. He kept cheering for him, trying to coach him. A few times when Luke was waiting for his turn to go back in, Scottie ran over and gave him some tips. It was truly fun

By the end he was all tuckered out. Not long after, he was asking when he would be playing his next game!

It aint so bad

When I was trying to get Luke to pose for his 4th birthday pictures he wasn't havin' it! He would look at the camera for a SPLIT second then tell me the sun was in his eyes. EVEN if the sun was NO WHERE in sight!
Luckily I had a few good helpers. Scottie, and my nephew, Wylee, were more than willing to pose. Once Luke saw this he was on the boat. We had a good time and got some cute pictures!

I was happy to have the help! We got some cute birthday pictures and all these little treasures!

Reminiscing

The other morning I was trying to compare my memories of what Lincoln looked like back then and what he is today. It almost seems like a different life-time, a different baby. He has a few set-backs, but for the most part he is doing really well. I can hardly imagine the child who was struggling and clinging to precious life. When we're in these trying, desparate, dark moments we think we may never survive. We don't know how they will ever pass and each moment...smell...sound becomes so deeply etched into our minds. I heard the perfect description before, but don't remember where I heard it from. They said "the pain I felt was as though my heart was literally breaking in half." I felt my chest caving in and I saw and felt so much darkness. Although, through the darkness there was always a ray of light. Things change, that is life, it's ever changing. And although I remember quite a few things vividly, the pain has lessened and we're in an awesome place right now.
I took Scottie to baseball practice tonight. The field they played on was right across the street from the hospital. I sent a text to one of Lincoln's primary nurses to see if she was working. The last time she took care of him was right before he got transfered BACK to PCMC due to his infection from his shunt. He spent the last month of his hospital stay at PCMC. It had been probably six months since she had seen him. She was one of our favorites too!
She was amazed at him. She couldn't stop drooling. When he was in her care, she would tease about taking him home in her purse. Tonight she commented that none of her purses were big enough for him to fit in anymore!

Our sweet respiratory therapist also bumped into us. Ryan teared up when he saw Lincoln. I truly believe these little spirits come to teach us a lesson. Whatever that may be for whomever may need it. It was very rewarding for me, to show those who worked so very hard to keep Lincoln here, the fruits of their labors.

We had SO many warm people who cared for not only Lincoln, but for us as well. That's why it was so easy to call UVRMC our 'home'. I walked into the parents lounge, the smell smacked me in the face like I walked into a brick wall. A flood of feelings, emotions and memories came back. I didn't cry though, I could smile. What a journey!

Seeing Double

Little miss Kitty spent the night with Savana a few weeks ago. When they had their backs to me, I had a hard time telling who was who. They always have so much fun together!

Really...Nine?

Ah-hem.....six months adjusted. I often get the statement, "He's nine months old??? He's so TEENY!" Then in my mind I think, "hello...he was a preemie and technically he's only supposed to be six months old!" But then I remember it's only natural to point out the obvious and it's not being said in a negative way. I could tell people he's only six months old, but I have a hard time with that because I know that he's not...!

This was his first time trying rice cereal.....ummm not so sure about this mom!

He's getting so BIG

Some of the funnest times we have with him are when we're all in the car together and the kids make him laugh hysterically.

All of his therapy is coming along well. They are wanting to see more from him, but feel he is still making great progress. The nurse was hoping he would have beefed up a little more. He only weighs 13 pounds 2 ounces which puts him up 8 ounces from her visit three weeks earlier. Also, he is now 26 inches tall. From his physical appearance, she has no concerns about his weight. So, now I have to figure out how to plump him up some more. I guess there isn't any vitamin D milk coming from this Dairy Queen.