Story Time

Thankfully, Paisley cooperated today and allowed me to record her reading some of her favorite books. 

Enjoy!!

Love You Forever 

by: Robert Munsch

First Signs

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (pop-up version from Sams)

What's Wrong Little Pookie?
by: Sandra Boynton

Hope you enjoyed some of our favorite reads these days.
Love,
Paisley and Mommy

Picture Rewind

So, it's been only a few days since my last post, but I have so many pictures that I'm just gonna throw 'em all in one big post. 

Saint Patrick's Day cuties

Doing some WALKING with Daddy. Beckett thinks he's so big when we do this with him. I'm just very thankful he's using those muscles!

Practicing the crawling position. We are getting closer!

We went on a little overnight trip this weekend to Lexington, KY (about 2 hours from our house). My Spring Break is this week, so it was nice to get away for a couple of days to do some shopping!

Hotel bathtubs are so much fun!

Gigantic book store = one happy little girl! Joseph-Beth Booksellers is awesome!

Beckett became a little interested in a sippy cup. He has had no interest at all! I gave it to him yesterday, and he actually took a few drinks. We'll see if it lasts!

My best friend Autumn and her kiddos, Christian and Kylie came over to play today! They had a great time playing together!!!

Beckett also decided he would try one of Kylie's snacks. Any food other than baby food or cereal we have given Beckett has been a nightmare. He gags. He spits. He shakes all over. I guess he decided he's ready to grow up a little this week. Veggie straws...he ate at least three. Baby Mum Mum rice snacks...at an entire one (still gagged with almost every bite, but he got through it). We'll keep trying new things!

Well hello cute children!

MRI and Dr. Moriarty visit

So last Thursday Beckett had an MRI to make sure the shunt is still working properly after the revision in December. No sedation. :) Quick and painless visit. Trip to visit a favorite NICU nurse. All was great!

We went for a visit on Wednesday with Dr. Moriarty for the MRI results. I'm not gonna lie, I was quite nervous, but had a good feeling. My feeling was right...awesome brain without fluid!!!!!

High five with Daddy!

I am so happy that I have these pictures...

On the left...scan on March 10. On the right...scan on Dec. 16.
If you are new the the MRI world, the white is fluid. As you can see, the revision was needed for sure! Look at how his brain has changed in just a few months also. All those learning wrinkles!!!! Dr. Moriarty couldn't believe my camera wasn't getting good pictures, so he tried it out...ha!

Dr. Moriarty was so excited about the amazing results. We had a great conversation. I feel so unbelievably blessed. We also discovered that Beckett's shunt is programmable. Therefore, the MRI last week "adjusted" his shunt. They reprogrammed it while we were at the office. It took only a few minutes. We are very excited because this could minimize the chances for another revision, depending on the amount of fluid. Below is a picture of the magnetic device used to reprogram it.

SB moms---are your kiddo's shunts programmable or fixed (regular ol' shunt as Dr. Moriarty put it:)?

PRAISE GOD for desired results.

Diagnosis Day

One year ago tonight, I did not know what Spina Bifida was.

I did not know the feeling of sheer terror I would feel in less than 24 hours.

I was looking forward to getting the next day's ultrasound over with.

I was not worried about the comment, "I can't get all the measurements I need" I had heard the week before.

I was kind of looking forward to seeing Dr. P again.

I spent time reading and singing with Paisley.

I did not know what a shunt was or how it worked at all.

I did not know the majority of you reading this right now, you wonderful SB mommas, you!

I woke up on March 9, 2010. 

I taught my 3rd graders most of the day. 

I met Rodney for the doctor's appointment.

I waited in Dr. P's waiting room like we did many times during Paisley's pregnancy.

I had an ultrasound.

Hmmmm... 

Lemon shaped... 

Cerebellum is low...

 Let's continue down the spine...

Turn this way... 

Scoot this way a little...

There's the defect... 

I think your baby has Spina Bifida... 

I'll go get Dr. P...

Rodney--what does this mean?

Me---I don't know.

Tears and fear for our little boy.

Neuro Tube Defect.

S1-S2. 

Meningocoele. 

Hydrocephalus. 

Possible paralysis. 

Likely bowel and bladder issues. 

Catheterizations. 

Surgery immediately after birth. 

Specialists. 

Neurosurgeon. 

Plastic surgeon.

Here is a book you need to get about George.

I think your baby boy has a very good prognosis.

He's going to be just fine.

We cried.

We talked some.

We prayed

I wrote and discovered a sense of peace in making everyone important in our lives aware of exactly what was going on.

We googled and became even more terrified.

We prayed.

We found the first of some blogs. 

A new family I had no idea even existed.

This whole group of people who had already done this. 

We all have similar stories.

We have lived this scary roller coaster.

We all have beautiful miracle children.

Oh Dr. P you were SO right! Our Beckett is just fine. He is so much more than fine. You see, Beckett has made us appreciate our life so much. We do not take little things for granted like we used to. We fear what should really be feared. We deal with what is in front of us. I share our story with anyone who wants to know. I had my first opportunity to share our story at Kosair Children's Hospital this past weekend and today I was contacted by another group at Kosair about other possibilities. How honored I feel! If I can help one other family, by sharing our story with a positive outcome, I have done what God needs me to do.

Beckett is one amazing little boy and I can't wait to see what possibilities are in store for him.