Lots of stuff happening this week.

Well Tuesday I went to the pedi and got a weight check for William. He was 12# 5.5 oz (up from 10#13.5oz) and HC of 16.25in (up from 15.5) and 25.5" long (same). This is GREAT! it's been about 3 weeks since the last weight check. Micah in his clothes was about 17# 5oz. So they are maintaining the 5# gap.

Wednesday we had therapy PT from 11-12, and that went great, lots of stretching and getting the eyes to move to the left. Then that same afternoon we had OT with ECI at the house, and that went fine also, some more of the same.

Then Thursday am when I gave him the 5am dose of medicine he was in the fetal position (normally legs are straight and hands are out), so that's a HUGE improvement, and one hand was also up by his mouth. He's never really figured out how to bring his hands to mid line, much less to his mouth, so again that's a wonderful improvement too! Thursday 11am we had our CST session, with Sally Fryer (PT that worked with the conjoined Egyptian twins), and during the session we were playing with Micah and Micah was giving William kisses on the cheek, and Micah was smiling about it and William was smiling about it, until one of the times we went to give kisses, Micah's arm flew up and he put his hand on Williams cheek instead, only his fingernail went in William's eye (William's reflexes are slower due to his injury), and William cried this soft cry and kept his eyes closed for a while, and when he did open them finally something just didn't look right to me, so when we finished our session I called an optometrist, and they said with the situation and him being so young we should go to
Children's or our Pediatrician, well the Pediatrician had just gone to lunch and we couldn't get a hold of them, so we headed down to Children's, there was no line, so we checked in, and saw a doctor within about an hour. The resident didn't see anything, so she left and came back with the attending, she brought a dye, and light to look at his eye, sure enough he did scratch the eye ball, and we needed to put ointment on for 5 days and follow back up with our pedi in a week. The pediatrician finally returned our message as we were leaving the hospital, so we scheduled the follow-up appointment. And headed home. Then we called the LC to check on getting some parts for pumping at work since I start back to work on Sept 2nd. This way I can keep a pump parts at work and a set at home, and can never forget them this way. She had them, so we drove to her house to pick them up, and then back home again and stopped at Tom Thumb where we ran in to Grandma to fill our prescription for the eye ointment.

Sadie

It is with saddness that I report...

Sadie loved her new home dearly and they took such good care of her. But I got a call today from a vet in Lubbock that she was hit by a car. They took her to bed every night, took her on picnics, she was always in their lap, if they opened the door she was on a leash. So Please pray for Emily Williams, and her dad, they both loved that dog dearly!

Apparently Maintence was fixing something in the appartment, and let her out of the crate and she darted into traffic and was instantly killed.

They called me because she was micro-chipped.

Happenings...Life...Thoughts....

Everybody tells me Wiliam looks like he's getting big, and I agree he does. I haven't made it by the pedi's to get another weight though, and I"m officially pulling 0-3 months clothes out of our closet. Both boys are still fitting 3-6 month clothes, but Micah easily wears 6-12 months cloths also.

I called Scottish Rite, and they said he needed a orthepedic problem to be a candidate, and he has the problems with torticallis, so I put a call in to our pedi to get a referral, and haven't heard back. At first she said we needed to talk to the physical therapists, and chiropractors about that, but we're already doing that. So maybe.... I am still thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to see a neurologist with more experience with CP cases, even if it doesn't end up being at Scottish Rite.

At our PT session last time they suggested I call an upholstery place to make a crash pad (where they put the foam blocks in a duve), for help propping him up in the posisitons he needs to be etc. So I called one today and they said they'd be happy to help and had tons of scraps. So we may "swing" by down town off industrial to pick up foam pieces, for our crash pad.

Williams still eating average over 30 oz a day. I've got a call in to the LC to see where he should be (oz per day).

Micah is still scooting, it appears he can now go both forward or back, but doesn't have much control over which way, he's still coordinating that, but he is always trying to MOVE. He's also got quite the since of humor. He finds sneezes laughable, and loves making faces (usually smiling) at anyone who will listen or pay attention.

Our day today consisted of a play date with the local MOMs Club at 10am followed by a quick trip to the store for this weeks groceries, (I'm still doing a meal plan for the week and I'm going on 6 home cooked (weekday) meals in a row. Might I add the trip to the store was with 2 babies and a toddler, we got most of what we needed, but William screemed at me the whole time because I was a bad mommy and forgot his milk at home, and it was time for his next dose too.

Then we went home unloaded groceries, feed 2 babies, put everybody down for naps, put the groceries away, gave william his meds, (not necessarily in that order), made lunch, fed everybody lunch, handled a time out and a tantrum, then there was peace till about 4 when babies and toddlers started to wake up while I was in the middle of preparing dinner. Yes we praise God for 3 hour naps around here still!

Then we had floor time and bottles, and snacks while we waited for Daddy to get home so we could eat our dinner. After dinner we had some play time and quickly headed to bed. I nursed the baby, fed the other one a bottle, and then layed down with the toddler for a few minutes.

Sleeping boys

Quad stroller so sitter can take kids to park

New Therapies for William

I'm not even sure where to begin....

We've started some PT for William and added some OT and PT from ECI as well. Much more time and energy to devote to helping him get better, yes BETTER.

I've learned that the chance for recovery is greatest in the first 6 months (we're at 5 months now) and continues to be high in the first 18 months, after that the injury will not improve much, but won't get worse either. I've asked a great deal of questions and met with several new people, and they all think William WILL LEARN TO WALK!!!!, but part of the key is to get his as much therapy as we can....NOW, and also working with him as much as we can.

We've been shown new exercises, and were trying to do them as much as we can, I've got some photos on my phone to explain, and I'm hoping to make a big chart for the wall to put photos and explanation in to remind us of exercises to do.

I've also been given some ideas of some other therapies to check into, HBOT, and also check into getting him services from Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, according to their web site he appears to qualify, so I will call them tomorrow to check on it. There neurologists see more kids with Cerebral Palsy, where as the neurologist he sees already sees more kids with epilepsy. Maybe there's another medication that's better or that can lower his Valium dose. Or the possibility of better therapies etc.

William's Beautiful Smile

Full face grin!!! He loves having his legs played with with high pitch voice.

William's Beautiful Smile

Notice also that the head is mostly midline, and hands are too. We are working on these in therapy, and can hold for a few seconds, but it's lots of work and we just worked on them before this photo.

Micah's seat

Tommy never cared for this seat as a baby. He would stare at the toys
like what am I suppose to do with those. Micah really goes to town in
this seat, playing with every toy and making the cow sing.

It's been a while since I posted pictures

I couldn't find my camera card reader, so check out the pictures below, and click on them to go to my flickr site and see more. Also don't forget to check out the videos of Tommy below too.

The 2 year old in the dog house!

IMG_6781.JPG, originally uploaded by conradzone.

Tommy showing Kylie where to go!

IMG_6785.JPG, originally uploaded by conradzone.

Love the eyes in this shot!

IMG_6788.JPG, originally uploaded by conradzone.

Happy Birthday Ryan

IMG_6791.JPG, originally uploaded by conradzone.

At the pool with a friends Girls!

IMG_6769.JPG, originally uploaded by conradzone.

Before & After Valium

Before:

IMG_6729.JPG, originally uploaded by conradzone.

AFTER!

IMG_6732.JPG, originally uploaded by conradzone.

IMG_6731.JPG, originally uploaded by conradzone.

My 4 Boys!!

IMG_6796.JPG, originally uploaded by conradzone.

Brothers!

IMG_6743.JPG, originally uploaded by conradzone.

Tommy Reading Pajama Time

Each night we read this story before bed.

Tommy's Prayers

Tommy says prayers each night before bed, and here's a sample of how it goes....always funny and sweet.

Micah naps @ william's therapymig

Speech therapy for william

Sadie has found a new home

Sadie went to a new home last thursday. I sure she will get more love
than we could give her. We just couldn't handle 2 dogs and 2 babies.
So they had become outside dogs, now hunter can be back in the house.
As the two of them would go crazy together. They are both much calmer
dogs apart.

Happy 5 months boys!

Here's a picture.

Happy 5 months boys!

And what a ride it has been! It hasn't been easy but looking back I love every day for what I have learned and will continue to learn.

Party and Today & ECI Visit

I did get a few pictures of Kylie and Tommy running about with Kylie, but can't find my card reader, the same laundry monster must have run off with it, and I need to get a new one.

ECI Came over today for William's first OT session with them. She came out and said he's much better with the medication now, and showed me a few positioning things with him. She said to position him on his side where he'll be looking at the ground if he turns to the right, and that way he can bring his hands together and cross mid line and look at some toys. Also when he sleeps as much as possible position him with his head on the other side so to prevent the flat spot he's getting as much as possible. She will be back weekly on Wed and will make sure to get PT involved asap, and I"m to call her on wed if I haven't heard from PT.

Happy Birthday Ryan

We had a great time at your party today, and will pay for it tomorrow as Tommy only had a 15min nap today on the way home...boy am I looking forward to that.

William's eating & diaper log

William Friday 8/8/2008
6 @ 4
3 @ 9
5 @ 12
5 @ 3
8 @ 6
2 @ 8
4 @ 10

Wet at 4
Poopy @ 4:3
Wet @ 5
Wet @ 8:45
Wet @ 9:15
Wet @ 12
Wet & poopy @ 1
Wet @ 2
Wet @ 3
Pee @ 3:15
Wet @ 3:40
Wet @ 6
Wet @ 7:30
Wet @ 8
Wet @ 10
Wet @ 10:30

Lydia Conrad
Mommy to Tommy (2 3/06), William & Micah (3/08)
Lydia@conradzone.com
Http://conradzone.blogspot.com

William looking to the left!!

The Dryer Ate a Sock

Yes that's right, someone was helping me with the laundry and pulled the lint catcher and put it in with the laundry, and then started the load to dry, when I pulled that load there was no lint and it didn't work. He had to take the whole machine apart to get to the sock, he pulled it out and put it back together and it worked again. Then I had him fix my ice maker, and now I have ice again! yeh, because I'm really hot natured right now and needing ice in my drinks!!!

Tommy Reading Brown Bear 2 years 4 months

William Head Control

Tommy Reading Brown Bear

Grrrr

My one year old and one month old Dryer is on the fritz, it powers up, but then won't spin and blow. I'm going to have to call repair in the am.

PS: I'm about to post some videos!

Weight Check

They want us to come back next week. He was up 1.5" in length, but gained only 4oz and HC was the same. He was 1% for weight and 5% for height. Talked to and LC she said feed him more snacks and more frequently.

Everybody is doing great

We were headed to the pool today, but stopped at CFA for some food, and Tommy fell asleep in the drive thru, so instead of heading on to the pool, we headed home, and put everybody down for naps at 11:30.

Micah is scooting all around, he rolls quite well in both directions, and now prefers sleeping on his tummy. He loudly lets you know if he has a dirty diaper, is tired, or needs a bottle, other than that he's happy go lucky go anywhere baby.

William is looking much bigger, so we're going for a weight check this afternoon at the pedi's. He's eating better, and not as stiff, we've played around with his dose a little bit (up to .7, and back down to .6 3x a day.) We're also practicing several times a day supporting our head (every chance be get), and also positioning him where he is turned to the left (since his preference is the right). Also he tends to look his eyes to the right, so we try to draw them to the left as much as possible, either with positioning, or by looking at him and getting him to follow us to the left. I'll post a weight update after I know, but when I tried on the scale at home he was 12#, we'll see how accurate that is, because that would be a gain of 1.5# in 2 weeks.

Also, friday night we tried Seeking Sitter's agency, and the sitter they sent was great. Rob and I had a date night, and went out for dinner and then walking around shopping for a little bit. We had a good time, and called it an early night at 9pm. man we're getting old.

Tommy Old Photo

Airport

Everyday since we dropped my mom off, every time we get in the car Tommy asks if we are going to the airport for Grandma. My dad had the surgery on his knee and it went well. He says he's pain free still (about 24 hours ago). He had a torn meniscus, you can probably see the cane he was using in the picture below.

I've really been missing my Grandmother as of late, her 4th child was born with Downs, and had a stroke, and paralysis on one side of her body, and I just wish I could talk to her more about it.