Diapers!

Billy and I just wanted to say Thank You to everyone who bought us diapers as gifts when Kasen was born, we have not had to buy diapers yet!! (and he is almost 5 months old!!!) We will however be buying some this weekend, we are on the last box!! So thank you thank you thank you for all of the diapers!!

DSI Imaging

Yesterday went well at the doctor in Dallas, Kasen was a happy little guy like always and just smiled and laughed. We went to have the 3D image made of his head and from that they will make the mold for his Band. They thought they might have to do it the old fashioned way and make a plaster mold because of his torticollis (head tilt). But he did GREAT and held his head up like a champ so they were able to do the 3D imaging!! yay! Also I just wanted to say that I am VERY thankful that he is a healthy baby and that this is just a minor issue that we have to deal with. I know that there are many other health issues that we could be dealing with other than this. We will be getting the Band on April 6th, so 10 days from yesterday.

DOC Band

We took Kasen to see a specialist about the shape of his head in Dallas at a place called Cranial Technologies. The took a lot of pictures and measurements and from that they recommended that we get a DOC (Dynamic Orthotic Cranioplasty) Band to help correct his plagiocephaly (the side of his head that is flat). We are taking him down there tomorrow so they can make the 3D image of his head and then make the Band to fit him. We will be getting the band on April 6th. I have had some mixed emotions about it, I know that it will be better for him to have it now and correct it rather than ignoring it and him being made fun of later. His measurements were pretty severe so it's not like we are doing it because his head and not perfectly round. They told us that positioning alone will not fix it, and it can later cause vision, hearing, and speech problems. They are made of foam with a plastic outer covering that can be painted so that it doesn't look all medical. It only weighs
6 oz, so it will not be to heavy for him to wear.

If you want to read more about it and see some pictures of them you can go to their website at www.cranialtech.com

They said he will wear it for a minimum of 12 weeks and he might possibly have to have 2 bands since his measurements were so bad. It just really depends on how quickly his head grows. We will make weekly trips to Dallas so they can re-measure and adjust the band as needed, so this is going to be a long exhausting process but it will all be worth it!

first days of work

Well I started working this week, on Monday and Tuesday I went in for orientation finished that all up and I am starting really working on Monday. I am really excited that I am actually getting to use all of the knowledge that I acquired while in nursing school....and I actually remembered it. During orientation I had to take 2 tests that tested on the medications and dosages and all of that kind of stuff...and I made a 95 on both of them! I was rather shocked because I felt like I didn't remember any of it. Braden however isn't liking me working at ALL. Monday I just wore street clothes to work because we were just watching videos all day, but yesterday I wore my scrubs and I didn't have to be there until 9. So I walked into the living room to get him ready to go and he said "mommy...are you a nurse today?" me: "yes, I have to go to work today and be a nurse" braden: "but i don't want you to be a nurse, I want you to be my mommy..." and he started crying. I feel so bad for the little guy, we have been at home together since June, and he has just gotten used to spending all of his time with me. He didn't even go to his BSF Bible School this morning, he just starting crying saying "i don't want to go anywhere, I want to stay here with you." Hopefully he will adjust soon....I really don't like it when he is upset.

Bradens blog

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So I was getting to write another post and had to get up for something. When I came back this is what braden had written.... I thought it was cute so I'll leave it!

new job!!

So I start orientation Monday for my new job!! I'm going to be working in the Women's Center as a scrub nurse for c-sections and in the nursery!! I'm really excited, but really nervous. I feel like I have forgotten everything I learned in school, I have been studying and it is all starting to come back. I'm sure it is going to be hard to leave my kids, Braden and I have been together everyday since mid-June. He told me the other night, "mommy, i don't need you to go to work, i need you to stay home with me and Kasen." So he isn't looking forward to me working, but at least it is only 3 days a week!

School Pictures

Here are the pictures of Braden on his first day of school, he even had on his little backpack....so CUTE!!! The other one is of him walking to the car with Mema....he absolutely loves going to school. He talks about it ALL the time and is always asking when he gets to go back.

Kasens 4 month check-up

So I took Kasen to the Doctor friday for his 4 month check up. He is doing fine growth and eating wise, but we really are having to watch his head. He is really flat headed on his right side of his head, so she told us to be sure to lay him on the left side and do lots of tummy time and she showed me some stretches to do on his neck. I agreed with her and also told her that I had already been doing what she was telling me but that we would continue to do so. So she said that we would wait until the 6 month check up and go from there. The name for what he has is "mild torticollis / plagiocephaly." The torticollis has to do with the muscles in his neck, one side is stronger than the other so he turn his head to the strong side rather than the weak side. The plagiocephaly is the name for his flat head. Sometimes the plagiocephaly has to be fixed with a helmet or band that he would have to wear for 23 hours a day anywhere from 2-6 months or longer depending on the severity of it. So we are praying that we can fix it by laying him on the left side of his head and with physical therapy. Even since we have been doing the stretches since Friday and he seems to be able to move his head more to the left than he could before. So hopefully it will all work out!! Other than that he is a happy little guy, we started on cereal on Thursday and he LOVES it. I made him some this morning and I couldn't feed it to him fast enough, he is a little piggy like his brother!!

His measurements were: 14 lbs. 2 oz and 24 inches long! He is getting so big!!

Happy Birthday to Mema & Papa Hank

Yesterday was Mema's birthday and Papa Hank's birthday. Braden wanted to sing to them so here it is....in his own version of the Birthday song!!

*Kasen in the bumbo chair*

Today Kasen is 4 months old....I can't believe that he is already so big. He is really beginning to be really vocal and he is so funny. When you change his clothes he cracks up, I guess it tickles him, but he really likes it!!

just some old pics

I was looking through some old pics today on the computer and thought I would post some pics of Braden at about the same age that Kasen is right now. I really thought they looked alike...but really they don't....it's crazy!

*Kasen @ 3 months*

*Braden @ 3 months*

"Mom....I want some polyphenols"

So yesterday I was in the kitchen trying to figure out what I was going to fix Braden for lunch and he comes running in and says "Mom....I want some polyphenols".....me "You want WHAT?"....at this point I'm a little confused until I remember the Welchs Grape Juice commercial. Braden: "I want polyphenols" me: "Like they say on the commercial for grape juice?" Braden: "yep, can we go get some polyphenols?" So now grape juice in our house is called "Polyphenols" My kid cracks me up......how many 2 1/2 year olds really pay attention to the commericials to pick up on that kind of stuff. It's not like he was just sitting there staring at the tv, he was running back and forth between his room and the living room getting trains and toys, and we were sitting in the floor playing not even paying attention to the tv. Guess we better be careful what is on huh?

RSV

So I took Kasen to the doctor on Friday and found out he has RSV. He started the coughing and sneezing and runny nose on Wednesday night, he never ran fever and he wasn't having difficulty breathing or wheezing. I woke up on Friday thinking, I bet it is just a cold I probably shouldn't take him anyways, BUT I already have the appointment so we will go anyways. We got there and she said "I think it's just the cold that Braden had last week, but lets do the RSV swab just in case, I really don't think that is what it is, but lets be safe." So they did the swab, and she came back in and said "well, we were both wrong, he has RSV. But thankfully we caught it early and he isn't wheezing" So we are doing oral steroids and hoping an praying that it kicks it and we wont have to do breathing treatments! He seems to be better today, he is still coughing pretty bad but is a happy little guy today!