DOC Band journey...

it's been a tough few weeks - I'm very thankful we had Christmas to break everything up!

we went to Bryn's 6 month check up and were referred to Cranial Technologies to have a specialist look at Bryn's head.  now - I've been worried about her head for months but of course our ped was not and said that eventually everything would round out and all would be fine.  didn't happen.  she's always favored her right side - no matter what we did she always ended up on that side which always frustrated us!!!  as you know - we're all told to change your infants position due to them sleeping on their backs... well... it didn't work!!

so...due to my persistence with the ped - he referred us - finally!

(looking back now I would've demanded he refer us back when she was 4 months old... )

we had our first appt the week before Xmas.

I will say - very nice people... the staff was great and I am very pleased with our specialist who got assigned to us.  She was great!!  after lots of pictures - questions - hesitation - we decided to go forward with the DOC band - otherwise known as a 'helmet.'

of course - I cried.  do I really have to do this to my baby?

as dray says - lets do it now so when she gets older we don't have to answer why her head is a bit lop-sided.  still - I don't know why I can't overcome this... is it something we did... I did... what could we have done to make everything better in the beginning??!!??

after our consultation I realized there's nothing we could've done.  her muscle in her neck on the right side is very stiff - therefore making her want to sleep on her right side of her head.  this has caused not only flattening but also her ears to be a bit uneven (never saw it by looking at her but after looking at the pictures they took it was like a shot through the heart!!  we were given some stretching exercises for her neck that we do 5x a day... at first she did not like it but feel she's getting use to use pulling and stretching her muscle.

so here we are - we go tomorrow to get the 3D image scan of her head to get the band made and then we'll have it two weeks from tomorrow.  I'm still not doing well - it hurts my heart to know she has to wear this foreign object.  she's such a happy baby and I don't want anything to spoil that!!  although - all the research I've done (and I mean LOTS of research) it's all been positive and at least I know I'm not the only mother going through this!!!  

I don't have any pics right now... I'm still in denial!!

I'm giving myself a pep talk... she's a healthy, beautiful baby and with this band she will be even more beautiful!!!  that's my way of coping!!!

they told us she does not have a bad case - it's just moderate - so therefore we're looking at around 8 weeks for the treatment.  if that doesn't work then we'll have to go to a second band for there's only so much room, molding they can do with a band.  let's pray we only go through one (insurance isn't covering it and yes, it's a pretty penny) - but can you really put a price on your child's well being???  =)

please pray for Bryn to help get her through this... and yes, pray for momma to help her through it as well... I think it'll effect me more than her but isn't that normal?!?

6 months!!

where has the time gone?

it really seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital and

now she's 6 months old!!


this pic was actually taken the night I went into labor...

and less than 24 hours later...

it's amazing how life can change.  it's funny how before kids it's all about me, me, me and wondering why sometimes life is so hard.  well... I didn't know what 'hard' was back then!!

it may be hard at times but it's the most rewarding job out there... being a parent!!

here are a few updates -

food:  we started solids about a month ago.  started with veggies - sweet potatoes, carrots, squash and green beans.  fan of all except carrots... just like her momma!!  we started feeding 2x a day about a week ago - first meal fruit, second meal veggies.  we started with banana's and now we're on apples and soon to be pears.  she loves her some fruit!!  I still mix an oz of formula w/ rice cereal and add the food in... not sure why I am doing that... she seems to love it but hopefully we'll take out the cereal soon and go straight up!

schedule:  yes, we have a routine - goes something like this:

7am wake/bottle

7:30-8:20 playtime

8:30-10:15 nap

10:15 wake/fruit/bottle

11 - 12 playtime

12 - 1:30 nap

1:30 wake/bottle

2-3 playtime

3-4:45 nap

4:45 wake/veggies/bottle

(between now and last bottle she will usually take a 30 minute cat nap)

7-7:15 bottle/bedtime routine

I'm really going to try hard to stretch to a 4 hour schedule - eliminating one feeding and one full nap... don't know why this seems so hard to me!!  I may have to do a combined schedule... she naps SO much better in the morning (I think cause she's usually awake between 5:30-6 and just rolls around and sings in her bed till I come up at 7)  so we'll see how it goes!

playtime:  lots of floor time, excersaucer time, bumbo time and we're getting much better at tummy time.  She's always hated tummy time.  she gets SO frustrated when she can't reach something... although it has gotten her to kick her legs so hard it makes her inch up... she gets so proud of herself!  When she wants something, she wants it... when she doesn't want to do something, she won't!!  hmmmmm, who does that sound like?!?!  rolling over:  she's done this twice.  she doesn't seem to have any interest in doing this.  she's rolled from her back to her tummy during nap time and from her tummy to her back during play time.  standing:  oh, her legs are strong... she kicks them out straight, pushes against the pillow or chair when feeding... but lift her under her arms to try to get her to 'stand'... she goes limp!  sitting:  she's getting good at sitting without support depending on where you put her.  she loves, loves, loves to have her arms/hands free to reach for things.  when we put her in her little rocker or put her on the changing table she tries to sit up... so I have a feeling she'll be an expert sitter soon!

all in all I think she's doing what she's suppose to - guess we'll see what the doc says in a few days!!!  I do have one hard-headed little girl!

who is Brynleigh?

she's a charmer - she can be shy - she's a talker/screamer (loves to hear her voice!) - she's a giggler and loves to laugh - she loves kisses - she loves to snuggle when she's sleepy - she loves her daddy, she lights up and gets so excited when he walks in the room - she's starting to laugh and pull at Chloe (so cute!) - she loves to try to hold her bottle and her spoon - she puts everything in her mouth (and boy, do I mean everything!!) - she loves to watch mickey mouse and is starting to enjoy all cartoons - she likes to turn the pages as I read to her - she loves to grab her feet and sometimes put them in her mouth - when she gets excited she waves her arms back and forth and squeals - she loves, loves sleeping on her side - she's starting to be aware of 'strangers' when they come up to her... sometimes she'll cry for a brief second but then she'll warm up and start smiling - she is one happy baby and for that, mom and dad feel very lucky!!


it's been fun watching her grow into her own - when she's content her personality really shines through!!!  She loves to make you laugh... I can be rocking her in the chair singing to her and she'll take her hand and grab my lip or pat my face with her little half grin facing the other direction and looking at me out of the corner of her eye... just to see if I laugh... and when I do, she starts giggling - melts my heart!


another great happening - dray and I actually got out to see a movie!!  thanks to Mary and Larry for coming over to watch Bryn... funny thing is... being new to 'handing off the baby' to a sitter I thought I covered everything before leaving... but after 3 texts and one phone call later Dray and I realized we kinda just handed her over and said 'later.'... we laughed in the car about it - I think we were just so excited to get out we weren't thinking!!  it went very well - and they even took her for her walk...

yes, she may look a little scared but she had a great time!!

and so did mom and dad!!!  I can't thank Mary and Larry enough for braving being the first non-family babysitters!!!

with all new moms - my shopping patterns have changed!  we went to the mall the other day to buy momma some new clothes and ended up buying all for her...

I mean - can you blame me?!?  thought she needed a xmas eve outfit =)

it's been a fun-filled first 6 months!!  seeing daddy play with her and her face light up is all I could ever ask for!!  we are looking forward to spending xmas in OK with Nana, Grandpa and Aunt Mandy!!  we are looking forward to the next 6 months and seeing her grow and do new things... there's nothing more rewarding then being able to spend each and every day with your little one (of course, with a little break every now and then!!)

till next time..

Santa

what parent doesn't want to get their little one's first picture with santa?!?

getting out in the rain - thinking you got there early enough - get to the line to think hey, we're not too far back - then have one of the little helpers get in line right behind you to say 'santa takes a break in about an hour, but I'm pretty sure everyone in front of me already in line will get their pic before the break' - ummmm.... no!!  

needless to say - 3 hours later - pic done!!

not half bad if I do say so myself.  no crying, which was good, but one VERY tired little baby!  wouldn't sleep while we waited - so by the time we got to santa -  smiling wasn't in the cards!

good news is... once we left santa, put her back in her stroller and started to walk away... the giggles and smiles began.... really?!?!

all in all it was a great day and we got her first pic taken with Santa!!

mom and dad feel like they accomplished quite a bit!!!