Being Thankful

Thanksgiving at Grandpa Jack and Grandma Karen's
Sleeping

Meeting Great Grandma Wiley

Grayden's seat during Thanksgiving dinner

As this Thanksgiving weekend comes to an end I am having mixed emotions because I will be returning to work tomorrow. I am not looking forward to going back to work because I would much rather be home with my boys, but I am very thankful that I have an amazing career and a job in which I love. If I didn't love what I do so much, it would be almost impossible for me to return to work.

We had a great time celebrating Grayden's first Thanksgiving two times this year. Last weekend we got to spend the weekend up at my dad and Karen's place enjoying an excellent meal and great company. This weekend we made the journey up to Kinde to spend the holiday with my Grandma Wiley, Uncle Kevin, Aunt Helen, Emily, Trudy, Grace, and Lucy, as well as my Mom, Jeff, and Aunt Jill. We had so much fun and the boys were really loving all of the attention that got while we were there. We always love our visits to the thumb and cherish the time we get to spend with The Wiley's, although it is not often we always make the best of our little visits.

This year we have so much to be thankful for. We are most thankful for our newest little addition. This year has really made me realize how often we take our health and family for granted. Grayden has taught me so much in his short life, and most importantly to cherish every moment because nothing in life is ever guaranteed. We are also very grateful that we were given the opportunity to participate in the MOMS trial and that Grayden is doing so well thus far. He is such a great addition to our family and I can't tell you how much I truly enjoy being a mom to my two amazing little boys. Through this new journey we have also had the opportunity to meet many other amazing families as well as health professionals and we are so thankful for them as well.

Growing Growing Growing...

Grayden had his two month check up at the Pediatrician's office yesterday and is officially weighing in at 9lbs 2oz. He is two ounces shy of Zander's birth weight. The check up went great and all things continue to be going as well as they can be. He is growing and developing well. We also had an appointment with the Urologist here in town. He did a quick exam and talked with me briefly about the "plan" for follow up. Due to the study protocol Grayden will have a bladder and kidney ultrasound done when he is four months old and then every three months following. I felt very comfortable with the Urologist and he is one of the first physicians we have worked with who seems to know a lot about the Moms Trial. He even attended a presentation last year given by one of the Urologist at Vanderbilt that is working with the study. I was hesitant about my appointment with him because he is new in town and most of the other kids we know with Spina Bifida see the other Urologist (who we have heard good things about); but I ended up being pleasantly surprised!



The last few weeks have been very busy. We had the chance to have a little play date with our new friends Emily and Carson (http://www.babyboybush.blogspot.com/) and Leigh and Greyson (http://www.ourlittlegibblet.blogspot.com/) last week. We had such a great time getting together with them. I hope Leigh and Emily know how valuable their friendship has been to me as I begin this journey of raising a child with Spina Bifida. They have both been a wealth of information and support and I feel very lucky to have been connected with them and their very handsome boys. I also had the opportunity to go to a Spina Bifida Moms support group last week at one of the local coffee shops. A bunch of moms from the area get together once a month for a chance to chat and to share our ups and downs and everything in between. I am also very grateful for these opportunities forward to getting to know all of them each month! It is so nice to know that we are not alone.

So far, much of Grayden's care is just normal baby type stuff with the exception of all of the appointments. We spend our days much the same way that we did when Zander was a baby; he eats, sleeps, poops, does tummy time, cuddles, and then repeats all of the above. I just love every minute of it! I am soooooooooooooo not looking forward to going back to work in less than two weeks. I love spending time with my two boys and really wish that I could stay home with them.

Here is a little clip of Grayden. I just love to sit and watch him learn to kick his legs. I am also trying to get a good clip of him during tummy time because he is really getting strong; however every time I try to record him lifting his head he seems to be in one of his "fussy" moments.

Halloween and Update

We had a great Halloween with the boys. Zander spent Friday at Daycare at Kristy's house playing Halloween games and dancing to music. She truly is the best daycare provider we could ever ask for. Zander loves her so much and has so much fun when he is there. Saturday we spent the day at Gun Lake with the Robinsons! We had so much fun hanging out with the cousins, eating Chili and visiting with our Gun Lake neighbors. It was so nice to see everyone. Although I didn't get to actually trick or treat with Zander because Grayden decided he was not having it, Austin said he did great and had a ton of fun! He has a new found love for suckers now, they were definitely his favorite Halloween candy.

Grayden had a head ultrasound done yesterday and then we followed up that appointment with the Neurosurgeon. Although he was not able to download the images that were taken at CHOP to compare what his ventricles look like now compared to the last ultrasound that was done at CHOP, he said that based on what he saw that he was not concerned. He said that Grayden's hydrocephalus is mild at this point and is not indicative of needing a shunt at this point. So, we will go back again in a month to have another ultrasound to continue to monitor, unless something of concern happens before then. Even though I had to wait for over an hour for the appointment with the Neurosurgeon, this experience was a lot more pleasant overall. (He must have heard ringing in his ears over the last few weeks and decided to shape up a little bit:))

Guitar (costume #2 thanks to our buddy Mason)
Zander with his daycare friends

My beautiful niece Teagan as Cinderella

Spiderman Chase

Not very happy Zebra, Grayden (he lasted about 2 minutes)

Trick or treating at Gun Lake

Frog-costume #1 (thanks to cousin Chase)