Back on the wagon!

                I can't believe it's been three weeks since I last blogged...I feel like I fell off my diet and I'm trying to get back on track. It's not that I haven't thought about blogging.  I just couldn't put the right words together.  I guess all I can do is forge ahead from here...

This little guy makes going to Walmart a little more fun!

              Anyone who has met Logan knows that he's just about the happiest kid alive (one of the blessings of his syndrome), but lately his smiles seem just a little bit wider, his laugh a little bit louder, and his hugs a little bit tighter.  It is so incredibly wonderful to see him feeling so well and healthy.  Even though we've had our share of summer doctors' appointments, most of them are just me trying to be proactive (eye doctor, speech, OT, etc. )

Working hard in his new ankle braces (with a huge smile on his face)!

            I'm really excited about the progress we're making towards getting Logan more resources to help him.  I just wasn't feeling like physical therapy visits once a week were enough.  He's 18 months old now...we need to pick it up! So...on Monday, we received Logan's new orthotics.  They are called SMOs and fit behind the foot and right over the ankle.  When you see them, they look so tiny...you wonder how could that piece of plastic could really help him!  But at PT yesterday, you could see how it made his knees turn more inward and it gave him so much more stability doing different exercises (it also helps to have some friction from his shoes).  We are gradually going to increase the amount of time he wears them.  The doctor said to start with 20-30 minutes/3-4 times a day.  Thank goodness for velcro!

            On Tuesday, we went Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Sandy Plains rehab) to have an cccupational therapy evaluation.  It was basically playtime while the therapist observed how he manipulated objects with his hands.  He still does a lot of banging and hitting at objects.  He can pick toys up, but not using a pincer grasp.  One of the activities on the "test" was to try to get him to pick up beans with his fingers (like a dry kidney bean).  He obviously could not do it, but the therapist KEPT insisting that he try.  She must have tried to get him to pick up the damn bean on five different occasions.  Logan was getting frustrated and I was getting annoyed...but other than that, things went well : )

            

 This morning, we had a speech evaluation at CHOA.  I am probably most excited to get this therapy underway.  Logan is defnitely learning to express himself more, whether it's spitting/spraying when he doesn't like something or pushing your arm away to say he's finished eating.  This test was kind of the same as OT in the sense that I had to answer a lot of the questions based on his actions at home.  Some of the items he did while the speech therapist was sitting there...like babbling, making/breaking eye contact with people and objects throughout the room.  The woman was quite animated and had a loud voice which scared Logan a little bit at first.  He was very clingy and wanted me to hold him most of the time.  I told her it must be the scrubs...he's skeptical of anyone in scrubs!!!

So...more therapy sessions will definitely fill our afternoons this Fall, but I am excited to get the ball rolling.  He's ready to learn new things!  There is much more recap from the last three weeks..like a fun visit from Cousin Jack and Cousin Eddie, but for now, this will have to do...remember, I'm just getting back on the wagon.

Brittney Fox Watts

I think I mentioned before that Logan has a Rockabye Baby Cd of the "Beatles."  It's been months since I've listened to it because is usually fills me with emotions from Logan's first year that make me sad.  For some reason last night though, I stuck that cd in for that very reason...I wanted to let myself be sad.  I debated writing about this topic, but I can't get it out of my head.  I was not close friends with Brittney Fox Watts...in fact, it's probably been a few years since I've even seen her.  We went to high school at Roswell and were AXOs at UGA together.  I don't want to sound like I knew her well before her death, but I can't seem to get her life out of my head these days.  The senseless act that took her life will forever impact those people close to her, and I can't imagine what they are going through.  When I attended Brittney's funeral last week, it was amazing to see so many people there showing support for the Fox and Watts families who lost a sister, a daughter, and a wife.  It also made me really proud of our Roswell community.  It didn't matter what people were doing on a Tuesday morning or how long it took them to get there, they knew where they needed to be.

I am overwhelemed with saddness for the people who loved her so dearly.  At this point, when so little time has passed since her death, I don't know if they find comfort in knowing how much she impacted the lives of the people around her.  It sounds so cliche, but Brittney really lived life to the fullest and like everyday could be her last. Just seeing pictures of her with friends and listening to the words people use to describe her, it is obvious that she was like a ray of sunshine with so much life to live and so much love to give.  I am inspired to be a better person because of her and I barely knew her! I've found myself in situations this past week and tried to be more like Brittney.  Her best friend, Adrienne, wrote a beautiful message about the wonderful things Brittney shared with the world.  Her words now encourage me to "smile a little brighter, think more creatively, speak a little bolder, and definitely live more adventurously."

Doctors, Daycare Disease, and Independence Day

        Happy 4th of July!  Logan, Olin, and I spent a low key day down at Grump's and Zuzu's house. We ate some great food and luckily, got in some pool time before the yucky weather arrived.  Logan is getting quite the farmer's tan this summer....my favorite part is how the creases in his arm rolls stay white! 

        A quick update on Logan's doctor's appointments last week.  First, I have to brag though that I did not get lost on the way to any of them!  For any of you who know my sense of direction (or lack thereof), you know this is a big accomplishment!  On Wednesday, we went to revisit the eye doctor. Last September, the doctor said that she did not think his eyes were crossing.  He had something called myelinated fibers, but they do not affect eye sight.  The new doctor we saw seemed genuinely interested in Logan and Mowat-Wilson.  After spending a good amount of time with us, he concluded that at times, Logan's left eye crosses.  So, for one month we have to patch his strong eye for two hours a day.  The doctor said this is a really common issue and he deals with it everyday.  Needless to say, Logan is not a big fan of his eye patch.  He tries unsuccessfully to pull it off with his fist.  I don't know whether to laugh or cry when he wears it.  At least the patches come it cute patterns now with soccer balls, panda bears, and trucks : ) No more black pirate patch.

Arrrh!

          On Thursday, we checked back in with the surgeon to see how Logan was healing.  It was perfect timing because on Wednesday Logan must have set a record for the number of times anyone has pooped in a 24-hour period (sorry-a little TMI).  He's been going a lot, but this was not normal.  No joke, I probably changed 15 dirty diapers that day.  As soon as I would change him and sit him up, he would be grunting and going at it again! The worst part of all of it (remember I said I would never complain about changing dirty diapers) was Logan's diaper rash.  OMG-I could hardly look at it without getting goosebumps (some nurse I would be).   It looked like he had third degree burns on his bottom.  Changing him became a two man job by the end of the day.  Needless to say, I was glad to be seeing the surgeon the next day.  Unfortunately, the doctor said it is very common after the pull-through surgery for this to happen.  The skin on his bottom has to "toughen up".  In a normal kid, this would have been happening since the day he was born.  The doctor said basically keep doing what we're doing and let him air dry on a towel whenever possible.  Eventually, it will get better.  So no immediate fix, but at least hope for the future!  As far as Logan's healing from the surgery, the doctor said everything looked great.  I also asked him if Logan could start drinking whole milk instead of formula.  He gave us the green light-so for now, I'm slowing making the transition...75/25, 50/50.  He seems to be tolerating it okay so far.  Mama is excited to quit having to buy formula at $14.99 a can!

Airing out his bum!

         Thursday afternoon, we had an appointment to get Logan fitted for orthotics.  You would think technology would have improved since the days of plaster casting, but no, it was still quite a mess.  First, the orthotist had to push his feet into the proper positions (she said his feet would barely bend to 90 degrees).  I held him in my lap while she wrapped the wet plaster around his feet and smoothed them out.  The little molds were so tiny...I can't wait to see what the finished product will look like.  They should be ready in 2-3 weeks. 

I've got teeth!

         It feels good to get all of these appointments out of the way and mark them off the calendar.  It is definitely easier to schedule them in the summer versus during the school year.  Just when we thought we were home free though, Logan picked up "hand, foot, and mouth disease" from a kid in his daycare class.  A sign was posted on the door last Friday that it was going around.  I had never heard of it before, but the pictures on Google were enough to make me cringe.  Sure enough, little red bumps started to appear on his mouth, ears, and bottom over the weekend.  Apparently a fever usually precedes the bumps, but I never noticed one.  Once the fever is gone though, they are no longer contagious.  Fortunately, he looks a lot better today. 

        Hopefully soon, I'll be writing about things other than doctor's appointments and daycare germs!  Considering all that he's been through, Logan takes it in stride pretty well.  He's such a happy little guy and you can't help but smile in his presence : )  

Playing the xylophone app. on Grump's ipad...pretty cool